#i especially need help cause I'm taking part of this exchange thing and it has a deadline 😭😭

[heartlyheavytohold]

My WIPs are collecting dust. Anyone know a good duster to help with that???

[thefrogdalorian]

Hello and welcome to my contribution to Dincember!

Following NaNoWriMo (which I used to complete a draft of a modern AU!Din x reader fic that I aim to start posting in January) I wanted to attempt another writing project to maintain my sanity during this festive period! I'm aiming to complete all 25 days but life can sometimes be unpredictable, especially at this time of year.

I really hope you enjoy my interpretations of each prompt and best of luck if you're also participating, can't wait to see what everyone creates. Thanks @dindjarindiaries for putting these prompts together, celebrating all things Din is a wonderful way to close out the year!

All my fics are GN!reader and I don't include physical descriptions. Nothing more mature than a bit of smooching either :)

Happy Dincember, tumblr!

Link to read on AO3 | Link to read in Chronological Order

Day 1 - Snow: After a busy few months, Din surprises you and Grogu with a well-earned retreat to a snowy paradise in the run up to Life Day. Snow-filled chaotic fun ensues!

Day 2 - Fire: During a trip to a peaceful cabin with Din and Grogu, you awake one morning and discover that Grogu is poorly. You and Din are extremely worried but after a visit from a healer and the warmth of the fire you light, his condition soon improves.

Day 3 - Gloves: As you sit watching Grogu play by the fire while holding hands with Din, you reflect on how a simple part of his body says so much about the complex man that you are so privileged to love. A simple pleasure that you would have been denied, if he had never removed his gloves.

Day 4 - Lights: You introduce Din to a favourite Life Day tradition of yours: hanging up lights. It's a tradition that he finds slightly bemusing but after a slight hiccup which is soon resolved, thanks to the abilities possessed by Grogu, the two of you set about making a cheesy new Life Day tradition all of your own.

Day 5 - Cold: After your favourite Mandalorian's latest assignment with the New Republic means that his return to your cabin is delayed, you head to bed, thoroughly miserable. But when Din finally arrives home the reunion does not go entirely smoothly, as you find yourself needing to warm him up, with adorable consequences.

Day 6 - Gifts: It's Life Day and time for you and Din exchange gifts. You love sharing in the joy of seeing others surprised with your gifts, but nothing surprises you more than the incredibly thoughtful gift Din gives to you.

Day 7 - Star: As you lie on Din's strong chest, looking at the stars and reflecting how grateful you are that your paths crossed, you discover once again, that the man with the fearsome reputation is incredibly soft underneath his hard Beskar shell.

Day 8 - Flame: A fire pit outside your little cabin on Nevarro has always been a dream of yours. So, when Din finally agrees to build one, you are delighted, especially when he secures your favourite sweet treats too. But it's Din's first time roasting candy on a campfire and things don't exactly go to plan...

Day 9 - Boots: Raising a Force-sensitive child is not an easy task, especially one as mischievous as Grogu. When the little guy decides to play a game of hide and seek without telling you and Din first, you find him in a place that you would never have expected.

Day 10 - Sweater: After his latest job with the New Republic takes him away from your home, you find yourself missing Din terribly. But, despite how sappy and lame as you feel for doing so, you find wearing his sweater brings you a great deal of comfort when you need it most.

Day 11 - Icicle: An innocent icicle causes Din to reminisce on a moment he shared with Grogu on the Razor Crest shortly after rescuing The Child from the Imps on Nevarro.

Day 12 - Warmth: After you find yourself caught up in a rainstorm that drenches you to the bone on the forest planet you call home, an unexpectedly kind Mandalorian helps you to get warm again.

Day 13 - Family: Din Djarin is a complex man, with many walls you have not yet successfully broken down. You have been slowly building a life with the man who has a traumatic past he has alluded to, but never discussed in detail. One night, Din wakes up from a nightmare and finally lets you in. You comfort him, reminding him of your love for him and how much he deserves his unlikely family.

Day 14 - Home: During a moment cuddling with Din underneath the festive lights in your cabin, Din confides in you what home means to him.

Day 15 - Candle: Despite planning a special evening to mark your final night in the cabin that you, Din and Grogu have enjoyed a relaxing vacation in, your plans are soon thwarted by an unexpected power cut. However, the sudden loss of light ends up having very romantic consequences.

Day 16 - Sweet: After a tiring day of yard work, you decide to introduce Din and Grogu to one of your favourite festive drinks: hot chocolate. Although the sweetness proves a little too much for one of your Clan.

Day 17 - Joy: Despite you and Din having plans to go to a special festive market with Grogu, you wake up feeling awful, as though all festive cheer has been sucked out of you. Fortunately, you have a loving and caring Mandalorian who helps you regain your joy.

Day 18 - Snowflake: As Din stands by the window, watching the snow fall outside your cabin in the mountain paradise he brought you to for a vacation, he reveals a hilarious memory of his first encounter with snow to you. One that you are keen not to let him forget in a hurry.

Day 19 - Coat: You and Din arrive for a vacation in a picturesque snowy mountain town. There's just one problem: you brought the wrong coat. You head into town in search of the perfect coat but after a long day of fruitless searching, fortunately you have an incredibly patient and attentive Mandalorian to help you through the shopping stress.

Day 20 - Celebration: To show Din how much he means to you, you decide to make a special gesture in celebration of him by cooking him a traditional Mandalorian feast. Despite having your heart set on a perfect evening, a certain green child has other ideas...

Day 21 - Love: Despite how much time you have been spending with Din and getting to know him, you are still none the wiser as to whether your feelings for him are reciprocated. But an impromptu night of stargazing leads to a confession that may just change everything for the two of you...

Day 22 - Cozy: When Grogu wakes up upset in the middle of the night, both you and Din are concerned for him. But getting cozy and cuddling with his Clan soon brightens the little boy's mood.

Day 23 - Frost: You and Din wake up one morning to discover the volcanic planet you call home has been plunged into a deep frost. You are awestruck by the gleaming ground and the icy crystals that cling to every surface. You and Din decide to head out for a walk with Grogu, who is fascinated by the way his favourite pond has frozen over.

Day 24 - Ice: The unseasonably weather on Nevarro causes a pond to freeze and thanks to a stroke of good luck, a passing vendor is able to offer the opportunity to skate on it. You expect that Din will be a natural, but things do not go entirely to plan.

Day 25 - Holiday Waking up before Din on Life Day gives you the opportunity to admire all the little details and features of the man you love so much.

[michimonie]

A year or two ago, I wrote up a few blurbs on a private Discord server about a Twisted Wonderland Looney Tunes AU.

It started off with Sylvester and Tweety, then ballooned out to other characters.

Since it started with Sylvester, I'm going to start with him:

(ignore the coffee steam, I fixed it in the actual Sly illustration, lol)

The general idea for him was the "delinquent with a heart of gold" trope. His backstory is that he lived above a bakery with his brothers and Granny. He's a cat beastman, Hector is a dog beastman, and Tweety is a human, but with great flying skills (on a broom).

Tweety (adorable tiny witch vibes with a yellow cloak) was a prodigal patisserie who made sweets and treats like none other. Tweety, Sylvester, and Hector are adopted brothers.

Hector (big dude, does a lot of heavy lifting work) is the eldest and is generally traveling for his work, but he visits from time to time and lectures Sly for being a menace to society.

After the bakery closes up for the day, Tweety likes to take the leftover treats and fly through town, making Sly chase him for a taste. Sly never gets any treats, though. Instead, he has to clean up the property damage he caused during the chase. The most famous treat they have is called a Canary Cake, and Sly has never tasted one before, but he is determined to make it happen.

During the night time, Sly, being part cat, tends to be up (3am zoomies) and occasionally stops robbers and delinquents from causing any trouble to the bakery (no one believes him, though).

Meanwhile, he spends the day finding every reason to not have to help out, but every reason to get some baked goods (which never pans out for him). Whenever the bakery needs decor, though, he goes all in. He doesn't like to show it, but he loves decorating and is really good at doing intricate designs.

WHEN HE GETS TO COLLEGE

Sly and Tweety both get in, but Tweety gets in at a later point. On his own, Sly has a hard time adjusting to his new situation and doesn't make too many friends.

When Tweety shows up, he has mixed feelings: "I thought I was the special one who got into the famous college!" "Of course HE gets in. He gets everything...." but also "Is he doing okay?" "If anyone bullies him, they'll have to go through me!"

There was a point where the two have to work together on a project and I can't remember the details, but Tom, Jerry, and Spike are exchange students and Sly decides to go ask how they make their project work. Side note: I do remember that Tom and Jerry were going to be mostly mute, but Spike talked a lot.

----------

BUGS, DAFFY, AND PORKY

Bugs and Daffy are "rich kids", BUT Bugs is very down to earth, while Daffy is the opposite. Porky, meanwhile, is a scholarship student who tutors them.

Bugs (casual, yet classy look, maybe illusion magic major because disguises and outfits?) is pretty good at his classes (especially for someone who rarely does his homework), and really, the only major thing holding him back is that he has a vibrant social life. He's got an account on TWs version of Instagram (forgot what it was called), and he's got a ton of followers, but he rarely (if ever) posts anything rude or thoughtless. He is generally pretty level headed, but can definitely have his moments of overwhelming emotion.

Daffy (fabulous, wears a white choker, and reluctantly follows school rules about clothing, but will take any opportunity to break out his fabulous wardrobe) is decent at his classes and shows a general interest in them, but he gets distracted easily and is quite honestly pissed that he's only got like 3 followers on TW Instagram. He's the type of student who might show up to class one day with a latte and an attitude. That being said, when he can really get into something, he can get together a perfect A+ project.

Porky (cozy and functional outfits, usually well prepared unless the situation relates to Bugs or daffy) is overall great at his classes, and he wouldn't mind tutoring... if it weren't his current buddies. He cares about them, but they can be a handful during study sessions. Tutoring is a part of his scholarship requirements, so he can't just back out. While generally level-headed, it doesn't take much from the other two to get him worked up (especially when they're late to tutoring). With his own work, he's very dedicated, but sometimes Bugs and Daffy see him overwhelmed and show him how to calm down and have fun every once in a while (I mean, there is a restaurant / lounge on campus).

EVERYONE ELSE

So, I had general ideas for other characters. But nothing too solid. A few problems I ran into were:

Should I genderswap the women? (Like in TW)

Is this going to remain a magic school or change to another one (acting?) because it's an AU?

Both of which locked me in a corner until I could make a decision.

In case I decided to use genderswapped Lola, I had an idea about her being a "golden retriever himbo", which included pieces of multiple versions of her.

For Petunia, I was thinking she could go to a different school, but nearby so she could visit often.

Melissa and Tina hadn't come up on my radar yet (this was years ago).

THOUGHTS WHILE TYPING THIS UP

Melissa would probably be one of those popular students who tends to look really cool on the outside. she probably comes from a long line of either exorcists or some kind of magic having to do with spirits or the undead (maybe necromancy?).

Tina would probably be one of those casually cool types that's just kind of vibing, but ends up doing accidentally cool looking things (or purposely). She's still figuring out what kind of magics she's into more.

I can see Wile and Road Runner having a sort of frenemy relationship where they are rivals. Wile would 100% be into magi-tech, while Road Runner would be more Savannaclaw and into a more physical approach. Wile would challenge Road Runner often, and would more often than not be his own downfall.

----------

Sorry for the thought spam. If you made it to the end then congratulations! If you skimmed, thank you for at least looking. If you just skipped to the end, thanks for considering, lol.

[yuseirra]

Onk spoilers*****

I had people contact me about 159 and GUYS...you have to trust this guy who Ai's loved with all her heart. Think about the songs...he doesn't regard his own life very high. He'd do ANYTHING, he'd lie with all his might, he's a liar... If that means he can bring her back. That's what he's trying to do and Aqua is there trying to prevent him from doing so.

Hehe more in the read more: I will have to see the actual chapter in full but here's what I think from what I picked up:

And it really DOES seem like.. Kamiki didn't play a part in Ai's murder. It REALLY was nino and ryosuke and they were the ones who collaborated. This means, Kamiki really could have just had the address slip out by pure mistake and that had a butterfly effect, making him feel guilty about everything. I honestly wouldn't take it any other way if I were to ship Ai and him together and I'd been drawing things all along with that as the basis. He's just like Aqua who's trapped in guilt for things he isn't so responsible for.

Yesterday I wrote a soft, tender and melancholic post as an analysis and what I picked up today (I honestly still have no clear idea of what the heck is going on lol, I could vaguely make out the words people tell me-I may be missing out BIG chunks and I NEED to see the facial expressions and stuff) made me burst out laughing, it's ridiculous and hilarious, even.. But it does make sense if it's this way.

The fact that Ai wants to HELP him and how Aqua mentions he has to HELP him now all connects so nicely together. I think there IS a reason why there were scenes where Kamiki called himself a liar as a child. He's still lying, but this time, as the bad guy who deserves to die because he doesn't want anyone to worry or care about him at all. He's really good at it in a meta sense, I bet people are going wild anticipating him as the true villian and the final boss but think about it, what is there for him to even lie about?? The lie, I think, is the fact that he told Aqua he's a psychopathic murderer who tried to scare Ai for having dumped him, leading to her death. He didn't do any of it, and only said those because he wanted to be avenged.. He can't forgive himself for having caused Ai to be attacked even if it's not really his fault. He doesn't want his children to feel bad about getting back at him for it. Aqua's saying he's insane for lying about stuff like this for this reason to his OWN SON.

