#i missed updating blighted i can go back to work now

[ofgoodmenarchive]

Blighted Empire: 8.5

Bound by Light

Something was different.

Something was out of place.

Identifying the source of this unease was a sluggish, difficult task. Evallan attempted an intake of his surroundings, listing each detail in his mind.

Immediately he knew whatever his location, he was safe. Wrapped in blissful warmth and comfort, the world muffled by layers of blanket and a pair of strong arms. His sleeping companion was no mystery- Dorian had allowed him into his bed, no? Even if that memory eluded, the hint of fire and sweat was significant on its own.

Yet there was certainly something amiss.

  We did not fall asleep like this.

  He would not allow it...

Nor just that- beyond Dorian's smokey aroma the room smelled quite different from what it had. One grows accustomed to the damp within the tower, a dingy cloud lingering in every hall. It was a scent you only remember in its absence- and it was absent now- as absent as his clothes. Evallan appeared to be wearing nothing and Dorian was equally under-dressed, bare skin pressed to bare skin.

Startled, he lay stiffly and burned, trying to fathom his predicament. Eventually he realised the room was lit far brighter than Dorian's- where a window had been bricked. The ceiling here was spacious and a soothing breeze whistled through an out-of-sight opening, all fabrics and carpets dyed warm, luxurious shades.

  It is me.

  I am the thing out of place.

Though it wasn't terribly surprising. Cut off from the Fade, theoretically Evallan should no longer dream. Except in order to survive, he'd connected to something else- some place. With nowhere else in reach, his dreams brought him here.

Understandable. Evallan could even describe himself as grateful- almost.

Still- this timing was highly inappropriate.

Dorian's breathing was languid, tickling the side of his neck. Biting his tongue not to make a sound, Evallan scooted ever-so-carefully from the bed, determined to roll away and onto his feet without waking the man.

Luckily there was a robe hanging from the headboard. He slipped into the thin fabric, satisfied it at least covered more delicate areas. Not that it mattered- the true owner of this vessel was obviously comfortable to be seen by Dorian in such a way. It was just that Evallan found himself feeling rather intrusive.

Aimless, he padded around, blinking at paintings in the dim light, or frowning at books with titles he'd never heard of. After some time he settled at the writing desk and perused notes, finding most to be personal logs. Written by something akin to his own hand- his actualhand was clumsier in any language, than the careful Dalish script he poured over now.

The writing style was at least familiar; direct, to the point, sparing no time for frivolous detail but listing everything of importance in practical fashion. Yet he could make no sense of the information, lacking proper context for the endless descriptions, names, doodled maps...

Evallan debated searching out Amrallan's letters once more but never came to a decision.

  “Mmn...Amatus...? Come back to bed...”

He froze, anxiety rendering him mute. Dorian's hand grasped at sheets, displeased by their emptiness. Since Evallan was unable to think of a response, the grumbling continued;

  “Alright...either come back to bed or close the bloody balcony.”

At first he was lost- then recalled that gentle breeze. Indeed nearby was a balcony door, left ajar to reveal snowy mountains. Even in this life, his other self must find these quarters stuffy, needing a draft to counteract. Not having the same issue, Dorian required his partner to heat their shared bed.

Stepping towards the balcony, Evallan swung it closed and flipped the latch. He returned to the desk then and sat tensely, brooding at his knees.

After a short bout of silence, Dorian sighed with dramatic misery.

  “...It'll be one of those nights, will it? I see how it is.”

Not really comprehending, Evallan observed from behind his hair. Dorian unfurled from the bed and instantly he looked away, cheeks flushed and lips thin.

  “Bloody cold!” Thank the Gods for small mercies- Dorian also acquired a robe, saving Evallan from the shame of fighting with his own gaze.

To an extent, at least.

  “So...what is it keeping us awake tonight, hrm? Orlais, the Chantry? Or maybe someone's just not doing their job?”

What to even say? Should he announce himself? Should he simply act as though nothing was wrong? While he thought and Dorian spoke the man also meandered for him, stretching and yawning, perfectly relaxed.

  “Or, you're not...did you have a nightmare...?”

Thinking of his existence as a nightmare almost made Evallan laugh. He held himself.

Dorian's shadow fell over him, the other mage bending to his level with a sigh.

  “Evallan...don't ignore me, now.”

Lips brushed against his and he seized, fingers clutching to arm-rests.

  “...O-oh.” Dorian jerked back, laughing. “I-I'm so sorry. I didn't notice you at first.”

Aware his face was several shades of red, Evallan lifted it for Dorian to see.

  “...At...first?” He hiccuped, forced composure. “How can you see any difference?”

The Tevinter snorted, leaning upon the table.

  “Well, no offence to you at all, of course, but my Evallan doesn't tend to look around himself like a scared rabbit-” Choking, he hastened to add. “Not because of your ears- or anything! Your- your eyes. You stare around like a cornered mouse, or something. That's all I meant. Your ears are perfectly normal.”

Perplexed but not taking it as an insult, he nodded, considering-

  “...That is not how you have described it to me before.”

  “Oh?” He seemed amused by that, chortling. “And how did 'I' describe it before?”

  “You said I scowl with only my eyes.”

This inspired peals of hilarity from the man- a calming sound. It gladdened Evallan to hear the same laughter he knew so intimately.

  “Well- yes,” Dorian breathed out, wiping his eyes. “It is that- but behind the scowling- it's obvious you're quite terrified.”

Evallan's spine firmed, corner of his mouth tugging downwards.

  “I am not afraid.” He stated in defence.

  “Oh, forgive me,” Dorian rolled his eyes, teasing. “Distraught then, or stressed. Are those more appropriate descriptors for your terribly masculine ego?”

He bit the inside of his cheek to avoid sniling, muttering only-

  “Yes.”

Which caused Dorian to roll his eyes again, though Evallan noted how affectionately he was regarded between these jabs.

  This must be difficult for him...

A strange thought- not because of its content. Thus far it was the only internal dialogue he discerned as 'shared' between him and the quiet presence whose life he'd invaded. He was doubly compelled to express the sentiment, mumbling-

  “I...am sorry. This must be very strange for you.”

  “Ah, well...” Dorian shrugged, forcing nonchalance. “It's probably awful to say aloud...but I think I would be more upset if you had no idea who I am. Luckily, even when you're speaking intongues or drawing diagrams on the walls...you always seem to know me, so...”

  “I still...cannot imagine that being so much of a comfort.”

  “Well...” He paused with a sense of apprehension. “He is...still in there, isn't he? He just won't remember what we talked about. Or at least...that's how he explained it.”

  “I hear his thoughts sometimes,” Evallan was quick to confirm, wanting to reassure. “I do not believe he 'goes' anywhere as such, no...”

  “Good- that's. That's good.” Though he tried to seem unswayed the relief was obvious in his posture, relaxing with a huff.

  “It really is you in an awkward situation here,” Dorian began again, snickering “I imagine waking up naked in another man's bed without alcohol to blame, was- wait, do you drink? I suppose you might.”

Evallan shook his head.

  “No, I thought not. Well, my point stands then.”

Pondering it over, Evallan shook his head a second time.

  “It is fine, really. We fell asleep in a similar arrangement, only, I, ah...both of us were clothed.”

  “Oh.” Dorian snorted into his hand, stifling amusement- then abruptly straightened. “Wait a second! Does that mean you took my advice?”

He blinked, not comprehending.

  “Your advice...?”

Sighing at Evallan as if he were the slowest man in any universe, Dorian conveyed;

  “I told you to find me, remember!? To hold onto me?”

  “O-oh-” Recalling, his face overheated. “I...Yes, I did follow that advice- but I...I forgot where I heard it, I think.”

  “Typical!” He scoffed, full of exaggeration. “I don't get credit for anything.”

  “You can have that credit now, if it means so much to you.” Evallan joked automatically.

  “Careful, now,” Dorian chuckled, flashing a grin. “You don't know what sort of 'credit' I might ask for.”

He must have looked strange- for certain Evallan knew his mouth had fallen open slightly. Seeing this Dorian became apologetic, spluttering and waving his hands.

  “Maker, my stupid mouth! It's easy to forget um...different stages of familiarity, and all that?”

  “I-I understand.” He choked on a nervous laugh. “It is fine, really.”

  “Well...” Dorian gestured around himself. “This is still your room, as far as I'm concerned, and it's a tad late for a tour of the castle. How about we go back to bed, and you can have a little rest before you're whisked off to whatever blighted world, hrm?”

  “I would not mind that.” Evallan muttered, then tugged at his robe. “But...can we put on clothes?”

Dorian cackled at that, nodding.

  “That would feel more appropriate, no?” He strode to a dresser, waving Evallan to follow. Once he'd done so, Dorian patted the top with a smirk.

  “This is where you keep your clothes. It's actually the third time I've shown you.”

  “The third?” Evallan perked a brow. “I do not remember the other times.”

  “Yes, well...I say it was 'you' in a very...general sense.” His voice tilted between sadness and humour, though the sincerity of his smile never faltered. Encouraged but still skittish, Evallan dragged open one of the drawers and simply stared. In his reality he owned maybe three sets of robes, nearly identical. Looking at the plentiful folds of rich fabric, he couldn't imagine how this other self managed to dress himself in the morning.

