List of Underline the Black characters

***Underline the Black*** is a *Fae Tales Verse AU* and part 1 of *Underline the Rainbow*. It is a *Fae Tales* omegaverse AU focusing on Efnisien ap Wledig and Dr Gary Konowalous, and contains a large cast of characters.

## Alois Flitmouse

Flitmouse is Anton's omega at Hillview. Flitmouse is a main character in *Underline the Gold*.

#### Personality

Anton noted that Flitmouse is very independent and bolshy. Flitmouse only talks about himself in bits and pieces. He also has issues eating food, which Anton keeps an eye on. He is very jealous of other omegas taking up Anton's time, and possessive of Anton.

#### Life

Flitmouse seemingly arrived at Hillview as one of the most malnourished omegas Hillview had seen. Although omegas received internal exams ideally before their first heat to check they were developed well and biologically ready for a heat, Flitmouse took 'almost half a year and two half-completed traumatic heats before he’d even allow one under sedation.' Flitmouse funds his own stay at Hillview, and has a car and a driver's license, and can leave the property at any time he chooses.

Flitmouse didn't like the alarms going off when Efnisien attacked Kadek, but was curious and sent Anton off to investigate.

Flitmouse took great pleasure in telling Mosk that Anton had lectured Gary about Efnisien, and told Mosk that Anton was now Gary's supervisor. Flitmouse was still very insecure in his bond with Anton, and hated Efnisien, at least partially out of extreme jealousy due to Anton spending time with him.

Flitmouse sometimes left Hillview to look at textiles and do other things related to his work.

## Anton Valenosk

Anton is an alpha employee at Hillview. His omega is Flitmouse. Anton is a main character in *Underline the Gold*.

#### Appearance

Anton had golden eyes and 'blue-black wavy hair that must have had some kind of colour put through it to make it look that way.' Augus noted that although Anton is not a peak alpha, he's not weak. When he found Efnisien in the woods, he 'wore a nice button-up blue shirt. His black jeans looked expensive.'

#### Personality

Anton and Augus appear to have a semi-fractious relationship. Efnisien noted that Anton was convincing in a way used to manipulate omegas. Anton is close with Kadek. Anton doesn't actively think of omegas as lesser, and tries to remove the feeling when he discovers it in himself. 'Anton tested low on the possessive scale, which made him particularly suitable for secure and stable omegas who had a good sense of self, or who needed to rebuild their sense of self in a steady environment.' He feels secure in his relationship with Flitmouse.

#### Life

Anton's mother was an omega, and his immediate family were all omegas and betas.

Anton worked in a wing with Kadek for four years. He's supervised by Temsen. He writes things he knows for certain about Flitmouse down so he can make connections about Flitmouse that he couldn't make without doing that.

He seemingly witnessed alpha persuasion working on Efnisien. He later visited Efnisien with Augus and Gary, but Anton told Augus and Gary to leave the room when Anton noted that Augus and Gary were overwhelming Efnisien. When Anton attempted to talk to Efnisien in private, Efnisien used alpha persuasion on him, which worked to some degree. Anton's alpha persuasion didn't work on Efnisien.

After Efnisien ran into the woods, Anton found him and talked him into coming back to Gary's house. Efnisien told him about the medical exam. Anton pulled Gary aside for a chat about having a supervisor, calling out Gary's behavior as incredibly against Gary's own procedures, and pointing out in Gary's own published works that omegas deserved better care than Gary had provided. Anton appointed himself as Gary's supervisor, as no one else worked, and ordered them to have meetings on Wednesdays at 6pm, and told Gary to clear out some time in his schedule so he could spend more time with Efnisien.

Gary called Anton and asked if they could have their supervising appointment early, and Anton explained that he wasn't sure he was cut out to supervise Gary. In lieu of that, he offered to be Gary's friend who could offer advice. Anton talked about Flitmouse, and suggested writing things down that he'd learned about Efnisien. He also talked to Gary about priorities, with income to Hillview first, Efnisien second, and that academic stuff might have to wait. He also suggested that Temsen take over some of Gary's jobs, and that Temsen give some of his physician duties to Kent. Anton grew more annoyed when Gary mentioned he was still going away. Anton suggested Gary begin working from home, or otherwise keep Efnisien with him outside of supervisor sessions.

Anton was worried about Efnisien after speaking with Kadek, and came to speak with him about bonding with Gary and Efnisien's reasonable fear-based reactions to terrifying situations. Efnisien agreed to let him visit in the future.

## Augus Each Uisge

Augus is a peak alpha employee at Hillview. He's bonded with Mosk. He also sometimes works as a supervisor for other alpha companions. Augus is a main character in *Underline the Green - Twenty Blankets.*

#### Appearance

When Efnisien first met him, Augus smelled 'like torn leaves and fresh water, so strong Efnisien nearly gagged. The man’s straight black hair was tied back in a long ponytail and his green gaze was powerful. He was handsome, like a model, not thick through with muscle like Gwyn. . . . He wore a suit.'

#### Personality

Augus is noted for control over his emotional state. 'He was very attentive to the omega he’d bonded with, but he could be frightening the rest of the time, and that was why Gary hired him – to handle all the other alphas when Gary was too busy to manage it.'

#### Life

Gary is Augus' supervisor. 'Augus was one of the few alphas qualified to handle intake' and handled Efnisien's intake, where he spoke to Efnisien's family directly. He recommended Efnisien be paired with a peak alpha, and later used drugs and alpha persuasion to knock Efnisien out after Efnisien attacked Kadek.

After dealing with Efnisien, Augus went to Mosk, who was scared of the alarms set off by Efnisien's attack.

Some time after Efnisien woke up in the recovery room, Augus came to visit him with Anton and Gary, but Anton told Augus and Gary to leave the room when Anton noted that Augus and Gary were overwhelming Efnisien. When Efnisien insisted they talk to Crielle for him, Augus noted Hillview was still considering pressing charges for attempted murder. Augus talked to Gary to try and convince him to be a companion to Efnisien, and noted that no other rehabilitation centre could handle him. While discussing Efnisien's future, Gary noted that it might be easier for Efnisien to return to his family and be killed by them, which Augus agreed with, though neither of them 'could truly commit to that path.'

Augus was struggling with the potential of Mosk graduating out of Hillview, and having to let him go, though Augus also noted, 'I know Mosk isn’t meant to be my lifelong mate, I’m not sure I’d want to be with him if I met him on the street, but we have a connection now, and every night I have to convince myself that when the time comes, I’ll be strong enough to go through with it.' Augus disapproved of Anton's lack of compassion for Gary's situation, and said that Anton would be a terrible supervisor. Gary discussed how Augus may want to consider working in another capacity at Hillview, due to the mentally trying nature of companionship, which Augus noted he was thinking about. They pushed their next meeting out farther.

Temsen noted that Augus might be a candidate for PACS.

## Caleb

Caleb is an alpha companion at Hillview. Gary is his supervisor. Lucien is his omega.

Caleb is a main character in *Underline the Red.*

## Crielle ferch Fnwy

Crielle is Efnisien's aunt, Lludd's wife, Gwyn's mother, and a peak alpha. She is also Efnisien's legal guardian.

