#Never trust a hew

[cyarskaren52]

Hi my name is Karen and I’m not a hewish girl who can’t stand black excellence so Girl FQ you!!!!

[cyarskj1899]

https://twitter.com/NYPoliticalMom/status/1743353672795304024

I am forever mad at the ytw demographic. They have the power to stop these shit policies going into effect in states. They have the power to keep white supremacy out of the WH. How do they use that energy instead? Fight over fucking Stanley fucking CUPS. Hews are just like some black men in America : always a disappointment and a weak link in the chain (not a racist comment btw just a play on the phrase a team is as good as its weakest link)

White womenfolk never cease to amaze us with why they are called HEWS!

I don’t gaf about a Stanley cup, fight for equality instead. The Stanley cups will probably still be here, but your rights probably won’t

Sidenote : I’m also not knocking the Stanley cups either and if you want one for your birthday, anniversary , Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, heck you want it because you want it good for you.

[mythicmanuscripts]

need sweet baby sub!jace crying while you ride him pretty pretty please, all doe eyed and whimpery and grabby and pleading <3

Anon you get it, you absolutely get it. Truly a visionary anon this is so so so good.

Soft, NSFW sub!Jace under the cut :))

So firstly, I love how we're all in agreement that the moment things get heated with Jace he just turns into the sweetest little thing? He loses any and all confidence and just turn kinda melts into you, communicating mostly through little whines and trusting you to make him feel good.

He'll be confident and bold leading up to it. But then the bedroom door closes and you kiss him properly and then he's just done for, cause he knows now that he doesn't need to try and be put together because you've got him.

One of your favourite things to do is to kiss Jace silly and then ask him what he wants. The poor thing has no idea what to say or what to do! He can't think! You can't make him think, how dare you??

"Come on," you'll say, kissing his jaw before you continue and say, "what do you want? Mm, how can I help you?"

He whines in frustration and clings to you, trying to get his head to work well enough to speak. Eventually he'll manage to say 'you' and then you tease him even more, telling him that you're right here, so he has everything he wants then, right?

Before he can respond, you let your hand gently graze his crotch and then there's absolutely zero chance of him responding. He's completely done then, zero words in his cute little head, absolutely none.

You decide you want to ride him, so you tell him that he can prep you and eat you out. The moment you say that he's instantly trying to get your underclothes off cause he wants to do it!! He absolutely loves eating you out, you can't just say that and then not allow him to immediately do it.

He's so happy as he gets to eat you out, literally whining you because this is quite possibly his favourite thing to do ever.

You have to tug at his hair to get him to stop, and he's all whiney and glossy eyed, not wanting to stop. But of course he listens and then lets you position him however you want.

When you slowly sink down on his cock, the whine he lets out is fucking sinful. You stay sitting for a moment, adjusting to the feeling while Jace just whines and pants, trying to get used to the feeling even though you both know he'll never get used to this.

He throws his head back and grips your hips, trying desperately to calm down. You gently take his chin with your hand and make him look at you. You kiss him and then slowly rise up and sink back down.

Jace is an absolute mess from the start, and he's pretty much absolutely useless. You can use his body however you want, but he's certainly not going to be much help. He can't even string a sentence together nevermind managing to match a rhythm by bucking his hips up.

But that's more than okay. He more than makes up for it just by the absolutely insane view you get. His whole face and chest are flushed, tears gathering in his eyes as he lets out a near constant flow of little whines and moans. He just gets so overwhelmed that all he can do is desperately try to keep himself together as best he can.

I love the idea that he gets all grabby? He has no idea where to put his hands! He wants to touch you absolutely everywhere but he only has two hands. If you move his hands somewhere, then he will do his very best to keep them there because he would never ever want to disobey you.

But if you don't? Then his hands are constantly moving, from your hips to your waist to your thighs to your breast and tummy and just anywhere he can reach. And he's so gentle with it? Every single touch is like he's afraid you'll break, just the most gentle little strokes until hew starts to get close, then he'll end up gripping your hips or thighs as he tries to hold on.

As he gets close, the tears that were gathering in his eyes start to fall, and that's how you know he's very close to the end of his rope.

You cup his cheek with your hand, wiping his tears away from your thumb and then before you can move your hand, he turns his head and takes your thumb into his mouth. He sucks on his gently, whining when you move your hand and trying to chase it.

He's never done that before, but fuck if it wasn't so hot and also just so so sweet.

"You want so suck on something?" you ask him gently, smirking when he whines and nods and opens his mouth.

And well, who are you to deny him? Maybe, just to make him go absolutely insane, you move your hand down to touch yourself and then let Jace suck on two of your fingers so he can taste you.

Which... he comes pretty much instantly but that's exactly what you expected.

Once you've been with Jace for a while, you start to enjoy staying sitting on him for a little longer after he's cum just to watch him squirm and whine and start to get overstimulated. Jace used to hate that when he was on his own, but with you it can be nice? Cause you wipe his teats away and hold him close and when you do get of him, he knows you'll immediately pull him into your arms and let him recover.

So in conclusion, yup he is a mess and it is so so very attractive.

(Sidenote: I think Jace would lose if you lead him around by his waist?? His mind just immediately turns off and if you don't start kissing him soon then he will start pouting and begging)

[lazytitans-world]

Wish re watch thoughts

Having not watched Wish since it came out in theaters in November of 2023 and going down the rabbit hole of abandoned concepts and re-writes in the months leading up to Wish dropping on Disney+ I can now give Wish a re watch and share my thoughts on it. Now keep in mind I am coming at this movie from many angles. On one hand, I want to watch this with a new frame of mind to give it a chance to see if any of my thoughts on the movie have changed. On the other side is my inner "WE COULD HAVE HAD A STARBOY!" fandom side of me looking to see if any of the scrapped concepts could have worked in the movie we got and to see if any traces of those concepts were left behind. But no more waitng, no more writing fanfics, its time to re-watch Wish

• Starting off with the classic story book opening I felt was a great touch as it harkens back to classic Disney animated movies like Snow White, Pinnochio and Sword in the Stone.

• So why was Asha being so secretive to her family about her interview for Magnifico's apprenticeship? That feels like something major to tell your family. Even Asha's friends know about it. It could be Asha wanted to surprise them, I guess.

• Hot take: Welcome to Rosas is not that bad of a song, it's got a catchy beat and introduces us to the kingdom, Magnifico, and the wishes.

• The scene where Asha and her friends discuss her interview does have Asha doing typical "quirky Disney girl" behavior but at the same time she is a teen about to have an interview for what may be one of the most sought-after jobs in the kingdom, I'd be acting weird to if I was her age and in her position.

• We get some hints of Magnifico's jerk personality as he somewhat dismisses Asha's drawings when she shows it to him. The line is "Do we call that a talent?"

• Magnifico mentioning how he knew of Asha's father and how her dad talked about the stars is an interesting given how everything turns out but for one, this is NEVER BROUGHT UP AGAIN and two, this feels like a leftover of one of the deleted scenes from Wish where Magnifico wanted to harness a stars power but was never powerful enough to do so.

• Oh "At All Costs", how you sparked a fandom when you had no intention of doing so.

• In context of the movie, At All Costs does work as it shows that Magnifico's and Asha's feelings on the wishes. Magnifico holding on too his past trauma and feeling that HE and only HE can protect these sacred things while Asha is more drawn to the person AND their wishes, notably her Saba's wish.

• Opinion time: If we were to have Starboy and a romance, the demo version of At All Costs should have been a reprise, just with the word love instead of promise, showing how Star and Asha's relationship has grown and deepened. It would be a lot like "I See the Light" from Tangled, taking place before the climax.

• It makes a little sense why Magnifico rejected Asha's application since after singing "At All Costs" he sees her drawn to the Wishes and some even being drawn to her as the wish orbs now have a purple hew instead of blue hew like the color of Magnifico's cape to them to match Asha's dress. Magnifico has worries that someone will use the power for personal, and in his mind "selfish" reasons, plus his trauma from his village being destroyed makes him warry of who to trust.

• So what happens to a person's wish if they die? Does it just disappear?

• So that whole opinion of "Asha wants Magnifico to grant everyone's wish" WRONG! Asha wants Magnifico to give wishes back to those who have given theirs away long ago and let the people pursue their own wishes.

• Magnifico's tease that he might grant Sabino's wish is petty and I like it as he starts by saying a name starting with Sa before saying another person's name. That is petty stuff right there.

•If you are aware of the original concept art and the many changes Wish went through during production, it is obvious that Amaya, Star and Sabino got their characters changed, and in the case of some, completely neutered.

• I like Ariana Deboise and Chris Pine as Asha and Magnifico respectively.

• "This Wish" is ok and is mostly carried by Araina's strong vocal range.

• Star's arrival has where my inner fandom is screaming "honey get ready, you've got a big storm coming"

• "Can light be loving?" according to the many re-writes I've read, yes Asha, yes it can.

• Opinion time, again: I am in favor of the Starboy design seen in the concept art. Letting you know now since from this point on is about Star.

