#because well Alice is at work in this snippet

[junkdrawerfics]

Game On

(one of my favorite clips, lowkey)

Jasper X Reader

Summary: A little snippet of wolf!reader playing baseball with the Cullens. You and Emmett have a little rivalry going, and you'll do anything for some Jasper scratches.

Word Count: 1021

---

“You sure you can keep up with us, wolfie?” Emmet calls from the batter’s box with an absolutely snarky grin.

You cock a brow at him, settling into a crouch with an equally vicious smile, “Just you watch me, Em, you won’t make it to first base.”

“I’d like to see that,” he taunts back, twisting his grip on the bat and posing it over his shoulder.

Jasper chuckles from across the field, the sound easily reaching your sensitive ears, “Take it easy on him, darlin’.”

“No can do, Jas.” Your friendly rivalry with Emmett started as soon as you and Jasper got together, only made worse by you being a shifter. Competitiveness runs deep in your blood. “Someone has to put him in his place, and you pansies sure aren’t going to.”

“Ooh-” Emmett hisses through his teeth dramatically. “-you gonna let her talk to you like that?”

“I’m not one to get offended by a few words,” Jasper shoots back, smirk all too cocky, “Not like when you whined a full week when she called you a cream puff.”

“Hey-”

“It’s time!” Alice chimes before Emmett can stand up for himself.

You snicker and he throws a glare your way.

Game on.

With your enhanced speed and strength, you put up a good fight against the vampires. It’s almost unfair, you and Jasper working perfectly in sync, getting them out one at a time. On your turn to bat, the feeling of smashing the ball, brutal and unrestrained, makes your whole body spark to life, driving you through the plates like a flash of lightning. It’s exhilarating.

Nearing the end of the thunderstorm, the game is close, your team up by one run. Emmett is back up to bat. Chest heaving, heart pounding, you make eye contact with him and, with the most wolfish smile, mouth a silent, ‘Bring it.’

Emmett scowls, eyes focusing back on Alice, and you hear Jasper chuckle softly.

Alice winds up, moving with practiced ease, and launches the baseball straight down the line. A crack of thunder overlaps the loud ring of the bat slamming into it, and it goes flying. You go flying after it.

You tear through the trees, eyes bright with glee as you follow the ball. The wind whips your hair around wildly, the damp ground giving way under your feet. You feel free. Out of breath, every muscle aching, but free. The moment right before your feet leave the ground, adrenaline surges through every cell of your body and you explode into a mess of fur and snapping teeth.

You jump, far too high, far too fast. But your teeth clamp down on the baseball, practically ripping through the leather, before you go crashing to the ground in a flurry of dirt and grass. The earth shakes at your impact, the sound louder than the storm’s thunder.

“(Y/n)!”

The family of vampires freeze, eyes wide. Jasper races after you. Worry burns through his veins as he comes to a stop at the crater’s edge. Gold eyes narrowed, he desperately searches through the haze of dirt for a sign that you’re okay.

Then you pop back up, and all his concern dissipates. You, in wolf form, look up at him with happy, squinted eyes, the ball still clamped firmly in your jaws. Your whole body practically shakes with how hard your tail is wagging.

“Well look at you,” the blond sighs, shaking his head, “I didn’t know wolves could fly, darlin’.”

Shaking off the dirt clinging to your fur, you scramble out of the hole you created. Without hesitation, you push into Jasper’s open arms. He chuckles as you wiggle in his grip, letting out little happy huffs as he scratches your head. You love it when he gives you scratches in wolf form, it’s like getting a massage in human form.

“You know-” You perk your ears and pause to look up at his slanted, mischievous grin. “-Emmett won’t like this.”

You let out a muffled ‘woof’. He better not like it, because he just signed his defeat. You won. The thought makes you growl happily as you adjust the ball in your mouth. Time to show off your victory.

Jasper sticks by your side and you trot back to the field. The moment you reach the tree line, Emmett lets out a loud, rumbling groan.

“That has to be cheating!”

“Umpire?”

Everyone turns to Esme. Emmett looks so hopeful, but then she looks at you and winks. You’ve never been so happy to see someone’s face plummet.

“You’re out, Emmett.”

You drop the ball and let out a small victorious howl. The man glares at you playfully, but you catch the smallest glimpse of a smile when you do a few happy stomps and throw yourself at Jasper. The blond grunts as your full weight takes you both to the ground. 

“Darlin’,” he wheezes out a bright laugh, “you’re crushing me.”

You huff, not caring even a bit as you drop your head on top of his chest. More scratches. You deserve more scratches, you won the game! Jasper can feel your insistence, having grown accustomed to reading your more chaotic emotions in this form, and gives in when you nudge him with your nose, licking his face. He curls his fingers through your thick fur, earning a happy grumble from you.

“We’re going to head back to the house,” Carlisle announces, voice ringing with amusement, “Feel free to join us when you would like to.”

Which ends up being far later in the night because there is something so lovely about just curling up with your vampire and watching the stars come out. He eventually goes and retrieves your extra clothes (he started keeping some with him after several phasing accidents) and you return to the Cullen household, where you mercilessly mock Emmett.

“How does it feel to lose to a wolf, cream puff?”

“(Y/n), I swear to God I’m gonna-”

You dash up the stairs, giggling wildly. Jasper follows behind slowly, tossing the bigger vampire a smug grin.

“Next time, you shouldn’t underestimate her.”

---

This idea came to me at like midnight and I wrote down the idea and I love it. I hope you guys enjoyed it too!

[pomefioredove]

anyway I'm only thinking about this because I really like different origin explanations for yuu

(not as a theory, more like a "wouldn't this be cool?" thing)

canon yuu as we know them is our symbolic alice, right? the game is called twisted wonderland, the first dorm they deal with is heartslabyul, and similarly to alice in the disney movie and original book, they're a small, effeminate person lost in a world they don't understand, where they're in constant danger and never taken seriously

but I also really like the idea of villain!yuu

for this concept to work, though, it couldn't be a Disney villain whose already in TWST. no Frollo, no Maleficent, none of that. but it also has to be a villain who's different from the others. Yuu is our main character, after all, and it would be strange to have them be a run-of-the-mill villain, like... say, Captain Hook. it just wouldn't make sense

so they would have to be a villain that's quite different from the others, and they would have to be a villain who isn't well known in Twisted Wonderland. so, no "Righteous Judge" or "Great Seven" equivalent

they would have to have been forgotten. abandoned by history

now, we know that the Great Seven are remembered as heroes, but even minor characters have their folk tales and admirers, so being a niche villain isn't a good enough excuse. this villain would have to have been bad. worse than Frollo, worse than the Evil Queen, worse than Maleficent. someone so terrible that there were no survivors left to write them as a hero. someone so terrible that other mages had to cover them up

(I read a pretty neat theory about there having been an eighth member of the great seven who was eventually written over, which I'll link¹ later since I found it AS I was writing this, and the op and I had the same idea!)

but the theory essentially states that NRC originally had eight dorms, with Ramshackle being the forgotten dorm

in TWST canon, Ramshackle is based on the Mickey Mouse cartoons of the 30s (Lonesome Ghosts in particular) but it wouldn't be unrealistic to say that, if it had been an eighth dorm that was abandoned, especially if it was a very old one, it would have gone through centuries of renovations, just to fall out of use around the Victorian-equivalent era

then there's Yuu

and there are the questions: if they were a twisted villain, why do they have no magic? where did they come from? why are they here? and how do they have their memories, if they're from Twisted Wonderland?

