#Atom Bookshelf

[theambitiouswoman]

11 Lessons from the book Atomic Habits 🌟

"Atomic Habits" focuses on incorporating small, consistent habits into our lives to bring about significant change over time. The book introduces a four-step model for building habits, emphasizing cues, cravings, responses, and rewards. It also guides you in overcoming bad habits and self-limiting beliefs, demonstrating how simple habits can lead to substantial progress toward our goals.

Lesson 1: Habits Over Hobbies: You are not inherently bad at your hobbies. Instead, it's the lack of consistent habits that has held you back.

Lesson 2: Identity Matters: Our self-image greatly influences our habits. While it's important, you shouldn't let it hinder your growth.

Lesson 3: Stacking Habits: The concept of habit stacking involves adding a new behavior to an existing habit, which can help you build a more effective morning routine.

Lesson 4: Embrace the System: Rather than solely focusing on goals, it's important to love the process—the journey itself. It's about embracing the system that leads to progress.

Lesson 5: Something is Better Than Nothing: Even small efforts are valuable. The "Two-Minute Rule" encourages starting new habits that take less than two minutes.

Lesson 6: Overcoming Boredom: Staying motivated in habits requires keeping them interesting and within the right level of challenge. "The Goldilocks Rule" emphasizes that tasks on the edge of our abilities are most motivating. Habits won't always be exciting, and that's okay.

Lesson 7: Bouncing Back from Misses: Missing a habit occasionally is normal, but missing it twice can turn into a new habit. The key is to rebound quickly, maintaining the compound gains from previous good days.

Lesson 8: Shaping Your Potential: Our genes affect what we're good at and the chances we get. Instead of feeling stuck by genes, we should use our strengths. Special traits are like superpowers. Questions in the chapter help us find what we care about. Quotes remind us to focus on self-improvement, not comparing. Genes alone don't bring success; effort matters. Genes give hints, but we shape our success by using our strengths.

Lesson 9: Creating a Supportive Environment: Our surroundings are important. If we change our environment to match the habits we want, we're more likely to succeed. By setting up our space to help our habits, we can make good habits easier. People often limit themselves by thinking they can't do better. He also says that just luck doesn't explain success – hard work does. Whether it's moving stuff around or using visual reminders, these changes can really help us succeed in the long run.

Lesson 10: Creating or Breaking Habits: The Four Steps

These four steps are the foundation upon which many of his ideas are built. They are not only applicable to creating positive habits but also to breaking negative ones.

Cue: This is the trigger that initiates a behavior. It can be a specific time, location, emotional state, or preceding action that prompts your brain to start a habit.

Craving: Craving is the motivation or desire behind a habit. It's the feeling that drives you to engage in the behavior triggered by the cue. It's important to understand the underlying craving to effectively change a habit.

Response: Response refers to the actual behavior that you perform as a result of the cue and craving. This is the action that you take in response to the trigger and motivation.

Reward: Rewards are the positive outcomes or feelings that you associate with completing the habit. They reinforce the habit loop by making you more likely to repeat the behavior in the future.

He explains that these four steps form a habit loop, where each step is interconnected. The loop starts with a cue, followed by craving, which leads to a response, and ultimately ends with a reward. If any part of this loop isn't satisfying, the habit is less likely to stick.

Lesson 11: Success is a product of daily habits and overnight success is not overnight:

Success is not a result of overnight transformations but is instead rooted in the daily habits we cultivate. By recognizing the power of consistent, incremental actions, we can build a solid foundation for lasting success. This perspective challenges the allure of instant success and encourages us to focus on the journey of continuous improvement through daily habits.

[heshamriso]

Unlock Life-Changing Habits with Atomic Habits by James Clear

Are you ready to transform your life with small, powerful changes? Atomic Habits by James Clear is the ultimate guide to building good habits and breaking bad ones, all by focusing on tiny, incremental changes. This best-selling book has helped millions of people achieve their goals, improve productivity, and create lasting personal growth.

James Clear’s philosophy is simple yet profound: it’s not the big changes that shape your future, but the small, consistent actions you take daily. Whether you’re looking to improve your health, finances, or career, Atomic Habits offers a practical framework for making meaningful change.

The audiobook is now available for $0.00 on Audible, making it the perfect opportunity to dive into this life-changing content for free!

Listen to Atomic Habits for $0.00 on Audible here.

Why Atomic Habits?

Clear Framework: Learn actionable strategies to form good habits and break bad ones.

Long-term Impact: Discover how small changes can lead to remarkable improvements over time.

Practical Examples: Each chapter is filled with real-life stories and practical advice that you can implement right away.

Don’t miss out on the chance to change your life—start building better habits today!

[fordreviews]

📚 Atomic Love by Jennie Fields

I promise I’m not stupid, but this book was spicier than I expected from reading the back cover. It’s not super spicy, but it’s definitely present. I wasn’t a huge fan of this book, not because of the spice, but because it seemed to drag on longer than it needed to. I felt that there was a lot of stuff in the middle that could have been cut out because it didn’t help anything progress. I probably would not read this one again, but it was fine to read it once.

Rating: 5/10

[djchik]

Allie-Star and Cynthia

magikey au by @quartztwst

more info and ref under here !!! :D

Magikey abilities !!

Allie-star

Skill 1: "Infinite bookshelf" With the help of the "hooks" on her staff, she can grapple on to the atoms into the space before pulling them to reveal a bookshelf that contains books and sketchbooks! she can also use the storage to store anything else!! she just mostly uses it for books or sketchbooks since it helps with her other skill(s). She does need to keep a healthy and nurtured brain for it to stay working properly. or else she will forget about some of the things and then they are forever lost until she regains her health/brain power or smth. think of it as the more her brain is refreshed, healthy and strong, the more storage she has. but her being sick, depressed, tired, etc, can cause the storage to shrink and lose the things in there randomly.

Skill 2: "Drawings come to life!!" Using her drawings, she can make them come out of the pages, when she was younger, she used to make her ocs come to life while also mixing another one of her skills into this to make them stronger. Before she lacked the skills in drawing and understanding, so her drawings were pretty weak and had 1 singular use to them before they were crumpled up and gone or they were put back into her sketchbook or left as an imprint on the land. think cartoonish This changed when her artistic skills improved where she started drawing things more in depth, learning more about values and other key details that help build a structure. For example, if she drew a bazooka when she was 12 and her skills weren't that good, the bazooka would have been flat since she did not understand or have the proper skills to draw it 3rd. Now when she got older, around 16-17 years old, she was actually given permission to take art classes by her parents, so she was able to understand more about values and she was able to learn the skills. So she would draw the bazooka in different angles, draw the different parts of it and even draw the rocket that goes inside, she even learned that if she writes in the components of the rocket, like what elements/metals are used to make it, then it would even help with making it stronger. She only gets 3-4 uses though :/ she kinda doesn't use this skill that much since she doesn't really have the motivation for it.

Skill 3: "With my knowledge and skill, fiction shall overlap with reality" Whatever story she knows of, has read, can come true. certain aspects of it though. like making a character from story come to life to help her and others. The only catch is that she has to understand the character or story. She needs to either connect with the specific characters/event or at least remember everything about it. Her inventory skill plays a role in this by allowing her to pick out the book she needs to skim through it so her memory serves her right. she ended up learning that she can use her oc's and bring them out since she understands them more than anyone. Used to be able to use this skill only once and it has to be written down. because she gained a 4th skill which is her new main skill, she can now use this skill 2-3 times

Skill 4: "Hush my child and let me heal your pains..." A new skill she gained on her 4th year of being a magikey user. With this skill, she can sing a lullaby or read a bedtime story. With this, whoever is around and listening, with crawl next to her like a child and drift off to sleep. She soon learned that if she sings a slow melody type of song, like mitski for example, it can technically count as a lullaby. Humming also counts (which is a safer option for the enemies.) Any type of story can count as long as she can keep a soft and gentle tone that catches them like a hook (if not idk i guess she'll use her staff to keep them hooked up next to her) but if her voice valters around while singing/reading a story, the concentration can and will break and she will either have to try again or her chance is gone and her plan is ruined. For Allies, this will heal them and replenish their energy while they sleep in the warmth of her hands and voice For Enemies, unfortunately, this will slowly damage them and even kill them. For example, if she sung ring around the rosies, it would give the enemies the plague. and only them. no one around them is affected. and the thing is, it a slow but fast type. so, they will start wheezing and pass out. or if she reads a story them like idk flat stanley or smth, their body will be crushed like flat stanley, but instead of still beign alive, their lungs and ribs are all crushed. There is a way for her to control this and how much she can injure them, but she has not found away so hahaha rip king She can only use this skill One time and one time only. so if she messes it up, she has to wait till she detransformes and regains energy to try again. or she will have to run away to find shelter until she regains energy to use her other skills.

--

Cynthia

Skill 1: "Are you ready to ROCK n ROLL BABE??!!!!!" He can literally make any instruments out of anything. He just has to understand how the instrument works and what it is made of. depending on the instrument, he might need to gather more materials for it. making drumsticks is easy since he just needs wood, but making a guitar, not only would he need wood, but he will need to find strings or metal to make it a guitar or a bass guitar. etc etc. same applies for any other instrument. is used as a support for his other two skills.

