Underline the Black

***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.

## Summary

Efnisien ap Wledig is an omega born into an all-alpha family. Abandoned by his birth mother and raised by his aunt, he is subjected to a lifetime of medical experimentation and brainwashing and believes himself to be an alpha. But the experiments begin to fail, and he is abandoned yet again to an Omega Rehabilitation Facility, where the family expects he will be retrained into the 'perfect omega' and placed in an arranged marriage, or be eliminated if this is no longer possible.

The Facility don't know about the experiments, and Efnisien doesn't even know why he's there in the first place, since he's an alpha...isn't he? One thing's for certain, he definitely doesn't need an alpha companion, no matter what the staff at the facility seem to think.

## Details

No previous knowledge of any of the Fae Tales universe or stories is needed to read this story - it's a stand-alone alternative universe.

## Character Bios

*See: List of Underline the Black characters*

*Underline the Black* contains a large cast of characters, but focuses on Efnisien ap Wledig and his alpha companion and head of Hillview, Dr Gary Konowalous.

## Locations

### An Fnwy Estate

The home of the An Fnwy family, located 'in the upper class suburb of Dalkeith.' Crielle has a lab here. The lab was staffed with nurses. There were also guard dogs that patrolled the gardens, possibly at least partially there to keep Efnisien from escaping. The estate has a wall guarded by dogs as well.

Crielle had a recovery room of some kind, potentially for Efnisien's use, similar to the second cell/recovery room Efnisien was placed in at Hillview.

'Crielle’s bedroom had always been sparse and pristine, Gwyn’s room was kind of a dump, no matter what the servants tried to do with it.'

### Brave New Wine vineyard

Brave New Wine is a vineyard near Hillview. They sell a 2017 shiraz called *Schadenfreude.*

### Gary's home at Hillview

Gary has on-site home where he keeps a red wine collection. Outside the building, the 'air smelled freshly of salt and the sea. A faint hint of eucalyptus because they were surrounded by jarrah, karri, and marri trees. The grass was cool and wet'. The forest is dense and without paths, and the trees are thick, with smooth trunks. The bushes grew well and were tall, and the grounds is covered with fallen branches, bark, and twigs. There are also kangaroos there. There's a forest trail on the opposite side of the property from Gary's home.

Closer to Gary's home, there' s 'a cobblestone pathway that wound through some peppermint trees with their weeping branches towards a place that looked like a caretaker’s house, except it was a decent size.' There was a 'dense black line of trees in the distance.' At the top of some wooden steps and across a small deck, the house has a physical and digital lock. There's a small foyer with some coats hanging from hooks, gumboots leaning against wall, and hiking boots.

'The foyer opened into a kitchen and a lounge area, with a small kitchen table designed for four people. It was way cosier than Efnisien expected. There were plush red rugs on the wooden floorboards. The kitchen counter had a fruit bowl piled with fruit, some of it fresh, the bananas looking like they’d seen better days. There was a knife block with knives in it'.

Gary has a home office with a shelf of author proofs and other published works, as well as a heavy wooden desk and a window to see the sea. Efnisien destroyed the monitor and smaller computer tower. Efnisien also went to the bookshelves of copies of Gary's published works and ripped pages out of many of them, particularly the ones with signed pages from other people. He knocked the ornaments on the floor, "broke the bulb in the lamp", tied all the electric cables into knots, and dumped the stationary onto the floor. 'He pulled every individual post-it note off the pad and stuck them all over the window'. He also removed the screws in the office chair, removed the armrests, and used the base of the chair to damage the bookshelves.

Along a corridor from the kitchen is 'a nice bathroom. Even though the house itself was tiny compared to the An Fnwy Estate, Efnisien could tell no expense had been spared on the bathroom fixings, the marble counter, the chrome.' There was a 'small chest of drawers' by Gary's bed, which contains painkillers.

In the lounge, there's a glass cabinet of sculptures.

Gary's bedroom has a large bed and feels cosy. There's a cosy, cushioned dog bed in the room for Polly. There's a window with a nice view outside in the daytime, where kangaroos sometimes appear.

### Hillview Rehabilitation Centre

#### Location

Hillview was previously 'a secluded and high-end holiday location with self-contained lodges.' Gary planned to keep part of them when he took over the property, but they needed reconstruction, so they just built new buildings entirely.

