#Ember is FABULOUS

[randomtheidiot]

Elemental was a kickass movie and I’m sad that all the other shitty Disney movies that came out around that time ruined everyone’s expectations for it.

[dustinbroke]

Plus the non-binary cuties. Some canon and some head canon.

[graffitibible]

Warren catches his reflection in the mirrored dome of a helmet of some kind, set on the shelf opposite him. He looks...tired. Bruised, worn, eyes edged in red. He looks like someone who's fought his way through hell and come out the other side a chewed-up, ravaged thing. More to the point, he looks like a scarecrow. He's got that eerie animal shine to his eyes, the long scalpel tracks down his arms too neat and too regular to be ordinary. He wears the evidence of where he came from on his skin.

And he knows, looking down at himself, that he'll never fully be able to scrub that away. What option is there for a scarecrow, when it comes to forging a second life? How does he become someone new, acknowledge his history, and denounce the system that built him all in one breath?

Warren runs his fingers over the scars down his arms. He supposes the others are asking themselves the same questions. But they don't have the same physical markers that he does.

Some of them don't.

[farenmaddox]

Welcome to Whump Fest!

The long-awaited (okay not that long) Cas Whump Fic is live – but that’s not all! There’s more!

See, @wanderingcas and I were talking and realized we were both in the middle of starting a whump fic, and we thought “you know what would be fun? Dropping our fics together.” Two whump fics for the price of one, babes!

But the thing about @colorlessjay is that he is an enabler wonderful friend, and wanted to draw something for both of us, and thus WHUMP FEST™ was born. So you see, the wait was beyond worth it because now there’s all of this fabulousness to enjoy!

This here is my contribution, and there are links to the other fic and to the artist below.

Title: first a weapon & then not Author: FarenMaddox (that’s me!) Characters: Dean Winchester, Castiel, Sam Winchester Rating: Explicit, for blood and gore AO3 tags:

Summary: When Dean nearly runs over an injured Castiel on the way back from meeting Metratron at the end of 08x21, it doesn't take long to realize something is seriously wrong with his friend. More than he'd realized, more than Cas can hide. He can't speak, can't stand, can't remember things. Dean will have to swallow the bitter feelings he's been harboring since the crypt and help him, or Cas might not make it through the night. But if he does pull through, maybe Dean will get another chance to make Cas understand what he's been trying to say.

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

Cas had one hand curled over his stomach, one grinding against his forehead, and his eyes were darting everywhere. Dean couldn’t catch his gaze. “I n-need to find—I need to get—safe.” “Let me help. It’s me, Cas. It’s me.” Something in Cas’s expression calmed, for a moment, but then he looked like he was on the verge of tears. “It’s me, we’re family,” he said, eyes finally looking at Dean straight-on, intense. Dean recognized his own words just fine, since they’d been festering in his chest for weeks. They hit him harder than the blow Cas had just landed on his eye, which was throbbing in time to his frantic heartbeat. “Yeah,” he said, hearing his voice shake and immediately angry with himself and Cas both. “Yeah, it’s Dean.”

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

You can read my fic (including a gorgeous illustration) on AO3 here: first a weapon & then not Check out the other whump fic (a beautiful, angsty, sexy fic set in the aftermath of the "attack dog spell" of early season 11) here: the weight of the world Check out @colorlessjay's Tumblr for amazing art of these fics, and much more!

Don’t forget to reblog so we can share the joys of WHUMP FEST™ far and wide!

Taglist below the cut

@wanderingcas @colorlessjay @averyoddfishindeed @cheridraws @katstiel @therabbitthatpostthings @angel-fruitcake @feralarsonistchewingsand @a-murmur-of-a-prayer @reasonsweweresinging @lazarrusrising @lucik-for-short @kubb-is-a-swedish-lawn-game @7amonathursdayinoctober @formerlyfandy @lotusinyunmeng @king4aday @coastalmedusa @collapseddominos @hiighlighterr @raptorwithamarker @shameandregretsnotfound @nerdwholikesnerdythings @wonderland-girl-143-blog @mildly-insane-bowties @lilibean96 @profoundstarfishmusic @give-bucky-his-boyfriend-back @starrynights-brokenhalos @thenerdy-1 @skizcake @passinhosdetartaruga @unexpectedgeese @emeraldavenger12 @joshuakellin @halothenthehorns @destiel-shipper-11 @midniterose @mogoona3000 @reyolfx @blueberriesareking @smallkatas @rouiyisnotonline @lucik-for-short @kiwichaeng @scifiromance7 @nekoshi13 @antisocialpyromaniac @rainbowtyrant @drowning-in-fandoms1 @mypeopleskillzarerusty @baikeynotbailey @kaiteymae @odessa94 @amemiciacitu @angels-divine-madness @beaniegaebie @lovelydisc @favoritefandoms27 @destielinimpala @theprodigaldaughterisback @sadwizardjessi @saratsuzuki @what-if-i-just-did @tireddreamergirl @cake--hearts @maxayb @hunter-lilith @sunshineandwings86 @goldenchips @icarus-lestrange @samantha-lefay @chaoticbasicallyuselessbisexual @castiel--for--king @pianopeep @lxstkxddo @callsign-ember @ihaveanaxe @minnesinger @dr-reids-fidget-toy

[op-sys-chaos]

DPxDC Prompt: Local Cryptid is Just Some Guy (who works at a magical coffee shop)

Partial inspiration from @sistertotheknowitall’s fabulous Danny is just some guy AU, partial inspiration from Hella Good Brew on ao3 (very good fic), partial inspiration from like every other Danny in Gotham prompt on my feed lmao

Danny Fenton is just some guy. The bats keep running into him out and about, both as civilians and as heroes. He’s a simple college student and coffee shop worker, but his green eyes that are a bit too close to the color of the Lazarus Pit and his friendly attitude - in GOTHAM of all places - make him stand out. So they notice him all the time, whether they’re saving him from a mugging or seeing him in classes or buying a coffee from the cafe he works at.