Aqua should not approach Kamiki like this if he's the guy that's hurt Ai. He's weirdly lenient with him. And he says he's going to help him. You can't "help" a terrible murderer, especially the one that's killed your lovely mother.

As someone who's been drawing the hikaai ship w passion, I have a responsibility to grab kamiki by the collar and kick his butt really strong if he turns out to be a maniac 😊 no worries. But I don't think it's going to be that way, actually. He's lying in desperation because he's found Ai really loved him back; he can really cross lines now if it means she'll live. He wants to die in her place, that's what I'm guessing. He's really similar to aqua in some aspects. He's okay about being regarded as a terrible person as long as he can protect the ones he loves.

This is perfect in my opinion. If it goes in the direction I anticipate, it makes full sense. There must be some way to exchange a life for another. Kamiki wants to go through with it for Ai but Ai stops him with the help of her children even beyond death.

And you know what? I was beginning to think wait.. Did nino and ryosuke date? After the latest chapter but I didn' t write that because there was no solid basis but like, that turned out to be true,

I'm... Starting to get really confident about character analyses when it comes to this comic, everything escalates SO FAST and I can't predict what actions they take, but I feel like I can sense what kind of emotions they have when they do something.

So if this isn't it, I'll be. Then I'll actually feel more relaxed since I'll be able to watch without getting so attached to what they will be feeling, it'd be unpredictable for me and I'll just watch it for pure entertainment, there won't be any more analysis I make that will...be right.

I'll still be glad I've read this even if it ends up like that, though, it's made me think about a lot of things. I really come to love Ai so much as a character, and from what I see, everything will be as she wishes in the story of onk in the very end. I'd like to see it happen and I will root for it!

[deeptrashwitch]

A Haunting Past (part 13)

This is the last appearence of Aly (@alypink OC) and the WTF (@islandtarochips OCs) until the end of this serie! So thank you so much for letting me include your OCs here, queridas! They were so funny to write and made the story a lot more dinamic :3 LOVE YOU!!

Also, as usual, thanks and a shout out to my bestie @islandtarochips for being my beta reader. You're marvelous 💖💖

Taglist: @alypink @stuffireadandenjoy @snootlestheangel @islandtarochips @raresvtm

@piouswolf @midnight193 @mutantthedark @justasmolbard @welldonekhushi

@tapioca-milktea1978 @imagoddamnonionmason

Tw: This part has no triggers! So it's safe to read, enjoy it ^^

Alicia was sitting behind her desk, her mind once again going through all the possibilities about Artemis' death. With a long sigh she passed a hand down her face, bouncing her leg out of pure stress. As she leaned against her chair the silence became unbearable and again her thoughts went over and over everything. Especially William's cause of death.

Haloperidol. An antipsychotic used for many illnesses, two of them are schizophrenia and panic disorder. It only made her remember the last time she spoke with William, he told her about his diagnosis of severe panic disorder and it only made her wonder one thing. Who else knew? No matter how long she thought about it, there was no way William's wife or kids did that…then who?

Soon Wraith called her back to reality. It was time for the WTF, Aly and Lily to go back to their homes. In silence Alicia nodded and went to the yard with her sunglasses covering her tired eyes. She managed to smile a bit as she shook hands with Agnes, Nigel and Aelan, noticing that her team basically monopolized them to chat for a while before they headed towards the airport. Then she looked at Aly, Lily, Kanoa and Tiala as she tried to smile more when she noticed how they were already exchanging their goodbyes.

She hugged Aly first and poked Lily's cheek. "Thanks for everything, Aly. Come back whenever you have the chance to visit. My doors are always open for you and Lily."

"Maybe when everything is done, okay?" Aly said with a soft smile. "Take care, Licia, you're doing great."

"Thank you…"

After that the Humvee that came for Aly and Lily left Black Tomb. For a second she didn't move, then she went to speak with Tiala and Kanoa. She hugged Tiala tightly as she thanked her for coming to help.

"Don't thank me, that's part of our work." She said jokingly before leaning back as she gave the Captain a small and friendly smile. "Also, what are friends for? I'm happy we could help even for just a little bit."

Alicia smiled a bit. "You helped us more than you think. WAY more."

"Good to know, Licia. By the way, are you okay? You seem tired, more than usual."

"I'll be fine," Alicia said as she looked away, "don't worry, Tia, it's just…a memory."

Tiala looked at her worried. "I see. I hope you find some rest and peace soon."

"...I hope the same. I'll keep you informed if anything happens." 

"Yeah, thanks. Take care, seriously." 

Alicia nodded and then looked at Kanoa, who simply hugged her in silence. For a minute they stayed like that and Alicia didn't say anything as a tear ran down her face.

"Please, Licia…if anything happens…you can always call me or Tia." Kanoa said softly, tightening the hug.

"I will." She promised as she closed her eyes. "I just need time to sort this out but don't worry, I don't intend to give up on anything now."

"Lelei..."

Alicia scoffed and smiled sadly. "Sorry for worrying you, Noa."

"Don't say sorry. Just get well soon."

"I will, I promise."

Then they broke the hug and Alicia stared down as the two vehicles that transported the WTF also left the base. In silence, the smile on her face disappeared and her shoulders fell with tiredness. At the same time, Wraith impulsed herself off the wall she was leaning into and walked towards the tiring Captain.

"You can't keep doing this." Dominique said with a sigh. 

"If it's for the clash of interests-"

"It's not that. I see how tired you are. Since Brazil you've been going on without rest and being stress of all of this. This isn't helping."

"So what? You'll send me to medical leave as the Marines did?" Alicia asked bitter and rudely. "Am I that discardable?"

"Alicia…"

Then she sighed and put a hand over her face. "I'm sorry, I…"

"...Take a rest, at least two or three days. Go home."

"I guess it's for the best, huh?"

"For your health."

Alicia nodded and simply looked at where her team was. "Luke, you're in charge while I'm gone."

"Alicia? Are you going somewhere?" Luke asked, surprised as he looked at his Captain.

"I'll go home for a few days. Please keep the base running, yeah?" 

"Uh, yeah, sure." 

"Thanks, boy."

And like that Alicia left Black Tomb that same night towards her parents' ranch. Once there, she put on a good face as she hugged her mom and helped her dad inside his workshop. Trying to keep up with the jokes as she was thankful that her siblings weren't there. 

And once the night arrived. She found herself inside the same room she stayed in during that year she was out. 

She left the bag over the bed and in the middle of the silence and the darkness, she sighed heavily as the thoughts started again. However, this time she wasn't wondering about anything. Now she simply started to laugh in silence as she felt her blood boil and as soon she saw the damn badge of that operation. Something snapped. A deadly anger crossed her face in a second.

With a rageful scream, she threw down everything over her desk and her breathing became shallow. In the middle of her anger, she kicked her chair and broke a leg of it before throwing the stupid badge against the wall. She calmed down after a while and she stared at the disaster inside that room, just to feel disgust.

It was like those days when she was back from Angola. It felt like she was that version of herself that she tried to hide. The remains of the Guardian she once was.

"Oh God…what am I doing?" She whispered as she let herself collapse on the floor. 

In silence she hugged her knees while the silence took over again and the mess that was around her stayed still. She denied herself to break or even to admit what she really wanted. It wasn't the time and neither a good idea for her to do.

Days passed and Alicia received some little updates from Luke about Black Tomb but nothing big. She left her phone over her desk before going outside as she sat under a tree and closed her eyes with a long sigh. For a while she stayed like that before the sound of soft crunch on the grass caught her attention and it made her open her eyes. When she straightened up a bit, her eyes widened.

"Alejo?" She asked surprised.

He smiled sadly. "Hey amor. I hope I'm not late or arriving on a bad moment?" 

"No, I…was just taking a break from work, that's all." 

"Good to know."

He sat beside her and they didn't say a word for a moment.

"I assume you have an answer, right?" Alicia asked.

"Yeah."

"Y'know, I get it. I kinda know what you're gonna say and…I can't blame you. I'd leave too." Alicia said with her voice broken and almost on the verge of tears.

"I'm not leaving."

"What?" 

"My answer is still the same as I gave you once." He said as he gave her a soft expression before cupping her face. "No matter what you did or what you have done. I'll stay."

Alicia shook her head as she closed her eyes and cried in silence. "You…you don't even know what's going on inside my head. The kind of thoughts I have."

"I will stay anyway." 

"I might lose myself in all of this."

"I won't let you."

"There might be a point when I'll become a monster, y'know?"

Alejandro cleaned her tears gently. "You aren't a monster, I don't think you'll ever be. I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier…"

Alicia started to choke on a sob before hugging Alejandro as she rested her head against his chest. She started to cry. All the stress, the pain, the sadness and the fear she felt slowly started to bubble up as she cried. Meanwhile Alejandro just held her in silence, feeling impotence as he saw all the pain his lover had endured all this time. For a while they stayed in that position until Alicia ran out of tears and just looked at Alejandro with her red puffy eyes from crying.

"I'm quite curious about something." Alejandro asked cautiously.

Alicia sighed and smiled tiredly. "Is it about Firewall?" 

"More or less, I just need to understand how you came to that point." 

"Remember when we first broke up?" 

"I do. You had an offer and I assume it was for the 267."

She nodded calmly as she stared at the landscape. "As I became a Sergeant, I was offered a place inside the 267. I was really happy about that."

"Yeah, I bet you were really excited."

"Almost as much as you when you were accepted into the Los Vaqueros too."

"True, we were both really excited. It…feels like a long time ago."

"It was a long time ago." Alicia said with a tired chuckle.

Alejandro smiled softly. "...How was the 267?" 

"They…they were amazing. We were some of the best Marines across the US. At least in the continental US." She said with a sad tone of voice. "I arrived while Artemis was Captain and Deepwater was Lieutenant, they were good leaders."

"Artemis? Deepwater?" Alejandro asked confusingly. Since he never heard of those names before.

"William was Artemis, he got the nickname because of his aim. The bastard was a grumpy asshole and he made us train until we almost collapsed. He was…the one that encouraged me to volunteer for the Lanceros course, I mean, I had the idea but he gave me the last push, y'know?"

"He sounds like a good man."

"He was. And well, Oliver is Deepwater because of his apnea record. We met inside the 267 and we became friends soon enough. He has always been mysterious and cynical too, but always had a good joke or some snarky comment to make." Alicia said with a sad smile. "When he became Captain…he became a bit colder, but other than that, he was the same."

"Was? Like, in the past?" 

Alicia sighed and closed her eyes, leaning her back against the tree. "After Operation Firewall and the case Broken Statue, he blamed me for letting my people die. And honestly? For a while I agreed, and he became colder and more resented against me by the day."

"I see."

"He still is cold because of what happened, maybe also because William died and I wasn't there to even say goodbye."

Alejandro nodded and sighed softly. "Alicia, I just want to know something more."

"Shoot."

"If you find out who betrayed you, what will you do?"

"Honestly……I have no idea." Alicia admitted with a sigh, "For so much time I thought I'd feel AFRAID of ever knowing, but…"

"But?"

"I'm ANGRY…to a point I think I might be able to kill that person if I ever learn who it was. And yet, at the same time I feel like it wouldn't be the right thing to do."

"Would you forgive them?" 

"No, I'll never. But I don't think I'll kill them myself either. I have so much to lose."

Alejandro nodded in silence and simply hugged her gently, to which she just leaned against him with a sigh. Soon Andrea, Alicia's mom, poked her head outside of the house looking for Alicia.

"Oh, sorry if I interrupted." She said with a chuckle. "But your phone's ringing, Andina, seems urgent." 

Alicia frowned slightly. "Uh, did you see if the number was private or had a name, mom?" 

"It said Deepwater, does it ring a bell?”

“Actually, it does.” Alicia murmured confused, then looked at Alejandro. “Sorry cariño, you mind if I-?”

Alejandro nodded. “No worries, go ahead.”

Alicia smiled and kissed his forehead before heading inside. Once inside the house, she took her phone and frowned slightly at the number. She was quite confused seeing that it was Oliver, from all the people, who was calling her. Despite that, she answered.

“Hello?”

“Captain Marchant.” Oliver said, a bit irritated. “I assume you’re free right now?”

“Yes, sir.” She answered a bit tensely. “I’m on a little leave right now.”

“Good, I hope you have time to spare me and speak, Captain?”

Alicia was weirded out for the sudden request. “Sir…?”

Oliver sighed and his tone changed, to one that Alicia hadn’t heard in a long time. “Please, Alicia, we really need to speak. And this is as an old friend more than as your superior.”

“I’m not anywhere near Camp Lejeune.”

“That won’t be needed, I’m in Texas, in Arlington to be specific. Can we meet and get a drink?”

Alicia doubted for a second. “How long will you stay?”

“Two days more.”

“Let’s meet tomorrow.”

