#as soon as i learn how to bind books

[spacedace]

You ever have preferences about an item so specific that you have only ever been able to find it in one place, but that place is Amazon and you'd rather peel a leather couch with your teeth than buy from them so you end up seriously considering just learning how to make the item yourself?

Anyway I'm researching everything I can on how to bind books.

[leighsartworks216]

Designated Lockpicker

Astarion x gn!Tav/Reader

Inspired by this post

Saw this and I HAD to write something about it. It only took me until 11:45 to finish it but it's okay I'll suffer the consequences

Warnings: one swear word, reference to Astarion's past abuse, mention of a terrible texture, innuendos

Word Count: 1,219

Masterlist

AO3

You poke your head into the room. Dust motes float through the air, which reeks with musk and mold. You'd probably cover your nose and seek fresh air if this wasn't the millionth time you’d smelled it.

Your eyes scan along the walls, floor and shelves, searching for anything interesting. Food would be nice - Gale wouldn’t stop pestering you for ingredients to cook with. Bandages wouldn’t hurt either if it would ease Shadowheart’s workload every time you got into a minor scrape.

The room was rather sparse, but it looked like it may have been a study at some point. Books were scattered everywhere, chairs were tipped on their sides or had broken legs, a desk was angled oddly for its placement. Whoever lived here before, they must have left in a hurry. Which was excellent news. Maybe they left something behind.

From the other rooms of the building, you can hear your companions’ muffled voices. You can only make out one or two words as they speak. Karlach seemed to be talking to Astarion; Wyll and Gale were going back and forth further away. You couldn’t hear Shadowheart or Lae’zel, but this didn’t surprise you.

The floorboards creak and groan as you step into the study. Stray beams of light keep the gloom away, for the most part. You can almost imagine how lovely it once was.

You go to take a book off the shelf, but immediately draw your hand back when the binding squishes at the slightest pressure. You scowl in disgust and wipe your hand on your pants to remove the gross sensation. Unfortunately, your more learned companions would not be getting any new reading materials today.

Against the far wall, stationed behind the desk, was a dresser with a glass case on top. All the case had was scrolls, damp and turning green. Any information they may have held was gone.

You grab the handles of each drawer in turn, sliding open the dresser to reveal its contents. A vial of ink here, another useless scroll there - nothing exciting. Until you open the bottom drawer.

Poorly hidden under some loose paper was a chest. It appeared to be made of metal, hardly rusted despite its surroundings. For its size, you were shocked how heavy it was when you lifted it out and set it on the desk just behind you. The lock didn’t look too complicated. You had some spare lockpicks in your pack, you could easily grab one and get it open. You could.

Instead, you leave the chest where it is and step into the hall. You try to listen for your friends, again, but they seem to have done deeper within the establishment. So you do the next best thing: “Astarion?”

The shout travels down the building, and from one of the rooms pops out the vampire spawn. He seemed confused why you’d be calling him of all people. But the confusion is quickly masked with suave confidence as he sauntered down the hall to you. “Yes, dear?”

You smile sweetly at him. “I found a locked chest. Could you help me open it? Please?”

He smirks and taps a finger under your chin, getting you to tilt your head upward with just one motion. “Since you asked so nicely.”

He follows you back into the room. His nose scrunches with the smell of rotting books, but the look is gone as soon as he sees the chest. You round the desk and turn it around toward him. He can’t stop his smile as you rest your arms and chin on top, still fixing him with that darling look.

This had become a habit, to his mind, anyway. For you, this was an enrichment of sorts to provide Astarion with a sense of purpose. Late night talks had made it abundantly clear just how much he loved feeling useful. For two centuries he was used, his autonomy stolen from him for the sake of his master. But little tasks like this did not feel like an imbalance in power. He would open whatever lock you wished for the praise you showered on him alone, but you also ensured he got his pick of whatever was inside. He was being rewarded for his services, something that never happened before - nothing good, anyway - and you loved giving him his moment to shine.

He just assumed you couldn’t pick a lot to save your damn life.

“I’m beginning to think you just like watching me,” he teased. He produced a pick from his pocket and began working away at the lock. “Trying to learn my trade secrets, are we?"

You hummed, looking down at his hands as they moved together fluidly. He could do this in his sleep. “Never. I just love watching you work, that’s all.”

He chuckled. “Really now?” He lifts his attention from the lock to look at you, hands pausing in their ministrations. “And what is it about my work that you enjoy so much?”

You meet his gaze. He can only describe the look you give him as fond. Love seems to rest in your irises, gleaming back at him, on display for the whole world to see. “Your hands,” you answer, and while it was supposed to be part of your playful banter, you say it so genuinely. “You’re always so precise, like you just know exactly what needs to be done before you even start. It reminds me of your embroidery.”

“And here I thought it was for more depraved reasons.” It’s a deflection. He still isn’t used to being seen like this. Seen by you. He still thinks of the way you describe how his hair curls around his ears, and how his face wrinkles when he laughs. “I’m always happy to give you a hands-on lesson, my sweet. Just say the word.”

“And if I ask for you to teach me how to embroider?”

His devious smirk relaxed into a soft grin. He nods. “It would be my honor.”

Silence takes over as he returns to his work. It’s warm and welcoming, despite your surroundings. Basking in the quiet felt easy around him. He could be reading a book, and you’d slot yourself right next to him, and never was there an expectation for him to stop to entertain you. You just wanted to be around him. It meant more to him than you could ever know.

With a final turn of the pick, a faint click comes from the chest. He seems to puff up with the success, like an all-too-proud bird. He slips the pick back in his pocket and steps back as you round the desk. Instead of going straight for the chest, you cup his cheek in one hand and press a kiss to the other. His cheeks would be positively flushed if he had the blood for it.

“Thank you, Astarion,” you whisper against his skin, pressing another kiss to his cheek right after. He leans into the heat of your hand.

“It was my pleasure, darling.”

You pull away with a grin that could put the sun to shame. You turn to open the chest, eager to know what hides behind those metal walls, and he cannot stop admiring how perfectly a stray beam of light hits your skin.

[shirefantasies]

Little Flower- Beorn x F!Shy!Reader

A request from @peachpitpoisonlips! Always down to write more Beorn 😁 where my Beorn girlies at?

Warnings: angst at the beginning (fluff later I promise!!!), canon typical peril

Perhaps you were simply a fool. Would anyone but, after all, have set out into the woods so late and with so little? But what choice did you have? Homeless, you were little more than a nomad. Some towns welcomed you in, but it was clear when the novelty wore off and your lack of coin impeded. Selfish as it may have been, it rent your heart to see families walking hand in hand together, even couples sitting side by side or the occasional set of twins playing a game of hopscotch or arguing over some book. Everyone with some outward tether practically built into their lives by some divine craft, a gift from the Valar you could not resist sometimes feeling had been wrest from your hands. But did you know any better?

The woods felt thick, leaning and pressing down upon you as though you held something they greatly desired tucked close against your chest, just out of reach. Every sound had your head darting this way and that. Were something to come for you, you had a small knife to your name to fight with and that was that. No fine weapon of iron, no great wooden shield. At least you were a fair climber. Getting up into the trees would help against a wolf at least if not a-

Rustling startled you out of your own mind, jarring your vision back into focus of the fading light filtering between the trees. Soon it would be nightfall. Things were moving in the gathering shadows. Stepping slower, more carefully, you swung your gaze back and forth but saw nothing and pressed on.

Dodging a jutting stone, you almost startled yourself kicking up some leaves, let loose the faintest of nervous chuckles before hearing a distant scrape. Taking hold of the next tree trunk ahead of you, you peeked out, scouting the horizon. There!

A great black bear, the most massive one you’d ever seen, lumbered closer to your place, huffing. Dread slid down your throat like cutting icicles as its eyes slid right to yours. This was not how you wanted to die. You’d always imagined it more as a release, giving up from the defeat of shivering cold beneath surrendered blankets. And yet what anticipated you? A life of brief antiquity, no hearth or fields to call your own? Not a soul to call your name once you were not there speaking it?