  “Need some help?” Dorian offered, leaning into his side.

  “I only wanted some underclothes.” He ground out, massaging his forehead. “There is so much here...it is giving me a headache.”

Not an exaggeration- rooting around in these belongings provoked a throb in the centre of his skull, close to unbearable.

  “I don't think it's that- you're looking somewhat green.”

A hand steadied him and Evallan braced against the attached arm with a grunt.

  “I think...I am...” Incapable of completing a sentence, apparently. All at once his strength dissipated and he slouched into Dorian, who was steadfast in catching him.

  “There he goes-” He heard the Tevinter mumble into his hair, holding close. “Don't worry, I'm here.”

His voice was the last thing Evallan heard, his careful touch the last thing he felt.

READ MORE ON AO3

[ordinaryschmuck]

What I Thought About "Escaping Expulsion" From The Owl House

Salutations random people on the internet who most likely won’t read this. I am an Ordinary Schmuck. I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons.

Do you wanna know what I love the most about The Owl House? The writers waste no time getting to the good stuff.

Things like Willow working things out with Amity, Lumity, Lilith's redemption, and Luz's fight with Belos are stuff that most shows would drag out and wait upon using until several seasons down the line. Most of them for the final season. And yet, it all happens in the first! The writers somehow knew what the fans exactly wanted and gave them just that before they even had to ask.

Take "Escaping Expulsion," for example, as it has some great plot points and ideas I thought would happen later in the season and maybe even near the end. But it's only episode TWO of the new season, and I'm appreciative of it for that reason alone.

But explaining the good stuff this episode delivers requires spoilers, so if you haven't watched the episode yet (even though you definitely have at this point), I recommend that you do so. Now let's review, shall we?

WHAT I LIKED

Blight Industries: Huh. I'll be the first to admit: I would have never expected that the main reason why the Blights are rich is because of their technological advancements. Large in part of how the Boiling Isles is a fantasy world, and rarely do you see technology taking place in a setting such as that. Still, points for total expectation subversion added with some pretty cool tech, I might add.

Odalia Blight: It's nice to put a face to the name I've grown to hate with a fiery passion. Now I can update my dartboard!

But to tell you the truth, it feels weird saying I like someone so vile. I mean, the woman is a manipulative, smarmy b-word who nearly killed Luz. Anybody who does that last part deserves to go on my s**t list! I despise her with the same fiery passion I've had since "Understanding Willow" premiered...and it's that reason why I like her.

Because here's the thing: Characters and people are two different things. If Odalia existed in real life, she better hope that I never meet her. But as a character whose purpose is to have the audience hate her, she succeeds with flying colors. It's the same reason why I consider it unfair to hate an episode like "Something Ventured and Someone Framed" because Mattholomule exists. I get it but understand that hating him is his purpose. It's the same with Odalia. I love her, but only because I love to hate her.

Alador Blight: Wow. I guess Alador really is the lesser of two evils.

By the way, keep in mind that I said "lesser of two evils" and not "the nice one." I don't care how adorable it is to see him get distracted by a butterfly. He's still an abusive figure who stood aside as Luz fought for her life against the Abomitron and still goes along with Odalia's plans despite how heinous they are. And whenever I remember how he treated Amity in "Understanding Willow" as well--

Also, don't make him neurodivergent so he can seem redeemable. It is painfully obvious that he is just exhausted after hours of toiling away in his lab working on his inventions to the point that his brain is beyond fried.

Now, seeing that I've dismissed the argument about how Alador is the nice one, let's actually talk about his character. Because I can see what Dana Terrace meant when she said that he's interesting. He's not explicitly as awful as Odalia, as he mostly seems to be in his own little world half the time. Despite that, Alador still shows signs of being just as dismissive of Amity in general. You see this as he focuses on how her strength shows signs of Amity being a potential coven leader instead of noticing how his daughter nearly died to his own invention. Alador doesn't manipulate, but he doesn't love his daughter in a way a father should either. I'm very intrigued by this route for his character, and I can't wait to see what is done next with him.

Amity’s Amulet: My heart sank when I realized the true purpose behind Amity's amulet. The thought that Odalia found a way to literally be in Amity's head at all times...I hate that. I mean, I love it because it's A+ storytelling and symbolism, BUT I F**KING HATE IT!

Amity in General: And seeing how we're already talking about Amity, let's dive into the fact that "Escaping Expulsion" is easily her best outing so far in the series. I say this because it really puts to the test Amity's dedication to being a part of the group. You can tell by her expressions and Mae Whitman's performance that Amity so desperately wants to help her friends, but she can't due to being afraid of her mother's wrath. Which doesn't surprise me, given what we know about Odalia so far. But what does surprise me is that Amity stands up to Odalia in this very same episode. I expected it for sure, but most likely at the end of the season, due to most shows dragging out a similar concept for drama's sake. However, as I said, the writers don't waste time giving the fans what they want. So, yeah, Amity defies her mother in the very same episode we're officially introduced to her. And it's totally believable, as Amity has been fighting her parent's control ever since Luz literally showed her the light after "Covention" (click here if you don't believe me). It's yet another impressive showcase of Amity's character development and how she's leagues ahead of other redeemable characters who would go through five more episodes like this before getting to the point.

Luz in General: But enough about Amity. For now, let's talk about the actual best character of the series!

Just like Amity, Luz is on top form in "Escaping Expulsion." She is quick to call 'applesauce' about Odalia and Alador expelling the Hex-Squad and is smart enough to figure out the deal Odalia is worming her way into making. Several people classify Luz as stupid, and while she definitely leaps before she looks at times, this episode proves that Luz isn't going to fall for the sweet talk that someone like Odalia offers. As reckless as she can be, Luz is still intelligent enough to know what someone like Odalia wants and cuts to the chase despite knowing the woman can't be trusted. Still, Luz going through with the deal anyways is fantastic character work for her as it shows her dedication to the people she cares about. It hurts my heart to see Luz get all beat up from Alador's inventions, but her willingness to put up with it for her friends is an act of service I wouldn't have expected from anyone else. "Escaping Expulsion" may be more centered around Amity, but it still proves why Luz earns her spot for one of my favorite characters.

Learning How Glyphs Work: Another solid aspect of The Owl House is that the writers find brilliant ways for world-building and explaining the rules of the Boiling Isles. Take this episode's b-plot, for instance. Eda and Lilith need to learn how to do Luz's version of magic, so having an entire section of the episode dedicated to them figuring it out is a perfect outlet to explain how glyphs work in the first place. Although, I have some tribulations with this subplot that I'll get into with the dislikes. But I still consider this a brilliant workaround to explain glyphs, even if specific executions could be handled better.

The Fairy Pie: Not only is this well-crafted dark humor, and not only is it adorable as hell, but it also shows how Amity has calmed down with her feelings toward Luz. She still blushes when handing over the fairy pie, but it is certainly more subdued in comparison to "Wing it Like Witches." I like to think the time off from her (and our) favorite weirdo helped cool down those emotions a bit, but that doesn't mean she won't get slightly flustered every now and again. Because as much as I adore seeing cool and collective, I'm still very much a fan of Disaster Amity due to how cute it is.

Principle Bump: "This character is underappreciated!"

"That character doesn't get enough love!"

YOU WANNA KNOW WHO'S UNDERAPPRECIATED AND DOESN'T GET ENOUGH LOVE?! PRINCIPAL GOSH DANG BUMP, THAT'S WHO!

So many kids' shows focus on how educators are the bad guy who treats students poorly because they love seeing children suffer. But that's not Bump! Sure, he made a misstep in "The First Day," but for the most part, he really cares for his students and hopes that they work hard to be their better selves. So when he's forced to send Luz, Gus, and Willow away, he's genuinely saddened by it to the point where he breaks down crying! On top of being wholesome, Bump missing his students is another example that a character shouldn't be written as evil just because they run a school. Sure, there are scumbag teachers and principals out there, but for others, they're a lot like Bump: People who show admiration and respect to their students rather than ridicule because a principle "just doesn't get it." And I appreciate Bump all the more for it.

Gus and Willow: It feels weird that these two basically got sidelined, especially since they have a stake in the plot as well, but it's understandable. "Escaping Expulsion" is clearly more Amity-centered, and with Luz being the main character, it would also be odd if she didn't get more of the focus than her friends. Having them do more would have been great, but what they've already accomplished is pretty decent anyway. They show how much they're on the same page as Luz when trying to figure out a way to sneak back into Hexide, Willow is still the best voice of reason when saying no one will be killed through their plans, and Gus wins the comedic highlights in the episode. While I would have loved that they did more, I'm perfectly fine with what we got. Besides, this is only episode two of Season Two. We got nineteen more episodes to go to focus on these two.

King: Ok, now, this is the version of King I like to see. A character that mocks Eda as if they're equals and acts as a reluctant voice of reason. This episode shows King more at his best and is a major step above what we've seen in "Separate Tides."

Lilith: ...Yeah, f**k it. I like Lilith.