“Marvelous, we have a lot to discuss together. See you soon, Alicia, looking forward to it.” Oliver said kindly before hanging up the call.

When it finished, Alicia stayed there for a second with mixed feelings. On one hand, it was weird hearing Oliver being so civil and kind to her. But on the other hand, it just reminded her of the old days, the good ones. For a second she tried to understand what he would want to speak about, but…she really had no clue. She just needs to be patient and find out tomorrow.

[paradoxcase]

Gideon the Ninth audiobook, to the end of Part 3

I'm not as sure of Isaac's accent anymore. Sometimes it sounds kind of French, and other times it sounds like something completely different

Camilla says "Lady Septimus is too willing to believe in fairy stories, same as always" which is an interesting note about the real Dulcinea, but I think is actually not true of Cytherea at all

Corona seems very upset about not having a facility key during the scene where Palamedes reveals that there is only one of each key, or at least like she's had some terrible fight with Ianthe about it. The first time through it reads like she is mad that Ianthe got their key without telling her about it, but I think now that she probably doesn't want to pretend to be interested in the key, but Ianthe is insisting that she do so, maybe? Or maybe just that Ianthe seems to be operating in her own interests, and not actively trying to help Corona pretend to be a necromancer anymore. She offers Palamedes a lot material gain in exchange for keys, I'm not sure if this is an act or not

In Chapter 20, Cytherea was wondering why everyone was assuming the trial was meant to be competitive, and that people weren't meant to help each other. I think perhaps it really was meant to be a collaborative exercise - the OG Lyctors collaborated to come up with the process in the first place, they probably expected that later ones would also collaborate and share keys and information. Weirdly, Judith seems to have been right about this, too, but she also mistakenly assumed that everyone would consent to let her take control of everything

Gideon totally describes a wheel of cheese as if it were some strange food from Mars here

According to Palamedes, Harrow already knew there was only one key per challenge. But how did she know that? Palamedes went around and did all of the challenges, possibly multiple times, except for the avulsion one, but we know that Harrow didn't do any twice because Gideon would have been there for that. So how did she know or guess that?

If Teacher was working with Cytherea like I suspected earlier, he would have been convenient to help her get the bodies into the incinerator, especially if she really were in trouble or unable to get up/around after Harrow took Protesilaus apart. The question of who carted off Protesilaus' body was never answered, I don't think. Also, when they started dueling, Teacher just left, rather than trying to get them to stop

Isaac said that Jeannemary had found the dead body in the incinerator, but she's not a necromancer. So how would she have seen that before Isaac did?

Corona doesn't even pretend to examine the contents of the incinerator, Gideon decides this is because she feels she is above getting her hands dirty. Since a lot of necromancy is pretty dirty stuff, I wonder if she cultivated the appearance of that specifically so it wouldn't seem weird when she declined to do any necromancy? I don't think that's an actual part of her personality, based on how she is in Nona

Judith challenged Palamedes in response to Mayonnaise Uncle taking Cytherea's keys. Like, she obviously did pick on the person she thought had the weakest cavalier, but the thing that caused her to take action was Mayonnaise Uncle, and not anything that Palamedes did. I didn't actually remember that

I sort of wonder why Babs listened to Ianthe and not Corona when it came to the duel, both when Corona told him to fight in place of Camilla and Ianthe told him not to, and then later when Ianthe wanted him to challenge Camilla himself. I think it probably has to do with whatever fight they had and the fact that Ianthe was trying to prop up Corona's claim to being a necromancer here by claiming that they are trying to get Corona a facility key, while Corona was seemingly throwing that away, sort of like when she was practicing with a sword and Babs came to retrieve her? She seems to be wanting to break free of the need to pretend that starting from around this time, while Ianthe an Babs are pulling her back to it

Corona about Judith: "I'm not even slightly sad about pantsing her when we were 8", haha

Babs: "I should have stayed home and gotten married", Ianthe: "As if anyone was even offering" - sort of reminds me of Ianthe talking about how Babs dated a lot of people but always got cheated on in the Unwanted Guest

Harrow says to Palamedes "your necromancer is wounded" when they are talking about who should go into the facility and who should stay with Cytherea. Is this a mistake in the actual book, or just a mistake in the audiobook? I don't have the ebook on this operating system, so I can't check

When they're poking around in Sanitizer, Isaac says that a lot of bodies were burned there. I wonder if this was cleanup from the deaths of the 10 billion, or if that was just how they got rid of bodies back when Canaan House was occupied. It seems to have been occupied at some point, because Palamedes says that the one skeleton was born and died at Canaan House, and possibly that's where the other skeletons came from, also

I'm glad I'm not reading the audiobook for the first time here, because listening to the Fourth teens get murdered at like 1 AM would not have been good for my mental health. This is still the scariest part of all three books, for me, and it's more intense with the audiobook

[askthatoneanacondraikaiguy]

Do you have any headcanon about Kai?

I'm assuming you mean the show version of Kai and not Permanent Anacondrai Kai. And honestly not a whole lot of solid ones rn, but I do have enough to share here;

He definitely likes spice. That boy loves it when his food is spicy.

A little bit of projection; Kai is not good at emotional regulation when he's younger. Idk if I HC him with ADHD (which is what I have and is the biggest cause of my emotional disregulation) but the stuff he went through when he was young and the fact he wasn't really taught how to regulate his emotions would've resulted in that.

Wu giving him the opportunity to express his anger and other feelings in physical training was the healthiest outlet Kai had really ever been shown by someone else when he was young. Living with Zane and Cole also definitely helped.

I like the idea that Kai and Nya were supported by the village they grew up in. A lot of people like the headcanons that Kai had to work really hard to keep him and Nya housed and fed. While I do like those HCs, I personally like the idea that the village kind of collectively helped out, bringing the children meals or babysitting/teaching the kids. They probably didn't worry too hard about Kai and Nya covering the costs to keep their parents' shop or house around.

In my HC, Maya and Ray were important members of the community and their disappearance was concerning and upsetting. They were elemental masters and war heroes. They provided the village a sense of security just by being there along with providing weaponry. With them gone so suddenly and without explanation, that sense of security was gone.

There was a period where the entire village was waiting for them to come back somehow. None of them wanted to tell Kai and Nya their parents were never coming back. But Kai figured that out on his own as he grew older. Once Kai was old enough to do chore work but not man his dad's shop, the villagers would've offered to pay him for that, because Kai would've begun to feel like he needed to 'grow up' and be responsible. I personally follow my friend's HC that Kai was around 14 or 15 (Nya being around 12-13 and Jay being about 13; youngest of the Ninja before Lloyd) at the time of the pilots. He definitely worked really hard before becoming a ninja but I don't think he had, like, five jobs at the time to support them both. He likely did odd jobs around the village and then the blacksmith shop once he was tall enough to use the forge.

Kai didn't make as many friends in the village as he probably would have otherwise, because between the abandonment anxiety and grief that came from losing his parents so suddenly, taking care of his sister, and also being just generally more stand-offish because everyone treats him differently (not cruelly; just differently, and kids are very good at noticing those things), he just had a hard time developing new relationships on his own. Especially in the shadow left behind by his parents' disappearance.

He wanted Nya to enjoy being a kid and that meant he wasn't super willing to let her help him in the more dangerous part of the shop, which definitely annoyed her. Kai was well-meaning there, but he didn't exactly convey that super well to Nya all the time cause he was a young teenager and she was a 12 year old who wanted to be seen as just as capable as her older brother.

The above bit is definitely inspired by that one exchange in the pilot; "I can handle this myself!" "No, you can't, stupid!"

I have a little brother who's 14, but in my brain he's still 12, and I definitely HC that Kai sorta sees Nya the same way. Not that she's incapable, just that she's also baby and it's his responsibility to provide helpful life advice to her, which is kinda funny when she has shit more figured out than he does.

[wondereads]

Review of The Absinthe Underground by Jamie Pacton

Summary

Sybil and Esme are best friends, roommates, and maybe a little bit more. They are also poster thieves, though Esme only reluctantly plays lookout. One night, they are caught by Maeve, the owner of the Absinthe Underground, the premier nightclub in the 1920s-inspired city of Severon, and she offers them a deal; the funds to do anything they want with their lives in exchange for stealing the jewels of the Moonshadow Queen, Mab. And who could resist such an offer?

Plot 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Unfortunately, the plot of this book, while it boasts an intriguing presence and beautiful setting, is very rushed and never really takes the time to build tension. Throughout the book, Sybil and Esme must steal three items to then help them steal Mab's jewels. There's a lot of potential for each of these heists to be a clever, hair-raising scenes, but each of them lasts maybe five pages each. While Sybil is portrayed as a daredevil poster thief, she definitely doesn't have the skill set for these high security heists, and Esme absolutely doesn't. They get through these situations far too easily, and it causes the tension to fall flat.

The worlds of Severon and Fae are very aesthetically pleasing, and there's nothing really major excluded in terms of worldbuilding. However, there are some questions I just generally wish were answered, like some things concerning Sybil's family and what the actual power of the jewels is; if there is anything.

Characters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

The characters are definitely the saving grace of this story. Esme and Sybil have greatly distinctive personalities and pretty decent development. Esme in particular learns to stand up for herself, and their relationship, even just platonically, grows a lot. Despite the lack of plot tension, there is good romantic tension, and the romance is very cute. It was probably the most enjoyable part of the book for me.

There is also a good side romance and some good side characters, but I will say that there are some side characters that really aren't well developed. Their personalities are flat, and their motivations seem to be curated just for the main characters to have aid in their quest.

Writing Style 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I'd say the writing for this book is pretty average for a YA novel. The descriptions of Severon really hit that 1920s, art noveau aesthetic, and, like I mentioned, there are quite a few scenes with some good romantic tension. Unfortunately, there is a general issue with telling instead of showing, especially concerning the main characters' thought process. There are many times when the characters explicitly explain why they think something or their reasoning for doing something instead of trusting the reader to draw their own conclusions.

Also, as I discussed in the plot section, the pacing is way too fast in this book. I don't often say this about a book, but it needs an extra 100 pages or so. The story would benefit so much from being taken more slowly, getting more spread out, especially the individual heists.

Overall 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed by this book. It has a great premise, the aesthetics really come through, and it's got a cute sapphic romance. The execution falls short with just the lack of space for the story. Things happen far too quickly when there are many scenes that really need space to breathe. It affects the tension and doesn't give much room for the side characters to show their personalities. The writing tends to tell instead of show, which may contribute to the rushed nature of this book. This book could have been quite good, but it ends up being somewhat mediocre.

The Author

Jamie Pacton: American, also wrote The Vermilion Emporium and The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly

The Reviewer

Hi, I'm Rose, this is my blog, Wondereads, and I review, discuss, and recommend books! You can check out my pinned post for more info :)

[orbmanson7]

now here's a doozy ask— which side do you think logan would confide in first? or, do you even think that, by the end of sanders sides, logan will be able to fix his relationship with the sides completely?

So, you specifically asked who Logan would "confide in" first, which makes this a bit tough to answer, because I'm not fully convinced he would choose to willingly talk about what's bothering him before things get out of hand and the choice is no longer his to make. This is partly because things are clearly at a tipping point for him in the series, but also because it's more entertaining for there to be a big confrontation in an episode before anything gets resolved.

Most likely, I'm betting on Logan blowing up at Roman and/or Thomas directly, and the other demanding an explanation but Logan will be unable to properly vocalize his thoughts and feelings, so things won't go very well.

If Logan were calm and given the chance to speak to someone who may be willing to hear him out, he'd probably be able to at least somewhat articulate what's bothering him. While I would narrow down that kind of scenario to only happening with either Remus, Janus, or Virgil, I don't think Remus would bother with it outside of possibly causing the confrontation, and I'm unsure if Virgil is in a state to not be defensive throughout the conversation.

That mainly leaves Janus, but that doesn't seem like an exchange that would take place as part of an episode, more like a behind the scenes sort of thing that would be referenced in another episode at a later time. And since I said they'd likely want to make Logan say things in an episode, that brings us back to Virgil, so long as he's in the mood to listen.

That being said, I do think Logan speaking up for himself would be part of an episode. Especially since he needs to bring this up to all the sides and Thomas by this point, and if it were to happen after a particularly emotional outburst, he may also be expected to apologize and divulge something about why he said what he did or acted the way he did.

I also am unsure if Logan would want to be vulnerable around any of the other sides. The most likely candidate would be one he may think he's closest to, which is most likely Virgil, but like I said before, he may be too defensive right now to hear Logan out. But he has the best chance of understanding what Logan is dealing with and, depending on how Virgil is doing mentally himself, may be able to help him, either through putting names to emotions or offering what's helped in his own experiences. Virgil and Logan are also the only sides that marginally get along other than Patton and Roman that we've seen (though the latter are a bit on the rocks a bit at the moment, huh?).

To answer the second question - I have hope that improvements will be made by the time the series has ended, but I don't think everything will have been resolved. Maybe it will end in a way that we know they have the ability to work together with a decent balance between the sides, but there's still some hills to climb before things will be evenly remotely harmonious. We may not even get to see what that looks like, but I'm sure the sides can absolutely get along enough to handle further issues constructively by the end of the series.