I'll do one at a time:

!. The Question of Memory

canon Yuu is really interesting because they're so... well... Yuu. they're implied to have many talents, perhaps more than a normal person should have at their supposed age, they're strong, smart, and "less innocent than they seem", as Malleus said

but if Yuu was from Twisted Wonderland, then why do they have memories of home?

well... what if they were lying?

bear with me. now, maybe they could remember their past, and are withholding it, or (and this makes more sense to me), they don't remember their past and are pretending they do. why? because they have snippets of memory of who they once were, and they don't want anyone else to see them as that person. for any number of reasons

they could also just be confused and lost and trying to piece together their past, and is hoping that Crowley being able to send them back "home" will restore their full memory

okay, but what if "home" doesn't exist as they remember it?

Yuu is known to have "visions" of the past/future (which I will come back to), and it's likely that the only thing they remember about their "home" is the visions they have of it. the "home" they see is a place that no longer exists. and, as it was once ruled by a villain so evil that the world did everything they could to cover it up, there's no mention of it in history books. that's why Crowley can't find their home on a map or in a book

2. The Question of Magic

Yuu is canonically magicless. or so we're told

the Dark Mirror basically says that they have "nothing" in their soul. they can't cast spells or wield a magic pen

but they also have visions of the past, can connect with other realms, and aren't fucking dead, even after being hurt so many times, which, to me, can be explained by magic

Yuu has magic. they just can't use it

something could be blocking their magic pool, or they could have just forgotten how to use it (via the memory loss), or their magic manifests in other ways

I do really want to talk about Yuu's strength, though. I've had discussions about this before, because Yuu, despite being called small/weak by the other characters, is ridiculously powerful

here's the big thing: they don't die

six overblots, the prologue in the mine, book 6, glomas, playful land, the many in-school fights, the hypothermic conditions at Ramshackle, and Yuu is still healthy and alive

hell, they've probably been poisoned at least once. being friends with Kalim, Vil's overblot, and Lilia's cooking are all strong contenders

and they are. STILL. ALIVE!

maybe their magic isn't casting fireball. maybe it's something deeper. darker. maybe Yuu can't die

because Yuu is already dead.

3. How?

how Yuu even ended up in Twisted Wonderland is (supposedly) a mystery. at least, I don't think it's been explained yet...?

I'm gonna say it's not. for the sake of my essay

they don't know how they got here, and supposedly have no memory of the moments leading up to their arrival. where did they come from? why are they here? and how?

what if, bear with me, Yuu was dead. Yuu was dead, and something brought them back

the "world" they came from, the reason why their memories are so cloudy and vague, was actually the underworld

now Yuu is this undead thing, who was once an incredibly powerful mage, but whose magic is now being entirely used to keep them breathing and walking. so they can't be casting lightning bolt

(it would also be cool if Yuu had overblotted in a past life and that's what killed them but that's not a part of this essay)

being undead would explain how nothing kills them, why they can't properly wield magic (it's more like magic is wielding them, tbh), and why the Dark Mirror thought they had no soul

HOW they were brought back to the mortal world, I can't decide. there's so many good options- Crowley did some very illegal necromancy shit, Grim accidentally triggered something at NRC, or perhaps Yuu in their state of decay, used all their remaining magic to revive themselves, sacrificing their magic pool and their memories in the process. the latter being my favorite. Yuu necromancer

4. ...And Consequence

as we all know, shit gets weird at NRC after Yuu enrolls. I've seen a lot of REALLY fun theories about why this is, here's mine:

Yuu, being the absolute power source that they are, being associated with death and disaster and necromancy, is indirectly causing the blots by leaking so much fucking magic into their environment that it's making the more powerful mages like 10x more likely to overblot

that's it. they just attract death and destruction to them

5. Final Remarks

there are other little things I think would make this make sense. why aren't they afraid of Malleus (or, like anything)? because they're worse. much worse. and even though they can't remember everything, they know that

but the name! Yuu! that's not connected to any villains!

BUT IT IS, because "Yuu" is not their real name. it's supposed to sound like "you" because they made it up on the spot. it's almost as if... names are a source of weakness to powerful mages... and they're withholding theirs because they remember that

Grim could either be some rando Twisted Wonderland thing or he could be the source of their visions. I haven't quite decided yet

Malleus once says that Yuu is "not as innocent as they seem", which would make me wonder if he knows something the others don't. or if Lilia does. or even Silver. Briar Valley is medieval in many ways, and if anyone would keep record of a villain so evil and powerful that the rest of history buried them entirely, it would be Briar Valley

if Yuu did have an overblot, it would be bad. Idia Shroud bad. Malleus Draconia bad. worse, even, if Yuu is an experienced necromancer and can induce (and possibly manipulate) blot

6. The End

let me TLDR this: this Yuu is not "Yuu", but an ancient and powerful mage who necromancied themself back to life and ended up at NRC with a clouded memory of their past life. the ~figure~ they're based on was so horrible and destructive that they were intentionally forgotten, written over by the few survivors of their evil. this figure being so ancient that they are older than Briar Valley, so ancient that Yuu has visions of a "home" that hasn't existed in thousands of years

Yuu has a strong association with death and undeath, a means into seeing the past, present and future, and into connecting with other worlds. their home, their history, their ruler was forgotten, written over because it was so bad it couldn't be associated with anything but death and destruction

basically, what if Yuu wasn't Alice.

what if Yuu was The Horned King?

1 https://www.tumblr.com/valy-gc/746674187452792832?source=share

[mustlovetommy]

I was tagged by @sad-girl-hours23 @bangpop91writing and @bidisasterevankinard for Tidbit Tuesday... well, it's Wednesday now so...

WIP Wednesday

Here's a snippet of my Ghost Tommy Kinard WIP. This hasn't been edited so I apologize for any mistakes.

And thank you so much for tagging me!

“Thank you, Bobby. You didn’t have to,” Evan replies. 

“I wanted to.” 

They are silent for a few seconds, so Tommy cranes his head and sees them hugging. 

“Why don’t we sit down in the backyard, yeah? Have breakfast there?” Bobby asks once they let go of each other. 

“Yeah, that sounds nice,” Evan agrees, though he doesn’t sound enthusiastic. 

Tommy watches as they head outside, the door swinging shut behind them. For a moment, he considers following, but he ends up staying inside because he would rather keep trying to move the cups. He did it once, he knows he can do it again. 

He’s not sure how much time has passed; all he knows is that it feels like he has been trying to move the cups for hours. He has even tried to kick the counter, the wall, and one of the chairs, but nothing has worked. 

If he’s right about strong emotions making it possible, he should have been able to do it by now because his frustration has been increasing with every failed attempt. 

Just as Tommy is gearing up to kick the counter again, the door from the backyard swings open. 

Bobby walks in, looking upset. Behind him is Evan, just as upset and clearly angry.

“Bobby,” Evan complains.

“No, Buck! I told you, no.”