This, too, could be a release. Inhaling deeply, you stepped from behind the trunk and closed your eyes, waiting, waiting…

No pain, no sound, not a single thing befell you, and there you were finding yourself frowning, your eyelids peeling back open just in time to see the bear’s form melt and shrink, becoming a man before your eyes. Gaping, you studied his sturdy, bearded form, the pair of brown eyes looking you over, then softening. He reached out a hand and you flinched back.

“I have no reason to hurt you, little flower,” he said, voice low, accented, and for emphasis raised his hands up and away from you, palms out.

Something about the nickname, even from a tall, imposing stranger, brought a shaky smile to your lips. Heaving breaths came a bit slower to your aching chest. Completely frozen at their shaky hold upon twisting roots, however, your feet did not cooperate.

“Come on,” he took one step closer, “you cannot stay here. Come with me, please.”

Please. Eyes widening, you finally shook out of your stupor and slowly gave a tiny nod, stepping forward to his side. Who was this man? How had he transformed before your very eyes? As your gaze drifted over his form, dodging quickly over his bare chest with heat creeping to your cheeks, you caught sight of the broken manacle still binding his left wrist. Perhaps it would be rude to ask questions. Maybe he would change his mind about guiding you.

At least you could learn his name. Thus, you asked it, voice still quiet as air returned to your lungs.

“Beorn,” the man said, “And you need not be afraid. These are my woods. It is the elven woods you must be careful of. But these borders are far. You will not wander there.”

Taking his pause as an invitation whether it was one or not, you supplied your name. “So you… guard this place? Who else lives here?”

A wince cut across Beorn’s face at that, softening his severe features into something more timid. Something that had hurt. That must have been how you looked to him, too.

Just as quick, though, that vulnerable look was gone again, gone completely stoic. “My animals and I call this place our home.”

“Are- are they…?” How could you put it? Do they turn into people too? Are you an animal? What strange magic lives in this place.

“Just animals, little flower. There are no others like me. I live alone.”

Perhaps you had more in common with the bear-man than you’d have thought. You shook your head at his last comment, though.

“If you have them, you are never fully alone. …I- I love animals,” you admitted quietly.

“You might see them, then,” Beorn replied, “but first you need a meal and a rest. Perhaps a bath.”

You could have argued, but he was right. Even if he had not been, he could have mauled you. The more you observed the way Beorn looked at you, how he took much shorter, slower strides to stay at your side and hovered a hand by your back, though, the less you could picture him attacking without grave cause. The same part of you that had resigned to Beorn’s being the end of your life now gave a faint, internal laugh.

~

Another temporary home. This time a cottage a ways deeper in the woods, doors and windows lined with intricate woodwork and stone. A rocking chair rested upon the porch, welcoming you to a small, cozy home with pillars as beautifully carven as its exterior. Beorn settled you down in one of the great chairs at the dining table, a table you could not help wondering at given his solitude.

"Stay right there. Lucky for you I already had broth warming. Care for some bread?”

"Sure," you agreed, nodding faintly.

Back to another house of novelty. One more night of entertaining a stranger, this time one who almost killed you. One who was an even greater rarity than yourself.

From the stove across the way, Beorn looked over his shoulder at you, and you felt a flush of heat rise to your face.

"So..." You wrung your hands. "Get many visitors?"

"No," he shook his head, "And I do not try to. Though I confess some days I tire of my voice being the only one heard. I like yours well enough."

Well enough. Well enough for what? For one night? To tolerate? To keep? No. You shook your head, feeling an even redder hot glow about your face.

“Thank you,” you answered quietly.

"Here."

Crossing the room, Beorn approached you with a large pot in hand. Sliding a bowl and spoon in front of you, he ladled you up a serving of steaming brown broth and set a slice of bread at its side. You hesitated, staring down at it until you noticed his expectant look and took up your utensil. The broth slid warmly down your throat, bringing a glow back to your body you hadn't realized you lost.

"Good?"

"Good," you nodded, taking a bite out of the bread, the softness of which was equally warm.

You spoke very little during that meal, both of you, and though you could not speak on Beorn's behalf you simply did not know what to say.

~

Waking up was the only thing that brought you realization of your sleep, a state you were not sure when you entered. Large, fat bumblebees drifted lazily about the air above your head, one landing upon your knee and butting its head up against it, which brought a shaky chuckle to your lips. All uncertainty was forgotten in that little moment of levity, bringing you to throw off the thick woolen blanket you had no memory of even laying eyes on.

Your location? Still within Beorn's cottage, that haven of warm hearth and hanging candles and those gorgeous pillars you'd begun to wonder if the man had made himself. Could hands so large create something so beautiful? Stranger things had happened. You'd seen them turn from a bear's paws in the blink of an eye, after all.

Rising scents distracted you, pulling you fully onto your feet. Softly you padded across the floor, still chilled from the night's air.

Across the room Beorn stood and gently slid a pair of softly-cooked eggs onto a plate aside sliced apples and some sort of honey-drizzled cakes. Eyes darting your way and back down to his work, he spoke.

“For you,” he said, nodding toward the plate.

Simple enough, but a beautiful and comfortable sight. Taking the seat across from Beorn, you ate, sneaking glances at him. This time, though, he did not allow for silence long.

“So what brings you here, little flower? Where do you belong?”

Little did he know how the little flower before him wilted. Wincing, you replied in a voice barely more audible than had you whispered. “Nowhere. I have no home.”

Brown eyes widening, Beorn softened again, a rare lifting of his stoicism that moved your heart faintly beyond the borders of your pity.

“I understand,” he told you, gaze dropping, “I am the last of my people. Sole carrier of a legacy of hunted people. I belong nowhere but with myself.”

“Do you never wish for more?” You blurted out before you could stop yourself, leaning forward in your tower of a chair. “Have you never desired that someone would stay?”

“Who would?” Beorn shrugged, venturing another glance into your eyes. “What have I to offer if I am not game?”

“To me,” you replied, feeling a flush rise to your cheeks, “You have offered kindness. The most beautiful home I have seen. Realer company than the pity nights often given. Your heart is worth far more than your pelt, Beorn.”

At that, it was the great hulking man’s turn to be speechless.

~

You were taken out into the yard, crunching across the crisp green grass at Beorn’s side and handed a dented metal pail. He nodded encouragement and watched closely as you shakily milked one of his cows. Brushed one of the longer-furred ones, a smile crossing your lips. Repeated every animal’s name softly. The skin-changer, as he called himself, all but started at the welcome one of his horses gave, butting her head into your hand.

“She was the most difficult spirit to tame,” he explained.

“Kindred spirit to you, then,” you teased, shyly handing him his brush back and smiling when he did not recoil, mirroring your expression and shaking his head as his fingers closed over yours.

“Yes,” he said, “Perhaps so.”

~

It was at Beorn’s bidding that you returned with him for dinner, this time a roast with savory brown gravy and a variety of vegetables nestled at its side. How all things looked nicer out in nowhere escaped you, but it charmed your soul nonetheless.

The next words spoken cut into your thoughts with a heavy realization: leaving it all would engrave the deepest wound yet.

“Where will you go next?”

Your face fell, fork dropped at your side as you inhaled deeply. “I… I do not know.”

“Nowhere you particularly care to see?” Beorn prodded.

Your breaths sped a bit, bringing you back to the sinking black water of despair that had swallowed you in the woods. Darkness closed in on your vision. “No. I travel only where I have not yet been sent away.”

“And that,” Beorn's eyes were your anchor, the only points of focus remaining through the haze, “Is not what I mean to do.”

You frowned. You looked up from your sticky white sea of oats, the golden ooze of egg yolk spilling onto its borders.

“The decision is your own. I know the feeling of the cage. But the animals…they would miss you. I would miss you. Perhaps I have been alone for too long.”

A bumblebee lazed past your head. One buzz sounded, two, three. Beorn swallowed, stared at you like he had never seen you before. You smiled. His hand crept to rest over yours across the surface of the table. For once, you did not feel like a novelty.