Personally, I would have preferred seeing her dragged through the coals at least a few episodes, but that's judging the show for what I want. Not what it is. And as is...It's fine. Lilith has a great dynamic with the rest of the Owl House, it's honestly adorable seeing her refer to Luz as a teacher, and that scene where she makes presents out of ice for Hooty is all kinds of wholesome. I'd say your enjoyment of Lilith highly depends on how forgiving you are, and if you think her splitting the curse is enough of a gesture, you probably won't mind her as much. The execution of her redemption really could have used more time in the oven, but Lilith is still a decent character regardless, so what's to complain about.

Luz Making the Abomination Have a Cat Face: ...Luz...I f**king missed you.

DON'T EVER LEAVE FOR THAT LONG AGAIN!

(Also, I just love that this is all Amity needed to know Luz was in trouble)

Hop Pop Cameo: He's on the cover of one of the books Willow's dad lifts up. Which is extra cute given how Dana Terrace and Matt Braley (creator of Amphibia) are close friends in real life.

Willow’s Dad Pretending Not to See Anything: One single action defines the type of man this guy is. He's the fun and understanding dad!

Gus, Willow, and Amity Arguing How to Break In: This little quarrel just shows how much these three need Luz. Without someone to keep the peace and bring up compromises, these idiots would have just kept arguing all night.

In addition to that, this clash over ideas acts as a showcase for who these characters are. Willow is careful and smart, so she's going for the option more unlikely to get them caught. Amity is brash and to the point, so she's going for the route that gets them inside as soon as possible. And then there's Gus, who's young and naive, so his plan sounds like something out of a cartoon. The odds of any of these plans working are highly debatable, but seeing these characters with clashing personalities and ideas is a ton of fun to watch regardless.

Edric and Emira Helping: There's not much to add here. It's just another sweet scene that makes me so glad that the writers decided to make Ed and Em more like supporting characters than minor antagonists like "Lost in Language" made fans think they would be.

(Amity throwing the "Hex me" signs back at Edric is just the cherry on top).

“Stay away from my Luz!”: ...What the f**k do you want me to say that? It's f**king perfect!

Luz Catching Feelings for Amity: ...Huh. Neat.

...

...Alright, let's move on.

Luz Wanting to Take a Nap After--Yeah, I can't do it. Not even for the joke.

WAH-HOO-HOO-HOO-HOO! MU! TU! AL! PINING! AH-HAHAHA!

THIS! This is more of that good s**t I'm talking about! Due to being so used to other shows going for the slow burn when writing the endgame romance, I was expecting Luz to catch feelings halfway through the season, even at the end of it. But near the beginning?! That is something I am more than ok with!

And much like Amity standing up to her parents in this episode, Luz catching feelings this early on is totally believable. Many fans have already analyzed how Luz's love language is "Acts of Service," which I'm somewhat sure is romantic gestures. Meaning that I f**king challenge you to find a grander gesture than holding back a literal killing machine while swooping down like a knight in shining armor! Oh, wait, you can't. BECAUSE THERE ISN'T ANY!

But by far, the best--the BEST--thing that can come from this is the dramatic irony! We, the audience, know that Luz and Amity like each other, but they don't. So the constant failings as these two fools try to work out their romantic feelings for one another is something I cannot wait to see in all its glory.

This is one of the best things that could have come out of the episode, and while it doesn't mean Lumity is canon, it is definitely closer than ever before. And I'm excited about all of it!

Luz Wanting to Take a Nap After Getting Home: I adore this because there's no one way that this can be interpreted. Either it's because Luz is exhausted after nearly getting killed for the fifteenth time that month, or it's because Luz is overwhelmed about having a crush on Amity...or both. Most likely both.

Belos Wanting The Abomatrons: Wow, what an ominous ending to the episode! I'm sure it won't come into play at all in the future...The season finale is going to hurt, isn't it?

WHAT I DISLIKED

Gus’ Growth Spurt: I mean...that's just weird. Gus suddenly being almost as tall as the others is a change so jarring that I feel like an explanation other than "witch puberty" is required. I get that they wanted to explain away why Issac Ryan Brown's voice got deep this season, 'cause puberty's a b**ch. But sometimes I feel like it's best to just ignore it, like with how Phineas and Ferb or Steven Universe just goes along with the fact that VAs tend to grow up when the characters themselves remain ageless.

Eda is Kinda Stupid in this One: It's not just me, right? Because I feel like Eda is more careful in the past than she is in this episode. She's been as reckless as Luz is at times, sure, but carelessly screwing around with magic when she has no idea how it works? I can maybe see King doing that, but not Eda. Just seeing her act dumber than usual is something that doesn't sit right with me.

Lilith Explaining Her Glyph Magic: I don't mind this. Glyph magic is pretty confusing, so having Lilith explain how it works to Eda and the audience is something I can understand. My issue, however, lies in how they did this.

Why, in the name of all that is holy, would Lilith explain her theory after the fact. It would be much more natural if she explained while saving King, but doing it after comes across as more forced than it should. Which is a shame because this series is usually on point when explaining how things work in the Boiling Isles.

And...That's about all the complaints I have with this episode. Which are nothing but nitpicks and possibly personal preferences.

IN CONCLUSION

If I'm willing to forgive and forget, I would give "Escaping Expulsion" a well-earned A+. But I'm not, so it's going to be another solid A. And, I mean, if you complain about that...there's something wrong with you.

"Escaping Expulsion" delivers on quite a bit of what fans want to see on top of giving these great character moments that show why we love these casts of oddballs and weirdos. I wouldn't say it reached perfection, but it still carries the winning streak that this new season has so far. Meaning there's no escaping the fact that Season Two is off to a better start than the first.

(Although, the fact that we got two solid As in a row means that we're in for a stinker real soon, doesn't it?)

[bdafic]

A proper fic rec list

As I near the end of Roses Where Thorns Grow, a story I’ve poured my heart and soul into over 5 (!?) years, I’ve been thinking a lot about the DA/Solavellan writers whose work deeply inspired me over that time. The stories that motivated me. Kept me fed while I was going through terrible, starving, blights of writer’s block. Reminded me what good work looks like when I was spitting out 24 sentences in a row that all started with, ‘and’ or, 'he'.

I wanted to take some time to give them a proper spotlight, rather than a quick, “hey, read this!” tag. These are feats of incredibly hard work by incredibly gifted people -- many of whom don’t see a lot of exposure, either due to being missed by popular blogs early in the day, or because of naturally dwindling interest in the fandom... Solavellan’s peak was around 2015, it seems. It’s really, really, hard to get your fic noticed if you hit your stride after the release of Trespasser. Those who populate the top “by kudos” pages have been there since that time and aren’t going anywhere. No guff to them, they’re awesome (and some are on this list!), but there’s a lot of other great works that aren’t as easy to find. :) 

If you enjoyed Roses, and particularly if you enjoy angst, you should absolutely read these. They are my favourite stories. They are the best ones I’ve found over five years -- many of which I’ve gone back to over and over again. This list is far from exhaustive, but it is a bit of a long post, so I’ve put it under a cut to spare your dash.

@pushtheheart‘s “Slow Arrow” Status: hiatus

If you love a slow burn, this fic should be at the top of your list. Full of gorgeous prose, fantastic characterization, yearning, and easily the best Lavellan I’ve ever “met”. Tephra is whip-smart, funny, flawed, and richly characterized - she feels like a real person. She’s earned the things that make her unique. 

The chapters switch between her POV and Solas’, and because the story begins with the game, it grants a deep and detailed study of each character’s adjustment to their roles and changing views. From her slow (and sometimes difficult) induction into the Inquisition, to Solas’ accidental stumble into love. You live every moment — every fleeting glance. This is first and foremost a character study of Solas, and nothing I could say could do justice to how well it’s written. While this fic may be longer than most in the tag, the slow build is perfectly crafted: you’re rewarded with that delightful tension in a way that makes you just… lose yourself. This story gives me butterflies. I’ve read it through at least half a dozen times. It’s one of the ones I keep in a perpetually open tab, on my phone, so I can pull up my favourite bits when I’m waiting in a doctor’s office or something.

All that said, it actually wasn’t the perfect way that Solas was characterized, but an expansion on a throwaway scene early in the game, that really hooked me. An early chapter features the cabin fire — the one at the Crossroads in the Hinterlands. Practically still in the tutorial. The author took this very small, random, moment at the beginning of the game and populated it with characters and feeling and danger and desperation made it absolutely real. The first time I read that bit I sat back afterward and thought, “ok that’s it, I’m in love now”. It made it stand out. I came here for the ship but I stayed for the richness of the world.

*

@luzial‘s “Ruins” Status: actively updating 

Time travel may be a regular feature in the Solavellan tag, but Ruins is the the only one I’ve seen that utilized it as a vehicle for Solas to spearhead his own redemption arc. The story starts 20 years after the events of the game, where Solas and Lavellan have long played their roles on opposing sides. They are wisened, they are hurting, and they are tired. A ‘Hail Mary’ ritual to banish him from the timeline goes wrong — or right — and instead sends them back. One of the first scenes where both characters briefly exist outside of time is one of my favourites. After having not spoken to the other for decades, when he wonders the intent of the spell, Lavellan asks, “Do you remember Redcliffe?”… the long, heavy, pause as memory replays from two different sides before he finally replies, “Yes. I remember Redcliffe” is one of those exchanges that has stayed with me for literal years. The weight. The angst. The pining. Chef kiss. 

