#Reading about everyone's notes on the last ones have brought so much joy to my life. Can't talk individually to all of them but there's

[blank-barrel]

EVEN MORE FAUST: SANITY BOOGALOO (featuring Johnny this time)

Oh, and top surgery jumpscare, by the way.

[sebscore]

Can you write something with Kimi in his Alfa Romeo seasons and driver!reader? I miss him so much :(

GIDDY GOODBYES 

pairings: raikkonen family x driver!reader

author's note: is this inspired by that cute antonio and kimi moment in abu dhabi '21? Yes. i miss him too :((

masterlist

• • • • • • •

''You want to swap helmets later?'' Kimi asked her, the sound of screaming and applauding fans surrounding them as they stood on the moving bus. 

Her eyes widened as the question left his lips, surprised that the Alfa Romeo driver would want to do the tradition with her. ''Uh, yeah, sure. I would love to.'' Her slightly open mouth turned into a bright smile. 

''Rianna has been asking for you the entire week so you can see her then as well.'' The Finn grinned. The female driver had been Kimi's daughter's favourite driver since the girl had started attending the F1 races. 

Y/N chuckled at his words. ''I'll bring some merch for her and Ace.'' 

''Really? That's very sweet, they'll like it a lot.'' Kimi appreciated all the time she would spend with his kids, knowing the joy it brought to them. 

''I love spoiling my fans,'' she smiled, ''as long as I get like a cool helmet from you, though! I'm very particular about my collection.'' 

The young woman was known for all the helmets of other drivers she had received over the years. She had proudly shown them off in a livestream after someone asked about the drivers she had swapped helmets with, even admitting she had to buy several extra shelves to store all of them. 

''I was told, I'll do my best.'' Kimi laughed, recalling someone from the Alfa Romeo team telling him about the driver's special collection as soon as he informed them about his desire to swap helmets with her. 

The Iceman didn't disappoint, gifting her one of his more unique helmet designs of the season with a short, but sentimental message written on the side: ''You've proven them wrong. Keep going. Stay smiling.'' His signature penned under it. 

Y/N had written a longer goodbye: ''Thank you for all the great races you have given us. It was an honour to share the track with you these last years. Good luck with your ice cubes, Iceman :)'' 

They mumbled a ''thank you'' towards each other as they handed one another their helmets, reading the messages with soft smiles on their faces. The pair posed for a picture together, their own respective team's photographers and Kimi's wife, Minttu, snapping a photo of them. 

''I'm gonna miss your silence.'' Y/N chuckled, causing others to do so as well. 

''I will miss your loudness.'' Kimi retorted, having everyone laugh even harder at his blunt and witty response. 

The Finn reached out to her with his free arm, initiating a hug with the young woman. She was caught off guard. The man had never offered her an embrace before- their physical interactions only going as far as a fistbump. 

She accepted, wrapping her own free arm briefly around him and resting her hand on his back. Kimi patted her own back a few times. 

The pair pulled back, satisfied smiles on both their faces. The Alfa Romeo driver crouched down next to his daughter. ''We will see her soon, okay?'' He reassured Rianna, who didn't take her eyes off the female driver as she absentmindedly nodded to what her father was saying. 

''You can visit me and we can eat a lot of food together.'' Y/N told the small girl. Rianna smiled brightly at her words, nodding her head. 

''Say bye bye to Y/N.'' Kimi whispered to her. 

Rianna stepped out of her father's arms. ''Bye bye, Y/N.'' The little girl skipped over to her, jumping into the older woman's embrace. ''Bye bye.'' Y/N kissed the side of Rianna's head, touched by the youngest Raikkonen's love. 

As the girls pulled apart, Kimi picked his daughter up- facing his, now, former competitor. ''Have a safe trip home, okay?'' 

Y/N nodded, appreciating his concern. ''You guys too.'' 

Minttu stepped forward, also offering the woman a hug. ''We wish you the best next season. We'll continue to root for you.'' She smiled, stating her support for the female driver. 

''Thank you so much, and have a nice Christmas together.'' Y/N said to her, appreciating that their family would continue rooting for her. She also high-fived a shy looking Robin who clinged to his mother. 

''We'll call, okay?'' Kimi mimicked a phone with his hand, looking at her. She nodded her head, delighted the man wanted to continue having contact with her. 

''We will.'' 

[voxmortuus]

Hi! Please can you write promt 1 with Benny from Bikeriders?

⇘ PAIRING:⇙ Benny Cross x F!Reader ⇘ UNIVERSE:⇙ The Bikeriders ⇘ WORD COUNT:⇙ 681 ⇘ TRIGGER WARNINGS:⇙ Handjob | Blowjob in the back seat | Swallowing because you're not a quitter. | PLEASE TELL ME IF I FORGOT ANYTHING!!! I want to make sure readers are fully aware of what they are getting themselves into when they read this… ⇘ NOTES:⇙ Sorry if this is total ass... but I hope this brings you some joy. Prompt from this list. ⇘ DIVIDER CREDIT:⇙ @nyxvuxoa ⇘ IMAGE CREDIT:⇙ Pennywises ⇘ My Master Masterlist ⇙

It was a warm summer night, and taking the car instead of taking the motorcycle just seemed like a better idea. You and Benny had decided to go for a late-night drive. You wanted to just go for a joy ride, and have no destination in mind. He decided to drive out to the middle of nowhere so you could watch the night sky without any light pollution from the city. It was going to be a good night, it was going to be a quiet night, and it was needed for you both.

When you get to this open field, you decide to climb in the back. Laying on top of him he holds you close. Stroking your hair with his hand that doesn't habitually have a cigarette between his fingers. Comfortable, you two don't need to exchange words, just staring out the back window as you watch the stars.

It seems like everything is going good, going perfectly, you two are mad about each other, happy and utterly in love. You aren't put off by his riding, or the club, in fact, you're a fan favorite among the girls that they bring around. Everyone knows your name, and they know who you belong to. It's like a little home, a large family, and you feel so safe with them.

Tonight though, it was about Benny, at least in your mind it was, it was always about Benny. You lived, ate, breathed, and worshipped this man. Everything you do, you do for him, and it's not this sort of unhealthy relationship sorta thing, no, this man makes you so happy, you'd do anything for him, just as he'd do pretty much anything for you.

An idea pops into your brain and you look over him and smirk, slowly lowering yourself you run your hands over the front of his pants, smirking you slowly unzip them, and glance up at him and he looks down at you and watches you carefully.

"What are you doing?" he asked you, his voice low and husky. He tilted his head and readjusted tossing his smoke outside.

You smirk and lick your lips as you stick your hand down his pants, pulling him from his pants, and freeing the flesh, you begin to work it, slowly, carefully, your grip just right, the perfect tightness. You slowly begin to work the flesh in your hand. Feeling it starting to stiffen you watch him a moment. Your hand is warm, and tight against him as you slowly move your hand a little more. Jerking a slow motion, watching his face as it relaxes and his jaw slightly slacks. But it wasn't until you brought the head of his cock against your lips.

He draws in a breath, letting out a low husky groan. You lower your mouth, your tongue flat against the underside of his cock as you slip him further into your mouth, warm, wet, taught-lipped. His groan gets a little louder as you begin to bob your head, your grip at the base of his cock as you continue to bob, swirling your tongue around the head and then it curls around the side as you lower, up and down a perfect bob.

Continuing on, his hips thrusting, his hands tangle in your hair as he uses your head, a perfect give and take as he feels himself grow close to a finish. Though not as long as he wanted this to last, this was a pleasant surprise and a much-needed one after a long day. Your bob faster, encouraging that finish, only after a good five, maybe ten to fifteen minutes max, do you feel these hot ribbons of thick white semen escape him. His cock twitches between your lips, filling your mouth, hitting the back of your throat, but you swallow, because you're his good girl.

Finishing you put him away and smile softly, grabbing the soda cup from the front cup holder, taking a sip washing him down, you look over his face he chuckles looking at you.

"You're perfect." he smiles.

[silasours]

ৎ⸝⸝⠀DETECTIVE AND MURDERER IN HELL . —

#pairing : alastor x gn reader. #cw : may include adult content. enemies to lovers trope. #summary : you were a detective when you were a human! but uh oh, you died.. and you meet the target that you were on to before your death? #note : I feel bad for not posting for so long, here's a little sneak peek at what I'm working on! i received this prompt from an anon in my inbox and do i love it very much. i have so many ideas for this fic, it'll be my first ever long fic on this blog! i'll reply to the ask once I'm done with the fic :3

“my, isn’t it my favorite detective!” you hear a static, loud voice speak from behind you. you quirk a brow, slowly turning your head to see a demon that somehow resembles a deer. a red deer, that is. he wears this wide smile that stretches from ear to ear, his whole attire so formal it makes you question if you’re underdressed. he holds a cane in his hands; it looks like a speaker that he got custom-made. confusion bubbles inside of you, and multiple questions float across your mind. who is this man, that so happens to know what you work as when you were still alive?

and, out of all demons, why are you his favorite?

“I’m sorry, but have we met?” you turn your body to face him fully, your eyes scanning from head to toe wondering if it’s just a fuzzy memory of yours. the demon steps closer to you, a sense of uneasiness instantly rushes through your veins. you shudder suddenly..

“aha, of course we have! you were even so interested in me back when we were alive!” his words only made your confusion grow. you, being interested in someone? in what way? your work has never allowed you any extra space to catch feelings for anyone around you, so surely it’s not a crush unless you’ve misunderstood. It’s like he read your thoughts, he quickly adds in with a light chuckle.

“constantly trying to gather information about me, pinpointing my location, guessing my next move. fun times! I truly enjoyed watching you do so.” something clicked in your head. so this demon was presumably a target of yours before he died, but how could you know exactly which? you had so many targets, so many psychopaths you had to track down and lock them up for good. though, something about his deer features brings a blurry memory of a specific target that you currently can’t quite put a name to his face.

everyone in the hotel watches your interaction with the red demon quietly. the air is tense, nobody dared to breathe any harder than they are now. charlie is the most anxious one out of everyone in the room; angel is starting to doubt whether he should’ve brought you back to the hotel. but, surely, the manager is smarter than to kill off someone interested in staying, no?

“care to remind me which one are you?” your hands instinctively hide themselves in your pockets as a habit. your tone isn’t as friendly as it was when you spoke to the others, and the demon is loving the reaction he’s getting from you.

“gladly, my dear friend! i’d say my case was the one you spent the most time on,” you suddenly feel a strong tug on your hand before realizing that you’re shaking hands with the demon. his smile widens as you grow more uncomfortable. “the name’s alastor! pleasure to be meeting you, quite a pleasure! I was there to witness your lovely slash boring death,”

you pull your hand back from his grasp, face scrunching at the mention of your death. he witnessed your death? what is he hinting? Is he trying to tell you that it was he who took the life of yours?