Skill 2: "This wont hurt much!...if you cover your nose.." Hyacinth's can spawn all over the place. While they may not be that harmful, they can be seriously dangerous if not handled properly. He can cause the Hyacinth bulbs to produce and spit out a type of chemical that clings on to their clothing, this can cause asthma attacks, vomiting, nausea, dizziness, and even confusion. If he plays music with his skill 1, then the effects get stronger and more hyacinth bulbs are formed. For Allies, they won't be affected since he chooses for them to not be affected poorly and negatively by it. It can slowly heal them while a shield is formed from the toxins clinging on their clothes and skin.

Skill 3: "A silent world..." Suddenly, the "world," which is actually just the room or selected area in close range, is silent. no sound can be heard if you are in it and no sound can escaped out of it. as the body gets used to it, and drops the guard as it loses focus, a very loud surge of noise comes out of nowhere and blasts the ears. making everyone ear drums rupture and explode with the sound, making them deaf. Using skill 1 can help with the noise buildup.

First getting their magikey's

Djyuu, which is "Allie-Star," became a magikey user at the age of 12. It was March and she was turning 13 in 2 months so Crowley was like "eh close enough, should be fine since by the time her training is done, she would be the minimum age" that wasn't really the case since she was far more mature and quicker with learning! (basing the age off of how old I was when twst came out since djyuu is technically me) Djyuu was ofc a little bewildered when her magikey form was completley different than herself. No hijab and all, but she soon realized it was okay since it just makes it easier to hide her identity!! there were not many hijabi's, plus she grown used to it.

She was so so soooo happy to be there and be part of the group. she felt like she had a purpose, and it did give her a reason to keep on living.

When Crowley originally found her, she was walking home from school, another rough day with her bullies still tormenting her, she was thinking of ending it when Crowley suddenly came out of nowhere, he ofc comforted her and made her change her mind about it before handing her a magikey!! she was a little hesitant but soon gave in!

She was SO outgoing in her magikey form, always extroverted and trying so hard to help, she did not want others to think and believe that she was useless. she was mostly seen as annoying and always too bubbly but some just shrugged it off since they figured she did not mean any harm

her eyes have lots of specks of sparkles that are supposed to resemble a galaxy. but as she grew older (5 years later) the sparkle soon disappeared from here eyes looking more dead. like this (using a ref from another oc of mine) She decided to keep her eyes closed in her 4th-5th year when people started asking about her "dead" or "what happened" "where is your joy?" she also chose to close it because she is too sad about killing the corrupted + doesn't wanna witness the injured enemies when using her skills.

unfortunately, despite being a magikey user for 5 years, she still has no shoes- (this actually has a reason with how she still clings on to her childhood memories, she used to alwyas run barefoot around her backyard and places in the wild/nature. she felt freer than before she started taking advanced classes/dual enrollment.)

The name "Allie-Star" comes from a mixture of "Allie" which was a nickname she went by online when she was 12, and "star" because of the stars all over her outift and self. close enough to the name "Alistar" by this logic, it should either be "Allunar" because of the switch from stars to moon, or "dj-lunar" because she is mostly known as dj.

her skill 4 kinda f-ed her up because she works with children outside of magikey. she works partime in the library reading stories and doing fun activities with children along with spending time interning in nursing homes, reading, playing instruments and caring for the elderly so they feel wanted. she did occasionally work with children that had cancer and did have to let go of some, but she did not stop showing them love and attention, drawing with them, singing songs and playing instruments for them. reading them stories etc. So, the fact that something she always done with children and elderly can be used to cause harm and death unintentionally messed her up really bad.

She accidentally killed some villians/enemies in the process (my ocs that she accidentally killed, don't worry guys it's no ones oc or any of the main cast. will draw this if i get the time🙏) She felt so guilty and terrible she had to take a temp break before coming back to work. It's clear she is still hesitant in using her skills since she barely uses it :(

another note, her staf also works as a pen. it's a quick replacement if she can not access her sketchbook/books for her skills 2+3. it's going to be very weak though because of it being a quick draw/write. she can also use the staff sharp end as a stabby stabby.

--

Yuunico Hyacinth, goes by "Cynthia,"

He actually got his magikey when he was 16, 5 months before he turned 17 years old. (Using the same lore as the twst one, that is his parents are both mafia, dad resides in Chicago where he lived and was raised, while his mother was from Japan and her family were a yakuza. I won't go too into detail since im trying to keep it short) His parents went out of the country, to Japan, so they can regain any severed ties along with business stuff etcetc. They left Yuunico in Chicago with the care of his butler along with 3 of his cousins who were with him. a couple weeks later, an ambush happened and essentially oofed and killed everyone. they would have been save had he stuck with them and not gone back to get rid of evidence that their family were shady. So he literally set the whole place on fire along with everything. He was labeled as an orphan from the government since his parents never came back and considering the butler, his other guardian was dead, they just placed Yuunico into foster homes until he turns 18. After he set the mansion on fire, and essentially being the only survivor, he almost passed out when Crowley popped up and handed him his own magikey!!

When Yuunico first transformed into his magikey form, he got whiplash since he looked just like one of his cousins. She was someone he was very close to, they were like siblings! they both had the same wet nurse at the same time, only difference was them being 1 month apart, so they were practically almost siblings. Seeing himself in the image of his cousin made him feel a rush of emotions, like a reality check. After a week or two, he did grow used to it but still decides to avoid mirrors

He honestly does not care that much about having a girl body he just wishes it was less awkward or at least more identity hiding considering it looked just like a genderbend version of him.

The name "Cynthia" comes from his last name, "Hyacinth" just to honor his last name more idfk

Yuunico was born deaf, so he was a little surprised when he wasn't deaf in his magikey form, maybe it's the hearing aids being a part of him being able to hear? he's just glad he doesn't have to worry about it getting destroyed while he fights.

He is sometimes sporadic and a little all over the place, so it tends to be a little hard working with him. It is easier to teach him since he understands things a little easier and quicker than the rest. he wasn't born that way but conditioned to do so. You will see him try to perfect himself to avoid getting punished from making any more mistakes.

--

Yuunico and Djyuu have a close friendship. Djyuu made them a bead bracelet with each others eye color. He usually relies on djyuu and tends to go to her for help. he does flirt with her and others a lot and she's just "hhhHHHH what am I doing wrongggg" while she messes things up, essentially friend zoning him unintentionally.

Djyuu is not the type to rely or ask for help from others but a lot of people do come to her for some help.

--

i know the info is all over the place, but feel free to ask me for any clarifications !!! :D

[bullet-prooflove]

My life was fine before you turned up

For Kayce Dutton

Tagging: @kmc1989 @midnightheat @queenslandlover-93 @littledreamer9211 @spooky-librarian-ghost @atomic-art-dragon @sleepystoner326 @themarvelousmaks

Companion Piece to:

Bonfire Heart

Jean Jacket

In the months after you leave, Kayce can not stop thinking about you. You infiltrate his thoughts, consume his dreams. Every morning he wakes up with a raging hard he takes care of in the shower because he can’t get the taste of you out of his head.

It’s not just the sex he thinks about, it’s the companionship too.

The nights he spent tangled up in you, his face buried in the curve of your shoulder, your laugh when he fell off the couch because things got too vigorous. The mornings the two of you used to sit on the porch sharing a cup of coffee and watching the sunrise over the pastures in a contemplative silence.

The next time you come around the leaves are beginning to change from green to gold and the temperatures starting to drop. Rodeo season is over and Travis is making the journey back to Texas, via the ranches he does business with.

Kayce misses your arrival because he’s up in the pastures, wrangling cattle. It’s only when he returns at sunset with the rest of his cowboys that he sees the trailer and his heart rate starts to quicken.

It’s dark by the time he makes it back to the farmhouse, the lights are on emitting a welcoming glow in the midst of the wilderness and it does something to Kayce, knowing that you’re in there waiting for him. He kicks off his boots on the porch before stepping over the threshold, following the trail of clothes that leads to his bedroom.

When he opens the door, there are you as naked as the day you were born, lying on your stomach, ass barely covered with his bedsheet as you read one of Lee’s paperbacks from the bookshelf in the lounge. He leans in the doorway, giving himself a second to drink in the sight of you, your skin bathed in the warm illumination from the lamp on the nightstand, your hair falling across your features. You look like you belong there, in his house, in his bed.

“Miss me?” You ask as you tilt your head towards him and those eyes, those god damn eyes, they bewitch him every time.

“Yea.” He says, his voice a little rough as he begins to take off his clothes. “Yea I did.”

Love Kayce? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

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Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[yakichoufd]

Re: previous post looking for comics about Scott’s past I think marvel snapshots and the children of the atom are very good. Children of the atom is the only one I’ve seen outside of the 60s comics that has jack winters in it and omg poor Scott he goes through it

I bought and read Champions, because the world still needs heroes and I really enjoyed it. Scott is an awkward cutie pie. I don't really understand all the reference about his older self but that didn't disturbed my reading too much. I believe there is a second volume available, so I will try to get it too.

Are they specific issues I should read for Marvel snapshot and Children of atoms if I want to keep it Scott focus? Or could I just buy a volume which has multiple issues in it and I will still be granted with interesting Scott content? (I am not enjoying reading comics online and issues are not fun to collect cause they don't look that nice a bookshelf). You made me very interested by Scott tragic story in children of atoms.

I also read sad sad fics about his childhood and I want more haha! Poor bean Scott, I wanna hug him so bad but still read about how tough he had it.