“This is bullshit,” Evan screams, and Tommy's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. He’s never heard him speak to Bobby like that before.

Bobby stops in his tracks and turns to face Evan with a heavy sigh. “Buck… kid, I get it, ok? I do. But I can’t let you come back to work right away. Take the seven days of bereavement leave, please. You need them.”

“I don’t,” Evan says stubbornly. 

“Buck…” Bobby sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“No, Bobby! You don’t understand!” Evan implores, voice cracking. “I can’t be here for seven days… not without him. I need something to distract me from this… From this fucking nightmare, ok? I just- I have to… Bobby…” Evan starts crying and Bobby doesn't hesitate. He crosses the space between them in seconds and pulls Evan into a tight embrace.

And Tommy just stands there, helplessly watching as the love of his life once again falls apart and there’s nothing he can do about it. How many times can a heart break, he wonders, before there’s nothing left to break?

Tagging but no pressure: @dark-alice-lilith @aesthetictarlos @lavenderleahy @quintessenceofdust88 @unhingedangstaddict @hyperfocusthusly @racerchix21 @fairytalegonewronga03 @xtarmanderx @astoopidfool @loulou-land @bybobbysbeard @laundryandtaxesworld and anyone else that wants to share something!

[yousaydisco]

i actually have something to share for WIP Wednesday omg

(it isn't the android!jean fic i have been toying with though)

A small snippet of another Judit Minot/Alice DeMettrie thing

Sometimes, when she lets her mind wander irresponsibly, Judit thinks that if she and Alice met earlier in life, then her life would have turned out a lot differently. She doesn't like to dwell on those thoughts, half because it makes her sad to envision a world without her two boys, and half because she is the type that tends to get stuck on the details so she ends up spending too much time wondering about what other differences that alternate timeline would have. It's the butterfly effect in practice - she chose to shack up with a redheaded lesbian instead of marrying Richard, and the Pale comes to suffocate them a decade earlier.

One emotion that rarely comes up during her daydreams, she admits, is guilt.

The phone rings twice before a voice crackles in through the receiver. Even through the distortion caused by the technology, she sounds tired. "This is Alice DeMettrie."

She doesn't know when she first noticed it, but whenever she calls Alice at her home number she always introduces herself with the slightest, barely noticeable hesitation. She answers the work phone in almost the same way, "This is precinct 57th, how may I assist you", so Judit assumes she has to pivot manually whenever she gets a call at home. She's never pointed it out to her, afraid it would make her stop.

"Alice, you'll never guess who drew the short-stick."

Judging by the fact that Judit did not follow her name up 'dear' is all the evidence Alice needs to get told that Judit is calling from her desk at work. Calls are likely to be monitored by those close by with prying ears. They're all officers, and more importantly gossips, so anything too interesting is sure to get noticed.

"Oh no, what are they making you do now?" Alice's smile is obvious, even through the phone.

She swears she hears the familiar sound of her leather couch squeaking underneath her weight. The image is conjured so vividly in her mind of Alice in shorts and a worn-out tee that should have been thrown out, but she says is good enough for a sleep shirt, and her socked feet folding underneath her as she sits.

"I've been roped into bringing cups for the holiday party we're throwing over here."

Every year, the 41st insists on throwing an honest to Dei office party for the Her Innocence's Birthday [DON'T LIKE. THINK OF A DIFFERENT HOLIDAY NAME]. They draw who gets the day off at random, only a few officers of the bunch get to miss out. This year the privilege was decidedly not hers.

Alice hums. "I've heard about the legendary 41st parties. Never actually attended one."

"Well, would you like to bring in plates?" She could never pull off the mischievous smile that comes more naturally for Alice. Her face always reads as playful at best.

"So I should spend one of my measly days off choosing to go into work, just to be surrounded by a bunch of drunk men that I don't know instead of ones that I do?"

"With plates."

Alice makes a thinking sound, drawing it out, as if she were going to say anything else but the answer they both expect. "Sure, I'll bring plates. Cheap bastards."

[alicentsswornshield]

@wolfie-1221 posted a list of their fav rhaenicent fics 🤌 10/10 recommendations

I've been inspired to share my own list since I've been spending probably too much time on ao3 - hopefully it will be helpful for anyone looking to start reading rhaenicent (note that few are already mentioned in the above mentioned post)

My favourites (in no particular order):

(WIP) Seven (by @comicxgrl)

The story follows two alternating timelines and you're equally invested in both. It's so so well written, you fall in love with the characters immediately, the pacing of the story line is incredible and with only 5 chapters published, I think story is slowly set up for the main arc. The author is an architect and you can feel the thought process and clear intention behind every line and action.

(WIP) Out of sun (by @lumyart )

Rhaenyra and Alicent share a complicated past. Skip 10yrs later, Alicent is an excellent surgeon, has three kids and a husband. Their paths cross again when Targaryen Enterprises start being involved with Alicent's hospital.

Tags for this story are #bdsm #makingkinkemotional #emotionalslowburn - I think that's all you need to know?

I feel like it's really hard to write about bdsm w/o making it feel gratuitous. That's not the case here. @lumyart involves it as one of the main plot points of the story. It explores the emotional/psychological reason/need behind kinks and how those relationships differ etc. The push and pull in their relationship is dizzying, as the story progresses we get snippets of their past and what went wrong between them and how did they get where they are now. It almost feels like you're uncovering a mystery. There's many layers to the story and each chapter gifts you one piece of the puzzle.

See also: Blame it on Fate (morning show au we deserved) | silver sparks (wish this was the s02 hod script)

Love is complicated (by @molter-writes)

Absolute favourite of molter's fics and that's really hard to decide on.

This story made me want to start a campaign to get @molter-writes to actually write a rhaenicent Notting Hill AU.

Don't even read the summary. Just read everything and anything by @molter-writes , it will always deliver strong writing, a compelling storyline and characters that you can't help but fall in love with.

Bodhrán beat (by @molter-writes)

I'm not a monarchist but I will make an exception for this modern royals au. Whatever you think this fic is about, you are mistaken.

Only one chapter posted so far but it's so so good. I don't think you realise how unwell I was after I read it.

See also: (WIP) leaf and blade | (Completed) grey ridge (ríl liatroma) | (Completed) ride the dragon (and do it quickly) | (WIP) song of the exposition

(WIP) Lying (in the hollows of your heart)  (by @wakesirens) 

I usually read only modern AUs (because of the misogyny in Westeros, I have enough of that irl thanks) but this fic is amazing nonetheless. Keeping Baelon alive and him being king gives us an alternate version of Rhaenyra's life. One where she's his most trusted advisor and representative of the Crown but she's not bound to the throne/realm in same way as the heir. This allows her to still attain power and freedom usually not afforded to women. Oh and Alicent works in a brothel.

What you wanted (by mrdcai)

Berlin, spies, complicated past, angst

Again it's just excellent writing! This one only has 1/3 chapters out but I'm already convinced that it deserves to be among top five fics. Only downside is that the story will only have three chapters, though a part of me is hoping that the author will change their mind and make it a longer story.