[mklegends-smokescreen]

Mortal Kombat: The Requiem Mirror; Chapter 5: Frienemy small talk

Later that night, Siris sneaks out of her room, to some place in town to a fast food place to meet up with Robin, now with a casual outfit. She sits on the opposite side of his table, and they begin their little chat.

Siris: You waited here for me, Robin?

Robin: Yeah, and, just call me Nico, thats my name.

Billie: Billie. So, you wanted to see me?

Nico (Robin): Yeah, thought it'd be a nice change of scenery. Plus, after all that intense action and fighting, I figured a burger and fries might be a good way to unwind.

Billie (Siris): (Smiles) I can't argue with that. It's been a while since I've had something other than camp rations.

Nico: Yeah, I can imagine. So, Billie, that's a cool name. I've gotta admit, you had me fooled with the whole "Siris" thing.

Billie: (Laughs) Well, you weren't the only one with a secret identity. But hey, it's nice to finally meet you without all the chaos around us.

Nico: Agreed. I've been curious about you ever since that tournament. I mean, we make a pretty good team in a fight, but I feel like there's more to you than meets the eye.

Billie: (Raises an eyebrow) Really? And what's that supposed to mean?

Nico: (Grinning) Oh, come on, Billie. You're a mystery wrapped in an enigma. But in a good way. I've got a feeling you've got some interesting stories to share.

Billie: (Chuckles) Maybe I do. But don't think I'm the only one with secrets. I mean, "Red Robin" isn't exactly a straightforward name either.

Nico: (Nods) Fair point. Well, maybe we can share some of those secrets over burgers and fries.

Billie: Sounds like a plan. So, Nico, tell me more about yourself. What's your story?

And so, over fast food, Nico (Robin) and Billie (Siris) begin to exchange stories, getting to know each other better outside the chaos of their battles. Their friendship grows as they share their pasts, dreams, and hopes for the future.

Nico: Huh, I... don't know what else to say other than "damn, my squads boss took your hand after *you* broke into the Special Forces base?" 'Cause, even though its your fault, that is some messed up stuff.

Billie: (Nods) Yeah, I can't deny that it's a pretty crazy story. I mean, you're not exactly your average teenage vigilante either. But hey, life's full of unexpected twists, right?

Nico: (Smirks) That's true. I guess it's all part of the fun when you're involved in this whole world of martial arts, superpowers, and secret organizations.

Billie: (Laughs) Fun, huh? Yeah, I suppose it is in its own way. So, what's next for you, Nico? Got any plans?

Nico: Well, I'm still sorting things out. Maybe more hero work, but definitely some more time to relax. And I'm curious, Billie, what's on your agenda now?

Billie: (Pauses) I've got some things to take care of, but I think it's time for me to embrace my Black Dragon heritage in my own way. I'll do my best to honor what my parents and our clan stand for. And who knows, maybe I'll find some balance in all of this.

Nico: (Smiles) Balance is important, especially in our line of work. Just remember, you've got allies who've got your back. If you ever need help or just someone to chat with, I'm here.

Billie: Thanks, Nico. I appreciate that. And the feeling is mutual. We make a pretty good team in a fight, and I think we can be great friends too.

Nico: (Nods) Agreed. Here's to the future, Billie, and whatever adventures it may bring.

And so, Nico (Robin) and Billie (Siris) share their thoughts and plans for the future, forging a bond that goes beyond their past battles and secrets. Nico and Billie walk out and go their sepperate ways. While exchanging very mild insults on the way.

Nico: You want a rematch some other time?

Billie: Of course, fight ya later, ya Special Forces dog!

Nico: You too, you Black Draggin' scum. Whoops, tautology!

Nico and Billie part ways, their banter a testament to the unique friendship that has developed between them. As they go their separate paths, it's clear that their next encounter, whether in battle or a friendly spar, will be filled with the same spirit of competition and camaraderie. Billie sneaks back into her room, closing the window.

Billie: *Phew*,  I think no one noticed that I was gone.

Skarlet, standing at the door: Guess again.

Skarlet's sudden appearance takes Billie by surprise, and her heart skips a beat as she realizes she's been caught.

Skarlet: Sneaking out for a rendezvous, are we?

Billie: Mom, it's not what it looks like!

Skarlet: Spare me the excuses, young lady. We'll talk about this in the morning. For now, get some rest.

Billie reluctantly nods and climbs into bed, knowing that a discussion with her mother is inevitable.

Skarlet: And no more sneaking out, understood?

Billie: Understood, Mom.

With that, Skarlet kisses her daughters forehead and closes the door, leaving Billie to reflect on her eventful night and the conversation that awaits her in the morning.

meanwhile, a similar thing happens when Nico sneaks back into the Special Forces Headquarters. As Nico sneaks back into the Special Forces Headquarters, he knows he has to be careful not to get caught. However, luck is not on his side, and he's met with an unexpected encounter.

Sonya Blade, who is waiting in the hallway, arms crossed and a stern expression on her face, steps forward as she spots Nico.

Sonya: And where have you been, Robin?

Nico: Uh, just... out for some fresh air, General.

Sonya: Fresh air in the middle of the night, and without notifying anyone? I don't think so. You're going to have some explaining to do in the morning.

Nico: General Blade, I can explain...

Sonya: Save it for the debriefing. Get some rest, and we'll discuss this tomorrow.

Nico nods reluctantly, knowing that he'll have to face the consequences of his late-night snack with Billie. With that, he heads to his quarters, his mind racing with thoughts of the impending conversation. Nico and Billie carefully craft their excuses to hide the true nature of their late-night activities.

Nico explains to Commander Sonya Blade that he had been working on a secret mission for the Special Forces, involving undercover operations. He claims that he needed to meet a confidential informant who had information about a potential threat to Earthrealm. Sonya listens intently, her stern expression showing hints of understanding.

Billie, on the other hand, tells her mother, Skarlet, that she had trouble sleeping and decided to go for a late-night walk to clear her mind. She mentions that she went to a nearby fast food place and had a quiet meal by herself. Skarlet, although somewhat suspicious, decides not to press the matter further. Skarlet, realized that this was far from the truth, later checked on her daughter to see what she was really doing that night. Skarlet couldn't shake off her lingering suspicion about her daughter, Billie, and decided to investigate further. Late at night, when she believed Billie was fast asleep, Skarlet silently entered her daughter's room. As she looked around, she noticed an open window that had been left slightly ajar. It was clear that Billie had indeed left the room during the night. Skarlet grew increasingly concerned and puzzled by this discovery. Next, she checked Billie's personal belongings and found a piece of paper with a note written on it. The note mentioned a secret meeting at a fast food place and included the name "Nico." Skarlet's curiosity deepened, and she began to connect the dots. Quietly, Skarlet left Billie's room and decided to confront her daughter in the morning. She needed to get to the bottom of the situation and ensure Billie's safety. However, she also wanted to give her daughter a chance to explain herself and reveal any potential dangers she might be facing. The following morning, Skarlet sat down with Billie, her expression stern yet concerned.

Skarlet: Billie, I noticed something unusual last night. Can you explain where you really went and why you've been involved with this 'Nico' person?

Billie hesitated for a moment before deciding to be honest with her mother. She knew that keeping secrets would only lead to more problems, and she trusted her mother enough to share the truth.

Billie: I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to keep anything from you. Last night, I met up with Nico, who's actually a guy from the Special Forces. We just talked, and it wasn't anything dangerous. You see, I've been feeling a bit conflicted, especially with everything that's been happening lately.

Skarlet raised an eyebrow, still listening intently.

Billie: I wanted to get to know him better, to understand the other side, I guess. But it wasn't about betraying the Black Dragon. I would never do that. I just thought it might help me see things from different perspectives.

Skarlet nodded, understanding her daughter's curiosity and the need to explore her own identity.

Skarlet: I appreciate your honesty, Billie. It's important that you communicate with me. I can't protect you if I don't know what's going on. Just promise me you'll be careful and not put yourself in any dangerous situations.

Billie: I promise, Mom. I won't do anything that could jeopardize our family or the Black Dragon.

Skarlet: "Good. We'll always be there for you, but we also need to ensure your safety. Remember that you don't have to explore everything on your own. You have us to guide you."

Billie smiled, relieved to have shared her thoughts with her mother, and they both knew that their bond was stronger than ever.

[ilikepjo24]

Posting my Zucest headcannons cause there's no good reason as to why not! Part 2

Reminder: some take place during or after the search while in some others the comics never happened

(Comics didn't happen) After the end of the war Aang was devoted to close as many sounds as possible, one of them being the one in Azula's mind. He started visiting her and helping her heal. He sometimes dragged the rest if the Gaang along with him. They took their time but they all forgave Azula after realizing that she too was a victim and just a pawn in someone else's game. After all, the war made everyone do things that they aren't proud of. Azula slowly healed and learn to trust them and after she was released from the asylum, she stayed close to them. They're warmth, love, care and happiness fee her soul. They became really close friends and we're always exchanging letters when they weren't close. Azula especially favoured Aang since she sees him as the man who first reach out to her and saved her. And guess who didn't like this... Zuko. He knows it's not Aang's fault but he can't help but feel jealous of the young Avatar. He himself never visited Azula the way the rest of his friends did. He just couldn't do it. He felt partly responsible for his sister situation so instead of viewing those visits as a way to fix his mistakes, he thought it would be like satire to play helpful brother now that the damage was done (what a dum dum). Because of the lack of interactions, he and Azula weren't as close as she was with others. In fact, they walked on eggshells around each other and every single one of their rare and short interactions were extremely awkward. But Azula agreeing to leave the Fire Nation to travel with Aang? That's were he draws the line. "Trust me Zuko. Traveling around the world, getting to know how the other nations are like in times of peace and help heal the ones she hurt will do Azula good, I promise". That's what Aang had said. Well, that sounds like a lot of shit to Zuko. That little asshole is just trying to steal his sister away! And that little traitorous witch agreed with him and left! How dare his sister leave him?! But did you leave her too? An annoying voice in his head kept asking. When she trusted you, you lied to her left her to join her enemies. And when she needed you, you weren't there. Aang took care of her, so why shouldn't she follow him? Okay, the voice has a point, Zuko has to admit as much. But still, just because he's in the wrong doesn't mean he should be okay with the right thing happening. But Azula is a big girl now. She has her own life and makes her own decisions. He can't force her to stay. So he lets her go. He lets her go and he grows more and more miserable by the day, knowing that she's around other people. Other men who will try and will manage to win her heart. She's gone. And there's nothing he can do about it. She's gone. He couldn't be the person she'd want to stay with. She's gone. Maybe it's for the best. Maybe with time, he'll get over her. Maybe, in the future, he'll stop crying when he thinks of her. Maybe, at some point, his heart will stop beating faster when he learns she and Aang will visit. Maybe, one day, his breath won't hitch when he sees her. But that day, isn't today. Today, he opened his office door to see her waiting quietly for him. Today, their eyes met and sparks flew. Today, she looks at him and said "I left because I wanted to help heal those whom I hurt. But recently I realized that by doing so I only hurt more people. So now I'm here to help those people heal as well. I'm here for you, Zuzu. Are you ready to give this a shot?". For years, he's being in pain, alone and everything tasted bitter. But today, she's here and the pain is gone and she tastes so, so sweet.

[noveltyreads]

Seoulmates by Susan Lee Book Review

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

If you need a happiness boost, you have to read Seoulmates.

I absolutely devoured this book from start to finish. It was light, fluffy, absolutely readable and I found myself falling deeper and deeper in love with it with every page. It had everything I wanted: a summer romance, friends to lovers, angsty teenage main character and soft, actor love interest who honestly just needed a hug. This book has been on my to-watch list of 2022 and when I managed to get the ARC of it on NetGalley, I practically screamed in delight. 

Seoulmates follows main character Hannah whose boyfriend just broke up with her, claiming they have nothing in common. When Hannah's childhood best friend, and now up and coming K-Drama actor, Jacob Kim comes back from South Korea, Hannah uses his knowledge to aid her in getting Nate to be with her again. What Hannah leaves out of the equation is her developing feelings for Jacob as they uncover what really went wrong that caused a rift in their friendship previously. 

This book is told in two perspectives: Hannah's and Jacob's. I think this worked perfectly with the story and it allowed us to get further glimpses into their characters including their vulnerabilities and their desire, ultimately, to be loved. Hannah was trying to fit in with her American friends thinking that in order to do that, she needed to shut out the Korean part of her Korean-American identity. This in turn made Nate and his friends drift away from her, making the very thing Hannah was shunning out the thing that set her apart from the others. You could see the toll this took on Hannah and how underneath that angsty girl facade, there was a girl who just felt scared, sad and vulnerable. I could see how she just wanted to feel okay again and how she felt like in order to do that, she needed to prove herself worthy of Nate's affections. In the end, I'm glad she developed on her self-worth and self-esteem, realising that maybe things would never have worked out with him to begin with. 