What sets this apart from the rest is that Lavellan isn’t so much there to stop Solas, as much as she is supporting him in his own efforts to stop the domino effect he already began. They have one year to prevent the Conclave from happening and learn everything there is to know to arm themselves better this time around.

Ruins reads as a story within a story, where Solas slowly tells his experiences,  hopes and failures, mythology and truths, over the course of many chapters. The mix of established canon and original ideas flow so naturally that even after multiple readings I struggle to find the line between them. In rare form, Solas’  masks and defenses have been stripped by his own hand, and it creates a deeply vulnerable version of his character that is really compelling.

As a bonus, because Felassan is saved by the jump back, he features heavily in this story — and is masterfully rendered. Smart and funny and a perfect echo of his role in The Masked Empire.

*

@cedarmoons‘s “Beloved” Status: finished 

After Crestwood, after the Arbor Wilds, Solas accompanies the Inquisitor to what is left of her clan after the destruction. A painfully honest, heartbreaking, depiction of grief… Beautifully done, this is for everyone who went down the complicated chain of war table missions and was blindsided by a horrific end. This fic is the eulogy Lavellan players did not get. Fair warning: if you have ever experienced a terrible loss this may be one to read with a cup of tea and a light on. I have held death in my arms, and will feel that scar for the rest of my life, and I found this a deeply cathartic experience. This fic made me feel seen; it shines a light on the ugly parts of processing that everyone always seems to gloss over. But don’t mistake: this isn’t grimdark, there’s hope in that healing.

Ariala Lavellan’s experience navigating the difficult, messy, path of her pain happens alongside her complicated breakup with Solas. His choice to accompany her means those things mix often. The pair struggle with reconciling their lingering feelings for each other, caretaking, the line between vengeance and justice, his many secrets and the whispers of the Well that threaten them. It is messy and real and beautiful. If you love bittersweet, this is soul food.

*

@nerdanel01‘s “There is Only Forward” Status: actively updating

I read this entire fic — 100k ago — over the course of a cross-country work conference and let me tell you, days of seminars about mindfulness and Splunk were significantly improved by having this on my phone. 

The story is told retrospectively: we start after the end of Solas and Lavellan’s relationship, and go all the way back to the beginning to experience their rise and fall. Through Thanduwen’s eyes we also see the growth of people around her from veritable strangers, who struggle to find common ground, to found family. More importantly, this fic doesn’t shy away from the ugly parts of those characters — we see the shitty bits, we see them challenged, and we see them evolve over time. (Take note: this is the only valid Cullen redemption arc). Because of its length, this is one of the few works that really walks you through what the game would be like if it played out in real life. It’s easy to get absolutely, totally, lost.

Nerdanel’s writing style stands out over others as grandiose and rich; reading feels like watching a deeply intimate stage performance, where you forget you’re in an audience and instead feel like you’re sitting in a chair just behind the curtain. If you were a theatre kid (or theatre adjacent) the prose will feel amazing and hook you immediately. There are lines scattered throughout this that were so beautiful and vivid I’ve had to write them down to mull over when I need inspiration. This feels like a world.

*

@circadian_rythm’s “Pride’s Folly” series Status: unfinished

This was the first Solavellan piece I read that really reached me. It is a story told in vignettes over twenty years. Opening after the events of the game and Trespasser, on a meeting between Solas and Lavellan years later in the Crossroads where they say a last, intimate, goodbye. In the 20 years that follow, Solas succeeds in tearing down the Veil and the world goes to war. Lavellan, and many of her friends and loved ones, give up their lives fighting him while struggling to keep hid the daughter Solas doesn’t know he has. Spero grows up knowing him as a villain, vowing vengeance, but their first meeting on the battlefield does not go as she planned. 

This story features a hardened, grieving, Solas who has had nothing left in the world to lead him away from this path for a very long time… until suddenly he does, and it hates him for that. Spero is a rich, gorgeous, character and I wish there was a hundred fics written of her. Those glimpses into her early life, raised by a deeply loving and protective “family”, make her strength and her anger feel real — even if you’re rooting for Solas you can’t help but be furious at him along with her. The descriptions of the world are highly detailed and paint a vivid picture of something beautiful in Solas’ eyes, and sickly indulgent in Spero’s. Flipping between their POVs to experience that contrast is wonderfully compelling. The author’s vision of a partially-post-Veil world is also intensely fascinating and wonderfully unique.

*

@lavellanpls‘ “Homecoming”  Status: slow to update/unfinished

The only author I have ever found who can write Solas funny and pull it off. Homecoming’s premise almost feels like crackfic — with clan Lavellan arriving at Skyhold and all hell breaking loose — but the delivery is so goddamn flawless you forget it started with something silly. Lillith is the only warrior Lavellan I’ve encountered, and her spunk and intelligence and fucking hilarious delivery made me fall in love with her so goddamn hard I made a D&D character inspired by her. I feel like if I ever did a warrior!Lavellan playthrough, I’d have to play as Lillith because nobody else can hold a candle to her. 

The gaiety in this story never feels saccharine or goofy, more like the unbound chaos that would result from having all your relatives show up unannounced at Thanksgiving dinner and insisting on staying a week. A truly glorious clusterfuck. Along the way, that’s tempered by looks into Lillith’s troubled upbringing, difficult relationships she left behind, and a shady past that rivals Solas’. By a certain point they’re both working to solve the mystery of each other, and she’s the one pulling most of the strings. This fic has some of the best snappy, witty, dialogue I’ve had the pleasure to read — you’d swear it was a work of Tethras. Lavellanpls also has a number of Lillith shorts that cover a broad spectrum of hurt/comfort to smut, and are all 100% worth reading.

*

@ellstersmash‘s “Nothing On My Tongue” Status: finished

A series of vignettes, painting the progression of a complicated relationship. Though the chapters are short they are gorgeously written; each a snapshot of a singular emotional experience. Curiosity, grief, anger, infatuation, betrayal. From Solas and the Inquisitor’s (Athi) first, fleeting, moments of connection, to those butterfly-inducing flirtations, and finally the anger and heart-break of their parting, and what comes after. Each one stands as a story of its own. This work is a masterclass of how to write short, impactful, scenes that can communicate so much in so little words, with prose that flows like poetry. I’ve read it through a dozen times and feel swept away each time.

*

@commonevilmastermind‘s “What of the Hedge Mage?” Status: slow to update

This is another fic told in vignettes, rather than over a linear plot, but does so very differently than the one spotlighted above. These chapters are longer; detailed and intriguing, and switch between the ever-changing POVs of this Inquisitor (Aviva) and Solas over the course of the game’s events. These glimpses go into painful (beautiful) detail of celebration and trauma and trust and connection and paint a really intimate portrait of Aviva’s life and love. Additionally, this story expands on Dalish tradition by drawing parallels to Judaism (sometimes subtly, sometimes directly) and I absolutely adore it. It’s such a lovely take on a culture that has, at times, been portrayed with really problematic elements in canon. Picking out the broken pieces and blending the canon with it feels like fic kintsugi. 

This story also has one of the most intimate and gorgeous “first time” scenes I’ve ever read in a fic. Deeply vulnerable without losing the excitement; I love it when writers hit on Solas being touch-starved and hungry. Especially when they do so in a way that distances from the violent tropes that are really common in this pairing. It feels genuine and delicate and gorgeous. You feel every touch.

*

@spirrum‘s  “Before the End, A New Beginning” Status: abandoned/finished

Spirrum has a way of writing that feels absolutely, effortlessly, beautiful. She transforms the most simple prompts into works of art. Everything she touches turns to gold. I truly believe she is one of, if not the best, writer in this tag. And it is a tragic loss that her account, and Tumblr, now seem abandoned. However, she was kind enough to leave her work behind to be enjoyed. Her writing has heavily influenced my own and though I could never hope to hold a candle to her talent she continues to inspire in absentia. 

Of all of her work, this fic is my favourite. I’ve mentioned before that, funny enough, I actually do not enjoy pregnancy or kid fics. This is the exception. A single night Solas later regrets comes back around when he means to break up with Lavellan and instead finds himself inexorably tied to her. This story follows only the first, timid, months after they find out as Lavellan struggles to balance complicated feelings, truths, and being called away to duties gone awry. As a bonus, there’s a truly wonderful DA2 cameo. Once you finish this story, you can jump into Spirrum’s, “A Different Path” series for more glimpses into this version of events… but really, you should go to her Tumblr and read everything she’s ever posted under the writing tag. You’ll be fundamentally changed as a person.

(NOTE: I mark this “abandoned/finished” because while the chapter count says “?” it was left in a very natural place so it doesn’t feel like other similarly unfinished works).

[violet-t-9]

Check in on my (not very realistic) wish list for episode 139

1. Nobody dies in the potential battle against Lucien/the Somnovem? I will be fine with temporary unconciousness but please nobody actually dies? Will they even fight? What was going on with the cliffhanger? I have so many questions!

Hey nobody died! Nobody even went unconscious. Can't believe we have a part 2 to this epic boss fight. This showdown is awesome! At least we know what will happen next episode.

