#and the results seemed...unclear?

[tj-crochets]

Hey y'all! I have to preface this two-part question by saying it is not based on something I am currently experiencing, but something that happened years ago 1. Can anaphylaxis cause low blood sugar? 2. How bad is a blood sugar level in the 40s? Again, based on something from years ago, not now (just in case someone skipped the first paragraph) Like, I understand that that's very low blood sugar and is bad but idk how bad? At the time it happened I was at an urgent care and, uh, not tracking what was happening super well (both the things definitely happened at the same time, but I am unsure if they were related things)

[leadandblood]

Holy shit 2 whole hours of free time????

I will write all the fanfiction. <<< lying to self

[ilhoonftw]

i have to get boobs ultrasound every year bc of family history and yesterday i had such weird experience... it wasn't unpleasant but i felt like the checkup was lacking and i need to do it again. which sucks whoever it happens bc every damn checkup is pain in the ass and esp those you have to prep for

[dandelionsresilience]

Just in case Trump wins:

right after Trump was elected in 2016, suicidality skyrocketed. If you’re considering suicide in the wake of the election this year, at least wait until after it’s absolutely certain that he’s won - after every vote has been counted, every state certified, and maybe even after he’s been sworn in (IF he wins), just to make sure he doesn’t go to prison instead. Watch the results come in live here, but don’t obsess or let them sway your vote. (To be clear, I don’t want a single person to commit suicide over the election results, no matter what. But I know from experience that “don’t do it” is thoroughly unhelpful, so instead I’m saying at least wait.)

if you’re considering suicide because you fear worsening material conditions, you might think a hotline can’t help with that. and it’s true that they can’t change legislation or promise you’ll be safe. but it’s worth double checking whether what you’re actually hurting from is in fact unfixable. right now, just getting through the emotions can help you regain a more objective view of the situation, and then you can work on surviving it. plus, when something bad happens, we tend to vastly overestimate how bad it will seem in the future, no matter how bad it actually is.

In my experience, it might take a few tries before you find a hotline that picks up, either because they’re so busy, or they’re closed at that time, or they simply don’t serve your location or demographic, so under the thingy I’ve listed more than just the same handful that tend to show up on other websites. Even if you’re not actively suicidal, you can talk to them about your hard feelings, ask for material resources, or just vent to a compassionate listener.

FIND HELP

HopeLine - call/text: 877-235-4525

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - call/text: 988 | chat

Crisis Text Line - text HOME to 741741 | chat

help getting out of the military

for underrepresented adults:

Thrive Lifeline - text THRIVE to 313-662-8209

for pre-teens, teens, and young adults:

Your Life Your Voice - call: 800-488-3000 | text VOICE to 20121 | email

for teens (limited hours):

Teen Line - call: 800-852-8336 | text TEEN to 839863 | email

for trans and questioning people:

Trans Lifeline - call: 1-877-565-8860

for people with substance dependency:

Never Use Alone Overdose Prevention Hotline - call: 877-696-1996

for BIPOC (“with an LGBTQ+ Black Femme Lens”):

BlackLine - call: 1-800-604-5841

for college students of colour:

The Steve Fund Crisis Text Line - text STEVE to 741741

for LGBTQ+ young people:

The Trevor Project - call: 1-866-488-7386 | text START to 678678 | chat

for homeless or runaway youth:

National Runaway Safeline - call/text: 1-800-786-2929 | (has chat and email, but I think the link includes tracking)

for Muslim youth (limited hours):

Naseeha Youth Hotline - call: 1-866-627-3342

Amala Hopeline - call: 1-855-952-6252

for Jewish queer youth (warmline, may take up to 24 hours to reply):

JQY Warmline - call/text: 551-579-4673

for veterans:

Veterans Crisis Line - call: 988, option 1 | text: 838255 | chat

for veterans and their families:

Lifeline for Vets - call: 888-777-4443

for pregnant people:

Crisis Pregnancy Hotline - call: 888-628-3353 | text: 714-448-8323

for parents unsure of their ability to care for a newborn:

National Safe Haven Alliance - call: 888-510-2229 | text SAFEHAVEN to 313131

International Council for Helplines Member Organisations

Warmlines - for emotional support, if you just need to talk; a lower level of support than crisis hotlines

NAMI Helpline directory

Key warmline directory (unclear if 317-550-0060 might also be a warmline, I haven’t tried it)

Wildflower Alliance Peer Support Line (limited hours) - call: 888-407-4515

[sofiatarot]

PAC: Whispers from your future spouse’s soul: a message your heart needs to hear

TIP JAR - FREE READINGS - PAID READINGS

Sometimes we miss someone we've never met

1->2

3->4

Group 1:

My love, I know how hard it’s been for you to keep standing tall when the world feels like it’s crumbling around you. You’ve carried so much responsibility, always striving to maintain control and stability even when chaos surrounds you. I see your strength, and I admire it more than you could ever know. But I want you to know it’s okay to let your guard down with me. You don’t have to be the one holding everything together all the time. I’ll be your steady foundation when the storms come.

You’ve been going through transformations that feel heavy, almost unbearable, but trust me when I say you’re shedding the old to make room for the new. I want you to look at these changes not as endings, but as doors opening to a brighter, more secure future for us. There’s a seed of something beautiful sprouting in the cracks of your old life—trust it. I’ll be here to nurture it with you.

I know there have been moments where you’ve felt like giving up, where your efforts seemed wasted. But don’t let those doubts consume you, my love. All the work you’ve put in, all the pain you’ve endured, it’s leading you somewhere incredible. I see you as a creator, even in moments when you feel lost. Together, we’ll turn those fragments of hope into something solid.

There’s something you’ve been avoiding, a decision or a truth you don’t want to face. I see you hesitate, afraid of what might happen if you choose. But I want you to know that you are stronger than the fear that holds you back. Whatever you decide, I’ll be beside you, ready to catch you if you fall. You don’t have to figure it all out alone.

When your world feels like it’s falling apart, remember this: sometimes destruction is necessary for rebirth. You are rising from the ashes of what once was, becoming the person you’re meant to be. And when you look around and feel lost, know that I’m here, already searching for you, ready to hold you when we finally meet.

Group 2:

My dearest, I feel your frustration and your impatience. You’re caught in a cycle that feels endless, like no matter what you do, things just won’t fall into place. But please, don’t lose hope. You’re not stuck—you’re learning. Every step, even the ones that feel like missteps, is shaping you into the person you’re meant to be. And I want you to know that I’m so proud of how hard you’re trying, even when you can’t see the results.

