#i hope all of my ramblings are vague enough because i am not tagging that. sorry.

[dragonowlie]

It's called tears of the kingdom because I live in a kingdom and I am in tears

[cranberrymoons]

that old black magic

prompt: magic au (@steddieholidaydrabbles) word count: 1,000 rated: t tags: fortune telling, witch/appalachian eddie, post-season 2

welcome to Day 20 (!!!) of the fic advent calendar – bite-sized fics posting every day during the month of december. enjoy!

The cards don’t actually do anything.

See, he waves his hand around and says some fancy words over some very old looking cards with very old looking art on them, and people assume that’s where the magic is – and the cards are old! And so is the art! But they just don’t actually do anything.

No, the magic sits in him. It always has. That’s always been the secret.

His mother had it, and his grandmother before her and her father before that and on and on, all the way back as far as the eye can see, right up the family tree to that one person at the top who made a deal with something in the woods one night, something as old as the hills themselves, that lurks behind trees and makes offers to desperate passing travelers.

But all that was hundreds of years before Eddie’s time. 

These days, there are psychics on TV and people who do tarot readings in over-perfumed salons while they sit on a throne made of cheap velvet and clatter around with their bracelets and bangles and shawls. There are people who read palms and sell incense and run little bookshops that sell mass-produced spellbooks. Crystals and incense and moon charts, the whole world awash in fake magic. All of it, all of it, noise.

But Eddie’s one of the rare real ones. He doesn’t exactly go around advertising it, but give him a set of cards and enough money? Sure, he’ll do a little fake fortune telling for you, maybe even give you a real answer or two, nudge something in the right direction so you feel like you got your money’s worth.

All that to say, the first time Steve Harrington finds him after class, one day right before winter break, and takes a furtive look over his shoulder, Eddie’s fully prepared to do the usual song and dance.

“Um, hey man,” Steve says in a low voice. “I heard you uh –” He clears his throat, shuts his eyes like he can’t actually look at Eddie as he says it. “That you can sort of see the future? Or tell people what’s going to happen or whatever.”

He opens his eyes, and Eddie studies him for a moment, raising his eyebrows. 

“Yeah,” he says after a moment. “And?”

Steve makes a face, hitching his bag higher on his shoulder. “There’s some really weird shit going on,” he says, gesturing vaguely over his shoulder. “It’s kind of hard to explain but basically… there’s something that I really hope is over, and I don’t know how I’m supposed to ask or whatever but –” He lets out a breath. “Is it actually over?”

“Harrington, that’s –” Eddie shakes his head, running a hand back through his hair. “So fucking vague. How the fuck am I supposed to know?”

“Okay, just –” Steve lets out a breath. “If you could like… I don’t know, just give it a general look, see if I’m…”

As he continues rambling, Eddie tunes him out in favor of flipping through his timeline like a mental rolodex, just to see what he’s working with. Just to see what he can spin out of King Steve’s future, but –

“What the hell did you do?” he asks abruptly, cutting across Steve halfway through blabbering about something to do with someone named Justin or Dustin or – “There shouldn’t be blank spots, Harrington. Why do you have blank spots?”

Steve blinks at him. “I –” He frowns. “Blank spots?”

“Past and future, you’ve got these weird –” Eddie flaps a hand around in the air, lost for words, because – “Blank spots. I’ve never seen that before.”

Steve’s face goes blank with surprise. “Wait, like… you can actually see my future?” he asks. “Like right now, you’re seeing it? What are you seeing?”

“I’m… just –” 

Eddie shakes his head, shuts his eyes to block out the feedback loop his brain seems to be caught in, because alongside the blank spots – and there are blank spots; what the fuck – he keeps seeing himself standing with Steve, which must be his brain trying to fill in the weird gaps? 

Maybe? 

How the fuck is he supposed to know? He’s never seen anything like this before.

“Did something happen around Halloween?” he asks finally, letting out a sharp, frustrated breath. “That’s where the first gap is, and then the next one is in like… a year or two from now? It’s kind of hard to tell.”

Steve’s expression drops, and his shoulders slump. 

“The tunnels,” he says. “That’s – Halloween. I was in the tunnels at Halloween.” He says this as if it explains anything, but Eddie honestly feels twice as lost as he was thirty seconds ago. “So it’s going to happen again, then.”

Eddie makes a face, sort of aiming for – sympathetic? That seems like what Steve needs right now, probably.

“If it’s any consolation, you’re going to survive.” He shrugs. “There’s stuff after, a long life. I keep –” He takes a breath, considering not saying the rest, but Steve is going to ask for more details if he doesn’t. “I can’t really see a ton of it, because I think the blank spots are messing with me. I keep seeing myself there in your future stuff, but I’m sure my brain’s just filling in the gaps. It’s not like –”

“Like you’re part of my future.”

“Right,” Eddie says. He laughs. “Yeah, that would be –”

“Yeah.” Steve lets out a relieved little breath, and – sure. Fair enough. “Anyway, um – thanks, man. This is… not exactly good news, but I feel a little better, you know?”

“Yeah,” Eddie echoes. “Uh– anytime.”

Steve starts like he’s just remembered, and he reaches into his back pocket for his wallet. “How much do I–”

“No, just–” Eddie shakes his head. “No charge. Just get home safe, okay?”

Steve nods, smiling a little. “Yeah, okay. Thanks.”

[also on ao3]

[demon-of-the-ancient-world]

barely comprehensible ramblings under the cut, also spoilers for dune messiah

Figuring out in my head (with close to zero knowledge about nuclear physics & i'm too scared to research it because it scares me, your girl couldn't even watch Oppenheimer ok) how the stone burner in Dune Messiah works/what the hell it is. This likely will not make any actual sense, science side of tumblr please don't eat me.

What we actually know about it. 1) it's a weapon "powered by atomics" (what?) that is somehow barely legal within the in-universe laws surrounding atomic weapons 2) it "emits J-rays" (wikipedia did not elaborate) 3) it has just enough power to fuck up eye tissue of anyone in the vicinity but not enough to destroy skin, bones etc. The explosion itself like, levels an entire block of buildings though so there's that. Also, if "given too much fuel" it can also destroy an entire planet?

What we/I can infer from Dune: Messiah. 1) It's portable and at least somewhat concealable, or else the Tleilaxu not checking spelling on that i'm tired wouldn't have been able to sneak it into the city correct? 2) there are different "settings" or at least different fueling levels that can alter the level of destruction

What I'm not at all clear on: 1)what it actually looks like?? I have zero idea what I'm supposed to be picturing 2) how it's activated. Is it like a firework where someone's gotta run in and light it and then back the fuck away? is it remote controlled? is it a missile? no clue 3) similarly just...how it works?? clearly there's some kind of nuclear reaction going on but there seem to be suggestions that something external is going on too...once again I know Nothing about atomic weapons in our own world let alone this fictional sci-fi one but. it feels like it doesn't make a lot of sense ya know.

And honestly...it doesn't matter that much? I joke but I really don't mind that it's this sort of weird mysterious thing that isn't fully explained in the text. But I remain a very visual person, and it bugs me that I don't know what I'm supposed to be imagining. Also, I wonder how the hell they're going to depict it in the third film, assuming they do so, because while being deliberately vague about a piece of Weird technology can work in a book...in a visual medium that's a lot trickier.

(I've more recently wondered if Denis won't actually have a stone burner be a thing at all...while I'm convinced that, no matter how far from the book they might stray, they'll stick with Paul going blind, I almost wonder if they'll have it happen in a way that's similar but easier to explain just to get rid of the uncertainty around the tech?? Though I hope not bc I want to see what he comes up with)

So my conceptulization of it in my head as I was reading it, was like. Not something that probably makes any sense but I thought it was a cool visual and so tried to rationalize it??

I imagined something of a cross between a firework and a gas camping stove. Bear with me. I pictured something sort of tube-like in shape and a couple feet tall that houses...something radioactive. The "J rays" are the radiation that's released prior to the explosion itself and are somehow "inactive"/somewhat benign to begin with. Then then some kind of "spark" is set off remotely, and ignites at the top of the "radiation bubble", causing a chain reaction of ignition that "activates" the bubble and causes an explosion that remains within the specific radius and also causes the radiation to become dangerous.

So we have the hissing sound of the radiation "leaking" before the explosion, followed by the visual of the ignition spark rising slowly into the air and then sort of exploding downwards. Sort of like a weird firework. I am aware this is not at all how atomic weapons work.

@fuckyeahisawthat coming back to tag u in whatever the hell this is...

[dana-chan-the-control-brain]

Thanks for your response. I was the anon who ended the ask with 'the fandom can suck it'. When I saw that anon who you and twinanimatronics had assumed to be the one that keeps you know starting shit with you, I really hated that they labeled us as shipbrain or whatever they said. I am aroace who finds comfort in shipping characters and that doesn't make me any less aroace. Can't people like them just let us have this, let us share it and stop taping our mouths? God. We are not even hurting anyone. I posted a solarxmoon and solarxearth mini comic thing yesterday and behold, I believe that same anon found it and is looking adamantly through the solarxmoon and even solarxearth because I didn't use the tsams tag for my comic. I took the comic down fast and turned off anon messages so quick because God that anon was quick to leave nasty messages, six in total and that was panic attack inducing. I'm sorry for rambling about this. I don't know anyone else who got that same anon on their back. It looks like they are persistent for lack of better term and it annoys me+scares me. Can't even share things I like about here anymore. Hoping solarxmoon becomes canon so that anon can shut up already

If Solar Moon became canon, they don't even need to change anything.

The actors don't even need to pretend to kiss or be romanically involved at all.

It's literally as simple as "Oh yeah, we were dating for months, anyway..."

OH AND... FUCK THAT ANON. I know the user you are talking about, I think there's around two or three of them... and it seems like they're dead set on hunting down people who use that Solarmoon or Solar x Moon tag.

Going into popular users in the tsams fandom that I personally don't know... and spreading bad lies and rumors about me.

Like, they typically try to keep it as vague as possible, like "oh I am not talking about dana-chan-the-control-brain specifically....." but they often steal the exact wording and turn of phrase I use.

Cause I have an overly wordy way of talking on the internet.

I've always been this way since I was 15, so I feel my style of speaking is pretty overly wordy, rambly and long compared to most people just because I don't have a lot to share with my opinions with in real life. And I also misspell things a lot cus spellcheck has gotten worse since it became AI trained and it doesn't help my dyslexia.

But how sad is that? That someone is searching out the tag for a ship that they don't like, claim that "it's everywhere" and I'm "poisoning the fanbase" when I'm just.... here... playing with my own dolls, doing my own thing.... and not bothering anyone... Not even putting the ship in the tags publicly because I have Such respect and love for the silly little youtube show, who also plays with fnaf characters like they're dolls.

(just saying.. "bio-organic" and interdimensional travel did NOT come from fnaf I can tell you that much. )

And yeah, if they're really stumbling across Solarmoon or these ships on accident.......Blacklist the tags and move on? Don't come to my messages... Don't harass my friends...

And don't harass other people I DON'T EVEN KNOW because someone just said "hehe but what if they kissed" on the internet?

Like blocklist the tag, and move on.

I know the blocklisting tagging system sucks sometimes, so maybe it's picking up "Solar" like in that case? Just scroll super fast and don't look at it?

And yeah. You don't deserve those nasty messages sent your way at all!

Oh, and if you feel brave enough to reupload your art to tumblr and DM me, I will gladly reblog it here. <3

[rebouks]

Okay! Time to spill the tea, except it's not really tea, it's more like lukewarm juice aka my future plans and some more ramblings.. ahem ⚆_⚆

First of all, I wanna say just how much I enjoyed creating Somnium. It all started during lockdown... I found myself working from home full-time, I had the perfect excuse to be the homebody I was born to be, I had a lot of time on my hands, and once I found simblr I couldn't resist joining in. It didn't take too long before I decided to hop on the storytelling train and before I knew it, I had a new hobby! Except.. that hobby kinda consumed me. I didn't even know where it was going to begin with, but the more involved I got, the more obsessed I became. Hyperfixations amirite?

The point being.. I think I spent a little too much time on Somnium, which left me little time for much else and I don't want to fall down that hole again. In the future I'd like to challenge my perfectionism! What does that mean? Well, it means not making poses for every scene, it means not being restricted by a complicated overarching plot that requires forced filler scenes and timelines and needs to make sense, it means less dialogue, or gasp! no dialogue at all, it means not getting hung up on continuity with editing and g-shade and font style and blah blah etc etc. I'd even like to incorporate some gameplay too, since I miss just.. playing now n' then.

I want the freedom to think of something silly, or weird, or completely off topic and to be able to run with it instead of being bound by a plot that needs to progress. Am I making sense? I hope I'm making sense. Basically, I'm calling this next venture a "story not story" because rather than it having one large plot, it's going to be more like clusters of subplots with some gameplay, weirdness or silliness in between...

Forever In Between will kick off around about two years after the events of Somnium. Mostly focused on Oscar and his family, we'll join them on the journey of life as Robin and his siblings grow up in the Bay.

We'll also spend some time with other favourites too like Noah n' co. Salton, Ivan & Bruno, Suzie, Miya & [redacted] and Matilda, among others! Maybe we'll even see what Wyatt's up to at some point 👀 As we all know, life isn't always sunshine and rainbows, but Forever In Between (or fib for short) will be a lot less heavy, though hopefully no less interesting!