There’s definitely something off about the cafe, mind you. Of all the workers, Danny is somehow the most normal. (The other workers are his ghost friends, who moved to Gotham with him. Ember owns the cafe. Any rogue capable of being chill works there whenever they want something to do, but there’s always at least one person working. Danny works there after class.) The bats are pretty sure they’re all metas and Danny is their one Certified Normal Guy of the friend group.

The bats can’t spend too much time on it, though, because there’s a new cryptid in Gotham who keeps helping them on patrol and it’s freaking them the fuck out. Who or what is this invisible, intangible force with ice powers? What does it want from them? Why does it keep helping people around the city on slow nights?

What is happening in Gotham????

[kore-arts]

DRUMROLL

Me and @aurora-bore-aura have whipped up a Fabulous new au!

Introducing! The Lost Voices!

What happens when you toss in an Ex Hero, his “younger” and Older siblings(read Dani and Dan), His Two Partners, Red Robin on a Year long Vacay with his Partners Bernard and Kon and Ember the Pop Rock Ghost In one Van?

That's Right! Band Au bitches!!!! Well band and food truck au since I hc Bernard as Totes tone deaf.

Ok so

Danny! He retired, in desperate need of a new Vacation and Hobby.

And surprisingly Ember absolutely went wild when she invited him to ghost karaoke.

So his wail gave him a sirens voice, that's new. Welcome!

Wait. What if he made a Band?

Turns out Tucker is a Wizard with a soundboard. And Sam plays the Bass and drums nicely.

And for a bit the four played gigs all over the place, a niche band called the Lost Voices. (Sam suggested and that earned a surprising Kiss from Ember. Hey! Poly Band time hehehe)

Sure Tucker pre-recorded the drums. But they All agreed they wanted a bit more. A fresher view.

So! Auditions!

(Not done Bernard Yet)

Ok so Gay/Bi panic. And oh, the ancients were Tim and Kon good.

Tims voice a holy thing and his drum playing is even better.

And Kon!!! The piano was a surprise but man his fingers moved at a unmatched speed. Ok Danny *knew* they were semi death touched. Eh probably just liminal.

So they are invited! And they play in metropolis for a while and they start booming

Tim and Kon grin seeing a opportunity.

One Band van, one food truck and a Tour set up later? They are officially on the road and on tour for a Year. With Dan Driving and Dani happily along the ride they are set!

Tim did make it clear its a vacation and he would send postcards unless it's monthly call or emergency.

Babs is still laughing because he forgot to mention he is in the band that's rising faster then Canaries old band.

Oh well, time to remind Dick and Bruce to not constantly call.

Pt1(Here!) Pt2. Pt3. Pt4

[wordslikesilver]

I wanna gush about my pathfinder paladin here so to the one player in the game that follows me do NOT read unless you’re down to get SO SO spoiled.

Her name is Dame Shvana Peacepainter and she’s a Brightsoul Ifrit in her sixties who looks like a walking eclipse. Her skin is pitch black and she radiates light in such a way that it almost looks like she’s illuminated from behind like there’s a sun at her back no matter what angle you look at her from. Hair down to her mid back glowing with radiant embers that descend into grey and white ashes. Regal horns about her brow owing to her heritage, making many mistake her for a tiefling at first. She carries a tower shield and full plate armour, but never a weapon, as she is first and foremost a redeemer and one who offers an open hand before ever turning to violence.

Yet I’ve told you a lie already, because there was one night she did resort to violence first, a time when she did carry a weapon that she had to set down and never pick up again. For all her life she was a paladin of the goddess of the sun, Sarenrae. Wherever she’d go, she’d carry the sun with her. And then, she fell in love with a pretty lil Leshy woman who inhabited the body of a dryad and took care of the city’s library. A witch of great power and love who kept a snuggly bat winged cat familiar with her as she took care of the shelves and kept her space tidy. Viridian Peacepainter, the woman whose last name Shvana would end up taking, was her wife of 40 long years of devotion until the untimely night of her death at the hands of Rovagug cultists who sought to destroy her and the library’s profound knowledge kept within. It was on that night that Shvana broke her oath and killed without mercy nor clemency to protect her wife, yet ultimately it was all for naught as her wife still perished at their hands and Shvana no longer wielded the precious divine power she’d cultivated over decades in order to heal her dying wife.

