#also going to be fun for people to realize how fast their relationship developed in the way that it did

[rxttenfish]

as i'm writing this fic i'm a little worried how the first chapter will come off, since it's basically an argument between miranda and aaravi. they fully do end up with an understanding at the end, but it's just one of those things that i fret how it'll come off to people just coming into this.

mostly, this is just part of how their relationship works? as in, they'll have a disagreement about something, and both are vocal and intense about their requirements and wants, and in being aggressively upfront about it they manage to lay out all of their feelings and end up on each other's stride. they work well together because they argue with each other first, and the rest of the fic is just that, with this setup being leadup to them not having these issues since they already went over them.

in the same way, it introduces them to everyone else and explains how they work, just as much as its a setup and a foundation for all the more intense worldbuilding coming up. miranda walking things through with aaravi and explaining them is a good vehicle to explain the fundamental powers at work here, and are also what's keeping her alive through all of this.

[syndrossi]

In your Reverberate AU, how long before Rhaegar figures out he's been reborn as a baby? Does he assume he died and was reincarnated into the future before realizing his father, Daemon, is in fact *the* DAEMON TARGARYEN and he's been reborn in the past instead? Is he amazed at first that he was LUCKY enough to be reborn as a twin after his last life of sad, lonely only-childness? When does he realize Jon likely remembers a past life too? And most importantly, when does he realize he has his entire family wrapped around his pinky finger????

Fun questions! Especially because they're very different between the twins.

I think both of them figure out the "reborn" part fairly quickly, because everyone is huge and blurry and they're being swaddled and fed warm milk constantly.

As for the future versus past, unlike Jon, Rhaegar catches on very fast, once his hearing is developed enough to pick up actual words. Anyone can be named Daemon, but a Daemon married to a Rhea Royce with a dragon named Caraxes is difficult to mistake for anything else! His greatest point of confusion is that Daemon never had twin sons? Much less an amicable relationship with Rhea?

Whereas Jon's depth of knowledge of the Dance is more surface level. He knows Daemon, of course, but wouldn't remember his first childless marriage, and I don't think Jon memorized all the dragon names. He was more fascinated by the Aemon the Dragonknight era. This makes things interesting, because if he has no reason to believe he's been reborn into the past, then Rhaegar is just a Targaryen name that his sibling could have been given. He probably assumes Dany passed it on through her eventual line. So he would have no idea that Rhaegar was actually that Rhaegar until they can have a conversation about it.

Which will be a tragicomedy because you'll have them simultaneously going "isn't it wild that we were reborn into the past/future!" only to stop short and be like WHAT at one another.

Both Jon and Rhaegar are very sharp individuals, especially when it comes to reading people, so I think they realize that their twin is also too "gifted" to be a normal baby/toddler. It also must make some sense that if they were reborn, their twin was as well. (Jon has no idea who his sibling might actually be, and again, I don't think it crosses his mind that their names were kept the same intentionally because it doesn't make any sense! It only happened because Rhaegar picked his own name and Daemon remembers that.)

Rhaegar is certainly over the moon about the circumstances, once he gets over the shock of it. His father is the Daemon Targaryen, and he doesn't hate his wife at all, and in fact loves them with all of his heart! Their parents don't seem to love one another, but they get along amicably and seem to operate as partners/allies. He has a brother who is similarly weirded out by everything but who is always there, he is never alone and doesn't feel the same need from before to be alone. Also, there are DRAGONS. They get to fly DRAGONS. Did he mention DRAGONS? And they have cousins! And there are even more dragons! And magic! Look at that pretty candle someone gifted them for their name day--

[3hks]

Hi! So I’m working on a romance book where the trope is “he fell first, she fell harder” and the dynamic is the usual cliche of she’s the popular girl, he’s the edgy loner. And I’m honestly just stuck on how to SHOW that dynamic well while maintaining the semi-slow burn direction I’m looking to towards (honestly I’m scared to do anything besides slow born just because I know people prefer it over the opposite yk?). Ultimately I was wondering if you had any tips on how to write that kind of dynamic?

Thank you so much xoxo

Hey! Thank you so much for reaching out! I absolutely LOVE this trope because it's so cute! There's a ton a freedom that follows this dynamic, but understandably, there's also a bit of difficulty that comes with it. So, let's get started!

For the record, I'll be giving overall advice about this topic too, so the boy will always be considered "he fell first" character while the girl will always be considered the "she fell harder" one as of this post. I know it might not make much sense now, but it will later!

1. BEGINNING/MEETING

The boy should fall in love with the girl near their first meeting. This could be before, during, or shortly after they meet. He falls fast. If they already know each other, then I suggest establishing his crush near the beginning of the story. This helps with the pacing and obviously, it's part of the dynamic. The girl, however, may have a bit of interest, but not necessarily any romantic ones.

Simple, right?

2. DEMONSTRATING THEIR DYNAMIC

Next, let's talk about how to properly depict their relationship! Typically, they'll start off as friends and despite the boy's crush on the girl, he's really good at hiding it. Again, this will be big help with the pacing and will emphasize the "she fell harder". The girl, on the other hand, slowly develops more interest as she gets to know him.

They stay really close for a while, but purely as friends.

Eventually, she starts liking him and quickly realizes her feelings. Unlike the boy, this realization should be a huge BOOM. She falls hard. It's dramatic, it's important, and she's going to do something about it.

3. PACING THE SLOWBURN

You want a semi-slow burn, correct? Well let's explore a few elements that'll bring it to life.

Boy falls in love fast - As expected, this is going to help your story move faster and now, the readers are just waiting for the girl.

Boy hides his feelings from her - This will assist you with the slow-burn because he's willing to stay as nothing more than a friend and doesn't attempt to make a move other.

They stay friends - This blends in with the last point; it slows the story's pace, and they happen around the same time (he hides his feelings as they become friends).

Girl realizes her feelings - This could be somewhere in the middle; she might take a bit to fully comprehend that she likes the boy, but it generally shouldn't take too long because of how hard she falls.

Confession - Like the first point, the confession happens fast, almost right after she discovers her feelings.

4. KEY POINTS

And lastly, let's talk about some key points regarding the "he fell first, she fell harder" trope!

Switching POVS: Not necessary, but I definitely recommend it! Switching point of views from the two characters offers both sides of the mirror, allowing the readers to see how long the boy was in love for while revealing how the girl also fell in love. Definitely helps when exhibiting their dynamic!

Boy is willing to stay friends: I mentioned this in the last point, but typically the boy doesn't try to advance their friendship because he doesn't want to ruin what they have and is fine with remaining as friends. However, he DOES show a bit of his love through actions, gifts, and words!

Girl confesses: Normally, the one who falls harder is the one to confess. This is because well, they are IN LOVE and are willing to take the risk and confess!

The crush is obvious: This is just a fun and fluffy incorporation that I'm a sucker for. I absolutely love it when the boy's ("they fell first" character) infatuation is so obvious to everyone (passerby's, their friends, etc.) EXCEPT the girl. It's honestly so cute!

Different types of love: Keep in mind that just because the boy is good at hiding his love and didn't act on it doesn't mean his admiration is any weaker than the girl's!

In some sense, this trope is basically friends-to-lovers but they start of halfway to their relationship. This post is a bit messy, but hopefully it helps!