Side note, I keep imagining Alicent as Olivia Cooke's character from Slow Horses... great spy/thriller show btw

See also: Desire (I want to turn into you)

Some other fics I loved:

(WIP) Honey, make this easy (by nerdsofdeath)

Alicent is a history professor at university and Rhaenyra is her new TA. It's a slow burn and v angsty 😭

Midnights Like This (by pure_black_wings)

College AU, they're two idiots in love that don't know how to cope.

War of Hearts (by Silanahfire)

Rhaenyra Targaryen is barren and the realm needs an heir. The King and Grand Maester Mellos found a solution in the scripts of Old Valyria. Alicent Hightower will carry her child, even if the estrangement between the two seemed impossible to end. An arranged marriage waits both.

(WIP) You Broke Me (by skullgamerscy)

Angst 😭

The Silver Queen and the Lady in Green (by Wandering Fan)

This is AU in every sense of the word. The author built a whole different world with its own lore. Very very slow burn

[goldeneyedgirl]

snippet

I disappeared again, but for a good reason. We're so close to having a new chapter that I can taste it. I'm not saying you should start watching for the update emails yet, but goddamn it feels good to put things together. It's very exciting.

I also have drafts for almost all my asks, so look for those at the end of the week.

But because it will be a February update instead of a January update, I brought an offering of some more of the Mary-Alice/Feral Jasper section that I posted at Ficmas. The actual plot of this is coming together nicely, and I'm looking forward to sitting down and putting together a few chapters.

Enjoy!

note: this follows on immediately from the ficmas post.

“I take care of myself,” she finally says.

“And me,” Jasper says, studying her. “So that means I get to take care of you.”

She realises that he’s still muddled from the stress of his pending departure, and just agrees to that without pointing out that he’s still not strong enough to win a fight. She can look after both of them just fine. He’s not going to need her forever.

He studies her for a moment longer, reaching out to tuck some of her hair behind her ear.

“They’re good people,” he says, and his fingers graze her cheek. “They could take care of you as well.”

Oh.

Oh.

She wants to laugh at that, at the idea she needs anyone to take care of her. That Jasper seems to want her to spend time with the Cullens.

“You take good care of me,” she says, hoping to distract him. “I don’t need anything else. I will meet them. I promise. We just have to wait until they’re open to the idea. They want to protect you, and they see me as a threat.”

Of course they do; her story is written all over her. She’s a fighter and a killer. Of course they would want her as far away from Jasper as possible; even a year later, she could kill Jasper before he even realised what had happened. Emmett too. She’s not surprised they’d take Jasper and run, honestly. She would have judged them if they hadn’t.

She reaches out and takes his hand between both of hers, and it’s the first time that she’s instigated casual touch with him. It feels so awkward but Jasper’s expression softens the minute she does, and he shifts closer to her - his shoulders drop as he relaxes. Good, that’s what she wanted. She has no idea how to comfort someone, but touch seems to work for Jasper. It makes sense, he’s always encouraging her to get close, and asking to touch her. Well, asking less lately. She wishes he’d ask before touching her face. It makes her nervous.

“You’ll run to Montana,” he finally says and she offers him a small smile, hopefully one that’s reassuring.

“I’ll run to Montana. I plan to get there before you do,” she replies. “But if something changes, like the weather, I might be delayed. That’s okay.”

“That’s okay,” he echoes. “Can you check?”

She nods and closes her eyes to tap into her gift.

Running, running, the oilskin bag lashed tightly to her body. She has to get there before Jasper does, so he doesn’t worry. So that the next time they move, he won’t regress, that he’ll trust her to be where he needs her to be. Emmett gave her the coordinates and directions and showed her on a map. He’ll keep Jasper calm if she’s late but she won’t be.

There’s a tree in a sunken gully, as far from the house as she can stand - downwind, so no one catches on to her presence. Her main dress is destroyed from the run, unwearable. She’s wearing her other dress when Jasper and Emmett come down the path, bickering.

“I beat you to Montana,” she confirms, opening her eyes. She never used to close them to See but Jasper had gotten distressed when he saw her eyes rolling up during a vision. It had taken her the best part of an hour to calm him down, stop the tremors in his hands, and explain it didn’t hurt. It was like her eyes and brain were pulled tight, but not painful. Sometimes her eyes didn’t even roll up. But it was easier to close her eyes than have to watch him suffer. “You should talk to Emmett, tell him the plan.”

Jasper nods and pulls his hand free of hers to pull her close. She tenses up for a moment before forcing herself to relax. Jasper’s never harmed her, never done or said anything to hurt her. He finds holding her like this comforting, and that’s good.

//

“You won’t get any closer,” Emmett warns Esme, motioning out to the ridge. “She’ll see you coming before you know it.”

“Will she…?” Esme begins.

“Not unless she thinks there’s a threat to Jasper or herself. Mainly Jasper,” Emmett replies honestly. “But she’ll want you to think she will.”

Esme balanced carefully as she crept along the ridge to look through a glade miles away. There was only the smallest gap in the tree line where she could see Jasper perched on a branch, looking up at something.

Or someone. A thin girl unfolded herself from the branches above to land gracefully next to Jasper. She’s wearing flowers and leaves in her hair, and wearing the world’s dirtiest rag of a dress. She doesn’t so much as brush against Jasper until he says something to her, and she shuffles closer, his arm going around her thin shoulders.

“Oh,” Esme breathed before carefully making her way back to Emmett. “That… wasn’t what I was expecting.”

“But very, very real,” Emmett said with a tired smile. “She’s getting annoyed about it because it’s upsetting Jasper that everyone thinks he’s gone crazy.”

[angelfevr]

happy snippet sunday!!

i havent worked on angelus custos since last week so heres smth from a fic im writing:

A deadly suicide virus and Light Field do not go well together.  It’s the thing she’s thought about most since hearing about its existence.  It’s fine though, she would tell herself, because Alice is here with me.  But now that she’s left to her own thoughts, that sneaking suspicion slithers into her mind again.  “What about our families?” Her words echo in her mind. It’s senseless.  She already knows how the story goes.  She is Clover Field, nineteen years old. Attends Worcester Academy in Sparks, Nevada. Straight A’s, honors student.  Her life changed trajectory again when she locked eyes with Akane Kurashiki. She’s the reason they’re here, right? Caught between two places; one eye gazing upon the Nevada sights, the other on the moon, in a cramped facility. Akane has carved them into her likeness. 

[kimyoonmiauthor]

Deadpool and Wolverine Plot types...

The core is mostly Absurdist, with a side of epic plotting—changing events together. And then there is a very loose framework of 3-act. Ignore the critics who are talking about how it doesn't really have a plot or a meaning. It does have one. The characters arc and change, but not through the usual Brechtian fall. Instead the climax is the characters stepping up, which is more like Brecht and what Brecht wanted than Andrew Lloyd Webber ever made. The absurdist flavor is 1960's over Lewis Carroll's type (I'm thinking Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, etc which were folded in later under this label, but those have a different way of stringing things together than the later ones). So if you watch Monty Python, you should be able to spot that kind of flavor (other shows like Mr. Bean, etc also did this as well as Marx Brothers and Mel Brooks.) This makes up the major framework of the film, thus gives it snippets, and kinda feels ADHD-ish in nature like the 1960's absurdist which also borrowed from epic a bit to string things together, though often subverted character growth for a joke. (Similar to Jo-Ha-Kyu, BTW, in this way).