• I can totally see the human design of Star working in the introduction they have with Asha.

• I get why the creative team wanted Star to look that way, they wanted to do something different and that design screams "marketable plush"

• Once Valentino started talking and we go into "You're a Star", it all came back to me, that bad feeling. THIS IS WHAT I DID NOT LIKE ABOUT WISH. This part feels specifically aimed at children or at most feels too "cutesy". This, in my opinion, where people turned on Wish.

• Getting back to the Star Boy design, "You're a Star" could have worked as a way of Star showing off their powers, as well as them crushing on Asha. "You know you're a work of art" - Imagine Star Boy blushing as that is being said while looking at Asha, this writes itself.

• Look, I like Alan Tudyk, he can be funny if given witty and sarcastic dialogue and I know he has been a fixture in Disney movies for a while, but they gave him nothing to work with for this. This is not an obligation, more like a reward gone wrong. I am glad that Alan got a more prominent role, but I just thought it should have been something better.

• Another major criticism I've seen is that Magnifico's down fall is just him being controlled by a book when really it is more complicated than that. I akin it to Anakin Skywalker falling to the dark side as in it's not just the teachings that cause someone to go down the path of darkness, it's the feelings and desires of the one learning. Magnifico, at the point of the movie is paranoid and afraid that someone or something is here to take away his powers, threaten his power status, and destroy his kingdom that he works hard to protect in his own way. So it is not just the book doing it but the powers of the book mixed with his own fear, anger, trauma and other negative emotions that cause him to fall to darkness. Hate leads to anger, anger leads to

fear, fear leads to suffering.

•I totally forgot the Simon actually sees and interacts with Star before his betrayal. Star hands him a heart after he says he has forgotten what we wished for and when I first saw this I thought it meant that he had a crush on someone, maybe Asha but after seeing the movie it was just Star trying to be nice to Simon. Which in turn makes Simon's turn even more strange.

•I understand why people would think Asha was selfish in going for her family's wishes first when freeing them but my head cannon is that freeing all of them at once would be too big of scene and she wants to prove to Sabino that his wish is worth granting. However, Magnifico would notice that some wishes are missing and would put two and two together so this plan was not thought out to much but hey she is only 18 and she just met a magic star that can help her so I think her thinking clearly is not to much of an issue.

• "This is Thanks I Get" starts off odd as no one brought up the mirror thing in the scene where the citizens question Magnifico. But the song itself is to show that though Magnifico shows that he cares about the citizens of Rosas and their safety, he would rather have someone else help them then get involved himself and still wanting praise even though he does not really do much for the kingdom outside of granting wishes. The song also is to show that Magnifico is now going down the path of darkness due to his own insecurities and ego. Chris Pine does a great job with the song as he becomes more unhinged in every chorus.

• THERE IS NO SCENE WHERE SAKINA AND SABINO MEET STAR AND TALKING VALENTINO WTH!!! It jumps right to Asha giving Sabino his wish back, no lead in or setup.

•Then we go right to Magnifico breaking into Asha's house after being told she brought down the star. Again, there was no setup or lead in, it just happened.

•We don't even get to see Asha's mom's wish before Magnifico crushes it. It would have added more to the emotion of the scene to see what her wish was just as Magnifico destroyed it. This also shown to be the first time Magnifico has ever destroyed a wish. I chalk this up to his new powers influencing him to destroy it.

• Sabino mentions as they escape that Asha's father would be disheartened to see what Magnifico has done, implying that the father was a believer of Magnifico.

• Star holding Asha's chin as she blames herself for everything again makes me yearn for the Star Boy design.

• Magnifico having a hidden evil lair beneath his royal study is symbolism 101 but nice to see.

• Fun detail: When Magnifico grants Simon's wish, he uses the spear he made from forbidden magic and that in turns corrupts Simon's wish and thus Simon himself. We see instead of the usual blue, pink or other colors used to represent Magnifico's magic its is now the green evil magic, symbolizing that Simon's wish, though granted, is now corrupted as well.

• Simon turning on his friends is shown more as an effect of the forbidden magic Magnifico used.

• How do you have a wanted poster of Asha and not make a "they got my nose wrong" joke from Tangled.

• "My butt found it" - see this is why a lot of people thought this movie was written by AI.

•"Introverts need sanctuary too" - Hell yeah Bazeema

•"What I Know Now" is another decent song as I am a sucker for drum breaks and enjoy the revolutionary feel behind it.

• Apparently, to avoid corruption by the book of forbidden magic you have to wash your hands with obsidian oil before using the book. So to avoiding evil basically comes down to washing your hands, gee you think this movie was made during a pandemic or something. Overall, pretty lame way to defeat evil.

•The rule is "embrace forbidden magic once and you commit to it for eternity". I find it hard to believe that no one has tried to save someone corrupted by this forbidden magic before this.

• I notice that the more obvious Disney call backs happen at the last third of the movie. Before it was subtle but now it is super obvious.

• If we were not going to get a reprise of "At All Costs" then "This Wish" would make sense as it shows the kingdom getting behind Asha and standing up to Magnifico themselves. It is a decent song for what it needs to be.

•Again, I can't help thinking about Star's human design as they are sucked into Magnifico's staff. Imagine them taking one last glance at Asha before being sucked in to the staff, some good romantic build there.

• Simon's betrayal came down to him wanting to feel whole again after giving up his wish and essentially making a deal with the devil to make that happen. I get that people saw him differently and he would want to change that but how he acted with Asha and the others before Magnifico told the kingdom about the light and its apparent danger still made his turn feel off, we needed to see Simon struggle with how he feels and how others see him for it to make sense.

•So Star did not go back to the sky at the end, which does leave the door open for other adventures with Asha and others. Maybe star could turn human at the end (LOOK LET ME DREAM!)

Overall my thoughts on Wish have not really changed since I first viewed it. The movie is passable, a 6 or seven out of 10, a C+ to B grade. The animation is good, the story is fine and the characters do not bother me too much.

But for a movie that is supposed to represent 100 years of Disney animation, one of the most influential studios of all time, it is not wrong to say that we should have gotten more. This movie is missing one thing, that special sauce to put it over the top. It could've been a romance with a human looking Star, it could have been Amaya and Magnifico being a villainous couple, it could have been anything. Wish just needed that extra something to push past some of the pacing and story beats that drag it down such as the bad jokes and odd pacing. Maybe a better relationship between Asha and Star would be glue that held the movie together as most previous Disney film always had that main duo that kept you interested but Asha and this version of Star just don't click like a Moana and Maui or Anna and Elsa did.

I would give it a recommendation now that it is on streaming for an affordable price plus it does come with the deleted scenes and bonus materials. It's also clear to see that the team behind it was passionate about making this the best it could be and I applaud the team for that idea. I know others are going after them for not going through with certain concepts, but I think they did an okay job with what they had.

So yes I like Wish, it's not my favorite Disney movie but it's one I would not mind watching again and understand if it's someone's favorite. Hopefully the initial negativity towards the movie dies down and people actually give it a chance.

[animatorweirdo]

When the Dragons Fly (Book 3)

Maedhros nearly believed he had caused your deaths. You and your host finally leave for the mountains. However, someone important is not coming along.

[] = High Valyrian

Chapter 3

Warnings: mentions of dead characters, Nirnaeth Arnoediad, angst, Maedhros is sad, destroyed village, everything is burned, some hope in the heart, leaving, someone not coming along, Aelon and his friends being sad.

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

The sky was grey, and the land lay lifeless and scorched, further ravaged by the war that had taken place upon its surface. At the heart of the battlefield stood a large hill, erected by the orcs who had gathered the bodies of elves, men, and dwarves, piling them high to form what had come to be known as Haudh-en-Nirnaeth, or the Hill of the Slain. The crows were feasting on whatever was left on the bodies, and the wind blew on the banners that were torn and stained with blood. 

Kneeling against the yellowed grass, Maedhros stared at the hill with a heavy heart, thinking of all the dead who died on the battlefield, killed because of his cause and union. 

In his hands, he held the blue cloak and the broken blade. All he could recover from his dear friend, whom the balrogs had hewed beyond recognition. 

Questions haunted his mind as he continued staring at the battlefield. 

How could he have let this happen? 

How could he bring so many people to die? 

Why did he fail so spectacularly? 

The defeat was so great that he had to abandon his own fortress Himring as he had lost too many people to be able to defend it. He could barely even stand, holding onto what was left of his cousin. His eyes stared at the haunting hill that could be seen miles away. 

“Maedhros…” Maglor started as he had come with him with a couple of others. 

Maedhros did not react or answer to his brother in any way. He continued staring at the hill like a statue. At that moment, he did feel like a statue, unable to move and take his eyes off the very thing he had helped create with all the people who trusted him and believed could bring victory. How could he have been such a fool? 

“We need to go. It’s not safe for us to stay here for too long,” Maglor explained quietly. 

“How did it come to this?” Maedhros uttered. 

“I thought I planned everything right…” he said. 