Jacob on the other hand was seemingly living a dazzled life in South Korea but the truth was far from it. He was an actor in a popular new K-Drama show which just got renewed for a second season. After a PR disaster, his management tells him to take a holiday while they deal with the problem. Jacob and his mum and sister decide to head back to San Diego for the first time in years. While Jacob questions his future on a TV show with restrictive rules on what he can and can't do, he starts to feel a little bit stressed from the pressure his manager and co-star put on him, telling him he's not good enough at his job. Eager to take a break, Jacob tries getting as far away from the spotlight as possible with the company telling him not to bring any attention to himself. Jacob's internal struggle was with being good enough for other people and you could see this conflict between what he loved doing (acting) and the expectations others had on him to be up to par. 

I loved how both character's flaws were really shown in this book and I think that's why I found I could relate to the characters as much as I did. Hannah was angsty but you could see how much she cared especially with how she wanted to become an immunologist to help people with allergic reactions after seeing how it affected someone she knew. While she tried hiding it on the inside, you could see past the facade and I liked how the book dealt with breaking down those shields Hannah put up around herself. Jacob was slightly more transparent in my opinion, but I loved seeing how gentle he was with Hannah and his compassionate and warm nature. 

On top of the characterisation, I really liked the family dynamics between the Cho's and the Kim's. I love books with family at heart and great banter and it makes me so happy when said family dynamics also come with home-made food and cooking. This book made me hungry for Korean food so my recommendation is to have a few snacks on hand while reading this. 

All in all, this book made me happy, with cute, relatable characters and deep themes. Minus, the vomiting scene at the start, this book, to me, is close to five stars. 

ACTUAL RATING: 4.7 STARS 

[justmandika]

If your OCs have a story quest just like in Genshin or HSR

What would it be about and would it need more than 1 part or not?

// HI, it's so funny thing I don't really uhhh play wither of those??? But if they had little side quests, I could offer those. Since I imitate NPC behavior. I won't list them all, but I have a selective few at my hand. As for stories, I'm not that good at them, sorry.

Pearce Whittaker - Probably a gatherer of various exotic fruits and flowers. Multiple areas to explore for hidden items sooo... Probably 2 for fruits and flowers. Might give the player recipes for exchange.

Ebenezer Allard - A practitioner who is interested in science and medicine. I like to think if... for whatever reason as it may, he learns about various cases. Maybe something like finding specimen for him to subject on or to bring him samples to study via serum. Could be a guy who is willing to discount healing items if completed.

Amanda MacGurk - A lady who plays dirty. I like to think her quests demand you to interrogate / threaten any clients she finds scummy on her behalf. Probably only one part, but if you did manage to beat all of the diet bags in her local area, she MAY or may not help you in your cause as a fighter.

Cain Connors - My RPG OC! Now, I don't have much to say other than originally he is on his own mission to find his best friend Abelia. Buuut! If the player saved his best friend from some thugs and returned her safely to him. I think he'd be forever grateful. Maybe a part 2 where he asks for you to find my friends other RPG OCs within a specific time limit. He might give you something in return for rekindling his friendships.

Ignace Proloux - Honestly, just doing his work for him. He would probably give you a big payout despite himself being a lazy ass. Feels like later on, he has new objectives for players to revisit if they like. Think of him as a figurative bounty board.... or a bulletin board of job listing 😭🙏

ALU - Big fox demon. Now, normally, I'd say, taking over the world, BUT, I like to think if, in essence, the player can use spells and charms; Alu would like to them to impress him with their knowledge on the spells. (Especially if their upgradable). If you master all the spells and charms, he could give you the ability to summon him as a lil surprise easter egg.

// There's probably more ocs I haven't done, but these are the only ones bouncing around in my head right now. Hope this gives some sort of answer despite being half baked.

[housedeaubemarle]

By Way of an Apology: Part 2

A follow up to The Grand Hunt - the Losstarot lords and the Aubemarle twins go on a picnic.

Part 1 Part 3 Part 4

(Written with @escherstrange-ffxiv whose experience and grace are sheer gifts)

~*~

The carriage trots past the gates of Fallgourd Float after a quick inspection at the gate; once at the aetheryte the men hop off and unload the items to the side with Joshua paying the carriage driver and guard. He thinks perhaps they should save up for a carriage if the excursions become more frequent, besides it doesn't seem proper for a noble house to lack a carriage…

His thoughts are interrupted by Isillud shoving a hamper into his arms. "Find a spot while I make sure they have rooms in case we need to stay overnight," he orders while heading into the Bobbing Cork while slinging a violin case over his shoulder.

Hampered by the food hamper,  he scans the compound and sees a gazebo overlooking the river, which is where he heads to unpack. 

~*~

“It’s… it’s an inn.”

Remont stretches luxuriantly while his sister stares up at the flowing lines of the building and its soft green roofs. She would be more appreciative of its beauty and the wonder of it being right in the middle of a lake if something embarrassing has not just occurred to her.

“One of the best in the area,” he says easily. 

The staring does not abate, until she finally asks, “Rem, why did no one tell me the Bobbing Cork is an inn?” 

Remont blinks, not just at the distress in Oudine’s voice but also the look on her face. “Didn’t we say?”

“No! I thought it was just a, a glade in the woods with a stream of some kind!” She gestures frantically at the small hill of luggage that has been unloaded. “We could have brought so much less! The orchestrion could have stayed home!”

“Well, it’s not like we’re picnicking in the Bobbing Cork, so some of those things are still justified.”

Oudine puts one hand over her face. “They must think we’re absolute idiots, just foolish highborns with no sense of priorities.”

“I did try to dissuade you, in case you forgot,” says Remont with a grin. “You said we should bring entertainment-”

“Remont de Aubemarle, I swear to the Fury…!”

He dodges a lunge from his sister laughingly, dancing away from her irritated hands with all the  natural ease of a Twelve-given grace. He even has time to grab his bow and quiver, and jump away. “Time to help Joshua, I think!” he says, sprinting in the direction of the gazebo.

Oudine watches him go, vowing to make him pay somehow. Then she looks back at the bags and boxes. They seem to mock her with their shape, especially the fishing rods that stick conspicuously out.

“I’m going to snap them all in half,” she mutters, although she does the direct opposite by picking them up carefully and walking towards the gazebo as well. 

~*~

Joshua lays out the cutlery around the food on the portable table they'd brought for the occasion. Distant laughter and shouts cause him to look up at Remont twirling and skipping away from her smacks and jabs. The young man frowns, wondering what could have caused her consternation with him.

Two porters slump at the pile of luggage Isillud points to but perk up when he presses coin in their hands and a word in their ears. Satisfied that matters are seen to, he heads to the gazebo, unbuttoning the cuffs of his shirt. "They have two rooms available, I'll either cram in with you and Remont on the floor or find an alternative." Wil lifts off from his shoulder and takes his place at where Isillud sits, as if he too is a guest.

"Where's your violin?" Joshua asks.

Isillud points to the porter lugging the table orchestrion behind him. "They brought music so I stored mine."

Oudine is close by enough to hear this last exchange. A dismayed sound escapes her. “I'm so sorry. I foolishly assumed we might need more things than we really require,” she says, shooting a glower at Remont who seems to be trying to communicate telepathically with Wil. He keeps his fingers to himself though since the beak looks sharp and the eyes exceptionally intelligent. 

She looks back up at Isillud, her light grey eyes apologetic and appealing. “I'd very much like to hear you play today, if you'd be willing. Neither I nor Remont play any instrument, despite our mother's best efforts, so it's always nice to have someone around who does. I'd be happy to go retrieve it.” 

Remont glances at his sister's face, wearing a rare expression that makes her look far younger than her age, and smiles to himself. 

"Are you sure? The table orchestrion would certainly sound less lonely…very well then, I can't say no to an earnest request. No, I'll do it. I think I have an idea. Hold my seat, Wil." The crow caws once as Isillud jogs back to the inn and back out with his violin case, the crow hopping aside when he takes his seat. He whispers thanks to the crow while tickling its chin.

Joshua unpacks the food and spreads it over the table. "It's not your cook's food - it's nothing like, but ours are community centre regulars so it's certainly homemade. Some scoff at lowborn fare, but sometimes we just want something unpretentious." He stuffs a cockatrice meatball into his face with his fingers. "So how did you two pass the time in your youth?"

Oudine beams with pleasure at the return of the violin case and its owner, as she takes a little bit of everything within her reach and puts it on her plate. 

“Mr Ofanleitasyn has said before, quite wisely,” she says, after a delicious bite of salad, “true gourmet is not made by the plate it's served on, but the heart which makes it.” She grins. “And whoever made this put much love into it, I think. The dressing is wonderful.”

Remont is also munching appreciatively. “Agreed - if Dine and I don't fight over the urchin loaf, it'll be a wonder.”

Oudine snorts. “That's also how we spent our time as children: tussling over food when Mamma and Papa weren't looking.”

“You make it sound like we were barely fed,” says Remont with a laugh.

“Rem, you behaved as if we were barely fed,” returns his sister with a raised eyebrow. “Though there was a time when you weren't home enough to fight with me over pudding.”

Remont raises his own eyebrow at her, in mock-offence. “Really, sister? In front of our dear cousins?”

Oudine has taken a bite of loaf and just smiles as she chews.

Joshua nudges the bowl of morel salad towards Isillud. "I reminded them to make extra for you," he simply says, scooping a double helping of salad into his bowl. "Do you think you can take the urchin loaf?"

The other grey elezen eyes a loaf, picking at the base. "I haven't eaten seafood for a while." He takes a tiny bite from the corner, chewing so slowly his jaw moves only after a second, moving the piece between his cheeks. He takes a deep breath, two, before swallowing. Finally he nods and continues his dainty bites. "Thank you," he says, breaking off a chunk for Wil to peck at pleasure.

"I don't think we ever fought for food," Joshua muses, "I was a sickly child so my meals were brought to me."

Isillud adds, "Sometimes by me. After meals."

Oudine smiles at this show of brotherly affection. “I can’t imagine you being sickly at all, seeing you now. I’m glad you turned out so healthy.” 

Remont has taken notice of Isillud’s care in eating. A memory flickers suddenly of his cousin turning rather green at the sight of a steak. “Fish suits you better, Izzy? Remind me to have Cook bake a herring pie for you; it’s divine. Something about a secret seasoning, but he’ll probably take that to his grave.”  

Joshua nods. "I was sick when we left Ishgard, but my caretaker is a firm believer in fresh air and exercise so she put an axe in my hand and said it would make me better."

"She wasn't lying," Isillud shrugs, taking in a forkful of salad. "It seems I can still eat seafood, though I err on the side of caution. The herring pie does sound lovely, it would be an insult to not attempt."

"It would be a bigger insult if you threw up, Izzy."

"Maybe if I pick out the meat?"

"Maybe just ask for a vegetable pie."

Isillud sulks at the next forkful of salad. "Only if he uses the secret seasoning." 

Oudine looks over at Wil, who’s busy with his own portion of the loaf. “I’ve been meaning to compliment you on Wil's training, Isillud. He’s so intelligent, and he listens so well. I wish our Chocobos were half as tractable.” She shakes her head. “A lot of Marlstone’s resources go into helping our trainers find new ways to make their breaking-in easier and faster.”

Isillud stops chewing at Oudine's effusive praise of Wil, crow and man staring at each other briefly before laughing together. "Caw!"

"Hah! Wil came to me as you see him. He doesn't follow orders well-"

"Caw! Caw!" Wil pecks his master's sleeve.

"-but with careful phrasing it can be done." The crow is successfully mollified. "Tailfeather chocobos are wild but they do make for good stock and they obey once trained. I'm certain Remont will be able to talk them down eventually."

Remont chuckles merrily, swallows his mouthful of meatball, and replies, “I'm flattered, but no amount of sweet talk will convince a Rouncey not to stomp you into the ground if they're in an ornery mood. And after three years, I'm only just managing the chasing and roping part of the whole endeavour. No, the persistent training, I must leave to the professionals.” He points a fork playfully at Wil. “Should Marlstone invest in crow mail next, Dine? Could give the postal Moogles a run for their money with clever Postmaster Wil at the helm.”

Oudine laughs, not at the suggestion but at the look of intrigue the crow manages to give. Somehow Wil conveys every inch of having understood Remont, and manages to seem as if he’s considering the idea.

“Best to let that lie, brother dear. I think Master Wil is clever enough not to go looking for trouble when he needn't do so.” Then she pauses, the conversation rewinding itself in her head. She looks back at Joshua. “Pardon, I'm not sure I understood completely - she put an axe in your hand?”

Isillud and Wil seem to have a hushed conversation about the possibility of a courier business, "No Wil, you cannot transport explosives. No explosives whatsoever, you promised…" is the most audible line from Isillud's mouth which earns him an indignant, sulking crow pecking at a meatball scrap.

Joshua nods. "Aye, she swiped an axe from the Marauders' Guild in Limsa and said - I remember her words clearly - 'If you're gonna be mad then take it out on some rocks before you hurt yerself or worse, someone else.'" He gets the Ala Mhigan inflection and falsetto down pat. "I wasn't properly trained in it, I should consider properly taking up a new weapon."

While Remont grins at the aside Isillud is having with Wil, Oudine is wide-eyed, listening to apparently how Ala Mhigan parental figures deal with their wards. “Practical, if unconventional. And clearly effective,” she remarks after some thought. “My cousin's eldest son could have done more with that growing up, though he's matured into a more sensible young man, thank the gods.”