There’s chaos around you, and I know it feels overwhelming. It’s like you’re juggling too much at once, trying to keep everything balanced, but it’s okay to let some things go. You don’t have to do it all alone. I’m coming, and when I do, I’ll help you carry the weight. Until then, please don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re doing better than you think.

I sense that you’ve been questioning yourself, your intuition, your path. You’ve doubted your own wisdom, wondering if you’re making the right choices. But trust me when I say that deep down, you already know what’s best for you. You don’t have to second-guess yourself so much. You’re more capable than you realize.

The wheel may look like it's not turning in your favor right now, but this isn’t the end. Life isn’t a straight path; it’s full of twists and turns, and sometimes we have to lose our way to find it again. I believe in you, in your strength to keep going even when the road is unclear. And when we finally meet, I’ll remind you every day of how far you’ve come.

You’re a fighter, my love, even when you feel like you’re losing the battle. Your resilience is one of the many reasons I’m drawn to you. Hold on to that fire inside you, and don’t let the world dim it. I’m here, waiting for the day I get to tell you all this in person, and I promise, it’ll be worth the wait.

(IM SO HAPPY THIS ONE CAME OUT FOR YOU it's one of my fav songs 🤧)

Group 3:

My love, you’ve been feeling like your efforts aren’t paying off, like no matter how hard you try, it’s never enough. But I see your heart, your determination, and I want you to know that it’s not in vain. Every step you take is bringing us closer together, even if it doesn’t feel that way right now. Trust the process, because I already see the beautiful life we’re going to build together.

I know you’ve been hurt before, and it’s made you cautious, maybe even a little guarded. But you’re learning to trust again, to let go of the fears that once held you back. I see you opening up, little by little, and it’s one of the most beautiful things about you. When we meet, I’ll make sure you never have to question my loyalty or my love.

You’ve been moving so quickly, chasing your dreams, your goals, and sometimes forgetting to take a moment to breathe. I admire your drive, but I want you to remember that it’s okay to slow down. Life isn’t a race, and we have all the time in the world to create something amazing together.

You’re surrounded by love, even if it doesn’t always feel that way. Your friends, your family, they see the light in you that I see. Celebrate those connections, because they’re a reflection of the joy you bring to the world. And when I finally step into your life, I know we’ll create a bond just as unbreakable.

You’re on the brink of something incredible, my love. A new chapter is waiting for you, full of opportunities and second chances. Trust yourself, and trust that the universe is guiding us to each other. I can’t wait to meet you and tell you all the things I’ve been holding in my heart.

Group 4:

My dearest, I know how much you’ve been searching for answers, for guidance, for something to hold onto. You’ve been so strong, navigating the challenges life has thrown at you, but I see the exhaustion in your soul. You don’t have to do it all alone anymore. I’ll be here to support you, to guide you, and to remind you of the beauty in your strength.

You’ve been feeling stuck, like no matter what you do, you can’t move forward. But I want you to know that this is just a pause, not an end. Sometimes we need to step back to see the bigger picture, to understand what truly matters. Take this time to rest, to heal, and to prepare for the incredible journey ahead.

You’ve faced heartbreak, betrayal, and disappointment, but you’ve never let it define you. That resilience, that ability to keep going even when it hurts, is one of the things I love most about you. I promise to honor that strength, to never be the source of your pain, but the one who helps you heal.

There’s a part of you that’s afraid to let go of the past, to move on from what’s familiar, even if it no longer serves you. But I see your potential, your ability to rise above it all. Trust me when I say that the future holds so much more for you than you could ever imagine.

When we finally meet, I’ll show you what it means to be truly loved, to feel safe and cherished. I’ll be your partner in every sense of the word, and together, we’ll create a life filled with love, passion, and endless possibilities. Until then, know that I’m already loving you from afar, cheering you on as you take each step closer to me.

xoxo🌙

[fanfictionlibrary01]

AO3 works being stolen and posted on rivd.net

What is happening, and what you can do. Check for edits with additions at the end of the post!

We've posted these infos in our Discord server, but want to make them accessible for more of you AO3 and fanfic folks out there. What is happening? A user called "Fanfic Books" on the site https://rivd.net is posting over a million of fanfics since May 18th (account creation time of that user), all of which seem to be stolen from AO3 users. You can check if your works were stolen by searching your AO3 username on that site. Reporting this on the site is tedious, and contains so much requested data and personal (sensitive) information about you that is just seems sketchy and like they want to grab your data to sell it off again. (See this for more on that.) That a virus called "rivd" apparently also exists does not help their case. Since the person posting the works is also listed as Moderator of the website, chances of successful reports are, by our estimation, very small to non-existant. (As you can look up here.) Creating an account on that site is also tedious - after trying it, the feedback was that a moderator needs to approve of my account creation request. How long that is supposed to take is not known. What can you do? We deduced - through admittedly rushed, because we felt like time was of the essence, and and sparce, checks - that people who have their works locked on AO3 have not been affected. (At all/as much is not to say, it's our best hope and theory rn.) We advised our server members to lock their AO3 works for the time being, as that currently seems like the only prevention method available. A great tutorial for how to lock all your AO3 works at once has been posted here. Kudos to this X/Twitter post that seemed to have started the spread of information, and others relaying the infos (like e.g. r/AO3 on Reddit). Edit (0,5h after initial post):

With permission of the author on AO3, here are screenshots from when I checked if their works (unlocked on AO3) were stolen. Searching for works of the FFL Discord server's admin, who has them locked on AO3, resulted no matches on the rivd site - hence the theory/recommendation that locking your AO3 works helps.

Edit 2 (4h after initial post):

There also seems to be a new occurrence that the fanfiction tab has been emptied/does not contain (publically displayed) fanfics anymore. What this means and if the fanfics are really taken down is unclear, but given that the anime fanfic category that once existed is seemingly completely gone, something is being done. Rumor is that a mass report of DMCA at Cloudflare caused this - it feels like a win either way!

Edit 3 (23h after initial post):

It seems like rivd.net is now completely down/inaccessible. See last attached screenshot in this post! No infos on what this means or what caused this are available atm, but like before, it feels like a small win!

[mywritersmind]

how bout lando x sainz!reader like carlos’ little sister but carlos doesn’t know about their relationship?

PRICK AND A TEASE - LN4

listen up : sainz!reader!! inappropriate use of a lollipop. jealous lando.

word count : 755

note : dare i say this is my fav request yet!! sainz!reader will forever eat <33

⋆｡‧˚⋆

“My baby sister!” Carlos says to me as he and Lando round the corner, joining them as they walk. The pair are in orange and red racing suits, Lando’s is unzipped and criminally attractive. “Nice of you to grace us with your presence after hiding away with Alexandra all today.”

