#and imogen trusts them less

[utilitycaster]

It feels to me like this was something of a turning point for Imogen, because she and Ashton did have very similar thought processes: what if the parent(s) I never really knew, who have cult connections, are right? What if I'm meant to do what they did? Do it better? What if this will make me feel closer to them, or loved? But, notably, Imogen entertained this idea, was rightfully told how hurtful this thought process was to the others and how, frankly, stupid a path it would take her down, and ultimately didn't act upon it. She made an effort to connect with her mother, but she tried to pull Liliana away from the Vanguard rather than join the murderous organization herself. And then Liliana didn't listen, and it hurt a lot, and Imogen's felt abandoned by her and has been quietly working through those feelings in private ever since.

Ashton, obviously, made a very different choice, didn't talk to the group beforehand because they knew they'd get the same sort of response they'd once given Imogen, did act on those feelings, didn't break the cycle, fucked up the group's plans, and nearly died permanently in the process.

Imogen has in the past often, understandably, equated thought with action. The fact that the thought process she and Ashton had was essentially the same, and she realized it and had sympathy for it while still being extremely angry, is a significant step! The action does mean a lot! I think internalizing this will take a long time for Imogen, because she's had a decade of judging people on thought alone, but it's clear she's can clearly see where she and Ashton diverged and empathize with him regarding his feelings of parental abandonment, while still being extremely angry about the risks he took and the lack of consideration of the party's feelings or needs.

[lem0nademouth]

things heartstopper does brilliantly because i refuse to let some of you monsters ruin it for everyone

1. models healthy consent practices!! oh my goodness!! asking to kiss, double checking that consent is enthusiastic, being honest about moments that lacked consent (see: b*n h*pe and imogen asking out nick). later in the books we get even more amazing examples of consent being an ongoing conversation!!

2. the teenagers act their age!! they’re awkward, they’re confused, they’re unsure of themselves, they are PLAYED BY YOUNG ACTORS!!! it’s realistic and beautiful and doesn’t set unreasonable expectations for viewers like almost every other show about high schoolers

3. SUPPORTIVE PARENTS!!! all of the parents we have met so far have been loving, supportive, compassionate, and patient. it’s so nice to have multiple queer and trans characters who are embraced by their parents and their friend’s parents from the beginning. and tao’s mom is an icon.

4. safe people and places!! the characters have trusted adults like mr. ajayi and mrs. singh and safe places like the art room that they can go to when things are rough. it models healthy support network building and healthy coping skills!!!

5. all the ways you can come out and be out!! it tells a beautiful “coming out isn’t always easy and it’s never the end of the journey” story without making coming out seem like a disaster waiting to happen. yes, charlie was outed - and people still jumped to his aid even before nick came around. no one pressures nick to come out (a major story arc some of y’all clearly didnt pay attention to) and they tell him it’s fine if he doesn’t know what to label his sexuality if he even wants to label it at all. 

6. LETTING. BOYS. CRY. oh my god it’s so refreshing to see a show where boys get to cry instead of punching walls. and not once does someone tell them crying makes them less masculine. no one tells anyone to stop crying. they’re allowed to be emotional and it’s wonderful.

7. affection. i adore the way this show portrays all the small ways you can say “i love you”: a homemade picture frame, buying your apple juice every day, waiting until you’re ready, taking you to the beach, bringing over cookies for movie night, bringing their dog to the date to cheer you up, running over in the rain, punching someone in the face for you. 

feel free to add more!!! i just want to highlight the best parts of this show + graphic novel series because it really is a masterpiece. i hope kit (and the rest of the cast and crew) knows that he’s doing a good job - a great job - and that no one else’s shitty behavior can change that. 

[masterqwertster]

I do appreciate that Ashton gave everyone a subtle jab for the fact that they were all super pissed about the Spark for at least overnight while Laudna is forgiven within 5-10 minutes.

Like, I get that Ashton's happening first means his is more unexpected and thus more raw. By the time Laudna makes a move, everyone is not entirely surprised that one of them could fuck up that badly. It's still not going to feel fair, though.

But also, Ashton's fuck up was (I feel) less malicious(? not really the right word, but I'm having trouble coming up with better) in a way. Fearne willingly let Ashton take the Spark out of her "possession," as the others had chosen her for it but she didn't want it while Ashton did. Ashton also didn't think he would explode or do damage to his friends down the road for taking that power. Meanwhile, Laudna was straight up stealing Ishta from Orym without consulting about it with any of the other Hells, much less Orym who was in possession of it. And she knows that Delilah is bad news and that Delilah will not have any problem harming Laudna's friends later (given the bitch has planted the idea that the Hells will betray Laudna, also the Gnarlrock Incident and encouraging/trying to force stealing the Spark for her/them), yet she aimed to give Delilah more power with which she could eventually do that anyways.

It also feels especially unfair because pretty much as soon as Ashton could talk about what they did (hard to discuss while you're literally trying not to explode), they were sorry for it. Laudna didn't express actual regret for the harm done to the others until after arguing to them all that she was right to do what she did, she had to face Imogen's disappointment one-on-one.

Not to mention that Ashton has very much sworn off making that kind of decision again while Laudna is very much open to it as it will be "wielding Delilah" (which I honestly don't trust her to do when "wielding Delilah" is giving the bitch what she wants in exchange for power and hoping it's not enough to tip the scales they do not know the balance of out of Laudna's favor).

I dunno. I just feel like Ashton immediately going for corrective actions for his mistake should have gotten him more grace than Laudna needing to be talked around to it while still taking wiggle room to make similar bad decisions.

Not how life works, I know, but it doesn't change the (personal) sentiment that they were overly harsh on Ashton and not stern enough with Laudna.

[revvethasmythh]

gotta say, I think the framing of Imogen's childhood as one lacking in all parental love and care because Liliana wasn't there is something that strikes me as both highly unlikely and as a far less interesting way of reading Imogen's early life with her father. If things were always as chilly and distant between them as they were after Imogen's powers developed, then there isn't much change in their relationship at all. But if we acknowledge that in her childhood she had a largely normal, functional, and loving relationship with her father, their estrangement after her powers becomes all the more heart wrenching. Yes, he's emotionally reserved and "was never the master of parental affection," as Matt said, but he's dependable. He cares for her, with actions over words. He's her dad and he's there for her entire childhood, making dinner for her, working to take care of her, teaching her how to ride, bandaging her up when she gets hurt.

Then the powers come. The night terrors that sound familiar to him, this terrifying pain that she's in, the way he doesn't actually know what's wrong with her because Liliana didn't know and she'd barely told him these powers so much as existed before she left him. Being close to Imogen hurts her and it also means she can root around in his head--so he puts distance between them. And that hurts like hell for a kid, to have their father pull away from them like that even though it's more comfortable, physically, that way. A gulf forms. Trust shatters. Their relationship deteriorates and deteriorates. More time passes--eight years of this--and they're further away from each other than they ever have been. Neither of them go into town or talk to people all that much because Imogen doesn't want to hear what people are thinking or deal with the pain of it and Relvin doesn't want to bring home what other townsfolk have said that she might be able to skim off him.