It still has some of the framework of the 3-act which it references, but most of this is thrown aside to make meta jokes and punch. But it's mostly inserted in there for character growth which it references on purpose.

It fails the Bechdel test, but I wasn't too bothered by it since it inserts other feminist things along the way. (It fails the second and third axiom of Bechdel, but has plenty of named female characters).

The softer message at the end did tie it together, though kinda subverted by an earlier joke.

This is totally spoiler free analysis of the plot, but yeah, it does have one and there is a message, but the message is somewhat subverted by the movie itself. You'll know what I mean if you see it. Notice WW1984 hit the 3-act exactly to the time stamp and failed miserably. This one played around with the plot and framed it more like how the character would tell it, and it worked. Formulas only work in conjunction with the characters and other elements, not because they are foolproof.

[gwenllian-in-the-abbey]

While @aifsaath and I are working on getting the next chapter ready, since it's been awhile, have a snippet from chapter 7 of Our Fathers Clad in Red, in which Baela and Rhaena get into an argument that has been brewing since Rhaena arrived:

Baela had known it was coming, ever since Queen Alicent had made a remark at dinner. “There will be other young men,” the dowager queen had said. “When my gooddaughter has birthed an heir, you will be free to marry.”

“I didn’t know,” Baela protested. “Not until I saw you dancing with him at my wedding.”

Rhaena stalked across her room, collecting Morning and cradling the hatchling in her lap. “I’m surprised you noticed anything at all, as busy as you were making moon eyes at  the king.”

Baela scowled. “And what do you mean by that?” 

“It means you put on a big show of sacrificing yourself for peace, for the good of the realm.” Rhaena rolled her eyes. “For Aeg’s sake, you said. But admit it, you couldn’t wait to whore yourself to the usurper! What is it Baela, if you couldn’t be Jace’s queen, you decided you’d take the first man who offered up a crown?”

If it hadn’t been for the dragon in Rhaena’s lap, Baela might have slapped her sister. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. You think I married him for power? To be queen?”

“Well it certainly wasn’t for his looks, was it? Lady Arryn says it’s doubtful he can even perform.”

Baela felt her cheeks heat. “Shut up, Rhaena. Don’t speak of him like that.”

Her sister’s eyes widened, and Baela knew she had given herself away. Rhaena was her twin, the one person who knew her better than anyone. “You don’t mean to tell me you care about him?” 

“It’s not like that. He is not— You don’t know him,” Baela stammered. She wanted to deny it, but she couldn’t force herself to say the words and disavow him. “There are things you don’t know—”

"Then tell me.” Morning climbed from her lap to curl about her shoulders. “How can I know if you won’t tell me? You keep saying there’s more, that there are things I don’t know, but you can’t tell me anything, can you?”

“Some things are not mine to tell.” She shook her head. It was true that she was not at liberty to speak of Jaehaera, but there were things she could say, surely. “Did you know that our stepmother put a bounty on the head of Aegon’s youngest child, and a mob tore him limb from limb? Did you know an angry mob of smallfolk chased Aeg and our stepmother out of the city?”

“Aegon,” Rhaena mocked. “How sweet of you call him by name.”

“We are married! Do you expect me to call him 'the usurper' in the bedroom?” Baela flounced into a chair, her feet sore after the long day spent mostly standing. “And did you even listen to what I said, or were you too busy being outraged that I dare to call my wedded husband by his given name?”

Rhaena frowned. “I’d— I’d heard about the mob. A group of religious fanatics, they killed the dragons, and poor Joffrey—”

“Yes, the shepherd,” Baela said impatiently. “But it wasn’t just the shepherd. It was the city. It rose in revolt against her, in under six months. The policies were dreadful— Rhaena, she wasn’t a good queen!”

“And whose fault was that? If she’d taken the throne unmolested, none of the rest would have ever happened. They all brought it upon themselves!” 

“Perhaps,” Baela conceded. “But 'ifs' make no difference now. Aegon had his reasons for seizing the throne. I won’t stand before you and defend them, because the truth is, none of us knows what would have happened. But you know how father was. Tell me he would have left our cousins unmolested, that Aegon was wrong to fear him. Look me in my eyes and say it.” She held her sister’s gaze, forcing herself to stand her ground. “He’d killed for much less, Rhaena.”

@evabluepark888 @dr-aegon @emilykaldwen @ @branwendaughterofllyr @prodogg @maryonaccross @aleksandravill @alexandria-millie

[yestrday]

hii so u wanted to see them.... whhehhe here are some snippets and doodles i made of said oc!! i wont flood ur asks but some info about them!!

☄️ their special accessory is their bow! it was given by alice after being taken in as her student

☄️ Their "high ego" thing is actually not real is just them spouting out "we DEFINITELY (lie) got this" but theyre actually spiraling

☄️ In their first year, they were more energetic and determined but now theyre a tired and hopeless student that's just hanging on thoughts and prayers HAHAHA

☄️ despite all this their "self care" is doing small touch ups because its... its fun

but yeaaa i love love ur works 😭😭😭 my bedtime stories ong🤞

WAGAHGAHAGHA WHAT YOUR ARTSTYLE IS SO CUTE AND YOUR MC>??? PRETTY. now i know why they go crazy for her. shes absolutely adorable and i love how shes just a wreck inside lolol ALSO THE CAPE?!!? i may be overthinking things but did you like?? use the uniform pic i used as reference?!??!?! the commitment! amazing! and the five year old laptop is truly on point HAHAHAH we darlings have no money to spare at all :(( also shes alice's student??? i honestly didnt think integrating alice in the academy but omg that opens up a world possibilities

asteria stellar is such a pretty name as well. truly a name for the academy's beloved darling!

[atopvisenyashill]

I was reading your top five/ten asks thing and kinda laughed at the most annoying discussions hotd ask because that’s literally the entire fandom 😭

“RhAenYra is A MArY SuE” “ShE dOes NoThiNG” but the minute we saw a snippet of her her with a sword and wanting to do stuff but being denied and respecting those opinions, it’s a problem. Like all the problems with the showrunners, I feel like the overall development of Rhaenyra is something no one knows that to do with. some want her to be useless and others want her to fight, many want her to be angry but want her to be wrong all the time.

Some of it feels like some fans want an easy reason to hate her that doesn’t get them dragged for hating her for it (having sex/ having bastards) as if we aren’t getting to that point next season.

yeah, i saw people being like 'oh rhaenyra thought she ate with that' when she tells whatshisface that he has fought just as many battles as she has so she doesn't appreciate his lectures. and meanwhile these are the same people crying on and on about how beautiful and sad alicent looked when they named aemond the regent over her. like.......sorry that's just as stupid and misogynistic as the people going 'well i don't know why alicent is mad she has lost power when her power only comes from her husband' you don't understand why these women are struggling and biting back and fighting against the men who are consistently and obviously undermining them?? really????? yet earlier in the season when rhaenyra was truly doing nothing because she was working through her grief, it was all 'well she's so passive' just admit you don't like her and stop pretending like the issue is with the writing!!! we know i'm a hater of how they've adapted a lot of the chauvinism story lines from the books, but some people will see rhaenyra and alicent having a completely normal reaction to the misogyny they're facing and go 'oh she thinks she's hot shit' just say you don't like her!!! just fucking stand on it like!!!

and Y E S if i'v said it once i've said it a hundred times, people are huge prudes and buy into this insane fearmongering about bastards and having sex out of wedlock re: rhaenyra, and to those people i say you would have fallen for reagan's agitating about welfare queens and the evils of single motherhood hook line and sinker!!! you are disturbingly susceptible to propaganda bro idk what to tell you!!!