“I thought we had a chance…” he continued

“If I had not come up with this then maybe Fingon would have…” Maedhros uttered, looking down at the bloodied blue cloak in his hand. 

Maglor looked at his brother sympathetically. 

“Don’t blame yourself. Morgoth’s schemes know no bounds, and we only lost many because of the Easterlings and their betrayal,” Maglor stated.

“But all of them still died because of my idea. I am responsible for all of this,” Maedhros said. 

“I am responsible for my best friend’s death,” he said as the tears finally forced their way out of his eyes, dropping to the ground and the cloak in his hands.  

“Oh Maedhros…” Maglor looked at him with pity as Maedhros wept quietly.

Maedhros cried in anguish, remembering his friend’s smile and noble deeds. Even the deed when his friend saved him from Morgoth and returned him to his kin, a deed he was never able to repay. 

Maedhros then looked toward the mountains near Himring, toward the land where your village should be.

His heart ached at the thought of your village being attacked, but since it had only been a few days since the battle. There was still a chance your home had managed to stay hidden and be untouched by the orcs that continued expanding all over the north. 

He dried his tears and picked himself up, carrying the cloak and the broken blade in his arms. 

“Maglor. There is a place we need to go before we leave,” he stated as he approached his horse Bathor, who he had left in Himring before the battle. 

“Of course. But where?” Maglor questioned as he followed him. 

“I tell you later. If we go now. There is a chance they’re still safe,” Maedhros answered, unable to think of anything else than to get to your village. 

Maedhros rode to your village with his brother and guards as quickly as possible. He had the path to your home memorized so the ride didn’t take any valuable time. However, he was then devastated when he found your village burned to ashes and there was no sight of you or Aelon. 

“No…” Maedhros uttered as his eyes darted around the village, looking through all the burned bodies and houses. 

“Let me guess. This was your special place. And there was a special someone?” Maglor questioned sorrowfully as Maedhros looked at your house, finding it ruined and ravaged by the fire that had burned it to the ground. 

It was like the blood within his veins had turned frozen cold as he fearfully looked around for your and Aelon’s bodies. His heart felt like it was being stabbed with a blazing knife as he began to believe he was the indirect cause of the destruction around him and possibly your and Aelon’s death.

You and Aelon were capable fighters, but even you two would not have a chance against hoards of orcs. 

“Maedhros. Look there,” Maglor gently nudged him and pointed toward several footsteps. 

“Those seem like the footsteps of those who lived here. There is a chance that they made it out before the attack,” Maglor explained as the two stared at the footprints that led to the woods. 

Maedhros stared at the several footsteps. His heart was momentarily lifted. He could not find any bodies so there was a chance you two made it out, but now he could not help but ponder and dread where you two could have gone.  

“I find it strange though,” Maglor stated as he looked at the scorched ground. 

"There are a lot more dead orcs and wargs here. Some had been killed with arrows so the villagers most likely fought back, but the rest had been burned to death,” he said, staring at the ashened corpses.

“And it’s not just them. The grass, the trees, the houses, and everything had been burned,” he continued. 

“What exactly happened here?” Maglor questioned. 

Maedhros took notice of the unusual burns around the village, but his mind was still filled with the thoughts of you and Aelon. 

“But let’s have hope, your friend here made it out and is on their way to south,” Maglor looked toward Maedhros. 

“We need to get going. We can’t stay here,” he stated and Maedhros slowly nodded. 

Maglor turned his horse around and Maedhros shared one last glance toward your burned house. 

“(Name), Aelon, forgive me…” he uttered then rode after his brother. 

As morning rose over the hills, you and Baelen began preparing your people for the journey through the mountains. Helena and her family assisted most of the people in packing their belongings, while Eda and Dwenn loaded the wagon with supplies. Surprisingly, even Figwitt was ready to join you with Greeny.

To your relief, the last surviving Watchmen decided to join you instead. In their eyes, you were a capable leader and despite your secrets, they wished to follow you. And Rodrick had managed to convince his mother, who felt skeptical toward your dragons to join you.

You and Baelen reviewed the map. You were explaining to him the road and helping him memorize it until someone caught your attention. 

“Lady (Name). Chief Baelen,” someone said. 

You two looked up and to your surprise, it was Lady Deanna and her people. 

“Do you have room for me and my people for this journey?” she asked with her people behind her. 

“Chief Deanna. Of course. You are very welcome to join us,” you said with genuine surprise as the chief had not decided who to choose in the meeting. 

“That’s a relief,” Deanna smiled. 

“I’ve decided that your plan makes more sense than Horren’s, and if Chief Baelen is willing to put his trust in you, then I can as well. I want my son and people to get out of the north as safely as possible as I had lost many during the ambush in the pass,” she said.  

“I will give you my word that I will try anything I can to ensure your and your people’s safety,” you said, and she nodded. 

You surveyed the people who were coming with you. There had been many more until the ambush reduced their numbers drastically. Combined with yours, Baelen’s, and Deanna’s people, your host barely consisted of fifty individuals. Nevertheless, it was better than you had initially expected. It was unfortunate that so many more had decided to join Horren’s host instead. 

“Have your people already made preparations?” you asked. 

“Yes.” Deanna nodded. 

“Then I guess we are ready to leave now. Tell your people to start the journey through the mountains,” you said to Baelen and then all of you began leaving. 

Aelon was helping Eweniel and Helena’s family pack the rest of the items to Dwenn’s wagon. “Is that everything you have?” Helena asked. 

“That should be it,” Eweniel said, then looked toward Aelon. 

“What about your things?” she asked. 

“I will be flying on Falconer. (Name) said I will need to scout the road ahead from the air. To watch out for enemies, “ Aelon explained. 

Aelon then noticed Ramuel, who was not packing or doing anything. Aelon frowned as his friend and his family looked like they were going elsewhere. 

“Ramuel!” Aelon called out. Eweniel and Rodrick looked toward their friend as Ramuel looked back. 

“Are you not coming with us?” Aelon asked. 

Ramuel seemed to hesitate. “No… My parents said it would be best for us to stay with the bigger host,” he finally answered. 

Aelon’s eyes widened. “But they’re going to the dangerous path. Please! Come with us!” he said as they looked at their friend. 

“I wish but… my mom doesn’t really trust your dragons,” Ramuel answered then looked at Smoke, who looked confused and whined at him. The dragon stepped toward him. 

“No. Smoke. You can’t come with me,” Ramuel gently petted the dragon. 

“I’m sorry…” he uttered, and Smoke only looked more confused. 

Ramuel’s mother then walked over to him. 

“Ramuel. Come on now, and do not touch that beast. You do not know where that thing had been,” she said. 

“He’s not a thing. His name is Smoke,” Ramuel mumbled. 

“I do not care what the name of that thing is. Now come along. We need to get going,” his mother said, glaring at the dragon. 

Ramuel then looked toward Smoke and his friends. 

“Goodbye… I wish you good luck,” he said, leaving with his mother. 

Smoke whined, intending to follow him. Aelon sighed, looking away before looking at Smoke. 

“[Come here, Smoke!]” Aelon called out. 

Smoke hesitated, looking back at him and then at Ramuel. 

“[Come here now!]” Aelon said more strictly and the dragon finally obeyed, running up to him and his siblings. 

Aelon, Eweniel, and Rodrick then stood among themselves. Their faces heavy as they wondered about their predicament. 

“We already lost one friend. Do we have to lose another?” Eweniel questioned. 

“Well, there’s nothing we can do now,” Aelon said. 

“Let’s get going. I need to get on Falconer,” he said as he returned to Falconer. 

Your group finally managed to pack everything, and with you, Baelen, and Deanna leading the way, you began walking up the road through the mountains. Aelon climbed onto Falconer and, with a command, soared into the sky, flying ahead and keeping watch from above.

As he flew, Aelon glanced back at the parting host going another way, feeling a heavy heart as he saw one of his friends among them. Despite his inner turmoil, he pushed his emotions aside and focused on his task as your host began its journey through the mountains.

Taglist: @natchayaphorn@kimnamnu@thatrandomidiot182 @springfountain @maedhrosiseverything2me

[utilitycaster]

Hi! This might be a bit of a weird ask (and a rambly one - sorry!) but you're one of the most level-headed and rational fandom members I know and I might need you to slap some sense into me, so to speak, especially considering you've been vocally critical of Marisha's choices for Laudna before. Now I loved the episode and the inner-party conflict in this episode. It was so fun and investing and tbh I've never been as interested in Laudna as a character as during last episode (she just doesn't work for me on several levels) and I do think Marisha did a stellar job RP wise. But something grated against my nerves about how she said OOC that Laudna hasn't lied. Because Laudna has lied. By omission, deflection or otherwise. It cannot all be attributed to Delilah being the pushing force of that. And I feel weird about Marisha (afaik) not acknowledging that. If she said "Laudna feels like she hasn't lied" it would probably be different but the "I still maintain: Laudna hasn't lied. It wasn't Laudna." at the end of the episode after Laura calls Laudna out for the direct lie about the harness feels kinda trying-to-have-my-cake-and-eat-it-too in this regard. I know that Marisha can make decisions that I don't gel with and make characters that can get under my skin in specific ways (and I enjoy that about her!) but idk maybe I have difficulties putting my trust in her with this because I didn't like a lot of her choices for Laudna so far. Anyway. Maybe I just need to hear from you that I'm being stupid about this and that Marisha is going to handle this in a differentiated way. (also highly unrelated but to end on a more positive note I'm excited for you to catch up on fhjy!)