I roll my eyes, “I’m not even going to congratulate you on your quali today.” He jabs me in the side and I punch him in the arm.

“I didn’t know you were coming this weekend, Y/n.” Lando says from Carlos’ side, lying right through his teeth.

I smile innocently as if he wasn’t in my bed last night, “Yup! Decided to surprise Carlos.” Decided to surprise Carlos and come two days earlier to spend time with Lando.

Carlos has no clue Lando and I are… In a relationship? It’s unclear but it’s quite fun.

I know I fancy him and he fancies me.

Lando smiles softly at me, the look he gives me that makes my knees go weak.

We make it to the ferrari hospitality and I go straight for the lollis in the corner. I unwrap my favorite flavor, strawberry, and pop it into my mouth while texting.

Carlos and Lando talk rapidly about qualifying and some poor results from other teams. It’s not until Carlos gets pulled away by his manager when I realize that Lando has been staring at me.

I wiggle my fingers at him a bit, Carlos’ back facing me. He smirks a bit as I run my tongue over the candy. I see Lando swallow and decide to be a bit of trouble.

Carlos’ manager leaves and as my brother sits across from Lando, I slip the lollipop into my mouth again.

Lando clears his throat and changes his position, my brother keeps talking as I move my tongue around more.

Lando’s eyes won’t stop flickering to me, Carlos eventually notices and turns around to look at what he’s distracted by.

I fake innocence by watching the f2 cars on the track, “So that Colapinto kid is good huh? Funny, too.”

Carlos stands to join me, Lando follows, “You’ve spoken to him?” my boy asks.

“Mhm. A real flirt.” I see Lando roll his eyes.

Carlos raises a brow, “Seems like the type. Sort of reminds me of a young Lando.” He claps his hand on Lando’s shoulder as Lan eyes me.

“Think he’d go for me?” I ask the two, lollipop in hand.

My brother frowns, “No chance, Y/n.”

“You think he wouldn’t?” Lando asks his friend.

“He definitely would. But you know how I feel about it-”

I mock him as he says the same words, “No dating boys on the grid’ yeah I know.” I sigh, “You never let me have fun.”

Carlos pulls a disgusted look, “I’m sure you’re fine.” I glance at Lando, I definitely am fine. Carlos checks his phone and swears, “I’m so late. I’ll be back soon Y/n!”

Carlos rushes out and Lando is next to me in seconds, “You’re a prick.” he says as the candy goes back in my mouth, “And a tease.” he grabs the candy and tastes it.

“And yours.” I add, this makes him smile proudly.

“I’m going to tell Franco to fuck off.” he leans against me a bit.

“And explain that how? Oh yeah! You’re fucking your best mates sister behind his back and still haven’t asked her to be your girlfriend?” I call him out in one move.

He eyes me, his hand going to my waist before turning to me, “Dinner, tonight? I’ll make you forget Franco.”

I roll my eyes, still smiling at him. I’m about to say yes but the door swings open, Carlos walks in quickly and Lando’s hand is off me in seconds. “Back so soon?” Lando asks.

Carlos grabs his hat from the couch, “Nah, Forgot this.” He does a double take at us and I pray that he doesn’t notice that the lolli in Lando’s mouth has my lipstick on it.

“You alright?” I ask him as he slowly backs away.

“Yeah…” he says suspiciously, “You coming soon, Lan?” Lando nods, stepping away from me and following my brother.

“Bye Y/n!” Carlos tells before practically running out.

“Bye Y/n.” Lando turns around to look at me, winking and waving the hand that holds the lollipop. I sigh when they’re gone, leaning against the glass and watching the cars go past.

[recipherva]

SPOILERS for homicipher lore

the hand is not Chopped's hands. He specifies MEETING it. Therefor it's a seperate entity. Ypu'l also notice that it moves independently from Chopped, touching the hand does not stimulate Chopped, he doesn't feel it, confirming this.

Silvair was the one to chop of Chopped's body. This is said. If we also go off the fact he chops Adami if we attack him too easily, we can safely assume Chopped was a human that was transformed into a resident as well. Which would be a confirmed 'ex human' character

On that note, Adami notes her hair graying after staying in the world too long. Other characters with gray hair includes the hairdresser and Silvair. Does that relate to anything? Maybe not. But if hair becoming lighter is a result of humans exposure to the other world, that could include us, silvair, hairdresser, hugeface, chopped (even if his hair is not gray, black could lighten into grey, and brown could lighten into pale orange in his case), while characters with dark hair (gap, crawling, scarlet) could be native to the other world..... it's very possible this is just unique to us though considering everything else that's special about Adami.

Gap lacks a body, heart, etc, but he does have hands. Gap also is able to 'teleport' trough these places, like wormholes, since he's able to drag us trough places that should never connect. He's also able to fit in any space so long as it is: dark enough.

Silvair purely 'likes' us as a science experiment. Yes he is polite, yes he is kind, but that should not be mistaken with empathy. He specifies, if you ask him if he likes you, that he does not. He finds you entertaining. And he specifies he does not understand 'like' (in japanese like and love are pretty much the same word, so this essentially translates to saying "i don't understand love"). (Though because we just asked, it could be him saying "i don't understand why you're thinking i love you") either way, Silvair does not think of us romantically.

Our ability to regenerate our body entirely seems special. Silvair points out he finds it interesting, and Silvair is able to do it too (saying he will regenerate after we kill him) whereas any other creature we are able to kill doesn't display that ability.

It's not ENTIRELY clear what kind of power names hold to their kind. Scarletella getting our name is obviously: not good™️, but us giving him a name seems to make him our servant in some way. If you say Silvair's name in his route, he looks confused, and is quiet for a bit. Perhaps because in a way, you named him in that moment. Names deeply correlate to a person's identity, and it seems residents either do not have names (are not born with them) or lose them following their transformation in some way. Unclear on that. But NAMES. NAMES RELEVANT.

Considering Human's presence (in the original, he speaks english, while everyone else (other human characters) speaks japanese), either the world has different ways of entering (stuff 'falling' into the world seems to confirm that the elevator is not the only way in/out, it's just the ghost apartments way in/out), or he's a foreigner who happened to go by....