“I watched as you were murdered by one petty man i convinced, it was one of the most boring deaths i’ve ever seen! but dear, was i disappointed that you’ll never be able to put a close to my case when i thought you’d do better at fighting back.” you freeze suddenly, blood running cold from your face as he carries on.

“I was the last target you had before dying, it was a joy toying with you like a little mouse.”

so that’s what all the familiarity you felt was. his demeanor and personality, all that was jotted down in the notebook you had for research. he matches everything you wrote; you remember word by word from the number of times you’ve reread it, the times at night when you’re desperate to finally put the case to a stop. you feel anger and disgust pound in your chest, feet stepping back a couple of times.

he’s the reason why you died. you stare at his mocking smile, his expression that clearly shows his enjoyment while watching your reaction. a growl bubbles from your chest, and you see the spider demon hesitantly approach you. he stays beside you, rubbing his arm nervously while trying to think of a reason to pull you away from this scene.

“I died because of you,” you breathe out, body shaking not from fear but anger and realization. you suddenly leap forward when angel is about to reach out for your arm, your fingers curl tightly around the collar of alastor’s shirt. his smile only widens at your actions, a light hum that slides out so smoothly and audibly. “and it was purely for fun?” it’s even possible to notice every small feature you have on your face from how close you’ve pulled his face to yours. you earn a mere shrug from the demon.

“woah! babes, hey, calm down would’ja? let’s head somewhere else.” you feel a tug at your arm, but you don’t budge. you want to hurt this demon, to beat him until he’s curled up into a ball on the ground, but you can’t. there’s something holding you back, something telling you to not go any further than what you’re currently doing. he reeks of danger and mystery, hell knows what would he do to you if you were to cross his line. with another growl, you harshly push him away and he stumbles back a few steps with a small ‘oh!’.

angel sees this and takes the chance to quickly drag you away from the scene, and you let him. Everyone in the hall watches angel drag you all the way to the kitchen until alastor is out of your sight. his clawed fingers release your arm, a concerned gaze fixated on your slumping figure as you let out a deep sigh while pressing your face onto the surface of your palms.

now, you’ll really have to think it through whether you want to stay in this hotel. having so many things to take in so suddenly messes up your thoughts, something you’re unfamiliar with considering how you’re always sharp and organized.

© silas ( @silasours ). all rights reserved. every work posted on this account belongs to me, and only me. please refrain from reposting, plagiarizing, translating, or reproducing my work in any form possible.

[gucciwins]

okay i don’t know if u still talk about this series but i LOVED harry & bels story it was so beautifully written that i stopped writing my dissertation to finish it today!!! how do u they bel & h would be in 2024?? 🫶🏻🫶🏻

sweet angel! thank you so much for reading 💜 hope the dissertation is going well. I loved writing for harry and bel so here is an update for you.

word count: 1,383

love on tour

+

Y/N loved weddings. 

She loved the joy it brought the couple and everyone in their life. She loved seeing pieces of the couple scattered around as she tried her best to piece their story together. Y/N loved the cake, the food, and the open bar, where she loved to drink as many Shirley Temples as she liked until she gave herself a toothache. There was so much love in the air that Y/N always wanted to step back to see how happy everyone was to be there. The dance floor is where Y/N liked to be most of the night dancing from partner to partner. 

The wedding of Naomi Hart and Sarai Barrera is something Y/N had waited ages for after the engagement last year when on vacation in Italy with Y/N and Harry. It was a week-long celebration for her best friends, seeing as Y/N and Harry didn’t see them after the organized engagement party at Harry’s home, where their family gathered. 

While the ceremony today had been beautiful, Y/N could not stop crying. She delivered her speech and said everything correctly with no tear in sight, but after she pronounced them married, Naomi and Sarai shared a beautiful kiss, and the waterworks began. Harry pulled her to the side, squeezing her tight as she let her tears drip down her face, knowing she’d steal a moment to fix her makeup, although she knew it wouldn’t budge. Ailany, her makeup artist and close friend, promised a bucket of water would not move her makeup. 

Y/N was finally done with pictures and ready for a cold beverage. Still, because brides were busy, she was given a list of miscellaneous tasks that Y/N happily passed on to Naomi’s brother, who was excited to have something to do running away from any more photos. Y/N and Harry grabbed photos together. She knew they would be going up around their house in London. Harry had plastered his favorite pictures of them, from one hanging in the kitchen to a few scattered in the hallway next to the art pieces both had acquired through the years. Three were placed on the mantle, and each had their respective picture on the nightstand at the side of their bed. Their love is scattered throughout the house, easily seen by anyone who visits them.

She was running away from the large greenhouse and into the venue before someone could stop her. Y/N would also be keeping an eye out for her boyfriend. She needed a kiss to make it through the next hour. As Y/N turned the corner, she almost bumped into someone, but she quickly stepped away, noting the person had drinks in their hand. The familiar vanilla smell filled the air around her, and Y/N instantly settled. 

Harry. 

She had found Harry. 

“Bel, you alright?” 

Y/N nods, “Need a drink.” 

Harry grins at her, raising one of the glasses in his hand. “Fancy a water?” 

Y/N shoots him a bright smile. “Did you know I love you, Harry Styles? Because I do. So much.” 

His cheeks turn pink, “it doesn’t hurt to hear from time to time, my love.” 

She takes a long drink of water, sighing in relief. They happened to get married on the hottest day in California. Winter was like no other here, but today felt like the start of Spring. Harry slipped his hand into Y/N’s and began to walk with her. Y/N didn’t question where he was taking her. She was happy to steal a moment away with him. 

Y/N leaned her head on his shoulder, the comfort of being with her person enough to soothe her. 

Harry had led them to a dead-end that faced the ocean, the windows long and tall, allowing her to view every inch of the outside. He carefully helped her sit on the bench to smooth her dress. 

“Alright, amor?” 

“Perfect.” 

They settled close to each other, Harry resting his hand on Y/N’s lap as she once again leaned her head on his shoulder. It’s a beautiful day, and Harry can’t help but think that one day, it will be Y/N’s and his turn to marry. They both want it, and he has the perfect ring for when the time is right. 

“Back to filming soon?”

Y/N sighs, “Let’s not, estrella.” 

“You’re going to leave me.” 

Harry knows she loves her job, but after the time they’ve spent at home together, he selfishly wants her to stay with him as he enjoys his break and begins the process for his next album. 

“I love you, Harry. You promised to come with me for a week or so.” 

He had agreed. Of course, he would be going, but there was something special about simply being Harry and Y/N inside the comfort of their home. 

“I will. You have the last of the award season soon.” 

Y/N frowns, “I was invited, but my films are releasing this year since everything was pushed back.”

“But Lily Gladstone, my love.” 

Y/N laughed. “She’s going to win. We’ll send her a bouquet of flowers.” 

“I will be attending the Brits,” Harry reminds her. 

“Will I be your date?”

“If you’re free?” He teases, knowing very well she has this date saved in her schedule.

“Dork.” 

The silence floats around them, and Y/N knows they must head back soon but makes no move to stand up. Instead enjoys the quiet of being with Harry.

“Y/N?” Harry voiced after five minutes. 

“Hmm…”

“What do you picture your future like in a few years?” 

She detects the tremble in his voice and moves her body to face him. Her hands snaked up his suit, and her fingers briefly played with the lace collar before settling on his cheeks. Y/N loves Harry. He’s never afraid to speak his mind, but sometimes he even overwhelms himself. 

“Well,” she starts. “Our future is us living in London. It’s a place we love, and I don’t picture us living elsewhere unless you magically convince me to live in Italy, which I would never oppose. We’ll have two dogs because you promised we’d get one this year,” she reminds him. 

“We’ll make it happen,” he promises. 

“In a few years, I hope we’ll be married. You’ll be touring, and I’ll be your groupie, having quit acting.” 

“Y/N,” he deadpans. 

“Kidding,” Y/N giggles. “I hope to have directed a few films, one I love with a cast and crew who support me every single step of the way. I want to continue to create a safe environment and continue to pave a path for Latinas. But mostly, I hope we’re happy. We continue to encourage our dreams and hold each other’s hand when things get tough. I hope to love you for as long as I breathe. How does that sound?”

Harry’s eyes shine with tears. He gives her a single nod. “It’s perfect. Everything I want.” 

He closes the gap, needing to kiss Y/N. Needing to express that he wants everything she stated. He feels the world pause around them, and he knows at this moment there is no one else in the world who could ever come close to making him feel as loved and cared for as Y/N makes him. Soulmate is a big word, but he knows it’s the one for them deep down. 

Y/N giggles against his lips, “You love me?”

“Te amo,” he responds. 

“I love you.” That is Y/N’s answer. 

Harry pulls her in for another kiss, full of passion and familiarity. So much is being said at the moment, and Y/N knows they won’t ever forget it. 

Y/N loved Harry. She knew he was her person. The person she was meant to spend the rest of her life with knew he felt the same. 

2024 so far had brought them lots of joy, and with Harry’s birthday coming up, she knew it would only get better. Ultimately, Y/N had no idea what 2024 had in store for them, but as long as she kept loving Harry and he loved her, she knew everything would be alright.

[anotherandomcollection]

Perhaps in another life...

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≻─ ⋆✩ pairings: mavuika x fem!reader (can be read as gn!reader) ≻─ ⋆✩ warnings: some kind of fluff?, angst! - not beta read. probably ooc mavuika so... sorry in advance ≻─ ⋆✩ spoilers?: 5.0 Archon Quest (Act I & II) ≻─ ⋆✩ author's note: idk I feel like writing some angst so I may as well try with a new little idea I had... I also wrote this at like 2am with a sudden rush of inspiration...

I haven't written in a while and I'm completely new to this, I have never written on tumblr so forgive my formatting please. I don't know how to feel about this

≻─ ⋆✩ word count: 1.6K

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The traveler says nothing as they observe the Pyro archons family portrait, one that had been painted to her family's likeness. Apart from her parents and her sister, there had been someone else, clearly bearing no resemblance to any of the family, this someone had their arms linked around the archon - everyone smiling. The traveler notes how the archon can't seem to tear her gaze away from the portrait, before she snaps back to the situation at hand. Her eyes drift back to the image during their conversation and they wonder just how long the archon's duties had kept this archon away from her family. The answer was too long - longer than what the traveler had ever imagined.

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The day your love officially decides to sacrifice herself, was one you already knew was coming. There had been discussions for long before it had been finalised and you were just hoping that your darling wife could let a different archon do this... It's not like Natlan lacked in archons, with the possibility for any human to ascend to the seat. Sure, it was selfish, that much you knew but did she really have to be the one? It hurt to know that Mavuika had to be - to give up her life and return five centuries in the future. Five centuries and without you. And you would live the rest of your life without her.