Happy writing~

3hks <3

[lovingaquarius]

My astrology observations #2

‼️DISCLAIMER‼️

this is completely based on my personal experiences and observations do not take what i say literally i am NOT a professional astrologer

did another one bc the last one was fun hehe

❣️i’ve only seen people talk about how aries placements are “angry/fast” or “aggressive” drivers but what i’ve noticed is it’s the leo placements that will drive accordingly to their current emotions ex: driving fast when angry or upset or even when fast paced music is playing. i dont even think they realize it

❣️this isn’t really an observation really but there really needs to be a support group for people with 11h saturns. it’s hard out here we just want lasting, reliable friends 😭 extra points if it’s rx

❣️ with cancer placement’s especially heavy (and maybe 12h placements too ) it’s like music is therapy for them. like yk how some people can just go weeks without listening to music, not them it’s like it balances their energy

❣️something about cancers and cooking?! this has probably been said before but i’ve noticed cancer placements love food but especially cooking or baking. it can also be one of their love languages

❣️the aquarius+sagittarius friendship compatibility is unmatched. as an aqua sun i love sag placements but something about sag suns 😫🥰🥹be my friend RIGHT NOW

❣️scorpio mercury vs not having hot or beautiful voices GO! ex: miley cyrus, drew starkey, drake, zac efron, emilia clarke, halsey, frank ocean, sza there’s SO MANY

❣️ please tell me all you earth dominants out there are going outside and grounding yourself regularly bc i’ll be so ready to check myself into the grippy socks hospital until i go outside and sit in the grass.(ofc this doesn’t substitute actual mental health care) 🫶

❣️what is it with air signs/placements and lying or having a habit of telling “little white lies” now i have done this so i can attest unfortunately 😭 I JUST WANNA KNOW WHYY

❣️i know this has been said but it really is important for 7h placements to develop a comfortable and strong relationship with themselves before getting in a relationship and especially when they’re in one. we tend to want to spend all the time with our partners and forget that time for ourselves is also very important and that isn’t negotiable.

❣️i’m convinced mercury doms need AT LEAST one other mercury dom in their lives bc no one gets us like we do (my virgo sun, gem rising friend and i w/my rising in virgo and gem moon, can just talk and talk about anything and everything and we know we’re not annoying eachother or talking too much) and that’s something so special to me 🥹

[frostluvrs]

i know we can all have our own opinions but the opinion that boston was right for telling sand about mew because “he deserves to know even if he didn’t go about it the right way” is honestly such a horrible take in my opinion.

yes sand should know that ray has feelings for someone else. yes he was going to get hurt eventually when he realizes that ray is not as deep into this relationship as sand is already and that he has feelings for someone else still but they didn’t even get a chance to actually get to know each other some more and maybe actually reach a point where ray can open up about it before boston ruined it. and sure maybe ray never would have and it still would have ended with sand finding out in a less than ideal way but ray WAS feeling comfortable enough to open up about other things so WHO KNOWS. we had jojo confirming that ray was trying to move on too. all of the development they were having got crushed. yes you can say ray is not serious about sand sure but they were going at a slow pace that worked for them even IF sand was in a different headspace than ray.

you also have to remember ray won’t even acknowledge or doesn’t realize the fact that he might feel something more for sand so why would he tell him about mew when he can’t even open up about or realize that? boston telling sand then and there in that way in that moment also ruined the good communication they were having. boston got into his head and he won’t talk to ray about it when ray genuinely wants to lay it all out there. and i would assume a lot of that has to do with his ex and the number that he did on him. like yes you can say that boston helped him realize that he was too far in too fast and ray wasn’t there with him but in the long run that does nothing for sand or their relationship.

and he also hurt ray because jojo said ray was genuinely trying to start to move on. sure it’s not that easy but having your crush thrown back in your face after having such a good time with another person surely doesn’t help. and boston pulling the “but if you don’t love mew why are you so mad” thing like i don’t know maybe because you took pics and are bragging about it? ​maybe because you’re throwing his crush back in his face for no reason at all other than to hurt him?

sidenote but people that were saying “oh see how it shows that he still loves mew by him getting mad” ?? we all knew he wasn’t over him yet it’s not that easy especially when you’re attached to someone especially with what he’s done for ray. but the reason at least in my eyes he got mad is because he’s throwing his crush in his face to hurt him and to ruin things and because he took PHOTOS. i love that boston is horrible and messy. he’s an entertaining character but i don’t understand how you could partly defend this just because “sand deserves the right to know’’.

also quite frankly (and sand knows this now even though it hurts me to say) ray and sand aren’t a thing. they aren’t even in a pre relationship stage. could they have gotten there? maybe but that’s not the point. to ray this is is just having fun (even though i think ray has feelings somewhere in there) and he assumed it was to sand too which of course he did because sand always tells him they’re nothing and says he would never date ray. sand got the wrong idea and it’s sad to realize but ray’s not wrong for not mentioning mew.

[pomplalamoose]

Pre ANH luke and reader hc’s??

YESSSS here they are! Pre ANH and ANH Luke is such a sweetheart, I love him so much🥲 thank you for your ask <3

However I'd appreciate a more polite wording for next time :(

• there are several ways you could have met Luke before he left for his adventures in ANH

• the most common I usually come across is of you growing up together and eventually developing feelings for each other 

• that's also most likely in my opinion since there isn't exactly something like tourism on Tatooine 

• or a market for good housing opportunities 

• still, outside of this idea I have some more

• maybe, for whatever reason, you and your family come to live near where Luke does out of necessity

• I don't know what you would have to do to end up in that kind of situation but potentially you need a place to hide for some time, similarly to Obi-Wan

• I also could see you as part of a little smuggler crew making a stop for business and staying to watch some pod races 

• I imagine those to be fun when you're not the one potentially dying 

• but maybe you even want to participate yourself because you desperately need money or lost a bet 

• maybe you've come looking for someone to get back at them because they still owe you money/information/etc.

• basically, you're either suffering a hard life or are a criminal, is what I'm saying

• (or both, not gonna lie)

• it's possibly for your relationship to be one of true feelings

• especially if you grew up together 

• maybe though you've always just acknowledged each others presence and it turns into a simple and practical opportunity to discover your sexuality 

• there is not much going on on your planet after all and I imagine you get to know all the people your age pretty fast 

• (probably at Tosche station, where Luke picks up the famous power converters)

• so if you're lucky and there's a person you like, or think you could grow to like, better secure them before someone else snatches them away 

• in that regard it doesn't matter if it's just for a friendship with the added bonus of occasionally fooling around or something actually romantic 

• of course if you just got to know each other it could be love at first sight too

• or just as well a quick hook up somewhere in the desert 

• (this could turn into more as well but doesn't need to, maybe you're both fine with casually making out and having sex with no feelings attached)

• for now I want to go down the "there are real feelings involved" route though 

• I think it's really cute and fits ANH Luke well

• so imagine sweet teenage boy Luke with a crush on you

• whether you have realized what is going on depends on how often you actually see each other and how attentive you are 

• either way I'm sure you will notice sooner or later though 

• I said before that ANH Luke is not subtle whatsoever and I mean it 

• he stares. A lot.

• he thinks he's so sneaky too, always averting his gaze as fast as he can when you turn your head towards his direction 

• his blush will tell on him though 

• while he is really tan I still believe he has the ability to turn as red as a tomato 

• and you better believe his friends will tease him about it like crazy 

• when he speaks to you he's so nervous and excited he's always talking too fast and stumbling over his words 

• you feel horribly sorry when you have to ask him to repeat what he said because he looks so ashamed of himself then 

• when you decide to iniate conversation first he will doubt for a moment that you really are talking to him, maybe even looking behind himself to check if there isn't someone else you could be speaking to

• he can't believe he got so lucky

• I imagine he has difficulty keeping eye contact at first, it makes his stomach feel funny and he doesn't know how to deal with it 

• often his gaze will shoot up and lowers just as quickly again, obviously he doesn't want to miss seeing your face from up close 

• he probably has lots of day dreams 

• and you better believe you are playing a/THE major role in them too 

• it starts with very innocent things like simply holding hands, you resting your head on his shoulder, kissing your cheek 

• or your lips!!!