Residents exclusively feed on flesh and blood. Interestingly, though. When first meeting Stitch, he seems surprised to see a human (pointing and exclaiming "human!", asks crawling a bunch of questions, and finally asks crawling permission to eat us, specifying "they could be tasty!", which could indicate that either humans are rare in some way, or that stitch has never personally seen one, or he could see them plenty and just be curious about all of them like he was for us. Considering some don't seem to even recognize us as human (Chopped introduces us as a resident to Silvair even though Silvair recognizes us as human right away. This is early story too, so we aren't residents yet.), i think i'm leaning towards the fact most resident don't know what a human even really looks like. Thus, what are they eating? Probably each other. The food on the painting's plate, the meat on Silvair's table, and the mush Silvair turns into if you kill him all look very simmilar. This is also 100% confirmed, since Crawling specifies the ears he found are a resident's, before eating them at the end of the interaction. So residents most definitely engage in cannibalism, and eating humans is probably not necessarily their primary diet. (Except for Scarletella who we were unknowingly giving tons of human meat to by bringing the bodies to the ghost apartments for disposal. That's like some stranger delivering tons of rare expensive food to your porch. I'd fall in love too buddy.

[humunanunga]

So here's what I think it means: Ramb was most likely talking about Noelle, right? She'd be on the right with the laptop, maybe playing Cat Petters, while Kris was on the left, maybe using the cards and dice to learn parlor tricks (if web searches wouldn't pull up results for teaching humans magic, they might've still been interested in learning sleight-of-hand).

And I think that explains what happened to Spamton.

Tenna doesn't recognize him anymore because they knew each other back when Spamton was a [[BIG SHOT]] in a matching red suit. He might've even had his own commercials on Tenna's screen, but this was also when he resided in Queen's mansion alongside Swatch. (And if this was when the King and Queen met, then it's also when Spamton would've met Jevil.)

Meaning... Spamton's calls with his mysterious benefactor could've been through the landline. Especially if they were still on dial-up internet back then. They stopped because Noelle stopped coming over with the laptop.

And as for Tenna... the dates 12/25 (Christmas Day) and 2/13 (Valentine's Eve) prominently show up, and Kris' implied aversion to watching TV might've been because it was always shoving the tragedy in their face. But it's still unclear whether Tenna knows Dess was never found, or if he was trying to focus on better times, or if he really was trying to push Kris' buttons; but he should at least know she's gone. Dess was the mayor's daughter, after all. If she went missing, it would've been all over the news.

And that could've been why Asgore was removed from the force. He wouldn't let it go, so Carol made him. And if Chapter 4 says anything, he's still investigating in secret– and suspicious of her. And maybe she's just a coldhearted ass who got tired of her public image revolving around an unsolved case instead of her success as town mayor. But she's definitely sus as fuck.

Back to Ramb, though: I think him petrifying establishes what generally makes a Darkner "belong." Darkners are animated objects, and maybe he was simply an overdue loan like the tutorial for drawing dragons, but Ramb was library property regardless. That one Zapper might've been for Asgore' TV all along, since he seems to have the same kind at the flower shop, and his remote could've been borrowed or mixed up.

Meanwhile, the Pippins were safe because they were... that property's property. The Rudinns, according to one, were from Kris' deck, explaining why Lancer and Rouxls were unaffected.

What it doesn't explain is Chapter 4 (which so far is likely more to do with the two Dark Worlds being treated as flipsides) or why the classroom Darkners don't seem to recognize Kris, but maybe the latter's for gender reasons. If Ralsei is an outdated sona, then Kris at least used to present as a boy like the brother they wished to be more like, and the Card Kingdom simply wasn't there to witness Kris' transition. Or maybe those Darkners forgot the Lightners just like the Lightners forgot them, but... speaking of Dark Worlds...

...belonging. The storage closet is an ideal place for a Dark Fountain because anything could belong in a place like public storage.

And maybe that's why Ralsei was put there in the first place. Safekeeping.

Darkners in Castle Town are safe from the Player. We can harm Darkners and even Lightners in other worlds, but not this one. We're not given the option. That's how Ralsei's been kept safe all this time. Chapters 3&4 give us opportunities to hurt his feelings, which Kris will resist, but he can't be damaged or killed through Kris.

Maybe not just Ralsei either. Kris' side of the room, or at least the side they sleep on, is empty... and noticably desaturated like the door to Dess' room... and their locker is also empty. The locker could be due to their implied absence, but it could also be because they knew a Player would come (or come back) and they didn't want to give us access to anything of theirs that they wanted left untouched.

It's been speculated since Chapter 1, I've been coming back to the possibility that this isn't Kris' first time being under a Player's control. We don't know how we seized Kris' body or why, or if we're the first; even if we are, though, there's a chance Kris knew to expect us. And so they prepared accordingly while they still had bodily autonomy.

Might post another ramble after I finish my Chapter 3&4 replay, now that I have save files with Dealmaker, Jevilstail and the original Starwalker again.

[shazzbaa]

For the current Fallen London event, the tigers (theres a whole tiger country outside of london, don't worry about it) are running a GRAND COMPETITION WITH GLORY AND RICHES FOR THE VICTORS that some frenzied investigation has revealed may or may not aCTUALLY SECRETLY BE SOME SORT OF?? SACRIFICE???? UNCLEAR. Anyway there's an option to make a lil protest sign and futilely warn people that the games are not what they seem, which Samuel immediately (a) attempted and (b) failed, resulting in him getting hassled and beat up by tigers. I love this game.

[oh-no-its-bird]

Fic where the unjust death of the Uchiha and the subsequent horrific abuse to their bodies via blatant and indiscriminant eye theft results in Konoha being haunted by the spirits of several very angry Uchiha.

"You know... They say that so long as an Uchiha's eyes do not rest in their body, their spirit will never find peace."

When the husk of a woman who used to be Mikoto smiles, there is blood in her teeth.

"What do you think, Elder Danzo?"

Ft.