'Hillview was a four-and-a-half-hour drive away from the An Fnwy Estate', and near 'Margaret River and Dunsborough'. 'It has about seventy staff, though a lot of the staff are caterers, cooks, groundskeepers, maintenance, nurses and caretakers.’

Efnisien's initial cell at Hillview had a concrete floor and walls, two high vents, and 'a heavy metal door with a small opening that was currently closed at standing eye-level. No bed, but a metal toilet, no toilet paper.' Outside his room was a hallway with the left-hand wall made of glass, showing the outside. 'In the distance [Efnisien] could see tall jarrah and karri trees, a big, grassed green with some benches and manicured gardens, even a glimpse of the Indian ocean.' There are security doors between sections, and Kadek's office was in a wing with other other alpha. 'The walls were a soft cream, and the carpet had little speckles of grey and brown in it. There were even framed paintings on the wall that looked like they were behind glass. . . . There were even pot plants.' Kadek's office had a heavy wooden door, 'a large dark brown wooden desk that looked too heavy to lift and throw into a window to break it. Bookshelves were behind him, but most of them were filled with what looked like expensive collector’s toys'. There were also two 'cosy armchairs were near each other by a window that looked out to the other side of the facility. It was a pretty place. . . . The cosy armchairs were draped with fluffy blankets.'

Efnisien's second cell/recovery room had a carpet and heated vent. The bed had 'white sheets, pale blue blanket, and flat white pillows that looked freshly starched. The room smelled a bit dusty. The linen was clean, but…the room felt old somehow. Unused.' It also lacked a bathroom.

Dr Gary's office in the main Hillview facility 'was mostly just a bigger version of the office he had in his cottage. But in one corner there was an area set up with comfortable armchairs, with a little table that had a box of tissues on it, and pot plants that were thriving. All the décor was expensive, and there was a big window that looked out towards the sand dunes.' He typically used 'a big ergonomic black leather chair'.

#### Administration

Hillview is seemingly unique in that it 'doesn’t tolerate multiple omegas bonding to a single alpha – for good reason'. 'Bonding by its very nature was intimate, even if it was temporary in the centre, designed to give an omega the skills they needed to find a partnership of their own away from the facility.' Internal exams to check an omega's biological development and preparedness for heats is normal at rehabilitation centres. Hillview is unique in that it allows omegas to develop bonds with their alpha first, but other centres do it as soon as possible, which can involve restraint and sedation or paralysis. Hillview 'avoided restraints wherever possible, and barely had the facilities to isolate omegas. The whole architectural structure of the facility was designed to be homely'.

Companion alphas at Hillview appear to have control over omega autonomy, such as contacting their families. The staff are supposedly trained to help omegas feel more at home. ‘Companion alphas only have one omega at a time, so they can bond properly and with a strong level of trust. Omegas get their own rooms, but it’s more common to spend time with their alphas once bonded. [They] don’t keep all the alphas and omegas together in the same section because some omegas need a more home-like environment, and others need a bit more protection and safety. [They] don’t like to concentrate all the alpha scents into the same space, because that’s very overwhelming . . . The companion alphas all meet up with the manager once a week or so for supervision and review . . . But the meeting room is in a completely separate building'.

'Companions lived in near complete isolation with no one but their omegas during heats. All food was dropped off, and if something went wrong, Temsen or Kent went to monitor'.

### Lancelin

A place where Gwyn sometimes goes sandboarding.

### Perth

The central story setting. Hillview is located here. Even 'in winter, Perth didn’t experience snow, and folks made the most of the abundant beaches.'

### Margaret River

A location near Busselton, an area with clothing stores in it.

## Omegaverse Worldbuilding

#### Alphas

'The bonds between alphas and their families were profound'.

'Alphas waited for the right moment to strike'. ‘Alphas don’t have to fight all the time. . . . It’s only a competition thing, when [they're] fighting over an omega', or when children are fighting, rather than adults, who know better. 'Alphas fighting over an omega or fighting for status was rare and getting rarer, more common in the movies and on television than anywhere else.'

Alphas appear to be in charge of the world, and treat omegas as toys. They can use pheromones to suppress omegas and calm them, and also have a persuasive voice called alpha persuasion that can compel omegas to obedience. The use of an alpha's pheromones on another alpha makes the latter feel sick. Alpha persuasion can work on at least some animals, including some dogs. Alphas, or at least alphas at Hillview who work as companions, mostly don't keep pets.