• OR his personal favorite, seeing your beautiful smile directed at him 

• alternatively he thinks about marriage (he's a hopeless romantic) and having your own farm like his aunt and uncle do, growing old together 

• at the same time he wants to leave Tatooine with you as soon as possible, to travel and explore the galaxy 

• in the end he decides it doesn't really matter what your future will look like as long as you will be by his side 

• there is absolutely no way he never stumbled across porn on the holonet though

• possibly he looked it up on purpose

• and suddenly he has an even harder time (lol) in your presence because he can't keep his mind off what you may look like naked 

• no matter what he does, he can't get these thoughts out of his head 

• he keeps wondering if your skin is as soft and smooth as it looks

• if your hair tickles 

• how you smell

• he wants to explore every part of you

• you aren't necessarily his sexual awakening but maybe the first person he seriously wants to share more intimate moments with 

• to his dismay he keeps having wet dreams and waking up hard in the morning 

• I see him feeling kind of guilty 

• like he took something from you without your knowledge 

• he'll probably talk to Biggs about it because he's so upset 

• OR, bless him, he'll confess to you

• I genuinely believe he'd apologize for something like this 

[carica-ficus]

"Nona the Ninth"

08/07/2024

Reading progress: 116/477 (24%) Read through since last update: 116

And I'm off with Nona! My boyfriend got me the book about a month ago, but I haven't had the time (nor the mental capacity) to pick it up back then. But it's summer and I just finished my last exam, so I decided it was finally the right time to continue the series. I know this book is only an intro to Alecto and offers something a little different than Harrow and Gideon, but I'm welcoming this change with open arms and am very excited to see what Muir's got in store for me.

Ok, enough yapping. Time for the commentary:

Starting off: background for John. Interesting, but I hate that it's so short and vague (in the best way, of course. I'm excited for it to be revealed later on.)

I'm concentrating SO HARD on connecting the pieces from Pyrrha talking to Cam (Palamedes). It's been a while since I've read Harrow, so I'm struggling to connect the dots. Although, I realize much of this is also just new info, so I don't particularly mind. I'm just making sure I don't skip over something important (i.e. I'm doing very active reading).

Yeah, I wouldn't wanna eat those nasty looking eggs either, Nona.

I like how Muir gave Nona a down-turned smile. That's such a cute addition to her design. (If I understood that part about that description correctly.)

Not gonna lie, the part where Nona's difficulty with controlling her body was mentioned was so heavy...

Yeah, no. Everything linked to Nona's disability is incredibly raw. It's filled with sadness, but also compassion and love. She allows herself to be proud of her progress, no matter how small it is, and I love that Muir decided to give her the space to do that. ❤️

One day when I re-read the series (because I will), I'm going to pay special attention to the character's relationship to sex. Or maybe I'm gonna read up on someone else's analysis. Because I find it really interesting how Muir approaches this subject, especially considering many of her characters are on the verge of adulthood and are suddenly entering a world filled with things they know nothing about (or very little). They've all been forced to grow up so fast, but had no time to actually develop into functional, grown adults. Idk, I just find all of this very interesting.

Nona not feeling any hunger? Also resistant to drinking bleach? Ok, so she is definitely immortal and I'm excited to find out why. (I.e. the whole truth about her identity.)

John, I'd laugh at your Coke Zero joke. Then make fun of you for drinking such a shitty drink.

Incorrupti? There's no full stop at the end of the paragraph, so it's obviously cut off. Strange...

I like how the parts are numbered. it's a count-down. And I love how Muir uses this trope. Just when you forget about it, you get reminded and then you think to yourself: shit.

I love the way Nona gets dressed. It's described so well. I have a clear image of her trying to both free herself from her pjs and put herself into her dayclothes. It's such a funny scene.

A CHEESEBURGER WITH TINY LEGS! CUTE!

HHHHH CAMILLA AND PALAMEDES MY BELOVED!!! They're so fucking cute.

Also, yeah Pyrrha's right about the letters. Knowing Palamedes is actually not opposed to writing pornography... 👁️👁️

Damn, Honesty's got balls. That was such a wild mission.

Of course the Convoy is transporting something, but what are those creatures (people)? Hm hm hm. They're cooking up something.

NOODLE IS WEARING BOOTSIES!!!!!!!!!

HE SOUNDED LIKE ONE AND A HALF HORSES!!!!!!!

I LOVE John's titles!!!!!!!!!!

BRUH

BRUH

What is chapter #9?????

I literally inhaled it.

Bruh...

Cam and Palamedes though 😭😭❤️❤️❤️😭❤️😭❤️😭❤️😭❤️❤️❤️😭😭

How am I already at 1/4 of the book? It's been 3 days!! Guess it goes to show I wasn't in a reading slump, but was just reading boring books.

[missielynne]

CBS Ghosts Reviews: A Traveling Agent

I found the penultimate episode of this season to be delightful. Pete discovering his super awesome power completely on accident (I agree with Alberta that he got his power because he was a travel agent who never traveled and here's his chance now, but I also think it's fun that they gave one of the most practical ghosts one of the most practical and useful powers.) And plus, Isaac and Nigel had the perfect shocked looks when Pete went over the ghost boundary.

As I said before, I applaud the writers for trying to give us Pete and Jay bonding time, but it was obvious that Jay would lose him, although through no fault of his own since he has no way to see or communicate with Pete the way Sam can, and for Pete's first trip, the three of them should have gone and worked out a system if possible for Jay to be able to see or otherwise communicate with Pete away from Sam.

However, Jay's descriptions of where he went after he left Pete were just SO Jay and SO funny (especially Sas and Hetty's different reactions to hearing about all the fast food Jay is consuming, *especially* Hetty's "You are a *chef*, sir!") I also loved how Pete not wanting to go on errands with Jay reminded her of her butler not wanting to go out during the consumption outbreak of '84. They gave her some funny lines in this episode!) Also, Sas saying that all the fast food means Jay is living his best life definitely puts him in position as Pete's second ghost friend and I would like to see more development of this relationship in the future.)

I always love to be taken to new places and see what sorts of ghosts are outside of Woodstone and I think the deal mart or whatever they called it did not disappoint. I *love* that they had trampled Black Friday shoppers as ghosts, who seemed like really lovely people on top of it. That poor woman has to carry the tv around for all time now but let it be a lesson to her. And I love the guy's ghost power to make people forget why they were in aisles.

Deal Mart after Dark was intense, and was I surprised that they actually gave us a ghost with a Cleaver in his brain like something out of Ghost Whisperer or the Sixth Sense? Yes I was, and no wonder Pete was terrified. I would have been too. Especially since at first I thought they would be nice like the fish in the tank in Finding Nemo but...nope. Thank goodness for Gloria and her TV holding them off.

I was a little worried for him when he was out there in the dark but as Hetty says, he has a good sense of direction and other skills from scouting that got him home, so that's good. (I wonder how he doesn't know who Barack Obama and Eli Manning are, though. I realize he died in '85 and has never left the mansion since but I'm sure Sam's had the TV on or that it's just generally been on with them talked about on it. Or not? Or did he just not pay attention? Curious thing.)

Loved seeing him mad when he finally got back because as someone who's a bit of a homebody, sometimes it DOES feel weird when I got out to somewhere other than work and it takes time to get acclimated in ways that more outgoing, outdoorsy people wouldn't understand. So I was glad to hear him say something. (I also loved him smelling the s'mores, that was funny.) And Sas' "Describe a bus" and Isaac describing a fire truck instead was just one of my favorite parts.

Also, making them all a throple was an interesting way to resolve Flower/Thor/Nancy and I'll be interested to see how their different personalities all play out, although I've lost faith in Thor being genuinely compelling in a romantic relationship and would much rather just see Flower and Nancy doing something but who knows what's gonna happen with that?

All in all a good episode, like I said, and now we have a wedding to prepare for next week (hopefully interrupted by Patience the Feral Puritan, please, please, please!) Also I really am nervous about the cliffie that Asher Grodman said we're gonna see. It's gonna be even more intense than the season two cliffie. I'm just gonna prepare to cry or be outraged. I don't know about the rest of you. Cheers!

[shirefantasies]

Am I too late to join in on matchups? If so please just ignore this ask and know that I'm sorry

I'd like a male ship please. I'm an autistic girl with adhd and a couple chronic illnesses like joint pain especially in my hands and dyspraxia so I'm super clumsy. I'm 4' 10" tall with long wavy auburn hair, glasses, pale skin that's covered in freckles and moles and a petite figure. I'm very friendly and bubbly but I can also be kinda asocial and don't actively seek out interaction much. I enjoy writing, drawing (recently I've been getting really into MS Paint art), video games, reading, hiking and researching things that interest me. I'm very intelligent and also witty, I'm actually pretty good at making people laugh! I work as a librarian and am hoping to become a linguist someday too. Thanks!