- Sasuke being repeatedly lured into the woods by the ghosts of his family (and notably, his parents) both bc some want to protect him and some, not powerful enough to retain their sanity in death, wish for him to die so they might take their eyes as their own

- Nara Shikaku, among others in the Hokage's tower, being repeatedly faced with the unsettlingly eyeless ghost of Fugaku as he appears sporadically and attempting to act as if nothing is wrong— always dissapearing when someone questions how he is there (whether he truly seems to keep forgetting that he has died is unclear, but no methods to purge the offices seems able to keep him away for long)

- the spirit of Mikoto taking on a spokesperson role for the dead, as she seems to have been the one to retain the most of herself in death while plagued with the corruptive everything that comes with being a spirit tied to the earth through nefarious means (with Fugaku being a potential second— if he wasn't so busy w convincing himself he hadn't died at all)

- Danzo being haunted by the more mindlessly violent Uchiha ghosts, driven mad in the afterlife at seeing their eyes in his unworthy flesh

- A surprisingly sane Kagami who has Thoughts and Feelings ab Danzo taking his eye— and the mystery of how exactly he had died

- A suddenly the most qualified person to deal with ghosts Kakashi, who's unfortunatley doomed both attract and to be able to see the Uchiha ghosts with his sharingan, and has them breathing down the back of his neck with talk of watching after Sasuke and GETTING REVENGE !!!!!!!!!!!!! which he is legally obligated to do now as the elder ghosts deem his service as their conduit to be his duty, since they gave him a pass on the eye thing. There's a lot of "see I TOLD you it was a good idea to let him keep the eye!! Clearly Amaterasu has left him here for us to use in our darkest of hours"

Aka forcefully adopted by Uchiha ghosts Kakashi who's "adoption" reads a little more like "indentured servitude to the afterlife"

(And he can't help but wonder why he hasn't seen Obito's ghost, after so many years with his eye in his head...

- Itachi being absoloutley hounded by the guilt of what hes done and the spirits of those hes killed, whove left the haunting of Konoha specifically to haunt him (He is not having fun) (The ghost of Shisui is doing his best to ward away the more volatile ones)

And more !!! Potentially, idk. This would be a fun one if I wrote it but I will not. Someone totally should tho , just, not me.

[ersatz-colubridae-888]

magdalene on her own is already an incredibly interesting character as compared to most of isaac's other identities - instead of being directly based on an existing biblical figure or stage of decay, magdalene is more closely connected to his mother, the connection that they hold, and isaac's own femininity and happiness as a whole. each part of her character holds a distinct history in isaac's life, including her appearance; a wig gifted to him by his mother, serving as another factor of their connection and the joy it brings isaac.

which then makes it all the more interesting to consider the appearance of tainted magdalene, her "abused" counterpart; the hair is distinctly duller in color and shaved on one side, much unlike what an actual wig would look like. at a first glance this choice in appearance may seem strange, maybe even haphazard, but is in reality a choice that makes complete sense given isaac's experiences and reflects the pain he feels at being stripped of his identity.

on multiple occasions it has been made clear that isaac's baldness comes from isaac's mother shaving his head (1) (2); while the purpose itself is unclear, the effect of it very much is. it strips isaac of his own identity without his input, and the resulting misery is shown clearly through the corruption or "tainting" of the identity that most encapsulates his happiness - magdalene. this act of shaving isaac's head is reflected in her appearance, and while it may be a fake wig in reality, the feminine identity that it holds is very much real to isaac. one part of her hair being gone expresses his feelings in that part of him being stolen, while what remains signifies that it remains something real and true to isaac.

thank you for reading my post!!! :)

i've made an addition in the reblogs of this post - go check for "comments only" to see it!

[yrrtyrrtwhenihrrthrrt]

Vander and Silco's history is horrific but I'd like to discuss one particular aspect and share my interpretation. That being the method that Vander went about killing Silco.

It is incredibly violent, to say the least. Vander was twice Silco's size, and armed, and Silco trusted him. It would have been incredibly easy to come up behind him and snap his neck, slit his throat, smother him in his sleep, or even quickly bash his head in, he could probably get him Negan-from-The-Walking-Dead-Style in one hit with those gauntlets.

But he doesn't. He strangles him and holds him underwater, a considerably less efficient and substantially more painful way to kill someone (it's worth noting that he didn't cause the facial wound, one of the writers said so and I don't usually respect Word of God but it also makes sense in the narrative, since Vander fights with his hands and taking out his knife, flaying Silco's face, then putting it away to strangle him makes no sense lol)

Now, the motivation of Vander attacking Silco is a little unclear. In the letter he says it was a crime of passion, triggered by his despair and anger over losing his friend, but the story seems to imply it was a calculated measure to prevent more deaths in the revolution. I tend to think it was both. Felicia's death sent Vander into a spiral, resulting in him convincing himself that if Silco lived, the revolution would continue and more people he loved would die.

Which brings us back to the murder attempt in the river. I've seen a lot of people interpret this degree of violence as sadism on Vander's part, but I actually disagree. I think that was a part of it, when you're extremely emotional, you're more likely to fight like an animal rather than taking a tactical approach, but I think there was another, sadder reason.

A part of Vander wanted Silco to escape. He knew that if he killed him quickly and efficiently, Silco would certainly die and even though he didn't realize it, some small part of him wanted Silco to live, so he chose a much more painful, much less effective method. That's not to say the murder attempt wasn't genuine, it 100% was, he even physically stops Silco from running at one point, but I think subconsciously, on some deep, hidden level, a part of him wanted Silco to get away.

[lilacxquartz]

in an attempt to teach you;

mr. silvair x f!reader

plot: mr. silvair who found you to be an intellectual curiosity, took it upon himself in teaching you anatomy — themes: heavily suggestive, limited dialogue, mutual pining, everything is consensual here but he’s unsettling lol — a/n: this will be continued in january :) — w.c: 1.6k

ao3 • masterlist • part 2 >

(header by @devotion-disorder, used with permission which inspired the fic :) pls go check out their blog <3)

The ghost apartments were far from being the safest places that you could have ended up in, but it was still early on in your exploration, too. Many uncertainties popped up along the way and ultimately, you somehow found your way back in Mr. Silvair’s care each and every single time.

Your latest ailment left your stomach in pain though, following a particularly nasty tumble in the dark. Thankfully though, Mr. Silvair was quite good at mending you, or at least in giving you a place to recover at your own pace, however, what with how you seemed to be in more distress than usual, his curiosity piqued in a different way this time.

As you curled up on the sofa, you gasped at his sudden arrival, your body flinching ever so slightly at the looming sight. Mr. Silvair then pressed up his calloused palm right against your abdomen without warning (likely to inspect it) but then in doing so, you reacted negatively to the sudden intrusion and as a result, ended up pulling away.

At first, Mr. Silvair simply just looked down at you, his thoughts unclear, and after a long enough silence had passed between the two of you, he finally tilted his head off to the side, seeming almost… confused? He tried again, asking for a word that you didn’t yet understand, maintaining some distance per your quiet request (or at least for now).

“…####?”

You blinked, your face blanking in confusion.

Mr. Silvair, ever determined to pursue any sort of curiosity didn’t waver in his conveyed approach, immediately reaching to pinch at your soft skin and when you reacted negatively—he repeated the word. He did the same to his own flesh—his nose wrinkling up when he did so as if he didn’t like the sensation—repeating the term again and again in that same quizzical tone.