Obviously, I don't have any set plans but I have a few specific scenes and ideas in mind already, as well as some vague subplots planned for most, if not all of the main characters from Somnium.

Also! Although Oscar is very much still a main character, he'll be sharing the spotlight with Robin too, as I have a lot in mind for that special lil' guy.. tehe!

So, what's next?! I want to make a lil promo before I start and then I've gotta.. y'know, actually start working on it. I have the first few scenes in mind but then we're wingin' it baby! The best plan is no plan and all that... I'm being kind to myself though, so idk when we'll start, real soon though!

I've already given everyone makeovers and gotten a few of the main builds out of the way, enough for me to get started at least, and I'd like to make a new navigation/pinned post too.

I wanna be more organised as well, so story posts will be tagged as "forever in between" & "fib" and bloopers, extras, builds, cas pics etc etc. will be tagged as "fib" & "fib extras"!

Okay.. I think that's it. See you soon! 👋

[unmellowyellowfellow]

writer tag game!! <3

tagged by @at-thezenith !!! thank you i loved these questions

1. what was the first piece of writing you did where you thought "wow I'd love to be a writer"? i wrote a silly lil fanfic about my favorite bass player and had more fun doing that than any other hobby i've ever had, and then i started to read pretty avidly to help me escape my reality and that made me finally decide to write; because i wanted to help others escape their own reality.

2. how do you gather inspiration for your works? (pinterest boards, writing prompts, etc) usually either from pinterest or dialogue prompts! but sometimes the right song on the radio will also inspire something:)

3. what genre is easiest to write? what's the hardest? why? fantasy is by far the easiest to me. you can create anything you want for whatever reason you want no matter how historically accurate or downright silly. i think that romance is the hardest to write (personally) because it is really hard to be able to convey a person being in love in words; the feeling exceeds words. also my relationships in the past were all VERY toxic so i keep a lot of my stories platonic so i don't project into my writing lol (which is fine to do! i just don't want to write and relive all my relationship trauma. maybe one day)

4. what does a typical day of writing look like for you? a LOT of pinterest, lots of music, i clean my entire house because i can't write in a dirty environment; i get all stressed about cleaning. i can usually push out 3,000 words per writing session in a pretty quick fashion because i work best without preparedness and just spit whatever comes out of my brain instead.

5. free space! ramble about a character you've most enjoyed writing about. i think that emilio is my current favorite to write about and build around. he is my first diverse character to put up front, and i am loving it. i am doing as much research as i can to be as accurate as possible. i haven't done someone diverse in lots of detail before because i've always felt very uneducated and did not want to risk being offensive or inconsiderate. i do feel like i've grown in my writing enough now though:) he's super goofy and very strong willed and needs to be protected because he is precious to me.

6. if you could pick the brains of one author, who would you pick and why? CATHERYNNE M. VALENTE. her writing is my BIGGEST inspiration. i love her details and her characters (Saturday from tgwcf is my BABY). i was just telling my fiancé last night that i would sell my kidneys to go to a writing class if she offered one. that woman is a god

7. what's one writing tip that has stuck in your head? my answer is pretty vague but LEARN TO WRITE LIKE YOU. writing rules are cool and all but they are made to be broken. there are books out there, BESTSELLERS, with run on sentences that go on for pages. people publish with millions of commas or semicolons. do not let the writing "rules" hold you back. your story deserves to be told the way you want to tell it!!

this is SUPERRR OPEN TAG!! but (no pressure) i'd love to tag @avi-why @anonymousfoz @leisoree @moonlitinks and @daisywords !!!!

here are your questions!!

1. spill. who is your favorite author, and why? and what book is your favorite of theirs?

2. which book have you read that you dislike the most? why?

3. which wip (current or past) is your absolute favorite that you've written/are writing?

4. have you written a series? if no, would you ever consider it?

5. what do you hope your readers will take away from your wips?

6. would you allow a movie adaption of your wip?

7. brag about your current wip!! :) (if no current, brag about your favorite one you've ever done! or both hehe)

[coffeedrgn87]

Chaos Potato 🥔 Scrap Art

I haven’t done this in a while, a long while, actually. It was long overdue, though. Both, the process of making a piece of mad art with only a vague idea of which direction I wanted it to go, and the reminder itself.

So, here I am with a visual reminder to help me drink more water. My shopping list, which I bluetacked to the kitchen cabinet no longer reminds me what’s missing in my fridge (only everything, I might as well unplug that darn thing and save on electricity charges!), but does a splendid job of reminding me to take my meds. When I actually look at it. :) I jest, I do remember and the note helps, especially when my schedule changes. I also forgot my badge for work once and promptly stuck a note above my living room light switch to remember. Honestly, you could argue I am getting forgetful, but really, being at work without a badge is a pain and not taking my meds is unhealthy.

I am rambling. All of the above (bar the photo) had very little to do with today’s piece of artwork. I initially filmed it to perhaps create a TikTok but CapCut drove me nuts, so it’ll be a basic photo post (because I’m an 80s dragon and impatience is a thing!). So, here’s my very colourful reminder to drink more water. I obviously had to add some silly statements (they’re very true though!) and a theme that is colourful and thus entirely unrelated to the topic at hand. Not that it matters, the message is there and it’s bold and sort of bright (listen, all the colours make up for the writing being in black and I will accept no other explanation!).

I’m not sure if I nailed the statement on colourful language just yet but the note on stupidity is definitely true. Naturally, I’ve added cats, dragons, wolves, and books because all those are distractions that stop me from drinking enough water. And, just so you know it, the bats are trans and again, I will not be argued with.

Dad Jules @julcheninred , as always, you’re getting an honorary tag. I do hope the avalanche of colours isn’t too much of an eye sore! <3 Hey, look, an old school heart! :))

[obsidianmage3]

I posted 2,437 times in 2022

That's 1,864 more posts than 2021!

35 posts created (1%)

2,402 posts reblogged (99%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@darkmoon-dolt

@lyrslair

@theoscelosaurus

@handageddon

@alientoastt

I tagged 1,709 of my posts in 2022

Only 30% of my posts had no tags

#fave - 383 posts

#pokemon - 205 posts

#tma - 138 posts

#absolute fave - 125 posts

#the mechanisms - 120 posts

#shitpost supreme - 103 posts

#queue who? - 85 posts

#undertale - 72 posts

#to do - 46 posts

#comfort - 46 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#i feel it's important to note that ancient greece is solely because my middle school lit teacher had the percy jackson books in her library

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Idk if anyone even cares but here's my thoughts on the Gen 9 starters!

First off: they’re all really lovely designs, yes even Quaxly. Kudos to the artists! I’m in love with these beans!

Fuecoco: I’m a huge fan of 'mons that are creatures disguised as objects. Applin definitely comes to mind with this guy, and that’s my only complaint- why is the Fire-type 'mon based off an apple?

...actually hold on. hear me out here- doesn’t he look kinda like a chili pepper? That makes a lot more sense, I’d have to look up kinds of peppers but that might be the basis! Ok going off of that, he’s a Very Good Lad and I can’t wait to see the fiery alligator he evolves into :D

Sprigatito: Words do not express how much I adore this cat. Yes yes yes I know we have like 2 dozen cat 'mons already and i do not care

I am mostly indifferent to the quadripedal/bipedal debate, vaguely hoping the final evo will be quadripedal but I’m 90% sure they're gonna be bipedal. Not getting my hopes up.

Anyways I mostly just want 'em to have a flower theme going on, hopefully the national flower of either Spain or Portugal since that's where people think the region is based! I just think that the nice green of Sprigatito would mesh amazingly with either red carnations or with lavender ok

Quaxly: Ohohohoho. I am aware a few people don’t like how this guy looks so much like Ducklett but I for one love this little dude. He is *vibing*. Also I have *thoughts* about the final evo possibilities so strap in folks

ok so he’s a sailor duck right? And I'm thinking and thinking about what he could evolve into, maybe a swan of some kind? what’s a sailor thing that meshes with that for a name? Wait hold on what about boatswains

So I'd absolutely adore this guy to become something along the lines of Boatswan. A swan-like 'mon, with a sailor hat and probably coat, complete with a boatswain's call. I just think that would be SO neat! ....i may draw that when I’m off work

ok enough rambling byeeee

7 notes - Posted February 28, 2022

#4

I’m really out here drawing in this pose rn i

8 notes - Posted November 14, 2022

#3

SPIDWR IN MY BED

SPIDER

ON M YFACE

I AM NOT OK

9 notes - Posted June 29, 2022

#2

I think this sums up my life choices atm pretty well

9 notes - Posted May 12, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Listen even if it’s the end of the day, it’s a valid sentiment. Happy Single's Awareness Day to all us aros

20 notes - Posted February 14, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[atlasifyllm]

This or That: Writer Edition!!!

open tag from @kudzucataclysm ! open tag for yall too bc i just wanted to ramble with this akjbfgksd

historical or futuristic

I tend to focus either a changed version of our era or the future, ORR just completely rewrite history with batshit insane worldbuilding. As for SUL I really like the mix between futuristic and fantasy elements, like RWBY or Lego Monkie Kid; but I don't really tend to go past the 2000s millenia for my stories lmao

2. the opening chapter or closing chapter

Whenever I have a story I feel like I have a vague plot and only the Point B. Openings are SUPER hard because you have to make sure you hook the reader with the most basic, not-developed-yet versions of the characters. Even harder in trying to study pilot episodes as an animation major @_@.

Fun fact, SUL's ending scene has been the same since 2017!

3. light & fluffy or dark & gritty

I really like exploring darker topics; it'd be a real challenge for me to make something 90% wholesome. However I always want some form of happy ending despite all the darkness. Even looking at the Winter Boys, Cobalt gets his arm cut off, Ventus loses his girlfriend and gets used by his former gang members, and Nix... Nix goes through a lot akjbgsdkgsd, but all of them still find happiness in the end

4. animal companion or found family

Found family! The struggle with animal companions is simply just, not forgetting that they exist lmao. Especially as someone who tends to just do normal dog/cat animals, none of the animal companions are sentient enough to carry themselves. My main stories (SUL, ETSS, AuAg) all have elements of found family :] bc at least I can explore the emotional range of a human more than my dog lmao

5. horror or romance

im a huge wuss ngl KBSGJKSGS all of my pure horror concepts tend to get fueled into Last Light because of how much of a wuss i am JBSKGJS. Even though I chose romance I never tend to make it the MAIN focus of a story; CoRi in SUL you see the middle point, fallout, and (hopefully) getting back together, though the main point of SUL would be exploring the trust issues between ALL Paladins and not just the ones romantically involved. Venpris is technically a side piece in AuAg's general crime plot (as tender and intimate as they are), and ofc ETSS has space-apple wars to wage in between all the LuxNex fluff

6. hard or soft magic system

I need a hard system bc Im too stupid to make a soft one JKBFGSKJGD

I guess for SUL actual "magic" tends to be pretty soft since it's implied witchcraft is something gods have gifted to mortals BUT in all fairness I'm still plotting the witchcraft elements of SUL

For actual elemental powers I'm still constantly adding rules and this or that for SUL characters simply because it feels more organized and thus more organized for me to put into a plot lol

7. standalone or series

Seriessss I grew up with MLP multiple seasons, Yugioh + Yugioh GX multiple seasons,,, heck also RWBY and Lego Monkie Kid multiple seasons. I dont tend to get SUPER attached to specific movies, especially standalones, so my brain just sorta automatically tries to write stuff as if they're multiple season projects. ETSS and SUL have the most obvious season-by-season plots, though AuAg so far I'm not super sure about BUT definitely feel like it'd span multiple episodes

8. one project at a time or always juggling two+

I always hyperfixate on one at a time JBSKDJSG in between bursts of SUL it's been ETSS, sprinkles of AuAg, then that brief period of JMON in Fall 2021.

9. one award winner or one best seller

I'm not really sure if I have a preference for either of these tbh LMAO I just wanna create and hope theyre successful enough to carry me throughout life

10. fantasy or sci-fi

Im too stupid for sci fi tbh JBSKJGS I always worry about getting this or that wrong so I tend to go pretty fantasy bc I have fun worldbuilding it knowing I can just do batshit whatever like the very first instances of SUL basically mixing YuGiOh and MLP logic akjbfskdg.

11. character or setting description

I may be an art major but I'm an art major who hasn't done proper backgrounds since high school JKBGKSJGS I think a lot of my descriptions are pretty clunky In General but characters are easier since I always have character designs first before environmental design

12. first or final draft

A lot of my work at the moment is based off of doing things quickly. The Atlasify comics, my own writing, heck my art too. I don't like spending too long on certain projects or such so technically all of my work is first drafts bc I wanna get stuff done first instead of never finishing one project

13. love triangle in everything or no romantic arcs

Technically both ETSS and SUL have somewhat love triangle moments but

a.) ETSS is more an exploration on identity than romance

b.) the SUL love triangle is literally between turqbalt's two identities and rina

BUT god I'd rather have no romantic arcs at all than actual love triangle moments. Do you know how many teleseryes have the cheesiest cliche love triangles? No thank u I wanna do all or nothing

14. constant sandstorm or rainstorm

i love the rain :] the air is fresh and the plants look greener. i dont think my asthma would love lots of sand tbh

[brotherhoodoftheblade]

I posted 205 times in 2022

That's 130 more posts than 2021!