There had been arguments and heated discussions that ended up resulting in everyone's anger and it helped no one, really. At some point, you had to accept it, before you sent off your love with anger instead of some final memories of love and joy. Her mind was clearly made up, long before the final announcement.

It was hard, of course. Hard to accept because suddenly your wife was a ticking time bomb. A set date and a set time, where she would cease to be with you and then she would be lost. She would die and sure, she would be resurrected later... But not in your life time. She would be gone and you would never see your wife alive again. It had felt almost like a doctor's diagnosis, when they give you a time limit. But at least people still had the hope of fighting off an illness and pushing through. This date was final and it was becoming so very real and closing in so very fast.

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The last of her days were spent easy and quiet. Away from the archon life and responsibilities - Mavuika had already ensured she completed everything before the announcement. She had her last days to be spent, after all.

You'd gone out together with her sister, Hine, travelling around Natlan one last time... There had been time spent curled up together, relishing in each other's warmth once more and the comfort found in each other's arms. Soon, sleep would not come easy for you. Too used to the warmth of your lover.

You'd brought her for a quick visit to Sumeru, though it had been rather uneventful and... A lot of sand. More than you'd ever encountered in Natlan and finer than you'd encountered. Dunes and dunes of sand in every direction and wind that blew the sand everywhere and it had stubbornly clung to everything. You spend time still getting sand out of your clothes and bags long after your darling has passed.

In the nights, quiet words of comfort are exchanged and promises made. Mavuika had already requested her wedding ring be kept somewhere... Somewhere she could find when she inevitably rose once more in the future. You cling to your wife, even in your sleep and you dream of a future that you will never be able to have with her.

At times, it feels like you are grieving the loss before it happens. But how do you not when you know it would happen already?

No matter how much fun and laughter is spent together in each day. No matter the soft kisses and tender touches... Your wife would die in a matter of days. And you were powerless to stop it.

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"Come on love, its time to get up", She whispers, though she doesn't shake you awake. The sun had long rose and the colours of the sky had shifted from the orange and purple sunrise hues into the bright sky of a new day. You looked ethereal - the sunlight catching in your hair and sprawled across the pillows. And so at peace, without the weight of a hidden grief that you carried over the last few weeks.

She supposes it was how you saw her when she set her hair aflame. 'it's beautiful, angelic even...', you'd told her once. If she brought up the comparison you would probably laugh. Something about how the sunlight in your hair could not compare to an archon's beauty. Her beauty. But still she watches as the sun dances across your skin with a wonderful glow.

"We don't have anything on today.", Is the only response she gets, your voice laced with sleep, before you bury your face into her neck, turning away from the sun's glare. You can feel her laughter as she runs her fingers through your hair and you are lulled back to sleep with the rhythmic and soothing quality of it. When you wake later, you find yourself still tangled with your wife and she too had been dragged back to the land of dreams.

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The day comes and... The moment your wife gives you the last kiss, last hug and last touch... It passed numbly. She hugs her family goodbye, final words are exchanged... and then she's gone. You had not been allowed to witness the actual sacrifice and you did not want to either ways. The feeling remains numb until it's night time and you're alone. Alone for the first time in... Years. Since you had married, she had always been home for bed, curling up together and relishing in the warmth that radiated through the house. Warmth of the person, in both the figurative and literal sense... And it was gone.

The dam breaks and you cry yourself to sleep. You wake exhausted, despite the full night of rest and it is painful. You force yourself to go about your day and life continues on.

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It hurts even more, when Hine, still young and perhaps she had not quite grasped the meaning of gone. She's inconsolable at first, but soon gains a kind of fire in her, insistent that there's some way of seeing her sister again in the future. Her determination would have been adorable, if you weren't already aware that living that long was impossible and just barely coping with your grief. And unlike your wife (ex...wife? No, she was your wife even if she had passed.) no one else really had that 'wayob ordained purpose' to rise again and protect Natlan from destruction so far into the future.

Five centuries was almost unfathomable to you. No one, short of gods and perhaps the Adepti you hear about in stories from Liyue could live that long. But you were no such mythical beast nor were you a god. You were as human as they got and so was Hine.

Regardless, you force a kind smile as you work together to theorise ways to live that long. To see her sister again and to see your wife again. It's not possible, you already know, and you hoped that her sister would see it before she was too far gone in her aspirations for the far future. She does, eventually, almost a full year later when the passion mellow and it finally hits that she's gone. You hold each other as you both cry and mourn the loss of a loved one.

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Five centuries later and Mavuika rises once more. She finds the wedding ring that she painstakingly stored and had a family portrait made. Painted onto her father's old armour, she describes her family to the best of her ability and she almost weeps at the likeness that the artist manages to capture.

She cannot mourn now, not really. She already accepted her fate in the centuries before and she knew what she was giving up. But if not her, then who? She had a duty to her nation. The grief hits her in the quiet hours of the night when she isn't the Pyro archon of Natlan but just Mavuika . No one fights alone - but why did she feel like this was a battle she was oh no lonely in. So far into the future and so much has changed since the past.

Unfortunately, little survives five centuries of erosion. She doesn't know exactly of what happens to her family. Her sister... Has some records and she pieces together that her younger sister managed to be an architect. Playing a major role in rebuilding the Scions of the Canopy.

But you... Some evidence points to you also became an architect alongside her sister. Helping to rebuild and design the children of the Echoes. Some say you died young, a mysterious disease that compromised your immune systems. Others say you eventually left Natlan to a different nation, which one is unclear but you never returned until much later in life. But all records are alike in stating that you never remarried and never took on another love.

And so Mavuika sits alone and she prays (to who? to who does an archon pray to?) that in the end, her sacrifice is worth it. That giving up everything had been worth it. And she hopes, so desperately that when her (second) human life expires, she can see you again.

[gentlebeardsbarngrill]

01/21/2024 Crew Recap

Well holy shit all.

We finally fucking did it! We hit 75,000 signatures! That's crazy! The next goal line is literally twice that, and I know it seems daunting but don't give up, the more we get the more we show how much people want OFMD picked back up! We don't have to make that goal to show how passionate we are, we already have!

I know it feels like we've been doing this forever (12 days can you believe it?) but the scuttlebutt around deck is that we are making waves, and it's good to keep up the engagements so studio execs can see just how much we care!

We've been kicking ass on the #AdoptOurCrew hashtag on twitter and other platforms

===Articles===

I'm starting with articles tonight because this first one is phenomenal so please read it, it's by our very own @celluloidbroomcloset who if you follow them, you know their analysis is top notch. If it doesn't give you hope I don't know what will!

Our Flag Means Death And The Fight For Queer Joy

Cancelled Max Show Fans Utilize Netflix Billboard Trend, Creator Responds to Campaign Efforts

=== CREW KUDOS ===

We've had SO MUCH to be proud of about the last almost 2 weeks (oh my god I still cant believe it's been that long). Our efforts have been coming to fruition in a thousand different ways! Here's a couple more!

=First up, is the Fandom Project!=

As always thank you to @renewasacrew and in this case @tealknives and everyone else involved in this particular project for all your hard work!

Twitter / Tumblr

CW: FLASHING LIGHTS/ COLORS

=Next up, Cool Descriptions of all of you=

Thanks to @aproperpirate on Twitter for putting this together:

Just some cool descriptions of how unhinged we've all been, and I think you should be incredibly proud!

==How To Help==

Since this section has gotten to be a bit long, I'm separating it out into a separate post -- please go here for the details of the day that will be kept updated whenever I'm awake.

Here's the HOW TO HELP SECTION please visit it!

=Cast and Crew News=

Samba had a baby!

Also, Errol Shand (Ricky) has just been promoting the crap out of SaveOFMD Stuff on his IG so I just had to shout out to him here. What a guy.

=Cross Fandom Watch Party!=

Looks like there's gonna be some cross fandom watch parties on twitter you're welcome to tune in for Jan 23-26 on twitter. They'll be watching good omens in an effort to try and get engagement up with PrimeVideo. It sounds like it'll be similar to the LubeAsACrew but with Good Omens fans! Thank you to @Dandeebakes on Twitter for getting these organised!

Hashtags to use: #PirateOmens #AdoptOurCrew #SaveOFMD, and helps to @PrimeVideo

=== Contests ===

Looks like there's a contest for 2023 Reader's Choice Performer Of the Year, and you can go vote over here:

=Other Platform Recaps!=

It's been brought to my attention there are some other recaps going on on various platforms, feel free to check them out!

Twitter: @Mytabsclosed

Website: omfd-crew.com

These lovely folks have a full week wrap up if you wanna check it out here!

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

A wonderful note from @RedsiesWorld on Twitter, something to remember is we are in fact fighting for our crews jobs as well (not just s3) and you're kicking ass!

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

So all in all, 12 days of Polite Menacing has been BAT SHIT INSANE and every one of you should feel super fucking proud of all the hard work. This is a break checkpoint however ---PLEASE TAKE A BREAK IF YOU NEED IT (or even if you don't think you do). It's super important you take care of yourself! No one on the crew is going to be upset or disappointed that you took a break! We all are contributing in our own ways, so no need to worry if you're not doing the same as someone else! You are doing plenty!

Remember:

Drink Plenty of Water (Hydrate!)

Eat something good for you!

Get Some Sleep!

Do something Creative that makes you happy!

Go outside for a few minutes! (weather permitting)

Shit is hard, life's a dick, but you are stronger and more capable than you can possibly imagine, and you've got 10's of thousands of people out here rooting for you. All the love folks, wherever you are, whatever you're doing. You are wonderful and you are enough <3

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

Tonight's random Rhys picture is what I can only assume is Murray getting a leaf blower blown in his face. You're welcome.

[dreamweaversfavsandthoughs]

Rick and Morty S7 Ep. 4: That’s Amorte

(There is no ethical consumption under capitalism)

Don’t read any further if you don’t want to spoiler your appetite…

My Favs

We got Morty back!

When the world was about to send out an Amber Alert on a missing kid, Morty decided to return to us! I’ve enjoyed the season so far but having Rick and Morty together is a stark reminder that the strength of this show is found in the dynamic between grandfather and grandson. Also, I love seeing Rick getting healthy and bettering himself, but I also love to see a Rick that’s amoral and a bit unhinged.

Facial animation:

I don’t know if this is due to the Irish animation studio they’re working with now, but I’ve noticed there’s a bit more diversity in the facial expressions compared to the last two or three seasons. Has anyone else noticed this?

They did a Soylent Green!