2. The group uses their new eye powers for something (group telepathy will be hilarious, especially accidental) or just in general goof off with their new eyes.

NVM we are doing the boss fight right now

3. Beau or Caleb discover more new eye functions that we have not seen before (antimagic cone anyone? Does the eye location have any meaning? Lucien’s was also on the chest right?)

NVM we are doing the boss fight right now. If the locations mean anything, so far it's not revealed.

4. We get to see more of the party members’ new powers/abilities since they levelled up and got a long rest! Let’s gooo.

MOTIVATIONAL SPEECH thanks Cad. It's a new power we haven't seen before! Caleb knows gravity fissure now, apparently! Fjord and Veth also considered using new abilities before the break. Jester used contagion on Lucien! It was a nice try.

5. They get some sort of contact with/update from the material plane (i.e. their family, Yussa, or anybody else I guess just not Trent please), it’s been a while I wonder what’s going on over there. Has Jester’s parent trap succeeded fully yet? Has the assembly been investigated yet? Has Yussa figured out what the Nein did with his emergency exit gift? How are Yeza and Luc doing in the crime bar? Is the Dynasty looking into Essek? So many possibilities.

NVM we are doing the boss fight right now

6. The M9 succeed in stopping the city from going to the material plane and find a way to potentially destroy it by the end of the episode.

It appears that them plane shifting the crest away actually does ensure that the city cannot return to the material plane, that's great news! Also, I assume destroying Lucien would be a good first step to destroying the city.

7. Beau and Yasha continue to fight like the power couple they are and to indulge in PDA in the flesh horror city (because why not). Bonus: we find out Yasha’s plans for Beau’s red cape/the cape is used by Beau in the episode.

The discussion between Beau, Yasha and Veth LMAO. Oh NO Yasha is fighting Beau again - that natural 1 though! The miss! Another natural 1! The power of love!!!! Yasha also used the battle cry to protect Beau!

8. Fjord and Jester continue to be domestic and supportive of each other in these trying times because they are great. Bonus: more Sprinkle/Artagan mentions or interactions.

Jester and Fjord starting strong with the dirty/natural 20's! Also "I'd rather you wear it" "Fjord, it's so expensive!" They are so cute. Ayy Sprinkle/Artagan both got fed the Heroes' Feast! The excitement over the ring finally working lol. "Imma cast it at 4th level" lol Jester really tried her best to remove his slow and it worked!

9. Obligatory wish for Essek’s fancy dunamancy or magical items (Bonus: STILL hoping to see more high-damage AOE offensive spells that Essek has never cast because of the party placement, dark star anybody?).

The trapped haste spell MmmMm. GRAVITY FISSURE YAY hot spell flavour is hot. THANK YOU for that dispel magic on Yasha Essek you are the best. Nice magic missile but he is out in the open oh nO he is charmed oh no is he going to dark star the party?? Wheww thank you Caleb for the dispel, at fifth level too! He was so going to dark star Lucien if Cad was not pulled.

10. Obligatory wish for Caleb’s polymorph spell on himself or a party member. Actually, let’s expand to any party member’s polymorph! Give me those sweet polymorph interactions.

NVM we are doing the boss fight right now

11. The party tries to reach Lucien by mentioning Molly and Lucien actually having a physical reaction to their words.

Wow that was a physical reaction alright, definitely to Jester and Caleb's mention of Molly's name. Jester's song also had an effect. Everybody is trying yay! Well, it was worth a try. BEAU'S bonus action Gustuv talk made him lose a legendary action WOW. Fjord's, Caleb's attempt also succeeded. In round 2, Beau removed 1 legendary action, followed by Jester

12. Obligatory wish for Essek’s room in the tower (it will stay until it happens).

NVM we are doing the boss fight right now

13. Obligatory wish for Cad being a MVP in and out of combat because he always is.

CAD what a good pep talk I love you. Path to the grave and also the reaction war caster blight, very nice.

14. I NEED MORE RP PLEASE like last week’s high intensity combat was fun but I miss one-on-one conversations give them to me thank you. Longer conversations are even better.

NVM we are doing the boss fight right now, however there was a lot of Molly RP involved.

15. Everybody being super freaked out/creeped out by the terrible flesh city thanks to Matt’s wonderfully detailed and awesome descriptions.

The damaged state of the city, how it leans towards Lucien's cocoon thing and Lucien's transformation... OH NO the stalks not the tentacle stalks.

16.  At least one of the party members get mind-influenced/charmed by some effect during the combat (well at least Caleb’s got mind blank and Veth got intellect fortress, but I would be surprised if there was no mind shenanigans).

Well, I knew it would happen. Gaudius, the eye of longing/love that did not affect Beau DID charm Yasha with a failed wis save and Yasha attacked Beau, again. However thanks to Essek it didn't last long!

17. Somebody check in a bit on Essek’s mental state because he is clearly not entirely desensitized as seen from last episode. At least he got a full rest so physically he is fine (just squishy, like wizards are).

Hey Essek got to open up a little bit before their final fight, so that was great.

18. Caleb uses more fire or his customized spells or just any cool spells in general I guess because what’s sexier than wizards NOTHING I’m still hyped from last week.

Gravity fissure already?? Sweet max damage, despite the save! Caleb you can literally just copy any spell you see cast can't you, high int wizard I love you. Also the use of that potion and the scroll were pretty smart too.

19. We learn more about Lucien’s motives and what he is actually trying to do, or more about the Somnovem’s different? motives because I was very confused last episode. Lucien wants to “parent” the Somnovem by bombing them with 10 intuit charges, like okay are you sure you are not trying to kill them? Then again, if that doesn’t severely damage the Somnovem I don’t know what will.

Well we now know that Lucien has all the Somnovem power inside himself now and is still very much wanting to bring back the city - at least he can't right now because of the threshold crest they got rid of last session. This clarifies a lot. I guess the "parenting" was to weaken the Somnovem for him to absorb them all into himself?

20. Obligatory wish for everyone to remain relatively happy and alive by the end of the episode except Lucien, and the episode ends on a terrifying cliffhanger as always.

I mean, should have known that Lucien cannot be killed in 1 session. Otherwise though, what an episode! What a session! Absolutely amazing.

Bonus:

ESSEK IS MAKING A JOKE LMAO I can't with this man, he is also giving everybody spells/gifts, cute - I guess wizards all have the save love language.

CALEB IS ABOVE 100 HP thank you Jester for that 17 roll from Heroes' Feast! I knew you'd do it. The feast was so crucial in their combat too, what a queen. Caleb always be covering his friends in his anti-aberration cone, and burning Lucien's legendary reactions. Great moves.

Veth are you... horny for Lucien??? LMAO

OH NO Gaudius on Essek this is the alternative Essek bossfight timeline OH NO but at the same time YES the angst- oh nvm Caleb thanks lol.

Extra - combat notes for my record:

Saves minus # eyes

Elatis - Excitement, pulling the target 120 ft towards Lucien + eye.

Ira - Rage, fireball effect AOE damage.

Fastidan - Disgust (wilting dull green) necrotic damage

Luctus - Grief (Dex save), slow spell effect.

Timorei - fear effect, but negated by Heroes' feast immunity.

Culpasi - guilt (Con save) disadvantage on saving throws +...

Miramus - (wis save)

Vigilan - the eye that moves/emanates the anti-magic cone

Gaudius - (wis save) charm effect

WHAT A FIGHT! I can't wait for part 2 and hopefully that's Lucien's final form. I did not think that the Molly influence will have such a profound effect, but I sure am glad it did! Everyone was so amazing in this combat, I love it all.

[polar534]

Hockey Injury Pt. 1

So Hockey AU was... surprisingly more popular then I thought. Which is good, because I still have ALOT written down about it, and I intend to add more. (It's become a bit of a coping mechanism to write about.) So, in the set-up post I warned that I had a bunch of notes regarding Amity's hockey injury. Well, welcome to a 3-parter folks! That's right. I've got that much written.

Anyways, this first part will be a general text-dump summary of events, the second will be a Luz centered more detailed 'story' about what happened on the ice. And the third will be focused on both girl's healing after the fact.

So vague explanations and warnings aside. Have part 1. Under the cut cause I have ~problems~

In essence. Amity gets like... really injured. It's bad. Like she is laid up in a hospital bad. They don't even have time to get her to the demon dimension where they usually take her when she gets injured (because different biologies and hiding her witchiness), so she gets taken specifically in Camilla's hospital.

They were only barely able to sneak her away from the emt's on duty at the game.

The team becomes immediately suspicious and HIGHLY concerned but they can't do anything because Amity is hurriedly rushed out of the place and to the hospital. Camilla is completely freaked but she also knows this could be much more serious then anyone realizes, because if they take Amity to get the help she needs right now, they'll find out she is a witch. She barges into the hospital first and pulls aside the doctor she works for and explains, completely deadpanned, that the other girl who lives with them is a witch from a different dimension but there's no other place to take her.

Luz is in the hallway with Amity, and is completely shutting down. She is barely holding it together. She knows it's bad because she's only ever seen her mom like this once. And that was when Luz got deathly ill with the flu one year. Amity is barely conscious so there's no need for Luz to be brave.