#### Appearance

Efnisien thought Crielle was pretty and that she 'had an aura of power about her, and her eyes were deep blue and hypnotising.' Her hair was blond and curly. Crielle loved Gwyn and Penny, but not Lludd, Efnisien, or Euro. She was lean, but much of her body was muscular, and she could overpower Efnisien.

#### Personality

Gwyn said she wouldn't have allowed Efnisien to have a real job. She would punish Efnisien if he acted like an omega, which Gwyn would threaten him with. She threatened Efnisien with Hillview/being sent to a rehabilitation centre in the past, and said they were horrible places where omegas were abandoned and were 'a good place to forget about someone.' Gwyn notes that Crielle didn't kill Efnisien because she 'didn’t want a body in the grounds of An Fnwy estate.’ She likes classical music.

#### Life

Crielle kept Efnisien in her lab at the An Fnwy Estate as part of her 'treatment program', seemingly to turn him into an alpha. She believes that 'if she can intervene early enough, with the right drugs, she can reverse someone’s birth designation.' She promised pair him up with an omega someday. She performed all the internal exams on him herself. Crielle put an alpha directive on Efnisien 'since before he was verbal' not to talk about her science to others, and even peak alphas like Gwyn couldn't break it. Crielle is largely in charge of most of Fenwy Laboratories, which is 'one of the largest companies responsible for global hormone distribution', including ardolphogen, though she isn't one of the fronting members.

Crielle accepted 'the project' of making Efnisien an alpha a failure. She seemingly had Efnisien knocked out, drugged, and transported to Hillview. Efnisien believed it was some form of punishment. Gary called her about Efnisien, and Crielle denied knowing that Efnisien considered himself an alpha, or that anything medical had been done to him. She also noted Efnisien's parents had nothing to do with him. She also heavily implied that if Gary couldn't handle Efnisien, they should just kill him. She noted, 'We *might* consider taking him back if you can make him a presentable omega in *high society,* but if you’re not confident, do whatever it is you must.'

She moved on to other 'projects'.

Crielle has 'science friends', at least some of whom smoke, and who sometimes came over to visit her at the An Fnwy Estate.

#### Skills

Crielle designed the patented technique to mass produce ardolphogen. Crielle is a qualified medical doctor, but possibly didn't specificalize in surgery, and has a biochem and biochemical engineering background, with a dual medical doctor and engineering degree. Crielle is particularly visious 'to businesses she's had enough of', because she has no limitations on how she treats them.

## Efnisien ap Wledig

Efnisien is the story protagonist, and was born an omega but modified by Crielle to be more like an alpha.

#### Appearance

Efnisien was age 19 at the story start.

'Efnisien looked nothing like a classic omega. He had the build of an alpha still growing into his frame. Even his scent was different.' He was tall and thin, and struggled to put on muscle. 'Efnisien had been told more than once that his scent wasn’t like an omega's at all.' He had shaggy blonde hair and blue eyes. He had pale skin. He had surgical scars on his lower body. His neck hurt when people touch it a lot. Crielle gave him implants to make him look more like an alpha. Gary gave him some old clothes to wear. Faber bought him clothes in 'mostly earthly neutral tones . . . soft beiges, creams, a couple of brown shirts, a few with beige and cream stripes', and at least a pair of sneakers that fit. He also had a reddish-brown coat.

Efnisien's scent changes when he starts taking different medication at Hillview.

For a time, Efnisien has a cannula in his wrist, but it's removed shortly after his surgery.

#### Personality

Efnisien hated omegas. He initially felt cold and brittle hatred towards Gary. He was afraid of dogs, because the ones at the An Fnwy Estate hated him, and because once he got too close to the estate wall and was bitten. He had trauma over medical procedures in part because Crielle conducted many on him, including internal procedures. He was unused to eating good food. He was researching going to a university, but wasn't sure what he wanted to study, outside not wanting to go into medicine, though he's okay being a scientist. He was unused to large amounts of touch.

'Efnisien had always hoped Crielle could get him somewhere to Gwyn’s level, but he was relieved just to be an alpha.' 'Efnisien didn’t think he could bond with anyone. He’d never felt particularly close to any of the members of his family, even though he knew family were supposed to be the people you loved most. He didn’t even feel protective over them, like alphas were supposed to, or possessive of them, like many omegas.'

Efnisien reacted to fear with antagonism, and initially fantasized about assaulting anyone who got in his way to Crielle. He was trained at pretending to be meek to fool people. Sometimes Efnisien would bait Gwyn when he was furious, which would hurt, but would give Efnisien a kind of catharsis.

Gary liked Efnisien's spitefulness and biteyness.

Efnisien noted he didn't care if he died. The GPS tracker in Efnisien's neck makes him feel like he is wanted.

Efnisien hoped to attend university one day.

Efnisien really likes bread.

#### Life

Crielle starts performing surgeries on Efnisien when he is a baby, since Efnisien's parents didn't care about him and treated him like a toy. Prior to the story start, Efnisien appears to have spent most if not all of his life in Crielle's lab, where she 'treated' him with medication and surgeries, which he believed were in his best interest, and that she was looking out for him. He typically took 50-60 pills a day. He was home-schooled, but never had actual tutors, save the servants who taught him to read. He figured out his own curriculum from age eight. Gwyn fought with Efnisien 1-2 times a week, whether or not Efnisien was already injured, heavily or otherwise (though sometimes not when he was too badly injured), and Gwyn would always win. Crielle, Lludd, and Gwyn would often leave the An Fnwy Estate to go on vacation, and Efnisien would always stay behind, 'though [he'd] look at where they were staying on his maps tab, or the reviews for the top wineries and restaurants they were visiting and feel like maybe he was traveling with them.' Crielle put an alpha directive on Efnisien 'since before he was verbal' not to talk about her science to others, and even peak alphas like Gwyn couldn't break it.

Before the story start Efnisien was seemingly knocked out and sedated for transport to Hillview on Crielle's orders. Efnisien planned to escape the facility at the first opportunity.

After being brought to see Kadek, he pretended to be submissive, and then attacked Kadek, wounding him particularly badly, and attempted to escape, revealing he could use alpha persuasion. He was stopped and knocked out by Augus. He became tachycardic.

Efnisien learned his family refused to take him back, and would seemingly kill him if he was returned from Hillview. He was inspected and drugged more, and Gary's use of alpha persuasion only worsened his condition, as Efnisien couldn't properly fulfill Dr Gary's order to calm. When he was later placed in some kind of recovery room, Gary, Anton, and Augus visited him, and Gary told Efnisien that he was an omega, and had been pumped with other drugs outside of Hillview 'that shouldn't be there.' Anton, Augus, and Gary conducted a test on him to see if their alpha persuasion worked on him, and Augus' did.