I predicted that this might have been a red herring seeing the initial clips and they might instead do something akin to the Universal Paperclip game, but a Soylent Green is what we got. Well, the idea behind the paperclip game is still on the table for next season…

Euthanasia, Cannibalism, and Suicide

Quite the trifecta of “subjects we don’t discuss in polite society,” but I admire them for taking the risk and weaving everything together well. Kinda surprised S&P let them get away with it.

“His dying wish is to see deader people so he can feel superior.”

Morty-O’s Suicide Spaghetti

“ Is this people or not people? I just need to know how much I should pretend to be upset.”

Oh, Jerry…

“They dyed their sun institutional gray.”

“Ooo gray areas. My specialty.”

Classic Rick

Kotomi’s cover of “Live Forever”

“Life itself is wrong and that means death is right. But you can’t side with that. So you live, even when it means eating.”

Not My Fav:

They could have gotten nastier.

This is my one small gripe in an episode that I think is fantastic. I’m confident there is an earlier draft out there that got so much grosser before S&P made their cuts and I demand to see that draft!

Release that nasty cut!!!

My Thoughts:

First my less serious thought, how in the hell did Rick find out that those people turned in spaghetti when they unalived themselves? My headcanon is that he has made a regular habit of impersonating a doctor on that planet because he sees doctors as nothing more than glorified mechanics, but for people. Rick knows he’s the smartest man in the universe and a proper scientist so practicing medicine would not be that much of a challenge and along the way he discovered this delicious trait about the Keplar people.

On a more serious note, there are two moments that really stood out to me. First, was when Morty broke the news of the spaghetti’s origin to the family and their reaction. They were angry and disappointed—in Morty for delivering the message rather than Rick for feeding them people-spaghetti. That spaghetti was amazing and brought everyone joy and they were more angry about losing their joy than the moral implications of consuming human flesh. Morty destroyed the illusion that they were “good” people and instead of actually being good people and refusing to eat the spaghetti, Morty created a work-around so that he and the family could still maintain the illusion.

That felt very realistic to how, dare I say, all of us have acted at some point, whether it’s the food we eat or that store that sells the jeans that fit perfectly or the online retailer that delivers anything we could possibly want the next day. Maybe, we find out someday that it’s not created in the most ethical manner and we rationalize it. We think, “ Oh, it’s not that bad.” or “ I can’t afford the more ethical option,” or "I have such few joys in my life I don't want to lose this as well.” It’s easier to uphold the illusion of being morally upright under a system that makes it exceedingly difficult to do so. But even if the capitalistic system is destroyed can we ever really be absolved? This leads to the second moment that stood out, Rick’s monologue.

“Life itself is wrong and that means death is right. But you can’t side with that. So you live, even when it means eating.”

My interpretation is that Rick is saying, “Life, by it’s very nature, is inherently unethical and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Even if the meat you eat comes from an animal that is well taken care of, killed as quickly and painlessly as possibly, and processed in a facility that treats its workers well and obeys all regulations—that animal still had to die in order to produce that meat. You’re a vegan. Plants are still living things and for many plants the process of getting food from them destroys them in the process. Millions of bacteria are destroyed every time you wash your hands. Life needs other kinds of life to end for it to keep going, but humans are the only creatures that are aware of this fact so we create arbitrary categories around which types of life are okay to destroy (categories we can’t all agree on) in order to maintain the illusion of morality.

This episode does not have a feel-good message among the jokes and absurd characters and I appreciate that. This one got my brain a-churnin’ and I’m sure I read way too much into this episode but I couldn’t help myself.

[violetasteracademic]

Golden Doe in a Valley of Shadow: Chapter Fifteen (Ao3 Azriel x Elain Fanfic)

Who's afraid of little old me?

Welcome to the Blood Duel. I am genuinely so excited for you guys to read this chapter. I am also overjoyed and delighted to share the name of our doe, Lily! Thank you so much @elrieldreamer for the beautiful name! I wound up really honing in on the meaning behind Lily of the Valley, which thematically was just so perfect and wrote in beautifully. But I also want to remind everyone who may not have seen it that her inspiration was the connection between the Hebrew meanings of all their names! For the sneak peek of this chapter, I will be dropping the little snippet of Azriel and Elain naming Lily. It truly came out so sweet and perfect, I couldn't be happier!

As always, if you are not caught up you can find your chapter on the master list here. Link to the new chapter will be below.

Please note there are some graphic descriptions of the duel and pain/violence in this chapter, which we have not seen yet in this fic. So be advised!

Preview:

Elain

Elain and Azriel did not make love that evening. They just held each other. As she lay awake in bed, everyone’s words and the loosely formed plan rattled around her mind. She tried to compartmentalize. To let her thoughts sort themselves into the locked boxes she had grown so accustomed to, and focus on Azriel’s steady presence. His soothing night chilled mist and cedar scent. The scent of the mountainside and skies. His strong arms and steady heartbeat. If he was afraid, he did not let it show on his face or in his scent.

“Elain?” He whispered into the crook of her neck.

“Yes?” She replied.

“I know I have no right to ask another favor of you, considering what you are about to do tomorrow…” he trailed off.

Elain stroked his cheek. “What is it?”

“I was wondering,” he smiled softly, “if you would give me the honor of naming our doe. Since you were the one who got to name Argus.”

Elain smiled, something tight in her chest easing. “Of course, shadowsinger.” She kissed him softly. “What did you have in mind?”

“There’s a flower, Lily of the Valley. Just like Argus held meaning for you from the human lands, Lily holds meaning in ours. It means joy, love, and happiness. Which is everything you have brought into my life.” Elain’s breath caught in her chest. “And some communities believe Lilies of the Valley to be symbols of luck. Which is what I hope you will carry with you tomorrow. Argus to guard you, and Lily to bring you luck.” He grinned sheepishly. “What do you think?”

“Lily," she breathed. "It’s perfect.” Elain’s heart swelled as she smiled, and nuzzled further into him.

Azriel held out his hand and Argus and Lily appeared on the bed. Elain sent her light over Lily, and the little creatures spun in a few circles before curling up next to each other at the foot of the bed.

Joy. Love. Happiness. Luck. It was so thoughtful, so considerate. Her heart sang.

“I love you,” he whispered softly into the shell of her ear.

“I love you too, Azriel,” she replied.

There was nothing more to say after that. She let the soothing feel of Azriel’s scent and strength, and the comforting presence of Argus and Lily, finally settle the last dregs of anxiety clawing at her mind. She fell into a sound sleep.

Enjoy!

[sirowsky-stories]

The Old Prince

Part 14 - The Sacrifice

Author's Note: I can't believe it's over! But I love it so much and I'm really happy with this ending. As always, I'm happy to continue the story if anyone has any specific requests for something to be further explored, but if not, this will be our last few moments with these two. Thank you to everyone who's read and interacted with this story!

Description: None for this chapter, and no warnings either, to avoid spoilers. But it's an ending, so expect feels!

Rating: Mature 18+ONLY Word Count: 2600 Author's Masterlist

   Lose yourself.    Don’t be afraid of what comes after, this moment is all that matters. Don’t try to control the light, it’ll go where it needs to go.    Find him. Find everything you ever felt about him, good or bad, and live with him again. In one second, you can relive it all, you can have him back.    Lose yourself in him.

   The light will go where it needs to go…

   “You are quite amazing, my dear.”

   Suddenly you’re back there, with him, in his room shortly before your first time making love to one another. He looks at you with those brown eyes, softened with compassion but also hardened by time, and so humbled by your feelings for him.    Your chest burns, but it isn’t with pain. Tears fall freely down your cheeks, staining your clothes, and he looks terribly concerned.

   “Are you alright?” he asks, tightening his embrace around you while he works to understand your reaction. “If you have any doubts about me, or us…”

   He trails off as your face breaks into a smile and you shake your head, trying not to laugh with the flood of joy which surges through you at the sight of him, so real before you again.

   “You do know… I am yours, don’t you?” he ponders, and somehow, you can tell he begins to understand.

   In his eyes you see a quiet but intense search for answers, although it’s like he knows he’ll find them in there even if you don’t say anything. He knows you’ve been to places and seen things beyond his comprehension, and so all he really discovers is, he’s fine with it.    Because he can tell that whatever’s happened to you, he was there with you. Because you love him more than he had ever dared believe possible.

   “You know better than I do,” he whispers, and tears begin to fill his eyes as well.

   He hasn’t lived your reality, this is just a memory, but even so, he knows how deeply you’re connected. And he sees how desperately you need him.    You let your head fall against his shoulder and sob in both grief and happiness.    He feels exactly the same. He smells exactly the same. Because this is how you remember him. And when his hand comes to rest against the back of your head, and he leans his cheek against your temple, all your feelings are blown away, replaced by the unparalleled harmony of knowing… you’re home.

--=¤=--

   Simon never reaches her, held back by the sheer mass of light produced as she surrenders to her spirit and Lux emerges in her place.    It has no form. It’s just a ball of light, so bright that no one can look at it, so strong that nothing can touch it.    The light reaches around the entire globe, for just a second, but it’s enough. All spirits are brought out of their darkened shells, and all creatures made of evil are turned to dust, save the creator himself.

   Then it’s gone. The light fades as suddenly as it appeared, no more than a flash to those who experience it, but at the same time an infinite moment.

   The owl knows what must be done. She still remembers the woman’s words, just as she knows in her heart that the Darkling will rebuild his army if he is not destroyed.    So, she calls to her sisters, calls for them to fight in the name of Freedom.    The beast has recovered from the light by the time they reach him, and he fights back with a fury to rival his losses.

--=¤=--

   On Faial, Andreia drops the stack of brochures she’s carrying to the front desk of the Volcano Interpretation Center, as she feels something leave her. She turns to the west, knowing what was lost was somewhere over there, just as a brightness which somehow comes into the room despite it being underground, forces her to close her eyes.    And when it’s passed, an emptiness follows.

   For years, she hasn’t felt sorrow or fear, blissfully unaware that the strange positivity, which was given to her by another, was only borrowed.    She slumps beside the desk and cries deeper than she ever has before. So lost in this overpowering grief, who’s origin she doesn’t even know, that she cannot tell how every other person in the building does the same.

   Nor does she know her sister, Daniela, is doing the same, thousands of miles away at the bottom of the world.    She doesn’t realize everything living now grieves the loss of this one person, connected to everything in her efforts to keep them alive. This one person who has affected the lives of literally everyone.

   But they will no longer remember her.

   What they truly grieve is the loss of the hope she brought into the world, not the woman herself. She was a mystery, and one not meant for everyone.    Each human is meant to find their own hope, however difficult it might be. That is the journey all living things must be willing to take, or they will never truly live.

--=¤=--

   He regains more strength with every second the battle rages on, pulling new evils out of the ground to protect himself as the spirits combat him across the continent.    They no longer recall the events which brought them here, only that their purpose is to end the darkness. It takes them nearly five days and a winding path which ends at Niagara Falls, but throughout all of this, they never falter.