Alpha directives are a rare form of alpha persuasion that alpha persuasion can't break, even at least sometimes by peak alphas. Alphas can check if directives have been used by using other directives to try and break them. This makes omegas ill. Alpha directives most often appear 'late in an omega's life, and they wear off fairly quickly.' Breaking directives can seemingly be dangerous. Distance from the person who gave the directive can weaken them, though if the directive is repeated, it can take longer to go away.

Peak alphas have an ability somewhat like hypnosis that can make other people, including alphas, fall asleep.

Gwyn noted that most peak alphas 'struggle to make connections that are meaningful', have to pretend to care for others, and feel that they have a right to power. Their emotions 'tend to be stronger than most. . . . Peak alphas aren’t especially predisposed to being compassionate or empathetic and can be detached and aloof and struggle to make meaningful bonds. Not only that, but they are rarely attracted to omegas in the first place, which…flies in the face of the ‘omegas should bond with alphas and vice versa’ wisdom that’s out there.’'

It's rude for an alpha to treat other alphas like omegas, such as mounting them.

There are mating and courting rituals and norms, and things you don't do to someone who isn't your mate and whom you're not courting. Specific bites from an alpha seem to be part of the mating/bonding process.

In rare cases, alphas, particularly peak alphas, are primarily attracted to alphas and betas.

When an alpha loses love through their partner's death, it can give the alpha PACS. Some alphas don't survive it. Regular alphas get Takotsubo's cardiomyopathy, but peak alphas get PACS, which can be fatal.

Alphas do not produce larentin. Although ardolphogen seems to give alphas some of their abilities, and it's something alphas and betas dope with, too much ardolphogen can cause cardiac issues. It's currently the most highly regulated hormone. Ardolphogen is typically used 'used to supplement aging alphas and peak alphas who are experiencing bone wasting. And they usually only need small amounts.’

Only alphas have golden eyes, but they're still uncommon.

'If you were a rare peak alpha, you got whatever you wanted, your genes pushed you all the way to the top.' Peak alphas appear to have extra powerful voices to control others. Peak alphas seem to only experience persuasion from other peak alphas. Gary noted that even in this instance, 'it was niggling, a minor aggravation, like someone else was swinging around power that belonged to him and him alone. It was something every peak alpha had to deal with at some point, either surrendering to the greed of wanting power no matter how they got it and oppressing anyone who stood in their way, or growing up.' They don't like asking for help, and find the idea jarring.

There are alpha-only prisons, which can be dangerous. Gary noted that the justice department doesn't know what to do with unknown quantities any better than Hillview, and would likely put Efnisien in an all-alpha prison, which would result in Efnisien dying. Such prisons are 'where the peak alphas go who can’t manage themselves and become overwhelmed by their own ego. It’s where the insecure alphas go, who rape and mutilate and kill omegas, or try to claim several at once, biting simply for the sake of biting.' Gary noted that in such a place, Efnisien would be in danger from both the prisoners and guards.

'The peak alpha gene is recessive, It’s more likely to be carried by alphas, which is why peak alphas are more likely to turn up in all-alpha families.'

At Hillview, 'alphas and omegas were measured on two different scales to assess compatibility. Alphas had their protective and possessive spectrum, and omegas had the possessive and jealousy-insecurity spectrum.'

Immature peak alphas enjoy violence and abusing their power over others. 'They cut a swathe through culture and people and could rarely be brought to heel.'

Post Alpha Cardiac Syndrome ("PACS") is a rare heart disease.

#### Betas

'The vast majority of the world’s population consisted of betas, and alphas and omegas were rare, and peak alphas even rarer.'

Betas can't pick up scents properly.

Betas don't tend to 'snap and yell at alphas' when hurt.

Botewalogen is produced by all fetuses in the womb, but production stops once offspring differentiates into an alpha or omega; the hormone is ultimately only produced by betas. There's a paper that suggests 'that botewalogen might be a universal neutralising hormone.’

#### Omegas

'The bonds between omegas and their families were profound, especially in situations of familial abuse.'