Hey anon! Thank you for all the kind words, and good news! On CR Cooldown Marisha does clarify she means this as "Laudna is not lying because, whether or not it is correct, this is what she believes". I'm going to talk more below, but hopefully that helps.

For what it's worth, I tend to not put a huge amount of emphasis on things the cast says OOC as compared to what's happening in game, for a number of reasons, and advise others do the same. I think it's really easy for those statements to become outdated or outright contradict the text (remember when people kept bringing up Laura on like, one of the first 4SD episodes saying Imogen tries not to read people's minds and it's like. ok but in canon, she does this ALL the time so this is a useless argument?), the cast is working off more information than we are slash might deliberately be hiding info from each other, and also anything said right after they break is often a really emotional statement that they, as Marisha did here, will immediately either clarify or recant after a few minutes to, well, cool down.

The lies of omission thing is also incredibly rich as a source of conflict here, particularly between Imogen and Laudna, which, as someone who's been very frustrated with a lack of conflict on that front, is very exciting. What happens when you have someone who, in classic warlock fashion, hews to the law of lying (I didn't say anything literally false!) and not the spirit (lying by omission that Delilah was the cause) and who also makes promises she's unable to keep; and she's in a relationship with someone who is exceptionally sensitive to lies by omission, lying in general, and kind of has trouble with people simply not revealing their true intentions? I think Laudna is so suggestible that she's a liability, and the party just found out, and that's the dangerous thing - if she were malicious and lying maybe they could pick it up and this would have an easy fix, but she really does believe it will be different this time and Delilah isn't misleading her for power (Delilah is 100% misleading her for power), and that makes it much more complicated. It's very juicy.

[sotwk]

Breathe (Boromir x unnamed OC)

Summary: You have harbored a deep, secret crush on Boromir for years, and have now been asked by him to dance.

Word count: 1.5k

Content: Romance, pining, yearning, longing (you get the point) Regency-inspired dance, fluff, started as a drabble but got way out of hand

Warnings: None

To Read on AO3: Link

A/N: This was supposed to be a Dance of Romance + Scars from @fellowshipofthefics’s January Trope Roulette, but the “Scars” part just never came out. Whoopsie. I guess I can’t claim credit for fulfilling the challenge, but FotF can claim credit for providing the prompt!

Update: This one-shot has been formally upgraded to the prologue of a multi-chapter Boromir x OC fic. More to follow soon!

Dedication: For @scyllas-revenge, a fellow Boromir stan whose talent I admire. My first ever Boromir fic is just a small thank you for being a cheerleader to me and other writers.

Divider credit: @firefly-graphicsphics

Breathe

Third Age 3008

Minas Tirith, Gondor

“I cannot breathe,” you whimpered to Anarlas, grasping at the sleeve of his tunic as he guided you from the edges of the crowd towards the center of the Great Hall. 

But your brother knew you too well and merely chuckled at your dramatics. “That is a bit problematic, given that a good air supply is necessary for dancing." He felt you pull back in resistance and stopped to examine you closely. "Do you really not wish to do this?" he asked softly. "Should I not have accepted the invitation on your behalf?" 

You stared up at him, wide-eyed as you struggled to process the last two minutes. One moment you were puttering back and forth aimlessly behind the pillars, content at the fringes of all the merrymaking, with just a cup of wine and your daydreams for company. All of a sudden Anarlas appeared and asked you to come with him, which you did in full trust…until he started to lead you into the noise and commotion instead of saving you from it, dashing your hope that he had decided to go home early, as you had implored for from the start. 

"There must be some mistake," you stammered. "Perhaps you heard him incorrectly." 

"The Captain was clear about his request. He could not have spoken more plainly: ‘Might I ask your sister for a dance?’.” Anarlas squeezed your arm and grinned. “And since he knows well that I have only one sister, there can be no mistake.”

You bit your lip before you could blurt out a ridiculous argument, that you still believed it possible Lord Boromir had you confused with some other woman. What other explanation could there be for him asking for you? On the evening of a kingdom-wide celebration, when every fair lady in Gondor was clamoring to gain even just a few moments of his attention? Who were you? Just a produce vendor with your own little stall in the lower markets of the White City. 

Your family, at least, was worthier of note. Your brother served directly under the Captain of the White Tower, and your father had been an even closer friend to him. He had trained the Steward’s young son in swordsmanship before falling in battle almost twenty years ago. You had been a mere infant then, still nursing at your mother’s breast. Then a few short years later on a particularly harsh winter, your mother succumbed to consumption, leaving you with Anarlas. 

Perhaps that was the logical explanation. Lord Boromir was granting you, a poor Gondorian orphan, this kindness in honor of your gallant father. Why he chose this particular occasion to do so, that was the greater mystery. 

Anarlas chucked you under the chin to call back your wandering mind. “You look beautiful,” he said gently. “If you ever wonder what Mother looked like, just find yourself a mirror.”

Hope bloomed inside your heart at his words, hewing through the shadows of anxiety and doubt. You wore her dress that evening, the finest article of clothing in your wardrobe, and had been delighted to discover you had finally grown up enough to match her womanly form and fill out the bodice properly. 

“If you refuse to believe in yourself, then believe in me,” your brother added firmly. 

Confusion knotted your brow, but before you could ask his meaning, someone cleared their throat behind you. 

“Forgive my interruption…”

You froze at the arrival of this voice, one you knew intimately despite having had barely any conversations with it. It was the light in the sweetest of your dreams, a sound you committed to memory, plucked from many years of brief and often stolen encounters. Public speeches, overheard conversations, and precious greetings from the incidental crossings of your paths. 

“My lord Boromir." You dipped into a curtsy, tightly clutching the skirts of your mother’s dress as you willed yourself to channel her reputed grace and poise. 

“My lady…” He bowed to you and spoke your name, ending all doubt of his familiarity. As it rolled off his tongue, the joy that thrilled inside you bolstered your meager courage.

Your mind had already sailed to the clouds and did not register whatever he else might have said or asked. But when he stretched out his hand for yours, instinct and years of pining took the place of thought and good sense, and you slipped your fingers over his, giving your consent. 

The crowd parted to give respectful berth to the Son of the Steward as he led his chosen partner to the dance floor. Boromir released your hand to take his place on the side of the men, leaving you to stand with the rest of the women. Open stares of scorn and envy fell upon you, beating at you with silent hostility as you waited for the music to begin. 

You wrenched your tearing eyes off the ground, and in trying to force your chin up high, you caught sight of Anarlas standing down the line of men. The love and pride that shone on your brother’s face revitalized your shaky confidence. Believe in yourself, you could imagine him saying. He tilted his head in a pointed signal.

Your gaze shifted to the right and fell straight upon Boromir, and found him staring right back at you, lips slightly parted. The second your eyes locked, he startled, caught off guard. His stare collapsed to his feet in discomfort and, to your amazement, he appeared to blush.  

Your breath hitched and you pursed your lips to stifle a giggle that escaped your throat.

The music started. A slower tune, one familiar enough for you to coax the steps from your body’s memory. You loved to dance and did so as often as you could, but your shy nature limited your audience and partners to only Anarlas and yourself. 

As the two lines stepped forward to begin the dance, Boromir raised his eyes to you again, defiant of his own embarrassment. As you glided by him in the first pass, you offered him your soft smile. His features immediately relaxed, and his lips curled back upwards, making you shiver.

You twirled and turned back towards him, reaching out with both hands. As his thick, calloused fingers encased yours, you thought you heard him draw a tight breath. Your own heart thundered madly in your chest as his light grasp slipped away once more.

As the spinning and swaying carried on, every reunion of your hands dizzied you with tingling, while each departure from his touch struck in pangs of yearning. The bittersweet longing you had borne for him from afar and for so long now surged sinfully into profound craving. For his touch, for his gaze, for the very warmth of his body next to yours.

His eyes never strayed from you, even as the routine separated you over and over. They were storm-grey, you realized, confirming what you had always fantasized but never truly saw. After every turn they quickly sought out your face again, as though ravenous for the sight.  

When your hands joined for several prolonged beats of the song, you heard him murmur your name. In mindless insolence, you returned the favor and addressed him in kind. 

“Boromir…”

His fingers suddenly closed around your hand, trapping and enveloping it and preventing you from slipping away again. With a soft tug, he urged you close and cupped his other palm on your hip, stalling you both in the middle of the floor. 

“I…” You braced your hands against his chest, summoning the last dregs of strength in your legs to support yourself, when everything else within you begged to melt in his arms. 