[dandelion-wings]

Do you think Sara would be good with kids?

Especially in regards to your Sara-in-Mondstadt AU, where for some reason I can’t help but imagine her being exasperatedly fond of Klee and babysitting her.

For a partial answer, have this snippet I shoved in that AU doc the other day:

Sara strongly suspects that the book the librarian found on "yokai customs" is largely the invention of some opportunistic author who wanted to profit from credulous mainlanders' lack of knowledge. "Oh, this is charming," the librarian says, turning another page. "'Each tengu guest brings unto the marriage circle a length of branch or bough, suitable to a nest, to symbolize that the marriage takes place within the flock; while the tengu bride and tengu groom bring each of them a whole bundle, chosen by hand, to symbolize that they will build their nest together and raise each other's young....'" That Sara can't swear is false. She's never attended a tengu wedding, and there seems something... *right* about bringing nesting material to one you love. But she feels an itch all down her back at the awareness of how laughable and foolish this would seem to humans. She's heard the mockery before when she's acted in a way too easily compared to the behaviors of a common crow. "I would prefer not to include that," she says, stiffly polite, just as before. "Oh? You don't want to show Jean that you'd raise her children for her?" It would be wrong for Sara to be dishonest about this. "I'm not suitable to raise human children." Or tengu children, for that matter, as this literary exploration of her people's heritage makes clear. The librarian gives her a sad smile. "Neither is Jean. All right, cutie, no sticks. Let's see what else is in here."

But for a longer answer: eventually.

Everything we see in her voicelines and especially in her teapot lines, which I presume all are meant to take place after the Inazuma AQ, suggests that now that she doesn't have Takayuki around, she is actively working on reparenting herself and improving her own social skills. I strongly suspect that's going to lead long-term to a version of Sara who can, in fact, handle children well! But right now, at the point where I have her depart for Mondstadt (or Liyue), she's simply not yet there. That's a skill she would have to develop through exposure to children, not something she possesses when she starts.

With Klee, I think she would initially have much the same reactions as Jean, for (what I headcanon to be) much the same reason--harsh correction and punishment for any misdeeds, because that's what she experienced as a child and believes to be correct. The optimistic side is that I think that, specifically because she is trying to make the changes above, I think she's in a better position than Jean* to look at what happens afterward, realizing it's not working re: changing Klee's behavior, and taking another approach. I think there's a lot of trial-and-error! I think Klee probably initially, and for a long time after, reads her as mean! But very long-term, I think I could imagine her ending up as a good tutor for Klee, in a similar position as Lisa but more able to deal with the physical end of her boundless child's energy.

*I've ranted plenty about this, but: Jean is not a good babysitter. I have some sympathy for her around it, because she's in a very shitty position here and she didn't ask for it, and I don't think she has the capacity to become a good babysitter while she's so overwhelmed with all her other responsibilities to Mondstadt. But the upshot, sympathy or not, is that she keeps doing the same thing over and over again and it does not fix the base problems involved, and she doesn't have the understanding of children or the spare time and attention to figure out what's going wrong and why, and thus what else she could do about it. Ultimately this is Alice's and probably Varka's fault, but. It's not good. Everyone is in a rough spot here but at the end of the day it's a prepubescent child getting the short end of the stick and it sucks.

In the Liyue version of the AU (both have such good but different elements, which is why they both bang around in my brain despite me making more actual writing progress on the Mondstadt one), Sara's ability to handle children grows faster, because she has help. Ningguang recognizes both her social weaknesses and her desire to repair them very quickly, and one of the ways she subtly tries to help with this is to dump Sara on Ningguang's little gang of child informants. Letting said children know that this is a job she'll pay them for, on their end, and without giving Sara responsibility for them--I can't remember who I discussed it with, but I recall that my idea for how it starts is that they throw a ball onto a roof and ask Sara to fly up and get it, and Sara, who again in this version of the AU thinks of it as forbidden to fly around people, is flustered when Ningguang encourages her to. And then to play with the kids. :> But it's fairly important here that Sara is in no way made responsible for these children! (Not that she doesn't take some on, of course, but it's not official.) She's just a fun adult whose wings can add to the variety and ease of their games, which is Ningguang's other goal here, to make her cute new wife understand that it's okay if she flies.

[bookaddict24-7]

REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

EVERY WEEK I WILL POST VARIOUS REVIEWS I’VE WRITTEN SO FAR IN 2024. YOU CAN CHECK OUT MY GOODREADS FOR MORE UP-TO-DATE REVIEWS HERE.

___

172. Funny Story by Emily Henry--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I'm a big fan of Emily Henry, something about her books always hooks me in and, save for one book, I've grown to really enjoy and look forward to her stories (without reading the synopsis because I like going in blind).

The premise of this isn't overtly original BUT it was entertaining. I also loved the mirroring of the beginning and the end with the "let me tell you the funny story of how we met" line (I'm paraphrasing). I thought that was a fun touch that added levity to the ending AND really brought me into the story at the beginning.

I was a big fan of the tension between the two jilted lovers and how they grew their friendship before anything else even happened. They're both flawed characters who have had to overcome heartbreak and just happened to be each others' best support for their ordeals. I thought that they worked so well together, especially because their both (understandably) jaded by love. The subplot of their fake dating was a fun twist that added heat to the story and even though I don't know if I'd call this Henry's steamiest romance, I'd say that FUNNY STORY has the best sexual tension I've seen in Henry's books.

I liked the exploration of all of the relationships in the MC's life and how they helped her become who she is, or who she will be by the end of the book. I liked that she was flawed and made mistakes because it was realistic. I especially loved that she had this moment of realization that she needed to find out who she was and where she wanted to be when finally out of a relationship that didn't actually work for her. Also, LOVED that she was a librarian.

The love interest. Oh man, he is ADORABLE and honestly, I don't know how anyone could pick the stuffy fart of the MC's ex-fiancee over him. I wish we had a POV of his experiences with the MC because he himself has such a complicated past with relationships and family. I wish we could see into his mind during the whole breakup that happens at the beginning of the book. That's maybe one of the only things I wish we had more of in Henry's books--dual POVs.

This was cute, fun, at times heartbreaking, and a great read for the summer. Henry doesn't miss and I'm excited for her next book already. I don't know how she does it, but she's definitely an auto-read author for me.

___

173. The Dragon's Bride by Katee Robert--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I finally picked up THE DRAGON'S BRIDE and I will admit that I was wary. I'd tried a Katee Robert book a few years ago and found it to be a boring experience.

This one, however, was a lot of fun and I loved how the relationship between the two characters developed. Since it's more of a novella, it was definitely on the faster-paced and shorter side. But to be honest, I would have probably been bored if this was any longer.

The spicy scenes were SPICY. I feel like this one had me bugging my eyes out the most of the books I've read in the last few years. But now I want to read the rest of the books in the series.