"Hey sweetie, here's my additions for my matchup description! Thanks so much for taking the time to do all these ships, you're a true saint. I hope these don't conflict with the draft you have set up already

🪆 I’m both very level-headed and very stubborn, and I can also be quite fierce and even argumentative but that’s fairly rare. I just don’t tend to back down easily, and I’m a very resilient person

🪆 I can be a bit of a homebody, especially since I’m disabled, and I get very attached to wherever I happen to be living. I like having a garden whenever possible too, even if it's an indoor one.

🪆 I’m very friendly and sweet, but I also like messing with people a little. This is especially fun because I have unusual interests like botanical poisons or the science of decomposition. I can tend to be pretty morbid without even realizing it. That being said, my friendly side is no facade and I genuinely love taking care of people.

🪆 I especially love cooking for people and trying to recipes for others

🪆 I enjoy working out but am still very skinny. It’s actually funny how my large arms contrast with my Disney Princess-esque waist

🪆 I like to take relationships very very slowly and develop a solid friendship before considering dating someone, so I really don't want someone who takes things too fast. I'm also not a fan of overly flirty people, even if they're completely loyal to me I just get turned off by over the top displays of affection. 

🪆 I have legendary pain tolerance and tend to laugh off injuries more than anything

🪆 I’m addicted to buying new books, particularly on witchcraft and botany

🪆 I know a LOT about different types of spirits and deities, especially as a witch. I could go on and on about spirit lore for hours

Thanks, have a great day!"

Not too late at all! & I was really early on in it so this is fine! I can kind of work to combine them in fact 😁 They just take a long time lmao 😅 hope it’s ok I went LoTR because your man is…

Frodo!

You aren't used to being approached while you work; quite the contrary, in fact, many passersby almost seem to treat you like you don't exist at all when you appear in the peripheries of their vision hunched over your books and scrolls. Which, admittedly, is suitable to you as your work is quite consuming. Quenya translations do not come without focus, after all. So when a voice sounds at your back, your clumsy side emerges as you startle, almost overturning your ink pot before a small, pale hand darts out to catch and right it. “My apologies,” you hear from behind you, “I was just curious what form of Elvish that was.”

Turning around, you see a hobbit, dark-haired and blue-eyed and shyly smiling at you. He is clad in a white shirt and brown pants and something about the navy vest he wears gives him a studious air. You smile. “Quenya, very old. In fact this book,” you motion over the tome you’ve been comparing against the ancient scroll, “is a chronicle of the witches of old. Quick different from anything we see these days.” A mixture of teasing and apprehension crossed the hobbit’s visage. “And what are you doing with a book like that?” “Looking for a way to raise my undead army,” you tease back, leaning forward toward him in your chair. At that, both of you laugh and exchange introductions. His name is Frodo and it would seem his uncle is quite a student of languages as well, teaching Frodo newer, more practical forms of Elvish and studying some Khuzdul himself. In fact, he is only there outside the Shire to have an old book of his uncle’s appraised.

You can’t help the wave of distraction that overtakes you after you offer your own skills, though; adjusting your spectacles and pushing your chair back, you cannot resist asking Frodo about his Shire. He pulls back a chair of his own, taking up a spot at your side with a smile you can only describe as lovestruck. Stubborn as you can be, you give no fight to the derailment of your work as Frodo speaks of rolling green hills, warm hearths and sunny gardens and flowers hung upon fences. You understand his expression completely, a sigh escaping your own lips at his vividly gorgeous words. "We may know little of your witchcraft or translations in the Shire, but it's home. The greatest home I could ask for." He had you at sunny gardens. "I would love to see it," you reply, setting your quill down. "He isn't always fond of guests," Frodo chuckles, folding his arms on the table, "but I think someone with your knowledge and spirit would quite amuse him. Come and visit us. I will have Uncle Bilbo convinced by the time you get there." "Oh, he needs convincing, does he?" "Perhaps you could put a spell of some sort on him."

The older hobbit you quickly learn is Frodo’s uncle Bilbo still looks surprised by your presence at his nephew’s side, but he gets a glitter in his eyes you expect to be quite characteristic once you bring up your meeting with Frodo. You end up talking to Bilbo as much as his nephew at dinner, in fact, sharing many glances with the proudly smiling Frodo as you hear the most amazing tales of dwarf-song and dragon fire and even time spent alongside Lord Elrond himself in the great homely house. Bilbo chuckles at the way your eyes light up, your questions about the magic woven around Rivendell and how different it is from the small spells you’ve attempted. That certainly gets the old hobbit’s eyebrows shooting up! At the end of it, you agree with Frodo’s assessment of the Shire’s warm hearths and have continued invitations to see your friends.

And that is definitely how you see it for quite some time, after all you work with Bilbo as much as you run around the Shire woods with Frodo, dodging his cousins plucking up mushrooms and trading botany facts and tips with Samwise, Bag End’s gardener, while Frodo looks on with the smile you’ve grown to love. Suspicion that he is just teasing you rises one day when he looks at you fondly, half-asking, half making a statement to you. "You really have fallen for the Shire, haven't you?" Of course you have. The hobbits admire your strength, at least for the most part- those that poke at you about big folk disturbing the peace or the Bagginses stirring things up again risk your comebacks, after all, the bite of your wit tearing perfectly back against the bore of their lives and personalities. Every time you swivel from such interactions, there is Frodo and that fond smile that suddenly you aren't so sure how to respond to. You don't know what to do when he takes your hand to show you something or catches you when your feet slip out from under you, hands about your waist. You don't mind, especially given Frodo's knowledge that your hands get achy and cold and somehow his find them right as it sets in, and beside that he was nothing but a gentleman to you. That in and of itself seems to be the sudden source of your hysteria right up to the moment Frodo rises onto his tiptoes and presses his lips ever so gently to yours. He's told you again and again over your compared translation notes, over twisting little charms and flower crowns together, over even blood and bandages and your laughter over the way your dear hobbit frets while you feel next to nothing.

You are lucky in the gift of Frodo as you frequently tell him, as you make known when you take his arm on a hike and share in that fond smile he gives you. Frodo is a gentle soul, affectionate but not so overt in his advance as to deter you. To put it bluntly, Frodo is not a sexual person, so the nature of your relationship as it is and the love you share in your spent time are plenty to satisfy him. Forever you have someone to bring you tea and a kiss to the crown of your auburn head as you pore over documents, someone to bake for and an uncle who laughs heartily at every insistence of yours that he needs to take you to Rivendell to study their wards, throwing in the Lonely Mountain for good measure. Between the three of you, Bag End fills with books in no time, but you certainly cannot complain when some of them are quite ancient indeed, teasing challenges by your favorite hobbits, one of whom sees himself in you and the other who simply sees the beauty in you while you work. Even if sometimes you work a little too hard and he has to help you back into your now-shared hobbit hole to rest your back after a little too long sketching, weeding, and planting in the garden you are beautiful, shining with sweat and dabbed with proof of your connection to the earth. You certainly are the best thing Frodo has brought home on an errand.

Taglist: @lokilover476 @fuckyoumakeart @mossthebogwitch @ibabblealot @kilibaggins @stormchaser819 @pirate-lord-of-narnia @datglutengoblin @letmelickyoureyeballs | Reply/Ask/Message to join 🥰

[wordbunch]

SFW Alphabet: Éowyn

a/n: this was my first time ever writing for her and it was very challenging and fun! it was requested, I hope I did okay - do let me know if you liked it, and consider reblogging so more people can see it 💛💛💛 (how beautiful is she in this gif??)

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?) Initially she isn’t the most affectionate person you’ve ever met, but gradually that changes as she gets more comfortable around you and lets her guard down more. She’s a sucker for hugs especially, but she prefers to shower you with affection in privacy, behind closed doors. Her hugs are so lovely, and she will also use any opportunity to pepper your face with kisses!

