#All while the older one has to work through his own problems and trauma

[lemeblogs]

GUYS. GUYS I’VE CONNECTED THE DOTS. I’VE CONNECTED THE DOTS.

[firingstars]

request guidelines | about me | ko-fi | fic rec acc

currently working on: - siren’s song sequel - jealous bucky request

fic requests are: open (pls see request guide before sending!)

warnings. minors do not interact. all content on this blog is to be treated as 18+ as some fics can/will explore darker themes. reader discretion is advised. all works will include full warning lists prior to the story. as always, you are responsible for your own media consumption.

── .✦ SERIES

neighborly advice (complete, 45.9k words) bucky x reader your elderly next door neighbor moves out, only for someone... even older than him to appear in his place. ch. one | ch. two | ch. three | ch. four | ch. five ch. six | ch. seven | ch. eight | ch. nine | ch. ten

in this life (hiatus while i argue with my mind) bucky x reader "There's only one God, doll, and He's gonna bring me back to you." "I don't need God," you told him, fresh tears brimming over your eyes. "I just need you." ch. one | ch. two | ch. three | ch. four | ch. five

── .✦ SHORT STORIES

match made (12.7k words) congressman!bucky x matchmaker!reader as a politician, bucky can no longer be caught swiping around on dating apps. sam decides to sign up his romantically stunted friend for a more sophisticated service instead. locked in (15.2k words) congressman!bucky x matchmaker!reader — sequel to match made you and your boyfriend have been together for a strong nineteen months and counting. problem is, you’re starting to notice he’s hiding things from you.

siren's song (10.9k words) avengers!bucky x avengers!reader bucky hears music through the vents of his room every single night, but the team refuses to tell him for his own protection. after all, they know the music is coming from you- a secret member of the team, who happens to be able to control minds. the siren's dance (coming soon...) avengers!bucky x avengers!reader — sequel to siren's song while trying to navigate your new relationship with bucky, you’re still being indoctrinated into the team as a full fledged member. it’s proving increasingly difficult, as their prior judgments remain the same as always.

── .✦ ONE-SHOTS

mission partners (14.9k words) avengers!bucky x avengers!reader you have no idea why bucky has a deep rooted hatred for you. you two are paired up for a mission, and you find yourself facing the demons of your past while having to deal with bucky's mood swings.

runaway (19.5k words) thunderbolts!bucky x mom!reader bucky comes face to face with his last living relative from his family tree, and it's an eight year old little girl running away from her adopted mom.

love, persevering (11.5k words) bucky x agent!reader grief, trauma, and a broken heart is an unstable platform for a relationship to thrive on, and neither you nor bucky ever made it clear what your relationship actually was.

── .✦ BLURBS

coming soon...

i do not give consent for my work to be redistributed to other platforms to be translated, reposted, or re-worked by any means. i do not give consent for my work to be used in any form of ai training or learning. my blog tumblr blog firingstars is the only site that i post my work to at this time.

let me know if you would like to be added to a taglist for a specific (ongoing) series or to a general taglist for all bucky fics. in that same breath, please let me know if you would like me to remove you from the taglist at anytime!

[makingqueerhistory]

Queer Books Challenged in Florida Schools and Libraries

There are some affiliate links below in case you want to support MQH.

Gender Queer: A Memoir, Maia Kobabe: Now, Gender Queer is here. Maia's intensely cathartic autobiography charts eir journey of self-identity, which includes the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and society, bonding with friends over erotic gay fanfiction, and facing the trauma and fundamental violation of pap smears.

The Color Purple, Alice Walker: Separated as girls, sisters Celie and Nettie sustain their loyalty to and hope in each other across time, distance and silence. Through a series of letters spanning nearly thirty years, first from Celie to God, then the sisters to each other despite the unknown, the novel draws readers into its rich and memorable portrayals of Celie, Nettie, Shug Avery and Sofia and their experience. The Color Purple broke the silence around domestic and sexual abuse, narrating the lives of women through their pain and struggle, companionship and growth, resilience and bravery.

Julián Is a Mermaid, Jessica Love: While riding the subway home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julián notices three women spectacularly dressed up. Their hair billows in brilliant hues, their dresses end in fishtails, and their joy fills the train car. When Julián gets home, daydreaming of the magic he's seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a butter-yellow curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes -- and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself? Mesmerizing and full of heart, Jessica Love's author-illustrator debut is a jubilant picture of self-love and a radiant celebration of individuality.

Drama: A Graphic Novel, Raina Telgemeier: Callie loves theater. And while she would totally try out for her middle school's production of Moon over Mississippi, she can't really sing. Instead she's the set designer for the drama department's stage crew, and this year she's determined to create a set worthy of Broadway on a middle-school budget. But how can she, when she doesn't know much about carpentry, ticket sales are down, and the crew members are having trouble working together? Not to mention the onstage AND offstage drama that occurs once the actors are chosen. And when two cute brothers enter the picture, things get even crazier!

Cemetery Boys, Aiden Thomas: Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can't get rid of him. When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his true gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free. However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school's resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He's determined to find out what happened and tie off some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.

I Am Billie Jean King, Brad Meltzer: This friendly, fun biography series focuses on the traits that made our heroes great--the traits that kids can aspire to in order to live heroically themselves. Each book tells the story of one of America's icons in a lively, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers and that always includes the hero's childhood influences. At the back are an excellent timeline and photos. This volume features Billie Jean King, the world champion tennis player who fought successfully for women's rights. From a young age, Billie Jean King loved sports--especially tennis! But as she got older, she realized that plenty of people, even respected male athletes, didn't take women athletes seriously. She set to prove them wrong and show girls everywhere that sports are for everyone, regardless of gender.

This One Summer, Mariko Tamaki: Every summer, Rose goes with her mom and dad to a lake house in Awago Beach. It's their getaway, their refuge. Rosie's friend Windy is always there, too, like the little sister she never had. But this summer is different. Rose's mom and dad won't stop fighting, and when Rose and Windy seek a distraction from the drama, they find themselves with a whole new set of problems. One of the local teens - just a couple of years older than Rose and Windy - is caught up in something bad... Something life threatening. It's a summer of secrets, and sorrow, and growing up, and it's a good thing Rose and Windy have each other.

Marriage of a Thousand Lies, Sj Sindu: Lucky and her husband, Krishna, are gay. They present an illusion of marital bliss to their conservative Sri Lankan-American families, while each dates on the side. It's not ideal, but for Lucky, it seems to be working. She goes out dancing, she drinks a bit, she makes ends meet by doing digital art on commission. But when Lucky's grandmother has a nasty fall, Lucky returns to her childhood home and unexpectedly reconnects with her former best friend and first lover, Nisha, who is preparing for her own arranged wedding with a man she's never met.

And Tango Makes Three, Peter Parnell: At the penguin house at the Central Park Zoo, two penguins named Roy and Silo were a little bit different from the others. But their desire for a family was the same. And with the help of a kindly zookeeper, Roy and Silo got the chance to welcome a baby penguin of their very own.

More Happy Than Not, Adam Silvera: In the months following his father's suicide, sixteen-year-old Aaron Soto can't seem to find happiness again, despite the support of his girlfriend, Genevieve, and his overworked mom. Grief and the smile-shaped scar on his wrist won't let him forget the pain. But when Aaron meets Thomas, a new kid in the neighborhood, something starts to shift inside him. Aaron can't deny his unexpected feelings for Thomas despite the tensions their friendship has created with Genevieve and his tight-knit crew. Since Aaron can't stay away from Thomas or turn off his newfound happiness, he considers taking drastic actions. The Leteo Institute's revolutionary memory-altering procedure will straighten him out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is.

Melissa, Alex Gino: When people look at Melissa, they think they see a boy named George. But she knows she's not a boy. She knows she's a girl.

Melissa thinks she'll have to keep this a secret forever. Then her teacher announces that their class play is going to be Charlotte's Web. Melissa really, really, REALLY wants to play Charlotte. But the teacher says she can't even try out for the part... because she's a boy.

With the help of her best friend, Kelly, Melissa comes up with a plan. Not just so she can be Charlotte -- but so everyone can know who she is, once and for all.

A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities, Mady G, Jules Zuckerberg: In this quick and easy guide to queer and trans identities, cartoonists Mady G and Jules Zuckerberg guide you through the basics of the LGBT+ world! Covering essential topics like sexuality, gender identity, coming out, and navigating relationships, this guide explains the spectrum of human experience through informative comics, interviews, worksheets, and imaginative examples. A great starting point for anyone curious about queer and trans life, and helpful for those already on their own journeys!

This Book Is Gay, Juno Dawson: This candid, funny, and uncensored exploration of sexuality and what it's like to grow up LGBTQ also includes real stories from people across the gender and sexual spectrums, not to mention hilarious illustrations.

Little & Lion, Brandy Colbert: When Suzette comes home to Los Angeles from her boarding school in New England, she's isn't sure if she'll ever want to go back. L.A. is where her friends and family are (as well as her crush, Emil). And her stepbrother, Lionel, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, needs her emotional support. But as she settles into her old life, Suzette finds herself falling for someone new...the same girl her brother is in love with. When Lionel's disorder spirals out of control, Suzette is forced to confront her past mistakes and find a way to help her brother before he hurts himself--or worse.

King and the Dragonflies, Kacen Callender: Twelve-year-old Kingston James is sure his brother Khalid has turned into a dragonfly. When Khalid unexpectedly passed away, he shed what was his first skin for another to live down by the bayou in their small Louisiana town. Khalid still visits in dreams, and King must keep these secrets to himself as he watches grief transform his family.

It would be easier if King could talk with his best friend, Sandy Sanders. But just days before he died, Khalid told King to end their friendship, after overhearing a secret about Sandy-that he thinks he might be gay. "You don't want anyone to think you're gay too, do you?"

Sorted: Growing Up, Coming Out, and Finding My Place: A Transgender Memoir, Jackson Bird: An unflinching and endearing memoir from LGBTQ+ advocate Jackson Bird about how he finally sorted things out and came out as a transgender man.When Jackson Bird was twenty-five, he came out as transgender to his friends, family, and anyone in the world with an internet connection. Assigned female at birth and raised as a girl, he often wondered if he should have been born a boy. Jackson didn't share this thought with anyone because he didn't think he could share it with anyone.