After Gary took Efnisien out of the cell and told him they wouldn't let him go, Efnisien realized he'd be tortured and assaulted. He didn't respond to Gary's questions, but he did collapse, and Gary caught him, eventually resulting in Efnisien biting him. Rather than hitting him back, Gary rested a palm on Efnisien's jaw, which helped calm Efnisien down. But it was eventually too overwhelming and Efnisien kicked him away. The food Gary requested arrived, and Efnisien noted he couldn't eat it because it was carbs, to which Gary was confused. Efnisien ate some of it, and then said that if Dr Gary tried to have sex with Efnisien, Efnisien would kill him and everyone at the facility. When Efnisien said he refused to be dependent or broken, Gary noted that Efnisien was *already* dependent on Hillview, and already broken. Gary then took Efnisien to Gary's on-site home, and had Efnisien take a shower and change into clean clothes. Gary was shocked at how heavily injured Efnisien was. Efnisien asked to talk to Crielle again. Efnisien fainted from exhaustion, and when Efnisien woke and discovered the tracking device on his ankle, it reminded him of how things had been on the An Fnwy estate, and implied that he'd worn a tracking device that couldn't easily be removed. Efnisien refused to eat, though he took some water, and hated that Gary wouldn't even grant him privacy in the bathroom, which even Crielle had granted him. Efnisien later went with Gary for a medical exam with Kent, which he hated and was terrified of. Gary called a halt when he realized Efnisien was crying and terrified and under an alpha directive. When he tested it, Efnisien became ill. Kent gave Efnisien a shoulder brace, which helped Efnisien's pain. Efnisien became suicidal, but was stopped by Crielle's directive. When Efnisien was out of the clinic, he ran away into the forest near Gary's home. Anton found him out there. Efnisien said that the centres and heats brainwashed omegas into doing what alphas wanted and into thinking that what alphas did wasn't sexual assault. Anton ultimately talked him back to Gary's house.

Efnisien stayed mostly still and quiet while Gary and Anton talked about him. He was still hostile to Gary, and exhibiting his trauma from the whole situation. When Gary spoke with him afterward, investigating the directive, Efnisien noted he was in pain most of the time, and Gary wondered if it was *all* the time. Gary allowed Efnisien to call Gwyn's cellphone, and Gwyn repeatedly shot down Efnisien's hopes of his speaking to Crielle on Efnisien's behalf or sending him clothes. Gwyn talked about visiting in a month for the scenery, and was generally insulting to Efnisien. Efnisien later was confused about going on a walk with Gary, and how many options Gary was giving him. When Efnisien talked about the GPS chip in his neck, and Gary suggested removing it, Efnisien grew furious and told him he couldn't.

After spending the night at Gary's, Efnisien told Gary he wanted books on non-fiction, because he was bored without a computer or his phone. Efnisien broke some plates in anger after hearing Faber talking about putting him in a holding room. He was terrified of how Gary would react, and cleaned it up, then tried some of the clothes Faber got for him, and put what wouldn't fit in the bags Faber brought. After taking another shower on his own he put on some dark blue jeans and a cream long-sleeved shirt, under a thin jacket 'with a mottled pattern of brown, green, and beige.' He was still restless, and read some of "*How the Sea Taught Me to Let Go*, a book on beach erosion management." When Gary returned with Kent, Efnisien grew panicked and brandished the book as he yelled at Kent to leave him alone, and even used alpha persuasion on him successful to make him leave temporarily. When Gary attempted to calm him, Efnisien bit him, hard, and Gary simply waited and reassured him, and even apologized for not warning him. Efnisien eventually responded to the gentle petting and let go. He grudgingly sat through an exam with Kent, and gloated when Kent said the only supplier with the amount they needed for ardolphogen was Fenwy Laboratories, because it meant they'd have to contact the family business. After Efnisien and Gary talked about Fenwy Laboratories, Gary told Efnisien that Crielle gave Hillview permission to kill Efnisien if they couldn't rehabilitate him, but said they weren't planning to kill him. Efnisien grew angry, and intentionally triggered his ankle monitor while Gary was out, setting off an incredibly loud alarm that gave him painful headaches. When Gary arrived, Efnisien pretended nothing had happened, and then used Gary's moment before he'd gone to sleep to taunt him. Gary grabbed him, scaring Efnisien.

Efnisien grew to be frustrated and bereft at Gary's frequent departures and absences, though he couldn't explain it. Gary told Efnisien about Kadek's recovery, and Efnisien felt awful about what he'd done, and never wanted to hurt anyone else like that again. Efnisien also stopped needing the shoulder brace and set it aside. Gary began only touching Efnisien when he was measuring Efnisien's blood pressure or heartrate, and for some reason Efnisien couldn't understand, the decreased touch infuriated Efnisien. When Efnisien saw Gary take out his suitcase, and Efnisien realized Gary was going to be leaving, Efnisien grew scared. The next day, after Gary was gone, Efnisien destroyed his home office, hating that Gary was too cowardly to stick around or just kill Efnisien to get things over with. He grew angry with himself, but didn't stop until the space had been entirely destroyed.

Efnisien was terrified when Gary came home, and Gary used alpha persuasion to order Efnisien into the room. When Gary reached for him, Efnisien attempted to escape, terrified of being mounted, and then bit two of Gary's fingers. Gary trapped him on the floor, and Efnisien grew more afraid and sick and threw up. Gary stopped and pulled him away from the sick, and explained that he wasn't happy, and tried to talk things over. When he asked why Efnisien was angry, Efnisien said, 'You keep leaving'. After Gary revealed he wasn't going on his trip, this seemed to calm Efnisien, and after they talked, Gary noted that Efnisien possibly sought the disassociation caused by mounting.

Efnisien later helped Gary clean up the office, until his injured hands became too much and Gary took him aside to clean them and put oil on them. Afterward, they talked about what alphas and omegas are, and how Efnisien was or wasn't happy when he lived at the An Fnwy Estate. Gary then used his abilities to make Efnisien sleep.

While walking outside, Gary lectured Efnisien for dehumanizing omegas through his language. Efnisien talked about how he used to watch videos of nature and look at satellite images, and Gary admitted he needed to touch Efnisien just as much as Efnisien needed to touch Gary.

Efnisien agreed to see Temsen with Gary accompanying him, and Temsen talked about Efnisien's bloodwork, explaining the results in a way Efnisien wasn't used to with Crielle, and agreeing to call Efnisien an alpha if that was what Efnisien was most comfortable with. Temsen also noted they'd likely never get him to baseline omega levels due to everything he'd gone through, though they would be open to how his state would change in the future. Efnisien was upset to learn that although some of his lare glands, the main lare body remained, so he was producing some larentin, and Efnisien wanted it gone so that he could be an alpha so that Crielle would take him back. When Efnisien noted he didn't care if he died, Temsen noted that he, Gary, and Kent all cared. Efnisien stated he didn't want to become a regular omega in order to return to Crielle, and Temsen noted that as an alpha at Hillview, he would have to learn to respect omegas.

Efnisien took a phone call with Kadek, and grew stressed, noting that he'd probably keep hurting people, and Kadek could (and should) press charges. Afterward, Anton visited him, and Efnisien learned that he might be bonding with Gary, which terrified him. Efnisien also struggled with the understanding that his fear-based reactions to terrifying situations made sense. He agreed to let Anton visit him again.