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?) Oh she would be an awesome best friend, and you two would have some sorta friends-to-lovers development. You met when she was snooping around the armory, looking for the best sword to train with (which she wasn’t supposed to be doing, but shh), and you offered to train with her. The rest is history.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?) You’re bigger on cuddling than she is. She definitely doesn’t mind it, but you usually initiate it in the evening before you go to sleep. Éowyn generally enjoys being the big spoon and tucking her head in the space between your shoulder and neck, but after a particularly rough day she won’t object to being the little spoon either.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?) Now now, we’re not going to comment on the cooking and cleaning part, but she would eventually like to settle down with you, but I imagine you’d have a longer courtship. You don’t push her into anything and you know that she will talk to you about it when she’s ready. Ultimately, she loves you too much not to want to spend all her life with you.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?) She would get pretty emotional and most likely tear up, but she would be very respectful and cut straight to the point instead of dragging it out and torturing both of you for longer than necessary. 

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?) I guess this is already partially covered - the two of you wouldn’t get married straight away, but it would still be a solid relationship through and through. Over time she did realize that marriage to you wouldn’t be a confinement, as she had feared for so long, but instead a celebration of your love and commitment to each other.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?) It really depends. She’s simultaneously tough and soft and, honestly, she can be a bit moody, but you love her for all of it. If you two train swordsmanship together, she would be almost recognizable. When you’re behind closed doors in your giant bed, it’s a whole different story though. Emotionally, it would take some time for her to really open up to you, but when she does, she’s an open book. You know you can tell her absolutely anything, and vice versa.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?) She loves hugging you, but preferably away from prying eyes. She pulls you in so tightly and warmly and neither of you want to let go. Éowyn likes to just breathe you in or run her fingers through your hair while you hug - it calms down her mind and body instantaneously. On the other hand, during public feasts or balls, she always has an arm on your waist or shoulders in some sort of half hug.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?) You both took your sweet time first, building a solid friendship with lots of understanding and trust before it happened that someone started falling in love with the other person. Both you and Éowyn somehow knew that you loved each other way before anyone said anything, so when she finally caved in and confessed it, it was the most natural thing of the world. You wanted to squeal with glee, and she laughed merrily as you spun her around in joy. 

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?) She is the least jealous person ever. She trusts you with her life and she knows how you feel about her, and that she doesn’t have a single thing to worry about when someone else tries (and completely fails) to make a move on you. Actually, she finds others’ attempts even a little amusing and she likes to watch how you handle it classily. 

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?) Firstly cautious, then overwhelmingly passionate - she’s fiery! Éowyn likes sneaky little pecks throughout the day while you’re both busy and sometimes run into each others, but she’s no stranger to pulling you away for a proper kiss in secret. She loves kissing you on the cheek, and she absolutely melts when you give her a forehead kiss.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?) A bit anxious and cautious, but still friendly and warm. Probably only you can tell that she’s secretly nervous.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?) I imagine her as someone who wakes up rather early, but ever since you waltzed into her life, she loves to wake up and stay in bed for some time, just admiring your peaceful sleeping form. When she gets a bit restless, she would start to gently stroke your cheek or fiddle with your fingers.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?) Nights with her are the best. After a long day you both just get to completely unwind and relax. There’s a high chance of one of you running a bath for the other (or for both of you together). Nights are also the perfect time for cuddle sessions! 

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?) Éowyn would take some time before letting you into her inner world, and she would also be hesitant about “burdening” you with her problems. You just need to reassure her that you love her and want to be there for her, and she will gradually open up.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?) By other people? Sort of quickly -  there were a few occasions of you having to save her from a situation that she cooked up for herself. However, it’s super rare that she’s angry at you. If so, it’s usually for a good reason, but you work through it together. Maybe you’re the one who insists a bit more on talking things through. 

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?) She really tries her best to remember most things, and you know that. She learns your body language quite quickly so she’s able to read you in that way, and she also quickly memorized some little mannerisms of yours, like how your lips sometimes move when you’re dreaming.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?) Éowyn treasures every moment that could be considered kinda “boring” - quiet nights, slow mornings, going for walks, braiding each other’s hair… because she’s aware of how quickly everything can change and how dangerous the world can be. She chooses to treasure every little mundane thing you do together, so she can’t really point out one favorite memory. 

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?) As much as she wants to be very protective of you (on the inside, she is), she knows how stifling that can feel and she’s seen you handle situations yourself multiple times. Only if things really escalate will she step in, but she loves to observe how you confidently stand up for yourself. You act the same with her mostly. 

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?) Like I have already written, she treasures every little moment, so she will also do her very best to make the little things meaningful and special. For extra special occasions, she will go to great lengths to plan out a wonderful day for the two of you, but when it comes to gifts you’re a bit better. However, altogether it makes for a lovely balance!

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?) Sometimes she will close herself off and barely talk to you, not because of something you’ve done, but because of something else, even though she already knows you’re always willing to help her and that you will never judge, no matter what.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?) As long as she’s wearing clean clothes and her hair is not too much of a tangled disaster, she is good to go! Although on special occasions she does put in more effort into dressing up and looking her best by your side. Let them watch.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?) She wouldn’t  - Éowyn is literally a personification of a strong and independent woman! You fill a great place in her life and you’re more special to her than words can say, but she is fine on her own too. 

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.) For some reason, she is a bit shy when it comes to singing in front of you, but if you give her puppy eyes and a pouty face (and say that it would really make you feel better if she sang you something) she cannot say no.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?) We already know that she hates feeling limited and trapped, but in a partner I feel like she’d never go for a person who’s sort of indifferent, without some passion that drives them.. 

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?) Éowyn is a very light sleeper so she’d wake up at almost any noise or if, God forbid, you get up because of something.

🌾🌾🌾

everything taglist + everything LOTR taglist: @lotrnonsense @starlady66 @lazymeriadoc @entishramblings @thesolarangel @silversword7000 @friendofthefellowshipsnerdblog​ @averys-place​ @valkyriepirate​ @i-killed-ramsey @emmaarenstarr​

[mermaidsirennikita]

ARC Review: One Season with the Duke by Addy Du Lac

Out now (and available on Kindle Unlimited)! 4.25/5.

For when you're vibing with... fast physical burns and slow emotional burns, culture clashes, and friends to lovers done right.

With a secret hanging over her head, Hettie has been blackmailed into getting engaged to an asshole. Fortunately, her childhood friend (now Hot and Sizable Duke) Finn, offers a helping a hand... in marriage.

Friends to lovers is a tough sell for me--however, once I realized how much of the friendship in this book was rooted in childhood, I was readier to bite. And I'm glad I did! This is a fun, sweet, surprisingly hot Scottish romance that really focuses hard on the relationship development.

Quick Takes:

--Here's what I dislike about friends to lovers so often: either the hero longs for the heroine but doesn't have the balls to make a move, or the heroine longs for the hero and somehow he Doesn't Notice Her (doesn't get turned on by her) and the heroine is left looking pathetic. In this case, Finn is the one who's very aware of Hettie from the jump. However, she pretty quickly identifies that he's All Grown Up, and he actually makes his move very early in the novel. That, right away, solves a lot of problems for me.

What I expected from there was a marriage in name only, wherein they would, for some reason, wait on fucking for like five billion pages, and I would get increasingly annoyed. But nope! These two are getting down less than a third of the way into the novel, because it makes sense. They're married; the marriage being valid is super important for their general scheme and Hettie's safety; they're not in love (she definitely isn't) but they're physically attracted to each other. Why not?

So it's like, this mixture of duty and genuine interest that brings them together, and I found that compelling. It felt real and pretty authentic to the time period (albeit with the added benefit of them being just five years apart in age and hot). I really appreciated that there wasn't all this handwringing about it from Hettie--no "oh no, I must marry my hot duke friend to escape my evil cousin". She knows she's got a good thing going, and they both are aware that it may never be this dreamy romance (until it is) but they're gonna try and make it work. And a lot of making it work involves the thing they are 100% on the same page about from the get-go: boning the fuck down.