[p-taryn-dactyl]

hymnal

a/n: hi! i tried something new with this fic and it's probably shit but i wrote it and i like it so here it is!! i was thinking about all the crushes i've had (fictional) throughout the years and mystique from the original x-men trilogy was at the top. if you're a comic purist or even a movie purist pls don't come for my throat i just am gay and it's been a hot second since i've read a comic and i haven't had my annual binge of x-men/marvel movies yet. this is for fun and if you don't like it, scroll

word count: 1.3k

warning(s): r is kinda a yapper; r is a mutant but powers aren't really described or powerful; flirt!mystique; i couldn't decide whether to call her mystique or raven so it flip flops for a bit; im really gay guys

pairing(s): mystique x librarian!reader; raven darkholme x librarian!reader

The library was quiet as you shelved a new order of books, humming a song to yourself. It was odd that no one had come in to check out a book, normally you found yourself surrounded by curious students, all desperate to either get the newest edition textbook or just to talk to you. You enjoyed that routine, it made you feel special and wanted. While you were a mutant, you weren’t one of the ‘big’ ones like Professor Xavier or Storm. This job gave you the protection from the humans who would rather see your head on a pike, no matter how mundane your powers were, but it also gave you community. A community that didn’t show up today. Shrugging off your thoughts, you continued restocking, running your fingers gently over the spines of the books, imagining the gilded words floating off and forming what they said. If you didn’t concentrate hard enough that’s where these thoughts would stay, in your imagination. 

You hummed as you climbed the ladder up to the top of one of the bookshelves, where the older and more academic books were stored, swaying slightly to the music in your mind. The air in the room shifted slightly as you balanced a stack of books in one hand, the other placing the books in their place, your balance entirely on the soles of your feets. You brushed off the change in the air, thinking it was just a change in the A/C system. A book shifted in your hand, throwing off your balance as you attempted to regain your center. As you focused, your eyes caught on the figure standing in the library doorway, staring at you with a cocked head. You felt every atom in your body jump, startled you leaned backwards, the stack of books tumbling to the floor. Your now free hand grasped the bookshelf, your legs shaking on the ladder as your other hand was placed over your heart. 

“Shit, Peter, you can’t do that to me,” you laughed under your breath as you talked to the speedster, slightly unnerved by his stare. He didn’t move or speak, just continued to stare at you. You sent him a weird look, raising an eyebrow before turning back to the shelf to adjust the books that had been thrown off by your clumsiness. 

“Are you wanting to check out a book? You still haven’t returned the one from a month ago but since I’m a great friend I extended the loan and oh! I restocked the mini fridge, it’s behind the counter. Though I doubt you need any more energy, I did get the flavor you like and-” You heard a sound in the hallway outside of the library, almost like a muffled scream. Your head shot around to the noise, your eyes catching Peter closing the doors, his body moving with a fluidity that you didn’t associate with the speedster. 

“What was that?” You asked, your voice slightly trembling as your mind added up all the slight inconsistencies the day had brought. Something was wrong. “Where is everyone-” You were cut off by your foot sliding off the ladder as you had tried to back up to get a better view of the now closed doors. Your eyes widened as you once again lost balance, but this time you couldn’t catch yourself. As you fell down to the floor, not a far fall but definitely not a friendly one, you swore you saw Peter’s eyes flash yellow as he finally moved, his feet bouncing off the ground to gain more speed. You had a quick thought before you felt arms catch you, wrapping around your waist as the two of you tumbled to the ground. Why didn’t he use his speed? You blinked as you caught the breath that had been knocked out of you, looking down to the arms still clinging to you. Your eyes widened and your body froze at the sight. Blue arms, with slightly raised designs and scales, held you with barely concealed strength. 

“Shit.” You whispered, not even trying to struggle out of Mystique’s grip. You weren’t fond of a broken neck or dislocated spine. A laugh sounded behind you, vibrating against your back and echoing in your ear. The arms around you tightened as Mystique moved to sit up, adjusting you so that you now faced her. She stood, now in her true form as she smiled down at you. You just stared, mouth slightly agape. You didn’t move, you knew you wouldn’t win in a fight against Magneto’s right hand. Oh, fuck. Magneto. As if she could see what you were thinking, Mystique smirked, placing her hands on her hips. 

“If you take a picture, it’ll last longer.” Her voice wrapped around you, sending shivers down your spine as you slowly stood up, your eyes never leaving her. 

Dammit, this is not the time to be a lesbian. Your mind very helpfully provided as you struggled to form words. Mystique stood patiently, too patiently, in front of you, almost as if she knew she had time. 

“Why are you here?” You managed to get out, your eyes now flickering around, unable to keep up with her intense gaze. You attempted to think of a plan to escape but alas, you were not a part of the X-men for a reason. Mystique never moved her gaze, she started walking slowly towards you as you walked backwards into the bookshelf.

“Charles called us, he didn’t tell you?” Her voice was slightly mocking, but you couldn’t care less. The professor had called The Brotherhood? To the school of all places? You furrowed your brow, confusion very apparent on your face. The pure innocence in your expression threw Mystique off. She had expected hostility, not curiosity. 

“What about the students? The children?” You thought out loud, your words soft yet Mystique still heard them. Her posture grew defensive as she was now standing only inches in front of you. 

“We would never hurt them.” Your eyes shot up to meet hers, shaking your head slightly as you brought your hands up in a defensive pose. 

“No! No, I meant- did they know? It would be confusing if y’all just walked in, ignoring the history between everyone. Is that why no one has come in today?” Your last question was tinged with hurt, something that was not lost on the woman in front of you. She didn’t respond, only continued to stare at you, her eyes softening as her hands twitched at her side. You froze as she raised her hands to cup your face, lifting your chin so you could see eye to eye. 

“Were you lonely?” 

You tried not to panic, you really did, but her voice had a new tone to it, one that sent lightning down your spine. Mystique laughed at your expression before her eyes darted down to your lips and the air in the room stilled in anticipation. You were practically holding your breath, unable to name why you wanted someone you had seen as an adversary mere hours before to kiss you. She had started to lean in, her lips about to brush yours when the library doors burst open, the lock clicking and the handles slamming into the wall. Mystique groaned, her hands moving to drape over your shoulders as she leaned her head against the bookshelf, her breath brushing against your ear. 

“If it’s alright with you, I believe we need to leave.” The voice of Erik Lehnsherr rang through the air. Mystique huffed, the puff of air trailing down your neck, spreading goosebumps over your skin. Before she leaned back, she whispered in your ear, biting the skin gently, causing a gasp to erupt from your lips. 

“See you soon, my little hymnal.”

a/n: I DON'T CARE IF IT WAS BAD I HEALED A PART OF MY YOUNGER SELF. were the characters ooc? yes! let a girl thirst goddamit

[sanders1665]

The Long Gaze.

Sometimes, when the day loosens its grip and the obligations retreat like shadows at dusk, I find myself giving something the long gaze. Just… looking. Not judging. Not solving. Letting the eyes rest on a thing—could be the corner of a bookshelf, the steam rising from coffee, or the bend of a tree limb in the wind—and letting the mind fall in behind it. Quiet, curious, untethered.

Questions rise, soft and shapeless, like fog. I wonder about the nature of atoms, the ones dancing just beyond our comprehension, and whether somewhere in the folds of ordinary life there really are beings watching us, waiting for us to finally lift our eyes and see. Maybe not ships in the sky, but something quieter—subtle presences humming just outside our frequency. Maybe they’ve been here longer than we have. Maybe they’re just as lost.

Sometimes I think time travel isn’t a machine—it’s a memory we haven’t remembered how to use yet. A kind of stillness that opens a door. Close your eyes, and you’re there: the heat of the sun in a long-dead savanna, a campfire flickering in the cradle of prehistory, the first time someone ever looked at the moon and felt that strange pull in their chest. Maybe our minds are more ancient than our bodies—wandering through time when no one’s watching.

Our ancestors walked. That’s what they did. Just walked. And stared. Listened to rivers and wind and silence. They didn’t know what they were looking for. Maybe they didn’t need to. The looking was enough. That endless, sacred curiosity. They didn’t have maps, but they had stars, and the stars were enough.

We’re not so different, really. Still searching. Still aching to understand the noise and beauty of it all. But we cover it now with devices and distractions, with news that howls and scrolls that never end. We forget to stop. To look. To ask the old questions.

Yes, these are troubled times. But when weren’t they? Trouble just changes its clothes and learns a new accent. The names are different, but the chaos is the same. Empires fall, people argue, seasons pass. The world aches, and still we go on.

Sometimes I think we’re just not ready yet. Not wise enough to fix the holes we keep making. Not humble enough to listen to the quiet.

But then I catch myself in the long gaze. And for a moment, there’s peace. A flicker of that old knowing. A whisper from some ancient place that says, keep looking. You’re still part of the story.

[lynnaredfield3383]

Swearing, not my characters. Reader is fem. Burst is hero name. (Quirk is paralysis that she can release in short bursts or one full shot, completely paralyzing target for days. Was at UA in Class A.) This became a Part 1, lol.

BANG! You looked up from your recent case report to see none other than Dynamight standing in the doorway. As usual, his expression that of someone having their cheerios shit in. Or so the expression went.

"Why the fuck didn't you tell me!"

You stood up, closing the door, but noticing the curious glances of your sidekicks thanks to his outburst.

"Because it's none of your damn business!"

"The hell it isn't!"

You threw your hands up exasperated as you moved to your desk, leaning against it. Those vermilion eyes bore into yours their intent obvious.

"This is why. Katsuki fucking Bakugo comes rushing into to save Lil ol' me. Fuck that and your fucking ego. I'm not your weak little girlfriend looking for you to save me. I don't need to be fucking saved."