   Two of them on each of his limbs is what it takes to hold him, while Scarabaeus crawls inside his chest through one of the cracks in his skin and continues into his heart.    When it explodes, the human male whom the dark one had been born into, reemerges for a little while. He is young and frightened. Someone haunts his thoughts while the pain ravages through his body, which is slowly being destroyed and sucked into the earth to be reborn in the future, as the cycle of light and dark continues.

   As a boy, this man suffered unspeakable things, taught to endure hatred and malice until he became dependent upon them. And so, when his torturer died, his world was upended, and the Darkling was unleashed.    Not born of anger or despair, but of the sudden absence of the pain this child had become so accustomed to. It was freedom which hurt him the most, and because of this, his monster was unlike all those before him.

   The Nine leave only when they’re certain his evil has been purged from the world, evident not just by the fading of the unnatural cloud but by how they can once more help the land to grow, returning it to its former vibrance within a few months.    Sadly, the animals and people who are lost can never be restored, but new ones will find their way here in time.

   Before she leaves this new land, Caelum lingers perched at the top of a spruce.    For a moment, she feels sad. But there is no longer anything to be sad about. Still, the feeling lingers, and she remains there, looking out over seven hills in the distance.    Somehow, she feels as though they have voices, speaking to her in a language she cannot interpret.

   But when she spreads her wings and flies over them, a melody seems to carry to her on the wind.    Something sad, but also hopeful.

--=¤=--

   You’re not sure what brought you into town today. You don’t have an errand or appointment or anything you need to do, so far as you can recall. But you have this strong sense that you’re missing something.    Like when you’ve forgotten something just as you’re about to leave the house, but you can’t figure out what it is, so you end up leaving and then halfway to work you realize that it was your fucking phone.

   It’s a small town in Sweden, quiet and calm, but not stale. You’ve lived here all your life, but in the woods twenty miles outside of the city center. And you’re an orphan, so you don’t have any family.    As a kid, going into town had always meant disappointment. Because you’d wanted to go to the movies or buy that dress which you’d been dreaming about for months after you’d seen it in a window once, or have the best ice-cream in town, or go to a restaurant for dinner.

   But your adoptive mother had been poor, only going into town for groceries, having to take you along since she lived alone, but unable to let you have any of the things you wished for.    She’d been a very kind woman, though, and you’d grown to love her as a mother before her unfortunate passing, shortly after you’d turned nineteen.    Sadly, the town has remained a negative to you ever since. You only go there for groceries or the occasional upgrade to your wardrobe, and each time it always feels like a chore, never anything you do just for the fun of it.

   Frustrated that you can’t work out what’s nagging at you, or why you think you’re gonna find it in the middle of the little city center, you take a seat on a bench in the main square, crossing your arms and legs and preparing to wait for exactly five minutes. If you haven’t thought of what it is by then, you’re going home.    Honestly, you feel incredibly stupid even sticking around for one minute. You don’t have any reason to be here.

   People are walking by, some rushing to get something done on their lunch break, others just moseying along without a rushed bone in them, but all of them with a purpose.    An elderly gentleman with a walker, and at least one gammy hip, sits down on the other side of the square, looking up and down main street, clearly waiting for someone.    He looks nice, but tired. His clothes are clean and very proper. He makes a point of not sitting too close to anyone else, so his walker won’t get in their way. He’s used to leaving space next to him for someone. A partner.

   When the people he’s waiting for turn up, it’s his grandchildren, and he lights up like a star in the sky.    But he’s not quite well. You can tell by… well, you’re not sure what exactly. You just know he’s not healthy. Probably fighting an infection of some sort.    Wait… How would you know that? How would you know anything at all about this man?

   This has happened before and it rattles you just as much each time, so you get up to leave, only then realizing it’s been twenty minutes since you sat down already, and you scoff at yourself as you quickly turn to your right, heading around the side of the bench you’ve been sitting on, to cut across a small patch of grass on your way to where you parked your car.    But you’ve only managed to get up and turn when you suddenly hit a wall.

   “Oof…” you breathe in surprise, just as you realize that you’ve actually collided with a person. A very broad and sturdy person.

   “My apologies, miss,” he politely says while he takes your right hand to keep you from losing your balance. “I’m afraid I have a habit of moving quietly.”

   He meets your eyes for a long moment and with each passing second, your insides turn warmer and strangely, you’re both pained and terribly relieved. As if you’ve missed him and never known it until now. As if you’ve been cut in half all your life, and his mere presence has made you whole.    And even more strangely, he feels the same. You can see it.    You know this man. His pain and his fears, but also his love.

   “…my Oberyn,” you whisper, having no idea where it comes from, half expecting him to start questioning your sanity.

   But instead, tears fill his eyes, and his hand tightens around yours as he pulls you closer.

   “Yes,” he answers, just as quietly, his voice strangled by strong emotions. “Yes, I am yours.”

   You will never come to recall anything from your previous life. Not the spirits or the dark one or even the dragon. Nor will you ever know why you and Oberyn had been granted the gift of rebirth as ordinary humans after the war.    In fact, no one knows the answer to that one.    Perhaps the Earth itself took pity on you both, after witnessing your sacrifice. Or maybe it was you, somehow realizing how to save your souls in those final moments of your life.

   But however it was accomplished, you will always know in your heart to cherish the man you fell in love with at first glance. You’ll always remember that he is the reason you’re alive, simply because without him, you’re incomplete.    The two of you are younger when you first meet this time around, and somehow you both know to cherish every day together, filling your lives with laughter and love, not ever worrying about what lies behind or ahead of you.

   Illnesses and accidents somehow pass your family by, as if some unseen guardian watches over you. And sometimes, late at night when the skies are the darkest and there’s no moon, there are moments when you could swear you see something gliding through the air on barely visible wings, and a pair of pale blue eyes looking at you.    Other times, sunlight tricks you into thinking there’s something in the corner of your eye, like green leaves seemingly moving on their own, or the flickering wings of an impossibly large butterfly. You’ve even heard the proud snorts and heavy hooves of a horse a few times, only to always look up and find nothing there.

   It happens rarely, not even once a year, but enough that with time, you begin to sense a familiarity with these things. An understanding that it isn’t just happening in your head. That some small part of you is connected to something bigger.    But you don’t care.    What matters to you is that your life is everything you want it to be. The rest is just white noise in the periphery.

   Your mother used to say that happiness is a choice, and that the mistake most people make is in thinking you only have to make it once, when in truth, you have to make it all the time. At every junction, crossroad, turn, and dip. You must choose to be happy, at every opportunity given, it’s not just gonna come to you automatically.    But she would always add that the very best way to live a happy life, is to find someone who makes the choice easier. Someone who makes your heart so light that you come to the right decision by simply existing in their presence.

   Most days, you feel like it was Oberyn who found you, though, not the other way around. You feel like he’ll always find you, no matter what happens.    Sometimes, you’re even absolutely certain that he found you eons ago, before the world had even become this world yet. That your paths are somehow linked by the cosmos itself. And every time this feeling hits you, it rings so true in your heart it makes you cry.    Then it passes, and you feel silly.

   But then again…

   What if…?

-=THE END=-

Thank you for taking this journey with me!

@harriedandharassed @kittenlittle24 @joelswritingmistress @pedrostories

[spagettae]

📄 — ANONYMOUS // chapter 1

pairing/s : kang taehyun x fem!reader.

: the school has an anonymous board in the hallway so students who can't face their crushes or wanna vent who don't want to show their identity. you were reading some messages on the board and there's a message for you and you were curious about who it is.

wc : 1.3k

cw : deez nuts and fart jokes, lowercase.

click the paper thing emoji to see the series masterlist.

“ class dismissed, please don't forget to do your homework! ” the professor said as she left the classroom.

everyone in the classroom started to get noisy, students laughing, looking around to look for your friend. spotting her on her desk putting her stuff away as you walked towards her desk. “ let's get lunch? ” you asked as she looked through her bag to get her wallet. “ yeah, i'm hungry right now, let's go to the cafeteria! ” dahyun answered as she walked first, you following her.

the cafeteria was lively and noisy as usual. students laughing while eating their lunches, some are quiet to the point you don't notice them that they're in the cafeteria.

“ wait! i forgot my wallet. ” you said to dahyun as she just gave you a blank stare. “ well?? get your wallet, i'm really starving right now! ” she whined, her stomach growling. you gave her an apologetic look as you ran to the classroom to get your wallet.

bumping into someone on your way to the classroom, stopping and bowing to genuinely apologize to the person you bumped into. “ ah- i'm really sorry! ” you said as you looked up to see taehyun standing there. “ oh ” the only thing you can mutter as he just smiled at you and left hurriedly. you didn't mind it while he was jumping in joy.

you pass the anonymous board on the hallway as you stop and take a few step backs to look at the notes. there were two (2) anonymous boards on the school. one on the library and one in the hallway. the messages weren't really that interesting since most of the students just put jokes on it like "deez nuts" , "fart" or putting their name's crushes with a "you're so beautiful", "i hope i still have chance" and many more. you never found those interesting but when you were reading some there's something that just stands out.

the message was " yn this is cringe and shit but whatever i need to say it. whenever I see you on campus, my day is complete. just by seeing you makes me happy and i can't thank you enough for it. i don't have any reasons to talk to you but i always see you from afar. this is so cheesy loll " the message wasn't that cringe and you would never stopped smiling if someone didn't tap you on the shoulder.

“ i just finished eating because you took so long so i ate alone. what are you doing here anyway ” dahyun said, taking a bite from a chocolate bar she brought from the cafeteria. you pointed at a certain paper as she read it. “ wow?! a secret admirer ” she said loudly that some students look over to where you guys are standing, smacking her in the head. “ girl lower your voice ” you whispered yelled at her as she couldn't careless and just nodded. “ that's a cringe letter for me not gonna lie, but who they are they do what they do i guess.. ” your friend said as she take the last bite from her chocolate bar.

“ anyway, we don't have that much time now for lunch. luckily i bought biscuits for you. ” she said as she handed you the biscuits, thanking her as you both walked into your next classes. you were lucky enough that you and dahyun are in the same class.

the bell rang as the professor started to clean the desk and dismissed the whole class. you gathered your things as dahyun walked towards your desk. “ wanna hang out after school? ” she asked, putting her hands on your desk as you looked at your watch. “ with who? we don't have any more classes after this. ” you said as you two started walking out of the classroom.

“ well it's just kai and taehyun. ” she replied, whistling. you stopped walking as you looked at her. “ kai and who? ” dahyun grinned as she answered “ kai and taehyun. ” your eyes widened at the mention of taehyun's name. “ wait, really? ” you asked with a big smile on your face, dahyun laughed at the sight infront of her and nodded.

squealing as you scream in silence, running out of the school. dahyun laughing and follows you.