Luz is alone and terrified. She's spiraling.

The doctor, having worked with and been taken care of by Camilla for years agrees in a heartbeat to not only treat Amity but to make sure the entire treatment is confidential. They get the xray's back and its serious. The broken bone has cut a major vein inside Amity's shoulder. She's bleeding out. They don't have time to worry about the different make up. They rush her into surgery and Camilla needs to be a part of it.

Luz is alone. Waiting.

She knows there's a chance Amity... is just not coming back.

She knows there's a chance of losing her.

And Luz completely shuts down.

During this time, the team secretly tracks down where the family went. As soon as someone pulls it up on their phone, they ditch all of their equipment and leave immediately, mid-match, much to the other's teams confusion.

They crash into the hospital, rushing past the nurses and security trying to stop them. They find Luz out in the hallway from the surgery room, and she's fully awake, but she's unresponsive. They can't get an answer out of her. So they sit there with her. Completely silent. Waiting.

The staff eventually catches up with the teens, but where they expect to find a bunch of rowdy teenagers, instead they find deathly quiet kids, all quiet in fear, they know there was warning put out to all the staff about privacy regarding this emergency surgery. So they buzz off and leave the teens be.

Nobody speaks a word, nobody moves a muscle until Camilla pokes her head out of the room, a couple of hours later. The team all become responsive and alert but Luz doesn't budge.

Camilla understands immediately. Knowing too many people will be overwhelming for Amity while she recovers she beckons Luz in first.

Luz, moves slowly, like a zombie. The team being extremely concerned about both girls but they have each other.

Amity is awake when Luz comes in.

Luz stiffly walks over to her and Amity knows something's wrong. Something broke her girlfriend.

"So. This is where your mother works right? It's so much more clean then the hospitals in the Isles." Amity points out, completely seriously.

Luz cracks. She is so incredibly relieved that she sobs, with a massive smile on her face.

"That's... that's not good Amity!"

It breaks both of the girls and they both laugh and cry as they have a soft moment. Luz updates her on everything that happened after she fell unconscious.

Camilla on the other hand is informing Eda and Lilith what has happened. Some members of the team leave the hallways to find some food and overhear their conversation. Specifically the frequent use of the word: Witch.

***

The next couple of days are spent with Amity being laid up in bed at home, with Luz absolutely spoiling her and fussing over her to the point of annoyance.

King, Eda and Lilith all go to the human realm to check up on their Blight child the night of the injury, Eda and Lilith are concerned but they also know Camilla has an absolute handle on the situation. They trust her to take care of Amity and promise to visit daily until she's better, warning the poor witch that they'll be telling the twins and Willow and Gus first thing in the morning. (Which was a whole thing) King... dallies at the portal to go home that night. Luz picks up on the little guy's worry immediately and knows he won't just admit to wanting to stay with the girls.

So she insists on stealing him for the night, for therapy of course and King takes the hint and runs with it. Insisting that his subjects NEED him.

This makes Luz feel much better because Camilla insists that Luz cannot miss classes despite her girlfriend being bedridden. So she entrusts King to take care of Amity. Which is a relief to King and Amity, because Amity is kinda tired of being babied and King isn't one to baby. He'll take care of her, but they mostly just chill out together and complain. King curling up on Amity's stomach while they both rest.

Meanwhile the team is concerned as well. They discuss the idea of Luz at first being the witch the mother was talking about, because it just kinda fits with her being quirky and an outsider to most everyone else.

So they confront her on it one day when they go to check on Amity, as she's walking them out.

Luz. Finds. This. Hilarious.

She loves it and is so incredibly excited because 1. They know now. And 2. They aren't afraid!! They aren't mad, just worried as to why the girls would keep it a secret.

However they got something wrong. And that's who the biological witch is. Luz points out the teeth and the ears and it suddenly clicks.

Amity is a witch.

Cue that night, Luz getting chewed out by Amity for telling them, but the girls both really giddy that they now have another place they don't have to hide in. They make a plan to have a serious discussion with the team about the need for secrecy.

But more angst. Back to the days immediately following the injury, Camilla comes in one night while Luz is visiting Eda and Amity is alone.

She has a serious talk with Amity about the danger she was in, and just how hurt she had gotten. Camilla wants to be honest and straightforward with her. Amity could've died that night. She brings up the idea that maybe the witch may want to reconsider her decision to continue next year. Just that Camilla will never stop worrying about her. Its soft and gentle and Camilla really is just concerned about her.  

Amity is quiet that night when Luz comes home. (She can't spend the night anywhere without her girlfriend, no matter how much she loves Eda) Quieter then Luz has seen her in a long time.

It worries Luz, but she just holds her girlfriend extra tight, knowing that Amity will talk to her when she's ready. That's their agreement.

The next day, Amity tells Luz she is quitting Hockey.

The witch is in tears and its incredibly obvious that she doesn't actually want to quit the sport. Luz begs her to explain and Amity breaks down and tells her that its her fault, and that she's been so selfish to worry Camilla like this. That she needs to quit. She fucked up. She got hurt and it made Camilla, Luz and everyone so incredibly worried.

Her toxic upbringing is coming back, the damage her parents did on her not quite leaving, Amity truly believes that she has deeply upset and offended Camilla and then that worry stetches into her team and Luz. That she needs to correct the problem that she made for other people.

Luz takes her by the shoulders, very seriously and tells her that Camilla loves her. Unconditionally. That worry comes not from a place of inconvenience, but out of care. That her mother would be 100x more upset if Amity sacrificed something she cared about, just to make Camilla feel more comfortable.

Luz admits to worrying about losing her, but she also gushes about just how HAPPY hockey has made Amity and how she loves seeing that happiness on Amity.

How incredible it looks on her.

Luz then proceeds to get Willow and Gus to come crashing through the portal to which they explain, Gus methodically and scientifically, and Willow from the heart, that Amity is doing wonderful and its clear that she is enjoying herself.

They original squad all have a night of support for Amity. Because that's just what a family does. Camilla overhears most of what Amity fears and let's her daughter and her friends handle it. Though she feels awful about how she made the girl feel like that worry was because Amity did something wrong. She takes a field trip to the demon dimension to talk with Lilith and Eda who explain that she's doing wonderfully. That not every parent is perfect or can be. They tell her everything that night about Amity's parents. Most of which Camilla has pieced together from the time Amity had been living with her, but alot of it is still shocking. Horrifying.

Its a night of healing and learning all around.

[ilguna]

Metanoia - Chapter Ten (f.o)

Summary: you will be crowned victor of the 75th hunger games.

Word Count; 7.5k

Warnings; swearing, murder!

NOTES: i give reader a last name to fit the world.

DOUBLE UPDATE TODAY --> CHAPTER TEN 1/2

–

You would take the fucking birds over the spiders any day. If you could go back in time and be here instead, you would take it. Because while it was genuine torture for Katniss--since she has human emotion--it was nothing to you. You laughed for the first fifteen minutes, until it stopped being funny as soon as they pulled out fabricated screams of your very dead family.

You can’t deny that you weren't impressed, though. The amount of trouble they must have gone through just to get them had to have been a lot. They’re dead, which means that they obviously can’t torture them, so the screams have to be fake. So, they have to go back to the interview they had with your family when you were first in the games, take samples of their voices, and then manipulate it until it sounded about right.

They did a fantastic job making it sound real. You almost had a flashback to all those times you were a dick to your brothers and sisters. However, you can’t verify for your parents. They never screamed, no matter what situation they were in, they took it without any fear.

You tried to tell Katniss that the people she hears screaming are probably just fine, considering the gamemakers are morons and they just gave the entire thing away the second they chose your family. But she either literally couldn’t hear you over the birds, or she just chose to ignore you either way.

You can’t say that you didn’t try, though you didn’t care enough to enforce it in her mind.

After a certain point in time, you got fed up with the birds pelting you, and sitting around next to the wall waiting for the hour to be up, so you wandered. Of course, where you went, the birds followed. But it was better being able to move around and check out the sector to see if it was worth staying in after this. 

Compared to everything else, this section of the arena is definitely harmless. The birds fuck with the mind of those who have human emotion, but that’s about it. There’s no deadly fog or monkeys. There’s no spiders that eat flesh or a wave of water that’ll wipe you out if you can’t swim. It’s basically clean.

Although, it does hurt when the birds propel themselves into your body, beaks first. After a while, you kinda just get used to it, and learn when to swing the glaive to send the birds flying into the trees. It was fun, until you realized that if you wander too far, the gamemakers might actually try to wipe you out for entertainment.

“Are you okay?” Finnick asks, you swat his hand away.

“You think I give a shit?” you ask, “Those birds mean nothing. The screams are fake, the gamemakers were stupid enough to use my families.” you look up to the sky of the arena, “Which by the way, if you didn’t know--they’re all fucking dead!”

The look on Finnick’s face is almost priceless. He opens his mouth, but you shake your head at him. They’ve been dead for years, and no amount of apologies will bring them back to life. Everyone can say they’re sorry all they want, but you don’t want to hear a single thing out of their mouth concerning the situation unless they’re some sort of necromancer.