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[and-her-saints]

Hey sorry idk if you'd know this but I quite literally don't know where to turn about this so I'm sending this ask to every queer+catholic blog I can find

Are there *any* resources out there for queer/trans Catholics that go beyond affirmation and show how to pursue a religious life that goes beyond the laity (e.g. priesthood, joining a convent/monastery, something similar) without having to brush your queerness aside. I feel like if I don't find something soon I might go insane

years ago, i attended a Zoom event with Fr. James Alison as a keynote speaker, and something he said has been glued to my brain ever since. he said it in Spanish, so i'll try to remember, paraphrase and translate: "while they try to get us to stop being queer, what we must try to do is to be better queers."

i love what you said about "beyond affirmation" and that is precisely why i got reminded of the quote and WHY this quote resonated with me to begin with.

imho, there is a fundamental issue with a lot of queer theology and it's that it doesn't go beyond apologetics. it's not pragmatic nor does it seem to engage critically with the material conditions that work with or against queerness. and it's truly such a shame, because living "religiously" to me, as a queer catholic, it's infinitely more a matter of coherence, love, devotion and solidarity, than learning how to "reconcile" gayness/transness with the Bible.

it's a journey, of course. the apologetics were and are necessary for many of us to unlearn the hatred that might've been instilled in us through religious education and upbringing. however, here are some resources that, in my opinion, show how to pursue queer-religious-life.

💌 catholic/christian resources:

[book] The Reckless Way of Love: Notes on Following Jesus by Dorothy Day. Unlike larger collections and biographies, which cover her radical views, exceptional deeds, and amazing life story, this book focuses on a more personal dimension of her life: Where did she receive strength to stay true to her God-given calling despite her own doubts and inadequacies and the demands of an activist life? What was the unquenchable wellspring of her deep faith and her love for humanity?

[book & account] Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying Human by Cole Arthur Riley. Black Liturgies is a digital project that connects spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black memory, and the Black body. In this book, she brings together hundreds of new prayers, along with letters, poems, meditation questions, breath practices, scriptures, and the writings of Black literary ancestors to offer forty-three liturgies that can be practiced individually or as a community.

[book] Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor by Leonardo Boff. Focusing on the threated Amazon of his native Brazil, Boff traces the economic and metaphysical ties that bind the fate of the rain forests with the fate of the indigenous peoples and the poor of the land. He shows how liberation theology must join with ecology in reclaiming the dignity of the earth and our sense of a common community, part of God's creation. To illustrate the possibilities, Boff turns to resources in Christian spirituality both ancient and modern, from the vision of St. Francis of Assisi to cosmic christology.

[book] Undoing Theology: Life Stories from Non-normative Christians by Chris Greenough. The fundamental issue with ‘queer’ research is it cannot exist in any definable form, as the purpose of queer is to disrupt and disturb. Undoing Doing generates a process of ‘undoing’ as central to queer research enquiries. Aiming to engage in a process which breaks free from traditional academic norms, the text explores three life stories

[podcast] The Magnificast. "A weekly podcast about Christianity and leftist politics. The Magnificast is hosted by Dean Dettloff and Matt Bernico. Each week's episode focuses on a unique or under-realized aspect of territory between Christianity and politics that no one taught you about in sunday school."

💌 non-christian but still excellent resources:

[book] Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H. A memoir by a butch hijabi that follows the experiences of the author through stories and figures from the Qur'an.

[book] Lean on Me: A Politics of Radical Care by Lynne Segal. Questions of care, intimacy, education, meaningful work, and social engagement lie at the core of our ability to understand the world and its possibilities for human flourishing. In Lean On Me feminist thinker Lynne Segal goes in search of hope in her own life and in the world around her. She finds it entwined in our intimate commitments to each other and our shared collective endeavours.

i don't think these are precisely what you were looking for. but i hope these resources bring you as much peace and hope as they have brought me.

[phoenixashvibes]

What Love Has in Store For You in 2024

Your 2024 Love Life Reading is Here :)

Sooo, take what resonates, leave what does not fit; while keeping in mind we all have free will. This is also my first ever PAC blog post :) Please leave feedback I will be sure to respond back ❤️

Pile One: The 7 of Swords, THE DEVIL, The Page of Swords, DEATH, 8 of Cups Bottom Card : THE MOON

(Capricorn, Scorpio,Aquarius, Gemini, Pisces, Libra signs could be relevant seasons or people)

So pile one I do not know if you are single right now are within a connection that you may consider leaving but there seems to be someone here that experiences a breakup. There seems to be someone manipulative involved and they sneak around and get caught up. If you know you are single the people that may approach you this year are people who may lie and present challenges within a relationship. It would be a karmic connection, that would cause you to need deep healing. From There will prepare an exit strategy to leave behind toxic partners that have obsessive, codependent toxic natures. The ones with bad habits and bind you with pain. You will tell someone to kiss your as$. The deception will be too much. They could have been sneaking around or you will just simply pain on how to detach yourself from any type of people that keep you from being able to evolve and enjoy the refreshing emotional connections that serve your higher good. You will gain clarity on how to move forward in love. You will no longer continue to entangle yourself with people that bring you down and make you face your inner demons in hurtful ways. Someone else will also try to approach you from your past there will be two people that are no good for you and shady that will not be able to bring anything healthy to your love life. You will face your fears around love choosing to purify yourself of emotions that do not help you experience the love you know you deserve. I see you taking a logical approach within your love life and holding more your value and self worth in high regards this year. You will learn to use your wisdom to heal and cut off anyone that is not able to communicate and show you what is worthy of your time and attention. You will vet people and do your homework before you let anyone waste any of your time, you may also block some people and choose to be emotionally unavailable for them any longer. You will also refuse to be a one night stand. When you do decide to date it will be because it is an equally compatible relationship where both parties are on the same page, within the same book. You will learn forgiveness, compassion and how to be strong again. This will give you the courage to be able to allow yourself to love again and help start a new, healthy love life in which you are able to get everything that didn’t work out in your past :) this could be in 2025 or by the end of the year

Pile TWO: Princess of Swords, Ace ofSwords, Princess of Wands, & 10 of Disks

Aries, Sagittarius, Leo, Aquarius, Libra, Gemini, Taurus, Scorpio, Capricorn, Virgo

There is someone that Is going to have their eyes on you. They may be someone you know from before 2024 or someone who will come to start conversing with you soon. This will lead to them wanting to start talking about establishing something more stable that could leaf to longevity for the long run. They will want to be patient with you and feel you are fated to be in their life. They could be an Aries or you meet them in that season; but they will want to have something stable with you. They are someone that will want to provide for you and make your life comfortable. Initially, this person may give off “player energy” but eventually they will take off the mask and show you who they sincerely are. They have an athletic build or work out. Sometimes their ego gets the best of them. This connection will be undeniable and mutually shared. At some point it may get too intense and someone may want to take a break and heal. Any separation will make you both realize how much you truly matter to one another. They offer security and tell you how they can make more money and  include you with wealth management choices/opinion. They balance you out and make you feel seen and included. This person can really dress and they seem to know how to charm you real good! They have everything you really could want to have in someone you commit to, especially legally. This person wants to make you feel protected and able to have a family legacy with them. They want to have you be a part of the plans and help them manage what it is y’all create together. They are a true born leader who is a ride or die companion. They would go to war over you. The connection they feel for you right off deepens because the conversations you have when you meet will flow very easily. It’s like you two never run out of things to talk about. They feel you both deserve and will be able to live a life of travel and luxury. They want to be able to surprise you with nice things just because. This person may have some debt they need to resolve but they want to marry you so they will get this in order because they feel you’re Wirth the effort. They also want to get all their shit together in general. There is healing that is needed to be done in order for this marriage to last. This person will need to know how to gain and maintain financial responsibility so that the aspirations they set can flourish but also be managed effectively. They will want to lavishly spend on you but you both will need to cut off all other attachments from the past completely that leech. I’m hearing family and old flames wanting hand out! Them especially. I feel you may meet them when they are coming out of a bad situation. This person could have had a bad separation and not offer much at first meeting but will continue getting to knowing you and realize you are everything they thought they could never find. 