That's shattering for both of them. And so, so, so much more tragic than if there was never care or love between them to begin with. It hurts so much because it used to be so much better than this. There was a comfortable familial love between them before, and now it just feels like empty air

[quietblueriver]

Very short thing set immediately after ep 95 because it wrecked me and I had a second to Kermit-style spew some feelings. Imogen-centric, as I am wont. Pls excuse any typos and the probably wild overuse of the comma.

-

Long moments pass, the ridge of Laudna’s nose pressing just underneath Imogen's jaw, her arms linked around Imogen’s waist as Imogen does what she can not to break in half. 

It’s second nature, to run her fingers through Laudna’s hair, a familiar action, easy, meant to soothe them both, meant to keep them grounded, together, tethered. Imogen knows exactly how much pressure to use, how to move gently to avoid hurting Laudna or coming away with a small creature’s worth of hair in her palm. She’s done it a hundred times before, a thousand, but this time, there’s a prickle in her mind and her hand slows on the second full pass as she tries to figure out what’s different, what’s wrong. Except it’s what’s right, actually. Or what would be right, if Laudna were someone else. The strands are softer, thicker, falling through her fingers easily. Almost like Laudna’s…

Imogen’s rigid as the thought takes hold, and Laudna shifts against her with a small questioning noise. It takes everything she has to try to relax, but it’s apparently enough, cool lips grazing the skin of her neck as Laudna settles again. 

Fuck. She can’t be sure, no matter how many times she lets the strands glide over her skin, whether there really is something different or whether she’s just looking for Delilah everywhere now, and she hates it, hates that her life has been so disrupted, so shaken, that even this almost mundane intimacy can’t be trusted. Her world tilts just a little more, and surely, surely, she’s finally upside-down.

The body that has helped to keep her here relaxes further into her, trusting and vulnerable, even as Imogen tries not to show her panic, tries to hide the way she keeps her breath shallow because she’s scared she’ll smell something other than earth mixed with lavender.

Fighting back the angry, screaming sob that seems to live perpetually in her throat these days, she feels, a little distantly, the cold sigh against her neck.

The exhale shifts into a phrase that Laudna has repeated more times than Imogen can count in the last half hour: “I love you.” 

There had been a momentary relief the first time Laudna said it, free of the stain of Delilah’s echo, something pure in the middle of their absolutely fucked, world-breaking conversation. Laudna, just Laudna, telling Imogen she loves her. 

But each repetition sounds less like reassurance and more like desperation, more like a plea. It’s me, it’s me, it’s me. She wants so badly for that to be true.

But Imogen has never been allowed to live in what she wants to be true.

Maybe it is still Laudna, soft and true and hers, but they’re too far gone now for Imogen to trust it.

She knows that those words are a perfect weapon for Delilah, an ideal means of self-preservation. There is no better way to keep Imogen on the line, to give Imogen–and maybe Laudna, too–hope that some part of Laudna has been preserved from Delilah's influence, than by making it seem as though she can’t touch their love. 

She almost can’t bear their corruption, but the only thing worse than hearing those words like this is not hearing them at all, so she takes them dipped in poison, feels them feed the rotten and writhing truth inside of her. It’s a truth that she has been avoiding since that night in Whitestone, and now it’s crawling beneath her skin, coiling in her stomach, refusing to be ignored any longer: 

Something is wrong. 

Laudna is wrong. 

And what is Imogen supposed to do with that? 

“I love you, too,” she whispers, and it is a truth, too, as it has always been, but, face pressed into dark hair that she’s suddenly afraid to breathe in in case it’s the thing that topples them both, Imogen has no idea how much of Laudna there is left to love.

[wayhaughtn7]

I absolutely love the aftermath of last week’s confrontation in tonight’s episode. The conversation between Imogen and Laudna was tough to experience but it was a conversation they absolutely needed to have and might actually get them in a better place in the long run. The rest of the Hells were just amazing and did exactly what I wanted them to do regarding Laudna. They made it clear that they believe in her, that they all think she’s strong enough without Delilah, that they will do their best to keep her in check as long as she is honest with them about Delilah messing with her head and that they aren’t going to just let Delilah take her. Also, Orym’s whole speech about rather having Laudna than the sword was perfection and damn it is always amazing to watch Marisha and Liam rp together. And Ashton being so supportive of Laudna because she’s their sister and he will protect her got to me.

Laudna herself was more forthcoming than I expected her to be. It’s clear she still doesn’t value herself the way she should and that she still thinks she needs Delilah to be useful but she feels less secretive and like she’s kind of maybe starting to believe and trust the Hells in a way she hadn’t before and that maybe some of Delilah’s manipulations regarding them will be less effective. I think we might actually reach a point sooner than I expected where she’s actively wanting to find a way to get rid of Delilah. I’m really glad she apologized for what happened.

I think the aftermath of that confrontation did more to increase the groups morale and trust in each other than Nanna Morri’s trust building exercises did.

[angstywaifu]

The Lost Sister - Part 18

Synopsis: Xaden is known as an only child due to his sister who 'died' during the Rebellion. Little do they know she didn't die and has been so close this entire time.

Garrick Tavis x OC A/N: I promise after this one we will get some chapters less dictated by the book. But here is the aftermath of the attack on Violet and Ophelia. There isn't much deviation, but I hope you guys enjoy it. Get prepared for some angry Ophelia in the next part.

The Lost Sister Masterlist | Masterlist

“I do not need a body guard.” Violet snapped at Xaden as he assigns Liam Mairi to our squad. Swapping him out with another first year cadet.

Violet and I had shared a glance as he told Dain. We both knew what he was doing. What him and Garrick were doing. He was assigning us a body guard. Liam was to watch over us and made sure nothing happened.

”We do not need a body guard. I can look out for both of us.” I tell him sternly.

He ignores both of us as he addresses Dain. “Liam is statistically one of the strongest first years in the quadrant.” His eyes briefly flicker to me. Good to know he hasn’t forgotten I pretty much stand equal with Liam minus my fight with Imogen. Though I had been declared the winner of that fight. “He was one of the fastest up the gauntlet, hasn’t lost a single challenge, and is bonded to an exceptionally strong Red Daggertail. Any squad would be lucky to have him, and he’s all yours, Aetos. You can thank me when you win the Squad Battle in the spring.”

Liam walks over and takes his place behind Violet and I.

”We. Do. Not. Need. A. Bodyguard.” Violet repeats a little louder as she hopes to gain Xaden’s attention.

I nudge her and I shake my head at her as she looks at me. She sighs knowing her attempts are useless and we are now stuck with a bodyguard. Though I wasn’t going to let Garrick go on this. He had been gone when I had woken up, and I now knew exactly what he had been doing.

Xaden pushes past Dain and stands in front of both of us. “But you do after last night. And I can’t be everywhere you two are. But Liam here-” he points to the blonde now behind us- “he’s a first year, so he can be in every class, at every challenge. So I hope you get use to him.”