Sarenrae would never bless Shvana again, not because of the betrayal, but because all her life Shvana had held it in her heart that if the oath stopped her from saving a life, it wasn’t an oath worth keeping. That she’d follow her heart no matter what, because she knew deep down that’s how she could do the most good. Sarenrae saw this promise be fulfilled and as a goddess of honesty and truth, she knew the oath was forevermore “not worth keeping.” She wept for Shvana but could not grant her the boon she once did. Now, it would be the love of another who would guide Shvana onwards, though Shvana would never know. (Yet ♥️)

Viridian’s soul would linger still and wrap itself around Shvana’s heart and around her shoulders. Before the end, she made Shvana swear to her a new vow to bind their marriage once more, one where Shvana would vow to remain kind and Viridian would promise to never leave her. Shvana wouldn’t know how truly her wife would keep that promise, as now Viridian’s soul intertwines with her own and through love and possibly a fragment of divinity housed within, she blesses her Paladin wife with the powers Sarenrae would no longer be able to grant her.

I’m so excited to develop and explore this character, when she reaches level 5, she’s going to have such a fabulous moment of drama becoming “fae-touched” and having a pattern of her wife resting atop her chest burned into her skin. Like the skin turns to bark and her own flames turn it to glowing white ashen wood, ugh, with the hand print of her wife on her cheek! I’m gonna sob. She falls asleep and dreams of her wife giving her sunflowers only to wake up and see a lil sunflower leshy summon sitting there in her hand. And when my group returns to our home base and talks to our big important godly quest giver, as a means of gaining Shvana’s trust she’ll ask this person to show that she knows what Shvana’s oath is and instead of reciting the one she made to sarenrae, the person will fill the air with the sound of her last moments with her wife, her TRUE oath that fuels all that she does. My beloved irl wife agreed to do a back and forth live reading of dialogue for the moment to make it even more heartbreaking and beautiful for the other players there to witness it. I’m so so so excited to role play these gorgeous moments and make something truly special for my friend’s campaign ♥️

Some small extra fun facts! Shvana means “dog” and she’s a trans lesbian. She’s the party’s tank and she’s about 6’4 and in battle has the vibe of the OG Destiny 2 sentinel lore card, “I am a wall and walls don’t move because walls don’t care.” She’s the party’s grandma and is unfazed by nearly any emotional trauma or horror you could possibly throw at her at this point since over the decades she’s seen it all, really, but at the topic of her wife she melts like butter and she’s never gotten used to the loss of life, no matter how much it happens in front of her. Autopsies and desecration of the dead for any reason does make her deeply uncomfortable though for moral reasons and she tries to avoid anything of the sort. There is no multiverse or timeline where she has ever for any reason killed her wife no matter what. It is an absolute constant and it wouldn’t even be possible to mind control or possess her body to do it. Thats how ironclad the conviction is in her soul, no matter what version of her you come across. She never had kids but she took care of many stray or homeless children at the temple over the years so she ended up with her fair share of experience regardless. She’d take time to help rehabilitate criminals whenever she could, especially if her word guaranteeing their safety is what brought them to surrender. The weapon she used to use was a battle axe and her wife loved watching her use it to chop wood for their hearth. After her wife’s death, she buried it with her wife’s grave, considering it her darkness, her rage and her bloodlust that she’d have to relinquish completely if she would keep her vow to her wife. The axe lies in front of the grave while the tree that her body is beneath lies behind the grave. One of her wife’s last wishes was to be reduced to ashes by Shvana’s flames, to be consumed by her completely and then when the tree bears fruit, Shvana would consume her in kind.

[fir-fireweed]

I just read the update and aaah, it was amazing!

The first glimpse at all the ROs was really cool, I can't wait to see more of them. And as expected, Vicente literally has me in a chokehold. And Eva too. I love Eva so SO much.

I also really enjoyed training and MC's new weapon! I'm assuming the weapon MC gets varies based on attunement? The one my fire-attuned sweetheart got is so cool.

I'm really having a blast with the fiery ball of sunshine theming here: - Fire attuned (and loving touch) - Very social, cheerful and nice - True name Ignis - Fake name Felice (I really like the idea of picking that name as a sort of revenge on life and a way to say "I'm still happy, no matter what") - Red haired - Pet: fox - Name of the fox: Ember

Speaking of the pet fox, I was laughing so hard at Jonah trying to convince his kids and wife that a fox is not a pet, but all arguments were swiftly denied (including by the fox itself).

I feel so blessed between the little Viatica snippets and now a new Cantata chapter!

Hi Konoi! I was waiting to hear what you thought of Vicente’s intro. 😏

I’m glad you like Eva, too! She’s fun, and while I like giving you control of the dynamic with her, I obviously like the best friend route best, lol. And Jonah’s definitely that dad with a pet. 😂

And yes, the weapon changes depending on your attunement. You can see a brief description of each in the codex, in the cordis section.

Your ball of sunshine sounds fabulous; I can’t wait for them to continue on!

[class1akids]

Lol why do origin trio and aizawa all seem sad af in that new anime drawing. They do look fabulous though!

I don’t know. But it made me think of all my head canons about Shouto and Katsuki being very worried and protective of Izuku in year 2 and 3, trying constantly to jump in, so to ensure that the ember never goes out.

[aryamistwood]

NEW HORSE NAMES

This morning, SSO releases a bunch of new options for first and second horse names. I've tried to sort through and pull which are new.