The Black Flamingo, Dean Atta: Michael is a mixed-race gay teen growing up in London. All his life, he's navigated what it means to be Greek-Cypriot and Jamaican--but never quite feeling Greek or Black enough.

As he gets older, Michael's coming out is only the start of learning who he is and where he fits in. When he discovers the Drag Society, he finally finds where he belongs--and the Black Flamingo is born

Explore the full list here.

[slasherflicks999]

new oc/sona yaaaaaay!

oh how i wish i had all those piercings (bridge come back to me💔)

can we guess where his name came from gang (suspiciously username shaped name)

i actually really enjoy his character design and i literally color picked his color pallet from a diagram(?) that shows how a bruise heals and it worked out LMAOO sooo new character design life hack

more info and lots of general yapping about him after the break if you care to read :3 and i yap a LOT i have lots to say about him bc its been a while since i genuinely developed an oc LMAO

cw for LOTS and LOTS of talk of death if you do decide to read! just in case :3

first of all you may be thinking “5’6? short king!” and i will have you know i actually made him taller than i am irl by a few inches LMAOOO whoops t boy swag will do that to ya

anyways the thing about his color pallet being based off of that of a literal bruise IS actually relevant because he is literally immortal and is CONSTANTLY getting injured like all the time. i think conveying info about characters via their color pallets is fun and i wanna do more of it so hehe. plus green and red and purple are a nice combo and it worked out very well :3 also another little note about his design: he’s a very creative and artistic person and i wanted to show that through his clothes being somehow modified and i think i did that well too. trying to properly get back into making actually decent and thoughtful character designs so im proud of myself :3

that being said his immortality causes him a SHIT load of problems. i feel like being immortal would really suck LMAO but more-so i feel like i dont see people do much with the idea of immortality in terms of horror or at least not from what i’ve seen. like im still figuring out his lore but the basics are: he has no clue who his dad is and found out he was immortal at a somewhat young age but literally his entire life he’s been viewed as just kind of off?? like he looks human and for the most part acts it but he just has certain traits that humans…. do not have. his eyes glow in pics like a nocturnal animal’s would and his teeth are suspiciously sharp and he gets weird cravings for raw meat which he can somehow digest perfectly fine with absolutely no issue but he’s not like OVERTLY some otherworldly creature he’s just a little weird. a tad strange even. possibly even kind of unsettling depending on who you ask.

and i like to imagine these are a lot of things that were present in his childhood too, like his mother would wake up to the sound of rummaging in the kitchen and find him at the ripe old age of five just gnawing at a whole raw steak in the dark. he’s just sort of always been like that and didn’t realize it was weird until he was older. (is a lot of this used as metaphors for undiagnosed neurodiversity/mental illness? …..iii dont knowwww :3 (yes) (although not every aspect of him is a total reflection of myself, he is still his own character in many respects lolol))

but in general this ends up causing him all sorts of issues in all sorts of millions of ways. for one he has sort of a fragile sense of self because he doesn’t even know what he is?? he knows he can’t just be a regular old human because of all the previously mentioned reasons and a few more, but that aside he has no idea what he is. he also doesn’t know pretty much anything about how his immortality works beyond what he’s experienced and what the others have told him during the times when he’s “dead,” he has no idea how his aging is affected by it because he seems to be aging relatively normally so far, he has no clue if he will EVER die for good/if there’s any way to kill him, he has no idea how his body seems to heal the most insane fatal injuries as if nothing happened, and much more quickly than a normal human would, he kinda doesn’t know jack shit about himself and it pisses him off a little bit!

it also has just caused him lots of trauma as you can probably imagine. lots of dissociation everywhere he looks

moving on to how his immortality actually works: like i said there’s only so much he knows about it but this is all the info he knows so far. he CAN “die” but all of his deaths are temporary. that is to say that his body will eventually heal and regenerate itself and he will come back. it’s not like deadpool where he can get stabbed in the head and go about the rest of his day like nothing happened, he might be able to keep himself up for a while to fight back or run away but it wont be long before he drops dead for a few days or so. during said time his body outwardly does seem very dead. he’s unresponsive and still and isn’t blinking or nothing and his pupils are blown (which he already has huge pupils but yk), like if you were to just show him to someone they’d be like “yeah that’s absolutely a corpse and also why would you show this to me.” but his body is still alive in a sense, it’s just sort of… yknow when you put a computer into sleep mode?? upon first glance it’s gonna look like it’s off but inwardly things are still going on. his body is still working to regenerate itself the whole time, even if whatever he sustained that “killed” him would very much not be healable or survivable by any normal person. in his POV, he just sort of gets knocked out for a while and then wakes up exhausted and sore and absolutely FAMISHED. like he could easily eat a horse without any exaggeration the boy can eat.

he’s also always been interested in horror and the supernatural and crime and shit and is largely desensitized to that sort of stuff from that + experiencing a lot of different deaths himself bc of the whole immortality thing paired with him being generally reckless when he was younger because what’s it gonna do? kill him? (“what’re you gonna do, jeff the kill me?” -him at jeff moments before being stabbed, probably) he says he doesn’t care but it actually effects him deeply in ways he doesn’t understand for a while. as he gets older he becomes less reckless and doesn’t throw himself into dangerous situations as often.

all that being said he’s not necessarily all that dangerous himself?? he carries his dagger around with him for protection or cutting up meat and apples or woodcarving more than anything and as a proxy he works a lot more as just an… observer. despite his name he’s not really all for the killing people stuff if he can help it unlike many of the others, if anything his name more so refers to the fact that HE’S usually the one getting slashed up. (it’s actually just bc of my username but shhhhhh) but generally he much prefers to be in the background keeping watch or scoping things out or just sort of… stalking people basically. dont ask me how he manages to be stealthy in THAT outfit… he manages somehow i swear 😔

but yknow overall he’s not an incredible threat to most people, the “creepy” part of him being a creepypasta comes a lot more just from how much it would suck to be in his shoes as just a guy who happens to be immortal but still able to experience the pain of death over and over again. he isn’t the creepy thing as much as his entire life experience is LOL. usually he’s just unsettling and disturbing at most.

he also has a VERY complex relationship with BEN in my AU specifically (WHICH RANDOM DISCLAIMER TIME: NOT THE LITTLE 12 YEAR OLD VERSION NOOOOO EW my au’s BEN is like a combo of “fanon” him and behavioral event network he is not 12 years old and i dont want him being shipped with anything NEAR that version of him, ONLY my AU’s version who is 19. im not a freak. 💔 they’re not a couple anyway (BEN🤝slasher -> being aro) but i did wanna preface that just in case bc im not trying to get misinterpreted like that) might write more about that sometime… bc their relationship has a lot of symbolism and complexity bc BEN is my fav character ever period and yes i am gonna write him and my self insert oc as being incredibly deeply intertwined bc i love him and cringe culture can kick rocks and therapy is difficult to get :3 oc x canon shippers platonic or romantic yall will always be safe on my blog frfr

im gonna post more about BEN soon too…. literally working on actually making a proper design for him rn which is mostly just difficult bc i cannot for the life of me think of what to give this freak to wear. i need them to serve cunt but like….. how do i do that 💔💔 that one BEN design i reblogged that gave him the adorable little heels….. absolutely genius………. u know who u are :3

more random rapid fire fun facts about him bc why not: he loves piercings and tattoos and body mods bc they heal so easily for him, he has his tongue split! (NEEEED to do one day actually my dream body mod), his immortality doesn’t seem to effect his ability to get sick which he HATES but when he does get sick it only lasts for a day or so and he’s a total drama queen the whole time, he loves to sew (though only by hand, he’s genuinely afraid of sewing machines) and will patch up or modify clothes for his friends or other proxies if they ask, his favorite kind of raw meat is boar, and his favorite cooked meat is a tie between pork (boar or domestic pig) and chicken, he wears his headphones most of the time bc he loves music and sounds can sometimes overstimulate him, and BEN can talk to him through them because of course he can, he loves animals and actually has way more empathy for them than for humans, and he absolutely LOVES medical dramas and does not care that a lot of the actual medical parts are inaccurate he will eat them up. he WILL be caught staying up until 6am watching chicago med and he will not apologize.

ANYWAY i think that’s about it actually. if anyone actually read all my ramblings…. i love u /p u mean very much to me /p

i WILL be yapping more soon (except probably about the actual “canon” pastas hehe) :3

[babiebom]

How Many kids I think the Bachelor/ettes would (want to) have

A/N: because I like thinking about things~ also because I started thinking about it because I want a lot of kids and I wondered who I would actually work well with. Late Merry Christmas btw!!! And happy holidays!!

Tw:sex, maybe cursing idk I always put cursing, childbirth/children, mentions of issues with childbirth, mentions of postpartum depression, mentions of adoptions and other stuff surrounding it.

Wc: at least 5 bullet points for each

Sdv Masterlist

Sebastian

I think he would want either one kid only or as many as his partner wants

Because I can see him being a good dad to his kids

But like I also think that people like him only have one kid because they didn’t get along with their own siblings

So the trauma is like I don’t want to have to choose between my kids when they don’t get along and I don’t want any problems so having one is good

But I also thinks he would want to see how close siblings could be to live somewhat through them

So it’s literally a toss up

On the topic of adoption though he’d probably adopt an older kid if you’re okay with it

Like a teen that doesn’t have a family and is about to age out

I think he’s that type of person and you could adopt a baby or a younger kid later on.

I also think Robin would be present but not like constantly there. Like it’s grandmas for Christmas and other holidays and sometimes she visits but that’s it.

I do think that he would probably end up with a lot of kids bc he can’t keep it in his pants now that he has a significant other.