His hold around you tightened in painstaking slowness, as he ascertained your approval, watching for signs of objection that you never showed. The only distance that now separated you was his towering height, which he breached by leaning down, closer, closer, until you were drowning in his nearness, and felt the sweep of his sigh on your brow, the graze of his nose on your temple. Long dark lashes fluttered over those keen grey eyes that now seemed dazed with the wonder of you, of this moment.

Valar, he was more beautiful than anything your imagination ever conjured over the years.

“I cannot breathe,” you finally whispered. 

A chuckle rumbled from his chest and his hands rose to cradle your face. "I know exactly how you feel.”  

His thumbs savored the soft skin of your cheekbones, his fingertips explored the delicate shells of your ear. His ministrations were almost enough to eliminate all awareness of your surroundings. While the music carried on, several other couples had finally stopped to gawp at the Captain of Gondor's scandalous display. But for once in your life, the unspeakable, glorious joy that overflowed in your heart simply left no room for concern of anything or anyone else in the world.

“Perhaps we should continue this outside," Boromir suggested, his voice heavy with a promise that ran goosebumps through you. "Where we can have all the air we shall need.”

Tags: @aduialel @fizzyxcustard (Sorry if I missed anyone; I have no formal tag list but will likely put up a tag request form soon!)

For more stories, please see My Masterlist.

Requests are open! Please check my Guidelines and send an Ask.

Thanks for reading!

[russenoire]

one thing that strikes me about mob psycho 100 is how closely it hews to shigeo's direct emotional experience. depending on your tastes in worldbuilding and characterization, this can either be a strength... or a weakness.

the only characters fleshed out somewhat are those shigeo is truly close to; almost everyone else is painted with just enough detail to make them feel like people. but not much more... not unlike real-life acquaintances. this rings mostly true for events in the story, too. MP100 also shines very little light on what strangers think of its protagonist, in part because he doesn't notice or care all that much.

and even those people who matter most to him? shigeo doesn't really ask about anyone's inner lives, so we only get to know others at a 'surface' level. what's ON that surface is still rich AF, but it's mostly free of backstory: we get impressionistic flashes of who reigen, and dimple, and ritsu, and teru are almost entirely from what their lives are like in the present. as a result, the story is a very autistic (and for me, relatable) headspace to walk around in.

the mutual bond ritsu and shigeo share would not feel as strong without ONE letting us rummage around inside the younger kageyama brother's head for a bit, of course. shigeo loves his little brother more than anyone else in the world, but he isn't even privy to ritsu's emotional landscape until ritsu lashes out at him in an alley one day.

and we wear reigen's skin the longest, apart from shigeo's, because the boy spends most of his free time at spirits and such. but who was he before shigeo shyly opened his office door in search of empathy? surely he was more than a bored salesman everydude looking for something to give his life meaning, but this is all that we are shown clearly. unfortunately reigen's inner life is terra incognita to shigeo: he doesn't share it with the boy and shigeo doesn't even begin to ask until the story is nearly over.

shigeo in turn shares so little of his inner life with reigen that the man isn't even aware the child has friends his own age. and his immense, map-redrawing destructive capabilities frighten reigen all the more because shigeo never fully trusted him with that knowledge. the wrath of shigeo's shadow self is as ruinous as it is because shigeo couldn't trust anyone with his emotional insides, either.

how well do we really know those we love? how well can we know them?

how well can we know anyone?

[strayheartless]

To your Mountain Kid/Jungle Kid HC, I bet Zack and Cloud bond over not being such nErDs as AGS (affectionately).

Genesis' parents probably raised him on the classics, emphasizing education and achievement over everything.

Gillian was a whole Shinra scientist, and probably raised Angeal with all the knowledge she could provide, because education is often vital to escaping poverty. And because she's a nerd.

Sephiroth "Lab Experiment" Crescent...no further commentary needed.

Any funny scenes of ZC vs the AGS nerds?

❤️

Cloud and Zack Bond over superstitions that are somewhat similar between Gongaga and Nibelhiem. They find out that both Villiages have similar superstitions surrounding Shoes. In Gongaga its bad luck to put new Shoes on the table; while in Nibelhiem its Bad luck to leave shoe's on the table and extra bad luck if one of them falls off the table.

They also bond over the Cryptids that live in their respective woods, and AGS are forever horrified when Cloud goes into great detail about the Nibelhiem not-possom, which is infinatly more fucked up than anything they have ever heard. Zack then tells them about the Gongaga Frog man and its game over, no one can sleep.

Cloud once cussed Angeal out for stiring a pot anti clockwise. He then proceeded to tap every potato against the side board until Angeal saked him why and Cloud looked at him like he'd lost dang his mind as he replied "does Banora not have Potato mites??"... Angeal then goes on a three day Moogle rabbit hole to find out what the hell potato mites are and why Nibelhiem is effected by them so badly.

Cloud and Zack once had a fight with Sephiroth over the scientific likelyhood of world events being predicted by sparrow/parrot bones. It got so heated Zack (not Cloud) threw a lightning spell at his head. They are no longer allowed to apply science to country boy religious practices.

Cloud once slapped Genesis square in the face for rocking an empty rocking chair.

While on mission in Modaohiem during their first few weeks as mentor and student, Angeal started whistling in the dark, and Zack nearl had ten blue fits on him.

Angeal grew up never wasting food, but he has to sit and marvel at how far Cloud takes 'waste not, want not' as a mantra. It's round about the time that Cloud not only makes soup, but also makes fertiliser for Angeals plants that Angeal realises he knows nothing.

Sephiroth nearly lost his mind when he found out that both Zack and Cloud take their paychecks in hard cash and don't trust the banks. Like he legitimately couldn't fathom why they wouldn't have bank accounts, or debit cards.

Genesis thought he knew everything there was to know about ancient literature, But Cloud and Zack both know word of mouth Stories that he has NEVER heard before and has been told on pain of death that if he writes them down, no one will ever find his body.

Sephiroth is pretty no nonsense about most of the boys superstitions, but even he has to admit that when it comes to weather prediction on missions, Cloud is usually right.

There was one very memorable time in Nibelhiem, when They all got sent out for mushrooms for dinner, and Angeal 'plant expert' Hewely swore blind he knew the differences between mushrooms, only to have Cloud save him three seperate times from eating death caps.

Cloud once threw Salt in Sephiroths face after he heared he'd been down to the old train yard (you know the one with the ghosts).

Genesis met Claudia strife while on mission in Nibelhiem once and she thought he was a Cryptid trying to lure her into the woods. she slapped him. why do people keep slapping him?!

[velouriahh]

I finished the secret story I can't stop thinking about how much they manipulated richard and how I as the reader was manipulated as well

unlike richard from the beginning I was finding them all a bunch of prentensious losers I didn't fall for the aesthetic and to me judy was the only nice person. When they talk about the fight between camila and her I was 100% sure camila and the others were in the wrong.

And in the first half even when they are including richard he is still an outsider and he can kind of feel something was a bit off. So I was enjoying reading them all at francis' and I was liking the characters more but I still find them suspicious, because Richard is showing us they are hiding something. (At the time I was theorizing they were planning to sacrifice richard in some ritual and I was thinking they would eventually change their minds and they decide to kill bunny lmao)

I think there were two turning points for richard that made him decided to be so involved. And those turning points have an effect on us readers as well. The first one was when Henry saved him and taked care of him. After that it seems like Richard starts to worship him. He already admired him before, but he started putting him on a pedestal

And the second is when he is on francis's house and Henry tells him about the murder. Henry was so smart, the way he keeps saying richard figured out and he knew he would do it. And then he's complaining that bunny always ask for money and he uses the example that richard would rather die than ask for help. It's like he and Francis are showing him that bunny sucks and how they view him differently and they respect him. Both Richard and Bunny didn't have money, but Richard had values. That's what it seems like they are saying without saying. Also them saying bunny doesn't like richard? At the time I believe but I have my doubts about that. Richard and Bunny actually seemed to spend a lot of time together, he visited Richard's room a lot, they went for walks together. They both also seemed to be the only ones who weren't completely isolated from the rest.

And this happens right after they ignored him for a week and he was alone and desperate. Suddenly they're showing they like him, respect him and trust him. Then in the other day all 4 take richard for a dinner, he's now one of them and bunny isn't.

And what is great is that since we're on richard's head we get manipulated as well. You feel upset when they ignore him and you like when they show they care.

And suddenly Henry is asking hundreds of favors to Richard and Richard is doing without questioning and I'm not questioning either because it feels almost right.

And it's only when things start to go unhinged I think especially after Bunny's burial that he starts to understand things. In Bunny's house he was still doing everything for Henry, stoling pills from him. Francis and Charles weren't putting any effort to help Henry, it was Richard and Camila.

But after the burial, Henry is different, distant. We start to realize little by little he does not care. More than doesn't care, it seems like hew views richard as a possible scaping goat. And I think this is what allows Richard to start questioning his orders and being less blind about him. Then he also finds out about Henry and Camila and he feels 'betrayed'. I think he felt left out, not only by camila but also by henry. In fact, I think Henry's attention was the main thing.