Authority rolls off Xaden. With my signet I feel his presence and I reach out. His presence in my head is anything but calm. But I can feel his weakness for us. For not being able to protect us. But his strength… His strength right now is the fact he can shuffle his wing as he see’s fit. And he’s assigned us a first year he can trust.

“You’re over stepping.” Violet sneers at him. I admire the girl and her courage.

”You haven’t begun to see overstepping,” he warns as his voice drops and he leans towards Violet. “Any threat against you is a threat against me, and as we’ve already established, I have more important things to do than sleep on your floor.”

I hold back the laugh as Violet’s cheeks flush. “He is not sleeping in my room.”

“Of course not.” He smirks at her before looking between the two of us. “I had him moved. His room now between both of yours. Wouldn’t want to overstep.”

He turns on his heel and walks away, heading back to his place at the front of the formation. I glare after him. Overstepping my ass. He reminded me so much of our father it that moment it wasn’t funny.

“Fucking mated dragons.” Dain seethes. And for once I couldn’t agree with Dain more. Fucking. Mated. Dragons. And fucking over protective brothers and whatever Garrick and I were now. I would have to find them both later.

Normally our formation would finish after Fitzgibbons finished the announcements. But Panchek takes the podium, fumbling with the codex in his hands. He had only made a few appearances at morning formation, usually reserving it for something important. My eyes move to the front of our formation to see Xaden and Garrick talking. This is about last night. About the cadets that attacked Violet and I.

A hush settles over our squad as Panchek looks over the courtyard. “It has been brought to my attention as your commandant that a breach of the Codex has occurred. As you know, breaches of our most sacred laws are not to be tolerated. This matter will be addressed here and now. Will the accuser please step forward.”

My squad bickers around me, but I block it out as I shift my eyes back to where Xaden stands. Where Xaden starts to walk towards the dais and starts to climb the stairs. I feel Violets panic set in as she realises this is about us.

We turn and look at each other at the same time. “This is about us.” We whisper as Dain looks at the two of us.

I look to Xaden at the top of the Dais and can’t help but see our father. The way Xaden’s presence takes up the entire stage, capturing the entire quadrant is exactly like our father. If it wasn’t for what was about to happen, I would probably cry. Our father would be so proud to see Xaden handling himself as he had done.

“Early this morning, two riders in my wing were brutally and illegally attacked in their sleep with the intent of murdering both of them by a group of unbonded riders.”

The rotunda is filled with murmurs and gasps at his words. The other wings all starting at fourth wing. Everyone in my squad turns to look at Violet and I who both have our eyes focused on Xaden. The unbonded had all been killed by Xaden and I. Their deaths already announced. Someone had gotten away.

”As we all know, this is a violation of Article Three, Section Two of the Dragon Rider’s Codex and, in addition to being dishonourable, is a capital offense.”

Xaden stares at both of us now, every one following his gaze. Everyone in the quadrant is looking at us. They all know Violet and I were the targets of the murder attempt.

”Having been alerted by my dragon, I interrupted the attack along with two other Fourth Wing riders.”

I watch as Garrick and Bodhi both break formation and join Xaden up on the dais. One standing either side of Xaden. Garrick’s eyes immediately find mine.

”As it was a matter of life and death, I personally executed six of the would be murderers, as witnessed by Flame Section Leader Garrick Tavis and Tail Section Executive Officer Bodhi Durran. The three of us witnessed one of the victims Ophelia Riorson take out the last one.”

I hold my head high as everyone looks at me. I need to show a strong front. I need to show I am not to be messed with. I am glad Xaden leaves the part of my signet manifesting out.

”But the attack was orchestrated by a rider who fled before I arrived. A rider who had access to the map of where all first-years are assigned to sleep, and that rider must be bought to swift justice.”

Violet must have seen who it was. They must have been part of the attack on her room. I had only seen on rider in mine and had disposed of them swiftly. I feel Mealladh in my mind. She was close. She was not alone either. This was about to get ugly.

”I call you to answer for your crime against Cadet Sorrengail and Cadet Riorson.” Everyone hanging on Xaden’s words as he turns his focus to the centre of the formation. “Wingleader Amber Mavis.”

Chaos rips through the crowd. I barely hear it as I stare over at Amber. I barely had anything to do with her. The only time I really recall having anything to remotely do with her was when Violet had made it up the Gauntlet. She had questioned her methods causing Xaden and Garrick to defend Violet. But besides that I had only seen her around the quadrant. I’m knocked from my thoughts as Violet stumbles into me as she avoids Dain’s out stretched hands.

”Give me the memory.” He orders. Or tries to order from her.

Violet holds her head high as she stares him down. “Touch me without permission, and you’ll spend the rest of your life regretting it.”

I can’t help but feel proud of Violet. Since being here she had developed a back bone. Something I didn’t think possible. I never thought I would see her stand up to Dain like that. But why was she so scared of him touching her? Then I remember the signet on his uniform. A secret signet. Could he read memories? Xaden orders the other two wingleaders to join him on the Dais to make a decision. I feel Mealladh’s presence as she and six other dragons fly over the rotunda before landing on their perch. I look around and note all the wingleaders dragon’s as well as Tairn and Panchek’s green Clubtail. Dain turns to Violet and I with a pleading look. But the glare I send him startles him as he shifts his full focus to Violet. He knows there is no hope in convincing me to stop this. His only hope is Violet. I can tell she is torn on letting this happen or stopping it. I know she will want to find another way to punish Amber.

Amber glares and shouts at Xaden. “You’re using this to get your revenge on my family! For not supporting your father’s rebellion.”

Every marked ones eyes turn to amber. Anger and hatred in them. A low blow. Especially to Xaden who stands before her, and me who she had tried to kill. But Xaden keeps his mask up as he turns to the other wingleaders.

Tairn is going to show what happened to Violet. Do you want me to do the same? Mealladh asks. I will keep your signet safe.

My signet safe? I look up at her next to Tairn and I know she knows I’m confused but its a conversation we can have later. I nod at her. I watch as the dragons around us stiffen, their riders quick to follow. Everyone now knows what Amber did. What she co-ordinated. And now she would die for it.

Xaden steps forward, flanked by Nyra and Septon. ”The wingleaders have formed a quorum and are in unanimous agreement. We find you guilty Amber Mavis.”

“No!” Her scream echoing around the rotunda as she looks around for help. “It is no crime to rid the quadrant of the weakest rider and a threat!” She turns to Violet and I, pointing at me. “And everyone thought she was dead anyway! I did it to protect the integrity of the wings!”

Garrick steps forward next to the wingleaders at Amber’s comment about me. And he is furious. Even from here I can feel the intensity of his gaze, and know he will have that tick in his jaw. As if we all share a collective thought, everyone standing in the rotunda steps back. Preparing for what is to come.

”And as is our law, your sentence will be carried out by fire.” Nyra states. Amber’s face going pale.

”No! Claidh!” She turns to her dragon for help.