“ where? ” you asked, looking back at dahyun while she was at her phone typing away before looking back at you. “ do you know that cafe? ” she asked pointing at the nearby cafe, nodding since you always get your coffee there before going to school. “ great! they're waiting there oh and they ordered coffee for us too. ” dahyun said, putting her cellphone on her bag. your smile getting wider when you two are nearing the cafe.

they were outside so the both of you wouldn't go inside the cafe. “ yo, kai! ” you greeted the boy, high-fiving him as dahyun greeted taehyun. “ ynn! ” he happily said as he showed you a drink. “ your usual drink and this one's for you dahyun! ” he said as he gave his drink to taehyun first to give you and dahyun's drinks.

dahyun happily accepted it and thanked kai, you did the same as dahyun you accepted it and thanked him as you turned to taehyun to greet him. “ hello, taehyun! ” you energetically said, waving at him as he just gave you a small smile and waved back.

kai and dahyun look at each other and grin as they nudge each other trying not to laugh. they definitely did this for you two to bond and have fun i guess and the two of them are the babysitter. kai knew taehyun sticked the paper on the anonymous board. not only kai but most of his friends.

“ since we're all here, where do you guys wanna go? ” kai asked. “ oh, well what about- ” dahyun cutting you off as she suggests going to the mall since there's an arcade there. kai perked up at her suggestion as he cackled then dahyun followed him cackling. you and taehyun give both each other a confused look but his facial says annoyed. he knew where this is going when you're confused.

taehyun started praying as kai and dahyun were still laughing to themselves while glancing at your clueless figure. oh this is gonna be fun for them.

i swear i will just post chapter 1 then i won't update this in weeks or even months 💀 writers block always coms back fr adn i have so many pending works cries

taglist — open send an ask or comment if you wanna be added

[elderwisp]

i spent the last hours reading tessellate from the start so i just wanted to drop a little love because eeeeeee i like it so much!!! first off all ur characters are a hit!! dynamic personalities, and they all mesh with one another really well in interesting ways. it all feels like a little peek into the lives of random people and sometimes that all you really need babey! i'm excited to see where you go with things especially with atlas, dan (my beloved), also the way that there are multiple storylines/ a large cast of characters yet i never feel overwhelmed <3333 and ofc visually, the post are lovely. the one juxtaposing frances and atlas coping...u know you ate with that. that last closeup with ares and dan with the lighter and frances's recital?? so pretty!! stapled in the brain.

on a less serious note, frances and icarus SAVE ME i like their dynamic so much their interactions seem very organic and fun. a friends to lovers (would they fall under that category..ik he's her boss but they're friendssss) for the ages. i feel like with a name like icarus things are destined to get messy between them and im afraid of it but also im not....but also i need only good things to happen to frances always, tu sabes. and its so funny that i finally read this after you mapped out their first kiss scene, bc i would not have survived the irl four years of building their relationship up godbless <3 also BEEE!!! sorry i just remembered i love bee and i hope she stands up to her boss at work one of these days (and gets whatever she wants for the rest of her life despite how inadvisable it may be at the moment :) )

hope this all isn't too weird, but i had thoughts to share and who better than with the author. tldr: your story brought me joy at 1:15 am and i appreciate it!! also everyone has such cool names??? what a slay. ty and take care <3

live footage of me reading this:

this seriously made my evening i think i reread this about ten times!! i honestly had to retype this message several times because just being able to receive commentary like this is everything. a lot of these characters have been with me for such a long time so to be able to share the little dudes livin their lives AND have people enjoy it??? AWESOME! a lot of the scenes you mentioned are also seared in my mind forever LMAO especially the scene between frances and atlas. i think the week i was gathering everything to shoot it, i completely scrapped the original and the parallels post was a complete spur of the moment thing but i'm glad it happened GAH i'm so excited to share more in the future <3 also with icarus and frances, they're actually my most difficult pair to write for simply because initially (in my ts3 days) icarus was supposed to be such a small part but they had such a good dynamic i had to expand that! so he's a fairly new character for me!

anyways thank you so much! i hope you have a great day! :D flowers is for u <3

[mercurial-vroom]

Warning for a self-indulgent post-fic longpost 😁

Now that Grill the Grid is complete (for now! though we may be inspired to write some oneshot spin-offs, so feel free to subscribe to the series if you haven't already), I just wanted to say a longer/more personal -- and a bit more serious -- thank you here to everyone who's been reading, enjoying, and sharing!

As I mentioned in the author's notes, this is a project that my husband and I have worked on together, and creating and sharing it with all of you has been such an incredible source of joy over these last two-ish months. In case anyone was curious about the breakdown of who wrote what, he was responsible for the bulk of the more trivia-heavy chapters (both the trivia questions/format, and much of the group banter that everyone has loved so much!), and I've been responsible for the vast majority of the romantic arc (and all of the smut, lol). We came up with the idea for this fic lying in bed one evening trying to think about what sort of AU we'd feel most equipped to write, but I honestly didn't expect at that point that we'd be able to make it happen, or that it would turn into the longest bit of fiction either of us have ever written -- much less that we'd get such an unbelievably kind reception from the beautiful people who have been following the story and commenting along the way. ❤️ We are so, so appreciative for each and every one of you.

I also wanted to share below a bit of a more serious reason why I've been so incredibly grateful for the kind reception this fic has received... but honestly, the most important content of what I've wanted to say (basically just a big, fat thank you!!) is all included above, so feel free to stop reading here if you'd rather avoid some long-winded, potentially overly personal rambling!

[TW below for some TTC/fertility/pregnancy talk]

Not to be one of those authors who gets way over-sharey about life stuff, but for a while now my husband and I have been in (and are still in the midst of) a bit of a long, frustrating journey related to fertility and me trying to get pregnant. The overwhelming emotion we've both had during this time is one of feeling like we're stuck in the "intermission" of our lives -- like we're just waiting for the next act of life to begin, and have trouble finding or appreciating any new milestones or events that happen during this phase of just hoping and waiting.

Creating this fic together is something that has come out of that difficult time, and it is one of the first things that's been able to inspire in both of us a level of excitement, progress, and creative fulfillment that's been harder to achieve during this period when everything else has felt a bit like it's on "pause." Reading the jokes to each other in the evenings that we each came up with during the day has brought about a lot of laughter during times when there were otherwise a lot of stresses and tears, and reading the unbelievably kind comments people have left (or just seeing how excited people were about what we were creating) was something that's given us a sense of real purpose during a period when we've both occasionally felt a bit aimless.

Now, none of that is to say that readers/commenters need to feel responsible for either of our mental health!! This would have felt like an incredibly fun and fulfilling exercise for us even if no one ever read it besides the two of us, and we of course have a team of IRL supporters and resources helping us to get through this time. But really, I just share all this to say that your support has meant more to us than you might realize, and that it makes us unbelievably happy to see others getting even a fraction of the joy out of this story that writing it has brought to us. ❤️

So sincere thanks again to every one of you, and I'm hopeful you'll be seeing more out of the Grill the Grid 'verse soon!

[aprillikesthings]

I lead part of EfM thing today (see earlier posts) and it went well ahhhhh thank God

and I've made my lunches for the next week!

and I'm munching on a salad

and all day I was looking forward to this, the moment I can (re)watch MORE SHE-RA

I've barely worked on my longer fic this weekend (other than copy/pasting a bunch of things Nate said after the show ended into the notes section of the doc) and tbh rewatching the ACTUAL SHOW is hella distracting bc with twenty eps left we're going to start getting into more of the really high-stakes stuff

Also, true story: I originally watched, like, the second half of season 4 and all of season 5 in two days of marathoning with Daci. So quite frankly? The last, like, third of the show is just kind of a blur to me now.

SO LET'S GO

s4 ep7 Mer-Mysteries

A mission in Dryl went badly, they've figured out someone's telling the Horde what they're doing, they're not tracking Adora because she wasn't even there--

YES

plz enjoy Sea Hawk's faces

Bow's sudden nervousness reminds me of when I was in line at the TSA in Dulles airport and was weirdly nervous. I had no reason to be nervous. AND YET. I'm usually totally fine at TSA? But the people at Dulles were scary!!!

(I was way less nervous coming back from Iceland, despite knowing I had Kinder Surprise Eggs in my suitcase. Which are actually illegal to bring into the USA. You can buy "Kinder Joy Eggs" in the USA, which do not have the toy, but the ones with the toys are against the law! Anyway I bought them for Daci. I was only nervous for a split second at customs in the USA bc they asked me what I'd brought home from Iceland and I was like...wool yarn. books. sweets (I'd also bought licorice and chocolate). But he just waved me through. WHEW.)

she's still big mad about this lolol

BUT she's right a spy IS the only thing that makes sense (but also the audience knows shit they don't)

Pearl?? A Pearl who knows too much?????

c'mon I had to

lolol they lampshaded the way lightning keeps striking when Mermista says something

to be fair she IS the most recent addition and the one they know the least

oh hey I also write everything in purple (or lavender) ink

lol

oh, shut up

well not this episode, specifically

LOLLLLL

honestly this is a lot like the DnD episode

so on the one hand, I know Flutterina is doing this to make them fight, but on the other hand Glimmer is right; on the other OTHER hand, I also would prefer a warning before being forced to see my abusive parent having free range of the castle I live in

BAHAHAHA I read Nate saying these two were interrupted on a date night, but also plz notice the colors of the flowers, it's literally most of the lesbian pride flag, they were SO unsubtle

The Ken from Plumeria is talking to the pastry chef from Dryl with the super cute outfit, and she looks bashful for a second after this screenshot; I am now shipping this and no one can stop me

speaking of ships (yes I know this isn't meant to be shippy lol)

a youtube video titled "it's raining on your window and you live in Bright Moon Castle ASMR for sleep 4 hours"

(....I'd listen to that)

(On a related note, mynoise dot net has a bunch of rain sounds on the website, and it also has an app--it's seriously the BEST website/app for ambient sounds because they're so adjustable and never repeat, and I just want everyone to know about them. The rain and ocean sounds are great on earbuds to cover up snoring so you can sleep!!! Worked better than my fancy earplugs while I was on the Camino and sleeping in all those hostels)

And back to the cartoon, where there's obviously suspicious shit happening because people seem to be in two places at once and their communications thing got shattered

oh so her name IS just The General

Flutterina (aka Double Trouble) has got to be like "oh my god wtf is up with this dude I cannot handle this bullshit"

Once again Glimmer proves that her and Catra are actually very, very alike

BUSTED

OOHHHHH they set up a trap I forgot, this is amazing

Adora: "we created a diversion :)" Glimmer: "You were a really good actress. For once."

pfft

Anyway Double Trouble is confessing the whole plan

:(

poor Mermista :(

there's a creepy-ass moment of seeing part of Horde Prime's face as he smiles, roll credits

[fandomcaseymix]

The Rising Star

Chapter One: Damn You, Alex!

