#An Accidental Affair

[jolieeason]

August 2024 Wrap-Up

Here is what I read, posted, won, received, and bought in August. Let me know if you have read any of these books and what you thought of them. Books I Read: Did Not Finish Books Reviewed: Ami (Guardians of the Dawn: Book 2) by S. Jae Jones—review here Agony Hill by Sarah Stewart Taylor—review here Shock and Paw by Cate Conte—review here The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki—review…

[sugdensdingle]

[nyxronomicon]

ugh please someone restrain me I'm thinking about yandere stepcest with Sunday...

[double--cross-d]

I um. I got bored again.

[shoezuki]

"Honestly? I should've expected this."

Gepard sends Sampo a withering look from across the table; if the table wasn't stretching miles long, he'd probably kick Sampo, for good measure. Instead he just scowls at Sampo, anxiously tapping his fingers against the soft stone tabletop. "I don't know what you want me to have done differently, Sampo."

"Not wander off and get lost, for starters," Sampo hums, pointing what is probably this planet's version of a butter knife at Gepard. "I would've also preferred you not somehow someway accidentally dismantle the largest crime organization on this stupid rock in the few hours it took me to find you."

Gepard, for what it's worth, has the sense to look sheepish.

Sampo had definitely not expected any of this when he decided they should recoup on some planet barely the size of a moon. He'd docked their spaceship here so they could maybe figure out their weird situation of being kind of stranded in space, but mostly so him and Gepard could stop arguing about how they were absolutely not going to return their permanently borrowed space shuttle. Gepard had, in his anger, taken off into the bustling streets and left Sampo in the dust. In some series of events even Aha couldn't account for, Gepard had somehow managed to rescue a prestigious politician from a would-be mugging, find the dusty backalley tavern that a criminal group was using as a headquarters, infiltrate it with nothing but his fists, and promptly arrest the big figures of a powerful gang that had been destroying the local economy for decades. All before Sampo had even thought that, hey, maybe he should go find his headstrong boyfriend.

If Sampo hadn't been on the other end of Gepard's sense of justice many times before, he wouldn't have guessed that the other man in the room, sheepish and anxious and looking all too small in the massive regal seat the locals had shoved him in, was somehow capable of all this. But of course he knew him better than anyone. To him, deconstructing a major crime sphere? That was nothing. But getting labeled and celebrated as a hero and praised by the upper echelon? That had him blushing like nothing else.

"I-I don't know what you think I could've done. It just. Happened." Sampo sighs, leaning his chin heavy on his hand, elbow digging into the table. " I don't know either, Geppie. I thought planets with some good ol' political and criminal unrest would be fun. But maybe I should keep you away from any more. Wouldn't want to leave a path of statues raised in your honour all across the universe, right?"

Gepard looks horrified by the prospect of his inevitable worship. Sampo is glad for his distraction, using it to his advantage and pocketing another fancy, shiny piece of cutlery in his pocket. It was silver, probably. Maybe he could get some nice cash from the cutlery and small shiny goblets he's been filling his pockets with.

"I don't know why I'm here, though," he hums out, more to himself really, tapping his chin. "I mean, I'm just your handsome galactic travel guide! Of course I'm not going to turn down the opportunity to network, but..." He shrugs, meeting Gepard's eyes.

He gulps. "I, uh... I insisted." He bites his cheek, glancing away but always returning his blue gaze to Sampo. "It was... me. I asked them to find you. I just... wanted you here. Sorry?"

His smile is slight, an upturn of his lips and a small light in his eyes, but as genuine and honest as every part of Gepard is. It... well, Sampo expected he was fetched by the local police because of Gepard's insistence, and the reality of it didn't realistically change anything about Sampo's lingering annoyance with their previous arguments or the weird celebration he'd been dragged into.

But...

Gepard met his eyes, smile widening and some of that tension leaving his expression. "I missed you, Sampo." He was absolutely earnest, steadfast. Gepard's absolute honestly always threatened to drown him.

Sampo exhaled and grinned in turn. As always, his fondness heavily outweighed any exasperation.

"You're cute," Sampo cooed, "do you know that? No wonder these people wanna put up statues for you. I'd want to immortalize you too."

Gepard squeaks out Sampo's name and burns fire red, the intricate doors opening just at that moment and letting the entering politicians see Gepard melt.