Sam

He’s going to have at least 3

I see him having 2 boys and a girl if I’m being honest and it would be really cute

All of them are learning to skateboard and something about music

I think he would be a very chaotic dad

Like you have a heart attack every couple of minutes being married to him

Like “yeah! Junior lost a tooth” “how’d he lose a tooth?” “He absolutely ate shit at the skatepark”

I think he would be happy to adopt but probably wouldn’t because of Jodi

I do headcanon Jodi as bit of judgemental

Like she won’t say anything outright but she will be passive aggressive like “I love allllll of my grandkids! Even (adopted child’s name)”

So if you guys do end up adopting for one reason or another you’ll only see Jodi for big holidays unless Sam can get her to change

Vincent is a sweet uncle though and Kent is a decent grandfather. Refuses to tell stories of the war to them though. Jodi is an overbearing but GREAT grandmother when she’s not being petty

Shane

Well he already has Jas so he either will have one more so she has a sibling/cousin

or he will have like 4 more to make the total 5

I do think he would like a big family

But all of the kids are a couple years apart at least because he does want to make sure they all are happy

It takes a while for you two to have kids or adopt because he does still have depression and thinks he would be a shitty father

But he’d be the best out of the bachelors I think maybe number two

Because I feel like out of all of them his love would be greater simply because he does have that self hate and he wants to make sure he’s doing as well as he can

Jas is VERY happy to be a big sister

Harvey

Harvey is a 2 kid guy

Like he would be a 1 kid guy but he’s afraid that the child would be lonely

I also think he would be an only child so he doesn’t want his kid to have the same childhood as him

But the kids would definitely have an age gap

Like at least 8 years because he wants to make sure you(if you’re a person who can give birth) are okay after giving birth.

I also think that if he adopts he would go for siblings specifically

Like two kids that don’t want to be separated by the system or two kids who are biologically related he would go for them

Simply because he wants two kids anyways and keeping people together is what would make him happy

Alex

Either 1 or 4 there’s no in between

I feel like you would have either all boys or all girls with him

Like his genes are very predictable not gonna lie

No matter what gender I think he would make all of them play gridball

Would be hella sad if none of the kids liked the sport bc COME ON

I do think that in his heart he would like to adopt

Especially if it’s to save a kid that’s in a bad family situation

Because in a way his grandparents adopted him after his father left and his mother died

Like those are his parents for lack of actual mom and dad

Very sweet dad but does have sexist tendencies

Like if you have daughters he would be much more strict with them but also would spoil them rotten

And while he’s not as strict with the boys he’s also not as sweet on them.

You have to get him to open up and realize that raising the kids in a specific way can breed resentment towards him. He gets smarter the more kids you have.

Elliott

I think Elliott would want one or two

I don’t know why but I see him as a guy that doesn’t have a lot of kids

Mostly because I feel like he would still like to have time with his partner and having a lot of kids would take away from that unless you can get a sitter or something

But I also feel like he wouldn’t want daycare or a babysitter or nanny

He wants to raise the kids together especially because you both work from home

Also having more than I think 3 for him would make it so he has no time to work on writing

And having only a couple would mean he can evenly give enough attention to the kids.

While for some people having a lot of kids is not a problem with attention and love I think Elliot knows that he’s the type of person that cannot be spread too thin.

Which isn’t a bad thing.

If you’re same sex he is not opposed to adoption

Would like to adopt twins though

Would prefer boy girl twins but obviously won’t throw a fit if it doesn’t work out that way

You’re adopting kids not a dog.

Penny

Easily at least 6

I don’t think she would have the most easy pregnancies

But she will make it look as if she’s the perfect housewife and that bearing children is a breeze for her

She loves kids and wants a big happy family especially because of her upbringing

So if you marry her expect her to want to have kids that are all at least a year apart in age

Doesn’t mind getting pregnant again as soon as you’re cleared for sex

I do think she would prefer to bear children instead of adopt but she’s not opposed to it

I could also see her becoming a foster mother at some point and taking in a bunch of children because she has an empty nest

If you’re the same sex she would probably want ivf

Like obviously this isn’t meant to be offensive and some people have different takes

But she also won’t like be upset that you have to adopt and she would make sure to adopt a BUNCH of children

Is a good mother and tries hard to spread her attention evenly.

You having a farm is great for this type of situation not gonna lie

Leah

To be VERY honest I see Leah as the kind of woman to be a single mom

Not because she gets divorced or her partner dies

It’s literally by choice only her and her kid in their cabin painting.

BUT OBVIOUSLY in this scenario she’s married to you

She would still only have 1 or 2 kids

I don’t think she would really enjoy being pregnant

Like she would like doing the pregnancy art things

But the state of being that she’s in is HORRIBLE she HATES IT

But she loves her kid so much that she’s like okay I can do it one more time.

Maru

Maru is either a one person kid or a 5 person kid tbh

And I do think that science people be lowkey freaky

So I do think she would have a lot of kids

Like somehow she’s always pregnant and everyone is like ?????? Another kid?????

And shes like YEAH I KNOW ISNT THE HUMAN BODY AMAZING????

Y’all’s kids are super smart ngl

Like you’re like???????wtf

Like even if you end up adopting they’re super smart and you’re like ????????? WTF HOW

Though they are still very interested in farming.

Somehow combines the two and creates a super farm

Like you make so much more money after having kids it’s insane.

Haley

Two or three kid woman

No matter how strong your genes are your kids will always have either blonde hair or blue eyes if not both.

Out of all the people having kids your kids with her would have the most normal names

She was a mean girl in high school she’s not setting up her kids for failure from the beginning

Unlike the others who would be on board with homeschooling if that’s what you wanted Haley wants the kids in public or private school.

Shes not much of a teacher and you’re always working on the farm so she wants them to have a good chance of being smart.

I think that y’all would have tons of baby books for the kids because she takes at least 10 pictures a day

Like there is no running out of embarrassing baby pictures your kids better behave lmao

Actually a good mom and ends up being one of those “I’m a cool mom right” women

But she’s actually kinda cool when she’s not making dated references.

Emily

One kid that is just as weird as she is

It doesn’t matter if the kid is adopted or not they behave just like her

But also I think she would go for adopting or fostering the more troubled children because they need love too

And I think she’s the perfect person to understand people on a different level than others.

A very sweet mother that is different than the other bachelor/ettes

Your kid turns out very happy, kind, and connected to the world

They might be a little weird like her

But are well liked by the people who find themselves misunderstood.

She would also be the type of person to run a foster home.

Abigail

I think Abby would like 2 kids.

I think she was very lonely as a kid

Especially with her father only focusing on his work and her mother hanging out with her but not really understanding her likes and hobbies

If she had a sibling there could be a chance that they won’t get along but she feels in her heart that they would’ve been close

So she would have two kids that are like maybe 2 years apart or 5 years apart

I don’t think she would enjoy being pregnant but she enjoys it more than she thought she would

Is not willing to go through giving birth again

So if you’re a person who could give birth if you want more than 2 kids then you’re giving birth

If you’re a person that can get others pregnant then you better plan for a surrogate or adoption because like I said she’s not going through that labor shit again

She is open to having more than 2 kids but like there’s other things that you have to do if you want them

Is a decent mom is kinda awkward with mothering but tries her best

[the-facets-of-man]

Meet The Facets: The Riddler

The second of the Meet The Facets posts to celebrate the posting of our fic! You can find the first one here and find the fic here.

The Riddler is Ed's villainous persona. The glitz and glam, the blood and fun, the showmanship, he's got it all. He had no qualms going right back into his life of crime with his henchladies Echo and Query at his side. He's actually the youngest of the Eds if one goes by how long they've existed as part of him. Don't bring up how Eddie is older than him and looks 20-something, he'll lose it. A problem for many, Riddler is extraordinarily cunning. He has to be in his line of work, but even among the rogues he's a stand out in that category. It's led to his psychiatrists(Crane pre-split and someone else post) struggling to get him to work with them at all because he knows how to work around them.

He'd disagree if you said it, but his fatal flaw may be his arrogance. In his opinion it's perfectly justified, he is the best after all. But there are many times it's been to his detriment, whether it be it leading him to be easily manipulated through it or him experiencing a horrible crash when something doesn't align with his confidence.

While Crane managed to pick apart some things about him during their brief time before Riddler's psychiatrist got switched, his exulansis was not one. It doesn't take long for Riddler to make foes out of the rest of the Facets, and even when this changes, he doesn't think they'll ever get him in the ways he wants. Restricting the topics he talks about makes it easier to believe he didn't give up. Likes Praise - It goes along with his arrogance and narcissism, but it'd be present without them. Riddler feels like the greatest man alive, and while he doesn't need anyone to tell him so, he absolutely loves it when they do. It does wonders if he actually respects the person who says it.

Chaos - He's a rogue, what can you expect? His love for it doesn't just translate to his crime, but it also presents itself in his personal life. Edward will never get over the mess that is his room. Riddler calls it organized chaos, Edward calls it a travesty.

His paintings - While Edward took up Ed's photography, Riddler took up art. He especially likes to paint. He knows he's good at it, and he's even painted the Facets a few times when they're willing to sit still and model. He always refuses to show them the final product, and they don't know where he keeps them. Dislikes Abandonment - Most may frame it as him being an attention whore like usual, but Riddler doesn't even like to entertain the thought of being abandoned. Maybe because it means he might be undesirable, maybe because he truly does crave human connection deep down.

Jackie Nashton - Eddie may have inherited the brunt of Ed's trauma, but Riddler still has some memories of his own relating to Jackie. He doesn't like the man, and he's glad that Ed let him die out in his hospital bed with no closure. Just means Riddler won't have to deal with him again. Hopefully.

Textures - He's picky when it comes to the textures of things. He's thankful that Ed picked a good tailor before the split, otherwise whoever they had would've surely gotten tired of his constant nagging and complaints about this fabric or that because it has some weird issue with how it feels. [Edward Nygma] [Eddie Nashton] [Doctor Crane] [The Scarecrow] [Jonathan Crane]

[attempted--eloquence]

hello, good morning/afternoon/night! this is the person from a couple days ago who recommended "scars" by the cranes wives in ur fic. i'm so sorry to bother u but i wanted to say thanks for responding to my comments and share ur own thoughts. i've always kinda kept my observations about the things i read to myself but the way ur works are so good that made me want to stop being a ghost reader and commenting on every fic you publish how much love it.

in fact, i was going to rave about ur fic "boy who cried apocalypse" but i got held up by work and technical problems with the website, so here i am, and i would like to ask, if u don't mind answering of course: what are ur general thoughts on liam dunbar and his development? because i think he is a misunderstood character in this fandom because people forget how he had to adapt a lot quicker in transitioning to the supernatural and the consequences of that. i mean, it's only been a few days since he got bitten, but he already has to fight for his life because of bounty hunters, an experience that he would live again in the season 6b lol. and don't get me started on his nightmares about the berserkers. but i also blame teen wolf for not having more silly episodes in general that remind the viewer how young liam and his friends were when the supernatural shit started and how difficult it will be for them to adapt to the "new normal" that monroe left behind. there should have a been a prom or winter formal episode.

and ur fics are an excellent exploration of that with the way u weave humor and introspection through simple scenarios. the fact that liam's choice to order food had so much background drives me insane; it shows how much thought u've put into everything and also how much u've thought about these characters.

sorry for this long question

Omg hi!!! Thank you so much, that makes me so freaking happy to hear!! :)

Okay, so full disclosure I’m nearing the end of a Teen Wolf rewatch (currently in season 5), and I keep rediscovering scenes or details that I had completely forgotten about over time but that have now definitely impacted my interpretation of characters (like Liam!) — and I’m pretty sure by the time I wrap up the show again I’d probably have a different answer to this question.