I feel her presence, an orange figure in my head. I reach out and feel her panic. Her last hope is her dragon. Her last strength. She’s calling out for her last hope. Hope that will never come. I retract from her mind, not wanting to feel what is to come. My heart breaks as Violet pleads to Xaden. But he doesn’t acknowledge it. If she lives, it shows others they can try the same thing. It puts her and I in danger. He can’t risk it. Cause if he does, it is his life on the line.

Tairn and Mealladh both lean forward over the dais towards Amber. In a split second their teeth part and a wave of excruciating heat washes over the rotunda. Amber is nothing but a pile of Ash on the ground as Claidh mourns. Part 19

Taglist: @riorgail @going-through-shit @fw-gt @bbkissme99 @xceafh @leptitlu @came-to-laugh-but-cried @onthewaytotimbuktu @daardyrnitta @lovemesomevesey

[pocketgalaxies]

what did you mean about laudna and ashton driving you nuts?

mmmmm. dangerous territory! for me, i mean. to indulge the side of me that don't give a fu about–

it's pretty interesting how this ep turned out to be a direct comparison between laudna and ashton and how they discover and come to terms with the idea that there is an option for them to ostensibly destroy themselves in the name of protecting/helping/saving the rest of the party

a few ppl have already discussed this with far more thought and nuance than i'm willing to put into words right now but something something both of them taking this as an opportunity to Be Useful and Contribute to the cause, blind or perhaps willingly ignorant to the fact that these people love them for who they are and that they don't need to Do Something in order to be loved - in fact, losing them is actually a far less acceptable outcome to the party than whatever reward they perceive to be gained from their self-sacrifice. which is all very sad and tragic and juicy and pulls at the heartstrings which i always love. but this is kind of where the similarities end?

laudna follows this with a conversation in which she tells imogen what she would want to happen in rather explicit terms. and when imogen responds by saying she'll do everything in her power to stop it from getting to that point, laudna says "i can accept that." the next morning, they tell the whole group what happened. on the other hand, ashton pulls fearne aside and has their own grave conversation but in more vague terms, at least in the sense that i don't think fearne picked up what they were putting down or at the very least wasn't given the opportunity to really process and respond to what was asked. and then ashton isolated the two of them from the rest of the group to undergo this transformation without their knowledge. all of which drives me nuts! to see the direct comparison in which one is so much more communicative than the other

and i don't think it's fair to say that this is a consequence of the party being poor communicators overall. it's somewhat reminiscent of vax's initial response to scanlan leaving in c1 - we don't know your mother's name because you never talked about it. aka there's a difference between ashton bringing up this desire or plan to hold both shards and everyone brushing it off/not sufficiently exploring it vs. ashton choosing not to ask for their opinions, ideas, or feelings about it because he thinks they won't let him do it. he unilaterally made the decision for everyone, which is the most frustrating part for me. they presume to know what is best for everyone, and they presume to know that this is the only option, despite being surrounded by not only some of the most powerful people on the planet but also the people who care for them the most. which he said himself: nobody will miss me when i die, given that we all die - implicitly saying that if i am the only one who dies, i know you all will miss me. so to me it feels disrespectful to them, because even having acknowledged that they care, he doesn't trust that they might have ideas for a better solution or that they might recognize what this means to him and try to help him survive it. or that they might not want to be "saved" if it means losing him. or that they might like to say goodbye.

i know many people are saying that this is in line for ashton's character, frustrating or not, which i think is true. but it feels stagnant to me. ashton has come a long way in terms of learning to care for these people but they have learned little about being cared for. and while laudna is trying to believe what others say to her (that they love her, that she's important, that she deserves life) with varying degrees of success, to me ashton feels like they have made minimal progress and/or aren't trying to make progress. they refuse to see bells hells for what they so loudly and clearly are - people who love and care for each other, ashton included. and unfortunately, 77 episodes in and coming up on a vastly important mission (the first in a while), this brand of hypocrisy (taliesin's words not mine!) and lack of awareness for the group's feelings in the name of High Risk High Reward is something i have a rather low tolerance for ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

and for the record i've been thinking about this a loooot because i know most of it is colored by my general apathy toward this character. and i understand that a lot of people who love this character are so so fascinated by and invested in what happened. but my apathy toward ashton is something that i've tried to circumvent or logic my way out of a LOT in the past few years and at this point it's kind of an immovable object. and doing mental gymnastics to try and enjoy someone that i simply don't makes everything so much worse! so i don't mean to rain on anyone's parade but these are my thoughts whether i like it or not

tl;dr the end of this ep didn't make me excited, it just kinda made me feel annoyed and crazy. sorry

[littlepinksapphire]

Question for older Critters: Were people this skeptical of long-game ships in previous campaigns?

I started watching campaign 2 during quarantine and didn’t really join the community till campaign 3 started. While Imodna and Dorym are probably the most popular ships of this campaign, they get backlash too. Mostly from people who think there’s no way that it could happen. Even when cast members allude to it both in and out of the game, people will either put their heads in the sand or say it seems forced.

Were fans like this about Fjord and Jester? Jester flirted with Fjord from the beginning and we didn’t know Fjord’s feelings till the end of the campaign. They talked about it on Talks Machina as well, but did people call it forced then?

Prior to recent events, I saw a lot of people saying they felt Laudna seemed uncomfortable with Imogen’s crush on her (ngl, I think they were projecting their own feelings about the ship on to Laudna). Did people say that about Fjord?

I’m sure all the major ships have their haters, and idk what Imodna haters are saying right now (I am quite literally on cloud nine and cannot hear them), but I can’t help but notice this particular brand of criticism directed at two queer ships.

It reminds me of Korrasami back when season 4 of the Legend of Korra aired. Obviously there was studio pushback to keep that relationship censored, but people still refused to read the subtext that was there. And here, we have bafta award winning actor Laura Bailey making subtle, intentional choices to make it clear she’s playing the long game, looking forlornly in the distance with every gay thought she has, as well as king of angst Liam O’Brien pining into a walkie talkie rock about once a month and people are just like “I love strong, same sex friendships”. I just really think if Imodna was a straight ship, way less people would have been skeptical about it.

And on the meta side of things, do people really not think the players talk about this stuff outside of the game? Like do they really think Marisha hadn’t long since given Laura the go ahead to attempt a romance? These are things that have to be communicated about as both players and actors. Making sure everyone is comfortable first is of the upmost importance, and these people are close friends and long time coworkers. They trust one another and are professionals at their craft. Idk, I just feel like this part never gets taken into account on either side.

Ok, I think I’m done ranting. These were just some thoughts and questions that’ve been brewing well before we had a huge sapphic win, I just needed to purge them from my system. Anyways, I fucking love this show, petty ship squabbles aside. Let me know what you guys think.