When Gary talks about leaving to take time for himself, Efnisien bites him. When Gary returns from his break, they argue, and Gary hugs him to calm him down. The next day, Gary has Efnisien go through exams to see his education level. Efnisien is overwhelmed by it all, even though he performs well. The next day, Temsen visits to do a check-up on him, and they talk about Efnisien's history. Efnisien attends a meeting with Gwyn, Temsen, and Gary, where Gwyn gives him clothes, and Gwyn and Efnisien fight. Efnisien shuts down under Gwyn's vitriol. He largely refuses to eat, talk, or react, and in desperation, Gary takes Efnisien to the beach, which is Efnisien's first time on a beach. When a wave strikes Efnisien, the shock is so much it starts Efnisien out of being non-verbal. He and Gary fight, because Efnisien has accepted it would be better for him to die and is mad at Gary for interrupting that, and Efnisien is afraid of going into heat.

Efnisien starts to be more ill and in pain due to his body attempting to go into heat, combined with his mental discomfort and past surgeries making that more complicated. He's overwrought by being allowed to speak about being in pain and whether or not what's happening and what Gary is doing are hurting him. During Temsen's visit to give Efnisien painkillers, Efnisien is upset at the news that Gary's heart condition is developing. Efnisien blames himself for giving Gary PACS, and attacks Temsen to the point Temsen has to use alpha persuasion.

Temsen does exploratory surgery to make sure Efnisien doesn't have infection from Crielle's surgeries, and removes three objects: stitches, the microchip in Efnisien's neck, and what is possibly a piece of scalpal. Efnisien wakes and isn't as upset about the microchip removal, but is bothered by the medical rape, and wants the prosthetics on his genitals removed, though he can't say that to Gary due to Crielle's directives.

#### Skills

Although Efnisien lost all his fights with Gwyn, he is still well-trained in combat, and powerful against regular alphas. Even peak alphas like Crielle weren't able to calm him down, though Crielle had trained him to keep still on operating tables. He is also well-educated, despite not having access to much official learning. Gary notes that Efnisien is 'far ahead on raw literacy and maths but began to fall down in areas relating to nuanced analysis.'

## Euroswydd ("Euro")

Euro is an alpha, Penny's partner, and Efnisien's father. Crielle noted he has nothing to do with Efnisien.

## Faber

Faber is a beta employee at Hillview, and Gary's personal assistant. Faber is a main character in *Underline the Red.*

#### Appearance

Faber is very formal when speaking to Gary. He appears to be no 'older than his mid-twenties, with clear pale skin, large blue eyes, and a strawberry blond hair that was wavy and styled, set with some kind of gel or pomade. He wore glasses with fancy frames, that somehow made him look stern and sweet at the same time.' Efnisien considers him 'stupidly pretty' with seemingly naturally clear skin.

#### Personality

Faber is wary of Efnisien. Gary tried to get him to stop calling Gary 'Sir', but Faber never broke the habit.

Faber seems to deal with his own issues by pouring himself into his work.

#### Life

Faber helped with administration and Gary's schedule.

He worked with Efnisien after Efnisien assaulted Kadek.

When Gary needed to get Efnisien clothes, he called Faber to ask him to take care of it. Faber noted that he didn't think Gary was in a proper place to become a companion to Efnisien, which Gary agreed with. Gary also asked him to look into Crielle's background. When Gary noted that Crielle threatened Hillview, Faber's reply had a lightly dangerous tone to it. Faber also asked if Gary wanted to formulate a preemptive response for James' family. Gary later gets Faber to replace Gary's home computer and cancel Gary's flight.

#### Skills

Gary noted that Faber is so important to Hillview that he would take 2-3 people to replace.

## Dr Gary Konowalous

Gary is a peak alpha, a main character in the story, Efnisien's partner, and the head of Hillview.

#### Appearance

Efnisien considered Gary's touch warm, and thought that Gary smelled 'of red wine and maybe something like wood shavings'. His 'hair was shortish and black with some silver shot through it', and his 'hair was blacker at the back, most of the silver was around his ears and the front of his head.' He also looked slightly older than Augus and Anton. When Gary took Efnisien out of the cell, he 'wore a charcoal suit without a tie, the top two buttons undone. Only one of them had been unbuttoned before. His shoes were immaculate. He looked like someone in charge.' Efnisien noted that he 'wasn’t broad and muscular like Gwyn, though he was tall. He didn’t need to look smug like Augus did. He just had power.' He has bigger feet than Efnisien. He used to smoke. He has chest hair.

#### Personality

Efnisien noted that Gary was very condescending, particularly when he could be hurtful about it. 'Efnisien was in awe of how Gary just bowled through the world. He didn’t make excuses for his peak alpha arrogance, and he didn’t make up reasons for it to exist. He just…made decisions, and when people told him it was bullshit, he just shrugged.'

Gary noted that Efnisien's hair was soft and 'pleasant to touch.' Gary noted he liked his life before Efnisien stepped into it, even if he was generally exhausted and a bit overworked. Gary has no respect for abusive peak alphas. 'Gary did not think of himself as a nice or kind person. He never had. Even as a child, teachers and adults around him described him as calculating and academic, they said he could be patient, but one teacher added, ‘But spiders are patient too’ in the same sentence. It had not been a goal of Gary’s to become nice, and it wasn’t particularly useful in his job either. Compassion was useful, but it wasn’t the same thing.' Gary also has a unique ability that isn't alpha persuasion: 'His presence alone made people want to listen to him, whether they were awake or asleep.' Gary misses James. Gary knows how to cook. Gary 'deliberately didn’t keep company, because he didn’t want to give someone else his time, his emotional labour, his compassion.' He enjoys exerting physical control over others in his physically intimate relationships.

Gary likes music.

#### Life

Gary's mother worked in animal rehabilitation. Gary's peak alpha abilities manifested when he was very young, and his mother told him to better control himself. She had already passed away by the time James was in the hospital for chemotherapy. After James' death, James' family tried to destroy Gary's character. 'They'd found a sympathetic journalist - more than one – for the more conservative newspapers that believed that alphas – even peak alphas – should only ever be with omegas. Articles had come out about how the owner of a cutting-edge omega rehabilitation facility hated omegas, refused to be with them, and instead used his power and wiles to brainwash an alpha, and then deny him the loving, healing care of an omega when he became sick with cancer.' Gary was harassed by journalists for a while. Every year, James' family regularly harassed Gary, blaming him for James' death. Gary didn't block them in the hopes that maybe one day they'd grow and want to talk.

Gary is a 44-year-old peak alpha and originally entered the world of omega psychology 'to become a companion and graduate omegas through a rehabilitation centre. But all he’d seen in the centres were continuous ineffective and traumatic procedures, and the first omega he’d been paired with had been so docile and pathetic that Gary had struggled to see him as anything other than a damaged pet.' He 'was primarily attracted to alphas and betas . . . The knowledge that he’d be a useless companion, alongside the fact that he suddenly had to change his entire future path that he’d mapped out for himself.

He went into pure research and found he had skills at alpha supervision, or ‘alpha wrangling’ as Augus liked to call it. He was still able to introduce effective omega management and bonding strategies through observation and discussion, and he was even distantly fond of a few of the omegas they’d had in the facility over the years.

He liked the ones that had more of a personality, that spoke up, spoke out, and didn’t simply become so docile that Gary wasn’t sure what alphas saw in them.'

Gary met James when James 'working on becoming an Associate Professor, and Gary was getting towards the end of his doctorate'. James was Gary's one long-term relationship. James eventually asked for Gary's help with voluntary assisted dying, and James' family made Gary's life worse for it. Due to his grief, he gained PACS.