Fully agree that Liam has quite possibly one of the roughest (if not the roughest?) adjustment periods on the series both because of everything that happens after he’s bitten AND because of all the shit before he’s bitten.

Expelled, new school, trying to shake the violent reputation following him around, stopped taking his antipsychotics bc they make him feel like shit, trying to stand out on his new lacrosse team—not to mention the team captain and his best friend seem to be out for his head and trying to sabotage him?—fucks up his ankle which jeopardizes his season early on, gets chased onto the roof of the hospital by a cannibalistic monster and then fucking bitten by the lacrosse team captain? And that’s all before the supernatural trauma shitstorm w/ his first full moon, the assassins, and the berserkers even kicks in lmao. Also, this is a weird thing to fixate on but I keep wondering whether freshman year of high school is the first time Liam has ever seen a dead body. Because after transferring to BHHS he sees A LOT.

Sometimes I get sad about how cocky and confident human Liam seemed on the lacrosse field because I feel like a lot of that gets washed away when lacrosse starts coming secondary to like, surviving in Beacon Hills as a werewolf. He found his niche in this sport and now he’s gotta pivot to a whole new life where that’s not the most important thing anymore (cue his little sad monologue to Scott, “I’m not like you. You and your friends trying to protect everyone…”). He also doesn’t get the version of Scott and Stiles that are still kinda fumbling their way around the supernatural while trying to be normal teenagers first and foremost. Everyone is older, more experienced, understands the existential stakes of what they have to deal with—and he kinda has to learn to run before walking, before even crawling, to keep up with them.

Because of the breakneck/back-to-back sequence of calamities between s4-s6 (I mean, obviously there’s some breathing room between seasons, but not much), I tend to feel like post 6b—when Monroe has fled and the Anuke-ite is dead and Beacon Hills isn’t quite normal but also isn’t overtly deadly in the apocalyptic sense—has to be an extremely disorienting and also exhausting time. But also offers a lull to think/reflect on everything that happened—which gives time to like, spiral about everything that has happened as well. Like. What now? What next? Which is why I tend to write about that time period. It’s such a liminal space to me.

TLDR: dude just wanted to play lacrosse.🥲

I hope this is coherent and answers your question even if just a little bit!!!🫶🏾

[boy1nterrupted]

Rory Sallow - Yellowjackets OC

"I show my scars so that others may know that they can heal" - Rory Sallow - The Fox - Coach Ben's cousin {Teen FC - Alex Wolff, Adult FC - Hamish Linklater}

Pre-Crash

"You're just a boy, you are no man. And nobody you know will understand."

Rory Sallow is a trans boy with a deeply dry and dark sense of humor. He's always been that way, a little cocky and a little uptight, afraid to unburden himself of his own vain emotions. Rory grew up with two loving parents, and two sisters, Fallon, his older, and Celeste, his younger. His parents, while caring, remain prevently absent due to work, forcing Rory as the middle child to feel like an adult, rather than a kid. While he's always had support from his family, he struggles making friends due to his dislike of most of humanity, (I know, edgy, but its actually a trauma related thing) and due to that he spends all his time around his best friend (and long time crush) Ronan (cuddlexgoth's oc).

Rory spends a lot of his time writing and practicing the drums, as he's Charlie's (desertmastadon's oc) backup drummer for their band. He's been out of the closet since he was 13, and he has a habit for falling for guys in bands, or who's style runs a little alternative. This, unsurprisingly, led to him having a small fling with Charlie a few months back, that somehow didn't manage to have an affect on their relationship when Charlie got anxious.

As Coach Ben's cousin, he can sometimes be found underneath the bleachers writing in his notes while he waits for Ben to get done with practice, because Rory is a boy loser with no license nor car.

After-Crash:

"We're not who we used to be. We're not who we used to be. We're just two ghosts standing in the place of you and me. Trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat."

I fear the crash is what sets up Rory for a permanent life of fear. The shock and horror of almost being lit on fire (as him and ronan, who is the pilots kid, sit across from van, rory being on the window side) and watching his poor cousin's gross disfigured leg get sliced off, leaves him with a perpetual state of panic that he struggles to hide from Ronan, who he now becomes even more afraid of dying due to his physical problems.

He throws himself into joining Nat and travis to better his hunting skills, and runs around trying to catch dinner for him and Ronan like he's his house husband (who, by now, is his boyfriend, because if they're all gonna die, might as well be gay and kiss).

Due to Rory's lack of interacting with the team, he's often considered untrustworthy, but I like to think his ability to hunt and fish gets him bonus points with the team and gets them to believe in him.

Season 2 Winter & Season 3 Spring - Winter (Spoilers!!!):

"I can't stop the time from moving. And I can never get it back."

When winter hits, so does Rory's insomnia. He spends every night just trying to catch something, and because of this, he manages to miss the fight between jackie and shauna. He only comes back when the cold starts to make his hands go numb, and by then, everyone else has already found jackie. He watches the toll it takes on shauna, and tries to comfort, tells her he talks to dead people too. And I think they gain a good friendship. Till she tells everyone to eat Jackie. Yeah let's just say the cannibalism thing doesn't set right with him. Nor does the act of having someone get hunted at random. He straight up threatens anyone who implies ronan must join and says he'll tear through them with his bare teeth if he has to. The one thing he has would not be lost by chance. Don't even get me started on the chase of nat or the murder of Javi. He would not eat that boy. But he would not blame, nor judge ronan for doing so. He was failing to feed him, he had to eat, to survive.

When ronan succumbs to his health condition, Rory actually goes mental. When the spring comes after the cabin burns down, he stays in his makeshift hut everyday. Doesn't eat, barely sleeps. He talks to nat at times, but he can't even push himself to go to ben's trial, knowing that they wouldn't let him testify, nor would they care.

He goes to see him one last time with Nat before she plans to put him out of misery, promising to remember in a good light, no matter if he did it or not. He goes with her after, too, comforts her for having to do it. Tells her it was right to respect his wishes. And officially puts a target against his back from shauna. But he remains on Nat's side, and even assists in the plan to trick shauna to get rescue.

Adult Timeline:

"And why do I still compare everyone that I love to the way I loved you? I can still hear you sing. But you'll never sing for me. My eyes will continue to sink. I wasn't built to exist."

As an adult, that catholic guilt that once consumed him as a child comes back, and he becomes a priest. But he's actually a good guy, he works for an inclusive church, and uses the degree he gains in psychology to have group therapy sessions free of charge.

He was doing...so well. Until that reporter appeared, after that, he had a steady downfall. Even found himself going back to old habbits, hunting a coyote that tried to eat his cat, and in turn eating it raw. He's not sure what consumed him.

After he hear's about Lottie's cult, he starts reliving what his life was like out there all over again. It was Charlie who found him. Rory "The Hanged Man" Sallows, taken over by the grief and trauma that consumes him, and leads him to death. Or, in his mind, Ronan.

Other:

His piercings

My art of him

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My bbg <3 As always feel free to interact with him! I have a discord if anyone wants to contact me there since it's where i'm most active.

[austinslounge]

I wonder why everyone always blames Austin for the Vanessa break up? It’s always HE wasted her time for 8 years. Or Austin’s the problem because his relationship with Vanessa and Kaia have ended. They treat this man like he’s toxic. It’s really annoying.

I didn’t think it was a crime to break up with people who are not your person?! I guess Austin is suppose to settle for bad relationships or someone he’s not connecting with anymore.

I don't understand it either girl. It's not a crime to break up with somebody. Relationships break up sometimes. That's just a fact of life!

I actually find it very commendable that Austin stayed with one woman for the majority of his 20s, instead of being a hoe or a player, sleeping with a wide swath of women, etc. 🙄

I actually think that Austin is a shy, introspective, deep thinker type of guy, who actually prefers stable, long-term relationships. That's not to say that he's never had flings or FWBs while he was single (I'm sure he has, and I'm sure he will have them again), but my point is, I think that deep down, he actually does prefer long-term, serious relationships.

I personally think it's best to cut a relationship off if it's toxic, isn't serving you well, you're unhappy, you two have grown apart, or you two have very different goals and values in life. We all knew his relationship with Kaia was not endgame. 🙄 We kept saying it! There were red flags all over that relationship, and tbh, most of the red flags were with Kaia!

Wrt Vanessa -- I honestly just think they were a case of maybe the right person but just at the wrong time. Austin was like 19 when they first got together. Vanessa is a few years older than Austin, so, naturally, she probably felt the itch to settle down at an earlier time in the relationship than he did. Also, keep in mind that his mother died pretty suddenly in his early 20s. By the time her cancer was diagnosed, she literally only lived a few more months. 😢 It's quite heartbreaking actually. 💔 That was devastating to Austin. He still can't talk about it today without tearing up. 🥺 Then, he ended up suffering from depression after his mom's death, questioned his life and possibly even living, and still had to work through all of the this trauma in order to still have a career. Add on to that, he wasn't really satisfied with his career, and wanted to do more while transitioning from teen actor to fully adult male actor in Hollywood.

Then, Vanessa herself had to deal with the death of her own father as well. These were all pretty traumatic things they both dealt with together while they were dating. 😢

I'm not even shocked that Austin was not in a position maybe emotionally or even career-wise to get married and start a life in marriage with V. That's a lot to deal with. Not to mention, not really feeling settled in your career. 🥴 It would have been disastrous if they had gotten married imo. It just wasn't the right timing.

I wish people would stop making Austin into the villain in this story. I don't think he's the villain, and I don't think Vanessa is a villain at all either. These are just two people who loved each other deeply for years, had many fond memories together, but ultimately wanted different things at that time in life, and eventually grew apart. Vanessa has her husband and baby now. There's no need to keep blaming Austin (for what exactly?).