[carelessflower]

early fleeting moments of alec already show his potential as leader and protector that moment when he fakes agreeing to imogen and maryse to lure them into lowering their guard with him to bust jace out in coa or how he does behind the scene maneuvering so the gang can go on mission smoothly. he grows up in shadowhunter society he knows its rules and which corners to bend and which to press, the problem with it is his naivety and too much trust in the system sometimes. he need to improve on combines with his alliance-making skills less talk more actions method and bam we have a powerhouse on our side

[utilitycaster]

It's become stunningly clear with this most recent episode that Imogen and Laudna's insularity, mistrust of everyone else in the party, and refusal to take responsibility for their actions is at the heart of the disconnect and lack of bonding within Bells Hells. It is not the only reason - I think Orym's constant smoothing over of issues in the interest of forward motion has certainly exacerbated the situation - but it's a significant and unavoidable factor. I'm hoping that while the actual exercises of the team-building probably won't themselves fix the issues this party has, addressing the various secrets that are now out, specifically the ones that touch on issues that affect the functioning and dynamics of the entire group, actually might.

As this post notes, their unwillingness to question each other or develop any conflict resolution with each other means they tend to, even if unwittingly, dogpile the rest of the group by acting as a singular voice. In a small conflict-averse group, this tends to constantly overwhelm the conversation. This is worsened by Imogen's psychic abilities, which permit her to glean information about the others without the need to have a conversation; it means the others in the party frequently start with two votes against them before they've even said anything.

They also both suffer from a pretty profound lack of boundaries. Again, Imogen's psychic abilities are invasive, frequently unwelcome, and often lead her to both jump to conclusions and to police the behaviors of others without considering their actions nor giving them any chance to have a full conversation. It also means she controls what information the rest of the party knows, as her interpretation of someone else's mental state is the only thing they're given when she reads someone's mind. Laudna, meanwhile, is extremely quick to trust, while also taking any deception as profound betrayal. As a result, they both tend to take a hot-or-cold approach to the others in the party based on the other person's most recent thought or action. They are prone to black-and-white thinking and snap judgments, which, as the next paragraph indicates, has serious ramifications.

Imogen and Laudna are terrible about actually talking to people and getting anything out in the open. This includes each other; again, see their frequent unquestioning support or the claim that their relationship defies words (which it does not; as of last episode this has culminated in Imogen revealing that, in fact, she is disgusted by a fundamental reality of their relationship, which is absolutely not something that can be addressed without a pretty intense conversation.) We also see this in how they've taken Fearne's choice not to take the shard. While, arguably, they had heard Fearne express her concerns about the shard to Morri by the time of the honesty exercise (which would make their behavior even worse), even if they hadn't, that's two voices shaming her for without hearing her side of the story. It's in sharp contrast with Chetney, who also expresses his disappointment with Fearne in episode 3x78, but immediately follows it up by asking her why she didn't want it. Imogen and Laudna never take it upon themselves to ask her how she feels or why she made that choice and let her explain; they jump straight to judgement.

That failure to ask ties into the final element of why they are the weak point in Bells Hells' communication: they are just as guilty as Ashton of "violent projection of responsibility", but unlike Ashton have not realized the depth of this flaw and the consequences it has not just on their own life but on the others in the party. This is less of an issue with Imogen with regards to Bells Hells (in fact one might argue she takes far too much responsibility in that she apparently sees policing the party on the basis of their thoughts to be her duty, though I would note that unattuning the circlet leaves her, the person with the clearest ties to the Vanguard, vulnerable to the powers of others within the organization) and far more so with the gods, from whom she apparently expects instant gratification. However, this is at the core of Laudna. It's true that she is by no means the only powder keg within the party; Chetney and FCG's abilities are also dangerous. However, one must take into account that Laudna has been aware of Delilah's presence for, as she has repeatedly stated, over three decades now, and only now realized the implications thereof, whereas Chetney became a werewolf less than a year ago and immediately took steps to mitigate the threat he posed, and FCG only learned of their condition within the past few months. Like Chetney, she has learned to remove herself from situations in which she could pose an immediate threat, but that slow learning curve and lack of proactivity is not promising for the future. It's also true that, keeping all other circumstances identical, the impact of Laudna's loss of control is far more dangerous. If Chetney bites someone or FCG attacks, unless they kill someone, the damage and curse can be undone and the power within them is unchanged. The same is not true with regards to what happens if Delilah makes Laudna absorb a magical item or a soul.

While everyone in Bells Hells shares some responsibility for the current state of affairs, Imogen and Laudna are without a doubt the primary source of toxicity. I think the others have become aware that they are in an environment in which Imogen is likely to either shoot them down, read their minds nonconsensually, or make insensitive suggestions, and that Laudna will nod along next to her as she does. It does not feel coincidental that Fearne chose not to voice her concerns and that Ashton avoided the group conversation entirely. This again does not absolve Ashton or Fearne of their deception of the party, but it does explain why they might feel an honest conversation is impossible. Unpacking what was said during the Honesty exercise might finally allow Bells Hells to excise this rot and to begin a new era of group conversations in which everyone feels they can say what needs to be said without fear, but it will be an effort to be sure.

Because it's me, I think it's worth noting that the fandom emphasis on absolving Imogen and Laudna of any accountability (which I've spoken about at length and have had on my radar for a long time now) is obviously not the cause of this behavior in-game, but does echo it in interesting ways. I'm not sure I would have realized the extent to which they evade responsibility in-game without this mentality being so prominently in the fandom. It explains why they are never expected, by many fans, to even achieve as minor a task as "asking Fearne how she feels instead of letting their own feelings dominate what they think she should do", let alone set boundaries for each other. But ultimately, that is the key: I think the only way for this party to achieve the trust they need is through the assertion of those boundaries. When Bells Hells know that they have the freedom to disagree with each other without being accused, dogpiled, ignored, or told to get it together, only then will they be able to actually come to true consensus rather than the fragile and tenuous teamwork they have had so far.

[unicyclehippo]

Heat

apologies that im using not an anon one for this feel free to IGNORE but this fit best lmaoo

//

‘what a shame i died by hanging,’ laudna said, words tugged from her by imogen’s slow, beckoning fingers against her neck, her tiny sounds of demand, of please, as they kissed, as imogen kissed her, unmade, unravelled her, thread by thread.

imogen stopped, breath warm against her cheek. she sounded quite distracted, quite outside of her mind when she spoke, which laudna counted amongst her very greatest successes, though she didn’t think she was doing much more than being very sweetly kissed.

‘what?’

the chair creaked as imogen leaned back. laudna’s neck creaked as she looked up at her - girlfriend? she’d never looked more beautiful. laudna told her as much. a flicker of delight, hungry, red, luscious, banished worry for the time it took imogen to take in her compliment. then it was back.

‘why’re you thinkin’ about that?’ imogen asked her. ‘your death. are you - comfortable? should we switch places? do you-‘

‘i’m quite comfortable.’

‘okay. d’you want me to-‘ imogen’s fingers brushed against laudna’s temple. she leaned into the touch, felt something in her settle as imogen petted her, stroked her hair back from her face, stroked the inside of her mind with the outside of her own. ‘oh.’