39 posts created (19%)

166 posts reblogged (81%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@andrasta14

@tangentsandbubbles

@narastories

@lordjohnwgrey

@britishguyslover

I tagged 203 of my posts in 2022

Only 1% of my posts had no tags

#lord john grey - 159 posts

#outlander - 115 posts

#percy wainwright - 100 posts

#lord john series - 84 posts

#john x percy - 84 posts

#david berry - 38 posts

#my random ramblings - 36 posts

#random nonsense - 21 posts

#jamie fraser - 20 posts

#anti diana gabaldon - 15 posts

Longest Tag: 133 characters

#given the distant state of his relationships it's not at all surprising that he formed such an unhealthy lifelong attachment to jamie

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Hot take: the majority OL fandom derides Percy as not being good enough for John, but the John I’ve seen in the OL books has had me progressively feeling that it’s really John that doesn’t deserve Percy. 

Because the LJG I saw in Bees? That is not the John I loved from the LJG series. That John was flawed and hard-headed, too, but he still had a heart. 

I don’t know that I like who John has become over the years (and not just in regard to Percy). 

11 notes - Posted October 13, 2022

#4

So I’ve been a huge writing slump for basically the last two months and was reading some stuff from my wips in hopes of sparking some motivation (and I’ve fallen down the Star Wars hole again and am still weeping internally about the Obi-Wan series around the clock so I’m trying to distract myself T_T).

 Anyway, this future scene from my fic Quicksilver in the Sun gave me a chuckle so I thought I’d share it. It’s not like it gives away any spoilers, after all. lol

~*~*~*~

“Right on time I’d say,” Sir George said, relief evident in his voice as he consulted his timepiece.

Four minutes remained until noon after Percy and the general had shed their winter accoutrements and allowed themselves to be led down a hallway by a liveried servant.

“Hold on,” Percy murmured, glancing surreptitiously at the awaiting servant as he reached out to straighten Sir George’s slightly askew wig. He frowned slightly as he cast a critical eye over his stepfather’s form, even as the general wordlessly did the same for him. “Good. You’re good.”

Sir George reached out and brushed lightly at his shoulder, adding with some amusement, “Bit of rogue powder. Very smart otherwise.”

Percy craned his neck to try and look at his shoulder in concern but the general assured him all traces of errant powder were gone. “I wish I had my wig. I do hope I am not dressed too informally.”

“Nonsense,” the general dismissed evenly. “It is only luncheon. You look very well. I, on the other hand...the late Duke of Pardloe cut quite a trim figure, you know.”

“Did you know him?” Percy asked, curiously.

“Oh no, no, not really,” Sir George said, tugging a bit on the front of his tastefully embroidered waistcoat. “I knew of him, of course.”

The servant cleared his throat quietly. “Shall I announce your arrival, sirs?”

The general’s eyes widened slightly and he stood up straighter. “Yes, yes, please do.”

They briefly exchanged glances, offering each other small smiles of encouragement, as the servant moved to the threshold of the library and bowed. “Sir George Stanley, my lord. And party.”

Percy trailed behind the general as he crossed the turkey carpet, drawing up short as his stepfather paused to bow to the pair of awaiting men in greeting. Percy froze – was he meant to bow as well? He continued to stand there awkwardly, feeling vaguely like an out of place pustule that had come unwillingly attached to the general, as the man stepped forward to shake hands with the younger men in turn.

No one could have mistook the pair for anything other than brothers. They possessed the same slightness of build and stature – they were perhaps an inch shorter than General Stanley, who was himself of average height – and the same finely-boned facial structure. One was dark and the other was fair though – both wore their long hair in the same style, powdered and tied back with a ribbon – and there was several years age difference visible between them even at a distance. They were elegantly outfitted in suits of silk velvet – in shades of deep plum and a striking French blue respectively – and undeniably quite handsome as well.

Well, at least I’ll have something pleasant to rest my eyes on while I’m here, if nothing else.

“It is kind of you to invite me to luncheon,” Sir George was saying, smiling warmly. “I cannot say how greatly I appreciate your welcome. I feel most awkward, then, to begin at once with an apology – but I am afraid I have imposed upon you by bringing my stepson. He arrived unexpectedly this morning from the country, just as I was setting out. Seeing that you will in some sense be brothers...” the general faltered slightly, giving an awkward little laugh as he coloured. “I, er, thought perhaps you would pardon my liberty in bringing him along to be introduced.”

Surprise rippled briefly over the Grey brothers’ expressions. The elder, dark-haired one – Harold Grey, Duke of Pardloe, no, Earl of Melton – tightened his lips. The younger, fair-haired one – Lord John Grey – recovered rapidly, an affable enough expression appearing.

“Of course,” Pardloe – Melton – said, managing to at least sound cordial even if the sentiment didn’t quite reflect on his face.

“Most certainly,” Lord John echoed, gaze shifting to Percy.

He stepped forward quickly to stand beside Sir George, flicking a glance from one brother to the other as the general’s broad hand settled warmly on his shoulder. “My Lord Melton, Lord John, May I present Mr Percival Wainwright?”

Melton’s mouth was tightly drawn and Percy could practically feel the barely suppressed waves of irritation coming off of him. He cringed inwardly, the knot in his belly tightening. He knew he shouldn’t have come, but it was too late now.

As long as they liked Sir George that was all that really mattered, he reminded himself. The general was the one marrying their mother, after all. All Percy needed to do was remain polite and try not to say anything terribly stupid. The general’s hand squeezed briefly in a reassuring manner before sliding away.

Lord John was holding out his hand and he took it quickly.

“Your servant, sir,” the young man said – and he was young, Percy could see now that he was standing so close. He was around Percy’s own age, perhaps a few years older at most. And he was...lovely. His features were delicately wrought and...

Percy had seen him before somewhere. Not just on the street, they’d met before, he felt sure of it. He had an excellent visual memory and never forgot a face. Where though...? The young lord felt it, too, he could see it. The man’s fair brows were drawn together slightly, studying his face with wintry blue eyes -

And then it flashed before his mind’s eye: the mysterious, standoffish young man at Lavender House, with the terrible suit, resplendent blond hair, unresponsive hand in his, and the exquisite blue eyes.

Good God.

He drew breath sharply and his hand clenched involuntarily on the other man’s, an action that was mirrored by Lord John half a heartbeat later as the same realization flashed in his momentarily widened eyes.

See the full post

11 notes - Posted June 23, 2022

#3

Currently taking a little procrastination break from writing and randomly ended up looking up buttercups, ie. LJG’s codename in the Black Chamber. So yeah, buttercups symbolize neatness, childishness, charm and humility - all things that often apply to John’s general personality (yeah he’s not great at the neatness bit in terms of keeping his clothes clean God (and Tom) knows, but in his preference for orderliness and structure in general).

But the thing that has me laughing right now is that all buttercups - despite their small, pretty, and harmless appearance - are actually poisonous when eaten fresh, blistering the mouth, leaving an acrid taste, and causing gastric upset. Was THAT bit of symbolism also intended for John...because honestly, it seems like it could be?? 😅

 Just ask ANYONE who’s gotten on John’s bad side - whether it’s Malcolm Stubbs’s cheating ass getting the shit kicked out of him in an alley, that woman who pissed John off during the Battle of Krefeld and got punched and fell off the bridge, or John’s father’s murderer getting stabbed in the eye - he may be small, pretty and charming but he can also be a straight up savage at the drop of a hat. 👀💀😂

17 notes - Posted March 30, 2022

#2

Oooh, I’ve never seen this bit of BotB discourse by DG before! ✨👀✨

Ah, Percy’s “spiritual fractures”, his fear that he’s damned and there’s something “wrong” him, coupled with his earlier experiences as a whore, had “a lot do with his eventual betrayal” - that’s similar to what I’d guessed earlier about the psychological underpinnings behind Percy’s actions. 

(I’d link that post but I don’t have time to hunt it down right now - have to get back to work soon. I really need to make myself some sort of table of contents at this point, it takes forever to find things. Mostly because I’m so damn long-winded, no doubt. lol Also, titles, labels? Never heard of them. xd)

And yeah, I’d doubted Percy really thought John would care enough to be hurt by him sleeping with Michael - especially when he himself knew it meant nothing - but to see it confirmed from the horse’s mouth is additionally sad. I will honestly never forgive her for what she did to Percy. smfh

“John’s never seen himself as anything but [an honourable man]” - pffttt, yeah, I can tell. 🙄 And it’s a huge part of his problem, the way he can’t even see the way his increasing rigidity and narrow-minded ideals are actually fetters obstructing him from emotional and mental growth. But that subject could be it’s own rambling post and I have to go! ^_^;

23 notes - Posted October 14, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Funny how people are always talking about how much William takes after Jamie, but barely anyone talks about how much he’s like John. Because the first time I read that scene - in Echo was it? - where Willie was running around and fending off a snake with a frying pan, the “OMG, he really is John’s son!!” feeling just smacked me in the face. Chaotic trouble magnets, the pair of them! lmao

Not to mention John seems to have hit Willie with his perpetually-horny-stick, wherein he’ll lust after and unadvisedly become infatuated with any attractive person who happens to cross their path. 

Ridiculous -- like father like son. 

26 notes - Posted October 11, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[feitania]

hihi, I'm crow (sometimes gwyn) could I please request to be one of your playlist match ups? my pronouns are they/it and I'm currently 16 going on 17 in a few months (idk if that last bit matters but I digress). I'm agender and fem presenting but I try to lean more towards androgynous as best as I can, I've been told my style is sort of like the uncanny librarian, dark academia + vaguely eldritch vibes. My personality type is intj 5w4, I'm adhd-autistic and aroace but I'm both romantically inclined, romantic positive and generally speaking on the aromantic spectrum and lean more towards demi-romantic than aromantic? It's weird man, the point is I'm still interested in a romantic relationship to a certain extent and very much open to a potential or even simply theoretically queerplatonic partnership at the very least. I like horror podcasts, video games with interesting story lines, and am over all someone who might be quiet at times but is not shy nor afraid to speak their opinion, I've done enough martial arts and stage fighting to hold my ground in an fight and I can and will revoke your tendon privileges if you're being a dick. (Not you specifically I mean just in general? also anxiety, I have anxiety and chronic paranoia) I hope that's enough and that I did this right and that everything here us useful and/or relevant. If not feel free to delete this ask and go about your way as if it never graced your inbox, I'm rambling now so I'm going to stop talking, please and thank you, love your work, I hope you have a nice day and or night.

𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬' 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐮𝐩 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭

your match up is: 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐣𝐢𝐫𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐨

Mikey is calm, maybe a little aloof from time to time but very accepting and open for everything -you want to go punch something at the dojo? He is down. You want to show him this new season of your favorite horror Podcast? He will listen to it with you for hours.

It's easy to have him as a lover, mikey acts more like an over grown cat than anything else, really. But that doesn't mean he won't care if you have a panic attack or don't feel too good, mikey is always there for you. He would visit you in the middle of the night or take your call even when he's in a fight if you need him with you. You're his most important person next to his family so you're practically the next addition to the sano family. They even have your favorite food and movies at home.

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

You're so dark

"She's awesome isn't she?"

Mikey is roughly pulled out of his day dreaming by hakkais question and turns to look at you, at yuzuha who currently sits next to you and holds one of your headphones to her ear to listen the Song you told her about, and then back to you.

He stands a few meters away from you two, surrounded by the youngest shiba sibling, who is as usually fawning over either mitsuya or his sister -mikey doesn't listen too closely- draken and baji. Standing so far away from you and not being able to talk to you irks him. The plan was to bring you to one of the meetings, drive you home and hopefully talking you into letting him sleep over so you two could listen to your current favorite crime podcast.

Well fuck him. He should have known this would happen. The girls, especially Yuzuha, gotten soft on you and now when you tagged along to former toman member meetings you always were in the company of either yuzuha, senju or emma.

"Who is awesome?" He asks hakkai absently while still starring at you. He didn't really follow the development of the conversation after hakkai interrupted drakens monologue about motoroil to talk about the arrival of his beloved sister. Frankly, he doesn't think the blue haired cares if he listens or not, everybody knows that mikey's attention span wasn't the greatest.

"My sister of course? She's awesome because she got y/n to show me how to play this new game I got," hakkai smiled fondly at you and his sister, "and that's pretty cool."

"It's cool that your sister is capable of holding a normal conversation while you can not?" Draken laughs, hakkai blushes and slaps drakens hand away when the taller tries to pat his shoulder mockingly.

Baji seems to say something mean to hakkai, probably to provoke a fight again but mikey successfully drowns out his friends voices again so he can focus on you.

You have your head rested on your knees and look around, listening to yuzuha and the music coming from your left ear. Mikey waves at you to get your attention but you seem to be somewhere else in your mind so he just hands draken his things, who protests but still takes the helmet and bag, and walks over to you two.

When he's in front of you he crouches down to your height and pokes your cheek with his index finger. The reaction comes immediately when you look at him, grab his finger and bend it.

"Stop touching my face, mikey," you say with furrowed brows and yuzuha next to you laughs.

"But I like your face."

"I don't like your face."

"Wow," the blonde twists his shirt right above his heart as if he's hurt and falls back dramatically, "you wounded me. I'll die now."

You get up on your knees and stare down at him for a few seconds before you start smiling. "Good, then I can eat all of your snacks."

You cross your arms over your chest and mikey gasps in fake shock while he smirks back at you from below. He thinks about how beautiful you look from where he sits.

A few hours later you're sitting behind the blonde on his bike, driving through the night a little too fast so you have to cling to him for your own safety. He hopes you don't realize the extra sharp turns he makes to get to hear your, in his eyes, adorable screams whenever the motorcycle bends too close to the ground.