Finally, you got it. He was asking if you were hurting.

“Pain?” he asked once more, the word registering at last.

You slowly nodded, thinking that he would perhaps take a step back and leave you be, but he stayed right where he was. Warily, your gaze followed his curious hands over to your stomach, asking yet even more words that you couldn’t yet comprehend.

What with the language barrier being ever frustrating, Mr. Silvair’s lips curled into a frown due to the lack of understanding alone, but ultimately, his determination didn’t falter, now seeming more motivated than ever before.

“Me,” he pointed at himself, gesturing out words that you already did know, “teach,” he added, his fingers travelling in your direction, “you,” before returning them to settle at his lips, “language?”

You nodded.

“Me, teach you…” Mr. Silvair repeated quicker that time, although allowing his words to trail off as he considered the right approach, gesturing at your general form, “…####?”

The way that he repeated the mystery word over and over left you wondering if he was asking about your general anatomy, with your suspicions were made clear when he repeated the same actions towards his own body—proving that it was just as you had initially thought.

“My… body?” you repeated, swirling a pointed finger around your physique, interpreting that perhaps, he wanted to teach you more words that related to it. Perhaps, his intentions were genuine, since you were actively in pain and maybe, just maybe, he wanted to help you recover. Still though, you held onto some retained suspicion, knowing that Mr. Silvair’s curiosity could either be a good thing or… it could be something else entirely.

Continuing onwards, Mr. Silvair carried on before any of those negative thoughts in your mind had a chance to linger. The last thing he wanted was for you to negatively react to his presence, especially so early on and so, with a flick of his wrist, he pointed towards your head, repeating a set of familiar words as his exploration gradually traveled down your body.

“Eyes? Nose? Lips?” he asked, making sure to ask words that you already knew before tracing a light touch along your neck, the sensation feeling almost tender. “...####?”

“My… neck?” you gulped, feeling your throat swallow beneath his firmly appointed digits that remained pressed against your vulnerable skin. It wasn’t exactly painful, but the pressure was tight enough to make you feel nervous.

“####?” he asked again, smoothing out a brushing touch along your shoulders, feeling a flicker of satisfaction when you understood him the way that he wanted you to.

At this point on, you were beginning to feel almost nervous as his hands kept traveling down, but also… curious. The way his fingers pinched and tugged at what you wore though, was a clear indication that he didn’t like what you had on (perhaps finding it to be an obstacle of some sort) and so you found yourself giving into his silent request. As though to play it as safely as possible, you removed the raincoat you wore, revealing your dress-clad form just beneath—the fabric slightly frayed.

Mr. Silvair’s gaze lingered somewhat, almost clinically, before moving on and repeating a few more familiar words as he swept his touch across what you both already understood between one another. He then lifted his hands ever so slightly, peppering a feather-light dab of his fingertips before tracing a line down your collarbones, feeding you an understanding of that word, before running the pad down to where your cleavage began.

Feeling your breath hitch, you weren’t sure how to respond. Usually, if a man was so brazenly forward with you—you would try to push them away, perhaps even scold them if need be—and yet, you didn’t actually dislike this development (and maybe even enjoyed it). Indeed, there was something… particular… about Mr. Silvair that left you feeling a certain way. Perhaps it was unease, but it was also something different—something intimate.

And then all of a sudden, he leaned in close, allowing for your form to be swallowed up by his looming presence. It seemed that this was technically a process that he built up to, but you were otherwise too overwhelmed and lost in your own thoughts to have ever noticed the progression. Tensing up right away, your breath hitched as he moved in closer, anticipating something—anything—you weren’t quite sure what, to finally happen.

Mr. Silvair’s execution was painstakingly slow as if reading into your body language before finalising his next move. For a moment, you weren’t at all sure what to expect, but then you felt a cold bead of something trickle down your spine as his hands fumbled with something just out of reach, leading you to understand that he dropped the zipper to your dress.

Had you not been in such a stunned silence, you would have done more to cover up your now exposed form—but you didn’t.

You simply sat still and Mr. Silvair simply just… watched, as if assessing his next move.

Taking a moment to appreciate your form, Mr. Silvair broke through the tension by approaching you, helping you shuffle out of the restrictive fabric, reading into the situation, and making sure, that you were at the very least, not opposed in the direction that this whole interaction was headed in. Forcing yourself to remain calm, you didn’t turn him away either as his hands smoothed over your bare breasts next, informing you of yet another word, and when his fingers tweezed around the stiff peaks of your nipples, another word slipped out.

Mr. Silvair then continued along this route, using your accepting silence to move lower and lower, until finally, his touch met at your stomach. He paused momentarily, noticing a deep, slightly raised bruise and for a second, a wave of concern passed through him—causing him to pause in his tracks before continuing onwards as soon as he determined it was okay to do so—wanting for the new-found intimacy between the two of you to last.

You didn’t stop him all the while—not even as his fingertips dipped lower and lower—not even as they pushed into the apex of your inner thighs. No, there was something tender about this shared moment that left you craving more of it.

And feeling as his fingers moved along and stroked along your heated sex, you couldn’t help but reactively curl your fingers into tight fists, almost straining at the implication. Your face quickly grew flushed, squeezing your legs tight much to his confusion, causing him to withdraw ever so slightly.

Mr. Silvair paused, the concern returning. “...Pain?”

However, you shook your head.

“Sad? Happy?” he continued, cycling through a whole range of emotions, trying to determine what was wrong—if anything was wrong at all.

“H-Happy,” you repeated which he seemed to understand, widening his smile as a result.

Mr. Silvair then continued on with confidence, taking hold of your hand that time around, watching as you grew all the more embarrassed from the way he pulled you closer—guiding your hand towards him in a similar way—allowing you to touch where his—his—oh!

Your eyes grew wide as he settled your touch over his length, which was initially soft, watching—feeling with you—as he quickly grew hard.

Mr. Silvair paused, his face adopting a reddish hue as he seemed to finally understand what you meant by feeling ‘happy’, his mind racing with all sorts of new ideas and curiosities alike. However, he stopped himself, choosing to at least conclude the examination, teaching you how to next address your thighs, knees and feet next, before returning to the initial issue at hand—the pain.

And once it was settled—once you were fixed, then perhaps he could explore something different with you next time.

(Something that could make you both feel ‘happy’?)

[when-the-uhh]

Does the rest of the world know sticks exist??

In AvA 2 Alan asks his friend for help after TCO goes rouge

It seems that

1 Alive stick figures existing is normal, atleast to alan and his friend

2 What theyre named establishes how powerful they are, their ‘level’

3 Stick figures attacking back is not uncommon

also what does he mean by “That guy”????