‘you can see - it would be pretty.’ laudna skimmed through idle dreams, the blood red of leather, soft, around her throat. the blood red of Imogen’s fingers curled around it. she could go where imogen went. she could sit at her side and be good, be so quiet and perfect and do everything imogen asked her to do and she wouldn’t need to ask, she was so good at it already and imogen would never be afraid again with laudna at her side a loyal hound her loyal hound to stay forever to curl into her bed and keep her - well, not warm, but safe. she could be made useful like that, wicked teeth around a wicked throat, wicked hands bent to imogen’s purposes, whatever they were. and all with a pretty ribbon around her neck, imogen’s ribbon, which was the whole point.

imogen’s eyes were almost as dark as her own, when laudna dared to look. she knew she must be flushed, because Imogen’s hands covered her cheeks and she bent low, dragged her lips across the purpling skin.

‘could avoid your neck.’ imogen’s voice was low, quiet, dropping words as she was wont to do when focused, trusting laudna’s mind to put to all together for them both. ‘could - hold on - ‘s around here-‘

it was a shame to lose imogen’s weight, so carefully perched over her; it was a greater delight to see imogen trip in her hurry, swear, and go fumbling through her clothes for the leather of her harness. she held it up on one finger, questioning, and laughed when laudna clapped her hands together.

‘aren’t you clever!’

‘clever, maybe,’ imogen laughed. ‘i think it’s more like motivated but sure.’

she returned, magic flaring white in her eyes to steady the chair at her less than graceful approach. laudna curled her hands on a warm, soft waist, pulled her close with every bit of her want, however lacking she was in strength.

‘okay?’

‘very,’ laudna assured her, and sat up enough for imogen to slide the harness over her arms, buckle it tight. it didn’t fit quite right—slender as she was, imogen was far more broad, a glorious woman of muscle and soft fat, where laudna was largely bone. but for the purposes of this gentle night, it was more than enough. the tongue of the harness belts slid across leather and the metal of the buckles, cinched tight and tighter. the leather warmed under imogen’s hands, seeping into laudna’s skin. the smell of her, all around, inescapable.

‘don’t touch it,’ imogen told her when laudna stretched up a curious hand. her voice was a gravelled command that made laudna want to lay upon it, the harsh earth, all for her. ‘don’t - it’s perfect. you’re perfect. all mine.’ imogen grabbed her by the lines of the harness, yanked her up, brushed a teasing kiss to her throat that made laudna gasp, images of ropes and ribbons undone by a lash of possessive lightning. ‘mine, mine,’ she muttered, and did with laudna what she willed.

[alexanderlightweight]

Lydia-John prompter here! No problemo, as Marie Kendo says if it don't spark joy - toss it! (Closs enough right?) However if it does spark joy, can I request Alec giving a final warning to siblings that he won't protect/take responsibility for them anymore - and then following through! Either that or Alec giving second-in-charge authority over Jace/Izzy decisions because he recognises he isn't objective?

here we go! i hope you enjoy it ^_^

it did spark joy and that was a sweet way to ask lol ty

lumine

-

“I can't believe the clave did this, Alec. But I'll fix it. I'll talk to grandmother-"

“What are you talking about, Jace?” Alec asks, confused as to why Jace has barged into his office, pacing and looking as pissed as he does when someone shows a hint of interest in Clary.

“The clave, they sent you someone else. It should be me as your second, so I’ll talk to my grandmother.”

“Actually, I requested Mirai. Imogen’s opinion is no longer being taken into consideration, as she tried to promote a shadowhunter above his rank solely based on blood ties. There were several options for me, Jace. You, however, weren’t one of them and neither was Izzy. Izzy went science and you went fighting, we all started on separate paths long ago Jace, we knew this was coming.”

“I thought I’d still be your second! You could make that happen and we could have each other’s back.”

“I need someone who has my back and has other people to have her back. Because I won’t be able to pay attention and protect my second.  Which means you definitely can’t have the position, as you’ve gotten careless the last few years. And now, after all this running around with Clary, you think you’re ready to the be the second of the Institute?”

“What if she has in it for Clary?”

“Not everything is about Clary. Not everything is about you. Be done Jace, go tell Izzy that this is my final decision and Idris has agreed. Even if Imogen were being listened to, they wouldn’t change this, and I wouldn’t want them to.”

“I’m disappointed in you, buddy.” Jace says as he leaves the door and Alec lets him leave with a sigh and an eyeroll.

“Yeah, me too.” He mutters, because if he were any less exhausted, he would have dealt with this days ago instead of accidentally avoiding it and letting it fester until Jace exploded.  Which isn’t Alec’s fault, but he knows he could have dealt with it sooner at least.

He texts Magnus, because he wants the comfort of his partner even if it’s just over the phone and then a portaling is ripping open and Magnus is gracefully sliding into Alec’s lap, hands curling into Alec’s hair like it was made to be touched by Magnus’ fingers.

“A rough day?” Magnus croons and Alec sighs and leans every bit of him that he can get against Magnus.

“Uh-huh.” He sighs out, exhausted and aching to be back home with Magnus, “Jace found out about Mirai Lakecastle.”

Magnus makes a sympathetic noise and his hands scratch Alec’s scalp in a delicious way that makes him want to melt.

“How tedious, did he bother you beloved?”

Alec pouts, because Magnus makes it sound so banal, yet he knows that’s just because Magnus considers Jace’s opinions to be of so little value.

“Yes—” he finally admits, because he’s learning not to hide these things from Magnus. “It was like he was channeling my mother, on a bad day. Reminding me of what a disappointment I am, especially for putting myself first.”

“You’re the leader of an entire Institute.” Magnus reminds him soothingly, voice dry, “you need a second you can trust and one that will listen to you and have your back. Who can be trusted and trust others and who will be loyal. Not a brother who throws himself into danger under the assumption that he remains under your protection. You’re helping him to grow up, satang. Now, you have at least half an hour. Enough time for a twenty-minute nap, hmm? For me?”

Alec smiles in tired exasperation and nuzzles Magnus face and then slumps into him,

—

Magnus pets Alexander’s hair and rubs the tight tendons of his boy’s neck soothingly as he eases him to sleep.

He had meant to lure Alexander to rest in his lap on Alexander’s sofa, however it seems that his boy is too exhausted to even move and he whuffles gentle, mouth open against Magnus’ neck.  Magnus uses magic to ease his position into something more comfortable. Alexander’s thighs are deliciously muscled, but they lack the necessary padding for Magnus to perch on them for any length of times without his own thighs going numb.

Magnus uses the gift of magic to ensure this is never a problem, for him or for Alexander.

[crayistic]

I needed to come somewhere to rant.... so here it is. Critical role Campaign 3 Episode 77 spoilers ahead so please don't read if your not wanting spoilers.

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First of all want to say the episode was brilliant, in terms of the story and the hopefully future animation for sure. However I have so many issues.... I have seen alot of people and shippers getting g happy about the fact thatAshton kissed Fearne... and saying things like he is being the barbarian and is wanting to be the one to take the pain and damage... so on and so forth and I couldn't disagree with this more.