"Y/N?" He asks -screams- over the sound of the running engine. It's hard to talk when he's driving this fast but he is set on finally opening the can of feelings he tried to push down since he met you. Apparently he got a little insufferable the last few weeks, according to draken and emma at least.

"Yeah?"

"Do you wanna go out with me?"

"What?"

"Do you wanna go on a date?!"

"WHAT? I can't hear you."

You sound confused, leaning close to him and pressing your cheek against his neck. When he feels your breath against his ear he short circuits. He nearly maneuvers you two off the road with how hard he hits the handbrake. You make a horrified sound and cling onto him for dear life while the indigo eyed still has to come back to reality. Dazed he stops the bike just to repeat his sentence with a monotone voice. He didn't even realize he got you close to death's doorstep.

"If you wanna go on a date with me. Often. Like regularly. Together."

He turns to you. You smile at him.

"Sure, but don't try to kill me again okay?"

"Really?" He sounds more surprised than anything else, smiles relieved and then bewildered, "wait. What do you mean with killing?"

You laugh softly before guiding his face back to the road. When his back is turned to you again you kiss the back of his head.

"Just drive me home. We can't miss the newest episode of dark!"

Mikey -or now your significant other- mumbles something about being hungry and wanting a real kiss but drives off, a little slower now, anyway.

[missroller15]

A very special date night

ok, here it finally is! I’m sorry about the delay but I got it finished and I’m actually pretty nervous to post this but here goes, I hope you all enjoy it <3333

________________________________________________________________

Finally.. It was date night. EJ and Gina couldn’t be more hyped to finally get their time together. 

Due to busy schedules (EJ in college and Gina with highschool, theater, etc.), time alone just got cut shorter and shorter. They decided enough was enough and planned for one day a month where they could both simply be together but of course, to make things a bit more interesting, one of them would choose the location while the other got to choose the meal or place to eat. 

This month, EJ was choosing where they’d go but the thing is… Gina truly had no clue what he could be planning. Usually, he’d drop a huge obvious hint but assume he didn’t just reveal but this time around, no hints or anything. 

The day finally came, a bright Friday afternoon. The sunlight beamed through Gina’s window as she yawned while stretching her arms out. Still in the process of waking up, she suddenly heard a buzz come from her phone.  

Hey, G. Sorry, I couldn't text sooner! I’m at the zoo with Big Red so I won’t be home most of today. Enjoy some of the breakfast saved in the fridge and get your game face ready for tonight with my cuz ;) 

Before Gina could respond, a second message came in putting a stop to all her suspicions. 

 And nope, can’t answer any questions! Anyways, have fuuuuun 

She let out a long sigh, so many questions rushing through her mind and the only way she could think of putting them to rest for the moment was by focusing on something else so the girl sluggishly got up and went to shower. 

 Once she was out, most of her impending questions had settled (not all were gone, to be clear though) and as she walked downstairs, yet another message came except not from Ash this time.

From EJ: Ready for one of the greatest date nights ever, babe? ;) 

A smile grew on her face as she headed to the door and found EJ waiting outside beside his car. He was leaning against it, specifically by the passenger side, most likely waiting for Gina to arrive so he could open the door for her like the incredible sweet boyfriend he is. Blush spread across her face as he noticed her coming out. 

“So, am I still not allowed to ask questions?” she joked once they were both sitting inside the car. 

“I mean, of course but this is gonna be an interesting date and honestly I’m curious to see your reaction without any ideas..” he explained as they drove. Gina raised an eyebrow but kept her thoughts to herself. While they sat in a comfortable silence, she started to try and contemplate where they could be going. The biggest hint she had was Ashlyn’s text but even then, with how vague it was, she still remained puzzled. 

Just then when they arrived, all that curiosity disappeared from her mind and she finally realized what she meant by getting her game face ready. They were about to play Laser Tag. 

As they walked in, she couldn’t help but already feel her adrenaline start to rush. She finally realized what Ash meant when she said to get her game face ready and Gina was going to do just that. 

The teams were selected by random and EJ already had their names filled out on the form so now all they had to do was wait for the announcer to begin calling out names. Gina and EJ anxiously but even more excitedly stood waiting for the announcement to come already with their hands interlocked. 

As they stood waiting, EJ leaned over to whisper something into Gina’s ear sending a chill down her back. “Just know, that if we’re on a different teams and I beat you, I will like you just the same as I do at this moment.” 

Gina scoffed at the comment and looked him dead in the eye, trying to stifle her laughter. “Don’t try to intimidate me, babe.. It’s not gonna change anything, I got my game face on now and it stays till I win.” 

He jokingly rolled his eyes at the snarky reply. Before he could respond, the announcer finally came on. 

“Ok ok ok, let’s do this! So excited to kick-off the first laser tag game of the day and as most of you already know how this goes, blah blah blah be safe. Once you’re hit, you’re done for a good ten minutes. Now anyways, now back to teams..” he quickly rambled. 

Gina glanced over at EJ who just gently squeezed her hand while they expectantly waited to hear the team names. 

“Alrighty then, let’s begin… for team red, EJ Caswell…” he started, considering the teams only consisted of six players for this round, it didn’t take long to name all the players and before they knew it, it was already time for the blue team. 

Since Gina’s name wasn’t called out for the red team, it was obvious she’d be a part of the blue team meaning that they were going to go against each other. To be honest, the idea of being able to hold the win over the other’s head enticed them both.. A lot more than they liked to admit.

The teams began to disperse and head to the main room for setting up. While in there, this time EJ shot a glance at Gina, who was zipping up her dark blue vest. She turned for a second to wink at him before returning her attention back to her team. 

EJ did the same and not too long after, the whispers and small talk went silent as everyone’s laser guns began beeping and flashing most likely because they were being turned on while the lights dimmed down. The announcer came on one last time soon after.  

“Players, prep time is over… the doors to the laser tag area are now unlocked and you may enter. Let the games begin.” 

Everyone immediately separated and went to find hiding spots. Gina immediately knew the second level was the place she needed to be. As she navigated through the dark space, something felt off… almost as if she felt a presence following behind her. 

“It’s probably just your nerves, don’t break focus”, Gina muttered under her breath. Soon enough, she began to turn a corner, that feeling came back again. She immediately began dashing and ended up finding a small pitch dark corner to hide in right by the stairs she was finding to the second level in the first place. 

Just as Gina thought, once she slipped behind the corner someone came not long after and it didn’t surprise her one bit who it was. 

“Aw man, I lost her.” EJ groaned in frustration. Gina bit the inside of her cheek to contain her laughter at seeing the poor green eyed boy mope. 

The fun ended though as he started to explore the area and he began getting dangerously close to her corner so she did the only reasonable thing a person would do if they felt threatened. 

While his back was turned, she took the opportunity and leaped onto his back. He immediately toppled over and Gina had the upper hand for the moment. Gina clapped her hand over his mouth before he could start yelling for help. 

“Shhh.. don’t fight it.” she whispered softly leaning in closer. Now she hadn’t planned for this part of the plan but he was right there.. one little peck wouldn’t do anything. 

As she slowly removed her hand from on top of his mouth, her body went into shock when he went in for the kiss. She didn’t even think twice once her brain started to function again and reciprocated. 

Her hand gently released its tight grip on the gun and Gina’s focus finally broke. They broke apart after about 30 seconds to take a breath but then Gina heard something that made her blood run cold. 

Her vest was beeping and so was her gun. 

She looked at EJ, who had a satisfied smirk resting on his face. “I thought you knew this, G. I play to win.” He said so while holding his red glowing gun up. 

Gina, shocked and possibly just a bit impressed, remained speechless. He played her at her own game and won?! Gina wasn’t gonna let this go, there was still a chance and she wasn’t going to waste it. 

In the ten minutes that Gina was out, EJ knew she would be out to get him and only him. He played an extremely dangerous move by playing Gina like that but it’s obviously what she was planning for him so if anything, at least she’ll know now that he knows most of the tricks up her sleeve. 

What scares him though is what she has left… 

Within a couple seconds, he manages to find one of his teammates and the two stuck together for a couple minutes. They found a good spot and chilled for a second after all the navigating and running. 

“So, the girl that’s currently out.. She’s your girlfriend, right?” the boy said, he looked around 14-15 but EJ couldn’t exactly tell.

“Yep and once she’s back in, we’re gonna need to hide really well.” he warned, followed by a chuckle. “You really think she’s gonna be that furious?” 

Poor kid. He really doesn’t know what she’s capable of, he thought to himself. “Oh yeah, she’s gonna be infuriated. Don’t worry though, she’s probably gonna come for me only. We’re just super competitive like that. It runs in our blood.” 

EJ glanced back to see the kid terrified. “O..k.” he let out. The conversation didn’t go much further but at least before they split off, EJ did manage to get across the fact that he was only joking. 

After a while of walking, he checked his watch and realized that Gina would be out any second. Just as he thought, not a minute after checking the time, a beep came from the speakers signaling that a player would be entering the game.. It was about to get a whole lot more dangerous than before. 

Once she was out, Gina knew exactly what EJ would be thinking.. He knew that he was her main target and that’s what he needed to get out of his head. 

So, Gina put her focus on getting his teammates out first, with the help of hers as well of course. If she was being fully honest, she really did not expect to work as well with her team as she did. They were just as cunning and competitive. 

This made Gina’s plan that much easier to complete. While waiting out her ten minutes, she had concocted a pretty simple but effective plan. 

Her teammates and some of the opposing team members were actually everyday regulars here at the lasertag so they knew the routes and pathways that the others would take. With this information, it was decided that they’d take care of their own personal friends and get them out while Gina was left to find EJ and get him out. 

Yes,it was simple but if Gina was going to win, all she needed was for it to be efficient. 

Not much time was wasted, once she got out. The beeper signaling that players were out began to go off every couple of minutes, she quietly counted while swiftly moving through the area. Out of the corner of the eye, she saw something from behind. No way, she was turning her back this time. 

She quietly and carefully walked back to the spot where she noticed something and immediately let out a breath of relief at seeing a kid resting back in the corner, his eyes shut tight. “It’s fine, it’s fine. I’ll tell you where he is. Just please don’t tell him I told you. I can be out, it’s ok, I-” 

“Ya know, kid. I actually kinda like you for that but what did EJ tell you?! Did you really believe I was seriously out to murder him, it’s just our thing.. Don’t worry and well, if we’re bargaining here.. The best I can do is you give me EJ’s location and I’ll give you an extra ten minutes to go hide.” she explained, holding her hand out to seal the deal. 

He looked down a bit worried but shook nonetheless. He quickly whispered where he thought EJ would be hiding and ran away within a second after. 

Gina followed his instructions and slowly crept up to the second level of the arena. She knew that kid gave it up way too easily and there was no harm in being cautious so she walked towards the spot that the kid described as quietly as possible. 

Once she was there, she looked around but not carefully enough because now she was back to square one when she heard his voice. “Well, looks like my plan worked. I’m just so touched with how well you’re taking this, G.” 

“Aww Eej, you think you’re really gonna end up winning”, she started, as she turned and began slowly walking towards the proud boy, “-tsk tsk, you’re too good and naive for your own good, babe. 

EJ furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and ever so slightly,let his guard down. Rookie mistake, Gina thought as she jumped towards EJ again. He saw it coming and dodged the attack but ended up causing Gina to trip over his foot. 

She yelped at the collision with the floor. Pain shot through her wrist as she sat back up. Within a second EJ was already at her side, helping her stand. “Maybe we got a little too intense with the game..” he joked, walking to the arena exit with Gina. 

“Ya think?” she laughed, while gently massaging her palm and wrist area. Once they made it, the two returned their gear to the set-up room. There was still about a half hour of laser tag left but it was obvious, the game was done for today. 

Even if their initial idea got cut short, that didn’t mean the day was over. As EJ and Gina walked to the car, they couldn’t help but continuously chitter and chatter about all that occurred. From Gina’s surprise attack on him to EJ’s interesting conversation with the young boy. 

By then, Gina’s wrist had relaxed and the pain toned down. While they drove, the chitter chatter turned to a comfortable silence. It was just that time where words didn’t need to be said anymore. The glances, little laughs here and there, it was just really nice. 

The drive didn’t take too long and before they knew it, they’d already arrived at Ashlyn and Gina’s place.  

“So.. we’re here. Look, I’m sorry about the wrist thing and I just got a little too into it, you see when I-” His rambling got cut short by Gina pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. 

“Hey, it’s alright. It was just a game and it’s not like the day is over yet, I’d like to use up all the time I have with you today.” she smiled after breaking off the kiss. EJ proceeded to continually caress her cheek as she spoke. 

“Ok. This time, you name it though.” 

Gina decided on a movie night to end the day. 

Honestly, this month’s date night wasn’t the most planned and perfect but that’s what made it all the more fun. Both EJ and Gina couldn’t wait for the next to see what surprises were in store.

[purplerose244]

My thoughts on Seabound!!! 🌊🌊🌊 (4/4)

Here we are! What a journey, and while perhaps this season wasn't at MoM level it was REALLY good, with great new villains/allies, great little throwbacks and an awesome story! 🤩

How to get this was very good to great? Give me a very good ending Seabound!! 💕💕

Alright, here we go!