--A lot of the conflict in this book, and I mean this in a good way, felt very old school. There's an evildoer setting out to blackmail Hettie (I personally enjoy a blackmail plot, especially when the heroine is an heiress; there's something about a "MUAHAHAHA" that I just like), obviously. Then there's this stretch in which she's really adjusting to not only being a duchess, but being a Scottish duchess, and I liked the distinction made here. While Finn may be very Englishified in some ways (although he does do a bit of a brogue at the right moments, as all Scottish heroes Must and Should), he is Scottish. His people are Scottish. There is an expectation that his wife will acclimate this, and it's like--not fuckin' easy. I liked that it wasn't easy. In some ways, it felt kind of cinematic while also subverting some of the old school-isms where the heroine goes to Scotland and everyone is all och and aye and just welcomes her with open arms.

In particular, Hettie's mother-in-law does not welcome her with open arms. In many historical romances today, I don't feel like supporting characters who are a) not villains and b) not getting set up for the next book receive much fleshing out. At least, not in the way they used to. But here, we see a woman who is understandably protective of her late husband's legacy, a bit possessive of her son, and......... kind of a bitch to Hettie. However, not a bitch without dimension. She's not flat. There is meat to her character, and there's meat to her relationship development with Hettie. I'm extremely soft for historicals in particular that place an emphasis on female relationships, so that was nice to see.

--You're going to either be frustrated or relieved by the fact that we the readers know Hettie's secret from the start. For some, I suspect this will lead to some "but telll hiiiim", and at points I did feel that way. However, from her emotional perspective, I get why she didn't; and I also personally appreciated knowing her secret from the start. It's not an inconsiderable issue, and I personally find that when a hero or heroine dithers over something we don't even know the truth about... That's where the frustration really comes in.

--We do get a grovel in this one, and it's quite sweet. I can't say much about the grovel because spoilers, but I liked it a lot. There are insane grovels, and there are emotionally sense-making but still deeply felt grovels, and I think this one falls into the latter.

--This book got me to care about two people who are ultimately Good and Solid, in a relationship that is like... not toxic. Which is hard for me! That said, I really like Addy's writing style, and I wouldn't mind seeing her try her hand at a batshit pairing down the road.

--As a random aside, if you like a bit of "she is too young for me and I am a hideous pervert for noticing her ankles" (which I do), there's a dash of that behind why Finn didn't pursue Hettie earlier. She really isn't too young for him by the standards of the time (they're about 5-6 years apart) but he felt very bad for finding her hot when she was eighteen, and I enjoyed that discomfort immensely.

The Sex Stuff:

Like I said, they starting fucking early and they really don't let up. I literally let out a sigh of relief when it began sooner rather than later; I fucking hate the "oh we're married but let's wait until 80% into the book to fuck even though the marriage can literally be invalidated if people find out you're still untouched" dance. Wow, two people thinking with their brains and their libidos!

The sex is well-written and explicit, and like... earthy without being over the top, if that makes sense. I posted that excerpt of Finn commenting on Hettie's scent while he was...................... he's Scottish so down under isn't a joke that makes sense, but he was going down on her. It's the simple intimacies of sex that I found the book did really well. Also, I really liked how they talked about sex with each other--you can feel that there's a friendship there (and he's such a pleaser). And like, there's no shame around Hettie having and enjoying sex without being in love quite yet? That's one thing I appreciated throughout; she cares for him from the start but she knows she's not in love yet... and she's still comfortable with expressing affection for him in a sexual way, and he makes her comfortable with it. There isn't this expectation that being aware of being in love is important for good sex, which I often sense with the writing of heroines. Something that I can't give away happens and Finn is like "maybe no sex for a while" and Hettie's reaction is basically "exfuckingcuse???"

A romantic and emotionally authentic debut, which I think will appeal to many readers--especially those who like historicals that are well-researched and real, without trading in on some of the more problematic aspects of the subgenre. In fact, in general, if you find that historical romances "scare you" a little, I'd say this is a good one to ease your way into the genre with.

Thanks to Addy Du Lac (@thataddylady on here) for a copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[wooglebear]

i wanted to talk a little about some of the interpersonal relationships I gave Cash since i love his tetocu23 version (other than Javi and Krupp) and want to yell about him

The first is George and Harold. Making Cash an Uncle Scrooge dt17-esque character actually allows him to develop friendly relations with other people aside from just Javi.

Cash still befriends George and Harold here because their canonical apparent friendship is obviously something I very much approve of, and their dynamic when someone inevitably turns into a monster of the week is pretty much this.

George: It's time for you know what!

Harold: Yeah! Captain Underpants!

Cash: You two, now's not a good time for whatever nonsense you’re going on about.

Javi: I agree with my boyfriend here! We're doomed!

George: You're nuts! This IS an emergency!

Cash does find out the truth about CU eventually, as does Javi, and they're surprisingly accepting.

Cash basically acts like Scrooge to bo, stanley, and gooch. Consider this trio and Hazel the Huey, Dewey, Louie and Webby of tetocu23.

next we have Cash's interactions with jessica and the sophies. Cash would support any of his niece and Jessica's interactions. I think Cash and Sophie 1's interactions would feel really quite natural and fun. He supports Other Sophie's crush on Jessica. And he and the sophies would genuinely be really good friends with each other if not for his rivalry with Krupp. I've said this before and I'll say it again, but Krupp and Cash's relationship here is based on Scrooge and Glomgold's interactions in dt17, if they weren’t actively out to kill each other.

Then we have Dressy, Erica and Mr. Ree. According to the creators of the AU, erica, dressy, and ree are a bit of a parallel to the george-harold-captain trio dynamic. So, Cash is the wildcard of that group. I can also see Cash discovering Vil Endenemys’s villainous plans and trying to warn the girls, but they think he's crying wolf, and so does mr. ree.

As for Dressy separately, she comes off so strong that Cash just doesn’t want to talk to her half the time.

Erica: You haven't been talking to Dressy much as of late. How come?

Cash: That girl… s-she was obnoxious even by my standards…

Cash would feel bad for Erica. He wants to babysit for this kid who grew up too fast, and he and Erica become friends just in case Cash actually feels he can actually babysit properly. As the wildcard of the group, he finds he and Mr. Ree contrast. Dressy and Erica listen to Ree. As for Cash, dressy and erica don’t listen to him enough!

Dante and Alyssa don’t start out as friends, but they end up that way once Cash realizes how lonely his niece is and lets her hang out with him because both of them are theater kids. Yes, this means that poor Cash and Javi have to deal with two silly theater kids as Krupp watches in amusement. Having been born with a silver spoon in his mouth (like Cash) and having only known only a life of luxury, Dante can’t trust too easily, so Alyssa is kind of the perfect one to befriend him.

Melvin and Melvin-Borg, though… Hoo boy, where do we even start with Cash's interactions with those two? Cash instantly hates the two of them, bc he thinks theyre both evil geniuses. And he's right. Cash is smarter here than in tetocu, and I think he’d be able to catch onto the fact that Melvin -- and this "cyborg" Melvin -- have bad plans in mind. As for Javi's thoughts? He’d probably feel like someone threw up on the Melvins' auras. Cash would also be able to catch on to the fact that Cara is Not What She Seems™ and would try to stop her. Javi would do what he can to warn the others of this super villainess. Also, he would surely roast the hell out of poor Cara. XD

And then we have his friend.

This is Alice Carroll (name is a reference to Alice in Wonderland and Lewis Carroll).

Alice is the new art teacher at Jerome Horwitz Elementary. And an even bigger shocker, she and Cash are an item. Technically. In Krupp's eyes, they're something of an item.

An insomniac, Alice insists on keeping up with the latest in the world of art, but is level headed and fair. Generally friendly and loves to play around, but will not mess around when it comes to serious stuff. She believes that art is the way to bring hope and good into the world.