After James' death, Gary went into the city if he wanted to be with anyone, which included 'a lot of flings with other alphas, and occasionally betas.', and didn't bring anyone to his home.

Gary is currently an employee at Hillview and largely runs it. 'He’d gained enough power and enough influence that he had other alphas who managed omegas for him, so he rarely had to interact with them.' He publishes 'papers and books on omega psychology.' He also works as a supervisor for at least three other alphas, including Augus and Caleb.

Augus told him that Kadek and Efnisien shouldn't be paired.

Gary was angry about Efnisien - potentially a secret alpha - being at Hillview, particularly since his "alpha" nature was kept hidden by his family during intake. He checked Efnisien over after Efnisien was knocked out, and tried to use alpha persuasion on him, which seemingly made Efnisien's tachycardia worse because Efnisien 'couldn’t [fulfill] the order properly.'

Augus talked to Gary to try and convince him to be a companion to Efnisien, and noted that no other rehabilitation centre could handle him. Gary noted he didn't care what Efnisien wanted, and only 'cared about the reputation of his facility, and he cared that he was introducing a new model of omega rehabilitation and companionship that was highly respected, but he didn’t care about individual omegas much beyond knowing Hillview had a good success rate, and positive reviews from the omegas themselves.' While discussing Efnisien's future, Gary noted that it might be easier for Efnisien to return to his family and be killed by them, which Augus agreed with, though neither of them 'could truly commit to that path.'

Gary visited Efnisien again and brought him out of the cell. Gary noted he wasn't one of the kinder alphas, and refused to let Efnisien go when Efnisien suggested it. After Efnisien didn't respond to Gary's questions and collapsed, Gary caught him, eventually resulting in Efnisien biting him. Rather than hitting him back, Gary rested a palm on Efnisien's jaw, which helped calm Efnisien down. But it was eventually too overwhelming and Efnisien kicked him away. The food Gary requested arrived, and Efnisien noted he couldn't eat it because it was carbs, to which Gary was confused. Efnisien ate some of it, and then said that if Gary tried to have sex with Efnisien, Efnisien would kill him and everyone at the facility. When Efnisien said he refused to be dependent or broken, Dr Gary noted that Efnisien was *already* dependent on Hillview, and already broken.

Gary then took Efnisien to Gary's on-site home, and had Efnisien take a shower and change into clean clothes. Gary was shocked at how heavily injured Efnisien was, and noted that Gary might press charges if Kadek died, but also said, ‘I don’t want to exit you into a situation where your life is in overt danger.' When Efnisien fell asleep in the bathroom, Gary tried to wake him, to no avail, and ended up cleaning him a bit more and checking him over, before placing a tracking manacle on Efnisien's ankle.

Gary continued to be controlling, refusing to allow Efnisien to be alone behind locked doors, even in the bathroom, and took Efnisien for a medical exam, where Gary was surprised that his touch actually helped Efnisien. Gary stayed by Efnisien's side during Kent's internal exam, but ordered a halt when he realized Efnisien was terrified, crying, and under an alpha directive, and ensured that Efnisien got a shoulder brace. Gary tested the alpha directive, which made Efnisien ill. Efnisien ran away afterward, and Gary didn't follow.

Although Efnisien ran to the woods near Gary's home, Anton had to talk him into going to Gary's house. Once there, Anton pulled Gary aside and gave him a stern talking to about his inappropriate behavior towards Efnisien, and how Gary had Efnisien assaulted at the clinic. Anton appointed himself as Gary's supervisor and ordered Gary to clean his schedule up for their weekly debriefs, and so that Gary could spend more time with Efnisien. Anton also told him to shape up his behavior.

Gary cuddled Efnisien in a quiet moment afterward, exhausted generally, and apologized for the internal exam. He also promised that if Efnisien ate well he could call Gwyn. After the phone call, which Gary heard and was alarmed by, Gary suggested they go for a walk, and touched Efnisien a lot for habituation and to help with homeostasis, to calm Efnisien down. When Efnisien continued to be insulting while they were walking, Gary reprimanded him, pointing out that Efnisien was not a child in their relationship and Gary would not tolerate tantrums. He discovered Efnisien considered basic access to food and the outdoors as being nice, and didn't want Efnisien to think that was a special privilege. He took Polly with him to work and left Efnisien at the house alone, growing more exhausted and world-weary. He finally took Efnisien with him to sleep on the bed.

Gary went to work while leaving Efnisien at his home, unsupervised. He returned with Kent, which made Efnisien panic. When Gary attempted to reassure him, Efnisien bit him, and Gary kept up soothing words and touches to help calm him down. Gary managed to calm Efnisien down enough to let go and sit on the couch through an exam. Gary apologized for not telling Efnisien in advance. When Efnisien revealed Crielle's connection to Fenwy Laboratories, Gary was surprised. Faber treated Gary, and Gary asked more questions about Fenwy Laboratories. Gary left Efnisien alone, but returned when Efnisien set off the alarm, seemingly realizing Efnisien had done it on purpose after seeing him. When Efnisien taunted Gary about saying he'd missed someone, Gary grabbed him, and threatened him.

Gary debated internally about dealing with all the work he had, because he felt he couldn't give it to someone else, and he couldn't avoid a conference he had to fly out to because it was part of Hillview's funding. He discovered the plates Efnisien had broken, and asked why Efnisien threw them, and when Efnisien explained that Gary expected Efnisien to clean them, Gary explained that he hadn't expected that, but apologized for not making it clear. He also offered to get tools from Kent to be able to perform check-ups on Efnisien himself, to ease things on Efnisien. He was surprised when Efnisien conceded to some of that. When Efnisien noted that Gary was using outside visits to manipulate him, Gary explained that he was not doing that, and that Efnisien's outside visits had to be supervised because Efnisien was too dangerous on his own.

Gary called Anton and asked if they could have their supervising appointment early, and Anton explained that he wasn't sure he was cut out to supervise Gary. In lieu of that, he offered to be Gary's friend who could offer advice. Anton talked about Flitmouse, and suggested writing things down that he'd learned about Efnisien, which Gary thought was a good idea. He also talked to Gary about priorities, with income to Hillview first, Efnisien second, and that academic stuff might have to wait. Gary disliked giving up more of his time and space for Efnisien and pushed back. Anton also suggested that Temsen take over some of Gary's jobs, and give some of his physician duties to Kent. Anton grew more annoyed when Gary mentioned he was still going away. Anton suggested Gary begin working from home, or otherwise keep Efnisien with him outside of supervisor sessions.

Gary prepared to go on his trip. Gary was angry when he discovered how Efnisien had destroyed his office, and when Efnisien was panicky, Gary mounted him in an attempt to calm him, which only made Efnisien panic more due to experience with Gwyn. When Gary asked why Efnisien was so angry with him, Efnisien explained, 'You keep leaving', which surprised Gary. Gary experienced a range of emotions in reaction to this, and ultimately cancelled his trip to the conference. Gary later worked on cleaning up the office, and when he found a page with James' writing on it, he grew angry at Efnisien, then pocketed the paper. When he noticed Efnisien was hurt, he promised that although he wouldn't mount Efnisien again, he was going to keep being very tactile, for Efnisien's benefit. Then he cleaned Efnisien's hands and put ointment on them, before cleaning his own injured hand.