First of all, from a players perspective... i know there is trust and love between the crit cast and they are all about support and aftercare... but thus choice by ashton as a player with other players made me feel quite uncomfortable. It was such a horrible place to put Ashley in and it was easy enough to see how angry and how rediculous most of the cast thought the choice was. Not only that but Matt himself making comments about how he gave them clear warnings. It would jave been less painful for others if he had let Fearne take the shard (or gave her some support or time to think about it for herself) that put her and the others through what he did. He knew how risky it was and he was very prerered to die, so anyone saying he was doing it for his friends? Like what... how? Because the pain of losing someone and having to carry that with you, when you also played a part in it MAJORLY out weights phitjcal pain. Then chockyness with the end result when it was all fluke and luck. If it wasn't for fearnes spell and randomly swaping the ring with chet... yes these are all great story points but I do think he crossed the line alittle.

Now the missed opportunity for the story. Mat wad clearly setting up the emperor and empress, giving them clear signs and opportunities to gain power for two of the bells hells. Now what? Will ashton be completely OP, and how is that fair to the other characters. Mat is now going to have to find away to limit him and again yes, the game is about the players, not everything goes to plan and things can change in an instant but again I do think there are lines. If he had died, there is a big change Ashley would have blamed herself for saying she didn't want the shard (however i also think she was influenced by Tals persistent pushing and comments for him to have it). I was really looking forward to seeing what it would be like to have two of them tighed to eachother by ancient power and what that would mean for them. Not to mention how stressed and upset she was at the table, I get that shit can happen in game but when another player is doing it to you without any type of warning for over 40 mins of play... it seemed abit messed up.

Moving into the shipping aspect of things. I'm a lover of romance in d&d and I had a forst class ticket aboard the Imogen/Laudna and the Fearne/Ashton boat. I was looking forward to being able to see Fearnes vulnerable side. She is usually so ladeda about flirting, intimacy and so on but this... this was kind of gross and it almost felt like she was being used and manipulated. While this could have been tal not recognising fearne was going down that path for ashton and him rushing to implement things last moment or whatever was going on... it just felt wrong.

Out of nowhere he's calling her hot after she's referencing him saying he wants a sister... and the horrible thing is you can tell she has feelings for him because ots almost like she is to wrapped up in the slight attention that she doesn't even see how he's acting. Saying she's hot while lased in the request to lie to all of their friends, aid him in doing something stupid, very much from the begning never planning on fearne having the shard... saying how he trusts her more?... It felt like love bombing to confuse her and get her to do what he wanted. Her returning his hot comment and running away... there was no recognition to how she doesn't normally act like that... what did it mean and so on, he just sat back and made a cocky comment

Then the whole thing, grabbing her and kissing her right before it happened. He actually made a comment saying to just do it because it will never happen again and it's the only one she gets. Like imagin if you actually loved or was falling fir someone... it felt like she was nothing but a tool and none of the others would do it for him because it was fucking STUPID but fearne also wouldn't have done it to any oof the others... so what's the difference? Well maybe ots the fact she has feelings for him. The people saying he wanted to do it to take the pain over his friends... I just don't get it. His actions were nothing but selfish. Doing something so crazy and actually telling people to heal him. Saying he needed this like having one shard wasn't enough. Putting fearne in that position, someone he clearly knows cares for him more than a friend and she had to stand there and watch him fucking shatter into pieces and come back... nearly dying over and over and worst of all at the aid of her own hands. Now I don't see how they could have any chance of a romance because he kicked it in the ass before it even began... or he doesn't even see her that way and did completely use her... because if it was the only kiss she was getting... then why do it unlessbyour trying to love bomb her?...

It was all abit twisted and fucked uo to me and I really don't know how to actually feel about the whole thing... definitely the most controversial point of bells hells to me. Oh man what I would give to be a fly in the wall after that. The following pics sums up my emotional roller coaster through that ep....

[sparring-spirals]

RE the Orym/Fearne convo; do you think they’re actually planning on killing Imogen or just incapacitating her?

On the one hand these people are a threat to the Air Ashari and have attacked them before, and I can easily Orym being this ruthless.

On the other hand, I don’t see why Orym would delegate to Fearne unless they were talking about taking her out non-lethally? She seems much more suited to (and less conflicted about) being the distraction.

(I also think it would be kind of hilarious for Ashley and Liam’s plan to just be “knock her out, grab her, leg it” and for the two of them to have chosen just the most euphemistically loaded way possible to discuss this at the table)

Sorry for the delay on this, my brain is cooperating excellently and thats why it took multiple days to watch a two minute conversation. Now that I HAVE seen it, with the caveat of still not having watched the rest of the episode:

I think the plan is to do whatever is needed, in the moment- the conversation felt more like trying to prepare themselves for the possibility, not just for "taking Imogen out" but for acting against her at all. Acknowledging the amount of danger Imogen poses, locking eyes, asking each other: are you with me? always.

They both say, at different points through the conversation: this probably wont be necessary. I'm sure it will be fine. Itll be good! There are already so many things to worry about. But that silent "if", was finally spoken too. If its not fine? If the worst comes to pass? If Imogen becomes another concern, in the middle of hell?

Orym asking Fearne to do the deed was a little surprising, but rewatching that exchange, and thinking about the opposite, I think it makes sense. Fearne is well suited for a distraction, yeah, but- this is more than that. This is an intentional deception against someone Fearne likes very much, that Fearne really cares about. It would be a deception intended to end in harm to something she loves. I think that's very different from the lies Fearne likes to tell. I think it would be- difficult, at best.

On top of that- Imogen is dangerous. They love her, but they know- she is powerful, immensely so. And so against them- she is dangerous.

The person in the "distraction" role is the one most likely to be in danger. im not sure Orym could contend with giving that role to Fearne, even if it means the final moves are less lethal than is necessary.

(Maybe there is a part of him that hopes for that, too. Neither of them want to do this. Both of them hoping for the best. But Fearne is the one to raise the worry, and Orym is the one to voice the hard possibilities. he has to be. If it comes down to it- if- the roles are bad either way. Its all going to be a nightmare.

If it comes down to it- if. Orym asked Fearne: Are you with me? and Fearne said: Always. And that's what it boils down to, right? No matter what they plan out, if it all goes to hell, it'll come down to the trust, and whatever happens from there.)

(I agree. Fearne seems less suited for this kind of lethality, against someone she loves. Duty over emotion. But also. Fearne loves all these people, and maybe loves Orym a little extra. And if push comes to shove, Fearne trusts Orym, the most. His judgement, his love, his guidance. And so. Are you with me? Always.)

[richincolor]

We've got a little something for everyone this week! Have you checked out these new releases yet?