Did I find out when I was 70% done that SSO had already made the list public and that all of my time was wasted? Yes, but I refuse admit my efforts were in vain.

FIRST NAMES:

All Amaryllis Any Arcane Archer Ardent Arrow Aster August Aura Banana Bard Baron Baroness Bell Bill Bolt Boogie Box Bravado Briar Brittle Bulwark Captain Carousel Challenger Champion Charger Chivalry Cinnabar Circus Clash Conqueror Corporal Count Countess Covenant Cow Coyote Creed Crucible Daffodil Dahlia Dauntless Dear Destiny Dino Dryad Earl Element Emperor Empress Enchanted Enigma Epic Errant Eternal Euphoria Even Expedition Express Fabulous Fawn Fear Forest Foxglove Frenzy Frozen Gallant Gargoyle General Genie Glacier Glimmer Goblin Golden Grace Harmony Hazelnut Heart Heliodor Herald Hermit Hill Honor Hope Hyacinth I Impress Inferno Ink Innocent Iris Ivy Jadeite Jasmine Jester Jinx Jolly Joust Justice Karma Knightly Lace Lance Laurel Leaf Lizard Loyalty Mac Mad Maiden Malachite Mandrake Maple Marigold Mars Max Mc Memory Mercury Merry Minstrel Mocha Moose Muffin Musing Nephrite Newt Niccolite Nimbus Nixie Nougat O Oath Olde Oracle Oz Pancake Pandoria Papaya Paradise Patch Peanut Pegasus Peony Pineapple Pixie Pledge Pluto Polo Pony Precious Pretty Puff Puffin Queen Questing Radiant Reindeer Ring Rising Risk Rite Rover Sacred Safe Saffron Sage Shield Sire Slow Smoky Snap Snowball Soda Solar Sorcerer Sorceress Sour Space Sparrow Sprinkles Steed Stellar Super Swan Sword Tango Tanzanite Teak Techno Teddy Tektite Tempest The Tie Torch Tourmaline Tower Trick U Valiant Valor Venus Verdant Virtue Vow Wanderer Warm Watcher Wraith Wyvern Y Yoga Youth Yule Zeppelin Zircon Zoisite Zoom

SECOND NAMES:

Able Abyss al ala Alarm ana Arrow ax ay ba Badger Bard Baron Baroness Bearer Blight bo Bravado Brooke by ca Captain ce cha Challenger Charger Chivalry cie Circus City Claw co Coast Cone Conqueror Count Countess Covenant Creed Crucible cy da Dauntless Day Dear Delight Dinosaur do Doria Double Dryad Dutchess dy e Earl ed el Element Elf elle ember en energy enigma er es ess est et ette Euphoria eus Expedition Express ey Fable Flare Flip Forest ful Gallant Gargoyle Genie Giant Goblin Heliodor Herald Hermit ia ian ic ica id ille im ing Innocent ios is ist ite ive ix ja Jadeite jar Jarl Jester Jinx Jolly Joust Justice Karma Kelpie ko la Lace Lance Laurel let ley Lizard lot Loyalty Maiden Malachite Max Minstrel mir mo Moose mor Musing my n na Nephrite ness Newt Nimbus Nixie no Noble nom Nougat ny Oath on one or Oracle ox oz Papaya Paradise Pegasus Pixie Pledge Polo Pony Potato Puff Puffin Questing ra Radiant Reindeer rey ria Rite ro ros Rover Ruler ry s sa Sacred Sage Serpent Shield Soda Sorcerer Sorceress Squire Steed Stellar Sword ta Tale Talon Tango Tanzanite Teak Tech Teddy Thunder tie to ton Tower Trick Trot Trotter ty u us ute Valiant Vixen Vow Wanderer Warlock Well West Wraith Wyrm Wyvern ya yo yx za Zircon zo Zoisite Zoom zy

[horsegamergirl]

Game master Jess shared lists of all First and Second options for names, that were added to the game, total of 439!

Written down under the cut ↓

First options (total: 211)

A - All, Amaryllis, Any, Arcane, Archer, Ardent, Arrow, Aster, August, Aura B - Banshee, Bard, Baron, Baroness, Bell, Bill, Bolt, Boogie, Boots, Bravado, Briar, Brittle, Buddy, Bulwark C - Captain, Carousel, Challenger, Champion, Charger, Chivalry, Cinnabar, Circus, Conqueror, Corporal, Count, Countess, Covenant, Cow, Creed, Crucible D - Daffodil, Dahlia, Dauntless, Dear, Destiny, Dino, Dryad, Duck E - E, Early, Eld, Element, Emperor, Empress, Enchanted, Enigma, Errant, Eternal, Euphoria, Even, Expedition, Express F - Fabulous, Fawn, Fear, Foxglove, Frozen G - Gallant, Gargoyle, General, Genie, Glacier, Glimmer, Goblin, Golden H - Harmony, Hazelnut, Heart, Heliodor, Herald, Hermit, Honor, Hope, Hyacinth I - I, Impress, Inferno, Ink, Innocent, Iris, Ivy J - Jadeite, Jasmine, Jester, Jinx, Jolly, Joust, Jupiter, Justice K - Karma, Knightly L - Lace, Lance, Laurel, Lizard, Loyalty M - Mac, Mad, Maiden, Malachite, Mandrake, Maple, Marigold, Mars, Max, Mc, Mercury, Merry, Minstrel, Mocha, Moose, Muffin, Musing N - Nephrite, Newt, Niccolite P - Pandoria N - Nimbus, Nixie, Nougat O - O, Oath, Olde, Oracle, Oz P - Pancake, Papaya, Paradise, Patch, Peanut, Pegasus, Peony, Pineapple, Pixie, Pledge, Pluto, Polo, Pony, Precious, Pretty, Puff, Puffin Q - Queen, Questing R - Radiant, Reindeer, Risk, Rite, Rover S - Sacred, Safe, Saffron, Sage, Shield, Sire, Slow, Smoky, Snap, Snowball, Soda, Solar, Sorcerer, Sorceress, Sour, Sparrow, Sprinkles, Squire, Steed, Stellar, Swan, Sword T - Tango, Tanzanite, Teak, Techno, Teddy, Tektite, Tempest, The, Tie, Torch, Tourmaline, Tower, Trick U - U V - Valiant, Valor, Venus, Verdant, Virtue, Vow W - Wanderer, Warm, Watcher, Wraith, Wyvern Y - Y Z - Zeppelin, Zircon, Zoisite, Zoom