While Efnisien slept, Temsen called Gary to talk about the situation, see how Gary was doing, and agree to take on some of Gary's duties, and give some of his own to Kent. While walking outside, Gary lectured Efnisien for dehumanizing omegas through his language. Gary learned about Efnisien's self-managed schooling, how Efnisien kept expecting Gary to fight him, and Gary admitted he needed to touch Efnisien just as much as Efnisien needed to touch Gary.

Gary told Efnisien to call him just 'Gary'.

After speaking with Efnisien, Anton told Gary that Efnisien was bonded with him, which surprised Gary. Gary took some hours to himself, to think things over. The next day, Gary called Temsen to talk about matters at Hillview with the duties rearrangements, how to handle Efnisien, and his own life. Gary attended the meeting for Gwyn's visit to Hillview with Temsen and Efnisien, and largely observed to gain information on Efnisien and his home life, as well as any medical information. When Efnisien goes non-verbal and doesn't eat, in desperation, Gary takes him to the beach, where being attacked by a wave, shocks Efnisien out of it. Gary then tries to help care for Efnisien as Efnisien's heat approaches. Gary notes that he'd shoot Gwyn.

During Efnisien's surgery, Gary thinks of James, and attempts to call Mike Henton. Later, while Efnisien is recovering, Mike calls back, and Gary considers Mike's suggestion of being an alternate partner for Efnisien.

## Gwyn ap Nudd

Gwyn is Efnisien's cousin, Crielle and Lludd's son, and a peak alpha.

#### Appearance

He had the same laugh as Lludd, though Efnisien noted Gwyn made it scarier. He also had blue eyes. Gary noted that Gwyn and Efnisien are so physically similar that they could easily be mistaken for brothers: Gwyn very obviously works out, and has a fierce scent, as well as 'a power about him'.

#### Personality

'Gwyn’s scent was brittle and bright, like melting metal. . . . Crielle proudly said Gwyn’s scent glands were powerfully developed for his age. He’d be able to have anyone he wanted. He could defeat any alpha. . . . Gwyn would rise to the top of some powerful company one day, become the president or CEO or whatever, and manage millions or even billions easily. Have some meek little omega by his side who fawned over him, half-drugged out of their mind by that scent.' Gwyn is also arrogant, mocking, and antagonistic towards Efnisien. Gwyn notes that he loves Crielle, but not anyone else. Gwyn is a bully with his pheromones, blasting them in the noses of other people. He enjoys violence and abusing his power over others, but finds sexual assault disgusting, possibly solely in cases of incest.

Gwyn doesn't respect Efnisien's personal space. He also treats Efnisien like a mate, as a form of disrespect. Gwyn would sometimes aggravate Efnisien's surgical injuries, and Crielle would playfully tell him off. Gwyn isn't interested in mating with an omega, but he'd do it to give Crielle peak alpha heirs. He thinks Crielle is stupid for not killing Efnisien.

Gwyn likes gym music with specific beats per minute ("BPM") that he can work out to.

#### Life

Gwyn is considered the 'golden child' of the family. Gwyn fought with Efnisien 1-2 times a week, whether or not Efnisien was already injured, heavily or otherwise (though sometimes not when he was too badly injured), and Gwyn would always win.

Crielle gives Efnisien's room to Gwyn. When Efnisien calls Gwyn's cellphone, Gwyn repeatedly shoots down Efnisien's hopes of Gwyn's speaking to Crielle on Efnisien's behalf or sending Efnisien clothes. Gwyn talks about visiting in a month for the scenery, and is generally insulting to Efnisien.

Gwyn later visits Hillview without telling Crielle. Temsen, Gary, and Efnisien meet with him in Gary's office, where Gwyn gives Efnisien a duffel bag full of clothes. Gwyn is rude to all of them, accusing Gary *and* Temsen of sleeping with Efnisien, and Efnisien using his body to get clothing. Temsen pulls Gwyn off of Efnisien. Gwyn reveals that Crielle is cutting off access to the ardolphogen that Efnisien needs, and Temsen charms Gwyn into giving Hillview more information. Gwyn answers questions about Crielle, and explains that Crielle did all of Efnisien's surgeries herself, at the An Fnwy Estate, and made all the directives. When Gwyn suggests Temsen and Gary give up on Efnisien, Temsen notes that Gwyn himself went to a lot of trouble to help Efnisien without Crielle knowing, so even Gwyn apparently finds it difficult.

#### Skills

Gwyn does cross-fit, and Efnisien considers his friends to be assholes.

## Dr James Visser

James was Gary's only long-term partner prior to Efnisien.

#### Appearance

James was taller than Efnisien. He had facial stubble.

#### Personality

James could ask obnoxious questions and was cheeky and sarcastic. Gary described him as 'such a clever, darling, infuriating boy.' He relied on his position as a vocalist and cellist to get through the mental difficulties of his scientific career.

#### Life

James had a PhD in omega theory. He was also the lead vocalist and cellist for the Blind Bilbies, a band. James met Gary when James 'working on becoming an Associate Professor, and Gary was getting towards the end of his doctorate'. James was also a member of a band. James became a long-term partner of Gary's.

James eventually spent a good chunk of time in a private hospital, taking chemotherapy. He refused to see his family, who blamed Gary for it, despite Gary trying to convince James to see them. James' family said horrible things about Gary on Facebook. They believed that James contracted terminal cancer because he was in a relationship with an alpha, which was 'unnatural', and if James had been with an omega or a beta, he wouldn't have gotten it, despite science showing that wasn't the case. Eventually, James asked Gary to help organise Voluntary Assisted Dying ("VAD"), which Gary agreed to help with.

James' family made Gary's life worse for it. Gary still keeps photos of him, but avoids looking at them. Faber believes James' familiy will react negatively once they hear about Gary taking on an omega relationship.

Gary misses James.

James was a smoker. He was also good at calligraphy.

## Janusz

Janusz is an alpha who works at Hillview.

## Kadek

Kadek was a newer alpha hire to Hillview, and had been working there for four years in a wing with Anton. Efnisien attacked him, sending him to hospital.

#### Appearance

Kadek had black eyes, and was muscular but shorter than Gwyn, Lludd, and Efnisien. When Efnisien first met him, Kadek 'wore a black T-shirt, and his black hair was shorter and curly, a more professional cut than Efnisien’s . . . . His skin was a darker brown. Efnisien thought maybe he was from Malaysia or something. . . . Kadek looked maybe thirty, thirty-five.'

#### Personality

Enris noted that Kadek seemed to take unusual omegas under his wing, and was lovely and a lot of fun. He like charming people.

#### Life

Kadek was a newer alpha hire to Hillview, and had been working there for four years in a wing with Anton. He'd 'only graduated two omegas, but he was friendly and likeable, and he’d left his old job because the rehabilitation facility had been too brutal to omegas.' He was one of Gary's 'best and most successful alphas', and one of the few free to bond, so he was initially assigned to Efnisien as a companion. Kadek used pheromones and calming techniques on Efnisien while delaying allowing Efnisien to contact his family.