'Rehabilitation centres only existed for omegas, organisations run by alphas to retrain omegas to be the perfect, subservient husbands or the best children to present at Omega Confirmations. Rehabilitation centres were generally only used by affluent families or spouses because they were expensive, because no one bothered investing in retraining omegas from the lower classes unless they were acquired by an affluent alpha in the first place.' A 'significant portion of bonding happens before the first shared heat' between a companion alpha and an omega at Hillview, whereas other centres tend to 'force heats chemically, so omegas are in such a hormone-saturated state they’ll mate with anyone and bond automatically.' Omega-on-alpha crime is treated seriously, and 'any facility that allowed omegas to harm alphas was a facility that risked losing all of its funding.'

Omegas in some centres were kept in concrete cells, 'behind bars, with a cot and a few threadbare blankets for nesting, waiting for their heats to come along", and sometimes in rooms "with a bunch of other omegas, and one alpha to control them all. But they always looked in poor health, all the omegas were forcing smiles. The only one who ever looked happy to be there was the alpha.'

Omegas are typically educated in omega creches or academies. The omega academies typically teach omegas 'how to be good husbands and wives and how to make their partners happy in the bedroom, in the kitchen, throughout a whole . . . house. . . . The omegas with uteruses had to learn about babies.' They don't appear to be allowed to have actual jobs or use their intellect. There are universities that take omega students. Most 'alphas frowned on omegas being too educated.' Gary suggested that omegas could become accountants, scientists, doctors, or artists.

'Medical experimentation on omegas is against the law' in Australia.

Omegas don't have an instinct to run. They also appear to be quite timid and docile. A 'deeply angry and betrayed omega didn’t snap and yell at alphas – not unless they felt truly safe'. Omegas typically fight by biting and scratching, as opposed to alphas, who appear to be brawlers. They bite quickly, in warning, but don't hang on. 'An omega wouldn’t be inclined to meet an alpha’s eyes if they were scared . . . An omega wouldn’t run once they were in the presence of an alpha.'

'Mounting is an effective last resort behaviour for driving a state of calm', which involves immobilizing the other person on the floor, and is typically used by alphas on omegas.

Omegas also usually thin, small, and petite. They tend to be physically round, even when they're neglected.

Omegas tend to like fluffy blankets.

Experiencing heats is seemingly important for omegas. Heats aren't normally so traumatic to require sedation, and even traumatic or corrupted heats aren't usually that bad.

Omegas can have decision fatigue. There can be mirroring between alphas and omegas, emotionally, in that omegas respond to alphas, but alphas also respond to omegas.

Omegas have Kaeper's glands on the back of their neck over their spine, which allows them to be fully mated with someone. Kaeper's glands are involved in larentin production. Omegas also have lare glands, which produce lubrication.

Omegas appear to have adrenal glands that appear to help manage their hormones, which are located on their lower body.

It's a 'myth that omegas could stop the progression of cancer in alphas. The most they could do was slow it down in healthy bonds because healthy relationships between anyone could keep a person's stress levels down, and in turn that could have a very slight positive effect on cancer outcomes.'