[westernlarch]

Circe Shepard: background & family history

I’m currently working on another work, but I was thinking about my post-ME3 long fic today and my OC Shepard’s backstory and trajectory. The ask questions from last week got me thinking some more, as did the end of The Bear S4 (which I will explain later), and I wanted to write down some thoughts. I don’t expect anyone but me will be too interested in this, but I’m sharing it all the same if anyone cares to know more.

Halfway between the first and second halves of Taproot, I wrote an interlude chapter called “Seeds”. In this chapter, we get a glimpse of Circe’s pre-Alliance life on Mindoir at the age of eight. The majority of it deals with her nascent biotic abilites, and her complicated feelings about being different from her friends and family.

The other thing it hints at is how her family has shaped her outlook and her present. Her mother, Hera, is a shrewd and domineering woman. Despite this, it becomes apparent that 1) she pushes Circe because she loves her, 2) she is emotionally repressed, 3) she harbors resentment for being stuck with the family farm and not being able to live out her own dreams. The family as a whole tends to be very “stiff upper lip”, though Circe’s older brother, Damian, rebels against the notion of Mindoir entirely. Driven by love and a duty to protect, as well as his desire to escape his own demons (discussed earlier in the fic), he leaves the colony the first chance he gets and joins the Alliance when he’s of age. The chapter also depicts how close Circe was to Damian despite their large age gap.

As for Circe’s father, John, he is absent from the chapter, but he is an intelligent, devoted man who is quite reserved. He often loses himself in projects as a way to distance himself from Hera’s tense energy, which touches everyone in the family in one way another.

When Damian dies fighting Batarians on Elysium, his death affects the family in way they never recover from. Hera goes about the rest of her life cold and stone faced, and John retreats even more into himself than before. Circe is left feeling alone and confused. In the future, she prefers not to speak about Damian, and none of her Alliance friends know about him save for Anderson and Garrus, who only finds out after the war.

This is where my reference to The Bear comes in. In it, the death of the MC’s older brother ripples through the entire Berzatto clan, causing pain and chaos that reaches far beyond the immediate family, and even into their restaurant business. The show is ostensibly about cooking and restaurants and relationships, but ultimately, it is a study in trauma and grief and how to come to terms with it.* For me, that is exactly how I envision Taproot. While her childhood starts out fairly idyllic in the pastoral lands of Mindoir, Circe Shepard’s life since has been one long escape from trauma, running from one thing to the next. And when the war ends, when the galaxy’s literal biggest problem is over, how does she move on with her life? Can she?

Anyway, thanks for coming to my Circe Shepard primer 😅 Just writing out my thoughts and throwing them out there. I’ve got lots more, but I’ll save those for another day.

*Note: Any echoes of The Bear are purely coincidental, since I started writing Taproot before I started watching the show.

[certifieddilfenjoyer]

'Debt of Flesh' Askeladd x Fem OC (AO3)

Characters: Askeladd, Bjorn, Thorfinn + some original ones

To avoid the arranged marriage set up to secure a trade route between Dublin and Rhuddlan, Skuld ("Debt"), a daughter from Irish-Norwegian family runs away to the Northern Mercia. Accompanied by her two wolf-like dogs Hel and Mut, she disguises herself as a man, concealing her face behind a viking helmet. She avoids most major settlements in fear of being recognised by those who might've been sent to find her. After nearly three days of travelling on foot, while looking for herbalists that could offer a remedy to her daunting problem, she finds herself following River Lune, heading towards the bridge in Lancaster. There, she plans to visit one of the wise women, but soon discovers that the settlement has been very recently burnt to the ground.

Tags: Abusive Parents, Childhood Trauma, Arranged Marriage (not with Askeladd), Crossdressing, Manipulation, Askeladd is very smart and an asshole, Older Man/Younger Woman, Scheming, Historical Fiction (I tried to cook like Vinland saga season 1 did), Tragedy and Comedy, Character Study, Attempted Rape, Fluff, Bathing/Washing, Non-sexual intimacy

Chapter 1

The hustle of a nearby marketplace bounced off the stone-lined streets and timber houses, echoing across the town and through a tiny window. There were loud voices of experienced merchants, shrieks and cries of startled animals kept inside cramped pens, forced to stomp on their own excrement. Next to them, a small group of armed mercenaries watched over a different kind of livestock. One capable of transporting all sorts of goods - hay, leathers, logs, crops and anything else that was needed; one capable of hard work, warming beds, bearing offspring.

Lords and merchants approached, glanced inside their teeth, poked at their sides, forced them out of balance, asked the sellers about the weight and other measurements of the stock. Some were taken out of their groups, paraded around bare, forced into obedience for all to see.

"Is she still inside the room?" A voice from the corridor came. It was quiet, yet firm.

She turned her head away from the ray of sunlight and corrected her posture, sliding her feet from the seat to the floor. With a quick sweep, she straightened her dress and took a breath in, her eyes now averted towards the wooden door. It opened with a creak, letting inside a broad, tall man with hair so white it looked like milk. His face was aged, bearing signs of numerous battles. Two slightly angled prominent lines separated the space between his straight, greying eyebrows. The wrinkles, no doubt, were a result of a scowl constantly plastered to his face.

"Have you learnt about this region like I asked you to?"

"Yes, father," she responded and placed her cold, sweaty palms on her lap. "I've read the tablets, the scrolls and the books."

The man halted in the middle of the room, his fingers interlaced behind his back. "When did the Roman Empire withdraw from Britannia?" he asked, rubbing his thumbs together.

"About 600 years ago," she responded, keeping her voice as low as her line of sight. "Is Dagr going to be there tomorrow?"

"Your uncle is in the middle of establishing a trade route far to the East. I advise you keep his ventures out of your mind. How are you meant to address your husband and my business partner?" he tilted his head, examining her face. She looked so much like her mother; slightly squinted eyes staring somewhere low, giving her an attractive, focused look.

"Dux. Why can't you trust my word?"

"I trust your word, but you said 'read', not 'learnt'. Besides, the matter is far too important to be approached carelessly."

"I am not approaching it carelessly," she protested without raising her voice. "You keep doubting me at every turn. I said I am prepared, is it necessary for you to test me yourself? It's not the first time you ask about that, either."

"You know very well that ever since you were young you had tendencies of going against my will. No matter what I asked of you, your first response was always to test my patience."

She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes. A moment later, while the man kept silently judging her, she exhaled and fixed her dress again. "Yes, father."

He nodded. "I have the rights to be concerned. Dux Terentius is an opportunistic, brilliant man whom I admire. As my daughter, it is your duty to welcome him in your life with the same respect and more."

She didn't dare to look into his grey eyes, empty and inanimate, like a lump of cooled steel. "Yes, father."

He stood still for a prolonged moment, making sure the topic won't be brought up anytime soon. Once he was satisfied, he tapped his right foot on the flooring and began turning towards the door.

"We will be eating soon. But before that happens, Dux Terentius sent a servant to take your measurements. She's at the door as we speak. I'll see you in the festive hall," he announced and pushed the door open, letting a young, short girl inside.

"Master Gulbrand," her fair, braided hair slid from her back as she bowed before him.

He didn't deem her worthy of a glance. The servant kept her head lowered, even after Gulbrand left the room. She inhaled, but was interrupted before a coherent word escaped her mouth.

"Please, no titles. Just Skuld," the dark-haired woman said. "What is your name?"

"Inga."

"Come closer. I've heard you were meant to take some measurements? Should I undress?" Skuld asked, standing up from the chair.

"Yes."

Skuld nodded and pulled her smokkr above her head, leaving the thin underdress on. The servant stepped closer and pulled out a piece of rough linen thread, wrapping it around Skuld's limbs to later mark it with charcoal. Skuld observed her, curious and impressed that the girl would remember which lines meant legs, which chest, waist or arms.

"Do you know where is Ingvildr? She has this very curly, red hair. I haven't seen her today. I was sure she will be sent to Rhuddlan with me. I didn't see her on my ship, but I thought that maybe she would arrive here later," Skuld mused.

"Mistress, Ingvildr was dropped off a few days before your arrival," she answered.

"Really?" Skuld frowned. "Where is she, then? Will she be in the hall? No titles, please."

The servant hesitated. The worried, blue-eyed expression found its way to Skuld's pensive, green eyes. There was something calming about that particular shade. Despite her mistress' tendency to squint, she didn't seem hostile - lost in thought, concerned - but not hostile. Inga pulled away the linen thread, wrapping it around her left palm. Before she spoke again in a much lower voice, she turned towards the door, afraid it may suddenly be open.

"We don't know for sure. We weren't told." She began fiddling with the thread, preparing to measure Skuld's bust. "I saw her only twice on different days. We didn't speak to each other, our chores were different. There is plenty of us here, you see. It's a big space," Inga glanced at the door again.

"Don't worry, I'm listening to any footsteps outside," the mistress whispered to the servant, lifting her arms out to the side.

Inga nodded once and continued a moment later. "I only heard that she left two nights ago. She couldn't perform the service and Master Dux discharged her with a generous amount of food, so she could come back to Dublin."

Skuld tilted her head, frown deepening. "Master... Dux?" when the servant nodded, she added, "Dux is only a title, did he ever say that?"

"No, no one ever corrected us."

She hummed in thought and lowered her arms. Inga hid the piece of charcoal in her dirty pocket and in a moment of distraction, reached with her darkened fingertips towards the sleeve of the dress, hanging over the chair. She withdrew her arm, as if she touched a heated cauldron, then froze, her eyes widened in fear. She collected herself a second later, bowing her head low, while gripping her fist in anxious anticipation for punishment that wouldn't come.

"It's alright, Inga," Skuld said gently. "It's just charcoal. It could've been oil or blood, too. I don't have any wishes to hit you." When the girl didn't budge, she assured, "I won't tell Dux, either."

Slowly, Inga lifted her head up. Her fist was still squeezed by her other palm, but somehow she clenched it further. It almost seemed like she wished to grasp Skuld's hand instead. "Thank you," she exhaled quietly.

When the two of them stepped inside the festive hall later, Gulbrand and Terentius were already there, chatting. As the women approached, their voices died down and the atmosphere suddenly seemed more formal. Inga bowed before them and kept her gaze low while excusing herself to the kitchen, still guilty about leaving a tiny mark on Skuld's sleeve. Terentius approached the green-eyed woman, who gracefully lowered her head to greet him.