GENERAL THOUGHTS

I genuinely got too much into this remaining four episodes and forgot to put any general thoughts 😅 So you'll see me rambling at the end, see you there 😉

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

This title really summarize my feelings so far, like, I'm seriously wondering how it will move on from now, but I do expect the outcome to be CRAZY 🤯

Aaahhhh, yep, the one in Shintaro is a fake 😅 I wonder when did the change happen? How did Kalmaar pulled that off, wow

I'M SORRY WHY ARE WE PUTTING THE TITLE SCREEN WITHOUT THE INTRO?? THAT'S A FIRST EPISODE STUFF AND IT HONESTLY SCARES ME??? It reminds me of Winds of Change too and that episode was WOW 😭😭😭

Heeeeyyy, it's youuuu... huh... *watch scribble on hand* google snake guy, huh... Glucose... yep, good old Glutine and everything 😅

Are we having a "I may have made a mistake being evil" with this guy?

Jay: ah, Prime Empire! I was in that game you know! I fought for my life and the ones of all of Ninjago and I've seen my best friends and the love of my life die before my eyes... good times 🙂

Jay and Nya having fun at DDR has to be one of my favorite thing, they are so in sync and so lovable ❤💙❤💙

DID THEY ACTUALLY PUT THE JAYA SHIP NAME INTO THE SHOW??? OMG GUYS THE FANDOM IS TAKING OVER THE SHOW AT LAST!!! 🤯🤯🤯 The electric Jaya, heeeyy, niiicee 😎😎😎

HOW CUTE CAN YOU BE

MY SHIP 💙❤💙❤ They even gave each other high gives... this is neat, and it means something awful will happen right 🙂

Commissioner: he's saying something about a giant snake... and the end of the world... didn't we already have something like that?

Okay yep, he did the trick while fighting Nya, dang Kalmaar is sneaky! Not too shabby... but I gotta say, the summoning of the Great Devourer was a lot more dramatic 🤣🤣 Props to the serpentine, still my favorite snakes 💪💪

Wojira seems to be a little smaller than the Devourer maybe? His head way bigger than the bounty, while hers is not that massive even in comparison with Kalmaar

I might be wrong but at first glance, I stand by my opinion and by the superiority of the OG giant snake 🤷‍♀️

Yep Glutine guy did have a change of heart, better late than never 🤷‍♀️

You're telling me that Jay doesn't do engineering anymore, okay... HOW IS KAI A BETTER SOLUTION??? 🤣🤣🤣 Lol look at the messy brothers, love Lloyd and Kai so much I miss them interact 💚❤💚❤

Thank you Kelly for the alert 😗

It makes me wonder if they actually do have simulations of evacuations often, it would be pretty smart considering the city 🤷‍♀️

OKINO IS THERE HI DUDE!!! 😍 I hope he's doing great! 🥰🥰

Gail Gossip! Been a while!

WOW, this is going Deluge like, my first Spinjitzu Master! 😱 How... how do we go with three episodes from here? Like, I'm guessing Nya will have to do what Nyad did before her (which TERRIFIES me), so are they going to struggle trying to find another way? IDK BUT I'M IN LET'S GO!! 🤯

ASSAULT ON NINJAGO CITY

Alright, pretty straightforward title, let's see what we got here!

Tourists?... that actually makes sense, I mean, I would want to visit all the places where history was made on this island 😍 Aww nice to see they remember the battle against Garmy of Hunted, also that it is known that Jay was the one who faced Unagami 👍👍

DARETH!!! 🤎🤎🤎

Where have you been you knucklehead, I've missed you! 💕 I think I've last seen him in a commercial from the Fire Chapter?

This is a terrible guide 😵 Not knowing the brown ninja? Owner of the dojo the Green Ninja had trained in? Brief commander of the Stone Army? Master of makeup and puffy potstickers? Unforgivable, someone fire this woman ASAP 😡😡

LOOK AT DARETH TAKING CHARGE!!! 🤩 He's right, he should get involved every once in a while, come on guys!

Ah okay good, I'm not the only one struggling with that google snake name 😂

Yay Bentho is fully integrated with the team! He is a great addiction, like, I know he'll probably take the throne at the end or something but I do hope we'll need his help again in the future! 💙

Sometimes I forget how much I love Kai and Zane interacting 🤣 The brainiac and the airhead 🤍❤🤍❤

Oh right, Cole came back from Shintaro! So... now in this extremely secret city there is a fake amulet hanging into a highly secured place... how is it always Shintaro the keeper of flukes? 😂😂

A bath as a boat but it has a whole 😂😂 I love this show's randomness

What ears are they supposed to cover 😅

I LOVE THIS ATMOSPHERE!!! 😍😍😍 Between the gray sky of storm and the sea underneath, this is the perfect scenario for Wojira and it's not even forced! I love how they are handling backgrounds for Ninjago recently, I really hope it gets as good as in the finale of Prime Empire 💙💙💙

AAAAAAHHHHHhhhhh okay for a moment I was scared Wojira was going to eat Jay 😅 After The Island this is already the second time Bluebell risks it... STOP

WHY THE CLIFFHANGER!?!?

NUUUUU WHAT NOW??? 😱😱😱 We have two more episodes, how is this going to end? I DON'T KNOW AND I REALLY WANT TO PLEASE GIVE ME A GOOD FINALE SEABOUND!!! 🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️

NYAD

I AM SCARED FOR MY WATER LILY OKAY

Daaaang she can just float on that? She got super good at controlling water! Now I want her and Kai just randomly flying around with their powers 😂😂 Kai got missiles in his hands come on 🔥🔥🔥

JAY CAN YOU LET ME WORRY ABOUT YOU GUYS ONE AT THE TIME??? 😱

What would Kai do? WHAT WOULD KAI DO?? DID YOU DECIDE YOU WANT TO DIE JAY WHY WOULD YOU THINK OF HIM??? ... although technically Kai is the only one with Jay who didn't straight up die before coming back to life in a dramatic moment... huh... Kai might be the most reasonable choice after all 😅

We grew up from Ninja never quit to NINJA AREN'T IDIOTS AND KNOW WHEN TO GET THE HECK OUT 😎😎 Even our motto got a character development 💪

JAY NOOOOOOOO 😱😱😱😱

BENTHO YAAAAAAASSSS 🥳🥳🥳🥳 Did I ever say that I love shark boy? BECAUSE I FREAKING DO!! 💙

Master prankster Wu once again, take that empty ship Calamari head 😎 Although the poor bounty doesn't deserve to get destroyed as many times as it did until now, it's my favorite ship... pun intended 😜

Ah more ninjajan, wait a moment

"Auto Pilot". Fair enough, although I was hoping for a "psych" or something 😂😂

NO WAIT NO WHAT THE HECK!!! I THOUGHT JAY GOT SAVED HE INHALED WATER??!? BLUEBELL NOOOO!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

But Cole running to his best friend immediately? HECK yes 🖤💙🖤💙

NYA CARRYING HER BOYFRIEND BRIDAL STYLE THIS IS THE RIGHTEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN!!! ❤💙❤💙❤💙❤💙 Gosh this season gave me amazing Jaya moments, I've been fed 👌👌

Okay Lloyd pacing back and forth? Kai already mad at their enemies? All the guys eager to help Jay? MY FAVORITE NINJA FAMILY BABY!!! 😎😎

I NEED A MOMENT 😭

Oh... oh gosh I knew Nya doing the Nyad thing was meant to happen, but this way? My heart is melting already 😭

I remember a post that said that Jay told Nya that he loves her many times, while she never did. Tommy reponded that she lets her actions speak... boy do I see it now, I see all of her love 😢😢

I never felt such conflicting emotions for a villain like I do for Kalmaar, like, he caused so much pain to Nya... but he is voiced by Giles... but he is the reason Jay is hurt... but that startle gag 😂😂😂

Okay this? Is adorable?

What the HECK? The police in this city is generally not very helpful, but the Commissioner is very wholesome 💜

Nyaaaaaaa 😭😭😭😭 I didn't think it was possible to love her even more, she was ignored for so long during the show, but now we finally see all of her. She is an amazing warrior, a selfless person, and a real hero 💪💪 And coming from such a mature girl that doesn't like to act irrationally, this means so much more

Jaya grew up so much, it went through some very questionable phases yes, but what they have here? It's the result of all they had lived together 💙❤💙❤

I have chills, this is amazing so far, I'm legit scared of going further 😱

SHE SAID IT!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭 Okay this moment, everything, EVERYTHING, is absolutely marvelous. Nya said I love you without a voice, alone, showing again that she values the actions more, but still her feelings are 100% truthful. Then the transformation (THERE IT IS HER BEAUTIFUL WATER FORM 😍😍😍), Jay getting saved, the realization of what she just did from everyone... DANG IT IT'S ALL BEAUTIFUL HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO THINK OF THIS SCENE???

*slow clap for Bragi, Tommy, and the Ninjago crew*

Jay and water Nya with their hands together gives me big The Form of Water vibes... LOVE THAT MOVIE WHO'S READY FOR AN AU??

Jay wants to help her, I had no doubt 💙 They always help each other in these BOUNDs seasons 😍😍😍

Kalmaar: where are the ninja??

Commissioner: I don't know, they are ninja!

FINAL BATTLE INCOMING AAAAHHH I HOPE THIS WILL HAVE A GOOD ENDING OMG BRING IT!!! 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

THE TURN OF THE TIDE

Oh, curious title? It feels a little vague, I don't really know what it could be

YES GIRL GO GET HIS CALAMARI BUTT HECK YES!!! Just how cool can you be for walking slowly while the attacks go straight through you? 😂

Hey Nya still recognizes Jay! 😃😃

HEY NYA GOT VAPORIZED WTH 😱😱 It's too early, I don't believe that's it!

WHOA JAY WENT BERSERK JUST NOW!! I don't think I've seen this before, this is the coolest thing! 💙💙💙 I just love when he shows how strong he is, you can be a comic relief AND kick butts 😎

FIGHTING ANIMATIONS MAN I LOVE THESE SCENES!! 😍😍😍

What the- was... was that a cameo of the lightning chicken? Ninjago what the HECK I love your randomness 😂😂

BENTHOMAAR TAGS IN!!! Showing off why he is best boy of the season 💙 These fightings are very cool but I can't help imagining Wojira just chilling while there are midgets getting very angry at each other onto her head 🤣🤣🤣

WHOA, CALAMARI BITE! Kalmaar got the Pythor treatment... might change color by next season if he returns 😅

(Please return I loved having Giles' voice in this season 💙💙💙)

NYA IS A DRAGON!!! I REPEAT NYA IS A DRAGON!!! 😍😍😍😍😍😍 I was wondering where the dragon moment was, this is Ninjago after all 🤷‍♀️

Head empty, just Jay smiling softy at Nya because he loves her 💙💙💙

IT'S RAINING NYA, HALLELUIA IT'S RAINING NYA, HEYE!! ☔☔☔ This fight is MASSIVE! We had finales with big creatures before but now one of the ninja is big enough to face them and that's 🤯

NYA DID IT!!! 🤩🤩🤩 ... now onto the angst that I KNOW it's coming

Kai being unbelieving is tragic, and Jay's "don't leave me" broke my heart. Please end this misery, where is the deus ex machina that solves everything?

Wait she left?

...

WAIT SHE ACTUALLY LEFT??? WHAT THE HECK THEY AREN'T ENDING IT LIKE THIS

...

OH MY GOSH

ARE THEY?!?

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

Omg the grief in this is beautiful, nice to see Jay and Maya so close to each other! Also Kai leaning onto his mom while Cole is comforting his best best friend? Amazing, they really do these scenes great 👌

EVERYONE SHOWED UP I LOVE THIS CITY SO MUCH 😭😭😭 Aww Ed and Edna, wasn't this such a sad situation I would be so much happier to see you guys 🥺

Master Wu even mentioned that she built Samurai X, you really want to make me cry now do you? 🥺🥺

MAYA AND RAY 😢😢😢😢😢😢

Omg look at Cole being there for his best friend, he is amazing 🖤💙🖤💙

I have such Rebooted vibes from this... is it hopeful? That Nya comes back like Zane? She's no nindroid but still... oh my gosh they got her symbol on the vase I just noticed, I need more tissues 😭😭

"In loving memory of Kirby Morrow". Always in our hearts 🖤🖤🖤

...

Wow

WOW

THEY ACTUALLY DID IT I NEED ANOTHER MOMENT 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 WHAT IN THE WORLD THIS IS THE BIGGEST CHANGE THEY DID IN A WHILE!!!

AND NOW WHAT??? 🤯🤯🤯

FINAL THOUGHTS

I'm speechless... like that's true, have A LOT to write over here 😅

This type of plot twist reminds me of our early seasons. Zane sacrificing himself, Garmadon giving up his life, those moments that made me so curious and excited about the following. I have no idea what will be the outcome for this, but I can't wait to find out

With that out of the way, AMAZING SEASON 😍😍😍 I think this finale beats MoM's, just because it was really unexpected and opens up a SEA of possibilities... yeah too soon 😭

I'm still shaken, my world, they did something HUGE and I do hope it will be a good shake to the entire Ninjago plotline. Nya is "gone", we still don't know about the person behind all that vengestone, we haven't heard from Garmy in forever, there are so many good ideas out there now that they've set the ground for more 🤩🤩

Voice acting was *chef's kiss*, not only for the villain which I already stressed enough about, I think Kelly reached a new level of emotional intimacy with Nya and I'm so happy she showed her skills 💜💜

Animation is TOP, there's little to no point into saying anything else since they showed it very clearly in the latest season ☺

This was the emotional, witty and engaging writing I was looking for! Good jokes, meaningful dialogues, emotional scenes, everything was really good and I'm gonna rewatch some scenes especially for that 😍

It turned out having Maya and Ray back was kind of a distraction to fool us all 😅😅 Well played actually, and it was very cool seeing them again in any case 🙋‍♀️

And now? Jay lost his love, I have no idea if the show will work on him getting over her or hold onto her memory (thinking of Jay probably the latter, although I do think that handling the first would be an interesting idea). KAI LOST HIS SISTER 😢😢😢 I have no doubt he's gonna beat himself up for it, like he did when Zane was gone too. Everyone lost their friend, she had become such a vital part of the team and now she is not here anymore it will be hard...