We start to realize he was never part of the group, they used him. With Henry was clear, with the twina it was after that talk with Francis that things starts to get clear. I always felt the twins were the most distant. Richard was always saying he liked them the most and they were nice to him. But it always gave me the impression it was very superficial. He didn't really knew them.

I think the only real relationship he ends up having in the group is francis, because eveyone was losing their minds and being weird and they were the ones that were "left". They were also losing, but they still felt more """normal""". So I think that kinds of ends up uniting them.

[lurkinglurkerwholurks]

Much That Once Was Is Lost

First posted: April 15, 2018

Focuses on: Tim Drake

Favorite bookmark: "more crying. lurker is killing me with this angst"

Tier: Top 20 in terms of hits and comments

This is my “behind the scenes” series where I indulge myself horribly by annotating my fics. Link to the fic itself above. Thoughts below the cut.

As always with multi-chapter fics, I'll start with Chapter One and add subsequent chapters via reblogs.

Chapter One

I'm only tackling one multi-chapter at a time, which is why these end up so wildly out of order with the rest of this tag.

This was the second fic I ever wrote! It spawned directly out of Mother Bruce, which is wild to me because I continued to insist for quite a while that I didn't totally understand or know Tim yet.

Tim had thought becoming an orphan would feel different somehow. Like in the moment his father’s chest fell and failed to rise again, there would be this great rending of reality, forever hewing his life into Before and After. That was how it had worked for Bruce. For Dick. Maybe that was how it worked for him, too, and he was too numb to notice it.

There's always a tension between interior and exterior perspective, one that's both important and fun to play with, because one isn't inherently more true than the other, but they both coexist regarding multiple things at the same time. Here, we're stuck in Tim's perspective about himself and what he's feeling as well as his exterior perspective or assumptions on how a similar experience had worked for both Bruce and Dick, but there's already a signal that the interior perspective, which you might think would be solid and objectively true as a primary witness, may not be at all.

Tim’s fingers ran lightly across the marble table, taking with them a thin layer of dust. The dust and the stale taste in the air were the only change from the last time he had stepped inside the mansion. . . How long had it been?

It took a bit of puzzling to figure out what I thought the Drake home was like, both here and in other fics. Different details could point to different kinds of neglect—neglected and unkempt vs spotless and sterile—complicated by what the house had been vs. what it might have been in the brief window of time before Jack's death.

Bruce had trained all his proteges to walk without a sound, but Tim-who-was-Robin had never needed much practice. He was used to being a ghost in his own home. He made no noise now as he crossed the long entry hall in socked feet, shoes neatly lined by the front door. He walked in the dark, knowing nothing would be out of place. Trusting his feet to guide him safely, the way they always had after his midnight forays after the mysteries next door. In his head, Tim absently counted his steps, as he always did.

Another thing to figure out, how Tim chose to exist in his own home, a place that is undeniably his but also where he is undeniably unwelcome. I built on this more in The Return with the state of his room.

He had clipped the vase with his bag and hadn’t slowed even when the fragile porcelain shattered on the hardwood. He had barely heard it over the rattle of the bottles as he slung the bag over his shoulder. The medicine bottles full of his father’s pills. There hadn’t been time to grab them before Jack Drake had been loaded in the ambulance. Hadn’t been time to load Tim in the ambulance with him before the white doors had slammed shut. So Tim had come after with the medical records and bottles swept from the bedside table into the canvas bag. That was Tim, always following behind.

If this were in a comic, I'd expect to see Present Tim standing at the stares, watching the incorporeal path of Past Him sprinting down the full length of the page.

Also, I don't remember if I gave Jack a specific cause of death (it'll probably pop up later in his fic), but I didn't want to mess with the canon of Captain Kangaroo or whoever it was. No murder needed, just the banal tragedy of human bodies.

Flipping on the lights, he looked around. Here, too, everything was just as he had left it. The overturned chair from his lunge for the alarm. The rumpled bed surrounded by droning machines. The splash of paperwork on the floor. The crumpled plastic debris from the EMTs. Shuffling forward, he nudged the wrappers and disposable medical instruments out of the way, then reconsidered and bent to pick up the trash. Litter was carefully sorted into trash and recycling and disposed of accordingly. The chair was righted. The paperwork was tidied and placed on the dresser. The machines were silenced, then unplugged, the insistent beeps fading into silence and the screens plunging into black.

Tim, forever the fixer, the silent tidier who cleans up after disasters.

[cyarskaren52]

You better speak the FACTS! The 53% and 55% voted FOR their interest. They voted for whiteness, white privilege, white power, and white supremacy. But they also betrayed their daughters, nieces, and granddaughters! Hewish behavior!

[cyarskj1899]

Omg PREACH!!!!

And don’t fucking dare not all ww me or I’ll light your arss up HEW! Why you acting like a hit dog and hollering, biiiich I know you and your hewish gals will cut a biiich who grabs a Stanley cup but where’s the energy for your daughter getting a safe abortion? NONE! It’s been fucking you HEWS so own up to it!

[calicomarie11]

Eddie breathes out as he takes in the sunset over LA. The view from the roof of the firehouse is spectacular tonight, the smog taking on a golden hew as the sun’s last rays hit it. Christopher had actually picked up when he called, and even though the conversation was stilted and awkward it was progress.

He’s hopeful that Chris will be ready to come home soon, if only to be able to go back to school with his friends and get out from under his grandparents’ thumbs. This has been the hardest summer of his life, and it’s thanks to Buck and Tommy that he is surviving it.

Speaking of, Eddie hears the bang of the door as it slams open fast enough to hit the wall and rebound. A few seconds later he looks over to see Buck standing beside him, his face thunderous. It’s an odd feeling, to be happy when his best friend is so obviously upset.

Eddie lets him stew, sure that Buck will speak when he’s ready. His friend is not known for keeping his thoughts to himself. He hopes he doesn’t take too long, he wants to share that Chris actually talked to him this time.

Buck lets out a heavy sigh and Eddie perks up, ready to be supportive. “Something on your mind?”

He doesn’t answer right away and Eddie starts to worry that this is something serious, life changing. He really hopes it’s not about Tommy. He’s never seen his friend so happy in a relationship before and Tommy is a lot easier to get along with then any of Buck’s exes.

Buck turns to him, his face severe. “Have you been watching Hotshots?”

Eddie frowns, confused by the question. “No, of course not. We made a pact.”

Buck lets out the breath he’d been holding. “Thank fuck. Apparently we’re the only people who kept to the pact.”

He’s still confused about what a TV show has to do with Buck’s bad mood. He had thought about watching the show, if only to be prepared to support Buck if Taylor the show screwed him over, but Buck has been so adamant about ignoring the show’s existence that he’d decided against it. His only knowledge of the show comes from the billboards and bus stop ads of beautiful people in heroic poses that are ubiquitous around the city.

“I thought we were ignoring the existence of that show. What’s brought this on?” Eddie asks.

“Traitors,” Buck grizzles. “Apparently everyone has been watching the show. Tommy, Lucy, the rest of the Harbor crew. And Hen, Chim, and Ravi all admitted to it and implicated Karen and Maddie too. I can’t get upset about Harbor, they didn’t know, but I can’t believe my family would betray me like that.”

Eddie’s a bit surprised himself. Buck had been very forceful about ignoring first the book and then the show. He’d only had the one breakdown, that Eddie is aware of, about how stupid he felt when Taylor turned their relationship into a media empire. At the time he had barely restrained himself from saying I told you so. He had never trusted her, but Buck was hurting and it wasn’t his place to make him feel worse. He’s glad Buck’s taste in men is better than his taste in women.

Back to now, “I’ve never watched it, I swear. What brought this on?”

Buck sighs, his hand drifting towards his forehead to rub at his temple. “Tommy didn’t know about the history I have with the show and I was telling him about Bobby’s new job and he got really excited and told me about everyone watching it. Then I had to tell him about Taylor and he told me about Randy.”

“Randy?” Eddie says, the confusion apparent in his voice.

Buck turns to Eddie, his face too conflicted for Eddie to accurately parse the emotions there. “Do you really want to know?”

And Eddie has to stop and think about it. Because, of course he wants to know what is bothering Buck, but at the same time, he’s dealing with so much emotional fallout from his actions in the spring that he’s not sure what impact one more bombshell might have. Will this be the thing that sends him teetering over the edge? But surely Buck would keep it locked down if he really thought this would send him into a spiral.

“Let it rip,” Eddie says, trying to sound confident.

Buck looks at him curiously, not entirely sure about that response. “Apparently, a large portion of the fanbase for Hotshots think that Sandy and Ricky should be together.”

“And Sandy and Ricky are…” Eddie trails off in confusion.

“You and me,” Buck says, his voice flat.

Eddie stares at Buck, his head tilted as he processes. “But I’m straight. How would that even work?”

“I know,” Buck almost shouts to the skyline.

“I mean, I’m really straight. I’ve thought about it and everything,” Eddie says.

“What?” Buck’s nose crinkles as he turns to look at Eddie. “What does that mean?”