Is this a serious book? Not really, save for the fact that the MC deals with some heavy topics like abuse and PTSD. But the romance is lighthearted and as slowburn as it can get in such a short book. I loved the level of consent the dragon had for his bride and the turmoil they both felt as they started falling for each other.

___

174. Over the Woodward Wall by A. Deborah Baker--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really, really enjoyed this snippet of a story. I think it's perfectly fitting that the author is also the author of the WAYWARD CHILDREN series because the mood was the same. This was whimsical, lyrical, and engrossing. I wanted the kids to truly find answers and a way home.

I think the quirky characters really make this story--not just the MCs, but all of the ALICE IN WONDERLAND-esque characters they come across. This is a middle grade book, but I can definitely see this just being an adult fantasy novel for the adult who always wished they'd gone on a fantastical journey as a kid.

I also thought that the way the two MCs contrast each other was really fun. One child clearly needs to learn how to loosen up from the "adult" expectations his parents have placed on him, while the other needs a bit more attention and care to ease the energy that partial parental negligence has gifted her. They worked really, really well together and I loved seeing their journey to friendship.

I highly recommend this story, especially for those who are looking for something fun and quick to read in the garden.

___

175. Peacocks of Instagram by Deepa Rajagopalan--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received a copy via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my review in any way.

I'm not a big short story person, but when I heard the synopsis for this, I immediately knew I had to read it. I tried out a new way of approaching this short story collection--one short story per night because one of the things that turns me off short story collections is how overwhelmed they sometimes make me feel. This method worked perfectly and it even helped build up the anticipation for reading the next story.

Deepa Rajagopalan's collection is incredibly rounded. Not only did we get thought-provoking stories, but also surprising conclusions for several of the characters as they inadvertently affected other characters in other stories.

And made even better was Rajagopalan's writing and how immersive it was. It also flowed so beautifully, making the heavier topics feel so easily digestible. The pacing was quick and most of the stories felt like punches as a result.

While some stories were definitely stronger than others, they all came together wonderfully. I loved their commentary on the Indian diaspora and how immigration was handled. I loved the deeper examinations of culture, racism, bigotry, classism, family, capitalism, and karmic justice--there was a lot of revenge in this and it was awesome.

Anyway, if you're looking for a new short story collection to hook you, then I think you're going to love this one! Highly, highly recommend!

___

176. Otherworldly by F.T. Lukens--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed OTHERWORLDLY, especially because my last attempt to read Lukens was a bit of a hot mess. Thankfully, this one makes me want to check out the last few books they've written.

This was a fun adventure with a lot of heart. The curiosity of the paranormal MC and the sweet way he falls for the second MC was adorable. I also thought his storyline was fun (even if it wasn't wholly unique).

I loved the side characters and how the second MC learned to find what made them happy. I found their storyline to be both sad and hopeful. They had incredible support from their cousin and cousin's girlfriend, even when their family tried to break that confidence with their requests.

Like another reviewer mentioned, this was definitely more of a cozy contemporary fantasy novel. Sure, there was the paranormal underworld and the creatures hunting the MCs down, but it didn't stray too much from the small town setting.

Overall, I'm glad I read this and I definitely want to get to the backlist titles. I love when an author surprises you!

___

177. The Underground by K.A. Applegate--⭐️⭐️⭐️

THE UNDERGROUND was an interesting addition to this series because we get a new potential weapon added to the story, even though the kids are so morally conscious that the option might now make an appearance in future books.

One of the biggest things that I noticed, however, is how much the language was really a reflection of the time. It made me slightly uncomfortable, but I know I also am reading this in 2024.

The story itself was good and adventurous. It's always a bit more exciting when we get the story from this character's perspective!

Onto the next book!

___

178. Mindy Kim and the Fairy-Tale Wedding by Lyla Lee & Dung Ho (Illustrator)--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another adorable MINDY KIM story has passed and I loved seeing how much Mindy has grown as a little character. She's so sweet and supportive of her dad's happiness. As a person who was partially raised by a single parent, I was so happy when my mom found someone new. And I see this reflected in this story, since Mindy just wants her dad to be happy.

I think stories like this one are so important for young readers, especially because it may be relatable to them. This is why I love that young readers read--it helps them build that empathy.

Mindy teaches kids that if you work hard, you can reach your goals (and even if you don't, or if "reaching your goals" looks a little different, then that's okay!) She's got a great head on her shoulders!

I do wish more little ones read these books, because I find that they teach so much--such as culture, how different some families may look, life lessons, and how to have good communication with those you care for.

Will be picking up the next one in the series next month!

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179. Alex Wise vs. the End of the World by Terry J. Benton-Walker--⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

ALEX WISE has a character or two that I'd like to slap some sense into (*cough*the dad*cough*), but this didn't take away from how ridiculously fun this book was--even if it DID deal with the end of the world.

I'll admit that ALEX WISE started a bit on the slower side. I wasn't sure quite where it was going, especially with some of the things the MC and his sister get up to before the main storyline begins. I did appreciate, however, how we were given a backstory for the MC and why his relationship with his father plays so heavily into the way he is and how he carries himself in the story. I felt so awful for the MC. It honestly broke my heart.

The heart of the story was FUN. I loved seeing these characters work together to overcome a seemingly impossible to defeat villain. It played really well into the concept of empathy and how sometimes the most obvious solutions aren't always the right ones.

While the story felt a bit on the longer side for me, it was still an enjoyable adventure that I'll definitely be recommending to the younger readers who stop by the bookstore! I'm looking forward to the sequel!

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Have you read any of these books? What were your thoughts?

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Happy reading!

[bi-bats]

Trick or treat 🧚🏽‍♀️🍬

ALICE HEY BESTIE!!! HAPPY HALLOWEEEEENNNNN

For you. Since I know you're reading it. Since I know everyone's waiting for it (srsly the subscriber number is like. Breathing down the back of my neck).

A snippet of the next chapter of Know Yourself.

~ ✨️ ~

Surprisingly, he made it all the way to the repair shop without incident. He’d waited until he’d seen Batman and Robin out for the night before heading to the cave anyways, but he was sort of expecting some kind of incident. 

But there was nothing.

He located the device, which was folded up into a case a little bigger than a briefcase but not much heavier than his laptop, and started trekking back to his bike.

A thrill rolled through his stomach, the same one that always did when he got away with something he wasn’t supposed to do.

Really, it was his own fault that he was surprised when he got back to his bike. Day two of Robin was learning that it wasn’t over until it was over, that a thug could always get back up when you assumed they were down, that there could always be another trap to step in after you’d freed yourself from the last one.

So, yeah. It was his own fault that he was surprised to see Nightwing leaning on the seat of his bike, arms crossed over his chest, one eyebrow raised. 

Tim sighed out an irritated noise as his posture deflated. 

“What is it?” Jason asked through his comm, a note of tension strung through his words.

“Dick,” Tim said coldly, an answer and a greeting at the same time.

“Dick’s—”

“Tim.” 

“—there? What the fuck does he want?”

Dick gave Tim a sad little smile, ignorant of Jason in his ear. “You didn’t text me back.”

“Right, because our last conversation went so well. Of course I’d want to do it again.” 