I'll Be Waiting for You by Mariko Turk Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Natalie and Imogen are inseparable, and wildly different—Imogen is infuriatingly humble and incredibly intelligent, while Natalie is brave, jumping into danger and new adventures. Still, one thing ties them their love of the supernatural. Every summer, they vacation with their parents at the famously haunted Harlow Hotel. Imogen is a true believer, while Natalie sees ghost stories as nothing but pure fun. Then, Imogen suddenly passes away from an undiagnosed heart condition that no one saw coming, and Natalie is left to take on the summer before senior year alone. Without Imogen, Natalie throws herself into her senior project. Her passion is still horror, so she plans to spend her summer back at The Harlow Hotel recording fun fake footage that will get her on the teen ghost hunting show of her dreams. And her plans would be a lot less complicated if Leander, her irritatingly attractive arch rival from school, wasn’t working on his senior project at the very same hotel. The longer Natalie stays at the Harlow Hotel, the more she realizes that Leander might be helpful for her project. After all, she could use an extra hand to help record her fake footage. But, when strange things start happening at the Harlow, Natalie wonders, could there really be something to these ghosts after all?

The Notes by Catherine Con Morse Crown Books for Young Readers

Claire Wu isn’t sure that she has what it takes to become a successful concert pianist. It’s the fear of every student at Greenwood School of Performing becoming a washed-out performer who couldn't make it big. And Claire's no Rocky Wong, the ace pianist at their boarding school. Then Dr. Li shows up. She’s like no other teacher at mysterious, sophisticated, fascinating. Under Dr. Li’s tutelage, Claire works harder and dreams bigger than ever. And her crush Rocky finally seems interested. Maybe she’ll even be "Chinese enough" to join the elusive Asian Student Society. Everything is falling into place until eerily personal notes about Claire’s bond with Dr. Li appear. Claire starts to feel the pressure. But she isn't the only one. Everyone is feeling the strain. Especially Rocky, whose extreme perfectionism hides something more troubling. As the Showcase tension crescendos, Claire must decide if she’s ready to sink or swim. She may discover who she really is as a Chinese American and learn if she’s ready to give her all for a shot at greatness.

The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste Sourcebooks Fire

In a country divided between humans and witchers, Venus Stoneheart hustles as a brewer making illegal love potions to support her family. Love potions is a dangerous business. Brewing has painful, debilitating side effects, and getting caught means death or a prison sentence. But what Venus is most afraid of is the dark, sentient magic within her. Then an enemy's iron bullet kills her mother, Venus’s life implodes. Keeping her reckless little sister Janus safe is now her responsibility. When the powerful Grand Witcher, the ruthless head of her coven, offers Venus the chance to punish her mother's killer, she has to pay a steep price for revenge. The cost? Brew poisonous potions to enslave D.C.'s most influential politicians. As Venus crawls deeper into the corrupt underbelly of her city, the line between magic and power blurs, and it's hard to tell who to trust…Herself included.

Prom Babies by Kekla Magoon Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

A compelling, multi-generational novel from the Coretta Scott King and Printz Honor-winning author of How It Went Down, Light It Up, and The Minus-One Club, Prom Babies chronicles the stories of three teen girls who become pregnant on prom night. Eighteen years later, their three babies, now high school seniors, are headed to prom and facing their own set of complicated issues and questions. Mina, Penny, and Sheryl have the typical expectations of prom night in 2005: dresses, dancing, and of course some coming of age moments. None of them plans to get pregnant, but when all three do, they band together as they face decisions that have the power to shape the rest of their lives. In 2024, their three children--Blossom, Amber, and Cole--are high school seniors, gearing up to go to prom and facing some big decisions of their own. As they seek to understand who they are and who they want to be, they grapple with issues that range from consent to virginity, gendered dress codes, and the many patriarchal, heteronormative expectations that still come along with prom. A generation later, will this prom night change lives too?

Sound the Gong (Kingdom of Three #2) by Joan He Roaring Brook Press

From New York Times and Indie bestselling author Joan He, comes the dazzling and sweeping conclusion to The Kingdom of Three duology, Sound the Gong, the breathtaking sequel to the critically-acclaimed Strike the Zither. All her life, Zephyr has tried to rise above her humble origins as a no-name orphan. Now she is a god in a warrior’s body, and never has she felt more powerless. Her lordess Xin Ren holds the Westlands, but her position is tenuous. In the north, the empress remains under Miasma’s thumb. In the south, the alliance with Cicada is in pieces. Fate also seems to have a different winner in mind for the three kingdoms, but Zephyr has no intentions of respecting it. She will pay any price to see Ren succeed—and she will make her enemies pay, especially one dark-haired, dark-eyed Crow. What she’ll do when she finds out the truth—that he worked for the South all along…

The Vanishing Station by Ana Ellickson Amulet Books

Eighteen-year-old Filipino American Ruby Santos has been unmoored since her mother’s death. She can’t apply to art school like she’s always dreamed, and she and her father have had to move into the basement of their home and rent out the top floor while they work to pay back her mother’s hospital bills. Then Ruby finds out her father has been living a secret life as a delivery person for a magical underworld—he “jumps” train lines to help deliver packages for a powerful family. Recently, he’s fallen behind on deliveries (and deeper into alcoholism), and if his debts aren’t satisfied, they’re going to take her mother’s house. In an effort to protect her father and save all that remains of her mother, Ruby volunteers to take over her dad’s station and start jumping train lines. But this is no ordinary job. Ruby soon realizes that the trains are much more than doors to romance and they’re also doors to trafficking illicit goods and fierce rivalries. As she becomes more entangled with the magical underworld and the mysterious boy who’s helped her to learn magic, she realizes too late that she may be in over her head. Can she free her father and save her mother’s house? Or has she only managed to get herself pulled into the dangerous web her father was trapped in?

What's Eating Jackie Oh? by Patricia Park Crown Books for Young Readers

Jackie Oh is done being your model minority. She just hasn’t told her second-gen Korean American parents yet. They would never understand her unconventional dream to become a professional chef. Just ask her brother Justin, who hasn't heard from them since he was sent to Rikers Island. For now, when she isn’t avoiding studying for AP World History, Jackie is improving her French cooking techniques and working at her grandparents’ Midtown deli Melty’s. Then the most unexpected thing Jackie gets recruited for a casting audition for the teen edition of Burn Off!, her favorite competitive cooking show. Even more unexpected, Jackie becomes a contestant. Jackie is thrown headfirst into the cutthroat competitive TV show world filled with psych outs, picky mom critiques, and dreaded microaggressions to lean into her heritage. All Jackie wants to do is cook her way. But is her way to cook traditional French cuisine? Lean into her heritage? Or is it something more? To advance through the competition, Jackie must prove who she is on and off the plate.

Where Was Goodbye? by Janice Lynn Mather Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

A teen girl searches for closure after her brother dies by suicide in this breathtaking novel from the author of Learning to Breathe and Facing the Sun. Karmen is about to start her last year of high school, but it’s only been six weeks since her brother, Julian, died by suicide. How is she supposed to focus on school when huge questions Why is Julian gone? How could she have missed seeing his pain? Could she have helped him? When a blowup at school gets Karmen sent home for a few weeks, life gets more things between her parents are tenser than ever, her best friend’s acting like a stranger, and her search to understand why Julian died keeps coming up empty. New friend Pru both baffles and comforts Karmen, and there might finally be something happening with her crush, Isaiah, but does she have time for either, or are they just more distractions? Will she ever understand Julian’s struggle and tragedy? If not, can she love—and live—again?