By in AvA 3, it’s now established that Alan is not special in his ability to create drawn stick figures, other animators and graphic designers are able to create them and likely are as informed on sticks as Alan is

It talks about how the world has been uninformed about the slavery of sticks but still doesn’t help determine how much the world knows about just the existence of them

The fact that the page was one of the top results and how casually alan talks about his drawing coming to life it seems that, atleast from 2006-2010s, most internet users likely know that drawn stick figures are exist in some capacity

In AvA 4 Alan is surprised by the fact that TSC can talk, before then most people probably assumed that sticks were the equivalent to shimejis or desktop pets, especially considering Alan’s previous treatment of … all of his sticks and the fact the stick slavery page even had to exist

Even after this he probably still doesn’t see them as fully sentient until after he gets to spend more time with them, considering the whole ‘i’ll let you live if you do something for me’

In AvM 9, Purple is shown living on someone’s mac, it’s very obviously taken over yet the owner is out of the picture and never shown, the mac was probably left on or abandoned since it’s unlikely that Purple would’ve been able to just .. convince some random person to let them take over their computer

In AvM 24 we for the first time actually get to see someone else interact with stick figures, his first reaction is to pull out a bow and then sword

It’s unsure whether this reaction was that of ‘why are there stick figures in minecraft?’ or ‘what are those things’

By this point, sticks existing within their own creators pcs should be known, if not slightly forgotten by time due to most sticks now living in the outernet, but if it’s the latter, then sticks were just a dated thing of the past and people have forgotten they exist

(As a side thing, even in the past people probably only knew of drawn stick figures and not of the outernet and stuff, like when Grace uploaded Mitsi she probably didn’t think Mitsi would come alive)

In the influencer arc we never get to see the in universe comments, so unclear if the general reaction would’ve been ‘who gave this stick a phone’ or ‘cool animation man, looks almost real’

In AvM 36, the most recent episode, the cg start going viral due to CHEATING in bedwars and we finally get to see a actual reaction

and it’s still unclear ????

1 Influencer arc is canon to AvM, thus Green should be known

2 Confusion on why there are sticks in hypixel, this could be due to sticks being known only to stick to their creators desktop, or that their confused on what a stick even is (purpled’s and cromn7’s comments seems to suggest the second)

3 People keep calling hacks, and that the sticks are cheating, either because the sticks aren’t playing the game right (CUS THEY ARENT.) or that their accusing them of hacking in a stick figure model in the first place

SO BASICALLY

1 people assume that these are rouge sticks that somehow got into minecraft, this implies that sticks are still known on the internet

2 people don’t know what these things are and this is the first time they’ve seen a alive stickman, sticks are a long forgotten thing of the old internet

3 people assume that they’re hackers that somehow changed their models to sticks, doesn’t really say anything about stick knowledge

[callsign-rogueone]

Aoife

Brennan Sorrengail x reader (duchess!!)

words: 2.1k

🏷️: no book spoilers. read “the twins” and this ask for more context, mentions of pregnancy complications, but nothing goes wrong this time, talk of labor and delivery, the boys being unbearably cute, ridoc and sweetheart are on babysitting duty, bad formatting since I’m posting from my phone in bed, that’s about it

You’re glad that this one is more patient than their older brothers, but you are absolutely sick of being pregnant, and sick of being stuck in this bed.

You’ve been a little uncomfortable all day — more so than usual — and it’s starting to worry you. It’s not the intense, sharp pain in your side that you’d felt last time, and none of the profuse bleeding, thank the gods, but a persistent ache between your hips that feels a lot like a bad period cramp. It’s come and gone all morning, but every time it seems to be a little stronger, a little more painful.

You’ve contemplated telling Brennan, but it had taken a lot of convincing to get him to go downstairs and work with the assembly today. Calling him now would only make him hover even closer until the real arrival, and he has more than enough work to do, on his behalf and yours — you’ve done what you can from bed, but that really isn’t much.

You are definitely not doing this whole thing a third time, not when you’re going to inherit responsibility of Tirvainne in the next few years, and not with the risk to your health. You weren’t intending to do it a second time, anyway. This time had been an accident, the result of the two of you neglecting to take your supplements with everything else you had going on, including raising your boys.

And when you’d found out the news, the both of you had been so torn. On one hand, another sweet little baby to snuggle with, an addition to the family and a physical testament to your love, but on the other… last time, he’d nearly lost you in the process.

“I’m so sorry,” he’d whispered, his voice breaking. “I should have been more careful, I…”

You just leaned your forehead against his, like you have hundreds of times, and the tension started to drain from his shoulders. “Don’t blame yourself. It takes two people to make a baby. And I’ll be okay,” you soothed. “I’ll really take it easy this time. And I’ll have you and Ban and Marbh and the boys to watch over me.”

You’d both breathed a sigh of relief when the healers had confirmed it was only one baby, and not another set of twins. But you’d still decided to be cautious — you’d been too active during your first pregnancy, making the hike up to the vale too many times, exhausting yourself with your assembly duties and teaching and everything else on top of making two tiny humans. It’s unclear if that had caused your complications, but you don’t want to find out.

That doesn’t mean you’re enjoying your bed rest. But Brennan and the boys have done everything they can to make it less terrible, mainly spending a lot more time with you. Thankfully they’re out today, playing in the snow with their cousins, and whoever’s turn it is to babysit — you wouldn’t be able to hide your discomfort from them, and they’ve both been instructed to report any and all problems to Brennan as soon as possible.

There’s another twinge, one strong enough to have you squirming in your seat, squeezing your eyes shut and holding back a swear.

You wait for one of the dragons to make an appearance, but they don’t. You’ve been practicing building up your shields in the countless hours that you’ve spent lying in this bed, and it appears to have worked. You’ve been careful not to keep them up too often, though, just enough for your absence to be considered regular — so they won’t notice anything unusual, unlike if you’d slammed them up suddenly, blocking everyone out.

It occurs to you that you’ve never actually felt a contraction before. Last time, you hadn’t truly gone into labor — as soon as the healers realized what was happening, you’d been sedated and rushed to surgery, Brennan helping heal you back up within minutes. You still don’t remember any of it, just what you’ve been told, but none of it was good.

Despite not having anything to compare it to, you know in your heart that this is it.

Once the pain dulls enough for you to sit up, you don the pair of slippers laying on the floor by the side of the bed and throw a cardigan over your pajamas before you pad your way out of the bedroom, and out of your family’s quarters for the first time in months. Thankfully, the country being at peace means there’s not many people around the fortress to see you — you go completely unnoticed until you knock on the doorframe of Brennan’s office.