PILE THREE: Queen of Wands, The 5 of Pentacles, The TOWER, & the 2 of Pentacles 

Aries, Leo, Sagittarius, Scorpio, Aquarius, Libra, Gemini, Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn

I feel like you are someone that is very attractive. This year it will draw plenty of attention your way. If you are in a relationship; I hope your lover is secure/strong. However, You appear to be single and there are people who will be approaching you this year. These people are not going to be anyone that you will want to settle for. You will notice red flags and they only serve as a confidence booster from the Most High that you are desirable. Some of these options will want to settle down with you there just won’t be the compatibility that you seek between you and them. You will feel like a few are disasters waiting to happen. Others you may feel you would have to watch and can not fully trust. There will be at least two main players who will make major efforts to gain your time and attention but you will feel like they lack something that you desire in a partner and I do not see you wanting to commit to anyone because what they offer does not appear to be up to your standards. You will have plenty of options if you want to date or starts something slow that maybe leads something more exclusive. I feel you will have to make your mind up about at least two people and there maybe an argument if anyone finds about about the others lol.. You will not have a bad year in love it just does not seem like the options that present themselves lead to your END GAME but they will be entertainment for sure. Some of these people will be delusional and not everything that they try to present themselves as especially financially. IF you are in a relationship I feel like there is family drama or something changes drastically in the dynamic of things. There is not any balance within the connection. Someone may want to unexpectedly end things and get angry because they feel like the other does not have enough time, money or attention for them. There may even be bad communication that is a factor as well. Social media problems. Drama regarding children. Bad spending habits. Someone expects others to over sacrifice for them and Its just not happening. They are not even able to reciprocate that. Someone from your past is getting blocked because they are bad news. You will be in love with your finances, looks, magnetic charm, radiant smile, amazing hair styles, fashionable outfits and effortless attention that you receive. Everybody that will try to play you this year will play themselves and lose horribly. You are clearly the prize and you finally step in to having the confidence regularly to recognize that. 

[heartfullofleeches]

Hey I'm the anon that asked for the minotaur yan,

how about a member of the audience trying to flirt with reader and her having to jold him back from the audience member and try to calm him down?

(Reader's gender is never specified srry)

The bull paws at his restraints, frustrated to see you not by his side.

You perform for the crowd as he waits on the sidelines to join you. The handlers have come to learn as long as they wear rings whether they're married or not, or talk about hypothetical partners he'll allow them to monitor him for a while. He's easily pushed to jealousy as presented in the huffs and snorts he makes as a member of the crowd continuously tries to chat you up each time you pass.

You smile and try to play off their advances, but that only eggs them on more. During the next break in your act, they grab you by your ruffled collar before you can retrieve your partner for the next show. The braiding of the ropes binding your mate gives way as you let out a choked gasp.

You free your airway by swatting their hand and pulling the collar from your neck. "You're... not supposed to touch the workers."

"Sorry about that. I've been trying to get your attention all day."

There's zero sincerity in their words. You try to avoid drawing attention by turning them down face on. It makes things easier when the other members of the crowd peel out of their seats.

"Really, I'm flattered, but I'm not interested.."

"Don't be like that. I'm sure you have a cute face under all that makeup. A person like you probably doesn't have many options anyway."

"Actually I have a-

You stop short. What is he to you? It feels like the shadows are close in around you. No, wait- something is blocking the sun from above. A frighten yelp and agitated whines draw you to the scene overhead, angry saliva dripping onto your shoulder. The minotaur had the crowd member's shirt by his fist, lifting them in the air by the tearing fabric alone. They try to break free, but raises their arms in defense as he snorts in their face.

"Keep your hands off unless you want them broke."

The minotaur roughly grabs their wrist and slowly bends it backwards, skin tight around the bone as they cry out. You face his torso, standing on your toes to grab his arm.

"Stop! You're hurting them!"

You smack his chest, but he doesn't budge - screams ascending in pitch. You mutter an apology you're sure he can't here as you raise your voice.

"Bad boy!"

The world freezes. The stranger looks at you bewildered while the minotaur stares vaguely like he had just been shot through the heart. He drops the shivering individual who books it as soon they're free. He lowers his head.

"I was just trying to protect you."

You knew those words would come back to haunt you. You guide his face into your hands by his broken ropes and massage the edge of his ears.

"Hey, I didn't mean that.. You're a good boy. The best I've ever met."

He huffs. "If you meant that you wouldn't have said what you said."

"I know... and I'll do whatever I can to make up for it. I was just upset you just can't do things like that, or you might get taken away and I don't want to lose you. You're a good boy. My favorite boy. My..."

He perks up. "Your?"

"Mate."

Truth be told, hearing you say you'd miss him brought him out of his funk, but he had to milk the scenario of all its worth. He licks up the entire right side of your face and picks you in what you'd consider the most threateningly sweet hug you've ever had. He plants his large head on your chest as he nuzzles you.

"You finally admitted! Took you long enough. Since were officially together we never have to be alone again. I heard the owner talking about me moving in with you too!"

"aw.... wait-"

[doc-pickles]

sent to save me | sidney crosby (ch. 1)

series masterlist

summary: sid meets nikita’s best friend and runs into a ghost from the past

warnings: none! :)

author’s note: hello! sooooooooo I have probably a million other things to do/write but this came to me and I knew I needed to write it. this is going to be a series and will probably be a lot angstier than my vegas series. I have some ideas for what’s going to happen and I can’t wait to share them with y’all!! anyways I hope yall enjoy this!

xoxo

nina

(ps - title is from ‘always been you’ by shawn mendes)

It starts off innocently enough. He’s at Geno’s for dinner like he does once a week. Nikita is babbling away next to him about everything he’s learning in first grade.

“And Mrs. Riley is super nice and I get to sit next to Vivie who always shares her fruit snacks,” Nikita says all of this at a speed that Sid can barely comprehend but he simply nods at his godson.

“Always with Vivie,” Anna coos as she ruffles Nikita’s hair, her other hand coming to rest against her swollen belly. “Attached at the leg you two.”

Sid chuckles and gently corrects Anya which has her rolling her eyes as she squeezes his arm. Being with his best friend and his family made going home to an empty house hard, but Sid knew he wouldn’t trade his weekly dinners at the Malkin house for anything.

“Vivie is my best friend in the whole world,” Niki rambles on as he runs out of the room. He comes back with a picture frame and shows it proudly to Sid. “This is us at science camp over the summer.”

Sid’s brows furrow as soon as he looks at the photo. The little girl with her arm wrapped around Nikita is a bit shorter than him, dirty blonde hair pulled back into braids. Her big brown eyes are staring up at the camera, upturned nose and gap toothed grin framed with freckles and a set of dimples. Sid stares at the photo for probably a bit too long, the little girl looking somehow familiar even though he knows he’s never met her.

“Nice picture Niki,” Sid smiles when he finally tears his eyes away from the frame. Anya is watching him carefully but doesn’t say anything as Nikita begins talking about how much he loves math.

The rest of the night is uneventful, Geno’s steak and potatoes going over well with everyone at the table. If he and Anya notice that Sid is quieter than usual they don’t say anything to him. It’s not until he’s playing outside with Nikita after dinner that Sid catches his friends whispering to each other as they wash dishes.

When he gets home later Sidney doesn’t even take his shoes off before he’s walking down the hallway to his study. The photo album is tucked into the farthest bookshelf, the dark leather binding helping it to blend in. But he knows exactly where it is, exactly what it feels like in his hands. He pulls it off the shelf and holds it for a moment before opening it to the first page.

‘To Sidney, the love of my life. Happy anniversary babe!

xoxo A’

The handwriting is loopy and decidedly womanly. He traces his fingers over the words reverently before flipping the page. Sid’s breath hitches as his eyes lock on the photo there. Blonde hair, shining green eyes, and a dimpled smile so wide he still sees it every once in a while when he closes his eyes.

There’s a part of him that wants so badly to flip through every page, to take in the smiling woman on the pages and the version of himself that seems to have faded without her. Instead he closes the photo book, shelving it again before he goes out to the living room and pours himself a glass of scotch.

“Why the hell am I still here if you can’t make me a priority Sidney?”

“I’m trying! Don’t you see that? But I also have a team to think about, a whole fucking franchise riding on my shoulders! Don’t they matter too?”

The night and all of his regrets replayed in Sid’s head often. Annie’s tear soaked face, the words they both carelessly yelled at each other. His front door slamming, her things gone from his house by the time he came back from his next road trip.

He’d wanted Annie and hockey, wanted her to see that he was trying to make them both a priority but it hadn’t been enough for her. He hadn’t been enough for her.

And in the end none of it had mattered because three weeks after their argument Sid had shattered his knee in what would be his last game as a Penguin.

Yeah he missed hockey, but he missed Annie Wright more than anything else.