Bakugo broke eye contact, suddenly interested in the bookshelf next to him.

"We broke up," he mumbled.

You felt like an asshole, but at the same time, you weren't backing down from him.

"Shit, Kats. I'm sorry, but it doesn't change the fact I don't need you to rescue me. I've got this covered."

"Really? He demolished your fucking house on an atomic level," Bakugo growled.

"Which is why I'm staying here. I have my own apartment and..."

"You're staying with me and Kiri."

"There's no need. We already put the guy away, and he isn't going to come for me."

"You can agree to move in on your own. Or I can call Eijiro, " Bakugo crossed his arms over his chest, his arrogant smirk in place.

"Sonofafuckingbitch. You have no right, Katsuki. None," you faltered, fighting the emotions bubbling within you.

"Ei, it is."

"Fine, I'll move in until I get a new place."

Bakugo put his phone back in his pocket, opening your door. The victory expression he wore made you want to kill him.

"See ya later, Burst."

As soon as the door shut, you let out a half howl-scream. The only being on the planet that could get under your skin was Bakugo. Now you were gonna be living with him and Kiri. You brightened up at the thought of the golden retriever energy that was in human form, Eijirou Kirishima. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

[ninja-muse]

At last, a month where I feel like I read enough! The trick, clearly, was to pick up graphic novels and other very short things. Will this trend continue in November? Almost certainly not.

Followers might have seen my review for The Dollmakers by Lynn Buchanan last week but that's not actually my top read of the month. That honour goes to Jane Austen's Bookshelf by Rebecca Romney, which I got as an ARC from work, told myself I wouldn't read just yet, then promptly picked up after The Dollmakers and all but burned through. It's about the female authors we know Austen read and why they were bestsellers in their day but are barely known now, with all sorts of publishing and book industry history thrown in, along with a dose of memoir. Needless to say, I was the target audience and I've added a good handful of classics to my TBR. (It's out in February, in case you're interested.)

The rest of my top reads are there for just being solidly good. The Disappearing Spoon gave me all the fun science history I wanted. The Angel of Indian Lake gave me a good horror trilogy ending. The Tropic of Serpents gave me more Lady Trent adventures. And so on. I only really had two misses: The Aeronaut's Windlass, which felt very by-the-books epic fantasy without pushing boundaries, and Wordhunter, which I'm actively recommending people don't read. It was utterly average and kind of trying too hard to be edgy, and then it needlessly introduced sexual violence against women and children and handled both badly. How a book that lets a pedophile off with a warning got published in 2024, I will never understand.

In happier news, my book haul! Two books this month: Sorcery and Small Magics, sent by the publisher, and another volume of The Unwritten, meaning I only need to find one and I've got the full run. Hurray! (If you ever spot Vol. 9, folks, lemme know.)

All that reading means that I haven't done much writing. I need to get back to that, but at least I know what was blocking me and am working to rectify the situation. I am, however, starting to get seriously envious of authors who were able to write during the pandemic and are now getting those novels published. I stopped writing entirely for a year and a half, for various reasons, and now I feel like I've fallen behind.

Someday I might return to the Not-Quite-Urban Fantasy but I'm still too raw to handle the edits even now.

Oh, the worlds of might-have-been!

And now I've gone and left this on a down note. There'll be more positivity next month, I promise. In the meantime, here’s my list of everything I read this month, in the rough order of how glad I was to have read them.

Jane Austen’s Bookshelf - Rebecca Romney

A rare book dealer explores the literary histories of Austen’s favourite female authors, and how they didn’t make the English canon the way Austen did. Out in February.

8/10

reading copy

The Disappearing Spoon - Sam Kean

An entertaining history of chemistry, atomic physics, and the elements of the periodic table.

8/10

library ebook

The Tropic of Serpents - Marie Brennan

Isabella Camherst travels south to Bayembe to study savannah dragons, but finds herself caught in politics and sent on a mission to the swamp of Mouleen.

7.5/10

African-coded secondary characters, 🏳️‍🌈 secondary character (asexual)

library book

The Dollmakers - Lynn Buchanan

When Shean of Pearl receives, and refuses, an artisan dollmaker license, she sets off for a remote village to prove she and her dolls have what it takes to be guards against the Shod. If this means luring the monsters in, so be it.

7.5/10

reading copy

The Angel of Indian Lake - Stephen Graham Jones

Jade Daniels, now Proofrock’s history teacher, has put slasher cycles behind her. Except it’s looking like another one’s started anyway.

7.5/10

Blackfoot protagonist, 🏳️‍🌈 protagonist (sapphic), Black secondary characters

warning: blood, gore, death, murder

reading copy

Reluctant Immortals - Gwendolyn Kiste

Lucy Westrena and Bee Rochester are trying to get through the days in 1967 LA when their exes return in San Fransisco.

7/10

🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (sapphic), Jamaican-British secondary character

warning: abusive relationships

reading copy

Bury Your Gays - Chuck Tingle

After Misha refuses to kill off his queer leads for the season finale, he finds himself stalked by horror villains he created.

7/10

🏳️‍🌈 protagonist (gay), 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (bi, aroace), 🏳️‍🌈 author

warning: death, murder, torture, homophobia, child abuse

library book

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 7 - G. Willow Wilson with Mirka Andolfo (Illustrator), Takeshi Miyazawa (Illustrator)

Kamala Khan faces two difficult foes: gerrymandering and a sentient computer virus.

6.5/10

Pakistani-American protagonist, Muslim protagonist, Pakistani-American secondary characters, Muslim secondary characters, 🏳️‍🌈 secondary character (sapphic), Black secondary character, secondary character with limb damage and a cane, Muslim author

warning: outing

off my TBR

Paladin’s Grace - T. Kingfisher

Stephen is a paladin whose god has died. Grace is a perfumer trying to keep her past buried. Witnesses to a failed assassination, they now must work together to navigate a world of intrigue, poisoners, and zealots. It’s a good thing they like each other.

6.5/10

off my TBR/ebook

Plain Jane and the Mermaid - Vera Brosgol

When Jane’s potential fiancé is kidnapped by a mermaid, she descends into the depths to rescue him even though she can never hope to compete with true waifish beauty.

7.5/10

warning: body shaming

library book

Sorcery and Small Magics - Maiga Doocy

Leovander Loveage and Sebastian Grimm get along like oil and water—which makes it all the worse when Leo's hit with an illegal curse and they must work together to break it.

6.8/10

🏳️‍🌈 protagonist (achillean), 🏳️‍🌈 secondary character (achillean), 🏳️‍🌈 minor character (ungendered), minor character with dark skin, minor character who uses a cane

gifted by publisher

Dictionary of Fine Distinctions - Eli Bernstein

Illuminating and illustrated definitions of commonly confused words.

7/10

library book

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop - Satoshi Yagisawa

When Takako finds herself adrift in life, she accepts a room in her estranged uncle’s bookshop.

7/10

Japanese cast, Japanese author

library book

Wordhunter - Stella Sands

A spiky forensic linguistics student is tapped by her local PD to help find a kidnapped teen, but that brings up a missing person’s case from her own past. Too close, too soon.

2/10

Black secondary character

warning: drug use, alcohol abuse, rape and an odd attitude towards its aftermath, pedophiles given a pass

library book

Picture books

All the Books - Hayley Rocco

Piper loves books so much she takes her whole collection everywhere, but when her wagons tip over in the rain she discovers … the library!

9/10

DNF

The Aeronaut’s Windlass - Jim Butcher

The cold war between Spires Albion and Aurora is heating up, and something uncanny is showing itself. Caught in it all are Captain Grimm, late of the Predator, a handful of trainee guards, and a prince of cats.

library ebook

Currently reading

The Price of the Stars - Debra Doyle and James D. MacDonald

When Beka’s politician mother is assassinated, her father gives her his warship in exchange for her tracking the assassins down. But when someone has it in for your family, sometimes one must take drastic measures.

off my TBR

The Empress Letters - Linda Rogers

A mother in the 1920s writes her life story in a series of letters to the daughter she’s searching for in China.

🇨🇦, Chinese secondary characters

warning: fetal remains, anti-Chinese racism

off my TBR

Music from the Earliest Notations to the Sixteenth Century - Richard Taruskin A history of early written European music, in its social and political contexts.

The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle Victorian detective stories

disabled POV character (limb injury), occasional Indian secondary characters

warning: racism, colonialism

Monthly total: 14 + 1 Yearly total: 106 Queer books: 3 Authors of colour: 2 Books by women: 9 Authors outside the binary: 0 Canadian authors: 0 Classics: 0 Off the TBR shelves: 3 Books hauled: 2 ARCs acquired: 3 ARCs unhauled: 4 DNFs: 1

January February March April May June July August September

[dialalagirl]

Lunar Bloom-Main Prologue (a fanmade DL Subaru Route)

____I hear the rain;

I haven’t heard it in years.

A soft, steady drumming—

Not like the endless drip of the faucet

That once revered my ears

In that needle black.

The cold raises goosebumps from my fevered skin;

My heart beats notes of requiem,

Staring at the mansion door,

An abyss in the shape of home.

The rain can’t wash it away;

It never can,

But it feels nice on my skin.

Lu- [One hell exchanged for another. At least I can reunite with her here—]

Sister Agatha- Nohikari, would you direct your attention over here. We have arrived. 

Lu- But, where is here? Surely it is not there? Or there or there?

Sister Agatha- If you would stop that incessant pointing, one wonders how one like you would survive here.