"Dux."

He responded with a faint smile, which didn't quite reach his brown eyes. "It's good to finally meet you. Let's take a seat."

Terentius took her hand and lead her to a stool near his ornamental chair at the end of the table. As he let go of her hand, his gaze lingered on the rim of her dress. His bare brow angled towards his short, brown hair; there was a sudden twitch, twisting his clean-shaven chin. The candles arranged on the table flickered under a rush of air, slipping through one of the open windows.

"I must've got it when I reached towards a fireplace," she bore her eyes into his, trying to detect even the slightest shifts of his expression. Her heartbeat quickened and she kept her own face neutral, not letting him see past her lie. "I apologise, Dux. Would you like me to go get changed?"

He turned his face away and walked to his chair. Gulbrand waited for the host to take a seat before sitting down on the right side of the Roman governor. The father glanced towards his daughter, his usual scowl deepening.

"That won't be necessary. Fancy some wine?"

"Yes, please. I appreciate your hospitality."

He raised his left hand and snapped his fingers. Three servants approached the table, placing silver goblets - one for each person. Skuld turned her head towards yet another female servant, similar in silhouette to Inga, and gave her a wordless thank you. Her hair was completely hidden under a cloth, coiling around her shapely head. She avoided her gaze.

Along with the wine came the feast: various meats roasted in seasonal herbs, smoked fish, a cheese wheel which smell quickly filled the dining hall, a few loafs of bread, a bowl with butter and some hot leek soup. Gulbrand relaxed, settling into confidence with each passing minute - no doubt proud of the displayed variety and abundancy of food in exchange for his trading agreement. Skuld subconsciously glanced at the chairs both of men were seated in, then looked outside the window. She had no idea how much time passed since Inga measured her, but not much has changed about the marketplace. She lifted the goblet to her lips, tasting the thick, acidic liquid warming her throat.

"Are you enjoying it?" Terentius suddenly addressed her, making her look away from a woman forced to lift her ragged tunic above her head. "It's one of my favourites. Full-bodied with grippy tannins and a delicate aroma of toasted nuts."

"Nuts? I thought it was a bit floral," she looked at the surface of wine swimming in her goblet, as if its ingredients would suddenly emerge from the red, murky depths.

Terentius swirled his chalice and brought it to his rigid, beak-like nose, observing his future wife with bizarre intensity. He took a whiff, but didn't make any comments about the notes. From her peripheral vision, Skuld noticed her father shifting his attention to a large pork leg surrounded by charred vegetables, but she remained transfixed on Dux.

"I ordered my trusted tailor to craft you some garments," he said.

"Thank you, my lord," she subconsciously reached to the dirty sleeve. "What colour are they?" she prompted, attempting to spark a conversation.

"I'm sure they will be fine. I was told they fit women's tastes." The man slowly brought the metal rim to his lips, making a show of it. "It would be a shame if they got stained," he remarked quietly, before tilting the chalice to drink.

Skuld stared at him, inner panic rising as she kept asking herself whether she should hold his gaze or look away. They stared at one another so intensely the air seemed to turn into the thick wine swimming in their goblets. After he had swallowed three times, a thin line of red made its way towards his chin. Amusement crept on his face, a striking contrast to her increasing discomfort. When he reached towards a cloth tissue, a few shouts came from the outside. She tore her gaze away from Dux to inspect the courtyard scene and spotted a young man bent over the back of a trotting horse with a rider calling to one of the traders.

"I have your deserter!" the mercenary announced and dismounted before pulling the slave to the ground by his hair.

Skuld frowned and glanced at the table covered in plates and bowls of food, all so unnecessary for just the three of them. With a quick gesture, Dux ordered his servant to close the shutters, forcing her attention away from the outside world.

READ MORE

[amethystviolist]

holy shit you wrote so much since march??? that is so fucking impressive!! and hey, creating things for older fandoms is the best, it's always good to see people still keeping them alive. now when you give updates i will finally know whats it about :'D would you wanna give a summary of the fic's premise?

Thank you for the appreciation and the ask again! Yeah I went kinda crazy with it lol; I slowed down to a more normal rate again in May, thankfully.

And sure! It's not a terribly original premise I'm afraid, and I don't have a real blurb yet, but basically, the fic revolves around Bilbo being a dragon with a limited ability to shapeshift. I've read multiple dragon!Bilbo works (and enjoyed them!), but I wanted to do a pretty different take on dragons compared to canon Tolkien or other fanfics I've read.

A teaser might be something like: Five hundred year old former dragon Bilbo Baggins has successfully kept his private vow of peaceful hobbitish living for fifty years when Gandalf turns up with an inviting offer of adventure and less-than-inviting dwarvish company. Bilbo is forced to weigh his need to protect his new friends against his fear of discovery every step of the way to the mountain, and by the time he realizes some secrets are truly too big to keep, Bilbo will have to decide exactly how much a dragon is willing to sacrifice for the dwarves of Erebor.

So for the conception of the fic, Tolkien's dragons are of course based on medieval epics where they're no more than cunning, cruel, and greedy creatures, and while that simplicity can be a good narrative tool, I got interested in the Middle Earth creation of dragons and then what else they might be besides vehicles for plot or embodiments of evil.

From extant theories on their creation (I'm skipping a lot of details on that or we'll be here all day!), I got really into my own take on draconic culture in Middle Earth, and then really into exploring Bilbo's trauma from his draconic past and how he's handling it as a hobbit (spoiler: he's just avoiding it). His canon character arc takes a naive bachelor to worldly adventurer, but my fic starts him from a place of power already. Dragon!Bilbo knows evil intimately and so he's terrified of himself. His arc instead involves accepting all parts of himself and allowing himself to really live again, and of course there's a lot of secrets and lying and oh god feelings that he has to deal with along the way.

Anyway, at its emotional core, the mega fic is about identity and self-acceptance/forgiveness. At its plot core, it's about keeping a terrible secret from thirteen people you want to befriend and how that causes a lot of interesting problems. I've written all the way through canon events (which are definitely more guidelines than rules, considering the impacts of Bilbo's true heritage) and am now in the murky waters of post-canon. I've got an outline and am working through it now. Post-canon deals mainly with the aftermath of a major sacrifice during BotFA (no spoilers!), and then what to do with the One Ring.

If you've read this far, thank! If you're still interested, please enjoy a little early excerpt below.

“‘Bilbo Baggins’, is it?” a deep voice read out.

The hobbit by that name, a middle-aged and bronze-haired fellow with a green waistcoat and a pipe in his mouth, looked up from the book on his lap and startled quite violently. 

“Gandalf,” Bilbo gasped, barely saving the book before it fell to the ground. The wizard in question was standing by his front gate and frowning at Bilbo’s nicely-labeled mailbox, his brow tight with confusion.

“My old friend, what in the names of the Valar are you still doing here?” Gandalf asked, sounding as genuinely surprised as Bilbo had ever heard him. 

“Ah.” Bilbo shifted a little on his nicely cushioned bench. “Well, you’ve been away for quite some time… I daresay I’ve changed quite a lot since we last met.”

“On that, we are agreed,” Gandalf replied, and stared at Bilbo as if trying to see through his very bones.

“Er, do come inside,” Bilbo invited him politely, and got to his feet. “I’ve got a kettle on, and some biscuits which aren’t too terribly burned.”

“A real achievement for one of your kind,” Gandalf chortled, until Bilbo shot him a glare. The wizard hurriedly quieted his amusement and let himself in the gate, following Bilbo up the grassy steps and through the green door that led to Bag End.

As soon as Bilbo closed the round door, he found himself unexpectedly nervous. He had nothing to fear from Gandalf, of course, but his situation was… inexplicably odd.

“So,” Bilbo began a little more hesitantly then he would have liked to admit, “What… brings you to the Shire?”

Gandalf fixed Bilbo with a disgruntled stare. “I was seeking you, of course! Imagine my surprise when I found your old caves deserted, your books and blankets all gone! I thought you’d been slain, and your treasures carried off, and yet somehow no one I asked knew anything about a-”

“Yes, yes, alright!” Bilbo interrupted with a suspicious glance out the nearest window. “I appreciate your concern, but not so loudly! I’m treated with enough suspicion as it is,” the hobbit grumbled, and motioned for Gandalf to follow him through the halls of Bag End until they reached the pantry, which was windowless and had two doors with sturdy locks. Bagginses of course protected their food well, as any respectable hobbit would, but Bilbo had also found that it was an excellent space for less-than-respectable happenings. 

Which he himself had no prior experience with, naturally.

“Olórin,” Bilbo breathed after he had lit a candle and closed both doors, sealing the wizard into the wide room. “My friend, it’s good to see you! I was going to send word, but I had no idea how a letter would reach you. You’re not called the Wandering Wizard for nothing, it seems,” Bilbo said with an amused smile.

“You could have left a note in the northern Blue Mountains!” Gandalf complained, shaking his head. “I had to fight my way through three dozen goblins before I found the levels where you used to reside.”

Bilbo gave him an unimpressed look, for only three dozen goblins were no match for one of the Istari at full strength, and they both knew it.

“It was an annoyance,” Gandalf amended at Bilbo’s expression. “And more importantly, it caused me no small amount of worry for your well-being.”

“Well, I didn’t mean to worry you. But you also could have come back sooner,” Bilbo said rather stiffly. He found himself compulsively organizing the jars of jam by size, until he realized he was acting a bit too much like Bungo and tried to stop fidgeting. “Belladonna and Bungo offered me their home and their name as my own, and Bag End is a much better place for reading than my old drafty caverns. It would have been ridiculous for me to refuse their kind offer.”

“And how are the dear Bagginses?” Gandalf asked, his eyes crinkling happily. “It’s been far too long since I’ve seen them…” The wizard trailed off. His countenance sobered all too quickly as he saw that Bilbo’s expression had turned cold and stony, his hands stilling on the many jars of jam. “Oh. Oh, I see,” he murmured. “I’m terribly sorry to hear that, my friend. I know how much they meant to you.”

The pantry was unbearably silent for a time.

“We shared books,” Bilbo finally said very quietly, and Gandalf looked so shocked that Bilbo would have surely found it amusing under other circumstances.