Second options (total: 228)

A - a, able, abyss, al, ala, alarm, ana, arrow, ax, ay B - ba, badger. bard, baron, baroness, bearer, blight, bloom, bo, bravado, buddy, by C - ca, captain, ce, cha, challenger, chivalry, cie, circus, city, claw, co, coast, cone, conqueror, count, countess, covenant, creed, crucible, cy D - da, dauntless, day, dear, delight, dinosaur, do, doria, double, dryad, duchess, dy E - e, earl, ed, el, element, elf, elle, ember, energy, enigma, er, es, ess, est, et, ette, euphoria, eus, expedition, express, ey F - fable, flare, flip, forest, ful G - gallant, gargoyle, genie, giant, goblin H - heliodor, herald, hermit I - ia, ian, ic, ica, id, ille, im, ing, innocent, ios, is, ist, ite, ive, ix J - ja, jadeite, jar, jarl, jester, jinx, jolly, joust, justice K - karma, kelpie, ko L - la, lace, lance, laurel, let, ley, lizard, lot, loyalty M - maiden, malachite, max, minstrel, mir, mo, moose, mor, musing, my N - n, na, nephrite, ness, newt, nimbus, nixie, no, noble, nom, nougat, ny O - oath, on, one, or, oracle, os, ox, oz P - papaya, paradise, pegasus, pixie, pledge, polo, pony, potato, puff, puffin Q - questing R - ra, radiant, reindeer, rey, ria, rite, ro, ros, rover, ruler, ry S - s, sa, sacred, sage, serpent, shield, snap, soda, sorcerer, sorceress, squire, steed, stellar, sword T - ta, tale, talon, tango, tanzanite, teak, tech, teddy, thunder, tie, to, ton, tower, trick, trot, trotter, ty U - u, us, ute V - valiant, vixen, vow W - wanderer, warlock, well, west, wraith, wyrm, wyvern Y - ya, yo, yx Z - za, zircon, zo, zoisite, zoom, zy

[fuyuthefoxwriter]

What’s this a Team Red color Colab, how fabulous!!! we sadly didn’t get it done before the deadline (ha dead pun) but we still were so happy with how it turned out and decided to share it, I hope you all enjoy it as much as we enjoyed coloring it together

Ghostwriter and Cujo colored by me (aka @fuyuthefoxwriter )

Johnny 13 colored by @half-deadmagicperson

Ember and Background colored by @ectoblastfromthepast

Danny and tiny man Skulker colored by @echo-does-art

Technus colored by @brothebro

And last but not least spectra colored by @furiarossa

The amazing line art was made by @things-i-cannot-do-in-amitypark

[diamondshapedcat]

Unicorn HRT Diary - 1 year epilogue

One year ago I was trapped in every sense of the word. Stuck in the middle of nowhere, doing graveyard shifts, having no friends and residing in a body that felt more like a prison than a body.

Now I'm living in a city surrounded by all the wonders of life! A thriving community of animal people, opportunities I wouldn't have ever dreamed of and best of all the woman I love so so much who makes the best breakfast waffles ever!

It took a while but Comet found this cheap flat not too far from the train station where she works. Sure the noise of the night trains keeps us up sometimes but I don't care. I would choose to live in a dumpster as long as Comet was there with me. Nothing in this world is powerful enough to tear us apart and I'm so strong now that only the foolish would even dare think it now!

My Unicorn body is perfect now, Long horn with a silvery shimmer, fabulous locks to die for, Muscles huge enough to crush watermelons (A party trick Comet enjoys very much) and Hooves to keep me all grounded. In our room there's this big mirror that was one of the first things we bought for our new home. At first I wasn't sure why we needed it but I have to admit, seeing my reflection every day brings me a certain kind of euphoria that really resonates with my inner self. Comet loves it too, seeing the effects of 9 months fox juice working their magic. Is there such a thing as too floofy? If there is I don't want to know as fluffy hugs from her are the best (Then again everything from her is the best!)