Lu- [*giggles*] But, then I would have no point to exit the car.

Sister Agatha- Impudent child, behave. Get out.

Lu- [I feel so sharply uneasy.]

Lu- [The earth shapes itself differently underneath my feet. It’s strange, unnerving.]

Lu- [The tiles never felt that way.]

Sister Agatha- Hello Karlheinz, I trust you have been well.

Karlheinz- Likewise, my dear.

Lu- Hello Rapunzel, name’s Lu.

Sister Agatha- Child, didn’t I tell you to behave? I sincerely apologize for this, Karlheniz. 

Karlheinz- [*hums*] It's quite alright. She is more than fitting for my purposes, I assure you. You and your church have been of the greatest help to me, dear sister. I wish you a safe journey back.

Sister Agatha- …

Sister Agatha- Same to you. [*leaves*]

Lu- [*turns her gaze to where once Sister Agatha stood, expression unreadable*] T’is a pity, all days are nights to see till I see thee~!

Karlheinz- Hello… Lu Nohikari, is it? I have heard so much good about you! I am very pleased to finally make your acquaintance.

Lu- I am pleased the acquaintance of your hair~ Mind if I have a taste--?

Lu- [How odd. He just looks at me, more like right through me… It is unsettling, like a ghost brushing past. I don’t know why.]

Karlheinz- [*grips Lu’s chin clinically*] Oh, what’s this? A peculiar habit you’ve acquired from your stay at St. Thea’s, perhaps?

Karlheinz- …No matter. Venial sin at absolute worst, but otherwise a heavenly virtue that benefits Eve.

Lu- [*winces faintly at the mention of ‘Eve’*] I guess that’s a no… [*shrugs*] Your hair probably would have tasted like a dusty old bookshelf anyway.  

Karlheinz- [*lets go, his smile untouched by warmth*] Fascinating… The nuns failed to burn out that flicker in you. How... promising. My sons are easily bored with too docile playthings.    

Karlheinz- Sorry to cut our introduction short, but I do suppose it is time for us to meet the boys now~ [*rings the doorbell*]

Reiji- [*opens the door*] Greetings, your majesty. Please, step inside.

Reiji- Your journey posed no problems, I presume? 

Karlheinz- Hello, my son~ You presume correctly. I trust you and your brothers have been well? 

Karlheinz- Speaking of which… would you mind fetching them for me now? 

Karlheinz- I have a few important things to tell them regarding this lovely young bride before I leave her in your and your brothers’ care and take my leave.

Reiji- Certainly, your majesty. A moment, if you would excuse me. [*disappears*]

Lu- [...Your majesty?]

Lu- [Clearly Mr. Butler and Rapunzel over here are closer than bonded atoms.]

Lu- [I bet Butler man here is a real firecracker…. joy.]

Lu- [What in the world is up with the ruckus…? Did the marching band arrive except really, really out of tune?]

Lu- [Well, I always wanted a majestic entrance… Close enough.]

Lu- [...Nope, not a marching band. It’s is most likely ‘the boys’.]

Lu- [That reminds me, how old are they?]

Lu- ['The boys’ certainly implies they are young, but Butler appears to be in his late teens—]

Ayato- Oi, what's the big idea?! I told you, I don't wanna listen to that old man— 

Ayato- Yo, stick legs. I bet you'd be a welcome change from Chichinashi over there!

Ayato- In fact, I wouldn't mind if you end up choosing me… don't you feel so honoured to be favoured by Ore-sama?

Lu- [Ehhhhh?! W-what an arrogant pervert!]

Lu- [I bet he doesn’t have too much going on up in there…]

Lu- [...or down there either…]

Lu- [Wait, he referred to another person… “Chichinashi”...]

Lu- [Maybe she is… here?] 

Laito- Fufu~ You may be onto something, dear brother.

Laito- Just look at that proper get-up she's wearing, I bet it’s just a guise, and she relishes a good romp in the sheets. 

Laito- You are a good little girl for God, aren't you? Won't you be the fire of my loins?

Lu- [Christian Grey alert. Of course he would go for the submissives… How disgusting…]

Lu- [Maybe I am not familiar with normal family dynamics, but this family already seems Woody the Woodpecker insane…]

Lu- [How did Karl raise these kids? Was he even here to do anything about this?]

Lu- [If Jesus were real, these kids would probably need him.]

Reiji-  …Please excuse my brothers from these vulgar deviations from the matter at hand.

Reiji- It seems as though not everyone has yet gathered, however. Perhaps I could summon Kanato and Subaru again but, knowing the good-for-nothing—

Karlheinz- Nonsense, son, you will fetch Shu for me, as well.

Reiji- As you wish, your majesty. [*disappears*]

Lu- [There are more…?! Geez Lousie, how many insanos live here?]

Lu- [...and Subaru? Isn’t that the name of a car?]

Lu- [His mother certainly wasn’t kind when naming him. Wonder if I can use him to drive me and her away… *laughs softly*]

[*Reiji reappears with the rest of the brothers*]

Kanato- Let go of me, you worm! Don't you know better than to disturb me when I'm eating my pudding?!

Kanato-  We will make him pay for this, won't we, Teddy?

Reiji-  You would do good to remember, Kanato, that I am the one that provides you with the pudding. I suggest you think twice before embarking on that sort of endeavour.

Kanato-  *pouting* But onii-san…

Kanato-  Oh, who is this? Hm, you smell rather sweet … I'll have a taste, maybe you're better than the pudding.

Lu- [...H-he licked my cheek…?!]

Lu- [*blanches from the contact, pushing him away*] I am not a walking dessert! Stick to the pudding, kid! 

Kanato- [*almost lunges at her*] How dare you, you mortal! You will let me taste you as I please, or risk—

Reiji- That is quite enough. You will stop this immediately, or risk losing your dessert privileges entirely for a week.

Karlheinz- There's no need for such strict measures, Reiji. Just a little bit longer, Kanato; I did bring along a treat for you if you just stay, I promise~

Kanato- * pouting* B-but… S-she… Fine.

Lu- [*huffs* Remind me to sleep with a dagger at night around these creeps…]

[A thud—louder than the rest. A distant *crack* like bone on stone.]

Subaru- Goddamn hysteric, killing our prey before we can actually drink from them.

[Subaru steps out of shadow, red eyes narrowed, pale fingers brushing dust off his coat like it insulted him.]

Lu- […That voice…. isn’t that the boy that… so long ago…?

Kanato- Says the one who punched the wall and knocked down some of my dolls!

Kanato- They are worth more now than they ever were when they were alive, anyway.

Subaru- Tch, shut it before I break your hands, so you can’t sew up another one of those creepy fuckin’ dolls!

Lu- [Those eyes. That hair. He looks like the boy from before—but it’s all wrong. There’s no gentleness. No hesitance. Just raw nerve and something sharp beneath.]

Kanato- Stop bullying me! Onii-san...

Subaru- Keep whining, and I’ll break your jaw next. Try sewing that shut.

Lu- [I wince—not from the words, but the tone… Like someone who gave up trying to sound human a long time ago.]

Reiji- That is quite enough, the both of you. Honestly, the lot of you are rather tiresome to manage and maintain. 

Subaru- ...Tch, disturbing my sleep for this fuckin’ nonsense. 

Subaru- [*to Lu*] Don’t be thinking you can push me like that, got it? I don’t give a shit who is in the room, you will die by my hand. Fast enough to not hear those annoying screams.

Subaru- Don’t think just 'cause you're new I won’t put you in the ground. I don’t care what name you give yourself. I don't play nice with offerings.

Lu- [The boy from that place long ago… he had a heart. This one… only has teeth.]

Lu- [Definitely not him at all… Who knew that white hair and red eyes were common enough of a combination?]

Lu- Aren’t you the living equivalent of Road Rage—

Subaru- [*punches the wall*] What the fuck did you just call me?! I would suggest you shut that mouth of yours before I shut it for you!

Lu- [*blanches*]

Lu- [G-god, this monster has no sense of humour…]

Lu- [Yui… l-lives under the same roof as him?]

Lu- [I-I can’t imagine what he has done towards her...]

Lu- [I must protect her. Only fair after what she has done for me when I was there...]

Reiji-  I said that is quite enough! I just had that wall fixed last week. 

Reiji- Do you have any comprehension of how much money I have wasted in repairs because of your little tantrums?

Reiji-  Honestly, I wonder what would happen to this house if I were gone…

Reiji- Speaking of whom… wake up, good-for-nothing, his majesty is about to tell us something of importance.

Shu- ...More troublesome girls? Wasn't one shoving her blood in my face enough?

Shu- Well, I guess they cannot choose me now that she has, at least… How pointless it was of you to bring me here.

Lu- [Yui chose this log? Seems to be the safest choice of all of them at least.]

Lu- [He doesn’t look like he would use much effort to try to drink someone’s blood. ]

Lu-  [...But, he wouldn’t do much to protect her if someone else were to try to drink her blood.]

Lu- [Oh Yui… What has been done to you here?]

Reiji- His majesty requested me to summon you here, so if you could manage to retain your eyelids upwards for a few moments, it would be rather… appreciated.

Reiji- It seems as though my brothers are in full assembly, if not attentiveness, your majesty. Do begin, if you so please.

Karlheinz- Thank you, Reiji.

Karlheinz- My sons! How long it has been since I've last seen you; I have missed you so~

Ayato- *scoffs* Sure, old man.