+

A week later Anna’s water breaks in the middle of the night. Sidney drives over and crashes on Geno’s couch as they head to the hospital together. When he wakes up Nikita is poking his cheek with a frown.

“Hey bud,” Sid yawns as he wipes a hand over his face. “Your mom and dad went to the hospital, looks like you’re gonna be a big brother soon.”

Nikita seems wholly unimpressed as he looks at his godfather, “Can we get McDonald’s breakfast before school?”

And because he’s a sucker for Niki, Sid agrees.

By the time they’re pulling up to Nikita’s school Sid is more awake, parking and following Niki up the path to his classroom.

“I’ll pick you up later too bud,” Sid tells him as he ruffles his hair. “Then maybe we can go see your little sister.”

“Nikita!”

Both Sidney and Nikita whip around at the excited voice, watching as a little girl runs up to them. Sid immediately clocks her as Vivie from the picture Nikita showed him. She’s sporting white overalls and a pink sweater, her blonde curls bouncing around in the pigtails fastened high on her head.

Vivie hugs Niki tightly then blinks up at Sid and he swears the air just got much thinner because he can’t pull in a full breath, not when he feels like he’s looking in a god damn mirror. Vivie has the same big hazel eyes as him, the same jutting chin and furrowed brows. But her smile and those dimples… Those remind Sidney of someone else.

“Vivie! You left your lunchbox in the car,” the voice that haunts his dreams is suddenly right behind Sid and before he can think better of it he turns around.

Annie looks much the same as she did eight years ago, her heart shaped face and wide green eyes exactly how he remembered them. Her blonde hair is shorter, resting just above her shoulders now. There’s something else Sid can’t quite put his finger on but he thinks that Annie doesn’t hold that same infectious joy she used to.

“Oh my god,” Annie breathes the words out slowly as she makes eye contact with Sidney. “I- Oh my god…”

“Miss Annie, this is my Uncle Sid,” Nikita explains excitedly. “My mommy is having a baby so Uncle Sid got me McDonald’s and took me to school!”

Annie schools her features as she tears her gaze away from Sid and pastes on a smile for Nikita, “That’s so exciting! I’m sure you’re excited to be a big brother.”

The school bell rings then and Vivie and Nikita waste no time hastily saying goodbye before running off hand in hand. When they’re out of sight Sidney turns to Annie who’s white as a sheet as she stares at her shoes.

“Annie,” the word is low and laced with hurt as Sid focuses on the woman he used to love. “Annie please tell me you didn’t… That she’s not…”

Sidney can’t bring himself to say the words out loud, even though he’s almost positive they’re true. Vivie’s face is ingrained in his mind now, showing up every time he blinks. His eyes, Annie’s smile… He stares at Annie and begs her to tell him anything but what he knows is true.

Please don’t tell me you had our daughter and kept it from me. Please don’t tell me I’ve missed seven years of her life. Please don’t tell me that perfect little girl has been so close and so far. Please. Please. Please.

“Sidney, I am so sorry.”

[nanamikentoseyebags]

how about a meet cute with Nanami at a bookstore? You're both reaching for the exact book at the same time and sparks fly as soon as your hands brush!!!

✧⁠*。just some tooth rotting fluff, gn!reader✧⁠*⁠。

The old bookstore, full of untold stories and an ineffable atmosphere of eternal learning, was located in the very center of the city in a historic building with quaint stained-glass windows and high ceilings, looking more like a long-forgotten university library. The rays of the sun, which was at its zenith, penetrated through the large windows and painted the walls and floor of the large room as if with multicolored crayons. There was a subtle, elusive smell of books, the smell of belonging to the mysteries hidden in them, the smell of antiquity. Slowly wandering along the long oak shelves, filled to the top with all kinds of books, you took a deep and slow breath, reveling in the smell of books, letting it into your heart, and then dived into the invisible depths of the store, ready for adventure.

Carefully, as if they were made of the finest crystal, you ran your fingers along the fancy spines of the thick folios, feeling the ornate patterns with your fingertips, noting the golden embossing, smiling when you saw familiar initials, the mere sight of which was enough to carry you far away to a bittersweet but oh-so-precious past. The books reminded you of your childhood, moments of carefree joy that now seemed so unattainable. You lifted your head to get a closer look at the binding of the book resting on the top shelf, which, shimmering all hues of gold in the sunlight, seemed to stand out from the rest of the books. You rose up on your toes, reaching for the cherished object, but suddenly, someone's warm palm covered yours, causing a myriad of goosebumps to scatter across your soft skin. You jerked your hand away in surprise and turned your head, only to meet soft, warm eyes the color of melted honey, slightly surprised, but so appealing.

A handsome face with prominent cheekbones showed nothing but slight confusion, mixed with a touch of embarrassment, which could be seen in the slightly pinkened cheeks of the young man. On the tip of his nose rested a pair of fine-rimmed round glasses. Your gaze shifted to his thin pinkish lips, and only then, noticing them moving, did you realize that the man standing before you had been saying something ingratiatingly for some time.

"I didn't mean to startle you," a velvet voice reached your ears, "I don't know how I didn't notice you, but please take the book, you were obviously the first to lay eyes on it." Slender, long fingers were already holding the spine of the cherished book, offering it to you.

You moved your eyes from the book, to his face, then repeated the motions again, as if enchanted by some unknown power, before touching such a desirable object with your hands, yet his fingers held the other end of the book as if forgetting to let go.

"You shouldn't have," you smiled softly, still somewhat impressed by the unexpected intruder to your peace, "you could have kept it, I was just curious to see what was on the cover."

His eyes rounded a little, either in surprise at the curiosity burning so brightly in your eyes, as it usually does in the eyes of little children eager to learn about this world that is so new to them, or at the sensation of the blush coming back to his cheeks just at the sound of your voice. "Now you'll have a chance to find out what's inside, too," he paused, "I'm Kento, by the way," another pause, "Do I have any chance of finding out what's inside it from you?" he smiled bashfully, not believing what he was saying, but he couldn't tear his gaze away from your eyes, which held something painfully familiar, something he recognized as his own. "You have all the chances in the world...Kento," you smiled radiantly, nodding your head, letting all your intrusive thoughts win.

The smell of aged paper intertwined in the air with the light scent of your perfume, reminded him of his youth, when he so passionately loved books, devoured them, reading story after story, getting inspired by new ideas and dreams, getting lost in another world so similar to ours, but one in which good always triumphed.

You stood there in silence, searching in each other's eyes for answers to the silent questions arising in your heads, hidden from the world by thousands and thousands of colorful covers, separated by decades, but so ridiculously close, linked by the tips of your fingers, still holding the shimmering in the sun tome of poems. The tome of poems, the last pages of which hid a small work about two lovers who met in an old bookstore, so similar to the long-forgotten university library, and happened to reach for the same book, which changed their lives by bringing them together.

a/n: ahhhh nikki, that was such a cool idea! i'm a sucker for some bookshop au, i loved it sm! hope you like it 🥺 thank you so much for sending in and for reading this lil piece 💛

[just-trying-my-best-everyday]

So about that "Riza takes in Lan Fan because Amestris-Xing travel times actually make sense and Fu isn't back yet" AU, here are some more random thoughts:

Their relationship would start out distant for sure. Neither are the type to just open up or be warm towards someone they barely know. However, Riza would try to be softer with her because she feels compassion for this poor girl.

Riza does not know Lan Fan's age, and she falls on her butt when she learns she's only 16. She does not look it.

Parallels??? Yes???? But not just because of the whole "crazy ass loyalty to this one (1) dude" thing, but also because of the determination of their choices. Riza would 100% feel for a girl who chose to cut her own arm to keep herself useful. Their choices bind them.

Riza can give Lan Fan a gun. That's it. Nothing more to add.

At first, Riza gives Lan Fan some of her own clothes, but soon she buys some new ones for her that fit her better (Riza's considerably taller and older than Lan Fan, I imagine their sizes are different).

Because Lan Fan spends so much time alone at Riza's apartment, she quickly bonds with Black Hayate. The goodest boy becomes fiercely protective of Lan Fan as well.

One day, Riza brings Lan Fan a Xingese folktales book she found secondhand. The stories are for children but it's a little bit of home for Lan Fan so she treasures it. Eventually, she even takes it back to Xing and keeps it amongst her most prized possessions.