“Indeed,” Gandalf finally managed, eyeing Bilbo with fresh concern. 

The room was once again silent, and Bilbo shook his head to clear it. “My loss is not the reason you’ve come, though,” he said after a long moment, glaring at an innocent wheel of cheese, for anger was better to keep moving on with than sorrow. But he forced himself to gentle his gaze somewhat to look back up at Gandalf. “Is this merely a social call, then?”

Gandalf’s lips quirked back up into a typically mysterious smile. “I’m afraid not. In fact, I came looking for you to share in an adventure.”

“Adventure?” Bilbo snorted loudly, and ignored the twin wisps of smoke that emerged from his nostrils. “Gandalf, please, I’m far too old for such nonsense. Surely you have many other - and far more pleasant! - options for traveling companions.”

“I’m not going on a walking holiday,” Gandalf corrected him with a huff, now looking rather put out. “I’m escorting a third party on a quest to reclaim their homeland, and your skill set would be most helpful on this dangerous journey.”

“My ‘skill set’?” Bilbo repeated incredulously. “And what exactly is that supposed to mean? My ‘skills’ primarily consist of reading voraciously and offending the delicate sensibilities of my neighbors.”

The wizard fixed him with a piercing, knowing look. “We both know you’re more than a simple hobbit, my old friend.”

Bilbo scowled as fiercely as this face allowed, and crossed his arms in annoyance. “Maybe I don’t want to be more than a simple hobbit anymore,” he said sharply. “Has it ever occurred to you that I am safe and comfortable here, in this form, in this life? I’m Bilbo Baggins now. I’ve changed, Gandalf, and I don’t want to be… who I was. I’m nothing like that anymore, and have vowed to never be again.”

Gandalf’s blue eyes twinkled a little, and he nodded once. “Very well. Bilbo... I understand your feelings on the subject.” He pointed one gnarled finger at Bilbo, and added firmly, “But this will be very good for you.” With that cryptic pronouncement, Gandalf turned and unlocked one of the pantry doors, knocking his head on the low doorframe and cursing to himself as he hastily exited.

“Gandalf!” Bilbo exclaimed, his annoyance now tainted by his damn curiosity. “What do you mean? I will not be going with you on any sort of mad adventure, and I mean it! I couldn’t leave my hoard for that long as you should well know!” He ran after Gandalf, who was finding his way to the front door much too quickly.

“I expect I’ll be seeing you again soon,” Gandalf said instead of offering any kind of explanation. “Do try not to incinerate anyone while I’m away.”

“Pfft, incinerate anyone,” Bilbo scoffed. “You’re the only one in danger of that, Gandalf the Grey! Stop running away and tell me what you meant by that! Ah, you confounding-”

Bilbo tripped on the upturned edge of a rug (undoubtedly Gandalf’s fault, as so many things were) and tumbled most ungracefully to the floor. By the time the hobbit had regained his feet, the wizard was long gone, his gray-clad form hurrying down the path away from Bag End.

“Blasted, meddlesome wizards,” Bilbo muttered, not for the first time and certainly not for the last.

[If you've read this far, please let me know! I'll be wanting a beta reader probably at some point, or someone to bounce ideas off of would be lovely as well.]

[sokkastyles]

hello! i love your meta, and i think you routinely have the best takes on azula i've ever read - the way you are able to articulate the ability for a younger sibling to abuse their older sibling, how that's rooted in her father's abuse of both his children, how that doesn't change the fact that the character grows into one who becomes an abuser herself.

you have a quote from a while back where you say "I've been thinking about this a lot in terms of people saying they want to see Azula be "humanized," and what they usually mean is that they want to see her given redeeming qualities," and also pointed out the research on how abusers being given support from therapy often enables them into increased mistreatment.

as a person working through their own traumas re: abuse, do you have any insights on how to reconcile abusers in real life? you brought up Zuko asking Azula "why" - but the answer (i think) is simply that she wanted to. and i haven't figured out how to deal with that in my own history yet, much less how that would affect broader public policy issues around ~dealing with~ (for lack of a better term) abusers.

it's easy for me to be an abolitionist for non violent drug offenders. but i don't know how a better society would deal with my ex or my mom, for example. and i don't necessarily think locking them away is the answer... but i don't know what is

Hi, thank you for the compliment on my meta!

I'm afraid I cannot give you personal advice because I don't know you or your specific situation, and of course I am not saying that all abusers do not get better in therapy. But it is common for people who have learned that they can get what they want by manipulating others to learn how to manipulate better by learning what is expected of them and how to say the right things.

That's why it's generally not a good idea to try and fix an abusive person yourself or count on them to change first. A lot of abusers try and keep people dependent on them this way, because they know how to use your caring for them against you.

And yeah, one of the problems with the way people psychoanalyze Azula is that there is a hesitance to admit that she treated people badly because she wanted to, and she was rewarded for that behavior by her father and her mother's disapproval was not enough to combat that, until her friends and her brother started standing up to her and no longer allowing her to behave that way towards them, and she got to the point where her father was no longer rewarding her because she got too ambitious, as is inevitable when a child outgrows a parent who is enmeshed with them in that way.

I mean, of course Azula was abused, and of course there is the damage that happens when a child is raised the way Azula does. Even allowing that Azula did not bear the brunt of Ozai's abuse, just abusing Zuko in front of Azula is itself a form of abuse. It erodes Azula's sense of safety because she knows the same thing could happen to her if she's not good enough.

But a lot of people confuse that with the idea that Azula was forced to treat Zuko badly, which she absolutely was not forced to do. We don't ever see Ozai tell Azula that she's too good to play with Zuko or that she has to be mean to him. He teaches her how to treat Zuko through example, but the picture some people paint of an Azula who didn't really want to hurt her brother just isn't true. In fact, it's because of Ozai's example that Azula got such satisfaction out of hurting Zuko, because it made her feel good to be seen as better than Zuko in her father's eyes.

People don't like to engage with that aspect of Azula. They need to file off the edges to make her a sympathetic victim. Like you mentioned, there's this idea that she isn't "human" otherwise, even though her joy in Zuko's suffering is a very human emotion. And she does enjoy it.

People often talk about redemption arcs when they talk about this, but I'm gonna mention one of the most recent and well-loved corruption arcs in media, and pull a scene from Breaking Bad. One of the most famous scenes at the end of the show is when Skylar tells Walter that she doesn't want to hear any more excuses about how the things he did were because of the family. Walter's response is to interrupt her and say:

I did it for me. I did it because I liked it. And I was good at it.

It's one of the most evocative scenes primarily because it hurts to see Walter go down the path he goes down from the beginning to the end, but at no point is he anything other than tragically human. And finally, finally, we see him admit that nothing that he did was for the benefit of others.

Azula liked what she was doing. And she was very, very good at it. And she saw no reason to be unhappy about it until it wasn't working for her anymore. And even then, she blamed others for her unhappiness instead of acknowledging that they had a right to want to be treated better.

Note that I'm not saying Azula and Walter White are remotely similar as characters, and ATLA and Breaking Bad are very different stories in very different genres. But I bring up BB as an example because I see too many people claiming that the only interesting or human story worth telling is one where everyone gets redemption, and that idea can be harmful especially to people in real life who have been victimized who are struggling with the idea that they need to see the goodness in their abusers.

Anyway, I am sorry to hear about your personal experiences and although I cannot say what is best for you, I do hope you find peace and I want you to know that you have a right to that peace.

[yannaryartside]

I want Carmy to have a best friend.

Besides Sydney.

I have been trying to find this gif, but there is a moment in 2x08 when Carmy is talking to Sydney about where to buy some product. He mentioned, "Yeah, my buddy from high school, he is running an Ibero account," and I went: "bitch you lying. Weren't you a total loner in high school?" he probably just wanted to sound better than say, "yeah this guy I know from high school" maybe to pretend to be more "normal." There are multiple scenes that could be evidence of Carmen having not friends at all growing up, not closed ones anyway:

In 1x04, when Cicero is describing his friendship with Carmy's dad, Cicero says, "We had the same problems at the same age, so we had a lot to talk about," and Carmy says, "That sounds nice," like he had never had a person like that in his life. In 2x05, Carmy says, "You always had so many friends, I don't know, I really wanted that." There is a pause here, his eyes moving because it's a big confession, before trying to continue the conversation and saying, "Mickey had that," to top it all, he mentions in his monologue that he thought Mickey was his best friend. After all, Mickey is the one person who knew him best, despite how little Carmy knew about Mickey. Here is the thing: Carmy still doesn't have any friends. Richie is not a friend. He is more like an older brother, somebody that can scold him. They are not equals. Most of the figures in Carmy's life are authority figures/relatives.

You may argue that Sydney is his friend, and she is, but he hasn't referred to her as his "partner" (business) yet, and I think there may be something behind it. His trauma dumps on her; he shares a passion for cooking with her, but they are not there yet on the emotional stuff. I know they are going to star calling each other friend, or best friend, in future seasons as their relationship grows, but I do not want that responsibility to rely completely on Sydney's shoulder; she is going to be "his person," but I think it may be healthy for Carmy to get a friend that he can talk to besides her, maybe somebody that he can relate to in the things he cannot relate to Sydney. So he can get perspective on things, and find confidence in his value as a "friend" or learn to be a good friend to begin with, to trust deeply on someone. On that note, while consuming fiction, people get this feeling when they see a loner/isolated archetype fall in love with their best friend because he is the "only person who gets them," like some codependency stuff. This will not be the case for Syd and Carmy because he was attracted to her even before they started to connect.

I think Marcus and Carmy don't have that chemistry yet; if there was a chance of them becoming more friends than acquaintances, it would have shown already. This was one of the reasons I was excited to see the new staff, to see if Carmy could get a friend that way. I honestly want Sydney to get some friends too. We don't know much about the staff yet, and there is a position open since they fired that guy.

So here is my wish list: I want somebody Carmy can think of as an equal (not necessarily in the cooking world), but somebody of the same age and preferably with similar issues. Maybe somebody who has tragically lost a dear one or somebody who is in the program (not an addict, that probably would not work, but somebody from a family of addicts). And I want them to have similar interests, like fashion, art, and other stuff. This comes from a person who was really depressed in high school and only started to recognize my own destructive patterns when, one summer, I met my best friend, who was also very wounded and depressed. I had an abusive father, and her classmates harassed her. You see my point here. We held each other through some very dark times. I want that for Carmy, especially when his relationship with Richie (and maybe Sydney) is complicated in what could be arguably the darkest moment in Carmy's life. "The more people I cut out, the quieter my life got," I think he is going there again. That being said, can I suggest somebody? (this is totally a fanfic scenario that I am starting to write to fight writer's block, but here we go).