[fisheito]

finally unlocked maid blade's intimacy rooms and i just. i gotta say. i am very pleased. SO VERY pleased. excellent, everywhere, all around, fantastic loved it start to finish (i got a little worried in the middle bc distressed blade gnaws at my sympathetic heart chamber) but now i am filled with new images and new appreciation for big floofy skirts and blade's adorable master-pleasing ways

[vonlipvig]

incredible c plots happening rn

[in-fair-verona-we-set-our-scene]

I do think Withers has a really subtle background character arc in bg3. Because at the start it is really clear he doesn't want to be here and he's being forced to clean up his mess by Helm and probably Ao. He doesn't really care either. Everything ends so nothing really matters, he'd like to go back to his paperwork now please.

Except he's stuck babysitting a bunch of traumatized dumbasses as they stumble into dealing with the most recent bad idea of his three fuck-up disappointments. So he brings them back when they die for a pittance, lets them pay for some vengeful ghosts to come back as flesh and blood to wreak bloody vengeance on the Absolute, and starts to... comment, on what's going on, as he follows them on their adventure.

Next thing you know Withers is like, doing things unprompted. He refuses to bring back Alfira (or Quil) but that's an act of compassion, keeping the poor girl from the Urge and letting her rest, his actual duty as a god of death. He tells Arabella to follow her destiny and does that thing to make her grief go away which honestly freaks me out but seems to be him trying to help her. He shows up at Moonrise and prompts us to consider why the Dead Three would want a bunch of soulless illithids that would give them no power, getting us to think of the big picture.

And by the end (especially if you do a resist!Durge playthrough) Withers is actively interfering and seems genuinely invested! He brings Durge back from the dead, free of their father! He encourages us before the final fight with the Netherbrain! He's real fucking smug that the Dead Three lost when he never seemed to care about the destruction they caused before! He throws a reunion party and many of his lines are genuinely touching or kind! Especially if a companion died permanently! He has tea with Gale's mom and Tara! He's like, socializing and shit! Yes, everything is temporary and we all die, but there's great beauty in fighting for that precious time and living it to the fullest!

Basically Wither's character arc is this meme, all because Helm made him go outside and touch grass.

[odyss-sea]

Aeneid Book 8

Virgil: The shield was so awesome I can’t describe it

*Queue three page long description of the shield*

[idsb]

I still cannot explain what the implications of august -> illicit affairs being connected in an official capacity does to me

[jolieeason]

Bookish Travels---March 2024 Destinations

I saw this meme on It’s All About Books and thought, I like this!! So, I decided to do it once a month also. Many thanks to Yvonne for initially posting this!! This post is what it says: Places I travel to in books each month. Books take you to places you would never get to. That includes places of fantasy, too!! Bon Voyage!! Please let me know if you have read these books or traveled to these…

[152glasslippers]

tag game: shuffle your “on repeat” playlist from spotify and post the first 10 tracks

tagged by: the loves of my life @agentmmayy @myletternevercame @lizzybennets ❤️

I don’t actually have an “on repeat” playlist, so here’s 10 songs I’ve had on repeat lately

Long Day - Matchbox Twenty

Accidental Babies - Damien Rice

Borderline - Tove Lo

My Kink is Karma - Chappell Roan

Nostalgic for the Moment - Kathryn Gallagher

Monster - Hotel Fiction

Backwards Directions - Abby Sage

Bleachers - bluffs.

Way I Go - Gordi

Renaissance Man - Sidney Bird

tagging: @carry-the-sky @onebatch2batch @ballerinikelsea @majicmarker

[deithe]

jon snow grocery store manager au where jon, who got made manager bc previous manager joer mormonts weird parrot liked jon the best and runs the place like it's life or death. jon is making extreme decisions about completely menial stuff and muttering about honour and morality while looking at the prices of oranges. he decides they need more beets and alliser thorne, guy who was passed over for manager and spends his off days flinging darts at a picture of jon from his school yearbook, physically attacks him in the frozen food isle. other disgruntled employees start pelting jon with produce. jon calls it a mutiny and tries to blind thorne with a axe body spray. people call the cops and the 'Nite Watch 24-Hour Store Mutiny (gone wrong!)' video goes viral.

[bitchinlyras]

no but there has literally never been a character more traumatised than shauna shipman

[dual-domination]

In a silent temple of a primordial past, the Iron Triangle's search culminates in an unexpected find. Not what they were looking for. Starting with the small truths whispered in the grooves and depths of time.

Or (@fixaidea summary sent for an askgame that made me write it): Shen Wei has been somehow cursed and sealed away underground. The Iron Triangle accidentally find him. (If you want to check a snippet, it's HERE in the askgame answer)

[alientitty]

the 90s dance music goth trend >>