Riza comes back home to Lan Fan doing one-armed push-ups. Getting her to rest is a CHORE.

As not to feel like a burden, Lan Fan offers Riza help in whatever she may need. Some way or another, she ends up doing some badass one-arm espionage for Team Mustang.

They need to run into Greed, idk how tho.

Feel free to add more.

Sneakily tagging @zumazozuma. They know why.

[inkwingsinc]

Darkfluff Outtake #1: bit my gun with my black-gold gums

[ this is a drabble outtake from my ongoing darkfic, still might sneak it into the story somewhere ]

Fandom: Dune

Character Focus: Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen x Female OC (established relationship)

Parent Fic Rating: Explicit (written by an adult, for adults)

Drabble tags: domestic "fluff", brief mention of past child abuse, humorous reference to dismemberment, unedited

Word Count: 592

To combat writer's block and darkfic fatigue I write little "fluffy" scenes using the same characters to freshen things up a bit. This is an unedited barebones sample, just for funsies.

Full Story w/ Context:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/54217396/chapters/137290048

Scene: Feyd-Rautha has...an interesting taste in music.

The first time Laera saw him put on music had been the first time he’d engaged with anything cultural that could be considered art. He was fond of moving around; often, he’d pace around his quarters while he read the reports his advisors would bind for him, or he’d take to his pull-up bar, or roll easily to the floor to curl himself into endless, controlled sit-ups. He read voraciously, but the texts were always dry nonfiction. He sharpened his blades. He contorted himself into series of endless stretches, rotated through solo training exercises, and would mutter to himself endlessly. Always moving. Always noisy. Constantly following Laera from room to room, never content to allow her moments to herself.

One morning after breakfast he ordered his attendants to bring in a musician.

The House bard was a small, frightening woman who had entirely blackened eyes and wicked, mangled scars roping over the dome of her pale skull. Her fingers were strange, being completely without fingernails, and she carried an instrument that Laera didn’t have the learning to recognize.

The music of Geidi Prime, Laera soon found out, was horrible.

“What is that, exactly?” Laera asked her warden, cringing at the metallic, shuddering moans the bard coaxed from the strange instrument. The bard wore an odd attachment over one hand, fondled a trio of metal balls, and caressed her other hand overtop with precise, slow movements. Electricity was involved, but Laera was far too disturbed to ask how it worked.

“It’s a hand theremin. Electrical harp,” Feyd-Rautha murmured up at Laera from his post on the floor. He held himself in a horribly rigid plank position, every muscle from his neck to his toes flexed. Beads of sweat gathered in the deep furrows between his shoulder blades and just above the dimples on the small of his narrow back. “Isn’t it lovely?”

Laera struggled not to laugh. “It’s…it’s something, alright. I think the sound is what a spark plug would sound like if it had the ability to scream.”

The bard turned her face to look at Laera sharply for her comment. Laera gave an apologetic shrug.

Feyd-Rautha’s rasping bark of laughter felled him from his plank, and when he hit the floor, he lazily rolled to his back on the cool stones, hard body coiling like a languid snake. He caught one of Laera’s ankles in an idle hand and pulled his foot to his chest, cradling it there. “I was taught to play as a boy. Used to play for the Baron while he bathed.”

Laera pulled her foot back, uncomfortable at mention of the Na-Baron being anywhere near his naked uncle. “Were you any good?” she asked. Good was relative, she guessed. The music still sounded like eerie, haunted-house spookytunes to her unfamiliar ear.

“I was terrible.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” Feyd-Rautha rolled to his feet and collapsed on the lounge chair beside Laera, who had abandoned her book to gape at the bard and her alien little instrument. "Sometimes this music is accompanied by singing. Don’t insult my harpist, pet, or I’ll treat you to battle hymns. If you think the melody is bad, just wait until I serenade you.”

Laera snorted, amused. “Battle hymns? I can imagine the lyrics now. I bet Harkonnen lullabies even include references to ritual dismemberment.”

“Only two of them do.”

“I see.”

Unfortunately for Laera, Feyd-Rautha found her distaste for the hand theremin to be amusing. She was treated to many, many renditions of “songs”, for many hours.

She even grew to like a few.

[nico-nico-suavecito]

I am so excited to announce that my full-length poetry book "The Weeds Grow Anyway" is available for preorder. This first edition handmade Iimited run is going to feature a linocut printed soft cover and I will be binding the books at home.

A blurb about the book, by Mallory Everhart:

Nico Wilkinson's debut full-length poetry collection "The Weeds Grow Anyway' is a celebration of that which lies beyond resilience in the face of adversity: audacity. Writing from Colorado Springs amidst a time of anti-trans violence, they examine the relationship of trans people to this world through the lens of nature's relationship to humans. What makes a plant into a weed, something deemed unacceptable to the landscape? The poetry within much like the local flora and trans people who live there is rooted in the experience of queering the inhospitable landscape that is Colorado Springs.

About the book's creation:

Last year I made one hardcover copy of The Weeds Grow Anyway (pictured above) to visualize the manuscript I'd been working on as a real tangible book. In doing so, I remembered just how much lenjoy the bookmaking process. I realized it would be a joy to make these books myself.

I will share the book-making process as I go on my social media, mostly Instagram (and possibly YouTube, coming soon). If you are a poet who would like to learn how to create their own books, follow along and show you how.

This book is made possible by community. By the people I create alongside, the people who support my work, who connect with me about the experiences we have living in this world. It is such a gift to finally be able to share these words with my community, including poems that have been known and loved, and many, many poems that have never been seen before. I can't wait for you to read them.

The photos of the first hardcover handmade book above are by my friend Corri Mercy.

[spockandawe]

I'm so close to catching up with my books! Here we have the triumph of time, again, as a vellucent binding, again. And this may not look super different to you from my last iteration of this project! The differences were VERY process-driven and hard to photograph, but I pinky swear that there are incremental but noticeable improvements, and i would never mix up editions irl.

First up, refresher, vellucent binding is when there's a protective layer of vellum floating over your cover illustration, protecting it. Or. If you're cheap. Paper vellum. My first time around, I realized as soon as I got the vellum paper wet that oh shit, this REALLY has a grain, and it is the opposite of what my books want. It's the first time I've ever been punished for ignoring grain, though, so I can't complain. I pressed on anyways, because what is even the point of fucking around if you aren't bold enough to find out? As a result, my vellum on the first set has noticeable wrinkles, despite only the turn-ins being glued down, and it all floats more than i wish. You have to smooth it with your fingers to really SEE the detail in the images.

So, naturally, my second time, I got bigger vellum paper, covered the whole thing in paste, plopped my covers onto there, and planned to smooth the wrinkles out. Yeahhhh, that... it was fairly forgiving in the one volume with a primarily white background, and was a goddamn nightmare on the three illustrations.

Lesson one: paper vellum is like a sandworm that wants to curl up and die at the first touch of moisture. Lesson two: it wants to hurt you. PUNISH you. Lesson three: no seriously it is so much more difficult and unforgiving than any other material I've sampled yet. The wallet cost of actual vellum may be outweighed by the emotional cost of this shit.

Naturally, I am bewitched and determined to science it into submission.

For the record: v1 (turn-ins glued, wrong grain) in the bottom left, v2 (paste everywhere, abandoned on the curb without text blocks to warp and writhe as they please) in the top center, and v3 (turn-ins glued, correct grain, more effort to pull tension on the vellum) in the bottom right. I'm not done experimenting by any means, but i need to stop for a minute until i nail the process, to save my poor toner cartridges

But the books themselves! Even though i still see ways to polish my own process, i am DELIGHTED with them. The pull of the paper vellum still wants to introduce slack and wrinkles to the cover as it dries, but there's much less! The moment you get adhesive on paper vellum you commit to a fight to the death, but I'm getting better at handling and anticipating it!

There's a level of polish in the assembly of this set that was lacking in my first and second attempts at the covers. Even if it isn't perfect yet, I'm learning so much, and have new ideas for how to troubleshoot. The idea of making this bookbinding style more accessible and affordable fills me with so much delight, I can't even articulate it. I'm still very much an amateur myself, there are lots of professional best practices I can only speak to in the abstract. Pinning down something this niche and luxurious would make me so happy. Future science will be done on single-volume sets, probably after I'm done moving, but it's at the top of my to do list!! And when it's perfected, I'm for SURE coming back to this series, it's one of my all-time faves, I want to give it the fanciest treatment my hands can devise.