Author's note: here's the first chapter! Finally I managed to finish it. I apologize if I may not be able to post the story very often. It takes a lot of effort to write and translate the text into English. Sorry for any mistakes!

Update: I decided to post it again with a ‘read more’ link for convenience.

Disclaimer: All names and events are fictitious, any coincidences with real people and events are accidental.

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

I'm at the loss of words. It's just mind-boggling! How did I fall for such a vile provocation?!

Damn you, Alex!

He knew, that bastard, that I didn't have a very good relationship with Nata, my arrogant sister. Even though she's a stepsister, I don't get along with her at all. It especially infuriated me when she was set as an example to me. Every quarrel with my stepmother began with the words "Why don't you be like my little Nata?" At the beginning of our acquaintance, I silently listened to all those 'achievements’ that I should have, but later I got sick of it. As soon as I heard that disgusting, sugary ‘little Nata’, I just ran away from home. I was literally sick of this comparison with her. I don't want to brag but there's nothing to compare. Besides, these ‘achievements’ are somewhat dubious to me.

Damn you, Alex!

Who's Alex? My classmate who invited me to his birthday party. We were friends once, until he tried to hit on me in every possible way. Alas, he was destined to go to the friend zone. Afterwards, we quarreled over his... ‘attempt’ of suicide. He tried to poison himself with sleeping pills and alcohol, threatening me beforehand. After that, of course, he apologized and swore that he wouldn't do it again, and I bitterly forgave him. Then we didn't communicate much, at the "Hi! How are you?" level.

It would have stayed that way until the very day that divided my life into before and after came.

As I mentioned earlier, Alex invited me to his birthday party. It seems to have been in early August. It was an ordinary hot day, suitable for walking or outdoor activities in the backyard. I was the last to arrive by my car, as my shift was quite late at work. Working at a fast food restaurant was exhausting, so the party was a good option to relax. Grabbing a gift on the way, I went to the country house of Alex's parents, who left it for the celebration. When I got to the place indicated by the GPS, I parked my "Chinese friend" (blue Changan) in front of the gate and headed home with a gift-wrapped coffee package in my hands.

I pressed the bell and waited. Bitterness appeared in my mouth. Although we were not on very good terms after that incident, I considered it unacceptable to come without a gift or with something useless. I knew that Alex loves coffee, so I decided to buy some very high-quality and delicious sorts. I even added a couple of new ones for him to try. I hope Alex likes it. Otherwise, why am I trying to restore our friendship?

The click of the lock and the door handle brought me back to reality. The door swung open and a blond head peeked out. The blue eyes sparkled with joy when she saw me.

"Gerda!" Alex exclaimed.

"Hi, Alex," I smiled and rubbed my neck guiltily. "I hope I'm not too late for the party?"

"No, no, why, Gera!" my friend shook his head and motioned me inside. "Come on, come on, now will be the best part."

"Cool. Here you go," taking off my shoes, I handed the box with the bow to the birthday boy. "Happy Birthday, Alex."

"Thanks, Gerda," he replied, accepting the gift, and we awkwardly hugged.

"You're welcome."

He led me into a large living room where about ten people were sitting. Five guys and five girls. The company was diverse: there was a goth girl, a couple of hipsters and a geek. The others looked quite ordinary.

"Everyone, this is Gerda, my best friend since high school," Alexander introduced me.

The celebration continued. The company turned out to be very pleasant. We got along with geek from the first minute, having discovered several similar interests. Like me, he was also a devoted fan of Transformers and knew a lot about the characters in this long-running franchise. Alex even jokingly called us the Terror Twins. Of course, we laughed and decided among ourselves that I would be Sunstreaker and he would be Sideswipe, since I was more cynical than he was. I think his name was Mark. Good guy.

Almost everyone drank alcohol, the rest made do with juice or lemonade. I was among the latter ones, since I was driving. There were a couple of times when they tried to dare me, but, alas, alcohol tastes disgusting to me. I don't know why, but I can't drink, for example, beer with the same pleasure as most people do.

When it came to the games, everything began to slide into shit.

There was a game of "I've never..." The rules were simple: you had to continue the sentence with words about an action that, so to speak, he or she ‘have never done’. If someone performed the mentioned action sometime in the past, then he or she took a sip of his drink. I watched this game in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, suggesting it as entertainment.

Oh, Jesus Christ, if I'd known what this was going to lead to, I would never have suggested it. I wish I'd kept quiet then.

"I've never... been to the friend zone," said one of the hipsters, Max.

For a moment, I felt goosebumps run down my spine. Almost immediately I said to myself, what is it about Max's words? Surely many people have had moments when your crush doesn’t return the feeling. Just ordinary things that often happen in the daily life of each of us. It was just a fact, so I calmed myself down without giving away my emotions. However, remembering that, I could tell that it was the first red flag.

The second red flag was Alex himself. It was him who took a sip from his glass, which obviously contained alcohol. I was wary again, trying to convince myself that the story was about someone else. About anyone, but not about me.

"Wow, Alex, I didn't know," Mark drawled, smiling broadly.

Alex silently took another sip. My mouth suddenly felt incredibly dry. I have a bad feeling about this.

"It was back in school, in the tenth grade," he said, lowering his head. His voice suddenly became so cheeky that it became clear to everyone in the living room that he was drunk, and very drunk. Alex continued, "At that time I was friends with a girl I had been in love with for a long time... "

After drinking something obviously alcoholic from his glass again, Alex began to talk about that very case. Every second I tensed up more and more, and a powerful alarm bell rang in my head. The desperate hope that my school friend would talk about anything but this was immediately lost in agony.

No, no, no, NO! my subconscious screamed at me. Tell him to shut up! He shouldn't have said that! It's already in the past!

But Alex kept talking and talking, remembering that stupid incident. It was stupid because this jerk did a really dumb thing. What kind of genius would mix alcohol with sleeping pills and threaten his best friend with suicide? That day I was really scared that he might die! After all, Alex almost died of a fucking overdose back then! So why did he remember this particular story?!

I gritted my teeth and began to clench and unclench my fist that was free from the glass of lemonade. The feeling of nails digging into the flesh was a little sobering, preventing me from panicking. Yes, it's unpleasant to remember, but it's just a game, right?

Suddenly something clicked in my head. Just a game. Yeah. Right. Just a drinking game.

Holy shit, what have I done?..

When Alex finished his story, there was silence in the room. I nervously ran my eyes over other people's faces in the hope that someone would put in a word. Alas, everyone remained silent, staring at Alex with dumbfounded eyes.

"Damn it, Alex... It was... " Max began awkwardly, not knowing how to express his feelings.

"Stupid," I said, gritting my teeth. "Very, very stupid."

"Yes, that's right. It was very stupid, Alex," Max agreed and looked at me with a smile. "Thanks, Gerda."

"That's right, dude. It's not very cool to do that," Kate, the goth girl, said. "And what did she tell you after the incident?"

I couldn't stand it anymore.

"I said it was the dumbest thing one could do," I said, and took a sip of lemonade, already resigned to the outcome of this game.

"You? He talked about you?" Max was surprised.

"Alas, but yes," I sighed and looked at Alex with disapproval. "And I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell that story, Alex."

Alex gulped down the entire contents of his glass and looked back at me. His gaze wandered, clearly trying to focus on me. His head, like his whole body, literally swayed like a pine tree in the wind.

The third red flag. Alex is drunk.

"You know, Gera, I just realized something," Alexander suddenly began and smiled wryly. It made me a little uneasy, but I tried to stay calm. He was obviously going to say something stupid or even funny.

I was wrong.

"It's not for nothing that you are constantly compared to Nata, " Alex glanced at the empty glass.

I squeezed my eyes shut. I took a deep breath and exhaled noisily through her nostrils. How it infuriated me when they told me that. In my school years, it easily drove me mad, but now that I'm 24 years old, I take it more or less calmly. I've often wondered what we're like. Yes, I admit, Nata studied better than me, participated in various competitions, even won some of them, but I was doing something else. I participated in martial arts sports competitions, which I prepared for without sparing my efforts and earned awards. Dad was happy for me, and my stepmother called me a wild kid. Something like "fighting is not for girls".

We are too different. And a comparison to make you change is a so-so way.

"Yeah?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. "And why is that?"

"At least she has a mom," Alex finished his sentence.

CRASH!

I started violently, as if a pistol had been fired into my chest. It was the most painful scar in my life. To bring up my mother again in order to hurt me was despicable. No, even worse.

It was disgusting to the point of nausea.

I slowly got up from the chair in which I was sitting, and, bypassing the fragments of the broken glass, approached Alex. He didn't seem to notice my angry face, still smiling drunkenly. The others obviously tensed up when they saw how I approached my friend with the grace of a tigress.

"You know, Alex, I sincerely believed that you had improved," I began so calmly that it scared people. There was disappointment in my voice. "That we have long forgotten about that incident. Apparently, I tried to restore our friendship in vain."

I smiled sadly and slowly shook my head.

"I've had enough, Alex," I paused, clenching my fists and holding back bitter tears. "It's over between us."

Without waiting for an answer, I immediately ran out of the house, grabbing my jacket. Crossing the yard in a few quick and wide steps, I went outside, opened the car door and, getting behind the wheel, started the engine. The blue Changan purred softly, obeying me. I carefully turned around so as not to damage other people's fences, and drove away from the house. It was dark. It was already night, so I turned on the headlights.

When I was already driving through the city and stopped at a traffic light, I decided to check the time.

2 a.m. Damn it. We got carried away with it, that’s for sure.

Sighing, I continued driving on the navigator. I just wanted to cry until I passed out, but my conscience wouldn't let me break my car. After all, I spent a lot of money and effort to buy my beauty on wheels. I took more translation orders and extra shifts at the restaurant to save up enough money. it's beyond words to express how glad I was when I received this treasured bunch of keys. At one point, I even gave the car a name.

Lan Long. The Blue Dragon in Chinese. There was, of course, a variant of "Qing Long", but in this complex language, the word "qing" means a completely different color. So, I chose Lan Long.

My thoughts flowed smoothly to the memories of my mother. She died from a severe injury when someone tried to rob her. There were some other details, but it's painful to remember. Let's just say her body was abused. I was 13 years old at the time. Me and my father lived alone for about a year, until he met Alice and her daughter Nata. A very proud woman who tried to make me an excellent student, arguing that, I quote, "there are no children with B’s in my family". Yeah, yeah, good luck with that. Even when I graduated from university, our relationship was far from ideal.