“Well, I was telling Frank about you liking guys now,” Eddie starts before Buck interrupts him.

“You talk about me in therapy?”

“I talk about my life and relationships with other people in therapy and you are probably my most stable relationship ever,” Eddie says.

Buck’s face breaks out in a wide grin and he bumps his shoulder into Eddie’s. “Aww Buddy, I love you too.”

Eddie shoves him a bit, his face flushed. “Yeah, yeah. Anyways, Frank thought it was interesting that my best friend turns out to be…bi? Queer? Have you settled on a label?”

“Oh, bi, definitely. I thought about pan, but I like the bi flag better,” Buck says with a shrug.

“Right, bi, and he asked if I’d ever considered you as more than a best friend. And I told him no, because I hadn’t. But it stuck with me, so I did think about it because we do work so well together and Chris loves you and it would make things so much easier.”

Eddie focuses on Buck, who is shifting nervously next to him. “But, I’m sorry man, I’m just not into dudes. Like at all.”

Buck lets out the breath he’d been holding. “Thank fuck,” he laughs. “I was afraid for a second there I was going to have to let you down easy.”

Eddie glares at him, not appreciating how relieved Buck looks. “Hey, you could do worse.” Like Taylor fucking Kelly he thinks.

“Eddie, I love you like a brother, but you are one of the most emotionally constipated people I have ever met and I’m a needy motherfucker. It would never work. You’d shut down, I’d get insecure and start pestering you which would make you shut down farther and we’d both end up punching holes in the wall.”

“It sounds like you’ve thought about this,” Eddie says slowly.

“Yeah, Tommy asked me a similar question after he figured out the Randy thing. And my gut reaction was hysterical laughter. But I thought about it later and it was still a hell no. Sorry man.”

Eddie tries to glare at Buck, but the twitching at the corner of his mouth ruins the effect. “Well, I don’t want to date you either.”

Buck nudges him again. “I know dude. Don’t worry, a few more years of therapy and you’ll be as emotionally healthy as me and then we’ll find you your own Tommy. For now, you can be the token straight guy.”

“Token straight guy? What about Chim and Bobby?” Eddie says, confused.

Buck just grins and jogs back to the stairs. Eddie follows him. “What about Chim and Bobby, Buck?”

Read on AO3

[its-all-or-nothing94]

Ravenblade - Part 3 // Ivar Lothbrok x OC

Summary: The battle against the saxon forces is about to occur, so Ivar wants to inspect the grounds. Liv and Ivar are having an intimate moment.

Warnings: Language, light smut

Pairing: Ivar x OC

Tags: @liebgotts-lovergirl

Liv watches the landscape passing to their left and right with an alert gaze. They are on their way to Wessex to bring King Ecbert to justice. Again and again, Liv feels the youngest Ragnar's son's look on her, but she tries to ignore it.

"He stares at you all the time," Sven whispers to her, and Liv looks to the other boat, where Ivar immediately averts his eyes. "His gaze is like that of an animal seeing its prey."

Liv looks at her most loyal companion. "Are you jealous, Sven?" she asks, amused, and he shakes his head.

"I'm not saying that… Just that somehow he seems a little off to me."

"So are we. Do you think my brother or Ubbe and Hvitserk trust us? Probably not," she says, steering the boat slightly to the left. "I know, my brother. He probably doesn't trust me as far as he can throw me. He knows what our motives usually are. But this time, it's different. It's something personal!"

Sven looks at Ivar again and then lets it go. Liv is right. Probably no one trusts them.

As night falls, Liv begins to sing to herself.

My mother told me Some day I would buy Galleys with good oars and Sails to distant shore

Stand up high on the prow Noble bark I steer Steady course for the havens Hew many foe-men Hew many foe-men

In the second verse, Sven joins in, and Liv looks at him with a grin. In the third verse, everyone joins in, and Liv gets goosebumps.

When the song dies down, and Liv only sings lightly to herself, her gaze wanders to the boat next to them, and she notices Ivar looking at her. She holds his gaze and then smiles.

When they finally dock, they continue on foot. Liv walks next to Hvitserk er and chats with him. He actually seems quite nice.

"Why are you helping us anyway? I thought you only fought for reward," he says suddenly, looking at Liv. "And Ragnar wasn't your father."

Liv smiles, but honestly, this time. "No, he wasn't. But I did know him. In the ten years you didn't see him, I saw him often. Did you know he was responsible for me ending up with the Ravenblade?" Hvitserk looks at her in surprise.

"How so?"

"Well, I grew up with Lagertha and my father. My father was not a good man. He beat mother, and he beat me too. Lagertha had lost her will when Ragnar left her for your mother. I probably have Bjorn to thank for that being the worst thing my father did to me."

Liv lifts her tunic a little, and Hvitserk recognizes a long scar on her side.

"Björn protected me, but anger was building up inside me. Anger at my father for being such an abusive person and anger at my mother for allowing him to do such things to me. All I ever heard was what a fierce shieldmaiden my mother was, but it didn't look like that. I have never forgiven her for that. So when Björn decided to go with Ragnar, I was even angrier. Angry at Björn. But Ragnar came to see me before he left. He promised me that when the time was right, I could leave Hedeby. And so it was… He had contacts with the Ravenblade, and they came for me when I was 12 years old."

Still amazed that Liv is revealing so much to him, he listens intently.

"And how did you come to be the leader?" Now Liv laughs again.

"The Ravenblade trained me. Of course, I had training with Lagertha before that, but what I learned from them is worlds apart. I honestly don't remember what it was exactly, but suddenly I was face-to-face with my mentor. He raised me and trained me. He was the leader before me, and now I had to fight him. I later learned that when the leader of the Ravenblade takes in a ward, that tradition wants you to fight your ward when the time comes. This is where you show whether you have trained them properly."

"And you killed him?"

"I'm here, aren't I? It's part of the test. When you kill someone you love, it destroys the last bit of empathy you have in you. So you become the perfect weapon. And the perfect leader."

"That sounds kind of… extreme."

"Maybe it is. That was three years ago," she says, shrugging her shoulders.

Hvitserk and Liv continue talking, and of course, Ivar watches his brother and the young warrior closely. A stab of jealousy hits him, and he squeezes his eyes shut as Björn stops them all.

One of their scouts comes riding towards them. He tells them that the great Saxon army is a day away from them, prompting Björn to set up camp here. But it seems Ivar has other plans.

"You can set up camp," he calls to his brothers, and Liv looks at him with interest. "I want to see the place where we fight."

"What are you talking about?" asks Björn, looking at his younger brother.

"They will expect us to fight in a certain way. Why should we do that? Why don't we plan to fight in a different way and surprise them?" he asks, and Liv likes his way of thinking.

Björn waves his brothers closer to Ivar's chariot, and Liv also stands next to it. None of the brothers seem to mind.

"Our warriors will not understand what is happening," Hvitserk reflects. "We fight with the shield wall. That's how we fight."

"But we have a bigger army now. And they have a bigger army, too, Hvitserk. They don't fight the same."

"It's too late to change that now," Sigurd interjects.

Liv takes a deep breath and listens intently to the brothers' conversation. They really can't work well together.

"Who are you to say such things? Shut your mouth!"

"We are brothers! Together!" Björn now says firmly. "Why do you want to change tactics?"

"Do you want to win, brother?" Ivar asks. He knows he has Björn with him. For a moment, the two look at each other. Then Ivar rolls his eyes. "Listen… Come with me, Björn. Let's survey the battlefield. Maybe it's better if we don't keep the battlefield on a plain but expand it to hills and a few miles further, and we need their landscape. They have only hills and forests."

The brothers all look eagerly at Björn. He has the last word.

"What do you say?"

"If it works, it's a good plan. If it doesn't, it's a bad plan."

A man brings Björn a horse and he sits up.

"What are you waiting for?" asks Björn, and then Liv steps onto the chariot.

"Me," she says casually and Ivar looks at her in surprise.

"What are you doing?" he asks and Liv raises an eyebrow.

"I'm coming with you."

"Liv…" says Björn warningly, but she just looks at her brother.

"What? Six eyes see more than four. Let me help." Björn takes a deep breath and then rides off, and Ivar follows him.

In the evening, Liv is sitting by the fire when Sven sits beside her. He holds out a cup to her, and she accepts it.

"Thank you," she says.

"What are we going to do after this? When we have killed this king and avenged the death of Ragnar Lothbrok?" he asks, and Liv shoves a piece of bread into her mouth.

"The thing we always do?" she asks him and he smiles at her.

"Fighting is all good, but I'm more the quiet fighter than the one on the battlefield."

Liv smiles and takes a sip of her mead. "You've done well for yourself, though."

Sven laughs too, but then Liv notices in the corner of her eye Ivar creeping towards his tent. She sits up and follows him with her gaze.

"Liv…" says Sven, but she gets up and follows Ragnar's son into his tent.

The latter is pulling himself up onto a chair and straightening his legs. When he catches sight of Liv, his eyes grow wide for a moment.