Cash is bi, while Alice is straight as a pencil. Their incompatible orientations, realistically, should clash, but they make it work. They're just really good friends, but Krupp is wrongly convinced that Alice is Cash's love interest (she ABSOLUTELY isn't, that's Javi), not helped by Cash near constantly blushing around... someone (aka Javi). Unfortunately, because Alice is nearby, this is how Krupp (and Hazel, Cara, Alyssa, Juliet, and even the gym teacher, Mr. Meaner, for that matter) figures out Cash's "love life", and now they think Alice and Cash are deep in the throes of love, when in reality, it's Javi who's Cash's love interest.

Alice is a bit of an artist, hence the sticker on her shirt and blue paint splatters on her face.

Alice has a bit of trust issues.

A bit of her storyline centers around her desperately trying to not keep Cash a friend thanks to Krupp insisting that Cash x Alice is a thing.

Is friends with Javi!

they practically become inseparable.

I've said it once, and I'll say it again. But Krupp kidnaps poor Javi anyway, though tetocu23 having twentysomething episodes per season does delay that. So krupp decides to mess with Cash, even though he isn't quite as toxic towards him as canon, so he locks him and Javi up in a closet. Not too surprisingly, the not-as-protective-of-Cash-as-Juliet-but-still-protective Alice is really mad at our principal afterward.

Cash and Alice would love paintball, and they shoot each other while giggling. Cash and Alice have some cute banter before Cash inevitably gets Camoflushnapped (remember, this is during the tetocu23 equivalent of the camoflush ep).

Cash: *while they're being shot at by a Camoflush'd Major Messy* This paintball game is definitely going to be my villain origin story.

Alice is a bit protective of Cash, and would be horrified if he ever got put in danger.

…And then the whole thing with Borelock happens, and when she finds out what happened to her friend, she straight up snaps like a waistband. She near goes insane.

Alice: What did you do to Cash?

Borelock: I got your love interest out of the picture. On the bright side, he'll make a wonderful p-p-p-porch ornament.

Alice: Porch ornament? You call this getting him out of the way?! Just who do you think you are, going around turning people into stone like that?! I despise you, crazy wizard, and everything you stand for! And Cash isn't my love interest. He's MY FRIEND!!

(For that last remark, Borelock just turns Alice to stone, too.)

Other than that, Cash and Alice are just really good friends who are having fun – nothing more, nothing less. At least before an unholy mashup of Krupp's kidnapping of Javi, Cara's evil scientist vibes, and the Melvins' devious plans rear their ugly head.

(Tetocu23 AU belongs to @infini-tree and @cartchytuns)

[thepythagoras]

Beyond Quantities: The Emotional Advantages of AI-Powered Numerology

AI-enhanced numerology is a fascinating blend that not only explains the universe's numerical language but also improves mental health and overall well-being. It sits at the nexus of ancient wisdom and contemporary technology. This unusual convergence shows that, as the digital age deepens, numbers can be more than just numbers; they can have deep psychological significance and insights that are enhanced by artificial intelligence.

Numerology has long been used as a tool for comprehending the world and our role in it. Numerology is the study of numbers as bearers of meaning. Numerology has long held that the numbers that correspond to our lives—be they our ages, birthdates, or the numbers of our significant others—carry certain qualities and energies. These interpretations have improved in sophistication and personalization with the introduction of AI technology, creating new opportunities for understanding.

Through the analysis of large datasets, AI-enhanced numerology provides a customized approach by identifying patterns and forecasting trends related to individual experiences. This customized reading turns into a fun method to examine one's identity and mental health while offering support and direction.

Numerology's Benefits for Psychology AI-powered reimagining

Self-knowledge and introspection: The capacity of AI-enhanced numerology to encourage introspection is among its most significant advantages. It invites people to consider their assets and liabilities as well as the paths their lives are following by offering insights into their core numbers, such as life path numbers or heart's desire numbers. These numerological evaluations provide us a new perspective on who we are.

Consolation and Confidence: Numerology frequently discusses "angel number meaning," which are recurring sequences that people encounter on a regular basis and are believed to represent heavenly direction. Knowing the significance of specific numbers, like 1111, which is frequently connected to opportunity and fresh starts, may provide a great deal of comfort and confidence when making decisions or going through uncertain times.

Feeling of Belonging and Connectivity: Understanding how each of our unique number meaning relates to larger cosmic mathematics helps foster a feeling of belonging and a diversity of viewpoints on life. It aids people in realizing that the cosmos itself is always telling a bigger story in which their decisions and deeds play a part.

Enhanced Decision-Making Efficiency: Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platforms forecast future possibilities and problems by analyzing past data linked to particular numerical sequences. Understanding these can lead to improved outcomes in both personal and professional endeavors by enabling people to make better judgments.

Using Technology to Advance One's Own Knowledge

By improving accuracy, artificial intelligence (AI) in numerology not only confirms an ancient tradition but also makes this arcane information more accessible to a wider audience. AI offers a psychological comfort that is both rooted in tradition and enlightened by development by overcoming conventional hurdles to perceiving the deeper meanings attached to the numbers surrounding us.

The intricate relationships between numbers may now be understood by sophisticated computers in ways that were previously unthinkable. These algorithms can process symbolic meanings assigned to particular digit sequences against global databases fast, enabling more meaningful predictions to be made across cultural boundaries.

We learn how to make the numbers count deeply and intimately using AI-enhanced numerology, which serves as a mathematical mirror reflecting our deepest self. It's obvious that the psychological resonance experienced via deciphering life's numerical paths will only grow as we continue to weave technological sophistication into the rich fabric of numerological tradition. This will enhance our comprehension of existence itself and the human experience.

[amemixfan]

So I had previously canceled VIP because choices had a dry spell with books that seemed interesting, but I recently reactivated it with Kindled coming out. I also took the time to check out some of the other VIP books.

So rapid fire reviews:

1. First Comes Love is a garbage fire. The entire book radiates so much Pick Me energy that I’m half expecting MC to go into a “pick me, choose me, love me” speech.

I can practically imagine that entire book told in a Reddit post from the point of view of Rebecca. “Help, my lover’s toxic girl best friend is trying to break us up.” It’s so, so toxic. We could have gotten an interesting story of friends deciding to marry out of loneliness while realizing they had feelings for each other yet we got a love triangle with the emotional maturity of a playground fight. I’m surprised they didn’t make Rebecca a cheerleader just to hit all the “You Belong With Me” boxes that book is trying to hit. (Seriously I mean, gasp! Rebecca loves to travel and likes fancy stuff? Oh the absolute horror!!!)

2. Roommates With Benefits. Meh. I couldn’t make it past the first episode because the book seemed dull. The love interests didn’t interest me and the writing is meh. Not much more to say.

3. Kiss of Death. This book is frustrating because they’re selling you a mob star crossed lovers book with an MC who is so outside of the world of mobsters that most of the book is just her venting about how everyone treats her like a kid. It’s not a mob book if the main character is shut out of the family business.

I wanted to like it because it gave me Halsey’s music video vibes of Now or Never which I liked, but the end result is meh. The book would have been fascinating had MC actually been a trusted member of the mob and had a lot more power and importance. Instead, it seems like this is a teenage coming of age story with no edge or flair.

I treated it as a diamond mining book and didn’t see any relationship development that isn’t just lust or horniness between MC and Vic. MC tells them she loves them after one day and there’s not much explanation why. Even her bestie calls her out on it. The book just hinges on one random less than a day long encounter years ago as the premise of their love story. Like I get Romeo and Juliet were also dumb kids who thought they knew what love was, but Choices’ characters are supposed to have been grown adults.

4. Getaway Girls. This book I’m actually enjoying. It’s funny and light hearted. I’m just a few chapters in but it seems fun. Not a huge fan of the constant POV change, but each character has their own personality and taste which keeps it from becoming repetitive. We’ll see how it goes.

5. The Duchess Affair. I love a good period piece and am always biased in favor of it. This one isn’t the best Choices has put it, but it’s interesting compared to its other VIP books. The adultery aspect is bleh for me, but it’s not surprising giving The Nanny Affair was such a hit. I wish they hadn’t made the husband such a tool and given more high stakes to the story, but I guess they had to let people not feel guilty about cheating.