“I just wanted to talk.” 

“Yeah, I read the text. I thought my lack of an answer spoke for itself.”

There was a thin moment of silence, and it was like that moment on the rooftop again. All the broken pieces of their relationship scattered in the space between them, neither of them sure how to move forward without stepping on a shard.

Dick nodded at the case in Tim’s hand. “That have something to do with whatever it is you and Jason are working on?” 

[archoniluthradanar]

Frenemies

Frenemies : a Volturi guard snippets, showing Felix and Demetri are not the best of friends.

While fanfiction writers like to think of the two guards as best friends; they aren't.

"Master Aro called for me first this time, Demetri," Felix taunted the tracker of the coven, who was presumably the best tracker in the world.

"I don't see why. You lumber around like a bovine, and have the mind of one," Demetri hissed back.

"Humpf, tossing around university-level words. Just because I was a gladiator and never went to university..."

"A bovine is a cow, Felix. Hardly a university-level word," Demetri said, knowing he had struck a nerve.

"So I never worked on a farm. Still, I get to hold the robe," the tall vampire gloated.

"What, now you're the Cullen's fashion coordinator?"

"And you spend two hours working on your hair. YOUR HAIR! I'd be as wealthy as the masters if I just invested in hair gel stock."

"But I make it look good," the tracker replied, smirking at his fellow guard member.

"You make it look ridiculous," Felix retorted before he laughed.

"Shut up, Felix!"

"When we were in the elevator, you were totally scoping out the Cullens' human pet," Felix spoke his accusation aloud.

"I was not!" Demetri denied vehemently.

"What then, you were scoping out Edward Cullen?" Felix teased.

"Absolutely not!"

"I saw you looking in their direction." Felix smirked.

"Nope." Demetri refused to give Felix a glance.

"Well, you weren't looking at Alice Cullen. You should have. She's a sweet dish," Felix said, not without some admiration.

"I wasn't interested in the human or Alice Cullen," Demetri replied, trying to sound bored.

"And you spoke to her. We're never to speak to humans, as per Master Aro's orders."

"I only said..."

"Then Jane put you in your place, didn't she," Felix laughed. " 'Or dessert', she said, after you told the human Gianna would be changed. Little Jane correcting the big bad tracker."

"Shut up, Felix."

Felix stepped on Demetri's heel, trying to get him to trip. "Going to make me dessert, Dem?"

"Shut up, Felix!"

Demetri turned to the right to see the tall guard on his knees in pain. It was all the tracker could do to hold in his laughter. So who put whom in whose place?

"Shut up, Felix," Demetri said, rolling his eyes while Felix screamed in agony.

"At least I impress the Cullens with my clothing. Your pants could use a tailor. Sloppy, Felix, sloppy."

Felix looked down at his bunched up slacks. As tall as he was, his slacks were too long. "Delusional, Demetri, to think they were looking at your clothes. You're just a fashion queen. Everyone knows it, Poser"

"Shut up, Felix."

After destroying Toshiro....

"Hey, Felix."

"Yes, Demetri."

"I know I talk a lot."

"Yes, you do."

"What I mean to say is..."

"Yeah, me too, Demetri."

[firstsprinces]

Thank you @anincompletelist for tagging me in this game! I loved devouring each of your snippets from the works you’re proud of!

Rules: Post your favorite line or passage from as many of your published works as you’d like. Let yourself feel proud of your creations! Tag as many people as you post snippets, so your fellow fic friends can be proud, too.

I haven’t even started and I’m about to break the only rule 😂 because I still only have fics posted from holiday challenges, which I am not blown away by. I thoight I'd have other fics posted by now but it’s been a year so far, to say the least. So, I’m also going to share from Outlaw Alex because he’s coming very soon and I’m honestly the most proud of the way the words are fitting together for that one!

Leaving this tag as open and will be catching up with my following list soon! I can't wait to read what you're proud of and show you some extra and well deserved love!

Here we go...

From "Take This House and Make it a Home"

They admire their choice together from the couch later on that evening with David curled up underneath the blanket. Alex rests his head on Henry’s shoulder and thinks about how he can’t wait to decorate the tree the next day and debate if the tree will have colored lights or white lights – he’s guessing the white ones won’t be a choice once there are children also making the decisions. He can’t wait for the time where both he and Henry each have a child on their shoulders wanting to put ornaments on the tree higher than the other while having Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer  on the television in the background. Then, once the children are put to bed for the night, it’ll be the two of them again having their private moment admiring everything they’ve created together, just like this with David snoring and the fireplace crackling, with Henry’s legs tangled with his as the peace settles over them; that the house they’ve settled down in is finally a home. Whether it’s tonight, two or three Christmases from now, or when they’re in their eighties, Alex will always look over at Henry and know the magic that they have together is forever.

From "Here We Stand Worlds Apart" (ongoing)

The side of his hand skims the material of the bodysuit as he searches for the chin strap, popping off the buckle. Then he takes both of his hands and carefully begins the removal of the helmet. As more of the face starts to be revealed, a strong chin and jawline, perfectly chiseled cheekbones, dark and soft curls styled with a short cut, Henry finds out it’s a man who’s crashed into the woods. He can’t help but stare at the face of the attractive man. Attractive isn’t even the correct word in his vocabulary to describe him. His eyes are closed, which makes Henry wonder what color they are. He hopes they aren’t green like Ralph’s because he doesn’t want to be reminded of a pair of eyes that will never look at him in the adoringly hungry way they do when he looks at Alice Rodgers. Long dark lashes fan out and almost look as if they’re touching the top curve of his cheekbones. He looks angelic even in a setting that looks like he’s met his death. His appreciative gaze travels to his hair next. Curls draping over one another in an unlikely symphony of wildness and precise placing, even after being smashed flat against his head from wearing the helmet. Henry can’t help but want to feel what the curls would feel like moving through the spaces between his fingers, even though it’s a bizarre thing to do to someone who’s just been in a crash, someone who’s a stranger to him.

From "The Wind Whispered Something That the Devil's to Blame" (coming soon)

Months after his father’s funeral, his mother had told him the opposite. It had actually been Henry who’d given his father the enlightenment to embrace all new discoveries and to always keep chasing them because they’re remarkably never-ending. Always live as though the world keeps creating things to stumble upon on purpose. Accidents may happen along the way, but those are also little surprises that will lead to something far grander. As a child Henry had been more animated and curious than his two siblings, but he’d also been overly cautious and kept to himself when necessary. It had been his father who would tell Henry that he shouldn’t be afraid of unknown things, so why would his mother tell him otherwise? What would Henry have given someone with more life experiences than he had? Their relationship had always been different than his ones with Phillip and Beatrice. Though Arthur always made sure to give each of his children their own moments just between the two of them, Catherine had let the secret out to Henry that his favorite discovery had been witnessing Henry experience the world around him. After the confession, Henry made the promise to his father after his passing that he’d take his father on every new adventure with him to make sure he’d never miss out, and in those adventures, he’d find out who he truly is and embrace himself as the wonderment his father believes he is. He places the last and only photograph he has of him and his father, back down on his desk, his pointer finger skimming his greyed blurry face that doesn’t resemble the fact his father’s memory will never become dull or unclear.