Remont snorts. “Just say Iseterre was sent straight from any one of the hells, Dine. We've certainly claimed as much.”

“He has improved tremendously, you know.”

“Yes but he can't change the fact he was still a young hellion for about 12 years.”

“Better than one who's been a hellion for 27 and counting.”

Remont snickers. “Touche. Joshua, your search for a new means of fighting is over. A flush hit like that must surely count for good instruction.”

Oudine resists the impulse to throw a spoonful of Sohm Al tart at him - it'd be a dreadful waste of food. “Is there something you're partial to?” She taps her finger against her chin thoughtfully. “Cousin Cevilia still has good connections with the Knights - it would be little trouble to seek private instruction for bladed weaponry. Or perhaps you'd like to try something entirely different?”

"Who's Iseterre?" He lops off the top of his Sohm Al tart. "I'm still mulling my options, on one hand I already know how to swing an axe, but it seems useful to learn to wield a rapier or a sword. Even my brothers know how to use a sword - albeit this brother's sword being a bit more exotic."

Remont, having just put a last chunk of morels in his mouth, instantly chokes on them. A second after, the hacking intensifies when Oudine's boot slams against his shin under the table.

He spins round in his seat, back to the Losstarots, coughing violently, though it suspiciously sounds like laughter at certain intervals. Oudine stands to slap her hand several times against his back, perhaps a touch more forcefully than is strictly needed.

“Goodness, Rem, are you alright?” She looks up at the brothers with a bright smile, one hand continuously whacking Remont's back. “Is there any tea or water?”

Remont is bent over double, coughing harder and even shaking a little. 

"Oh, the drinks!" The hamper rustles and clinks as Joshua rummages and pulls out several bottles of refreshing Coerthan spring water. "We're not going to drink from the lake as pristine as it looks, don't you worry." He pours a glass for Remont out of courtesy, then puts the bottle next to it. "Did I mention Izzy learned the way of the Hingan blade? They call it a katana."

Isillud looks up at the mention of his name. "An acquaintance offered to teach me, the training was brutal. He would wake me at 4 in the morning for breakfast, then a run along the beach, a hundred push ups…" He slumps. "Terrible times."

A strange sort of keening - very much like the whine of air escaping a non-sentient balloon - floats from Remont's direction. Oudine doesn't even bother with the glass, grabbing the bottle instead to hand to her hapless brother. The shaking has only gotten more pronounced since Isillud's elaboration of brutal training.

“Th, that's certainly a gruelling regimen,” says Oudine over Remont attempting to quell his sudden asthma attack with huge gulps of water. “A… kata-na, you say? You might be the only one in Ishgard carrying a Hingan weapon at this time. A friend of mine, Lord Martinet de Thierremont, specialises in imports from Doma and Hingashi, but I've not heard him mention weaponry per se. I'll introduce you next time we're all at the same party.”

Her brother contributes to the conversation with a soft hiccup and, unmistakably, a giggle.

Oudine's mind whirls a little before it lands on a relatively safe subject.

“Um, Iseterre is our cousin Margelyne's eldest son,  Baron Regnier de Vaillant's grandson. Our first cousin once removed, in short.” She smiles helplessly. “Suffice to say, Iseterre caused his parents much heartache as a boy, perhaps beyond the average child. He would come home daily, covered in cuts and bruises, wounds and gashes from fighting with others in the streets or at his academy. Other times, he’d pick fights with his brother or cousins, disrupting many gatherings for no real reason. A fine boy, but rash and unwilling to see the good in softer means.” 

Remont, having caught enough breath and regained some amount of control but strangely refusing to turn around, adds, “Hated people accusing him of being a soft highborn with no guts, cowering behind his grandfather. Thought talking things out and playing nice was the coward's way of escape.”

“He's long since grown out of it though,” says Oudine. “He's just turned twenty. You may have seen him around at some parties: a tall young man with bright blue eyes and dark hair. I'm told the latest debutantes are starting to set their caps for him, since being a pugilist has given him rather broad shoulders.”

“No swords then, exotic or otherwise,” says Remont, some mirth burbling in his voice.

Oudine side eyes him and just sighs, sitting back down. “That, I can't say for sure.” She takes a sip of water from the glass. “You don't wish to wield this kata-na as well, Joshua?”

"In Ishgard, perhaps," Isillud begins, "But I once fought a man who claimed to be from house Dzemael who also wielded a katana. Curious, indeed…Iseterre sounds like a fine young man, as is expected from your house.I take it he's also learning the advantages of diplomacy?"

Joshua shakes his head. "I'll let Izzy have the privilege of being the first samurai in the family." Isillud smiles softly at the comment, taking another bite of dessert. Whatever opinions he has on the weapon is safely hidden in him. "Do you have any recommendations, Oudine? I'd like to know what you and Remont think," he adds.

Remont has turned around by now, the hilarity finally dissipating into calmness. He still can’t look Isillud in the face lest he be set off again. “Iseterre is heir to House de Nillefrant, so yes, he’s learning he can’t punch his way through every social situation.” 

He tilts his head. “There’s no rule that says the head of a noble house cannot wield a greataxe, you know. Though a rapier would also strike fear into the hearts of those who dare challenge Joshua de Losstarot, a war axe or a halberd would achieve quite the same effect.”

Beside him, Oudine makes a mental note to inquire who in House Dzemael would be so familiar with Eastern weapons as to challenge Isillud to a duel. She looks at Joshua thoughtfully, taking in the curious eagerness of his expression, trying to weigh what she knows of him with the depth of what she doesn’t. 

“I wonder…” She hesitates a little, then continues, “I wonder if a greatsword would not suit you. I’m no expert in the matter, but it seems to me that your strength, and your forthrightness, might suit such a blade. You fight not from a distance, I think, but head-on, without fear.” She smiles. “Perhaps all you Losstarots do.”

Joshua frowns in distaste at the mention of the halberd, poking at his food as if he's wielding one. "Father was a dragoon before he married our mother; while it may seem like a way to carry on a legacy, I'd rather…not." 

There is no lashing out nor anger, simply a fast-sounding statement from a young man who tries so hard to inject life into his voice. Oudine’s suggestion does intrigue him, and the frown relaxes into a more thoughtful expression.

"A greatsword would be about the size of the axe you carry, at least you won't require extra strength to wield it," Isillud adds, now just holding his crow’s wings and letting it dance a little crow jig on his knees.

Joshua offers a small gracious smile to his cousin. "Thank you for the compliment, Oudine. It's not something I've considered, both the weapon of choice and…how you see us."

The food dwindling, Isillud looks to the lake. "Would you like to walk around, sit in the boat, fish? Or perhaps something else in mind?"

Oudine beams at Joshua, while Remont offers a bow in his direction, and an understanding smile. Then he rises to his feet and stretches. “Well, I for one am going to work off all this delicious food by ‘harassing the denizens of the river’. Anyone joining me?”

“I'll leave that to you, thank you,” says his sister, even as she laughs at the sight of a capering Wil. “I'd like to sit in the boat, enjoy the sun and dip my fingers. That water looks inviting.”

“That's also fishing in some ways.”

Oudine snorts. “My fingers aren't appetising to fish, I don't think. Here, help clear up first before you run off.” She stands, and picks up her empty plate to stack it atop Remont's. “What about you, Joshua, Iz- Isillud?”

Isillud takes Oudine's and Remont's plates from her to stack with his. "Joshua first called me Izzy when he couldn't pronounce my name when he was a child, and the name stuck." Wil flaps off to the water, eyeing for fish. 

"'Tis an affectionate nickname, nothing more." A simple statement with a gentle smile and a nod to Oudine subtly giving her permission to continue.

Then: "Remont used it too," as he takes the plates to the inn, possibly persuading the kitchen staff to clean the dishes.

Joshua looks to the boat, eager to be away from Oudine’s reaction. "I'm no fisher but I'll watch!"

There are exactly ten seconds of almost-silence, filled in by the sound of Remont snickering, sauntering down from the gazebo, accompanied by Joshua, quickly giving Oudine a wide berth.

A high pitched, ineffectual shriek, which follows Isillud up the path, shatters the quiet.

“I- you- I knew that! I already knew that! You didn't need to tell me, I already knew that Izzy you wretch!!”

Remont drops his fishing rods, convulsing in hilarity again before he can even reach the pier.

Isillud grins behind the stack of plates as he enters the inn. 

Joshua simply wishes he had drowned in Limsa's docks the year before so he didn't need to hear all this, picking up Remont's rods with a tired expression. "I hope you enjoyed him, at least."

Remont can barely breathe for laughing. Joshua's remark just sends him into another fit of hiccups and giggles. 

“C-cousin,” he eventually manages, tears rolling from his eyes. “G-gentlemen don't k-kiss and tell.”

"Clearly not all his lovers are gentlemen because some have seen fit to tell me what a great man he is." He hands Remont the rods after pulling him up.

By now, Oudine has left the gazebo, hurried along by incredulous embarrassment. She strides to the boat, stalks past Remont and Joshua and relieves her feelings with an exclamation of “Men!” without breaking her pace. 

"And that's just the ones who do each other," Joshua deadpans at Oudine, walking to her side to help her into the boat.

Her brother chokes on another laugh, following behind. The day is honestly going better than he'd hoped.

“Joshua, I beg you-” she takes his hand to steady herself as she climbs in, though what she's begging Joshua for is left unsaid. 

"I'm not sure if it'll fit the three of us, so I'm more than happy to sit here and watch you attempt to catch dinner," he says easily. 

Remont grins as he kneels at the end of the pier, undoing his pack, revealing bait and hooks. “Darling sister, you are twenty seven. I don't think these matters are exactly something you're ignorant of.”

“Remont, it isn’t ignorance I'm concerned with. Growing up with you was an education in things a seventy year old would blush at.”

“Very virginal seventy year old that would be-”

She instantly looks at Joshua. “He's yours, if you'd be so kind.”

Remont laughs. “Let's give the lady the boat for now, cousin, though we'd best keep it tied to the pier. Wouldn't want her floating away to escape our masculine humour.”

"I shan't," Joshua answers, waiting till she's inside the boat before letting go of her hand.

Oudine scoffs, scooting to the further end of the boat to enjoy the scenery. It does much to soothe ruffled feathers since it isn't long before she's removed her outer coat, and uncuffed her sleeves. Dangling her hand in the cool water, she closes her eyes, using her folded coat as a thin pillow. 

She can vaguely hear Isillud's tones return, and the cawing of Wil in the background; sometimes Remont or Joshua exclaims at the splashes of a fish fighting back futilely. 

Joshua sits at the pier watching Remont fish, sometimes offering advice to a man who has more experience than him. "Pull harder!" he shouts, cheering his cousin on when the battle intensifies.

All the sounds blend together as a gentle hum, in addition to the balmy breeze that rustles through the trees above her. Ishgard could never afford this, Oudine thinks with a contented sigh.

Seeing his brother and cousin embroiled in the intricacies of fishing, Isillud heads towards her. "Would you like to release the boat, Oudine? It would get you further away from Remont," he teases.

She doesn't open her eyes, utterly comfortable as she is under the sun, and laughs. “I'd say yes, but I have no idea how to row a boat properly. So unless you'll join me in here, no thank you.”

Behind them, there are groans of disappointment as a particularly strong fishy opponent manages to break the line, escaping with its life and Remont's bait. 

"If you are amenable to company of a questionable repute, I could take you around the lake for a round or two." His head cants slightly towards the groan; one whistle and Wil swoops over the surface, yanking the fish out of the water and onto the pier, one foot proudly on the flopping fish.

"Showoff," Joshua grumbles.

Remont, rather wide-eyed at this display of fishing prowess, looks at Wil, then at Isillud. For an instant, one could almost imagine a distinct charge in the air between them.

He covers his eyes with a hand. “Fury take you Izzy, why am I related to you?” The groan of disappointment is equal to the one earlier, now with an added side of frustration.

There's barely any time to react to this, as Isillud finds himself set upon by two unexpectedly insistent hands.

“Get in now,” says Oudine firmly.

Isillud doesn't get to answer as he's dragged into the boat with a tiny yelp; he blinks as his cousin – by some supernatural drive of embarrassment – quickly unties the boat from the pier and pushes off determinedly. 

Now thoroughly stuck in the boat, he doesn't have a choice but to entertain Oudine so he rolls up his sleeves revealing slender but toned arms from years of archery and training, and begins rowing.

"Does our tryst offend you, Oudine?" He asks, his voice even and calm as if asking her about her hobbies.

Oudine stares at him, processing both the question and the tone it's been asked in. Her mind is rather like her previously neat hair: in some disarray, with several strands having escaped with all her exertion. She thinks of almost every answer she might give.

Yet her cousin is here, inescapably thanks to her abrupt and rather impolite conduct, and he seems to be asking a genuine question. So honesty is due.

“Well…” she says, folding her knees in and hugging them. “No, Izzy. It doesn't. To be quite candid,” a blush begins to rise despite herself. “Rem could hardly do worse than a member of the rising House of Losstarot. And he has done worse – not in terms of status, you understand, but… personalities.”