Despite everything starting to settle down, the surprises keep coming. I recently got a package delivered to me from the lawyers sorting through my departed dad's stuff. I opened the door and I couldn't believe who was waiting for me on the other side. She was a bunny girl biker decked out in leathers who I had seen before a long time ago. In a different life. Somehow this bunny had appeared in my life again to give me another gift.

I think I spooked her out with the look on my face but once I explained everything she just opened up and started laughing at the serendipity of it all. Ember is her name and she runs her own motorbike courier service. It's something she started after getting turned away from too many jobs for being a bunny. I'll never forget the way she lit up when I said she was the inspiration that set me free!

The reason it had taken so long for this package to get to me was that with me changing my name and sleeping on sofas, I had dropped off the grid as far as the system was concerned. The postal service was chasing after a ghost of someone who didn't exist anymore. The package itself was just a small box containing a few photos, some legal documents, a old jacket and a letter.

''Dear (deadname)

I'm sorry for lashing out at you last night. I was drunk, I got angry and said some things without thinking them through. I attacked you at a time when you were weak and needed help. I went too far.

There's so much I don't understand and I don't want to lose you. I don't want my son to disappear and I'm scared that is what's happening right now. As a father I feel like I need to protect you from hurting yourself but if you really think this is the best path that you can take then I will do my best to support you. I'm going to make mistakes and you're going to have to be very patient with me but I want to do my best to help you. If you like maybe we could find someone to talk about this before you do something dangerous?

Dad''

That was the last thing he wrote before he died and I don't know what to feel about it. I can kinda tell he hoped to talk me out of it but a fumbled apology is still an apology even if he didn't really understand anything. Would he have made the effort to learn and support me or would he have fallen back on the twisted rhetoric of us destroying ourselves? Ever way I'll never know now. He's gone but he tried to say sorry and I guess that's the only part that really matters.

To end things on a happier note, Me and Comet were out shopping at an open air market recently and as we were packing things up I saw a cashier with this look in his eye. That look of being dissatisfied with life, looking for a way out of a invisible prison and longing for something he couldn't put his finger on. The same look that I had all those months ago.

I told him to let go of the fear and follow his dreams no matter what. He defintley perked up at that and I think I saw a little colour return to to his eyes as he started to realise what he was missing. Then a gust of wind cut through our conversation as a low flying red dragon swooped past us and I could very subtly hear the cashier whisper to themself 'I wish I could be like them'

Wonder what kind of beautiful beast he'll turn into?

END

Start/Prev

[fruitcoops]

Kindling & Embers

O'Knutzy Week Day 5 (HA!!): Camping (B4) and Borrowed (D4)! Characters belong to @lumosinlove, and one last massive thank-you to @oknutzyweek2023 for the most fabulous of fests <3

For more of this AU, check out First Burn and Spark ;)

TW for mentioned alcohol

Deft hands plucked two bottles from the picnic table; they hung loose for a moment’s hesitation, then vanished in the shadows as a figure turned away from the bonfire and began heading Leo’s way with startling purpose.

Sweet mother of fuck, Leo thought, dragging his eyes along lambswool lapels and porcelain wrists. He even looks delicious in denim.

Footsteps came to a soft halt in the blanket of pine needles. “Hi.”

“Hi.” Leo winced at his own breathlessness. His small t-shirt—perhaps too small, but he could take a bit of ribbing from Remus if it meant he got to pick up tonight—suddenly felt too warm. “Uh, hi.”

“Leo, right?”

“Knut.” He caught himself, and shook his head. “I mean—yes, I’m Leo. Leo Knut. Station Twelve.”

“Right.” A smile cracked over rose-petal lips like a firework. The bottles clinked lightly as they were transferred to one hand, the other held out in offer. “Finn O’Hara. Seventeen.”

“I know who you are,” Leo said through a smile, though he shook Finn’s hand. It was cool and long-fingered; the touch lingered at his wrist for a split second. His stomach plummeted. His heart soared.

Finn’s eyebrow arched in curious mischief. “Oh, do you?”

“We’ve met.”

Finn’s smile dropped. “Fuck, have we?”

“Yeah,” Leo laughed. Christ, who was he, a middle schooler with a crush? “The Christmas party?”

He was gifted reprieve from earnest, sparkling eyes when Finn glanced to the side, one canine tooth poking out as he bit his lip. His thumbpad traced a dewy bottlecap. Leo kind of wanted to stick it in his mouth. “The Christmas—” Finn’s gaze snapped to him. “Oh my god.”

“It’s fine—”

“Oh my god,” Finn repeated, raking a hand through his hair. “Yes, no, I remember you. God. Fuck. Sorry. About this and—yeah. Christmas.”

“I told you, it’s fine!”

Merry Christmas!

…hi?

Hi! Can I sit on your lap?

Leo had been so distracted by the teasing press of tongue to a pointy tooth that he had utterly forgotten about his dumb, ‘I-lost-a-bet’ costume.

Huh?

Santa, right? I’m Finn. Can I sit on your lap?

Finn’s blush looked just as magical in firelight as it had under twinkling false snowflakes. This time, though, it was more mortified than bold. “I…am so sorry,” he said with a shake of his head.

“Hey, no apologies.” Leo pushed him gently on the shoulder and immediately regretted it. Under the soft denim, Finn was fucking firm. Sneaky little firefighter. He half-wondered what else was hidden under adorable layers. “You were not the only person to ask me that.”