[snek-panini]

Very belated Binderary books, uh...I've lost track actually. I think they are #6 and #7. And it's another two-volume split! This is (Slow) Burn, Baby, Burn by orchidlocked, an extremely long Good Omens fic set in the 1970s. It's about our favorite angel/demon pair navigating the disco scene, and it's not an AU, which is sort of usual in a fic this long and with such a specific premise. There are a fair few real people featured here, some as major characters, and a lot of music history and an excellent playlist alongside all the fun and angsty relationship stuff that so many of us are here for. I learned a lot about disco reading this fic and it was fascinating and also way more queer than I ever realized.

For the cover up there we have a white Allure book cloth on the spine, and white HTV over homemade book cloth for the main cover. The cloth pieces both come from the same sheet but I oriented the stripes this way so they'd be coordinated-but-not-matched and I really love the effect. They're also cotton and really nice to hold. It's funny, I was thinking of binding this fic when I found the fabric while digging through the Joann's remnant bin, and as soon as I saw it this fic not only came to mind but moved up to the top of the to-bind list. It was fate, clearly.

More photos under the cut!

Both spines and a top view. That's orange HTV for the titles. This it the first time I've worked with matte HTV (I usually use metallic or foil) and I was surprised at how much thinner it is, and how easy it was to stick. And I like the color inverse here in counterpoint to the front cover. The top view shows off the handmade endbands and bookmark, and also the rounding job. I'm still working on rounded spines, and the turn-in over the spine didn't come out as smooth as I'd have liked, but I think it's a good result. The ribbon bookmark was supposed to be blue to match the endbands, but every blue ribbon I could find clashed horribly with the cover so it's this nice leafy sage green. Which actually works really well with...

The endpapers! I got these as Joann's too. All four are cut from the same print, but I shifted and rotated them when I trimmed them so the patterns wouldn't all be in the same place. I had desperately wanted this other paper I found on Etsy with little vinyl records all over it, but the pieces weren't the right shape and I'd have had to ship them from overseas ($$), but I like the mood these ones set. And they're thick and nicely textured and look awesome with the cover, so really I think things worked out very well.

Couple of pics of the interior. I kept it fairly simple but I feel like it fits the story.

The scene break line is orange, to match the covers. I usually use gray but wanted something more fun. I recently bought some off-white paper that I used for most of my binderary projects this year because I've heard it's easier on the eyes, and it is, but I used the older bright white for this so the color contrast would be sharper. No complaints; I think it looks amazing. The second image above is the appendix I put together for the volume. Being so centered in the music industry, this fic has a really long playlist that the author put together with their preferred recordings. It's linked in the story and I did include the link text in the book, but I had my mind on preservation and the challenges of digital archiving while I was making this one, so I also took all the title/artist/album info and just listed it here. It was too much to do all by hand, so I learned how to export a Spotify playlist into an Excel doc, then moved that into the Word doc to print. A lot of steps, but not nearly as hard as I'd thought, and way less tedious.

I have to say this book is aesthetically really different than all my previous ones. I ran into so many design hurdles but I honestly couldn't be more pleased with the end result. I'll have to push my comfort zone like this more often, I guess.

[jinkieswouldyoulookatthis]

So I’ve been into bookbinding lately (thanks, adhd randomized hyperfocus) and have wanted to try my hand at binding a novel, instead of just blank books. But, alas, I have not written a novel and didn't want to do a collection of short stories. Plus printing and binding my own stories feels, I don't know, kinda weirdly egocentric.

Then I read @applecrumbledore’s Pine sweat and fell so in love with it that I asked Roni if I could bind their story into a book. I offered to make two copies and send them one. They graciously agreed and I set out on a months long slog through learning typesetting and figuring out the logistics of printing a book.

I had to pick the right paper (went with a 24 lb 100% cotton in ivory), the right fonts, find the right leather and fabric for the quarter binding I wanted to do, and find a coordinating endpaper.

And figured out how (and where) to print it.

Finally had two copies printed! Now onto assembly...

So once I had my copy done, and figured out what I was doing, it was time to move onto the author’s copy…

Done! So much better than the first copy (hooray for learning as we go). Mistakes I made that I fixed for the author's copy...

As I was sewing the 2nd copy together I realized that I'd double printed one of the signatures and, sure enough, my copy has pages 155-174 twice... *sad trombone* But I caught the error in time so the 2nd copy doesn't duplicate any pages. And luckily I didn't accidentally skip any pages, that would have been a much more upsetting problem.

On my copy I'd tried to trim the leading edge of the pages, but I don't have the proper tools to do it so I butcher the edge. This is bugs me, but I took it as a learning experience and my copy will serve as a reminder to not do that again.

I cut the case boards a little too small on mine, adjusted on the 2nd copy and they turned out perfect.

I didn't get the end papers lined up quite right on mine, and although the front end paper creased weirdly near the spine on the 2nd copy, it still looks so much better that it's an acceptable flaw.

All in all, this was a really positive experience and I'm still riding the creative high that comes from making a thing that is, frankly, beautiful. Now I want to make more, I just need to find a better way to print since I don't think my work would appreciate me printing smutty fan fiction on their laser printers 😬

September 7th, 2023 - I mailed @applecrumbledore the second copy today and it wasn't lost on me how fitting it seemed that the mid-Atlantic region, where I live, is having a heatwave (high of 93ºF/34ºC today). But I'm not posting this until they receive it, so as not to spoil the surprise of the reveal, so maybe, things will be cooler then.

Sept. 14th, 2023 - It arrived! Happily in good condition. And it is cooler!!! Not as cold as the end of the story certainly, no blizzards anytime soon (I hope) but only 66ºF/19ºC at it's destination. So it's cracking me up that the book's journey took it from sweltering heat to cool-ish temps sort of like the story.

[moontide-nymph]

Dragon born Q!tubbo brainrot from todays stream:

- Chayanne was adamant about tubbo being an egg because dragon-borns can sense one another.

- Tubbo could appear fully human due to a glamour he isn't aware of that was placed on him by the federation. The dragon traits could start showing once he learns more about himself and the eggs, maybe fully once he gets his memory back.

- tubbo was from a different nest from an earlier time. He hatched, was taken, caused a huge problem for the federation where they had to take his memories and freeze him in ice until they could properly control dragons. These eggs being stolen means the feds now know how to control them. The ice melting and Tubbo ending up back on the island so soon wasn't in the plan.

-But tubbo is getting closer into doing research on himself and the eggs and has already shown to STILL be a huge threat to the feds despite using only human abilities. So now they may need to try to recapture him since they thought he wouldn't be an issue yet.

-Tubbo has now accepted his is a dragon and the group is supportive. At some point it comes to him that maybe he could bring a bargain up to cucorucho that goes like this:

_______________

T: "Did the federation take the eggs?"

C: "classified."

T: "Were the eggs taken because they are dragons?"

C: "classified."

T: "So thats not a no.... Are you the boss or just the messenger?"

C: "Messenger."

T: "Alright then tell your boss I have a proposition for them. If they are after a dragon they can have me instead of the eggs. I've already hatched and have proven to be a threat that you might want on your side. For their safe return I will go with you willingly."

Fit: "Tubbo wait.."

C: Quietly watching for a moment before throwing a book down to Tubbos feet. "Please put your offer in writing."

Fit: "Tubbo seriously don't do thi-"

Tubbo: without missing a beat, writes in the book while speaking it outloud: "I, Tubbo, offer a trade to the federation. I offer an exchange of myself for the safe return of the eggs to their families. I will go to you willingly without any trouble. I'll even bring my machines that you wanted. Signed tubbo."

He throws the book back to Cucorucho. "There. Done."

C: quickly looks through the book before locking eyes with Tubbo, "Thank you. I will deliver this. Enjoy the island." and he's gone.