They are back with the four plus one green savior formation, I sincerely don't know how I feel about that 😅 I'm always happy when we get the OGs, but this is about going on without Nya... maybe Skylor will be called? Or Pixal will be more active? That could be interesting to see, who knows 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

Gosh, how are they going to handle the next season? It will have to give A LOT of answers to the millions questions we all have right now. Man I can't wait, it could be anything!!! This is a Ninjago revolution!

But if I have to mention a little complain, and I'm a fangirl so I absolutely have to, Kai didn't show much of a reaction to Nya's "departure". Okay, she didn't straight up die like in Skybound (I'm gonna fear all BOUND seasons from now on 😱), but he's her brother and he loves deeply his family. Either we're gonna see him go all out next season, or the writers really did only focus on Jaya. A tiny bit salty... but you got me a fantastic finale so I'll move on 👍

Outstanding, I'm blown away. Whenever I think I'm used to this show they do stuff like this. I'm so glad and sad you guys 😅 But mostly happy that despite everything I still get very strong emotions while I watch this long time favorite show of mine 💜💜💜

What else can I say at this point? ONTO NEXT SEASON!!! 🤩🤩🤩

Thank you for reading me freaking out over LEGO spinning ninja as always! It helps me calm down but this time it might be harder thant the others... *sobs*

I need to lay down and process all of this, I'll be on my way 😂😂 BYE!!! 💜

[lululawrence]

Wordplay 5.0 Reflections

I dunno what else to call it lmao it doesn't sound right to call this a meme, but whatever it is, here we are! lol @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed came up with these questions after @wordplayfics wrapped up last year and I love them so i'm gonna use them for this year as well.

I'm going to start out with listing the prompts and linking the fics i wrote for each one for everyone's reference, though I'll be linking them again through the answers as well. I'm also putting all the questions and answers beneath a read more because, as usual, I rambled lmao Alright! Here we go!

Struggle: I Said It Wrong, But I Meant It Right Reduce: I Love This Feeling (But I Hate This Part) Divide: He Carries The Key Rise: Thou, Sun, Art Half As Happy Sketch: I Heard You Talking

How did you come up with your ideas for the fics? Can you take us through your process after first receiving the prompt?

I don't know that I have a set way I come up with my fic ideas for Wordplay. It all depends on the prompt and what fic ideas I've got on my "to write list" that might fit that prompt. If nothing on my to write list fits or can be tweaked for a prompt, then I just go through my prompts tag until something strikes me for it, or I just ruminate on the different ways the word can be used and see if something comes up.

So, when I did the random word generator for the first prompt and "struggle" was the word that came up, I immediately thought of "struggle bus". lolllll and when I went looking through my to write list, I saw the girl Payneshaw fic I wanted to write and I was like omgggggg Nick ABSOLUTELY is riding the struggle bus the ENTIRE FUCKING TIME and I knew that was my fic for the week. lmaoooo and there you have it.

What is your favorite fic you wrote for Wordplay this year?

oooohhhh this one is HARD AND MEAN lmaoooo i forgot this was a question asked. okay legitimately i cannot choose a favorite because i'm actually stupidly proud and happy with all of the fics i wrote this year.

If you’ve participated in previous years of Wordplay, what has been your favorite prompt from all years you participated in?

WELP. as the creator of this challenge, i've participated in all 5 years which means there've been 25 prompts i've written. lolllll and honestly i think my favorite prompt is STILL from the first year. it was "bloodsucker". like, how great of a prompt is that???

What was the shortest fic you wrote this year? The longest?

the shortest one this year was... I Said It Wrong, But I Meant It Right at 4381 words.

the longest one was... I Heard You Talking at 10580 words.

What fic of yours surprised you?

i think all of them surprised me in some way. that's part of the joy of writing fics, isn't it? lollll but i think the one that surprised me the most was Thou, Sun, Art Half As Happy. it was a last minute change (i'll elaborate in the answer to the next question haha) and it was a VERY different direction than i had planned. it was all based off of a photo i saw on tumblr, and there was no prompt with the photo. i got to just take in the basic idea of the sticker being placed on a bridge overlooking the city and what might make that spot a good kissing spot.

now, as an ace who doesn't actually ENJOY kissing, i... didn't think about the fact that i would be writing a lot of it. lollll i actually have a super hard time writing kisses and trying to make them varied while also relaying the emotional intimacy of the moment, and then add on top of that the fact that once i started writing the fic, both harry and louis let me know pretty much as soon as words started getting written that they were both genderqueer and that worked differently for each of them, so harry would use they/them pronouns and louis would use he/him still, it just made things more interesting. and the way the fic developed??? like, i had a very vague idea of what would happen in the fic. so the way it actually came about all surprised me.

long answer short, from the very start, this fic surprised me and i was just along for the ride. it was a BLAST and i sure do love it, even if it does have the second lowest hits of all the fics i wrote this year haha

Were there any prompts you struggled to find an idea for?

STRUGGLED HAHAHA sorry. just funny since struggle was a prompt this year. ANYWAY. the prompt i had the hardest time with was defo rise. i've had this fic idea ever since greg james tweeted with shawn mendes months ago about how shawn basically forgot his interview with greg on the breakfast show, so greg had to last minute wing a LOT OF AIR TIME AND SHOW CONTENT and he did a great job, but it brought about some funny content... anyway. that made me wanna write a triad a/b/o fic where greg is louis and harry's beta. rise was going to be used in a lot of different ways through the fic, as well. because breakfast show requires greg to rise from bed early, he gets a rise out of harry and louis with his behavior and overt flirtations with shawn, they have to rise above their jealousy, etc etc etc. i was VERY EXCITED.

except i only had three days i was able to write every week this summer, and those were really really difficult to get. if i wanted to write on tuesday or thursday, i was often curling up with my laptop in a dark room with some caffeine and candles burning to soothe me after the insanity that is my life atm, and write for as long as i could before my brain stopped functioning, which was often only around 30 min. but see, that particularly week was the worst part of my son's 18 month sleep regression, which meant instead of him sleeping and letting me write, i was driving him around or trying to rock him back to sleep or letting him play in an attempt to tire him out etc etc etc and by friday morning i had to admit to myself there was no way i could write that a/b/o fic in my one guaranteed evening to write every week (saturday, btw). so i was suddenly left with around 36 hours to find a new fic idea and develop it enough to be able to write it in one evening.

as i said in the answer to the first question, i usually go to my prompts tag to see what might inspire me with this prompt word in mind, but for this one that wasn't the first place i went. i tried looking at more definitions even though i'd done that earlier and nothing was inspiring me. so i then spoke to several friends and was still having a hard time finding any ideas that felt like something i would enjoy writing and could do so quickly.

by saturday morning, knowing i had less than 12 hours to figure out what i was writing so i could actually WRITE IT in only like 2-3 hours of writing time, i finally sat down and scrolled through my prompts tag. once i did, i saw the photo for the "good kissing spot", and i immediately thought of sunrise. so i ran with it. but i wanted to make it stylinshaw, so how would i work that in, etc etc etc. it was just very fast and very difficult trying to figure out how i would structure it so it could be a fun meet cute kind of fic, but also work into them actually building a meaningful connection etc and... well. it was a lot. haha so yeah, it was just a hard time overall that week, but i'm super proud of it in the end.

Were there any prompts you had an idea for but ended up writing something different? If so, what made you choose to change what you wrote? Do you think you’ll ever write your original idea at a later date?

HA okay well i already answered most of this above, but for the last part of this question, yes i will absolutely write my original idea at a later date. the whole reason i decided not to do it wasn't because i couldn't turn it into a fic that could be written in that one writing session, but because i had hopes for what that fic would be, and i didn't want to shorten and condense it enough to do that. i didn't want to have to lessen the dreams i have for that fic in my head, so i decided i would just put it back on my to write list and save it for later. who knows when, but that fic will absolutely get written.

What do you think was the most difficult as well as the easiest part about the Wordplay Challenge?

most difficult was 100% finding the time to write. that was insanely hard for me all summer, but by the time wordplay was going, things at home had ramped up to being very overwhelming regarding the demands on me and my time, and what i had been doing to carve out some time for myself and writing wasn't working anymore, so i had to adjust even more with the understanding that i was working on a really strict timeline too. so yeah. just finding the time was absolutely the hardest part for me.

easiest part was the actual writing. these fics really flowed from me, outside of the pack fic, that one was actually pretty difficult to make sure i was getting the dynamics exactly the way i wanted to have them turn out, but even with that aspect, it still was like it flowed from me most of the time. these fics really just took over and i was along for the ride. it was a blast.

If you participate again next year, is there anything you’ll do differently? If so, what?

lmao well assuming people still want wordplay to happen again, i'll run it again and very likely will take part. so... with the difficulty i had in finding any time to do anything this summer, i was actually ridiculously stressed when it came to the writing part, but also the modding aspect of it. so i am not sure that i'll run it during the summer again next year. i might have it go during the early fall once school is back in session so i at least have only one child at home instead of three to battle lol so that's one thing i'll hopefully be doing differently.

as for the writing aspect, i don't think so actually. i've done 5 years of this, and i'm having fun with it. haha if i ever find a fic idea i think could work for it, i would consider doing a series for it next year, but it all depends on if there's something i'd like to write that could work for that kind of set up with this challenge.

if you made it this far, thank you for reading!!! xxx

[allaboutthebooz]

Still Learning Pt. Four

Eventually, you were. Able to drag yourself out of bed. You showered and cleaned your face. You managed to get out all of the photos you edited and send to the publisher. You walked down to get your mail, finding nothing but overdue bills. You could feel your stress getting worse.

You left the bills unopen on your counter. You leaned your hip against it and crossed your arms over your chest, gnawing on your bottom lip. Maybe you should meet up with Bucky and see what he has to offer. You didn’t like the idea of him taking pity on you, but you really needed the money. Maybe you will just take his help until you get a better paying job.

Glancing at the clock on your stove, you saw that it read 6:45. That left you with fifteen minutes to change and rush to the diner. Hopefully, he would still be there when you finally arrived.

Bucky had arrived a few minutes early, eager to see if Y/N would consider his offer and meet him. He was vague about how he could help her, but he was ready to explain everything. He just hoped she would show.

He’d gotten a copy of the loose binding contract from his lawyer. Loose binding , because he didn’t ever mean to do anything about it if his companions broke some rules. It was more like an info packet, breaking down everything he expected and what his companion could expect from him.

He ordered himself a coffee while he waited, looking over the papers in front of him.

Seven o’clock came and knee began to bounce.

7:05, ‘Maybe she’s not coming.’

7:10, ‘I’ll give her a few more minutes. She’s probably just running late.’

7:15, “I guess I should order.’

Just as he was deciding what to order, he heard the bell above the door chime. Glancing above the menu, he sees her standing right inside the door, staring back at him. Her hair windblown, her chest rising and falling quicker than usual. She must have ran here.

Holding his gaze, she moves towards the booth he had claimed, stopping just beside the table.

“Hi.” Y/N breathes out.

“Hi. I was starting to think you weren’t going to show.” He says.

“I almost didn’t/ I changed my mind at the last minute. That’s why I’m late.” She explains, while sliding into the seat across from him.

“Well, I’m glad you did.”

“I guess we’ll see if I made the right choice.”

“I believe you did.” He smiles.

The waitress comes over to hand Y/N a menu, but she waves her off politely.

“I’ll just take a sprite with a plate of fried eggs, hash browns, and breakfast sausage.”

The waitress writes her order down and looks to Bucky.

“I’ll take the red velvet pancakes.”

She writes his order below Y/N’s. “It’ll be out shortly. I’ll be back with your sprite, hun.” They both thank her as she walks away.

Bucky glances down at the papers he brought with him. Putting a hand on them, he slides them over to her. Y/N’s hands separate, while she looks down at the small stack.

“What is this?” She asks not picking them up.

“It’s my offer.”

She puts her hands on top of the papers, covering the words that are scrolled across them. She looks up at him for the first time since sitting down. Poking her tongue out to pull her top lip in. He didn’t know why, but he found it to be somewhat attractive.

“Why don’t you explain what it is you have for me, before I look these over?”

Bucky leans his elbows on the table and folds one arm over the other. He runs his own tongue across his bottom lip, watching her eyes flicker down to his mouth and quickly back up to meet his blue eyes.

He took a moment to consider his words, thinking about how to explain everything too her without scaring her away.

“I want to pay you to essentially be my friend, maybe even a little more…eventually.” He explains, gently.

He sees the moment that it clicks in her mind. “A sugar baby?” She says quietly. “You want to be my sugar daddy? You want to pay me to sleep with you?” Her brows pull together. “You think I’m that desperate?”