“That, I can believe,” Finn huffed. The tips of his ears went red. “Oh—sorry, that was out loud.”

Another laugh bubbled out of Leo. He should just start kicking his feet and twirling his hair at this rate. He took a shaky breath and nodded to the beers. “Got something for me?”

“What?” Finn glanced down, then gave a bit of a start. “Yeah, I—yeah. You didn’t have anything, so I figured you might…you know. Want something.”

A door, opening just a crack. Leo dove for it. “I do,” he said carefully, ducking his head with a small smile. Finn’s pretty eyes flickered over his face. He cracked the caps off the bottles in two quick motions and held one out—Leo let his pinky brush the curve of Finn’s fingers when he took it. “Thanks, Finn.”

Finn’s throat bobbed. “You can call me Harzy, if you want to.”

“That what your friends call you?”

“Mhmm.”

Leo hummed. Condensation cooled his burning palms. His pulse hammered with concerning speed. “I like your jacket. Very REI-chic. Ready to go camping in the Adirondacks.”

“My brother gave it to me.” Finn held his arm out. “I used to borrow it, like, every day in high school. The elbows and the cuffs are kind of fucked, see?”

Leo reached out—past the threadbare cuffs, past the patched sleeves, until he could take the woolly lapel in his hand. It was unbearably soft under his thumb, creamier than Finn’s freckled skin. He was close enough to risk a touch like this. An inch up and he’d know what that razor-sharp collarbone felt like. “Nah,” he said instead, forcing back the tremor in his voice. “Suits you.”

Maybe it was his imagination, but he thought he felt Finn sway toward him. “Hey,” Finn began. “Do you wanna take a walk?”

A smile fought its way onto Leo’s face. “Sure.”

“Sick.” Finn stuffed his hand in his pocket, grinning into the rim of his beer. “I really love these get-togethers, but the smoke gets to be a little much, y’know?”

“It is kind of ironic. Guess that’s the point.” Something clicked in Leo’s memory as they headed for the perimeter. “Y’all do wildfires, right?”

Finn, halfway through a swig, shook his head and swallowed. “Yeah, but just the regular for me. Seventeen’s a combo unit, since we’re way the fuck out there.”

“I was chatting with one of your guys at New Year’s.” Among other things. That night had been interesting, and Logan, even moreso. His glossy lashes still haunted Leo’s best dreams. “Guess there aren’t a lot of houses to burn in the yeehaw sector.”

“Right,” Finn snorted. “We’ve got a tight squad, though. You should visit sometime. We could use another set of hands.”

“I don’t pull people out of buildings, Harzy. I just stick ‘em back together.”

“And I bet you do a mighty fine job of it.”

“Are you making fun of me?”

“Maybe.” Finn’s face seemed to dance in the distant light of the fire. Sir, please put your freckles away.

Leo brought his beer to his lips to cover his smile. His trachea and esophagus were wound around each other, screaming without end. “Hm.”

“Come on,” Finn teased, nudging their shoulders together. “I gotta get a couple in to make up for Christmas.”

“I told you, I’m really not bothered, or offended, or anything.”

“Makes one of us.” Finn paused, then tilted his face toward the sky. It was dark enough to pick out a few stars if Leo squinted, but…he didn’t really want to look away from Finn. “Seriously, that was dumb and rude of me.” Finn’s voice was quieter than before, more serious. “I shouldn’t have flirted with you, and especially not like that.”

Leo’s trachea-esophagus pretzel constricted and sent words popping from his mouth like a bottle rocket. “You can flirt with me if you want.”

…fuck.

Finn’s brows had disappeared under his thick, floppy hair. Leo could see his wide eyes even in the near-total darkness of the woods. “Do you want me to?”

Jesus, please strike me with a convenient case of lockjaw.

Leo tested his jaw. No such luck.

“I—” He wondered if Finn knew Logan. A tight squad, and all that. He wondered if Logan had told anyone about New Year’s. About rough red brick leaving stains on the back of Leo’s coat for days. About so many almosts and panting pleases and hands desperate for something before the clock ran out. About pressing hot and close in the frigid bite of December-January until they heard the party start up again inside. Logan had fit against Leo’s body like a puzzle piece finding home, and took something with him when he left.

The wildfires were bad this year, burning out of control. Finn was here, under the silent stars. Finn was here, and Logan was not. Flushed pink against his borrowed jean jacket and watching Leo with concern and—and a little bit of hope.

“Yes, please,” Leo said quietly.

This smile was newer. Softer. Finn’s chin dipped; his blush was strawberry-pink and warm when Leo reached out to run his knuckles over it. He felt and heard Finn’s breath stutter.

“Finn…”

Finn was nodding before he could even ask, sliding an electric hand along Leo’s hip.

“Harzy,” Leo sighed into the first press of lips to his own. Finn made a questioning noise; Leo bit his smile into Finn’s lower lip. “Can I sit in your lap?”

[hithisiszooz]

so Ember Mclain is more her stage name in my au. Her actual name would be Ashley (Ash for short; her bandmates call her that a lot), her last name tho im torn between Amber or Burns (Burns for the pop culture ref of "Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains" the main characters name is Corinne Burns, can also be used as foreshadowing (??))