“They won’t touch Prim.” Peeta says to Katniss.

“Your fiance’s right, the whole country loves your sister. If they tortured her-–if they did anything to her, forget the districts. There would be riots in the damn Capitol.” Johanna laughs, and then yells; “Hey, how does that sound, Snow? What if we-–what if we set your backyard on fire? You know you can’t put everybody in here.”

You slow clap, snickering to yourself. Johanna and you may not get along, since you two come from very different places, but the two of you are similar than anyone may think. Which is the exact reason why you hate her so fucking much. You don’t want to be compared to her. While she’s loud-mouthed and unafraid to get in trouble, you’d never say some of the shit she does.

Like her stunt during the interview, not a move you would have made. Then again, your entire plan when you volunteered was to be ruthless and win. You didn’t want a target on your head back then, and you don’t really want one now either. However, in order for that not to happen, you’d have to completely ditch your group of allies here.

If anything screams target, it’s sticking around with Beetee, the guy who worked for the Capitol, knows things that he shouldn’t. Johanna, as you said, loud-mouthed and unfearful of sharing her opinions. And Katniss Everdeen, the trouble-stirrer. Plus, god knows what Snow would have against Finnick, Peeta and you.

“What?” she asks, “He can’t hurt me. There’s no one left that I love.”

“Join the club.” you swing the glaive in your hand before slamming it into the ground.

First of all, you’re not entirely surprised that her family has been killed off. When she had come out of her games, she was a big talk for a long while. Johanna played the damsel in distress role very well, which is nearly the same thing that Finnick had done. The only difference, Finnick was just looked over until the last second, while Johanna was purposely acting innocent. 

It doesn’t take a lot for the Capitol citizens to desire a certain tribute. They must have seen the fire, spunk and determination on Johanna. Snow obviously had tried to get her to say yes, but even after he had killed her family, she didn’t give in like the rest of you. 

You’ve known a couple of people that have been included in the Capitol’s antics, actually. Cashmere, Gloss, Enobaria, you. You know for a fact that Finnick was included, and you bet he said no at first too, so he’s missing a few fingers. There’s Johanna, maybe Blight but you don’t have a clue on that. A few of the other tributes that have been in here probably too.

Katniss and Peeta would be on that list, if it weren’t for them being together and the nation wanting them to be. There’s a great deal of people that want them to be married and have children and be the holy grail of perfect couples. While on the other hand, there’s a few that would desire Katniss, you’re not sure about Peeta. He’s kinda… brainless.

Anyway, Snow wouldn’t take a chance like breaking up the most loved couple at the moment to try and sell one--or maybe both!--into prostitution. He’s smarter than that.

Johanna walks off, you’re not entirely sure why, and you don’t care very much either.

“You weren’t affected at all?” Finnick asks when he can’t stand the silence. Or he’s curious over why Katniss had lost her mind and you stood like a soldier in a storm.

“Finnick, I stopped giving a shit a long time ago,” you say, “There’s two exact things that I care about anymore. One, my big cozy house in District Two. And two, my pride and joy, Tanith.” you grab a hold of the necklace, showing it off for a moment, “And before you ask, no she isn’t my daughter. She’s just one of two of my victors.”

Zavian can go fuck himself, is what you’re subtly implying. You wonder if he’s caught on to that.

“Sure, they tried to get a rise out of me using Tanith’s screams, but I wasn’t going to fall for it. I already saw what happened to numb nuts--” you motion to Katniss, “--and decided to just… not care. I’m not exactly an emotional person, if you haven’t caught on just yet.”

Peeta clearly didn’t like the nickname that you handed off to Katniss. To this, you give him a very specific look as you pass him. Almost a sneer, because you still are very much above him.

“Kids.” you mutter.

This is enough to set him off, “Seriously, what is wrong with you?”

“Peeta…” Finnick warns.

You crouch down near him and Katniss, “You know how animals get a little antsy when their prey is in front of them?” he looks like he pales, “We’re not friends, Peeta. In fact, I completely loathe you and I’ve been waiting for a moment to pounce on you and everyone else here.

“The second that this alliance fails, I’m going after you guys first. Not Johanna, or Beetee, or Brutus. You and your little girlfriend.”

“That just means that you’re afraid of what we’re capable of.”

You laugh in his face, before moving closer, whispering; “No, I just know things that you don’t.” you stand again, “I’m heading to the beach, don’t feel forced to follow anytime soon.”

You take a completely new path to the beach, making sure to cover your tracks the best you can. Last thing you want is Finnick chasing after you, thinking that you’re upset or whatever. That isn’t the case in the slightest, you’re mostly walking away so you don’t end up killing them.

Katniss is in the most vulnerable state she’s been in yet. A quick stab through her chest, and then a swing of the glaive up to Peeta’s throat--and you’ve knocked them both out of the game already. You bet Finnick wouldn’t necessarily try to kill you, but he’d definitely disarm you in some way.

Pull the pocket knife out of your boot, three people are dead. Beetee can’t run that fast, four people. It would just be you and Johanna, and she’d probably go running back to the rest of you, since that’s a lot of cannons. You’d take her out too, and then there would be only three people left inside of the games.

You, Brutus, and Chaff--as Peeta said. Chaff doesn’t have any important skills, he’d die in the wilderness. With your luck, all you’d have to do is camp the cornucopia, hidden inside, and when he would come to armor up some more--because he would--you’d take him out too. Just like that, you’d be the winner of the Quarter Quell.

Of course, this is all easier said than done. Trying to kill four people in one big burst would be an absolute pain in the ass. You’d have to pick a perfect time to do it. Like Katniss freaking out over whoever it was, and Peeta tending over her. 

Actually, instead of killing Finnick third, you think you would go for Beetee instead, and Finnick would come after. It just makes more sense that way. 

The beach is empty, there’s no one around the ring--and as far as you can see--in the treeline either. Brutus would be smart enough to stay in the jungle, and not make a run for the cornucopia just in case the rest of you are out here. He’s outnumbered considerably. He might be able to mow down a few people at first, but eventually he’ll get taken down.

You take a seat next to the tree that you guys were gathered around before the jabberjays had rudely interrupted. You run your hands over your arms, noticing that the scabs are basically gone already. It’s good news, it means that the ointment that you were given works at an accelerated pace--even more so than the cream for the cut on the back of your head.

Applying it again, you skip your legs. It’s only the upper half of your body that’s exposed anymore, and it’s because you passed on putting the shirt on. It was because of how hot it is in here. Plus, the thing is basically ruined anyway, the spiders had chewed holes in it to get through.

Hell, you bet that it’s still where you left it last.

You can’t wait until all of this is over.

--

“Who’s Annie?” Katniss asks, you raise your head from where it was resting against a tree, looking to where everyone is sitting.

Johanna is next to Katniss, Finnick is sitting in the water, and Beetee and Peeta are nearby. 

“Annie Cresta, the girl that Mags volunteered for. She won like four years--five years ago.” Johanna says.

You lay your head back down against the tree, but don’t bother closing your eyes again, instead you stare right ahead at Finnick. You’d call him insane for sitting in freezing water like that, but he comes from the ocean district. No water can really bother him that badly.

You wonder what brought Katniss’ question on. She might have overheard you when you asked Finnick that question. About what would happen to Annie if you and Finnick are soulmates. If he’d just willingly leave her like that, after he found your dislikable personality, charming somehow.

“Is she the one that went a little…” Katniss doesn’t want to say it.

Johanna hums, pauses, and then says; “Love is weird.”

Unfortunately, it is.

“I have a plan.” Beetee says.

“Finnick!” Johanna gets up.

“I have a plan.” Beetee repeats.

Finnick and Johanna come back over, arms resting on the tree branch. You don’t move from where you’re sitting, which is definitely out of the circle that they’re standing and sitting in. You’re exhausted, you need some real sleep and not some power naps every couple of hours.

“Where does Brutus feel safest? The jungle?” Beetee asks.

“Jungles a nightmare.” Johanna says.

“Probably here on the beach.” Peeta answers.

“Then why is he not here?” Beetee asks.

“Because we are. We claimed it.” Johanna spits.

You can’t believe that they’re really worrying over one person. As you’ve said to yourself over and over, Brutus is harmless if you’re all careful. Yes, he will come back to hunt, but he’s going to need supplies out of the cornucopia first. Once he gets that shit, he’ll be coming after you guys.

“And if we left, he would come?” Beetee asks again.

You hate his ‘twenty questions’ game. If you have a plan, just say it and not beat around the bush.

“Or stay hidden in the treeline.” Finnick says.

“Which in just over four hours will be soaked with water from the ten o’clock wave.” he smiles, “Then what happens at midnight?”

“Lightning strikes that tree.” Katniss points.

“Here’s what I propose,” Beetee starts, “We leave the beach at dusk. We head to the lightning tree, that should draw them back to the beach. Prior to midnight, we then run this wire–” he motions to it, and then goes to pointing, “–from the tree, to the water. Anyone in the water, or the damp sand, will be electrocuted.’

The two morons sitting in the sand feel it between their fingers as if they don’t know what damp sand feels like by now. You clench your teeth and close your eyes, leaning your head back.

Maybe you should just stay here and quit following them around.