She looks aside to the lake. “And you are distant cousins, as Rem always makes sure to tell me. It's just…” 

She sighs. “I don't think he is clear in what he seeks, and his… carelessness has cost people their hearts. I don't wish for him - or I - to lose you or Joshua over… over a rupture.” She glances at him, the blush still across her face. “Not when he's clearly fond of you.”

Isillud rows silently, eyes on obstacles while ears to Oudine's words. It takes a while for him to speak. 

"Remont suffers the same affliction as all nobles: When he wants for nothing, there is nothing he wants. Which is to say as long as he has no deep need nor yearning he will continue to drift." 

The only other sound is the sound of the oars lapping quietly over the water. "Loss is simply one way of reaching that point. Joshua knows what he wants because he has experienced losing it but he doesn't realise that isn't the only thing he wants." 

He smiles at his cousin. "I simply hope it happens sooner than later. Lifelong regret is a terrible affliction in one's old age."

Oudine takes in all he says quietly, watching those magnetic green eyes, and the turn of his mouth as he speaks. At the mention of loss, and the smile he gives her, there is an acute twinge in her chest.

She turns back out to the lake. “Perhaps you're right, about that… affliction. My brother has never sought headship of the house, nor has he really cared for the good word of the beau monde. If not for our father's passing, he might still be just another spoiled layabout in Ishgard.” She breathes in deeply, then exhales. “I can only be grateful he loves us enough to listen, and to do so much for us.”

There's a period of silence, of thinking, as the sounds of water lapping against the boat surround them. Then she asks, still looking at the waters. “What do you want, cousin, so as not to regret in old age?”

Isillud places the oars up and out of the water, looking at the scenery: Ahead, trees dotted with the first blooms of spring along the Twelveswood; above, a flock of birds cut through the blue sky. Below, something circles their boat once before finding it wholly uninteresting and moving on. A breeze ruffles his hair, his fingers picking at the hem of his black leather gloves. Green eyes search the area, ears listen to birdsong for an answer.

"...I see no reason to think so far ahead."

Melancholy flickers in his eyes when he looks at his hands; a blink and it's gone. "Would you like to stay the night? We could have the fish Remont catches for dinner."

Oudine, apparently mesmerised by the afternoon sunbeams playing on the surface of the lake, completely misses the flash of emotion.

She does however, turn round at the soft sadness in his first sentence, quickly smothered by the lightness of the second. 

There is no reason for her to probe, nor is there any courtesy in doing so - she too has things she keeps to her chest, for her own varied reasons. Isillud himself is already wearing what she privately deems his serenity mask - a face for times when nothing else but silence or distraction seems prudent. She recognises it, considering she has her own variant when she must be Viscount Aubemarle instead of merely Oudine.

Whatever future he isn’t thinking of, whatever years ahead he doesn’t wish to discuss, perhaps that can all wait. On a day as pleasant as this, on a lake as calm as this, and under the rays of a sun as soothing as this, maybe there is indeed no reason to think so far ahead. For now.

So, Oudine just tucks a stray lock behind one ear as the breeze sweeps again through their hair, and smiles warmly. “It seems it wasn’t entirely foolish to bring a change of clothing after all. Yes, I would love to, if only to hear your violin after dinner.” 

Isillud blinks. "You brought a change of clothing? Did you think we were going to roll in the m- never mind, pray forgive my impudence." He blushes at her anticipation. "I hope you don't mind that my playing isn't as refined as it should be. I don't have much time to practise.” 

She merely smiles and says, “Maybe we can even have your brother practise his dancing with Rem.”

“If Remont is a good dancer, it would help to teach Joshua some moves. They don't teach how to dance in the import-export business – simply scandalous." He begins rowing back to the pier, where Joshua waves to them.

"I hope you like fish, because that's all we'll be having for the next two days."

Isillud gets out first to moor the boat. "That won't be necessary, Joshua. We'll be eating it all tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Aye, we're staying overnight."

Remont’s eyebrows rise, immediately looking over to Oudine who’s stepping lightly out of the boat, her coat over one elbow. 

He puts a hand on one hip, grinning. “Whose idea was that?”

"I simply thought it would be a waste if we loaded back all the luggage after all the effort the porters took unloading them," Isillud teases with a slight chuckle. "Now that I know this is Oudine's first visit outside Ishgard, we must make it a bit more memorable than just a picnic." 

As Remont chuckles, Oudine comes over to inspect the various unlucky finned and scaled victims of his hunt, all gathered in a convenient basket. “Rem, if I’d known you’d be this enthusiastic about fishing, we should have just started a fishery in Limsa instead.” 

She looks up, shakes her head at his perspiration, and pulls out a handkerchief from her pocket to wipe his brow. “This place is lovelier than I imagined; it would be a shame not to stay longer if we can.” 

Remont meekly submits to this sisterly attention, even bending a little so she can reach up to mop up the sheen of sweat. “Always a man of ideas, our Izzy.”

Oudine smiles. “Yes, he is.”

He catches the expression, and the tone, and cocks his head slightly. “What did you chat about out there?”

She pockets the slightly damper handkerchief again. “Just getting to know each other.”

Remont meets her eyes and quirks a smile. “Is that so? Well then, that’s nice.” With that, he sets to packing up his reels and equipment.

Oudine looks to Joshua, her smile widening into a grin. “And after our dinner: dancing, dear cousin. Remont is a fine dancer, and with Izzy’s music, it should be quite fun.”

Joshua balks a little at the word 'dance'. "Dance? But there's only you? Must I dance with Remont? What steps would I learn?!"

Isillud puts his hand on his brother's shoulder and pushes him along. "The correct steps. Learn well; you don't know when the next opportunity is."

-

Onto Part 3

[goldfades]

★ RIZZLER P ─── PB⁵ (part one)

౨ৎ ─ summary | y/n is a youtuber and on the cancelled podcast, she reveals she has a crush on paige bueckers. this unfolds a series of events which ultimately ends with y/n at one of uconn's games. part two!!!!!

─ warnings | mention of vaping and white claws, lots of banter, also sm tana and brooke content its insane (cause im obsessed w them, what can i say?) nothing else!!!!!

⇨ missing out on updates? check out my wcbb masterlist!

"SO YOU'VE ALWAYS known that you were a little... fruity?" Tana's voice came out amused as she sipped on her White Claw, looking back at you.

Brooke's attention was on you as well as the girls exchanged looks before laughing. You sipped on your own White Claw as you thought about the question before nodding, a smirk on your face.

You pulled in the microphone before answering the question, "Yeah I guess so, like... when I was in middle school I really liked this girl and then I just kinda knew."

"Was that like, the earliest memory? Or..." Brooke asked as she drank her Alani, her attention centered around you.

"God, I actually believe I'm saying this on the podcast," You paused before letting out a small podcast. "No, my first crush was on Bella from Twilight."

"You're kidding!" Brooke giggled as all three of you laughed.

"I mean, I guess you knew she was gay when you first saw her. Your gay-dar is that great, huh?" Tana joked as she took another sip of her White Claw.

"Hey, my gay-dar is top-notch," you retorted with a grin, leaning back in the couch. "But seriously, it's funny how those little moments stick with you, right? Like, even before you fully understand what it all means."

Tana nodded, her expression turning more thoughtful. "Totally. I remember being drawn to certain things, certain people, and not fully getting why until later."

"It's like our subconscious knows before we do," Brooke added, taking another sip of her drink.

"Exactly!" you chimed in, feeling a sense of camaraderie in the conversation. "And then looking back, it all starts to make sense."

"So is your type still the cool, effortless girls or..." Tana raised her brow with a smirk as you laughed, feeling a blush on your face. She had to bring this up, especially because you'd began sending her 50 edits a day.

Brooke's eyes widen in surprise as she glanced back at you and Tana, an amused look in her eyes. She hummed as she sipped on her drinking, Tana took a hit of her vape as you sighed.

"Can't believe you brought that up," you mumbled into the mic as Tana bursted out laughing.

"Of course, I brought it up!" Tana exclaimed between laughs, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Bro, don't be shy it's the podcast. It stays between us, promise."

"Shut up, Tana," you mumbled as Brooke snickered. "Okay well my type has always been basketball girls. Like always, my first girlfriend played basketball but she didn't go D1. My second girlfriend did go D1 but she didn't make it into the WNBA,"

"Not you dissing your ex's," Tana laughed as you rolled your eyes, but couldn't help but chuckle along with them.

"Hey, I'm just stating facts here," you replied with a shrug. "But yeah, there's just something about basketball girls. Maybe it's the confidence, the athleticism, or the height, I don't know. It's just always been a thing for me."

Brooke nodded in understanding, her expression thoughtful. "I get that. There's a certain vibe they have, you know? Plus, there's nothing like watching them dominate on the court."

Tana grinned, taking another hit of her vape. "Well, looks like the fans have uncovered your type. Now we just need to find you the perfect basketball-playing, D1 and WNBA-bound girl. Oh wait,"

"She already did," Brooke grinned as she glanced toward you. You sent her a glare before she put her hands up in defense, "What! We need interesting topics."

"Bro, it's Paige Bueckers or whatever her name is," Tana spat out as you sent her a glare before throwing your head back in embarrassment. The girls laughed loudly as you resisted a smile before shaking your head.

"Yeah, yeah, so funny" you muttered, feeling your cheeks flush with embarrassment as Tana and Brooke continued to tease you mercilessly.

Tana shrugged, unfazed by your reaction. "Hey, you said it yourself, she's the perfect basketball-playing, D1, WNBA-bound girl, right?"

You couldn't argue with that logic, but you still couldn't help but feel a bit flustered by the teasing. "Yeah, but she's also, like, a superstar athlete. And like... she lives in Connecticut,"

Brooke chuckled, reaching over to pat your arm reassuringly. "Don't sell yourself short. You never know what could happen and pretty privilege is real, I'm sure Paige would fly out for you."

"I mean she followed you back on Instagram," Tana added as Brooke stifled a laugh, her eyes twinkling mischievously. You felt your embarrassment deepen at the reminder.

"Okay, okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves here," you interjected, feeling the heat rise in your cheeks at the mention of Paige's Instagram follow. "Just because she followed me back doesn't mean anything."

"Sure, sure, keep telling yourself that," Tana teased, a smirk playing on her lips.

You sighed, shaking your head in mock exasperation. "You two are relentless, you know that?"

"But that's what friends are for, right?" Brooke replied with a grin. "Paige if you're listening, Y/N's in desperate need of a girlfriend so-"

"Shut up, Brooke!" You groaned as Tana laughed loudly, her amusement evident in the way she doubled over.

"Hey, don't knock it till you try it," Brooke shot back, still grinning ear to ear. "You never know, Paige might be listening and thinking, 'Hmm, maybe I should slide into her DMs.'"

You rolled your eyes, feeling the heat rising in your cheeks. "Yeah, right. More like she's listening and thinking, 'Who are these weirdos talking about me on their podcast?'"

Tana finally composed herself enough to speak. "We're not weird, we're just... enthusiastic. Oh and hot,"

"Yeah, because that's definitely going to win Paige over," you quipped, a playful grin tugging at your lips despite your embarrassment.

"Oh abso-fucking-lutely, hello. Have you looked at yourself recently?" Tana gestured toward you with a smirk, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "I mean, who wouldn't want a piece of that?"

You couldn't help but laugh at her boldness, shaking your head in amusement. "Alright, alright, enough with the flattery. Let's get back on track before this podcast turns into a matchmaking show."

Brooke chimed in, her grin widening. "But wouldn't that be fun? We could be like the queer version of 'The Bachelor.'"

You laughed at the thought, but quickly shook your head as the whole room erupted in laughter. Brooke looked confused as she mumbled "what?", the whole room laughing.

"Nothing, you're just cute," you took a sip of the White Claw as you tried to stifle your laughter, feeling a warmth spreading through your cheeks.

──

"Damn, she is hot," Paige mumbled to herself as she scrolled through your instagram, zooming in on your pictures as she took you in. Ever since the episode was uploaded, TikTok made it a point to let Paige know that the Y/N L/N had a crush on her.

Now, she's heard of you before. You were close with those Triplets from Boston (she couldn't think of the name right now, something with an S) and best friends with Brooke because of your older sister. They'd both went to the U of A and were in the same sorority, and they became inseparable. You made your own YouTube videos and had a massive following which made Paige a teensy bit nervous.

That was before she looked at your Instagram, because holy cow were you gorgeous.

And apparently, KK and Ice were huge fans of you too, so they were fangirling. They'd sent her the podcast link as soon as it dropped and were freaking out, trying to play matchmaker between you and Paige (they needed tickets to the Cancelled live shows, and this was the easiest and cheapest way). They'd also managed to send her tons of edits of you, as well ─ she underestimated the power of edits until right now.

At first, Paige had brushed it off, thinking it was just another internet crush blown out of proportion. But now, as she found herself scrolling through your Instagram, she couldn't deny the flutter of excitement in her chest.

She paused on a picture of you smiling, your eyes crinkling at the corners, and couldn't help but feel drawn to you. There was something about your energy, your charisma, that seemed to leap off the screen and capture her attention.

Paige shut her phone as she bit her lip, thinking about her next course of action.