Lu- [I am afraid if I see anymore of this PDA, I will have to break these guys apart. *snorts*]

Karlheinz- I am glad you share my sentiment, Ayato~

Karlheinz- Anyhow, as you can probably imagine, I am here to escort these this lovely young bride into your care and say a few words before I take my leave.

Laito- Oh, there is no need for the latter, daddy dearest; they will be safe and sound under my loving care, I assure you~

Lu- [*scoffs* Safe and sound says the snake in the Eden…]

Karlheinz- I trust they will be, Laito~

Karlheinz- Lu Nohikari here, as I am sure she is aware of, will be required to make a choice.

Karlheinz- [*to Lu*] Having gotten a taste of their personalities, which of my lovely sons most piques your interest? Choose once and choose wisely~

Lu- [Yui, above all else… She deserves something better than this…]

Lu- I choose Subaru. Is he in pristine condition? I trust he doesn’t have too much milage. 

Subaru- Hah?! Do you have a death wish?! 

Lu- Perhaps~

Subaru- Of all the idiots I am stuck with…! You should know better than to choose me, but who am I to give a fuck? 

Subaru-Your blood might make up for your irritating personality… For a few days.

Karlheinz- An excellent selection, if I do say so myself! He is such a gentle boy, after all~

Lu- [As gentle as Kanato, I would guess?]

Lu- [Karl must be going senile. However, one can’t help it at his age…]

Karlheinz- Anyhow, you are now free to step inside and familiarize yourself with your new home! Best of luck, and farewell! Boys, please stay behind for another moment.

Lu- [Thank God, staying here for another moment and I think I would have turned insane myself…]

Lu- [Where is Yui in this Alice in Wonderland maze of a place…?]

Lu- Bye Rapunzel~ By the way, could someone tell me where “Chichinashi” is?

Karlheinz- Oh, looking to make the acquaintance of the other bride, already? How nice~ Reiji, would you please let her know where the other girl is staying?

Reiji- Certainly, your majesty.

Reiji- Up the stairs, third room up the hallway to the right.

Lu- Merci, Butler-san~

Ayato- See that tableware otaku? Even Stick Legs knows what you are in this house. [*laughs*]

Reiji- How immature… you… punishment...

[*sounds fade as Lu looks for Yui*]

Lu- [Well, here it is… I hope. Only one way to find out.]

Lu- [*knocks*] Hello? Anyone home?

Yui- [*opens*] ...Lu-chan? Lu-chan!

Lu- [*smiles brightly*] In the flesh no less~

Yui- [*hugs Lu*] I missed you so much, Lu…

Lu- Same here, Yui-chan. [*hugs her back*]

Lu- [It has been a while since I felt the comfort of her arms around me. It was the only thing keeping me then here… Sane...]

Yui- [*suddenly lets go*] O-oh, right I forgot that you… don’t like…

Lu- [*smiles softly*] It is fine if it is you. How have you been?

Yui- [*bites her lip*] ...Okay… Or at least as okay as I can be here…

Lu- [Her neck doesn’t seem to be covered in bite marks… Only a couple.]

Lu- [Perhaps Shu is more possessive than I originally thought. If so, I am grateful for that.]

Yui- Oh, I forgot! Come in, standing out here sometimes… can be dangerous.

Lu- Hm, dangerous? I bet they haven’t met my fists thunder and lightening~ They would think twice about attacking after encountering my trusted friends.

Yui- [*laughs softly*] Silly as always, Lu. 

Yui- If only it were as simple as that… [*enters the room*]

Lu- [Pink. All pink. As expected of her.]

Lu- [She was the one after all who loved to play with the barbie dolls, dressing them up and stuff.]

Lu- [Unlike me who pretty much teared them to shreds in my experiments.]

Yui- No need to stand—you can sit on my bed, Lu.

Lu- Sorry, force of habit~ [*sits down*]

Lu- ...How’s Shu? I heard that he is your… caretaker? How would one call such a person?

Yui- He is not as bad as the others… He doesn’t really go for my blood unless it is a full moon. He can’t really help it then, I think. 

Yui- But he seems more than happy to just sleep the day away and listen to his music.

Lu- So, he doesn’t protect you from the others?

Yui- I am not sure… He says that he doesn’t care if they drink from me but seems to be always around when the others try to do something.

Yui- Lu-chan, promise me you won’t try to do anything foolish?

Lu- But how can a fool be more than a mere fool? [*laughs softly*]

Yui- Lu, I am serious. If you step over the line here more than they can tolerate… They will kill you. 

Yui- Just like the others Kanato sewed up.

Lu- Death… If only she knew what I think of the pleasantry.  

Lu- But now is not the time…. Not when Yui needs me. I can hold strong a little longer. 

Yui- I don’t want that to happen to you too… 

Lu- How many times has she shown that expression since she got here...? 

Lu- Don’t look like that anymore… Not if I can help it.

Lu- I promise, Yui-chan, so don’t worry about me. I can handle myself~

Yui: *smiles* Thank you, Lu-chan.

[*a knock sounds from the door to the room*]

Yui- C-come in?

Reiji- If I may show you to your room now, Ms. Nohikari.

Lu- You may, But- I mean Reiji… -san?

Reiji- And I thought you were going to continue with that awful rubbish. Thankfully, you have appeared to come to your senses. 

Reiji- You have witnessed the way my brothers, Ayato and Kanato, treat me; kindly do not make the same mistake, or else I will deal with you ever so harshly.

Lu- [*blanches* He… J-just like them…?]

Lu- [I can’t… No...]

Lu- E-er… Y-yes, sir?

Reiji- Follow me, in that case.

Lu- [*composes herself and follows Reiji* Funny, I wouldn’t have taken him for a BDSM drill sergeant. Maybe he is secretly Laito’s very proper twin brother?]

Lu- [I rather not find out preemptively…]

Reiji- Welcome to your chamber. Make sure to keep it neat and tidy, as I would not like to have to clean up after yet another swinish creature.

Lu- [He does realize who he is talking to right? Neat, that’s a word I am not familiar with.]

Lu- [Good luck dealing with that, Mr. Butler. You would enjoy it anyway, I am sure.]

Reiji- Additionally, do turn in no later than 11 in the morning; you are expected to be awake to prepare yourself for school at 7 PM sharp.

Lu- Why at night, I mean, other than the fact you are vampires? Does the sun burn you or something? 

Reiji- Ms. Nohikari, what foolish questions you ask. You must understand that there is more sense in asking you to adapt to this entire household's schedule than for us to adapt to yours.

Lu- I suppose that is true. Fair enough.

Reiji- And do you honestly believe that we vampires are so easily harmed by mere sunshine like the other one?

Reiji- I would suggest you dissociate yourself from such fairy tales if you would prefer not to be a subject of ridicule amongst my brothers, as she has already become.

Lu- [*laughs softly*] I didn’t necessarily believe it.

Lu- However, when all you have seen and read is humanized vampire lore, that is the only knowledge one can go off of. You understand, right?

Lu- At least one theory is debunked, thank you Reiji-san~

Reiji- One would think they would have taught you to know better, considering your role...

Lu- Teach me that? Where I was? Hm, they weren’t necessarily intent on teaching me anything useful.

Lu- [No, not at all… Just serve and you will receive mercy, right?]

Reiji: Hmph, perhaps not much more can be expected of such a superstitious human organization, especially since it has not realized its inefficiency by now...

Lu- [*chirps*] Agreed.

Lu- You don’t think much of us… humans, do you? I can understand why. 

Lu- It sucks that you must subsist off of us, but...

Lu- Eat and tolerate or starve. Not much choice there. 

Lu- And starving isn’t all the fun it is cracked up to be. I would—

Lu- Nevermind that, 7pm sharp, yes?

Reiji- Indeed, you have heard me correctly. Do not make us late.

Reiji- Another thing. That man does expect my brothers and me to eat dinner together on a regular basis, which we have at 9 am on the dot.

Reiji- It seems to be optional for you, however.

Reiji- Although, I would strongly recommend you attend it to avoid developing anemia and making an even bigger fool of yourself than you already have in class later.

Lu- Sure, sure Reiji-san~ Now, this lady would like a little privacy, if you don’t mind?

Reiji- As if I can be commanded to exit your chambers. But I suppose I can afford you this luxury this once.

Reiji- Seeing as your thoughts are of little substance anyhow, it would be troublesome to overstay my welcome. 

Reiji- Night, Ms. Nohikari. Do not forget what I have told you.

Lu- Yes, I won’t unless my lack of substance catches up to me~ Bye bye, Reiji-san~

[*Reiji exits*]

Lu- [Pride and Prejudice; that is his new nickname, minus any revelatory quality.]

Lu- [Vain fools can be content in their vanity, and who am I to deny him some joy?]

Lu- [Life is rather boring without it anyway.]

Lu- [But lord does he have no sense of humour. Being a butler will do that to you.]

Lu- [Anyway, let’s see what clothes we have to dress up with for dinner…]

Lu- [...Dresses… A lot of dresses… Did Laito design these closets?]

Lu- [I will just stick to what I have on for now.]

Lu- [Well, here is to an adieu of anything resembling normality, though my life has never been really something like that.]

Lu- [I only have one meaning anyway. To protect her.]

Lu- [If I am unable to protect her, as she has done for me, then I…]

Lu- [...I am worth nothing and I failed my friend.]

Lu- [She has done too much for me. More than I have ever deserved. It is only fair now I give back.]

Lu- [Yui, don’t lose hope. I am here. I will hold the blooming roses in pride.]

Lu- [Don’t lose yourself quite yet.]