When I got to the courtyard, I parked, turned on the alarm and entered the high-rise building. There was silence all around, except for the occasional buzzing of the elevator. I've been living with my dad while I'm saving up for a mortgage. This annoyed my stepmother very much, and, again, she compared me to Nata. Dad, of course, defended me, saying that it was enough to annoy me but Alice started talking over and over again about what an irresponsible lazy person I was.

Yeah, yeah, a lazy woman who works her ass off on two jobs to earn for her own apartment, sure, tell me about it.

Before I could take off my shoes and my jacket, the light in the hallway abruptly turned on. I immediately squeezed my eyes shut, grimacing at the sudden change in lighting. After waiting for my eyes to adjust to the light, I saw her. Alice. And she doesn't look very pleased.

"Why are you so late?" Alice immediately rebuked me, crossing her arms over her chest. Her long dark hair was loose, as if it had just been washed. Did she stay up all night to fight with me again? Ah, it doesn't matter. Her blue eyes narrowed angrily, clearly demanding an explanation.

Yeah, yeah, squint all you want. It won't scare me anymore.

"None of your business," I snapped, unbuckling the straps on my sandals.

"None of my business? How are you talking to me?!" the stepmother roared.

I rolled my eyes as I took off my jacket and put the keys in my own box. My set of apartment keys and car keys were usually there. I'm an adult now, so they're separate from everyone else.

"I'm talking the way I see fit," I snapped back.

"You weren't taught to respect your elders?!"

Fuck, I thought, rolling my eyes again. Here we go again...

It's the same thing every time...

"Age is not an argument in dispute," was my answer.

Alice's face was distorted with rage. The thing is, in arguments with her, I talked calmly, while she goes on shouting. A useful tactic, by the way. Such people shout at you in the hope of bringing you into conflict. When their screams don’t work, then, faced with a lack of reaction, they become even more furious.

Although, I must admit, I even like to look at this twisted face with anger.

"You... you little, ill-mannered..."Alice started to insult, as another voice rang out.

"What's all the noise?"

My sleepy father in pajamas and Nata in a nightgown appeared in the hallway. Hearing her husband's voice, Alice waved her arms in my direction.

"Your daughter was hell knows where and decided to come back just now!" She started complaining again.

"Gerda was at her friend's birthday party," my father replied calmly.

"And why don't I know about it?!" the stepmother roared again.

Oh God, is she really dumb?

"You should have listened," I reminded her rudely. "I told you before I left for work, but you chose not to answer me."

There was silence for a couple of seconds. All Alice did was make noises, obviously trying to answer something, and that only made her angrier. Dad just rubbed his eyes tiredly, and Nata looked down at the floor in embarrassment.

I blinked in surprise. Was I seeing things? Nata... is ashamed of her mother? Well, that was... unexpected.

"You're just an insufferable girl!" Alice found the words.

I raised my eyebrows, completely unimpressed by what I heard. So what? And I can't stand you.

"How did your mother handle you at all?!"

I flinched again, as if from a blow. It's there again. Damn. I could forgive everything. Forgive the nagging, forgive the comparison with Nata, forgive the complaints about me to my father, forgive literally everything. But I would never forgive mentioning my mother as a way to hurt or control me. And to forgive this nasty old witch is even more so.

"Mom!" Nata said reproachfully.

My father pursed his lips, he was also hurt by this. We were both hurt.

I put on my sneakers and slowly straightened up, clenching my fists. My amber eyes narrowed furiously, and my lip curled up, exposing my teeth. From the outside, I looked like a bristling tigress, ready to pounce on the enemy. It's usually hard to make me angry, but right now I was just furious.

"Don't. Touch. My. Mother," I growled, emphasizing every word in my voice. "I know how annoyed you are with my presence and disobedience, but don't worry..."

My voice turned snide and malicious.

"As soon as I save up enough money for a mortgage, I'll disappear from your life in a flash, you old hag," I grabbed my jacket from the hanger and went outside, slamming the door.

The sun had risen during our quarrel, but it was too early for the day. Stamping my feet furiously, I left the courtyard and quickly found myself in an alley with benches and trees. I wanted to tear and throw everything that came to my hands, but I just didn't have the strength to do it.

I blinked, and the first tears rolled down my face. I'm so sick of these quarrels and screams. All these ten years I've put up with her rotten character, just to make Dad happy. He didn't forget about Mom, which I was grateful for. We often spent time together talking about her. And I always wore a handmade silver griffin bracelet without taking it off. Over the years that I've worn it, of course, it has darkened a little, but it didn't bother me. It was a gift from my mom for my birthday.

"This is a griffin, a hybrid of an eagle and a lion," she said when she handed me this beautiful wide bracelet. "It represents the unity of heaven and earth. And it will be your protector, Gerda."

I chuckled. Yeah, my protector.

"Gerda!"

The smile immediately disappeared from my face. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Nata's running figure and, getting up from the bench, began to walk away. Anywhere but away from her.

"Gerda! Wait a minute!"

I didn't even turn around, I just kept walking. I don't want to see her at all. What does she want from me?

"Gerda, I want to talk to you!" Nata shouted.

I stopped. To talk? About what? That she's better than me? No, you don't have to. I've had enough.

"Gerda," I heard Nata's voice behind me. "I'm sorry about that..."

"Sorry for what?" I snapped, turning around. "That your mother dared to touch my mother, who, for your information, is dead? Ha! Like hell I'll forgive that!"

"But... She was worried about you..." Nata tried to convince me, but I was adamant.

"Really? Doesn't look like it," I growled. "All she does is compare me to you all the time!"

Nata looked down guiltily.

"I don't like it, too!" She shouted. "At first it was nice that Mom was proud of me, of my achievements, but now... I never thought she would compare me to you..."

"Well, surprise! You're the last one who didn't know about it!" I snapped, turning to leave.

"Gerda! Stop!"

"What?!"

I didn't have time to turn around to see what hit me. A car horn rang in my ears, and an unbearable pain shot through my whole body. It was like I was rewound in a meat grinder, and then abruptly spat out as unnecessary. I heard the screeching of tires, Nata’s screams, who asked to call an ambulance, the worried voices of the driver and passers-by. There was only emptiness in front of me and the only one thought in my head.

Damn you, Alex...

[wise-rainfalls]

Scattered thoughts on the Tale of the Fall of Gondolin

The first version of the Tale of the Fall of Gondolin is very much and very obviously from the early stages of the Silmarillion conceptualisation process. Things that struck me:

The idea that all the Noldor (Noldoli) had at this point been enslaved by Morgoth (still Melko, which somewhat alleviates the seriousness of the reading)

At this point the Elves are still quite linked to the woodland counterparts of fairies, and haven't quite developed the stature (literally) they gain later: "small are they, and slender, and very lithe"

Tuor is SUCH A LONER - people come attracted by his harp playing and he MOVES

Also he's literally just. A guy. Like who is Peleg, no one cares about Peleg. 'Tuor son of Peleg'. Crickets. This is like Gawain and the Green Knight except we're looking at it from the perspective of the Green Knight. What if one day some dude shows up and he was a Messenger of the Lord of the Waters.

The idea of fugitives and escaped thralls making their way in secret through the Way of Escape (a name which later shifts to refer to Idril's Way) to Gondolin - something clearly dropped later on

The immense detail of the battle, and the sheer...there's very little gore in the sense of...organs and blood and whatnot, but the grinding pace of the narrative, almost jerky at times, is like an echo of the battle grinding away at the city. A sense of absolute hopelessness.

The moment when the light comes in the north. The anticipation of joy of the Gates of Summer, and then - the light, but a false light, a dread light, a fire from the north. This is the Dagor Bragollach for Turgon, which in the end he didn't manage to escape.

Speaking of: Turgon! God, he got Such Good Lines in this version. Great is the fall of Gondolin! Great is the victory of the Noldoli! And at midnight exactly...It's worth noting that since Noldoli does seem to be a catch-all term for all the elves in Beleriand right now (edit: should be checked, will not stand up to citation, but seems to have no mention of the Sindar, and the wood-wandering elves of the Noldoli in the first Tale do eventually become Annael and the Grey-elves in the last so...shrugs) (further edit: I somehow bleached my mind of the incredible offhand racism of the entire portrayal of Maeglin, here Meglin, but having checked - no mention of the Sindar here either! Aredhel's (here still Isfin, which I do wonder if it might not be repurposed as a father-name, certainly it seems like in Quenya it might have been something-finwe in the same vein as Curufin) spouse is not mentioned at all and the marriage itself is just 'this tale may not here be told'. If nothing else, at least we have the unnamed husband instead of the unnamed wife...ha...the bar is so low...), I wonder if it would eventually have become Great is the victory of the Eldar? Lo, I abide here. But I, Turgon, will not leave my city, and will burn with it. And he throws down his crown - like Finrod, but also unlike, because he's not rejecting his kingdom for his doom, but embracing it AS his doom. He also throws down his sword!! God...he reminds me so much of book!Denethor, except more sympathetic because he isn't like...actively trying to drag everyone down with him - he does tell everyone to go with Tuor, but like...they stay because he is their king. And you get the sense throughout that no one Wants to give up on Gondolin like...it is rightly beloved. The Flower of the Plain!

'Evil have I brought upon the Flower of the Plain in despite of Ulmo, and now he leaveth it to wither in the fire. Lo! hope is no more in my heart for my city of loveliness, but the children of the Noldoli shall not be worsted for ever.'

Turgon...also massive Gilraen vibes. And he's not wrong! Idril does save some remnant of the Gondothlim out of the ruin.

Idril is GREAT here. The little mail coat she has forged in secret for Earendil...her preparation and persistence, the way she loves her father and YET circumvents him, and the full force of her grief that her preparation was necessary.

And she went out with a sword and saved who she could, and led them to the tunnel! I love how like...it's not so much that she's overcome her grief in the name of immediacy so much as that her grief and the force of her despair manifests as the action of hope even if it's almost devoid of like...the feeling of it...like she is so efficient but that efficiency is like...the robotic and frenzied actions of one who is almost overcome

Uh, in some ways I feel like she and Maedhros could have a conversation

Also little Earendil....he's seven years old! And he asks for Salgant and Ecthelion but they're both...and "Then said Eärendel that he cared not ever to see the streets of Gondolin again, and he wept bitterly; but Tuor said that he would not again see those streets, 'for Gondolin is no more'"

Thanks Tuor. I'm sure that helped.

Also Tuor and Turgon's relationship is so...."but Tuor speaking wildly for ruth and love of the king cried: 'Gondolin stands yet, and Ulmo will not suffer it to perish!'"

This is a relationship which seems to emphasise and echo in the last, incomplete version (where Turgon never appears), but it's just so...