“I don’t think you’re desperate. I’m not going to pay you to sleep with me. I just want to help you. You need the money and I need a friend. Someone who will go with me to stuck up government events or even parties that my coworker drags me to. Aside from your friendship, I don’t expect you to do anything you aren’t comfortable with. I do ask that when we are at public events that we put on a front of being an actual couple though, but again we won’t do anything you aren’t comfortable with.”

“But still a sugar relationship?”

“I prefer to call it paid companionship.”

Y/n leans back in her seat, her fingers tapping the papers. He can see she’s debating. “And what’s in it for me, if I agree?” Y/N asks, he can see her interest growing.

“Everything is explained in the paperwork.” Bucky says, pointing to the packet still under her hands.

“Okay, but I want to hear it from you. Why should I agree to this?” She says, her tone hardening slightly.

“I can provide you with the stability that was stolen from you. I will give you whatever you ask for. Whatever you want, while we get to know each other. That’s pretty much what this is about. I want to keep seeing you, but you told me that your life is too crazy to do that. This is me offering you a chance to get back on your feet while I get what I want.” He winces slightly at his last words. “Not that you’re something to own, because you’re not. You’re an independent person. I just meant that what I want is to get to know you better. This is how I get to do it.”

Bucky realizes he’s rambling when he notices Y/N’s raised eyebrows and slight smirk. He opens his mouth to say more, but suddenly plates are being placed on the table, along with Y/N’s drink. He hadn’t realized enough time had passed for their food to be ready. Although, taking a quick look around the diner, he notices they’re practically the only ones in the place. Aside from an older gentleman sitting at the counter.

Y/N thanks the waitress, opening her straw, sticking it through the top layer on ice, and taking a sip. Putting her cup down, she looks at Bucky, licking her lips. Bucky’s eyes quickly drawn towards the action, like Y/N’s were. Catching a quick glimpse of the pink tongue that hides within her mouth. Clearing his throat, he pulls his gaze to hers again.

“Look, I’m not trying to do this so that we’ll sleep together. I want to make sure you’re comfortable doing this. I just want to help.”

“How would we do this?” She asks.

“However you want.”

“If I agree to do this, we take it slow.”

“Agreed. As slow as you want.”

Y/N nods and bites her lip. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Let’s do it. I can try and deny that I don’t need your help, but I really do. So, let’s do it. Where do I sign?”

Bucky smiles. His perfect teeth making her stomach flip.

“You can sign in a minute, but there are a few things we should go over first.”

“Okay. Like what?”

“Rules.”

“Rules?” Y/N asks, her brows pulling together. “There are rules?”

“Oh yeah. Just a few, but they help keep boundaries.”

“Okay. Rules.”

“Rules.” They both smile before finally digging into their food.

TAGS:

Still Learning- @chipilerendi @vicmc624

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*If you would like to added to the tag list, please send me an ask. I am able to keep up with them better that way!

[carewyncromwell]

*exhales heavily* Cinderella AU time again...and yes, I am in just as much pain as you are. 

Carewyn’s dress, which she first wore at the Winter Festival several sections back, is once again based on this design. The scene Orion is pictured in above was inspired by a scene from one of my absolute favorite Disney shorts, The Prince and the Pauper. (Yes, turns out a Mickey Mouse cartoon can end up bringing out some real emotions!) The line “have courage and be kind” is also a reference to Disney’s 2015 live action remake of Cinderella. 

Trigger warning for grief, depression, thoughts of suicide, and minor character death. 

Previous part is here -- whole tag is here -- so let’s begin.

x~x~x~x

Carewyn rode without stopping all the way back to the Cromwell estate. Her mind was so dark and her spirit panged with such emptiness and pain that she could hardly have explained why. Perhaps she’d thought to confront Charles. Perhaps she’d thought to demand that he explain why Talbott was wrong -- where he’d really sent Jacob, if not off to War. Perhaps she’d thought to demand the truth. But for her to do that, she’d have to accept that what Talbott said was really true. And if she did that...

Overhead the clouds gathered and grew darker still in the night, rumbling with thunder. By the time Carewyn had reached the capital again, it had started to pelt sleet and rain. 

When Carewyn had arrived at the Cromwell estate, she leapt off her horse in such haste that her foot got caught in the saddle. Loosing her balance and grip, Carewyn fell right off and right into the mud several feet away from the manor’s front stoop. Her horse, startled by the sound of his rider’s cry, gave a whinny, backing up with its hooves padding the muddy earth. 

Carewyn shakily eased herself up out of the mud. One of her slightly-too-big shoes had come off when she fell. She tried to gather enough awareness of her surroundings to retrieve it...but in that moment, she found herself unable to move. The cold of the freezing rain was enough to make anyone feel numb, but combined with the paralyzing despair that clung to her blood like ice, she was just too weak to stand. 

Jacob...Jacob...

Carewyn tried to get up, but her legs quaked under her and she slumped forward. 

I have to get up, she tried to tell herself. I have to be strong. I can’t fall apart...when...

“Jacob needs me. I have to be strong for Jacob.” That was always the thing that kept her from breaking. That was always the thing that helped her stand back up, every time she fell. That was always the thing that convinced her that she could still endure somehow. 

I need to make up for my mistake. I need to bring Jacob home. It’s okay if I can never be free -- it’s okay if I can never be happy again. If I’m a slave to Grandfather the rest of my life, that’s fine, as long as Jacob is...

Carewyn’s hands vaguely clutched at the sleeves of her dress, almost trying to simulate the way Jacob had hugged her nine years ago. 

The memory of her older brother’s arms squeezing her tight always used to bring Carewyn some warmth in the past, even through the pain of how much she missed him. But now...now even that memory could not shake the shuddering cold off of her shoulders. 

A loud crash of lightning overhead spooked Carewyn’s horse. With a scared whinny, it galloped away toward the stable, leaving her alone. Carewyn, however, barely noticed. She was too lost in her own head. 

“My Wyn -- my sweet Wyn -- ”

Jacob’s choked, relieved voice echoed in her ear...only to be replaced with Chester’s recollection of Jacob’s final words.

“‘Wyn. I’ve failed you, Wyn.’”

Carewyn’s heart felt like it was being ripped open. A part of her was gone -- torn out with force. 

No, Jacob. I failed you. It was me. It’s all because of me. 

She was the foolish one, to have ever trusted Charles in anything. She was the ignorant one, to never have questioned his explanation or why she’d never seen a single shred of a letter from Jacob, all those years. She was the stupid one, to not have immediately run after Jacob, rather than stay under Charles’s thumb all that time. She was the pathetic one who’d sold her and Jacob’s souls away...all for nothing.

Jacob did everything he could to try to get away. He must have known he was going to die, but he did everything he could to try to get back to her...while she...she immediately got to work being her family’s servant. She cowardly slunk into the kitchen and obeyed Charles’s will, in the exact moments when Jacob was trying everything he could to reach her. And then, when the spell was broken...he died alone. He died alone, and in chains, bruised and crying...knowing that he’d never see his sister again.

Carewyn had stayed in line hoping to keep Jacob from suffering...but her inaction -- her stupidity -- had made him suffer all the way up until his last breath.

Tears streamed down Carewyn’s face. She felt like claws were tearing at her heart, ripping her apart from the inside. She couldn’t catch her breath. She gritted her teeth, trying to keep herself from sobbing openly, and huddled in on herself. Her soaking hair was coming out of its bun and falling all around her face, but she didn’t even feel it. All she felt was cold and pain and grief and heavy, unnatural gravity. 

You deserve this.

The thought was a whisper in her mind, but it was a knife in her brain and her heart at the same time. 

Jacob died alone. Jacob suffered and died...all because you didn’t...

She shut her eyes, her shoulders quaking. 

You deserve to be alone. You deserve to die alone. 

The voice that had always belonged to that “beast” inside of herself had never been stronger than it was in that moment. Its voice rumbled like the thunder that echoed overhead, and yet it was silent poison in her ear, trickling through to her brain and into her icy blood. 

She screamed. It was all she could do. She screamed in anguish, clutching her own shoulders as her tears muddled with the raindrops sliding down her cheeks. 

Die alone. Die alone. 

Time blurred for Carewyn as she sat in the rain alone. Looking back, she could hardly have said whether it was ten minutes or an entire hour later before anyone approached her. 

“Carewyn!”

Carewyn barely heard the cry of her name. It was as if it’d come from a mile away, in a voice that was vaguely familiar in how misty it was, but echoing with anxiety.

Someone collapsed to their knees in front of her, grabbing hold of her arms and hoisting her upper half back up. Carewyn stiffened like a cat -- when her eyes shot open, they could just barely make out a man with wet hair messily falling into his black eyes. 

“Carewyn,” breathed Orion. 

Carewyn tried to speak, but she couldn’t inhale without choking back a sob. She clenched her teeth harder. 

Orion had been waiting outside the gates of the Royaumanian camp for her, she recalled. He must’ve seen her ride off and immediately followed after her. 

Orion’s face was so pale -- so anxious. It made Carewyn almost ill to see it. Tearing her eyes away, she brought a hand up to his chest and pushed him back away from her. 

“Go away,” she whispered. 

The words were an arrow in Orion’s heart. 

“Carewyn...”

He reestablished his grip on her shoulders. but Carewyn once again pushed at his chest. 

“Leave me!” she rasped. 

Orion, however, only squeezed her more tightly, his eyes flooding with pain and caring. 

“Don’t look at me like that!” she lashed out despite herself, as more tears slid off her lashes. “I told you to leave me! Leave me be...”

Orion amazingly didn’t respond to Carewyn’s temper. Instead he merely steadied his hold on her shoulders, even though his hands were trembling. 

“Carewyn,” he whispered, “your brother...”

“DON’T TALK ABOUT JACOB!”

Carewyn brought both of her hands up and finally shoved Orion off of her. She tried to get up, to put more distance between them, but her legs collapsed out from under her and she fell back into the mud. 

“Carewyn...” said Orion, reaching out to try to help her again, but Carewyn wrenched herself out of his reach. 

“I told you to leave! I don’t want your help -- I don’t want your kindness, or your caring, or your sadness -- ”

"You don’t want them,” said Orion, his voice a bit faster than normal due to the anxiety throbbing through his head and heart, “but I feel them, all the same. Please...won’t you accept them? Accept how sorry I am, that I couldn’t reunite you with him -- that I couldn’t -- ”

“No.”

Carewyn shut her eyes tight, clutching her own shoulders in a vain attempt to make them stop shaking. 

The denial made Orion flinch. “...Why?”

“Because I don’t deserve them!” she shot back, her voice choked with pain. “I don’t deserve your concern -- I don’t deserve your worry -- I didn’t deserve it before, and I don’t deserve it now, so stop trying to give jewels to swine! I will not appreciate them!”

Orion’s black eyes welled up with anguish. 

“My lady -- ” he whispered. 

“NO.”

The title made Carewyn’s eyes flood with fresh tears, her eyebrows knitting tightly over her eyes.

“I’m not your lady -- nor am I anyone’s! I’m not a lady -- I never was! I’m barely even a Cromwell! My mother ran away from home and eloped with a merchant against our family’s wishes -- Grandfather disowned her long before I was born! I’m just as much an outsider to my family as she was -- as Jacob was! I have no dowry, no money, no status -- the only reason I was even at the palace was because Grandfather sent me to work there! I’m a maidservant, a peasant, an orphan...I’m nothing!”

Orion’s eyes were very wide upon Carewyn’s face. He seemed a bit intimidated by her ferocity, but he didn’t recoil. Instead he tried again to reach out. 

“You’re not nothing, Carewyn Cromwell -- you’ve never been nothing...”

He didn’t touch her this time, instead clutching his own hands in his lap, but inched as close to her as she’d let him. 

“Carewyn, I was a peasant myself, until my half-brother, the first Prince, was killed,” he whispered. Once again, the anxiety that made his heart race and his head pound was making him talk in a faster, tenser, rambling voice. “It doesn’t matter to me what you are -- I know who you are, and you’re the furthest thing from nothing to -- ”

“Who I am!” 

Carewyn couldn’t contain her volatile emotions. She clutched at her own face, the nails digging into her skin. 

“Who I am is a SLAVE, Orion! A slave to the Devil I stupidly trusted, thinking he would help my brother...the Devil I stupidly followed the bidding of, trying to get him a crown through my cousins, in the misguided thought that it would spare Jacob from further suffering! And instead...instead all I did was stay in line, march lock-step, for no reason at all! My brother died alone, because of me! I gave up our freedom for nothing!”

Her nails left red marks on her face with the effort of trying to force back her tears. 

“Everything, all of it -- all of this pain is my own fault! All because I couldn’t save Mum or Jacob -- because I was actually stupid enough to believe Grandfather would help me, pathetic enough to become as much of a liar and a fraud as he is -- ”

Orion impulsively unclasped his hands and grabbed hold of hers gripping her face. 

“Carewyn, please,” he choked. His eyes were rippling like turbulent black waves and his voice was strained with anxiety. “This is your inner beast talking, not you. You don’t deserve this pain and grief. You deserve more, so much more -- you deserve to be happy -- you deserve to be free. If I could break your chains, I would -- if I could bring your brother back, I would -- if I could give you the Southern Sea itself for you to sail on, I would -- ”

Orion’s hands were shaking as he tried and failed to peel her hands from her face. He couldn’t bear to see this woman who had always been so strong, who had become an anchor when he’d needed it, so off-balance. He knew he needed to find his center, and try to focus...but how could he, when his center of balance was the cause of his lack of balance? It made it so that all Orion could do was mirror Carewyn, becoming more upset and losing more hope as she did. 