I will say though, it’s weird to see MC fawn over their tutor while diamond mining. I haven’t taken any premium choices so her worrying and fretting over committing adultery is bizarre given she’s only just talked to her tutor a handful of times and sat close to them. This book was definitely not designed to be diamond mined.

6. Kindred. This one seems promising. I love the art and the premise behind the book. The LIs seem interesting and the world seems fascinating. I definitely don’t regret resubscribing just for this book. It seems like it could become a favorite of mine.

My only complaint is that the plot moves fast. It’s very blink and you miss an entire explanation. The book thrusts you into what seems like an already developed world and expects you to just know everything already. I can keep up with some ideas because I’m pagan and know some of the concepts, but it’s still confusing to have so many revelations in the first two chapters and no time in between. I wonder how many things were cut from the book before publishing. It just seems like the entire thing is on fast forward and the characters themselves don’t react to major, groundbreaking news. Hopefully this’ll be fixed going forward.

I also know there’s a select release for a TNA POV book, but I don’t have access. I envy those of you that do though.

So yeah, this current line up is not the best Choices has ever had, but it’s also not the worst.

[thesherrinfordfacility]

(last anon= me, was a bit anxious it might not go over well for some reason- off now bc changing the capitalization was a pain)

i agree on the human aus! love their flexibility, the sorta "yeah, may as well happen" you get clicking on something (with love) completely ridiculous. it's also so much fun to see what people do with crowley's eyes and his relationship to the glasses.

i'm very very early in planning this, but i want a&c to be as close to theirshow characterizations as i can possibly get them (book boys are amazing but i want the drama). i don't know that i'll do a very good job at justifying it with their backstories, but i'm gonna try. (idk. people have different opinions on personality being nature vs nurture. i can claim majority nature if it's more convenient)

i'm thinking here that crowley, personally, would have had to kill somebody or a couple somebodies, in an absolute (it at least appeared so, still does), life or death, them or him scenario (only his life saved). said somebody or somebodies would have attacked first, and out of desperation-- not totally their choice either. i'm assuming for the sake of the fic that he'd be able to do it at all, and then survive a couple decades after, so there's... something.

i just can't figure out exactly how he'd have coped with it, and whether he'd, later, think of it as justified, like how much guilt there would be. don't know what's even plausible.

my biggest problem is that framing him as 100% Good and Pure (and weirdly helpless?) like ppl do sometimes is literally my biggest fear writing this (huge mischaracterization in general). i don't want to go for the exact same indifference as in the show, for reasons you mentioned (and also that level of apathy would fuck up the entire rest of the fic), but not too far in the opposite direction, either.

tysm for the first response and considering a second, this seems a whole lot more solvable- and sorry if it's a lot to ask to go over all this (although your ability to hold a shit ton of information at once and then respond eloquently is impressive asf, looking at like every chain with LWA), i just drew a bit of a blank. also my bad if it's got a little heavy for your blog, just realized looking at the tags 😭

oh @aq-uatic you silly goose!!!✨ im absolutely fine with asks like that, please feel free to sling them my way anytime!!! ultimately tho, that's what the tw was for; just in case it was a bit heavy for someone else, but for me, personally? there's not a lot of themes that i feel uncomfortable discussing, almost all topics are welcome and i'll soon say if they aren't!!!💕

ooooh okay, so a self-defence angle!!! i think that that could be interesting to explore, because - well, you could take it from the perspective that crowley is initially very righteous in defending himself, rightly thinking that he deserved to protect himself, and the use of force was proportionate. he could initially come across as quite dispassionate and apathetic about it, "me vs. them? well of course it was going to be me!", and ultimately not want to address the whole concept of having committed murder because, on face value, it was justified. and maybe he privately doesn't want to examine it bc he's apprehensive about what he'd find?

but then as plot (and character) develops, turns out that because the whole thing was so fast, fuelled by adrenaline and the instinct to survive, crowley ends up... not being able to remember much of it? and as details start to come back, i think that's where the cognitive dissonance element would play - that he then has to reconcile himself as being someone who he feels is morally sound, 'would never harm another human being', a good person... but then is starting to remember his fear in the situation, confronting his own mortality, and what it says about him to be able to take another life with little thought other than his own self-preservation? as well as remember the specific physical details of what happened? the sounds, the smells? looks in the mirror afterwards and sees a different person looking back?

obviously without knowing the full motive of the person attacking him, who they are, what their story is etc.,... i think crowley could end up dealing with it in a way that he accepts that he cannot control others' actions, only his own. that that person chose to put him in the position of having to defend himself, and whilst, yes, that person may have had a family, friends, potential... when he's in a position of ensuring his own survival, he may have actually made the best decision he could have at the time. idk if you're planning to explore the attacker's circumstances in any depth, but if - for example - they were trying to rob him out of their own desperation (e.g. homelessness/austerity, fund addiction, peer pressured/gang context, mental health), maybe crowley would deal with that by exploring charitable work, or good causes, that seek to alleviate that very desperation? and that's how he heals from the experience?

again, hoping this might be some food for thought!!!✨💕 please do link me your fic when you've posted anything, i really admire how you're exploring this concept and it sounds really interesting and promising!!! i'll reiterate that i love getting asks, especially when they explore topics like this; i feel the LWA ones are a little bit of an anomaly, for being really analysis-heavy (which i love, let me clear), but getting to be a bit creative is exciting for me too!!!✨

[anajonessy]

I have three siblings who are all ten to thirteen years older than me, and they all went to boarding school. Because of the age gap, my siblings and I didn't really grow up together, and I spent a lot of time by myself. I also didn’t have a great relationship with my mom, so when I was younger–even though I’d developed a strong sense of social independence, I always said that being around people was the best thing in the world.

I moved out of my family home soon after I turned eighteen or nineteen and since then, I’ve lived with a bunch of people, and I was constantly surrounded by friends and friends of friends, and total strangers. Everyone was in such close proximity–I went from feeling like an outsider to feeling like a social person, and then back again–and I was ok with that. I think I might’ve even equated it to being happy that I’d get anxious after spending even a little time by myself. I felt so restless and miserable, mostly because of the feeling of loneliness that consumed me.

For years it didn't occur to me that, as with most things, my discomfort with being alone might be a sign that I am not meeting my emotional needs.

Fast forward to a little over a year ago, I moved to the outskirts of town and because of that, I don’t really go out as often anymore unless it’s for work. And then, of course, the pandemic happened–I had to quit my job and after getting the curse, I started spending more and more time by myself and that has led to some great things… and some really terrible things, like, it hasn’t particularly been great for my mental health (or rather, lack thereof lol).

But that moment in self-isolation had me thinking about how much I rely on other people to make myself feel ok, and also how incredibly liberating it is to lose the unrealistic expectations put on me to be ‘happy’ and ‘productive’ all the time. I’m an adult and it really sucks that I am so late to the self-realization party haha, but wow, it feels good to finally allow myself to feel what I feel when I feel it.

So these days whenever I feel irrationally upset about anything (or nothing at all!), instead of simply shelving it and focusing on everyone and everything else that is going on, I take a step back, breathe and think about the ways I can create and hold space for myself. Sometimes that means staying in bed longer, reading, trying out a new recipe, listening to a podcast, working on a project, putting my phone on ghost mode, or taking myself out for walks… just doing whatever it is that makes me feel comfortable and content. Other times it’s sitting with myself staring into blank space, or crying (for like, an hour… or more?!?!?!!!!) and feeling so much better afterward.

Anyways, it’s 7:30AM and I just woke up to pee. I’ve got about an hour to journal and relax in bed before I need to get up, make myself breakfast, hit the shower, then head out to see my psychiatrist and counselor. It’s going to be a good day to hang out with myself today.

If you’re reading this, I hope you can find time to hang out with yourself today too. Enjoy yourself. Give yourself advice on life, love, work, and more. Tickle your scalp. Take yourself out on a date. Indulge in self-pleasure. Laugh at your own jokes. Go have fun!