Efnisien's attack put Kadek in critical but ultimately stable condition, and Gary had Faber charge Kadek's bills to the An Fnwy family. Kadek was eventually moved into a recovery ward, and he was going to have a huge scar.

Kadek spoke with Efnisien on the phone, and asked if Efnisien would try to kill anyone else. When Efnisien became stressed, and told Kadek he could press charges, Gary took the phone away, and Kadek said he wouldn't press charges.

## Dr Kent

Kent is an employee at Hillview and potentially a medical doctor with specialized knowledge in omega biology.

#### Appearance

When Efnisien saw Kent while he was fully awake, 'Kent was tall and stocky and built like an alpha. He had a white coat on, but his hair was blond and long, down to his shoulders, and looked sun-bleached like Gwyn’s hair did during the summer. He had a strong tan, like maybe he actually went down to the beach every day.'

#### Life

Kent helped work with Efnisien after Efnisien assaulted Kadek. Kent noted that Efnisien responded to Gary, and that Gary could potentially handle him. Kent was shocked when studying Efnisien's bloodtests, because the chemicals in Efnisien's blood shouldn't be there, and he had no idea what some of them were there for.

Gary called Kent after Efnisien fell asleep to talk about Efnisien's condition. Gary later brought Efnisien to Kent for a medical exam, which Efnisien obeyed but was terrified of. Kent began an internal exam, but Gary called a halt when he saw how Efnisien was terrified and crying, and realized Efnisien was under an alpha directive. Kent gave Efnisien a shoulder brace. Kent was mad at Gary. He later called Gary to let him know he was setting up a medication bundle for Efnisien.

Kent went to Gary's house to check on Efnisien and make sure Efnisien was okay with the medications. Efnisien became panicked at the sight of him, and used alpha persuasion to make him leave temporarily. When Gary explained that Kent was still mad at Gary about the internal exam, Kent muttered, 'Don't get me started'. Gary calmed Efnisien down with gentle touches (and words) and got Efnisien to sit through an exam, which Kent explained as he worked. Kent noted Efnisien's heartrate was more stable but still not great. Kent noted they weren't able to obtain the needed ardolphogen in the needed quantities, because there was only one company in the state that made a stable supply, and one of the only companies in the world that had the market cornered on production for it: Fenwy Laboratories.

## Lachlan

Lachlan is possibly an employee at Hillview who cooks.

#### Life

Lachlan went to Gary's after Efnisien's second medical exam with medications and food.

## Lludd Llaw Eraint

Lludd is Crielle's husband, Gwyn's father, and Efnisien's uncle.

#### Appearance

Lludd has the same laugh as Gwyn, but Efnisien noted Gwyn's version is scarier.

#### Life

He's an alpha, but Efnisien noted that Lludd was too weak to affect him with pheromone nausea as strong as Crielle and Gwyn. Crielle bonded with Lludd, though they don't appear to be 'lovey dovey'. Lludd listened to Crielle. Lludd never dared to pretend Efnisien wasn't in a room, like Crielle and Gwyn did.

## Lucien

Lucien is an omega at Hillview. Caleb is his alpha companion.

#### Appearance

Lucien is smaller than Caleb and has 'really long, curly black hair'.

#### Life

Lucien is supposed to graduate around 1-2 months from Chapter 23.

## Marie

Marie signed and seemingly left a message in one of the books Gary kept in his home office at Hillview. Efnisien ripped some of the pages out of it, and tore the signed one in half.

## Mike Henton

#### Personality

Mike isn't interested in classic omegas. He likes partners with fight, but with whom Mike can have a certain level of control.

#### Life

Mike is one of Gary's contacts, and works as a psychologist for troubled alphas. They would listen to each other when they were struggling, and help, in a relationship that seemingly predated James' death. Mike works the therapy circuit and is increasingly drawn to fringe cases. Gary calls Mike while Efnisien is in surgery, and Mike returns the call later. While chatting with Gary, Mike asks Gary not to rule Mike out as a potential partner for Efnisien.

## Mosk Manytrees

Mosk is an omega at Hillview and bonded with Augus. Mosk is a main character in *Underline the Green - Twenty Blankets.*

#### Personality

Prior to being at Hillview, he was 'neglected far too long by his family of betas and alphas, and barely knew how to receive comfort or touch from anyone.' He'd 'been quietly and meekly rebellious' on his arrival.

#### Life

After Efnisien assaulted Kadek and set off alarms, the omegas were scared, Mosk among them, so Augus went to him. 'Mosk had been having panic attacks because of the alarms going off.' Augus is very attentive to him.

Augus noted that Mosk wouldn't tolerate him bonding to another omega. Augus also noted that Mosk might be able to graduate from Hillview within six months of Chapter 13.

## Dr Ohlo Ohlo Temsen

Temsen is a peak alpha employee at Hillview and works as a physician for the facility.

#### Appearance

When Efnisien first met Temsen, he 'was tall and radiated the kind of power all peak alphas did. He had light brown skin, and as he got closer, Efnisien saw he had friendly brown eyes, though his left eye had a patch of alpha gold in it, as bright as Anton’s. His dark brown hair was cropped close to his head, and curly. His smile was…warm. He didn’t wear a white doctor’s coat at all. He wasn’t even wearing a suit, but a nice, knitted jumper, and dark red jeans.'

#### Personality

Temsen didn't like bonding, and never bonded to anyone. He was reluctant to take a break from work.

Temsen and Gary were very close friends, and Temsen was one of the few people Gary trusts.

Temsen was calm, clear, respectful, and realistic in terms of medical issues.

Temsen cares greatly about how omegas are treated.

Temsen considers Gwyn horrid and unsafe to be around Efnisien without supervision. After learning more about Crielle's surgeries and other actions concerning Efnisien, Temsen expresses a desire to kill her.

#### Life

Temsen does morning runs. Temsen was a major part of Hillview's support in lobbying for social landscapes to be added to school curriculums: social landscapes is about teaching about omega civil rights and history.

When Temsen 'was training to become a medical doctor, he travelled the world to do different years at different universities. In that time, he did pracs – internships – at different facilities. Because his focus was omega biology and physiology, that meant rehabs, prisons, and [possibly] one experimentation facility in a country where it’s still legal. He was already very supportive of the humane treatment of omegas, but he became quite radicalised after that experience. He believes omegas deserve complete and profound equal rights with alphas, along with additional protection rights around their heats.’

Temsen appeared to be a more experienced scientist than Kent. He sometimes worked as a supervisor for other alpha companions, such as Anton, but did not work *as* a companion. At the start of the story, he was on a 'lengthy break from Hillview and its staff while he went on tour to talk about his latest published book on omega biology.' Gary had encouraged it, to increase staff trust in Kent, and give Temsen a rest. Temsen also gave a number of his physican duties to Kent in his absence.

After Efnisien arrived, Kent, Anton, Augus, and Enris all tried to contact him. After Temsen got off his return flight, he called Gary to talk about how Gary was, rearrange duties at Hillview, and properly assess the situation. He enjoyed his holiday. Temsen noted they should treat Efnisien as an alpha. He also noted that Augus might be a candidate for PACS.