"I'm impressed," she then says and walks towards him. "You really have strong strategic thinking. You're smart. I like that," she says, brushing her blonde hair out of her face.

"Um… Thanks, I guess," Ivar replies, then fills two mugs with mead and holds one out to Liv. She accepts it and then sits down beside him.

"You are much smarter than your brothers…. At least when it comes to tactics. You should take advantage of that."

"I know… They always think straight. But at least Björn listens to me."

Liv takes another sip and looks Ivar in the eye again. Then she stands up and sits on his lap. She takes his face in her hands, and her grey eyes meet his piercing blue ones.

"They don't give you enough credit. You are worth much more than you might think, Ivar," she whispers to him. Then she leans down and kisses him. When she pulls away from him again, he looks at her in amazement.

"Why are you doing this?" he asks, and Liv smiles.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, this? You bring me affection, but I don't know why. You're an incredible woman. And I'm just a cripple."

"Don't say that. There's so much more to you. And I don't know what it is, but something about you draws me in."

Again Liv leans in and kisses him. A little more demanding this time. She strokes his muscular chest and shoulders. She runs her tongue over his lower lip, and he opens his mouth. Their tongues dance together, and Liv can't suppress a smile.

Then she runs her tongue along his stomach and down to his trousers. As if by reflex, Ivar grabs her wrists and stops her. Liv raises her eyebrows in surprise.

"We've been here before," she smirks, and Ivar slowly lets go of her wrists.

Then she stands up, unbuckles her belt, and lets it fall to the floor. Ivar follows her with his gaze as she walks towards the bed and pulls her tunic over her head. He sees her back, which is covered in tattoos and some scars to boot.

She is wearing a bandeau that covers her breasts and holds them in place. She sits down on his bed, covered with furs, and slides back a little. Then she beckons him to her with her index finger.

Ivar hesitates momentarily but then pushes himself off the chair and crawls to the bed. He pushes himself up with his arms and slides towards Liv. He examines her body, which is simply incredible.

She is muscular but also defined by all the training and fighting. He spots a long purple scar on her left side, briefly runs his fingers over it, and Liv flinches.

"What's that?" he whispers, and she looks down momentarily.

"An old memory," she only replies, probably not wanting to elaborate.

Then he looks into her eyes again and sinks into the grey eyes that look at him in the same way. He lies down beside her, and their faces are only inches apart.

"You are beautiful," he then breathes, and Liv smiles. Warmth rises in her, and she doesn't usually know such feelings.

She never thought a man could throw her off the track like Ivar. He strokes her stomach again and slides closer to kiss her again. The feeling is just incredible. Not like with Margrethe, but really good. Her lips are soft, and Ivar's desire grows with every kiss.

He caresses her soft skin and kisses her demandingly. He feels Liv unbutton his tunic and pulls it over his head. Briefly, she looks at him, and his upper body is just incredible. From all the years on his arms, muscles have naturally formed.

Then she strokes his belly with her cold fingertips as light as a feather, which makes him wince briefly, yet the son of Ragnar sees how Liv reacts to his body. He pulls her to him and kisses her. Then Liv turns them both and sits Ivar astride.

Her hands rest on his chest. Then she reaches behind her back, undoes the button holding the bandeau, and lets it fall. She is so perfect. It seems as if the gods had carved her themselves. Ivar doesn't let this go on for long, though. He turns her again and leans over her, stroking her cheek briefly.

"I want you, Liv. You have no idea how much I want you," he whispers, and she feels his breath on her face.

Liv closes her eyes in pleasure as Ivar explores her body with his hands, kissing her repeatedly. Ivar climbs over her half-naked body and starts kissing her all over, which earns him a satisfied moan from Liv. Then he unbuttons the button of her trousers and pulls them down so that the young woman is completely naked. He looks at her briefly and takes it all in before looking into her eyes.

Then she turns with Ivar again so that he is lying under her. Slowly Liv pulls down his trousers without breaking eye contact with Ivar. As she throws the trousers aside, she looks at his deformed legs, which makes Ivar visibly anxious. Then Liv looks him in the eye again and smiles.

"You're perfect just the way you are, Ivar," she whispers, and he pulls her to him again.

He kisses her gently at first, then more and more demanding. He turns them both around again, so he has the upper hand. Liv feels his hardness against her middle, and now she, too, becomes slightly nervous.

With slightly trembling lips, she looks at Ivar. It's not Liv's first time, but it's the first time it's even remotely meant anything, which makes her all the more nervous.

He winces briefly as she reaches down and takes his hardness in her hand. Ivar kisses her again, but the feeling of her hand down there is just overwhelming. When she has placed it that far, Liv looks at him approvingly, and he slides slowly but firmly into her.

A tentative moan comes from her; for Ivar, the feeling is simply outstanding. He can barely hold himself up, so he pulls back a little and then penetrates her again, but not so gently this time. Liv opens her mouth in surprise and then slaps him on the shoulder.

"Hey!" she says firmly and looks at him.

"Sorry," he mumbles, now softening again. Slowly, eyes always on Liv to stop immediately if he should hurt her again, Ivar starts moving again.

And in her eyes, he finds only approval. And lust. He can read that in her gaze, for her grey eyes are like a storm.

He braces himself right and left against her and penetrates a little deeper, and Liv closes her eyes with pleasure before moaning. She throws her head back, and Ivar moans her name softly. She is giving him so much now that she doesn't even notice.

Not only that, he is really having sex for the first time, and then with the woman he wants, but he can do it. Carefully he takes her ankle and puts her leg on his shoulder to penetrate even more profoundly, and Liv looks at him, surprised but not averse. Suddenly he notices her tightening around his member.

"Liv?" he asks sceptically, not sure what that means, but she still has her eyes closed.

"Just keep doing that," she breathes and he does as he's told. And then she moans loudly and tears her eyes open.

A wave of pleasure rolls over her, and she presses her fingernails into Ivar's back. Then she slumps a little and breathes heavily. He has done it. He has satisfied Liv.

Confidence grows in Ivar. Then he looks at the woman of his desire. She nods.

"Go on," she whispers, and Ivar doesn't have to be told twice.

Still careful not to hurt her, Ivar begins to move faster. Liv tries to help where she can, and he can feel her. A little later, his body also tenses, and he pours himself into her.

For a moment, only their heavy breathing can be heard. Then Ivar wipes the sweat from his forehead, pulls out of her but stays on top of her. He looks at her beautiful face from top to bottom. He notices that she is trembling and then sees that Liv has closed her eyes.

All the exertion and sex with him must have taken more out of her than she thought, so he reaches for the furs and spreads them over them both. When she opens her eyes again, she looks at him.

"That was… That was amazing," he says and Liv can't help but chuckle.

"Liv, I…" he begins, but before he can finish speaking, the tent entrance is opened, and Hvitserk and Ubbe come in.

"Ivar…", Hvitserk says, but then he notices that his brother seems busy. "I uh… Sorry," he says quickly and turns away, and Ubbe does the same.

Ivar pushes himself off Liv and lies down beside her. Liv quickly gets out of bed and puts on her tunic. It is long enough to cover everything essential. She picks up her boots and puts her trousers over her arm.

"It's all right. I'll leave you to discuss your things," she says quickly and Ubbe and Hvitserk turn back around. The young woman approaches Ivar once more, presses a passionate kiss to his lips and then leaves the tent. The two brothers look after her with open mouths.

"What do you want?" Ivar then asks, annoyed that they have driven Liv away.

[theguardianace]

acey…….hear me out…..nonsense bungaku hw ruikasa………ghnrsgfhhngrsfghhnhbnh

rui protecting nene from the past troupe. rui getting emotional and calling his retaliation cowardice.... sopping wet guilt-ridden cat....

i know this line has a meaning but my brain doesn't work right now and it cannot find it. but its there.

the. when the hollow wonderland is full of love and loneliness who is built on the foundation of solitude that cannot be remedied and love that cannot be paralleled.... (the heart that has fallen ill is ours these kids make me unwell). a troupe like a rebirth.

forget about the present. forget about the pain and the guilt and the horrors and just perform. don't sleep because the anxieties will never reach a mind that does not have time to think. (and also the line from chorus 2)

"to the me that's not me"- to the me who is not me, to the me who is performing the role of another. to the me who is not me, to the me who i pretend is not true. to the me who is not me, to the me who isn't hurting, isn't desperate, isn't so hopelessly pathetic. and the rui.... the rui learning to trust and to love and to be accepted.... it is ok to be vulnerable rui....

len's line feels very hw to me. rui's bullies.... and tsukasa who adamantly denies there's anything wrong (he cannot be a fool if he does not accept failure...)

i do not know your plan for the main story of hw BUT main story nenekasa (to know the love a show and then blow up about the failure) and ruikasa (to finally find a home only to leave when it threatens your childhood friend) FJSKDLJFKLSDJFKLSDJ

HW RUI HW RUI HW RUI HRJEHWRJEWJLKSDJFKLSDJFKDJSLFJDSKLF HEW WEHREHWLFSLKDRUII

yeah. yeah this is a good one. yeah