His heartrate was spiking. He didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know what to do or say, to fend off the beast assaulting the woman he loved. 

“Please...” Orion whispered, “please don’t hurt yourself like this -- please -- let me help you...”

All of a sudden, a lantern was lit inside the manor. A window opened, and the sound of voices came out of it.

“Who’s there?!” bellowed the voice of Blaise Cromwell.

Carewyn and Orion both stiffened. Orion’s hands tightened on Carewyn’s on her face, but she tore out of his grip again.

“Go,” she said very coldly. 

Orion faltered, his face desperate. “Carewyn -- ”

“Now. Before you’re caught trespassing.”

Despite the coldness of her voice, it was not cruel. It was very quiet and strained, despite its lack of light -- an opaque shadow of her usual voice. 

Orion’s hands were trembling as he impulsively grabbed her hand, bringing it up to his lips. 

“Come with -- ”

But she withdrew her hand. 

“I said go now!” 

Orion closed his eyes, trying to hold in the wounded, miserable flinch that passed over his face. 

It was the first time she’d refused to accept his help at all. When they’d first met, he’d said that if she did refuse his help when it was offered willingly, it would only serve to make her all the more wonderful of a contradiction...but now that she had...it only served to make his heart break. 

She’s in so much pain, he thought. She’s in so much pain, and yet still, even now, she cannot place her well-being over someone else’s. Even now, she sacrifices, and endures, and suffers...even now, she’s so...

Orion was breathing heavily, shakily. His thoughts were racing as fast as his heart, making his brain throb just as badly. 

He was in no state to help her fight her beast in that moment, while fighting his own...especially when she had already surrendered to it. 

And so, Orion did as Carewyn asked. He turned away and ran back to his horse. He climbed back onto its back, flicked the reins, and charged back off into the rain, just as the door of the Cromwell estate opened.

Orion returned to the Florentine capital. He was so off-balance that he didn’t have the heart to try to go look for Andre, KC, Erika, and the Weasleys, to tell them where Carewyn had gone. He didn’t have the heart to face them, knowing that Carewyn’s brother had been killed in a conflict with his own father’s men. (For, as one might recall, Orion never learned the circumstances behind the spell cast to stall Jacob’s death.) 

Orion arrived at the palace soaking wet nearly three hours later, just before midnight. It was fortunate he did, for as soon as he rode in through the gates, a pretty woman with braided blond hair rushed out to him. It was Penny Haywood -- the chief medic from the war front.

“Orion! Thank God you’re back!”

Orion was too emotionally overwhelmed to give her a proper greeting. Instead he tried to detach himself, climbing off his horse and immediately moving toward the stable to tie her up. Penny, however, seized the horse’s reins out of his hand and stepped in front of him. 

“You must go to your father at once,” she said urgently. “He’s up in his chambers -- ”

“I shall speak with him in the morning,” said Orion lowly. He let Penny take his horse -- he couldn’t focus on fighting with her about it. He just had to get somewhere quiet, away from the thunder and pounding thoughts in his head...

“No,” said Penny, her voice very strained. “You must see him now, Orion -- ”

She held onto his horse’s reins as she pursued him and grabbed his shoulder. 

“Orion...the King is dying.”

It seemed that General Parkin hadn’t just been blustering back at the battlefield, when he was trying to coax Orion to return with him to camp. The battle King Cosimo V had prematurely waged against the Royaumanian army had stolen many lives and injured many...the most prominent of which was the King himself. He had been shot several times in the heart, an injury too traumatic to the human body for any of Penny’s potions to heal -- and so all that could be done was stall his death through a spell that temporarily gave him the heart of a pig the army had co-opted from a local farm. Severus Snape, the court magician, had stood by the King in his chambers maintaining the spell, in the hopes that Orion would return in time to say his proper goodbyes. 

Orion found Skye and McNully waiting outside the King’s bedchambers. Skye offered Orion a towel to dry off, but Orion silently shook his head and, with a trembling hand, pushed open the door. 

Snape was sitting at the King’s bedside, his concentration fixed on his spell, but was talented enough of a magician that his focus wasn’t broken when Orion entered the room. 

“Your Highness,” said Snape lowly. “At last.”

Orion clasped his hands in front of him. “Master Snape.”

The court magician’s expression was very stony, but he nonetheless rose to his feet and moved to Orion, his eyes boring into his face solemnly. 

“I shall leave you alone, to speak with him,” he murmured. “Be quick. His time is short.”

Orion closed his eyes, his head falling in something of a half-hearted nod. Snape swept past him, his outer robes billowing behind him like a bat’s wings, and he closed the large door behind him with a soft, but resounding boom. 

Orion’s hands were very clammy. He squeezed them tightly, breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth in a vain attempt to calm his racing heart. 

“Cosimo...?”

His father’s voice came out very hushed. Orion’s eyes shot open, startled and dismayed. 

“Be quick,” the memory of Snape’s voice urged him again.

Taking a deep breath, Orion swept over to his father’s bedside, sitting down in the chair that Snape had been sitting in before. 

The King of Florence lay limply in bed, his green eyes half-mast upon Orion’s face. When his son approached, something in them softened. 

“Cosimo,” he murmured. “You’re safe...”

Orion nodded. “Yes.”

The King closed his eyes, his expression breaking into a relieved smile. Orion swallowed back the lump in his throat. 

“Father,” he said quietly, “I didn’t know you were injured -- if I had, I would’ve come to the camp straightaway...”

“I’m grateful for that,” said the King. “Under the circumstances...I’m afraid I did wonder.”

Orion’s black eyes grew a little smaller. “You believed I wouldn’t care, if you died?”

The King’s face grew very somber as he slowly opened his eyes again. “Not believed. Simply wondered. And...perhaps understood the logic of it.”

Orion’s eyebrows knit together over his eyes with confusion and upset. “Well, I’m afraid I fail to.”

The King sighed. 

"...You have never had an easy life, Cosimo,” he said lowly. “I knew it long before you became Prince, and yet I did nothing to mitigate it. I was never a father to you, when you were young. I never gave you anything but a paltry allowance, to make sure you were clothed and fed. All because I chose my duty to our people and country over my love for your mother.”

Orion squeezed his own hands tightly. 

“I do not resent you for that,” he murmured. “You couldn’t abandon your responsibility...nor your first son. If you’d done what Mother had intended, and cast aside your wife and my half-brother so that I would be sole prince and heir, I’m certain you would’ve had just as many regrets. My half-brother would’ve been the one in my place...and after having actually known you as a father, that would’ve been far more crippling to his sense of balance -- to his identity and his life.”

His black eyes softened sadly. 

“I’m not foolish enough to think that Mother was right, to expect you to choose her ambitions over your duty. She should never have put you in the position to make such a choice...least of all by giving me your name, so that everyone would know I was meant to be a replacement for your first son...who I know you loved more than anyone else. I’ll always love and miss my mother...but she never learned that one can’t love another person by forcing them to choose between two sides of their heart.”

The memory of Carewyn crumpled over in grief in response to her brother’s death rippled over his mind again. 

I couldn’t tell her not to grieve for him. I couldn’t disrespect her, by refusing to leave, when she told me to...by forcing her onto my horse and stealing her away...

His heart clenched. 

Even so...I wish I did. I wish I wasn’t such a coward that I didn’t just refuse to leave her side, no matter what she or her family said...no matter what happened...

But Royaume and Florence were still at war, despite everything. If he’d stayed and been arrested or gotten into a physical altercation with Carewyn’s family, what would that have helped? Who would it have helped? 

The King’s green eyes trailed over Orion’s face, slightly awed. Then they melted, rippling like emeralds under candlelight, and he reached out a hand through the bed curtains toward Orion. 

“...You truly have become so wise, Cosimo,” he whispered, his eyes sliding closed. “So wise...”

After a brief hesitation, Orion shakily detached his hands and took his father’s in both of them. 

“You...will be a great king, my son.”

Orion’s eyes fell down to his father’s hand. 

“I’m not ready,” he confessed. 

“No prince is.”

King Cosimo squeezed his son’s hands, the tension flooding out of his shoulders. 

“Tell me about her,” he murmured.

“About Mother?” asked Orion.

The King shook his head. “No. The lady you wrote of, in your letter. The Royaumanian.”

Orion’s heart felt like it had been dunked in water. It sparked some adrenaline and made his heart race, yes...but it was still so cold...

“She’s...”

Orion closed his eyes. He inhaled and exhaled several times to try to steady his heartrate. 

“...a robin in a cage, Father.”

The King didn’t respond. Orion pressed on. 

“She has a frame so small and fragile that anyone could underestimate her...but her soul has wings strong enough to take flight, if she so chose. Her feathers sheen with light and color, yet they pale in the face of the brilliance of her eyes. She flits about with courage and agility. She has a heart too large for her red breast to contain...and so she sings. Oh, how she sings! Her song could soothe the most savage beasts...and they have, in the hearts of men. It can bring people together -- inspire hope for a future that had seemed impossible. And...”

He swallowed.

“...she’s selfless. The bravest, kindest, most selfless person I’ve ever met in my life. Nothing frightens her. Nothing intimidates her. No pain is one she won’t endure...so long as the people she loves thrive. As long as she can bring others happiness...she’ll take every bit of pain onto her own shoulders, take the brunt of the whole world’s ire...just so that no one else has to. She’ll help a complete stranger simply because they need help...and yet never demand a single thing for herself. All because, even with how wonderful and good of a person she is...she still somehow sees herself as unworthy.”

His voice had become very hushed. 

“Her standards...are higher than I could ever fathom.”

“I can imagine.” 

The King’s hand squeezed Orion’s hands lightly. 

“She truly has inspired you, Cosimo. I realize now that you never wished to be a King of War, as I have been...but she was the one who encouraged you to fight for that wish, regardless of the risk. When I first read your letter...I was so blinded by my own fears...of losing you, as I had your brother...that I could only read your words as evidence that an infatuation had caused you to recklessly put yourself in danger...just as I might have, as a young man. But now...now I only regret that I won’t get to meet Lady Cromwell myself.”

He opened his eyes, and to Orion’s surprise, they’d started to flood with tears. 

“I understand the pain of loving someone who you’re not free to be with,” said the King. “I lament that you must know it too...but from the sound of things...your lady knows love better than either I or your mother did.”

He actually gave a choked laugh. 

“Please consider courting her -- I’d love knowing my son had a queen like that, by his side.”

Orion wanted to smile in return, but he just couldn’t. 

Somewhere far away, a clock began to toll the hour. The sound made Orion’s heart clench with anxiety. 

“No...”

He looked at his father. As the second toll gonged, the King clutched his chest. The third and fourth tolls prompted the wounds in his chest to start reopening.

“My time is up, Cosimo,” the King said solemnly. 

“No,” said Orion again, “no...not yet...”

“It’s all right.”

The sixth gong made the blood blossom up out of the wounds in his chest. Despite the pain he was clearly in, King Cosimo faced Orion with a very brave, firm expression.

“You must promise,” he told him, and his voice came out as a rasp, “promise me you’ll rule Florence from your heart...justly...and wisely.”

Orion felt like his racing heart was stuck in his throat. 

“...I promise,” he said at last. 

“Follow...your lady’s example. Have courage...and be kind.” 

“I will. I promise.” 

The tenth toll of the clock made blood spill out the side of the King’s mouth, but he forced a smile all the same, even as tears streamed from his eyes. 

“...I’ve...never been more proud...to be your father.” 

He kept his eyes on Orion’s face all the way up until the last stroke of midnight. His eyes remained there even after all of the light had left them and he had taken his final breath. 

Orion’s hands were shaking as he held his father’s limp hand. He bowed his head, closing his eyes, and sat there in silence. He breathed in through his nose, out through his mouth, for a very long moment. 

Florence...its people, its land, was solely his responsibility now. 

His shoulders suddenly felt so heavy -- as if he were suddenly Atlas, with the weight of the world resting upon him. It was suffocating, but it was also devastating...for no man could hope to run free, carrying such a heavy burden. He wouldn’t be able to leave Florence as he pleased any longer. He wouldn’t be able to escape from his duties for a day, or make believe he was anything other than what he was. 

Carewyn couldn’t fly because she was in a cage. And now...Orion couldn’t fly because he bore a weight too heavy for him to carry. 

It was only when the door of the chambers opened several minutes later and Skye, McNully, Penny, and Snape all reentered that Orion raised his head. He looked over his shoulder at them, his face very restrained and calm, even though his black eyes were shining with unshed tears. 

Skye immediately ran over to Orion and threw her arms around his shoulders, burying her face in his shoulder and squeezing tight. McNully wheeled right up beside Orion too, his own eyes full of tears. For once, he didn’t seem to know what to say.

The door inched a bit more open, and Orion caught sight of Lord Malfoy coming to stand in the door frame. Although he was dressed in black and tried to appear solemn, however, his cold gray eyes were glinting with an odd kind of satisfaction. 

Lord Malfoy had certainly not planned for things to unfold as they did...but the wealthy businessman wasn’t unhappy at the thought of the King who’d been too noble for his own good being replaced with an ignorant bastard peasant. 

Orion released King Cosimo’s hand at last to hug Skye in return. Then, detaching himself from her, he rose from the chair and moved over to the bed so he could bring up a hand and gently close his father’s eyes. 

“The King is dead,” Snape said solemnly, his eyes locked solidly on Orion as the Crown Prince faced him. “Long live the King.”