Bonus points if it were canon: Cucorucho leaves without realizing the book is technically non legally binding. Tubbo is a nickname, legally he would have to sign Toby instead. Q!phil has called him Toby multiple times and seems to be the only one to know his real name. Even the federation doesn't know until after making the trade and Tubbo manages to escape. They go to find him and remind him of the contract in which he just smiles and says that it's not his name and too bad they didn't do their homework! Oh well! Que another cat and mouse fight yatta yatta

Idk man I just really like how interactive the storytelling on a minecraft sever is. Like an admin really made dragon tubbo happen on a whim and it stuck with the fandom/other cc's admins so now it's canon that brings more depth. Thats really fuxking cool.

[liquid-luck-00]

Red Binding 3

Maribat March Day 3: Butterfly

@maribat-calendar-events @maribatserver

First *** Previous *** Next

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There was never a day to relax. Everyday brought on more and more studies, text, incantations, and even bruises. Yet she was happier than she could ever remember. She had started to learn the language used in the Order, which greatly improved her relationship with Su-Han, who was appointed her mentor. But that wasn’t the only language she had learned. Those chosen by Kwamii, were of any and every race and culture. So she picked up other languages, ranging from English and Spanish to Arabic and Swahili. Overall she learned about a dozen languages over the six months she was here.

"Guardian Yùnqì." The familiar voice of Su-Han caught her attention in the quiet library.

"Guardian Kuí." She turned towards her teacher, with a slight bow of her head. "I hope the day has been well to you."

"It has." Was his response, yet Marinette noticed his shift in his mood. His usual calm stoicism was replaced by a simmering anger just under the surface.

"Su-Han." She whispered breaking him from his growing stupor.

"I do not know how this happened, yet it has been decreed." His usually intimidating posture sagged slightly. "As of today, you shall begin to prepare for the Renewal Ceremony."

"Is that a bad thing?" Her genuine curiosity on display.

"Follow me."

She stood, leaving the books on a cart, so they would be returned to their place, and followed behind her teacher.

They took a passage that led close to the Supreme’s chamber but took a turn, one she never had reason to go down. They continued down, further and further, to a point that she wondered just how deep they were in the mountian. Soon after they came to a stop. There was a a door, no taller than three meters, and carved into the wood was a symbol she has seen countless times.

A Yin and Yang.

Inside the room was a pool of steaming water, she watched as the pool ebbed and flowed with its own tide. The crystaline torches provided such clear light that rainbows danced around the room, splitting farther on each crystal it touched. But her focus was once again on the pool of water. The water itself was such a deep blue it was a true Indigo. But the water glowed unnaturally a purple that seem to distort the cavern. It made her skin crawl, it wasn't a dark purple like Lavender, or even a soft purple like Wisteria. No this was closer to a Nightshade.

Reflexively she took a step back from the water and it's rising steam.

"You do well to be cautious." Su-Han nodded.

"What is this?" She asked, stating the obvious. "There is a heavy concentration of Magic."

"Very good, this is the Spring of Creation, also known as the Pool of Ambrosia."

"Like the elixir of the gods?"

At this Su-Han laughed, well it was more of a chuckle.

"This pool is where that name originated from. You see anyone who either drinks or bathes in the waters will have an extended life. However all magic has its cost. This pool belongs to Tikki, the Kwamii who has chosen you as its guardian."

"What does this have to do with the ceremony?"

Marinette asked watching her teacher closely.

"The ceremony is simple, whenever there is a chosen of the jewels of either creation or destruction, that chosen will perform a ritual. Water from both pools will be poured into one another revitalizing and balancing both."

"Why would they need to be balanced?" She couldn't help and ask.

At the Su-Han simply placed his hand on top of her head.

"For destruction cannot exist without creation, and creation cannot exist without destruction. You are to help balance them, ensuring that if any magic is used, it would be restored." At this he seemed more apprehensive. "You my child are still young, you should not be burdened with having to do this."

"Well it doesn’t seem that hard." She shrugged, because it didn’t.

Carrying maybe a pitcher of water from one location to another wasn’t that difficult at all. So why is he making it seem like she’s walking into a trap.

"You’re right. The ritual itself is quite simple, however the location of the Well of Destruction, is… "

"It can’t be that bad." She crossed her arms, making herself look more confident, and made a joke. "It’s not like they’re in hell."

"They might as well be." She blinked to his response not knowing if he was joking or not, yet the man never joked.

"In sending you there, I have all but signed your life to death. The Pits of Lazarus are held in the inner sanctuary of the League of Shadows, whoane move commonly known as the League of Assassins."

"I’m sorry what?" She took a step back, almost reflexively.

"There is actually a group of people who call themselves the League of Assassins?" That act was both incredulous and absurd at the same time.

"There is, and unfortunately the head of the organization is not only a very cruel man, but he also knows of your existence, Marinette."

That wasn’t exactly what she was expecting.

First off why would someone so evil be the ones who are tasked with guarding such a place. Secondly, how is it that they know of her? The third reason however was what stuck to the most, the fact that Su-Han referred to her by her name, not her title, not as his apprentice, not the most endearing term he ever gives her of my child, no he referred to baher given name. This is the first time he had done so , which put a new kind of weight on her shoulders.

"can the ceremony be postpond? And if not how much time do I have to prepare?"

"You will be expected to arrive the night before the next new moon. You shall be accompanied by an instructor, and will be there for day over a fortnight."

"Are you saying I have to stay there for two weeks, 14 days, in a place filled to the brim with assassins?"

"That is correct." It was the first time she ever saw him expresses any sort of emotion, the first time she ever saw him shed a tear.

And she was absolutely mortified.

The silence mi's had streaked too long, as Tikki's voice chimed into mind urging her. Marinette, you need to answer.

She dug her heels in, straightened her posture, and took a breath, grounding her self removing everything except for what she needed to do from her mind. "If it has to be done, it’s my duty as the Guardian Yùnqì."

"I do not know if your determination is a result of you finally coming into your own, or if it is simply a façade at the moment. I can still see you as the small child who fell into the courtyard, now your wings only begin to show. I feel your metamorphosis may be close my little caterpillar. Now." He stiffened and went back to his usual self, his momentary lapse in emotion buried yet again. "Tikki would be best to guide you, as she knows where the tomes are for the ceremony."

"I don’t think I can do this Tikki." Marinette ran her

hands down her face as soon as he left the cavern.

If anyone can, you can, comeon Marinette."

Tikki floated around her before floaty at her eye level.

"I’m going to be with people who think it’s drag to kill. I’m either going to be walking on egg shells or under constant supervision, more than likely both. Mari started to pace getting further from the magical water.

"And so long as you can harness my magic, no shadow can touch you. You hold so much power, you have yet to even comprehend. You are going to be the next Grand Guardian."

"That’s if I survive this!"

"Not if, when."

"They can snuff me out if they want it. No harder than it would be to blow out a candle."

"Yes, but just like the Kuì said, you have changed so much. Mari, you have knowledge that took others decades to learn and even master. The progress gained in your studies: language, spells, rituals, defensive combat and magics. You are a child of miraculous, you are creation."

"I don’t know if I can ever truly be the grand Guardian Tikki." She all but dismissed.

Marinette extended her hand towards the Kwamii who sat in her palm.

"I am not brave, and I’m not a good fighter, and my magic is more aligned with healing."

"You are so much more." Tikki flew up to cup her cheek, giving her a hug. "You are perfect Marinette, you just lack a bit of confidence."

"It’s not like I can manifest it overnight Tikki." A small joke made its way to her lips.

"No you can’t my- little bug, but once you do, you will be an unstoppable once my little bug, but once you do you will be a butterfly."

"Everyone expects so much of me, and I don’t see it."

"It doesn’t matter if you’re walking into a room filled with guardians in training, or mountain full of assassins, remember creation did n't simply make flowers, creation also created the poisons that bloom from them." Sometimes she forgets, Tikki may be kind and gentle 98% of the time, but she is also terrifying.

"Destruction can’t exist without creation." She repeated those words, they were having a bit more understanding of them.

She took a deep breath and started to plan. A mental list formed of things that need to be done before she had to set off towards this mountain full of shadows.

"Let’s go get the to me, we can study it in the room, but before that I think it’s time to start training with the guardian Shun’itsu."

the little goddess smiled at her before disappearing from this plane once more.

You’re on the right track bug.

Next

~~~~~~~~~~

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