[totheseok]

uh oh?

synopsis: what happens when the daughter of the CEO of a major film company and the son of the president of a successful food company move in next door?

episode 2: cats holding banners

last episode ▪︎ next episode

word count: 924

(italic writing is yn's thoughts)

Taboba had been y/n's absolute favourite boba shop in Seoul, she first discovered it while she was studying abroad. Upon returning home she found out there was ONE outlet in Seoul, which was conveniently just a 10 minute drive from her parents house. But, they were closing down and she was moving to a different part of Seoul, half an hour away from the shop.

Growing up as the daughter of a big-shot movie producer, she was privileged enough to live in one of the expensive neighbourhoods of Seoul, in a big house over-looking the Han river. And though it was true that she was to eventually take over the company her parents wanted her to pave her own way and make her own name in the industry. Granted her heritage would certainly give her a boost in popularity.

She decided one of the first steps to make her own way would be to move into her own space and live by herself. So with the help of friends and family she chose a penthouse apartment for herself in Gangam and bought it (cus wth is rent when ur rich). But thats all irrelevant right now because she's not moving there for another week. Right now what's important is that she just parked her car outside the new boba shop that opened near her new apartment.

Bobobble.

It's a cute name even she cant deny that. She hopes with every atom of her body that the boba is good too. It was also owned by SeoulFoods, a company that sponsored most of SilverWoods' shows and movies, and also catered for their events.

The issue isn't bad boba, the issue is being as good as or topping taboba boba.

Stepping inside, the cafe looked like any other, it was simple, with mood lighting, wooden floors and comfy looking leather seats. But there was one recurring theme. Cats. It wasn't a cat cafe, yet, cute pictures of cats doing stupid things were hung up on the walls, the bookshelf was shaped like a cat, the little plant pots on the table were cats that looked like they had leaves growing out of their heads. Overall, a-lot of cats.

Y/N made her way to the counter and luckily didn't have to wait too long considering it was 11 AM and everyone was either at work or at school, no long lines. She greeted the barista and placed her order, payed for her drink and then chose a table by the window. Good for working and people watching.

Y/n's first mistake today was forgetting her laptop charger at home, but she was already on the highway when she realised and couldn't turn back even if she wanted. Now the question was if her laptop was already charged or if she would open it and it would die in the middle of her editing a scene.

79%. Not bad, good enough to edit at least one scene. She started opening the softwares she needed to work and got started.

Soon enough her drink arrived, paired with a slice of cheesecake. Wait... Cheesecake? YN hadn't ordered any. Her original plan had been to have her drink and order a sandwich if she got hungry a while into working.

Maybe I should ask the server. Luckily for her he was walking by after serving another order.

"Um, excuse me?" She called out.

"Yes, ma'am"

"Uh, I only ordered a drink, i was served cheesecake as well are you sure it isn't someone else's?"

"Ah, yes, it's on the house, our manager said there's a newcomer gift for today, and since it's your first time visiting Bobobble, you qualify for it!"

"Ohh, I see, well um thank you so much!"

"No, problem ma'am, enjoy your meal!"

Newcomer gifts huh? Lets hope this boba is also good because so far I'm liking this place.

YN reached for her cup of bubble tea and immediately noticed logo. A cat holding a banner that said bobobble. Omg cute pls be good i want to come back here.

Bringing the straw to her lips, she took and sip and...

"Holy shit" She whispered to herself.

Looks like bobobble just gained a new and very loyal customer.

In the break room, a barista sat with their phone in front of them, voice recording app open.

"Dear diary, today the owners son Taesan came to overlook the store. He's a chill guy around my age but he's generally pretty quiet. Anyways, around 11 AM a girl walked in with her laptop bag and stuff, she ordered her drink and sat down then started working on whatever it was that she was working on, she was pretty nice but thats not the point

"the issue here is that when i was going to serve her drink, Taesan told me to take some cheesecake for her and tell her it was on the house as a welcome gift for her first time here. I didnt know we were doing one of those so it was news to me but i didn't question it.

"HOWEVER, later another girl came in and i had never seen her before so as i was taking a slice of free cheesecake out for her Taesan stopped me and said he changed his mind? so no more free cheesecake for new people? idk man. my guess is that he thought the other girl was cute. ig we'll just have to wait and see, anyways my break is ending so ill finish this at night when im home"

a/n: pls tell me yall got the chenle reference w the "whats rent when ur rich"

and special thank you to @taesancore for reading it for me before i posted to help me figure stuff out.

taglist (open): @seungzzzz @thvvcut @ywnzn @livelaughlovetaesan @lovelyannoyingcher @blurryriki @xyxlyn @lovandr @lcvehee @sobun1est @roxasrana @loyalsunwoo @luv-y0urself @rosesfortaro @nujeskz @ryunjin0 @milkmilkmalk

bold couldn't be tagged 😔

[itsnotzka]

Lost Scenes Thursday! Get to know your favourite authors better. Show five scenes from either abandoned fics where you regret they will never see the light of day, or five scenes from WIPs where you are impatient to see them out there. Long, short, one-liner... it's all good reading. Tag five other authors where you are curious.

Sounds like fun :) I'm going to share only one though, as I don't want it to take me five years to answer this (choosing and editing is not my forte, can't you tell?🤭)

This is from a story called 'This Town is Plotting Against Me', originally written in Polish. It's inspired by one of my fics but has already accidentally turned into a different story 🤭 I'm not entirely sure if I'll ever publish it anywhere or be able to finish it, so here it is (quickly, quickly! before I change my mind 😅). It's a translated excerpt, I left the names unchanged :)

. . ....... . .

"Well, let me guess," Aleksander carefully placed the last book back in its rightful spot, straightening the peeling catalogue number on its spine. "The house collapsed while some local kids were ransacking it for fun. Five deaths at the scene, one person still missing."

Ms. Renata Kubasinska, a short, middle-aged librarian, shot him a disapproving look, her blue eyes flashing with irritation. "As if! You and your catastrophic imagination!" She frowned at the ceiling. “Even you would’ve heard about that, no matter how much of a recluse you are, don’t you think?"

"Alright, fair enough… We're not talking about me here. What about this house?" He smiled, steering the conversation back on track, wary that Ms. Kubasinska might start lecturing him about his solitary habits once again.

"Nothing about the house itself..." she muttered, irked. "But seems some woman’s moved in. Saw her car. It’s from Warsaw," she added in a hushed tone.

“So? Is there something wrong with her? Other than being a newcomer from a big city?” Aleksander feigned indifference as he pondered over another unexpected stain on a familiar book.

"Oh, you know..." She glanced at him sideways as he leaned against the bookshelf, staring out the window. "It’s just odd! Folks wonder what she’s up to there. Alone, can you imagine! In that creepy old house? It's a bit dodgy, innit?"

“Not really. Maybe she's a horror fan—there are plenty of those these days,” he laughed quietly, a bit taken aback. “Besides, Ms. Renata, you live alone too. And you know I wholeheartedly recommend that lifestyle.”

"I don't live alone, I've got my cats…" Renata huffed, disappointed by the young librarian’s lack of interest in her juiciest gossip. And she loved her gossip.

At that moment, the bell at the library reception desk rang, interrupting their conversation. Both Aleksander and Ms. Kubasinska turned towards the sound with a shared reluctance, each prepared to curse the world and anyone who dared to interrupt them, albeit for vastly different reasons.

“Will I ever be able to finish talking?!” the woman huffed.

“That bloody thing, I swear to–” Aleksander muttered simultaneously.

“Oh, no! Don’t you even try anything funny again!” she wagged her finger at him.

Before he could respond, the high-pitched, unbearably irritating 'ding-ding!' sound of the bell assaulted his ears once more, almost like a shock wave of an atomic bomb. He resolved then and there to rid himself of this nuisance once and for all, though it wouldn't be his first attempt. Oh, no. No matter where he hid the bell, Ms. Kubasinska always managed to find it. She might be clueless with computers or smartphones, any kind of technology was evil incarnate to her, but she possessed an uncanny knack for locating hidden desk bells.

“Go see who it is, love, eh?” Ms. Renata winked mischievously. “I’ll go make us a cuppa.”

“But Ms. Ren– oh, bugger…” the young librarian cursed inwardly at his own delay, because before he could protest, his coworker had already darted behind the office door.

With a sigh, he cautiously approached the reception desk, peering out from behind the bookshelf to assess the visitor and anticipate how much energy this innocent conversation would drain from him. He hoped the matter would be resolved swiftly and without hassle. That seemed unlikely, though, considering he didn’t recognise the person.

The young woman, appearing slightly impatient, swayed on her feet, then tapped one nervously. Just as she leaned forward to ring the bell a third time, Aleksander preempted her. Swiftly lunging forward, he deftly retrieved the metal, round bell and, with an air of nonchalance, stowed it in the third drawer of his desk, right beside the stapler and calculator. Not a perfect hiding spot, but good enough.

"That's better..." He sighed in relief, knowing the vexing device was tucked away, at least for the moment. Then, he finally turned his attention to the visitor. "Now. Welcome to Mystki’s library. How may I assist you?

[mushroompollution]

From Saintworks:

[PRESS THIS BUTTON WITH YOUR BRIGHTNESS AT MAX]

>Doing so would cause little, blocky flurries of light to appear over the phone or laptop screen, tiny pixels turning to atoms, and forming a complex object right there in the air, out of data and light. It's a sleek, carbon-fiber black pocket watch, on a black chain, at least from the outside. It fits in the palm of the hand, and is engraved with the image of a pair of hands, grasping each other for dear life, as if one was pulling the other from danger.