He pales, immediately sitting upright. “Are you okay? Why did you come all the way down here? You could have just asked Marbh to—“

“We’re fine,” you interrupt softly. “I just wanted to see you.”

His face softens, and he rises from his chair, wrapping you in a gentle embrace. “I’m sorry,” he murmurs into your hair. “I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m just scared, is all.”

“I know,” you soothe. “And I love you for it.”

It’s so easy to melt into his touch, letting your body rest against his. You close your eyes, savoring the tender moment — you haven’t had many like this in a while.

“You’ve got to get back upstairs,” he realizes, dismayed.

Stairs had been at the top of the list of no-no’s for you in your third trimester, because they’d strain your heart and your muscles. But in a day or two…

“I won’t have to worry about that anytime soon.”

There’s that adorable look on his face, his eyebrows pulled together in confusion. You watch the gears turn, knowing exactly what he’s thinking — you wouldn’t come all the way down here “just because”, even with the hormones and increased emotions. And you won’t have to worry about stairs anymore?

Oh.

Oh.

“You think it’s happening today?”

You nod, a smile slowly stretching your lips — and then it falls, your eyes squeezing shut and teeth clenching as another cramp starts, worse than the ones before. Brennan’s hands are on your shoulders immediately, keeping you upright, and the pain ceases, a deep sense of relief washing over you.

“You do know what the healers said,” you prompt gently, once you’ve relaxed.

“I know. I can’t block all of the pain, because the contractions are the best indicator of when the baby will be born. But right now, it’s just you and me, and I don’t want you to be in any more pain than you absolutely need to.”

You manage a smile. “You’re so sweet. I should marry you.”

He laughs, and that does more to ease your anxiety than anything else ever could. “You should. Now, let’s get you to the healers.”

—————————

Everything about this experience is making you glad you’ve never had to do it before, and you never will again.

Even with Brennan blocking your pain, it’s incredibly exhausting. You’ve already filled four conduits, which had been an excellent idea to have nearby. Without them, you’d likely have set the curtains on fire by now.

The dragons have come and gone, like they’re taking shifts opening their shields to you. Not that they can do much from outside, that is, besides alerting anyone with a signet that could be of use — but you already have Brennan and three healers with you.

There’s a soft cry — not from you, but from a baby, and you collapse back against the pillows, both exhausted and relieved.

Brennan presses a kiss to the sweat-damp skin of your forehead, his thumb stroking over the back of your hand. You’d nearly broken it with how hard you’d squeezed, but you’ve let go now, limp in his hold. “The boys were right,” he says softly. “It’s a girl.”

——————

The healers take her away after a while, to clean her up and make sure she’s healthy, leaving you to sleep.

Ban had promised to tell Aotrom and Rhith that their riders would need to watch the boys a while longer, and they’ve always loved spending time with their aunt and uncle. They won’t question it at all.

You don’t see them until the next morning, when Brennan brings them up to see you and their little sister. He gives them each a boost up onto the bed, and they settle in like usual; Asher on your right, Naolin on your left.

“Hi my loves. Did you have fun playing in the snow?”

“Mm! Uncle Ridoc made it so the snow wouldn’t melt. And we went sledding, down the hill!”

“Which hill?” Brennan asks, eyebrows raised — surely they don’t mean the slope of the valley?

“The big one! It was kinda scary. But mostly fun.”

You can’t help but laugh. Of course Ridoc would have approved this idea, probably even been the one to suggest it, and definitely participated himself. His wife, however, had likely been waiting at the bottom of the hill, bandages at the ready.

At least they turned out unscathed, from the looks of them.

“I’m glad.”

There’s a moment of calm quiet before Brennan speaks. “Do you want to meet your little sister?”

Their eyes bug — evidently they hadn’t put it together that you being in the infirmary meant the baby had arrived.

Brennan picks her up out of the small bassinet, carefully transferring her into your arms. The boys have been around a few babies before, and have both inherited Brennan’s nurturing instincts — they know to speak quietly, and to be very careful with her.

“What’s her name?”

“Aoife Rose. It was my grandmother’s name.”

“How long until she can play with us?” Naolin asks.

“It’ll be a year or two before she can run around with you outside,” you say softly, giving him a gentle squeeze. “But until then you can play with her inside, and talk to her about anything you want, or read to her. The more she hears us talking, the sooner she’ll do it herself.”

“Does she also need to sleep a lot? Like you do?”

“Yeah, she does,” Brennan answers. “But for a while, she won’t sleep at night like you do. And she’ll take naps during the day after that, too.”

Asher looks like he has a question, but he’s hesitant to ask it. You carefully adjust Aoife in your lap, putting an arm around his shoulders and coaxing him closer to you. The comforting gesture is enough for him to speak his mind. “Are you coming home?”

Your heart aches. He hadn’t asked when you’re coming home, but if you’re going to at all. With all the uncertainty about your health, and the fact that you and Brennan hadn’t sat down to talk with them about how exactly all of this would work… you can easily see how he concluded that you were going to live in the infirmary from now on.

“Of course I’m coming home, honey. Probably today. Auntie Peach and the healers just need to make sure that Aoife is healthy first.” And yourself — but you don’t want to worry them further.

He nods, but doesn’t say anything.

Brennan steps in to continue reassuring the both of them. “Things are going to be a little different now that we have another person in our family. Your mama and I are going to have to spend a lot of time taking care of your sister, because she’s so little. But I promise you both that we’re all still going to live together, that we will spend as much time with both of you as we can, and that we still love you both just as much as before.”

That seems to ease them both — Naolin stops clinging to you as tightly, but still remains tucked into your side, and Asher looks less afraid, too.

“Do you want to keep reading our book?”

Now that perks them both back up.

Brennan takes the baby from you, quietly stepping outside the room while the three of you get settled in, cracking open the volume. You’re nearly done with it, just a few more of the short stories left. You’ll have to ask Violet for a recommendation next time you see her.

—————————

“That was a pretty good speech back there,” you say quietly, slowly getting settled into bed. Your legs are aching from the stairs — you haven’t climbed them in months, and haven’t had any rider’s duties to keep your strength, either. At least Brennan had mended what he could, and your back is no longer aching from the weight of carrying Aoife 24/7.

Brennan just smiles. “My father said something like that to me when Mira was born. I was about their age, too.”

“How did you take it?”

“Pretty well, I think. I don’t really remember.”

“Then it can’t have been that bad, I suppose.”

“No,” he agrees. “It wasn’t.”