Following Temsen's return, he meets with Gary and Efnisien to talk about Efnisien's blood results, ask what Efnisien wants for his physical state and future, and plans things out. When Efnisien says he doesn't want to become an omega to return to Crielle, Temsen acknowledges that and emphasizes that as an alpha at Hillview, Efnisien has to learn to respect omegas.

Temsen later visits Efnisien at Gary's home again, takes blood samples, and asks about Efnisien's sex history. Gary interrupts their meeting to let them know that Gwyn had arrived at Hillview. Temsen goes with Gary and Efnisien to meet Gwyn, and pulls Gwyn off of Efnisien. Temsen charms Gwyn into telling them more information about Crielle's experiments and Efnisien's home life, with the intention of learning the identity of the surgeon who hurt Efnisien (Crielle) and walks Gwyn out of the property. Temsen believes Gwyn might visit again.

When the pain of Efnisien's heat gets too bad, Gary contacts Temsen, who arrives at Gary's home to help. He helps both Efnisien and Gary, suggests more tests to double-check any potential shoddy work Crielle performed on Efnisien, and departs for an hour when he notes his presence is bothering them. Temsen returns while Efnisien is asleep, and starts giving him more medication. Efnisien panics and attacks Temsen, biting him to the point Temsen uses alpha persuasion on him to get him off. Temsen calls in other medical professionals to help care for Efnisien, and frequently lies to them to avoid spilling the truth of the whole situation. Temsen gets frustrated when Gary tells him Efnisien has a tracking chip in his neck. Temsen performs exploratory surgery to figure out what Crielle did, and removes the three items he finds: the tracking chip, stitches, and possibly a piece of scalpal.

#### Skills

Temsen is a trained surgeon, with ongoing experience in small and minor surgeries.

## Penarddun ferch Fnwy

Penarddun is an alpha, Crielle's sister, Gwyn's aunt, the partner of Euroswydd, and Efnisien's mother. Efnisien noted she screwed up the family legacy by having him.

## Polly

Polly is Dr Gary's golden retriever, who lives in his on-site home at Hillview.

#### Appearance

She's an older dog with a grizzled muzzle.

#### Personality

She's not the best trained. She just likes people and wants affection.

#### Life

Gary sometimes calls her 'Pol'.

Polly is friendly to Efnisien, and doesn't mind him, but eventually 'well and truly learned Efnisien wasn’t going to pet her or touch her or attack her, and she mostly ignored him.' She intervenes to seek attention when Efnisien and Gary are fighting on the beach. She licked Efnisien's fingers when he was out of it on painkillers.

## Radula Enris

#### Appearance

Efnisien noted that Enris had a 'kind, clinical voice.' When he first appeared, 'he wore scrubs, no doctor’s coat, and he had all the things that the nurses at home had when Crielle was treating him. Pens in the pocket, a stethoscope, a kindly look that hid an ability to be absolutely monstrous when necessary.'

#### Life

Enris is a beta male nurse at Hillview who spoke to Efnisien after Efnisien first woke up.

## References

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 25 September 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/105231546. Chapter 7: Scars.
2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25 2.26 2.27 2.28 2.29 2.30 2.31 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 13 September 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/104556873. Chapter 4: The First of Many.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 2 October 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/105660132. Chapter 9: Directive.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 10 November 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/107989851. Chapter 18. The Rejection of Reciprocity.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 5 January 2023. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/110822118. Chapter 26: Off Centre.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 1 December 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/108989466. Chapter 21: The Mandate of Violence.
7. ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 7.15 7.16 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 20 October 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/106762431. Chapter 13: A Bitter Reality.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 8.9 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 29 December 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/110419051. Chapter 25: Apprehension.
9. ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12 9.13 9.14 9.15 9.16 9.17 9.18 9.19 9.20 9.21 9.22 9.23 9.24 9.25 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 11 September 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/104443311. Chapter 3: Cold Metal Tables.
10. ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 7 October 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/105976983. Chapter 10: A Quick Chat.
11. ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13 11.14 11.15 11.16 11.17 11.18 11.19 11.20 11.21 11.22 11.23 11.24 11.25 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 5 September 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/104113593. Chapter 2: Foaming at the Mouth.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 12.8 12.9 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own, 8 December 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/109344837. Chapter 22: Broken Heart Syndrome.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 29 September 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/105483666. Chapter 8: Your Best Interests.
14. ↑ 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 14.12 14.13 14.14 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 2 February 2023. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/112539568. Chapter 30: Leaked Secrets.
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 22 March 2023. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/115612849. Chapter 37: The Blind Bilbies.
16. ↑ 16.00 16.01 16.02 16.03 16.04 16.05 16.06 16.07 16.08 16.09 16.10 16.11 16.12 16.13 16.14 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 31 August 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/103810515. Chapter 1: Point of Egress.
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5 17.6 17.7 17.8 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 18 September 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/104820183. Chapter 5: Broken and Dependent.
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 18.7 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 3 November 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/107593806. Chapter 16: A Good Grip.
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 6 November 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/107763669. Chapter 17: Testing Boundaries.
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 20.7 20.8 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 13 October 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/106345836. Chapter 12: Attempts at Homeostasis.
21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5 21.6 21.7 21.8 21.9 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 26 October 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/107116386. Chapter 15: A Pretence at Calm.
22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 22.6 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 23 October 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/106932489. Chapter 14: Distant Storms on Black Horizons.
23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 23.5 23.6 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 24 November 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/108680127. Chapter 20: Cleansing.
24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 24.5 24.6 24.7 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own, 15 December 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/109708156. Chapter 23: A Tectonic Shift.
25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 15 February 2023. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/113379079. Chapter 32: Feral Creatures.
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 13 April 2023. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/116980582. Chapter 40. Resentment.
27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 27.4 27.5 27.6 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 22 September 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/105057231. Chapter 6: Home Sweet Home.
28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 28.5 28.6 28.7 28.8 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 9 October 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/106101222. Chapter 11: Swapping Sticks for Carrots.
29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 29.4 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 22 December 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/110058219. Chapter 24: Alpha For Now.
30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 30.4 30.5 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 19 January 2023. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/111637849. Chapter 28: Strange and Lonely.
31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 31.4 31.5 31.6 31.7 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 17 November 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/108382468. Chapter 19. Destruction.
32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.3 32.4 32.5 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 12 January 2023. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/111197230. Chapter 27: Hard Questions and Hard Answers.
33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 26 January 2023. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/112062997. Chapter 29: Alarm Bells.
34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 34.3 34.4 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 9 February 2023. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/112965004. Chapter 31: Discombobulated.
35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 23 February 2023. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/113889136. Chapter 33: Fevers.
36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 2 March 2023. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/114333868. Chapter 34: Later.
37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 37.3 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 9 March 2023. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/114772861. Chapter 35: Off The Cliff.
38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 38.3 38.4 38.5 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 16 March 2023. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/115224994. Chapter 36: Not This Again.
39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 39.3 39.4 39.5 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 30 March 2023. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/116103529. Chapter 38: Heartsore.
40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 not\_poignant. “Underline the Black.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 6 April 2023. https://archiveofourown.org/works/41396784/chapters/116538877. Chapter 39: A New Hunger.