>Inside the device is an actual fake watch face, keeping the time with a razor-thin digital clock that turns analog arms, but flipping that up reveals a small, rectangular port, and a screen. The port is covered by a sliding door, which opens automatically to reveal a pair of little jewel-like stones at each end. The little round screen is extremely low resolution, and as it turns on, a pixelated compass arrow spins a full circle across it, before the words "Insert trace sample" scroll across it.

Elliot freezes at the sudden popup, his thumbs paused over his phone screen. There's been so much information, so many conversations and offers being thrown at him, and his head aches.

But with no winks or nudges or deals or Contracts mentioned, he had rather blindly agreed to this one. And really... It couldn't hurt to try, right?

If it could save Leo, then

you i needs to save him.

hurry!

While deliberating, he must have tapped the screen by accident. His blue eyes widen as the pixels knit together, materializing before them. And the result is breathtaking. Hesitation be damned, he gently takes the pocket watch, turning it over between his nimble fingers. If nothing else, it's instantly become his new favorite timepiece.

But then the watch face flips open, and he feels his nerves creep in again. Right. The hair. Leo's hair. The hair from Leo's hairbrush--

Elliot walks into his adjacent bathroom, only to stare down at his own brush, sitting perfectly in its assigned spot on the marble counter.

Wait.

But Leo doesn't brush his hair in the bathroom, because Leo doesn't do mirrors. Those nerves start to prick the hairs on his neck as he thinks.

Leo leaves that thing all over both their rooms. And then he uses it as an excuse not to brush it! Seriously! This is why Elliot's always telling him to make a habit of leaving it on the dresser. "Well, okay, Leo. Where did you--"

Suddenly, he freezes.

"have it last...."

His heart sinks.

Oh.

Oh no.

He turns quickly on his heel, heart pounding as he returns to his bedroom. He picks up every single object on his dresser, his nightstand, his desk, his tv stand, his bookshelf. He drops to the ground, searching beneath his bed, his sofa--

Then he races into Leo's small, adjoining room to do the same.

No no no no no.

His fist slams hard against the paneled wall in agonizing frustration as he's forced to accept the realization.

The last place Leo had his brush was in that townhouse. The one that had burned to the ground the night his father had been murdered and Leo had---

You I can't just give up.

Not after someone had gone so far to send him this gift.

He tears his sofa apart, hoping to find so much a toenail. He checks the trash, their pillows, the shower drain, anything. Anything!!

But it's been two weeks, and the Nightray family only employs the most thorough maids.

He feels his heart sink and his legs go out.

[sorcerersandskillusers]

Since Asagiri refuses to give BEAST Dazai any closure im going to do it myself. Here is a short story I wrote, I'm actually really proud of this one even though it was painful to write.

Dazai was lying face down on hard asphalt. The fall had been a long one, long enough for him to reflect on most of what he’d done to get there. It was a miserable life, but in the end, it hadn’t been his to live in the first place. He had made peace with it as he hit the ground.

So why was he conscious?

After laying there for God knows how long, hoping his mind would stop thinking and he would slip into the oblivion he had wanted for so long, Dazai opened his eyes. He was face down on a pavement somewhere, strangely he did not see any blood on the ground beneath him. Confused he raised his head a little to see more of where he was. He was on the edge of a small road, opposite him trumpet vines grew along a hedge, rustling in a quite breeze. Dazai sat bolt upright. none of this was right, he shouldn’t be anywhere near here, he had jumped from the mafia headquarters. He should be dead.

As his sense’s returned to him, he realised his skin felt strange, looking down he saw that Mori’s scarf was gone. But that was soon overshadowed when he noticed his arms. His bandages were gone and his forearms were smooth and free of scars. Reaching up Dazai felt his face. Sure enough, the bandages that always covered his eye were gone too. Something was really wrong.

Finally, Dazai looked around, hoping for some kind of indication about how he got here, but there wasn’t any. He avoided turning around for as long as possible, but in the end, his burning curiosity overwhelmed his fear and he looked to the house next to him.

It was exactly how it had been the first time, the unassuming little house, tucked away in a quiet corner of the city. It was shabby, cramped and unassuming as well as the place Dazai had wanted to see more then anywhere else in the world for the past six years.

He got up, his body moving on its own, as it carried him towards the front door. He was briefly distracted by the toys he could see left in the grass, those had defiantly not been their last time, but he pushed it aside for now. Opening the door, he braced himself. He’s not here, he moved out years ago. Nevertheless, he still made his way inside, stumbling a little as fought the aching in his chest. It was almost exactly the same as in his memories. The kitchenet where Oda had cooked for him, the side room with the bed he had been strapped too, even the bookshelf with the book Oda always tried to read too him lying flat on the top. Dazai stood there for a second, drinking the room in. This must be purgatory, he thought as he fought back tears. He would be forced to confront everything he had turned away as punishment for everything he did. It was a far crueller punishment then any he had ever used, but he still felt it would be worth it, just knowing he had helped one version of Odasaku find happiness. He would gladly suffer for that.

He was surprised when a loud whistle came from the kitchen. Whipping around, he saw that the old iron kettle Oda always used was boiling away. He only had a moment to ponder this before he heard foot steps coming down the hall. Every atom in his body wanted to run away, to hide from who he knew was coming, but something held him there, frozen as the figure emerged into the corridor.

“Oh…”

Dazai’s expression broke, he looked like all the years of pain he had hidden so carefully were about to come bursting out of his skull. Infront of him stood someone he wanted to see more then anyone else in the world, and who he had sworn to never let himself see again.

Odasaku stood there, the same blank expression he always had, mixed with a look of surprise. He looked at Dazai for a few seconds, before he began to walk towards him a gentle concern growing on his face.

“Odasaku…” Dazai spoke for the first time since waking up here, his voice was hoarse and wavered as searched for something to say.

“Odasaku I’m s-” But he was cut off by Oda pulling him into a tight hug.

“Dazai, I’m sorry I left you alone, I was selfish and because of that, you went through so much more suffering.”

Dazai was shaking badly, he tried to argue with him, tried to tell him he had nothing to apologise for, that he was the one who chose to do all the awful things he did. But no words came out, instead for the first time he could remember, Dazai Osamu wept.

He cried and cried, years of isolation, fear and guilt pouring out of him like water from a burst damn, Oda held him tight the whole time not saying anything. They stood there for a very long time, maybe hours, maybe years, neither of them letting go of each other. Until Dazai felt he had no more tears left in him.

After they broke apart, Oda led Dazai to the bed he had once spent so long in, then he went to the kitchen and brought out two cups of tea. They drank in silence for some time, neither sure what to say to the other. In the end Dazai spoke first.

“Where are we?” He asked, although the answer didn’t seem to matter much too him.

“I don’t know.” Oda replied simply. “I woke up here at some point, and I stayed to look after the children.”

“Children?” Dazai asked, as he remembered to toys, he had seen outside.

“They were all here when I woke up, I tried to apologise for everything, but they wouldn’t listen to a word I said, I guess not much changed there. I stayed with them until they were ready to go, although it has been very lonely without them. I thought the quiet would give me more time to write, but I think it was more distracting than anything else.”

“If they all left then why are you still here.” Dazai asked confused.

“I needed to wait for someone, someone who I hope will not come here for a very long time.”

Dazai looked down, a deep sadness returning to his eye’s “I’m not the person you’re waiting for.”

“No. you’re not…” Oda agreed

Dazai said nothing.

“But I still can’t let you leave until your wounds have fully recovered.”

Dazai looked up at him, not daring to hope he meant what Dazai thought he did.

“I hope I won’t need to tie you up this time.” Oda said plainly.

Dazai snorted “Don’t worry, I think ill stick around this time, I can’t leave, I still need to make you that super hard tofu I promised.”

Oda nodded “I’ll look forward to it.”

The two of them talked for a long time after that. The wounds Dazai now carried were deep, far deeper than any he had before, and they would take a very long time to heal. But that just left both of them more time together; Dazai told Oda stories about his life in the Agency and eventually told him the whole story of how he had ended up here in the first place. Oda told Dazai about his past, and how he gave up killing. He even let Dazai read the novel he had been working on. Time was strange in that place. They talked for as long as they needed, and when it was time for Dazai to leave, he did so knowing that Oda would follow him at some point. But until then Oda waited in that house, for a person he hoped would not come for a long, long time.

[yakichoufd]

different anon here, the marvel snapshots previous anon is refering to is X-Men: Marvels Snapshots #1, which is a one-shot. It's collected as a physical volume in Marvels Snapshots with other seven not-Scott-related issues.

X-Men: Children of the Atom(1999) is a 6 issues total miniseries, and Scott's backstory stuff is primarily in #1-3. The paperback for Children of the Atom came out like, early 2000s, so I'm not sure how easy it would be to find it now.

Also, I highly recommend Classic X-Men #41-42, too. Classic X-Men is a series where each issue is composed of reprints of old issue & additional new material. In the case of #41-42, the back half of each issue is about Scott's days at the orphanage. I get not liking issue collecting but those issues are really worth it, imo.

Oh thank you so so much for all the information dear Anon! I am hype to read these comics! Finding these issues in a ok price was a bit of a research and I couldn't use the usual secondhand shop I go to, but I found them all! \o/ So thank you so so much! I've to brainstorm a nice display for my upcoming issues so they look nice on my bookshelf! :P here a sad sad young Scott, to hurt our poor hearts.