[oswincoleman]

The Jetty reviews!

Beware, some of these reviews contain spoilers! I will highlight some non-spoiler parts of the reviews here though.

Soundsphere magazine: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The newest BBC One series ‘The Jetty’, which is full of shocks, twists, and more turns than you can shake a stick at, will immediately grab your attention and won’t let go until the credits of the final episode roll.

It’s safe to say, from the opening few scenes, The Jetty is an outstanding piece of cinematography!  The beautiful lakes of West Yorkshire are almost characters themselves, from their haunting stillness to their choppy and aggressive waves.  The metaphor never seems lost with this series.

With a stellar cast helmed by the ever-brilliant BAFTA and Emmy Award nominated Jenna Coleman (The Wilderness, Doctor Who) as recently widowed and single mother, Detective Ember Manning as she investigates a fire in a small town in Lancashire

Coleman shines as Ember, just as she does in almost all of her dramatic roles, she plays grief in a new light and as the case rears its head, Coleman just goes to prove she really is one of the best actresses of our generation.

Inews: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The ever-reliable Jenna Coleman is the glue that holds the series together, but it’s these flashes into the past where the drama really comes to life. 

Amid the tennis and the football and Glastonbury taking up the schedules recently, TV has been crying out for a series like The Jetty – one the entire nation can really get stuck into and chat about at work the next day. I can’t remember the last time a BBC crime series gripped me this much.

The Standard: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Jetty is a complex series, and Coleman carries it beautifully; whether she’s doggedly interviewing suspects or breaking down at home, she’s never less than magnetic. The police case is just the start of the story, really: what the show is really about is power, and how power can be abused, especially in relationships between young girls and older men.

The setting is also a stroke of genius. The picturesque lake acts as the focal point of all the action, veering from pretty to ominous as it laps at the titular jetty of Mack’s boathouse, hiding both secrets and bodies. The end result can be unbearably tense at times, but the show also offers flickers of light in the form of Ember’s relationships with her nearest and dearest.

It’s a welcome breath of fresh air in a series that spotlights and celebrates women – as well as pointing out the dangers of being a young girl in a world where men lurk in the shadows. It’s a message that feels all too relevant today; the show doesn’t offer any easy answers, but the end result is electric.

The Guardian: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Jenna Coleman stars in a very good thriller that evolves into a dark, funny and moving look at how women navigate the brutally male world. It’s better than you would ever expect … especially after that opening

The Times: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/the-jetty-review-a-thoughtful-metoo-thriller-with-a-smart-twist-cx3z2z2zm

Still, it is an impressively mature and engaging role for Coleman. Her dry put-downs of her sidekick Hitch (Archie Renaux) were neatly done, showing that sexism operates on many levels, big and small, conscious and unconscious. Sometimes it can just be a thoughtless remark. And Jones was also careful to show that toxicity in this community wasn’t entirely male. 

Horse pleasuring aside, it also looks fabulous: breathtaking winter sunsets, the lovely lake glinting in the sharp grey light serving as an emblem for all the murkiness that lies beneath the surface of what shapes into a carefully calibrated four-parter. Too many dramas seem to voyeuristically revel in the terrifying threats that women and girls face. This shows what can be done about it.

What to Watch:

The Jetty should come with a warning because this new thriller is about to become your next TV obsession. 

I hope you haven't got much on for the next few days, because you are going to be busy watching Jenna Coleman in her latest thriller - and her first-ever role as a police detective.

I have always been a big Jenna fan, right from her early career as Jasmine Thomas in Emmerdale back in 2005. Since then the British star has spent almost two decades in film and television starring in huge shows like Doctor Who, Victoria, The Serpent and more recently her gripping Prime Video thriller, Wilderness (another show you really have to check out of you haven't already - you won't regret it!).

But somehow The Jetty feels different. While Jenna is very familiar with taking on lead roles in huge TV shows, this four-part thriller marks her first role as a TV detective.

So if you do one thing this week, set aside four hours to yourself and watch The Jetty - this is a show that everyone is going to be talking about. 

Stylist

The new BBC miniseries stars Jenna Coleman in a magnetic, layered turn as Detective Ember Manning, a whip-smart, no-nonsense police officer in Lancaster. After the old yacht club, now a showy holiday home, is burned down, Ember’s investigations lead her back to the cold case of Amy Knightly, a local teen who went missing 17 years ago. As her investigations continue, Ember is faced with the disturbing possibility that her late husband, Mac, may have been involved in the girl’s disappearance. To give away much more would spoil the delightfully twisty-turny plot that ensues, but suffice it to say, this show offers up a truly gripping crime story. 

But what makes The Jetty a true work of nuance is that it refuses to be overcome by the very real darkness it is portraying – as such, it feels quietly, doggedly brave. Instead of succumbing to doom, gloom and victimhood, it is littered with moments that capture the vast array of experiences of womanhood. Some particularly lovely moments of release include Ember and Hannah belting out KT Tunstall’s Suddenly I See in the car and, later, dancing wildly to The Killers’ When You Were Young. Being a woman in the world is still profoundly dangerous, but it is also filled with elation, joy, friendship, silliness and hope. The Jetty may seem like your average nail-biting detective thriller, but below the surface, it has surprisingly poetic depths.

Financial Times: ⭐⭐⭐