Listen to me, I know. You don't have to tell me to get over this man. I am currently re-reading Six of Crows as I do once a year.

But here is the idea of the fic. This is Nikola. He is from a russian family (politically persecuted refugees back in the '80s). Ten months before the time of the series, Nikola's father killed somebody in a liquor-induced rage, the victim being the man Nikola's mother was having an affair with. How did the father figure it out? Nikola told him, hoping they could divorce and his father could live with dignity. To make matters worse, Nikola is a lawyer, but after trying to represent his dad, he has a sense of guilt related to his profession, for reasons I explain on the fic. So he tries a new career trying to figure out who he is after this mess, running away from all ot it, and he decides to be a cook, he gets good at the quick stuff (a comi) and the first scene is Carmy hiring him personally (because he wanted to give Sydney a break). Nikola's nickname is "Fox," he is quiet for the most part, serious, and looks perpetually confused and amused by Richie and Fak's shenanigans. Carmy and Nikola start talking about the program for families of alchoholics, and because of Carmy, Nikola goes to his first meeting.

Let me know what you think.

[invisiblegarters]

Thank you! I think this is a case of people poor meowing Ray to the point of thinking he has no bad bone in his body and he is a victim of everyone around him. It's super bizarre to witness.

Nothing is his fault and if it is, he didn't mean it, and if he did, it's the alcohol talking!

I have also seen some bizarre takes on Top and especially Boston, making them seem innocent and just honest without malice and I think it comes from people not wanting the promiscuous characters to be bad people because that would be perpetuating stereotypes.

Anyway, it's been truly a ride to witness haha.

To me it's not that bizarre, really. It's very easy to see Ray's penchant for self-destruction, his trauma and his depression and his bone deep belief that he is an unlovable burden, and just want to see him get better. That's a perfectly valid response to someone in as much pain as Ray is. Because he is in pain. The fact that he is doing a lot of it to himself doesn't really matter, either. That is one dude who is suffering, and I too would like to see him grow and start to make some headway into loving himself.

The part where I get tripped up is the expectation that any of these messed up 20 somethings is any more capable of dealing with Ray than Ray is of dealing with himself. They're all young, they are all selfish and self-absorbed and none of them is equipped for the kind of problems Ray has. Hell, a lot of much older people aren't equipped for it.

But we're all prone to favorite character syndrome - a lot of the reason I was so annoyed was seeing all the hot takes about Sand, lol. I feel like he's *really* gonna get it in the teeth from fandom when it turns out that he can't actually save Ray with the power of his love (and that even if he could, Ray doesn't want him to because he's fixated on Mew as the savior) and walks for his own good (at least, I hope that's how it goes). So I'm not immune to it either. Sand is my ride or die and I expect to be excusing (or if not excusing, defending, and if not defending, flat out encouraging) many of his wrongs still to come.

Also if I'm truly honest, I too want to see at least one person stick by Ray through it all, even if they can't be his savior. I just don't want it to be Sand (that's my bias at work, lol).

As for the others, I haven't seen too many hot takes that aren't "these two are the worst most vile villains" so I can't really speak to that. I enjoy both of them, especially Boston. And I seem to be more sympathetic to Top than a lot of people, although I don't know how true that is - I can't see everything that goes by, nor do I want to, lol. Especially not stuff that would just rile me up.

I do like that Boston tends to use honesty as a weapon. It's my favorite thing about him. It's also kind of what makes him so damn effective at doing what he does - he gives truth, but in a way that it almost always cuts.

And to be fair, as far as I can tell most of the hottest takes aren't from here, which I like. I feel like places like twitter tend to be more black and white thinking - good guys and bad guys, villains and heroes. While it can always change, I tend to see a lot more nuance here - it's why it's pretty much the only social media I have, lol.

[izzysarchivedblogs]

greer nelson. blog canon. please read.

OKAY. SO. Given my deep love of Greer Nelson aka Tigra; and having gone through all of her original appearances (re-reading west coast avengers at the moment); I want to draw back in some themes and give a distinct setting and idea for where her character is at with Marvel. This will be vastly headcanon, but it is my canon as Marvel ain't gonna give it to us.

If you read her original stuff with her as Tigra, before she gets put into Avengers; she's a were-woman, now she still will follow what her canon rules on transformation and in terms of her soul (wca agin) that holds true. She started out facing down supernatural creatures, encountering monsters; one of her first spotlights as tigra was in marvel chillers. tigra is a character tied to mystics lore of marvel universe. i need to find the panel, i think it's in new avengers, where dr. strange looks at all potential sorcerer supremes, and tigra is one of them (of many).

i write william as a secondary muse; since he is attached to me writing her mama, greer, and a major part of her character

PLEASE GIVE THIS LIKE IF YOU VIEW AND PLEASE VIEW. It is important to my blog canon, but I threw this under a cut cause it got long.

anyways, i want to bring back some of that older themes seen in greer's stories back into her canon. so here's what is what.

Remember Greer's apartment from New Avengers (2005) (click) -> well, to pull Tigra back into the mysticism of Marvel; her original New York apartment before he was forced to move, was a place to which she preserved Cat People artifacts (both Earthborn and the Land Within Cat People) as well as held onto other magical/mystical items. She also had personal effects of Dr. Joanne Tumolo, Professor Leon, and other Cat People who have passed on. -> After she had been assaulted and had to move on orders from the Initiative; her apartment was raided and all items stolen from her. -> Present day, she is looking to find these items and return them to hers to preserve; on the fact that some have historical and cultural value to the Cat People (especially consider most earthborn cat people are gone), as well as items being magical and thus, needed to be kept somewhere safe

GREER, MAGIC, AND MYSTIC AWARENESS -> While you could not go to Greer and ask her to cast a spell like Dr Strange, Wanda, or Loki. She still has strong senses when it comes to mystics and magic, about to smell magic cast, and has quite a bit of understanding due to her over the years accepting herself as Tigra, the Cat People's mighty protector and mystical warrior. She can use magical artifacts, after all her amulet is illusion magic that allows her to appear human again, and she has ideas that allow her to open the doors to The Land Within, to which she has a sense of direction towards where those are. She can tap into magic on specific occasions, and with training could possible even do spell work; as being Tigra, she is in tune with the mystic arts. She will still turn you over to Wanda or Dr. Strange or others who deal in the mystic arts, since she is still more warrior than magician.

HER BABY'S DADDY -> Holding true to comic canon, Greer does not inform her son or anyone/most people in general the truth about William's parentage. She upholds to the lie that Hank Pym is William's true father, and in a way that is true; he does share genetic makeup to Hank Pym. She will speak fond of Hank, though knowing his shortcomings and problems, because of her son. She refuses to give name or power to the truth; some of that comes from Greer not resolving her own trauma, but greatly comes from wanting to give her son something good to grow up on.

RAISING WILLIAM -> Given that her son is not human, and her own experiences with how people can treat Cat People? Curious, perhaps well-intentioned people reaching out to grab her tail, touch her fur, say something that was vaguely offensive, ask questions because she's not human, doesn't hide her power or who she is. Given her own experience, and know how overwhelming that can be on herself, and knowing how she reacts to a given situation say being grabbed (lashed out with claws), or snapping a no and being adult able to say no; she doesn't want that on her son, knows how children could be and does not trust other parent to teach their kids not to see her son has an object, a pet, a toy despite being a kid like them, their friend. William is homeschooled, because the options for non-human kids that aren't "mutants" and can't hide their non-humaness isn't the best.

SO HOMESCHOOL -> this means that a majority of Greer's time is spent with her son, gathering schooling materials and teaching him; now she does enlist a lot of her super friends, or people she can trust to watch him to give herself time to work or time away, as well as even "jokingly" enlisting friend to be "substitute" teachers, or help him do homeschool work he has laid out. Given that she has chose to take this route for her son's education, so that he can be fully accommodated to his needs and safe from people who don't respect a non-human's boundaries. This can leave her quite frazzled.

MIDNIGHT MISSION -> Following Moon Knight (2022) quite closely, with one addition to this; as she stated was sent by the Avengers (T'Challa) to keep an eye on Moon Knight, but does fully flip on that and simply finds herself involved in MK's work. She does consider herself to work with the Midnight Mission and for Moon Knight to some degree; helping out any of those who seek out the Midnight Mission and its services. She does this as a good friend to Marc, as well as because she does simply want to help people in need.

MIDNIGHT MISSION 2 -> Given that that the House of Shadows is presently inhabiting/tied to the Midnight Mission; Greer is very aware of the House's presence and power, given her mystic attunement, Greer does communicate to the House, mostly speaking kindly to it and thanking it for what it does; doing this in part so that the HoS treats her kindly, lets her in, and may in the future want to continue help and defend her, Moon Knight, and company.

INDEPENDENT WORK -> While the best way to contact Greer is through the Midnight Mission and that is where you would find her and meet her, if hiring her out (paid work; sorry, but the half-avengers pension is not as big as you think and she's a single mom) normally she will be met there, or around the area of the Midnight Mission. Greer does some independent work; typically her services tie to tracking people or objects down, finding lost and missing things, things that don't want to be found, as well various other related services to her using her senses. She has taken a few odder jobs like bounty hunting, but it's never with intent to kill. For the right price, she can do more within reasons.

MONSTER HUNTING -> Bringing back her monster genre themes, Greer would be an ideal for taking on hunting down monsters and cryptids; she's the survival, predator, and hunter instincts to track down and take down. She tends to be drawn to by mystic instinct and attracts monsters as well. Greer can and will take them down; again hired/paid service.

AVENGER? -> If a crisis arose and her number was called, than she would come but otherwise Midnight Mission is as much team work as Greer does. She's a single mom first as well, but she is not opposed to being an Avenger again; and still keeps in touch. After all, she had originally been spying for them.

Verse dependent, but I will occasionally run with Marc being Greer's boyfriend again as the new Moon Knight establishes. Anyways, these are somethings to keep in mind when writing with present day / present canon as well as my portrayal of Greer in general.