## Quotations

* 'Crielle was going to show up and tell him what he’d done wrong, and he’d do better.'
* 'He didn’t even know how to pretend to be calm at this point. And a rage, too, that Kadek could so calmly take control of his life when only Crielle was supposed to do that.'
* Efnisien reacting to Gary's touch: 'The warmth was nice. He’d spent his life on cold metal tables, warmth was something he associated with fever or infection or the feeling of agony so bright it blistered through him. This was…different.'
* Crielle to Dr Gary: ‘The sad fact is we’re out of options with our dear Efnisien. You understand how it is with the reputation of a long-standing family. We’ve done our best by him, but we’ve reached the end of the road now.’
* 'No peak alphas wanted anything to do with him. Maybe – *maybe* – Gwyn.'
* ‘As to breaking you,’ Dr Gary said, and then for the first time since they’d met, Efnisien caught a slight smile. There was nothing nice about it. ‘You’re already broken. I’m surprised you haven’t realised it yourself. If you have the capacity to learn anything at all, perhaps you’ll learn that.’
* Efnisien about Gary's home bathroom: 'He leaned heavily against the bathroom counter and then sagged down to the plush bathroom mat on the floor. It was that same charcoal colour. It matched Dr Gary’s suit. That seemed stupid. Who coordinated their fashion with a bathroom mat?'
* Gary: *'Omegas are human beings with a right to autonomy like anyone else, and it is the core responsibility of alphas in rehabilitation facilities to use their strength from a position of compassion, validation, and fair guidance, leading an omega towards self-directed happiness, growth or satisfaction.'*
* ‘I could’ve killed you when you were sleeping before, and I didn’t,’ Efnisien said. [Gary]: ‘True. Should I give you a biscuit because you did a good job?’
* [To Efnisien]: ‘You say you were raised by peak alphas,’ Gary said, noting with some satisfaction that Efnisien wasn’t attempting to run anymore. ‘But peak alphas that hit people aren’t really of any note or worth at all.'
* Anton: ‘I know this is hard. It might be one of the hardest things you do this year. Just be careful of the situations you create with him because it *is* reciprocal, and he will respond to you, even if he doesn’t want to bond. You’re all he has, Dr Gary.’
* ‘Here’s a wild suggestion,’ Gary said, knowing Efnisien probably wouldn’t hear him, ‘but the way they treated you wasn’t in the best interests of an alpha either.’
* Efnisien to Gary: 'Find me an omega that’s so fucking *happy* and *healthy* that they’d rather be an omega than an alpha or even a beta. Show me the omega who has all that power, and personal choice, and control over their bodies, and financial independence, and government support.'
* Temsen to Gary: 'We must wait and see where Efnisien leads us. This is his journey too, not one we solely map out for him. We might need to place signposts for him now, but he’ll make his own, and one day, he’ll place most of them himself.’
* 'Efnisien was alive again, and that was all that mattered.'
* [Efnisien]: *'I can say that it’s bad,* he thought over and over again, and the fact that he could say it at all meant that the situation he was in, was automatically better than anything he’d been expected to endure back home.'

## Trivia

* Efnisien noted there was the chance he could be ransomed to his family.
* Efnisien appears to have a driver's license.
* The story appears to start in Autumn.
* The An Fnwy family is quite wealthy and has a private plane, which is a rare sight for Hillview.
* Efnisien wasn't allowed to eat chocolate when he was at the An Fnwy estate. Gwyn would taunt him with it.
* It's not unusual for parents of Hillview patients 'to raise their omegas as alphas sometimes, fighting a biology that ultimately won out. But removing the glands wasn’t something [Gary] seen before.'
* Omegas tended to be overly thin on arrival at Hillview, either due to malnourishment or duress while living in abusive relationships prior to admission.
* Efnisien saw a knee-high kangaroo in the woods near Gary's home, and thought it looked soft and cute.
* Only three peak alphas work at Hillview: Gary, Augus, and Temsen, and only Augus, and now Gary, work as companions.
* Efnisien doesn't like banana-flavored protein shakes.
* The first time Efnisien ate an apple in his life was in Chapter 21: The Mandate of Violence.

## Image Gallery

Efnisien ap Wledig and the kangaroo by nasobem in Chapter 9: Directive https://not-poignant.tumblr.com/post/697351011826876416/kangawoo-doodle-for-utb-chapter-9Gwyn meeting Temsen, Gary, and Efnisien at Hillview by Em / Papayaparty in Chapter 30: Leaked Secrets https://twitter.com/HotDogDad/status/1623771039552372739Efnisien ap Wledig by Charzea in Chapter 12: Attempts at Homeostasis https://charzea.tumblr.com/post/714534480194486272/underline-the-black-by-notpoignant-will-foreverPolly by Charzea https://charzea.tumblr.com/post/714534480194486272/underline-the-black-by-notpoignant-will-foreverDr Gary Konowalous, Efnisien ap Wledig, and Polly by Charzea in Chapter 35: Off The Cliff https://charzea.tumblr.com/post/714534480194486272/underline-the-black-by-notpoignant-will-forever
## 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 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.
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 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.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 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.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 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.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 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.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 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.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 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. ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 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.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 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.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 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.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 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.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 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.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 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.
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 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.
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 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.
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 16.8 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.
17. ↑ 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.
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 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.
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 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.
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 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.
21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 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.
22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 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.
23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 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.
24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 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.
25. ↑ 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.
26. ↑ 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.
27. ↑ 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.
28. ↑ 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.