──

we ❤️ white claws

y/n | guys paige liked my story y/n | like the thirst trappy one

brooke | UR KIDDINGGGGG WHAT THE FUCK

tana | whatd we tell you 🥰 talking abt them on a podcast is the ultimate rizz

y/n | no im freaking outttt what the fuck y/n | what do i do

y/n | guys pls tell me im freaking out

tana | idk, text her?

brooke | yeah! y/n ur a cutie pie n she already made the first move, it's pretty a safe bet to say she likes u

tana | or at least thinks ur super sexy

y/n | im scared

tana | of what??? 😭😭😭 get yourself a white claw, and hit some blue razz and TEXT HERRRRR 😫

brooke | what she said !!!!!!

──

Paige skimmed through the comments as she laid back on her couch as Ice and KK talked about whatever topic they were on. Paige had been distracted this entire live and everyone could piece together why ─ anyone would be distracted if someone as popular as Y/N had a crush on them.

Lost in her thoughts, Paige barely noticed when Ice nudged her and asked if she was okay. She quickly snapped out of her daze, offering a distracted smile and nod before turning her attention back to her phone.

"P, the fans wanna know how you feel about the recent Cancelled episode." KK wiggled her eyebrows through the screen as Ice laughed.

"Bro, I know you were gonna bring that up," Paige said with a chuckle, shaking her head in amusement. They really wanted to go to one of the Cancelled live shows, huh?

"She's fine as hell, I think that's like... what I feel right now." Paige shrugged nonchalantly as she smirked, feigning indifference but unable to hide the hint of a smile playing on her lips.

Ice and KK erupted into laughter, clearly amused by Paige's candid response. "Whoa, straight to the point, I see," Ice joked, flashing a playful grin.

Paige couldn't help but laugh along with them, feeling a sense of lightness wash over her despite the nerves fluttering in her stomach. "Hey, I'm just being honest," she replied, trying to play it cool.

Ice leaned closer to the camera, his expression playful. "So, does this mean you're gonna slide into the DMs?"

Paige shrugged, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "Who knows? Maybe I already have."

"Rizzler P is back, whew," KK exclaimed, her excitement palpable even through the screen. "We're definitely getting those tickets to the show now, Ice."

Paige grinned at KK's enthusiasm, feeling a rush of excitement despite the nerves dancing in her stomach. "Hey, don't get too ahead of yourselves,"

"Already protective of your girl, P?" Ice teased as she raised her eyebrows, earning a laugh from KK.

"Bro, shut up," Paige mumbled as she shook her head, wetting her lips as she glanced up at the screen.

──

↳ eliana 🐬 here ya guys go... paige's got our girl cheesin :)

↳ make sure to check out my navigation or masterlist if you enjoyed! any interaction is greatly appreciated !

↳ thank you for reading all the way through, as always ♡

[enamouredfae]

♡ Pick a Card ♡

What you need to know in order to be ready for the love you so longingly seek!

This reading is looking at anything you might need to heal or grow into in order to enter future relationships as your higher self. I am not looking at your future, but simply trying to guide you towards your highest good in the field of love. Many of us have internalized certain perceptions of love that we must unlearn, or have lived through difficult moments which have closed us off or made experiencing love more difficult. If you are in a toxic relationship/situation, please do not take any messages that might seem to tell you to stay in it. With this reading, I will hopefully open you up to some introspection and hopefully growth. You may very well be attracted to multiple piles and that is ok! Read all that attract you and take what resonates. Each pile has three pieces of advice, so mixing and matching is invited!

This reading is for entertainment purposes only.

This is a timeless reading for the collective, therefore it is likely that some messages will not resonate with you. Please only take the messages that do! The messages that do not, are meant for somebody else. Remember that the future is never set in stone and that you possess free will! Love you! ♡

Pile 1

Charm: Knot

1. Yang

Yang tells me that you need to learn to become more proactive in love. You cannot wait around. You must act! You need to manifest your desires into the material world by doing. It's perfectly fine to do the first move, no matter what society deems "acceptable", it is even invited with this card.

23. Peace

Radical acceptance is necessary for inner peace and in this case for a higher love. You must first love yourself fully, light and shadow self, before loving someone else in the way that you both deserve! And you deserve radical acceptance, we are all flawed and intricate people! As long as we are willing to change and grow and put in the work, past mistakes can be atoned for.

38. To be fair

This card tells me that you need to learn to be more balanced in relationships. Are you giving more than the other parties? Are you giving less? We must be fair to both others and ourselves. When someone in the relationship gives more, they may feel underappreciated which can become unmotivating, but they can also overwhelm the other person. You must learn balance.

Pile 2

Charm: Cactus

7. To the sea (reversed)

"When fishermen cannot go to sea, they stay at home and repair their nets." This is a quote from the guidebook that I had to rewrite here because it encapsulates the advice perfectly. You probably long for love like fishermen long for the sea. This card is telling me that the problem isn't coming from you, but the external world. An idea that just popped up in my head is a queer teen living in a homophobic area or with homophobic parents, so it is likely that this could be your situation. If it is, I love you, please take care of yourself, love and better days will come, don't worry! But you must wait a while longer until the external world matches your vibration, perhaps you'll have to move, wait until you're safe to go out to the sea. Until then, go with the flow.

50. No place like home (reversed)

This card seems to work perfectly with the previous one, it reminds us that what is familiar isn't always the best, because it keeps us from growing. If you want change, you can't keep going to the same things/people that haven't worked before, it's counterintuitive. It is natural to go back to what's familiar, but try something new. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Choose unfamiliar.

34. A leg up (reversed)

You are carrying the burden of your world all alone. You probably don't feel safe sharing what you feel, or are very uncomfortable with vulnerability. To be honest with you, right before writing this part of the reading, I started tearing up, you are holding in so much hurt... You need to voice your struggles, being vulnerable is proof of immense strength, believe me! I know it's hard! Start little by little with someone you really trust!

Pile 3

Charm: Star

35. Loyal Heart

Ok if one pile is ready for the beginning of a relationship it's this one. It is the perfect time for you to create loyal commitments. It is possible that you are already in a committed relationship, but at the very least you are surrounded by loyal, devoted people. Don't forget to be devoted and loyal in return!

4. Higher Power (reversed)

This card is inviting you to trust in whatever divine power you believe in, trust that the universe is divinely guiding you and protecting you. I feel like if a certain religion or spiritual path attracts or fascinates you, you should start looking into it, careful with being disrespectful or appropriating it, especially with closed practices, please do your research! But connecting to Source would be beneficial to you in the long run!

25. Round and Round

You are stuck in a cycle that you must break. Do not worry, you shouldn't feel bad, it's all part of the learning process. Remember: you've been through this before, think back on how that made you feel the previous times, are you sure you want to go through that again? Breaking this cycle is a form of self-care, and you need to care for yourself! You are subconsciously punishing yourself by staying in this cycle, try thinking about the root of why you're doing so! It could help you in breaking it!

Pile 4

Charm: "Love"

8. The tribe

You may want to find your tribe, or you have recently found it. You might feel like you finally belong, or are longing for that feeling. Whenever I get this card, I think of the astrology/witchcraft/tarot community here! It may be the same for you! You are welcome here, and hopefully, you feel like you belong! Contributing to any community that you are passionate about, whether online or in real life, will bring you great joy and satisfaction. Your tribe awaits and needs you! It's possible that that's where you'll find love as well!

6. Not for you (reversed)

Let them go. Whoever you first thought of, it's time to stop obsessing over them. "Don't chase after what flees you." I'm sure you realize this is not serving you, but how do you stop? This card is suggesting radical acceptance and surrender, that this is a sign that someone or something much better is waiting for you. I suggest reminding yourself that they aren't perfect and that you have just come to idealize them.

52. Mending (reversed)

You are very likely going through a grieving period right now. There is so much hurt and disappointment. "Heartbreak is a strange healer of souls." It may feel awful now, but trust that when you look back one day, you will see that the hurt you're feeling now, transformed you in a powerful way. This card is inviting you to accept the heartbreak and push through it, situations like this open us up to seeing the world in a new way, to growing. Better days are coming!

Pile 5

Charm: Angel

28. Building blocks (reversed)

Are you acting according to your belief system? Are you following the advice you give others? You must look carefully at your core foundation. It seems to me that you have done a lot of inner growth, but are still stuck in your old ways. Your outer self isn't matching your inner self. Start doing what you preach!

47. Go the distance

I feel like you're someone that wants love right now! For it to come fast and smoothly, like a sprint. You must learn to see love more realistically, as a long-distance race of endurance. You may be the type to immediately run at the sight of a problem. You must learn to be dedicated and work in love, it won't always be the idealized version you keep reading about or watching. Love demands work!

32. Here and Now (reversed)

You live in the past, don't you? So much regret and nostalgia... Or perhaps you live in the future? Daydreams and ambition. There is a need to learn to live in the here and now, you cannot change the past, and the future is infinite. They're both elusive, and unreliable; now is tangible, real, and full of immediate possibilities.

Pile 6

Charm: Mars Symbol

22. Blessed

This beautiful card talks about an unexpected and "unearned" wonderful event, that seems like divine intervention, a gift from the universe. The advice I take from this card is to practice gratitude because you seem to be blessed in the love department. Perhaps you already know who "the one" is for you. If you don't, trust that the universe has someone wonderful for you!

31. Why?

Ask yourself why you feel as you do about/in love? It is time for some introspection. You need to think and identify unhealthy patterns in your love life. Why do you act as you do in a relationship? Identify what in your past has caused this behavior. It won't solve the problem right away, but it's a good first step. Understanding the problem will be validating.

27. Exchanging gifts (reversed)

"Be careful what you pray for because you might just get it." You need to be ready for the energy exchange that will happen if this happens. This card talks about an imbalance between giving and receiving. You must learn that if you receive a lot, you must return a lot, love needs to be balanced. If you give more, you aren't actually in control, the other party could be consciously or unconsciously taking advantage of your generosity!

Pile 7

Charm: Eternally Open Heart Locket

17. The Fates

You must learn to accept that there are things and people you simply cannot control and change. You cannot blame yourself for things beyond your control, nor can you blame others for things they cannot control. Just be wise enough to tell the difference between things one can control and things one cannot!! If you have a tendency to mold people into your ideal, making them lose their essence, you must learn to accept people for who they are. It is not your job to change them: the desire to change must come from them, for them.

15. Message in a bottle

Try asking for specific signs from the universe, or start becoming more aware of them. Synchronicities are all around you, they're the way that the universe confirms that you're on the right path! Listen carefully to those you communicate with, they could be delivering a cledon to you. This card itself is a good sign, a favorable answer to the question occupying your mind.

9. Treasure Island

You might've already, but if you haven't, MANIFEST YOUR LOVE!! You will be greatly rewarded when you embrace the law of attraction and your intuition. Depending on your belief in how manifestation works, try being mindful of free will! If you believe that love spells on specific people are influencing their free will, then it is immoral to manifest a specific person. If you don't believe that that is how manifestation works, do as you will, just be in line with your beliefs! This card is also a great sign, you're on the right path, and have good fortune on your side. Very lucky pile!!

Pile 8

Charm: Boot

2. Yin (reversed)

You must learn to receive, only being the giver isn't good for you. You deserve to receive! Be open to embodying yin and yang equally. "You stop the flow of abundance when you constantly insist upon being the giver." Be the listener, the one that learns, the one that is being led.

33. Chaos and Conflict

You may be afraid of chaos and conflict, but you must remember that they can rid you of what's no longer serving you. Conflict also implies two sides, remember that yours isn't the only one, and conflict can lead to mutual understanding. Learn to put up boundaries, but also to respect those of others. When you finally see the potential of healing that conflict can cause, you'll be ready for mature communication in relationships.

20. Imagine

Remember that you can create what you imagine! Your imagination is powerful in manifesting your desires, but it can't do everything for you! Manifestation is work, when an opportunity arises, act! This card can also be a sign that the person you're manifesting will be entering your life soon. When they appear, don't just wait, and daydream! The imagination part of manifesting is done, now it's time to act.

Pile 9

Charm: Knife

21. Clean it up

It's time to let go and declutter your mind. Think about what is no longer serving you, about the things that only overwhelm you, and make you overthink, they aren't good for you. It might also help you to declutter in general, your house, your closet, your phone, your feed, etc. Make room for the new and the better.

48. Poised (reversed)

Think carefully, are you really ready for love right now? Because this card is telling me that you aren't. It's ok to be a "late bloomer", and it's important to be ready for love, as to not hurt the one you love, and yourself. Being single isn't a sign of "failure", it gives you the time and space to focus on yourself, on your growth, on your healing, on exploring and understanding yourself. Being single can seem like a curse, but it's a blessing, it's what you need right now.

16. All that glitters

Are you being yourself in love? Are they? Don't succumb to the power of superficiality. Either let go of the mask or look beyond theirs! "Imagine that all the glitter is gone. Would you still desire the object or person?" If one falls for the glitter, what will happen on the day they forgets to glue it on?

Thank you for reading! Love you all.♡

You can buy me a coffee if you feel called to do so! This is never necessary, but always appreciated! ♡