“How do we know that the wire’s not going to burn up?” Johanna asks.

“Because I invented it.” he says, “I assure you, it won’t burn up.”

Johanna and Finnick share a look, and you can practically hear the conversation. Asking if it’s worth it, the other says it won’t. There’s really nothing left to lose, so you all might as well do it.

And then, Finnick looks at you, “What’re you thinking, (Y/n)?”

“Is there a look on my face?” you ask, raising your eyebrows.

Finnick cracks a smile, “I’m asking because you know these tricks best.”

Sighing, you lean forward, “Not that you actually care, you’re going to go through whatever you feel like is best. But if you want my opinion, Brutus is one man. We can take him on, it’s not like he’s impossible to kill. The fact that you’re going through will all of this though--” you motion between the sand and the coil of wire, “--is stupid.”

“But if you were with him, would you come after us?” Katniss asks.

“Without a doubt. However, he’s by himself, he’s smarter than you guys take him for, he’s gonna wait till we split up or something. Also, since he’s the last hope of a career--since I am very clearly tainted by your ideals--he’s pampered. The motherfucker will have everything that he could wish for.”

Johanna laughs, “Well, Beetee’s plan is better than hunting him down.”

You roll your eyes, laying back against the tree again. You don’t know why you bother.

What’s even more annoying, is that you’re considering helping Brutus come after these pretentious dicks. And now that you know their plan, it makes it even better. You and Brutus would be able to avoid the beach for a while, and if it does get electrocuted, the sand will likely be partially glass anyway.

And since you know the jungle better than Brutus does at this point, he’ll owe you more than he’ll like it.

“Yeah, why not? If it fails, no harm done anyway.” Katniss says.

Peeta nods, “Alright, I say we try it.”

“So what can we do to help?” Finnick asks.

Beetee pauses for a moment before answering, “Keep me alive for the next six hours? That would be extremely helpful.”

Beetee goes ahead and lists everything that he’ll be doing. For a while, you’re able to sit through his speech, until you develop a headache. Only then do you go ahead with getting up and wandering to the cornucopia just to get away from everyone. If you do decide to sneak off, it’ll be easier to do when there’s a structure blocking their view.

You’ve got hours to burn before you have to leave the beach and go to the trees.

It isn’t until you’re pretty far along the rocks when you realize that you’re not alone. In fact, there’s quite a lot of splashing happening in the water. Instinctively, you move closer to the other side of the rock, not really wanting to look and see if there’s a fucking mutt that also lives inside of the water. On top of the fact that the gamemakers can spin you dizzy if they feel like it.

“Smart.”

“Holy fuck, Finnick.” you stop, raising your face to the sky, “Do you ever give people personal space?”

“Remember what happened the last time we were in the middle?”

You look at Finnick now, “As you guys said, he’s probably staying hidden in the trees! Won’t come out until we’re fuckin’ gone, so what’s the harm in wandering around?”

Finnick comes up to the rocks, crossing his arms and pulling himself with them, “Was that rhetorical or do you really want to know.”

You crouch down, “What are you here for?”

“Keeping an eye on you.”

“Afraid I’ll run?”

“After that homicidal look you had on your face listening to Beetee, yeah.”

You offer your hand to him, and he takes it, so you pull him up, “Beetee not only had an annoying voice, but doesn’t know when to shut up.” you look at where he’s sitting with Johanna, “She’s probably wanting to kill him too.”

You don’t wait for Finnick to pull himself up. The cornucopia is empty, there’s no one here but you and Finnick.

You wish that there weren’t cameras everywhere. You wish that you’d be able to have a full conversation with Finnick, cutting out all the secret words. You want to ask him what happened if this plan of his actually comes true. Who’s bringing them out of here? And when?

You have a vague idea, Beetee said that you guys should keep him alive for the ‘next six hours’, and not anything past that. That’s significant, right? Maybe it will happen tonight, after all.

“What’s on your mind?” Finnick takes a seat on the box while you six in the black sand.

“Six hours to keep him alive is very specific, don’t you think?” you ask, hoping that he catches on, “Do you think he has any big plans after that?”

“He might, after midnight. Just depends if it all goes according to plan.”

Something might happen after midnight--doesn’t make sense to you, “Well, Chaff is dead already,” the cannon went off an hour ago, it can’t be Brutus, you just know it, “And if we do kill Brutus, that just leaves us.”

“Yes it does.” Finnick says.

“Which means that I should branch off while I can.” you squint, waiting for him to object.

“We’d just have to go after you next, since you have a vendetta against Peeta and Katniss, after all.” 

“So I should stick around?”

“We might surprise you.” Finnick smiles.

You stand again, heading over to the water, facing it, “Yeah? And what happens if they shoot first?”

“Come on, (Y/n). You’re telling me that you won’t be anticipating it the entire time?”

He’s amused, which annoys you. All of this is such a walk in the park for him, and he can clearly tell that none of this is as easy for you. You don’t know if you can put your trust in their hands, considering that they know your motives. If you let your guard down for even a little bit, they’d be able to take you out.

Finnick is always so smug when it comes to things. Whoever is really behind this, he must believe in them a lot. They have to be really good at whatever they’re planning to do if this is the way to go.

“I will.” you admit, “If Katniss even twitches, I’ll wipe out that boy of hers.” you slam the glaive into the rock, smiling a little bit, “And while she’s grieving, I’ll take her next.”

“You fantasize about death a lot?”

“For them, yes.” you look over your shoulder, “Could you imagine the shock on the Capitol citizen’s faces when I take out the girl on fire and her useless boyfriend? They’d loathe me.”

“You’d get yourself in trouble.”

“I’m already in trouble. I had tons of people betting on me, and I’ve wasted their precious money.”

He snorts, “They’ll have more to waste next year, too.”

If there is a next year.

“When do we head back to the others?” you ask.

“Is the sun hitting the trees yet?” Finnick is behind you, and just before you’re able to slip out of his fingers, he places his hands on your waist and leans forward, “Looks like we’ve still got some time.”

“Annie Cresta is sobbing in her psychotic rocking chair.” you elbow him to get him off, and he obliges, “What made you like her, anyway?”

“What made you like me?”

You laugh, “Ha! You think I give a shit about you!” you then deadpan, staring at him, “Sweetheart, I could drown you in these waters and come up victorious. You haven’t grown on me as much as you think you have.”

“You’re tolerating me more, whether you want to admit that or not.”

“Tolerating is a hell of a difference. Ticking time bomb--what was that song that Wiress was singing before she was subtly murdered by my admirer?” you mock a smile.

Finnick looks interested, “Admirer? Gloss admired you?”

“If you win these games, make sure they play back the tapes of every single time Gloss and I ran across each other. Watch his eyes, especially. And the interview, too, because he had the blessing of holding my hand for a minute while we played rebellion on live tv.”

He’s quiet for a moment, and then he laughs to himself, “(Y/n), you could have anyone you want, and yet you choose to be all by yourself.”

“What? Johanna and Beetee have a crush on me now? On top of you, and Gloss, and probably Brutus too.” 

“Who said I’m on that list?” Finnick asks.

You hold up your finger, before moving behind him, placing your hands on his sides, leaning into his body as close as you can manage. He’s wet from being in the water, but the effect works.

“Go fuck yourself.”

You shove him in after that, watching as he flails, and then hits the water. 

You pick up your glaive from the rocks as you move back to the cornucopia. It’s a couple of seconds before Finnick gets himself out of the water again. You don’t say a word to him, pulling out food from the boxes and chewing on it as you continue to dig through the shit.

“You don’t need to ask my permission to go to the others.” you tell him, “I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can, but I’m going to sit here anyway.”

Not like he has much to do in the first place.

“Do you really think I would leave Annie for you?”

“No, and I don’t want you to either. The girl is nutty enough as it is, she’d just think that the next person she comes across that shows an interest will end up leaving her if they find their soulmate too.”

“You’d stay with someone even if they weren’t?”

You look up, “I don’t date.”

“Hypothetically, then.”

Sighing, you go back to what you were doing, “It’s not really hypothetical with me. The guy did fucking leave me because he found his soulmate when I was in the games. The motherfucker started dating her before I’d even come home. I wore his stupid trinket necklace into the games and everything.

“I was a teenager--whatever. But we had been together for years, so I would expect some hesitance, and maybe even remorse.” you look at Finnick, “If I were you, I wouldn’t even be considering leaving Annie. It would be a downgrade, because I don’t care about you, and she does.

“And before you say that ‘time would change that’, you’d be changing me, the person I am. I’m developed, I’m not changing anything. You choose someone who would love you forever, or someone who would loathe every detail about you.” you stop now, “If you saw a golden apple and a rotten apple in front of you, which would you pick? I know I would pick the golden one.”

“I am the golden one--”

“And I’m the rotten one for you.” you say, “And honestly, even if you do pick me, I don’t pick you. My opinion hasn’t changed since the tribute parade, you’re as unlikable as all the other rejects on the beach. The only people that have ever liked you are one of the three things, dead, crazy, or horny. And I’m not any of those.”

“No,” Finnick instantly disagrees, “You’re crazy.”

“Not for you.”

Finnick laughs, and doesn’t say anything more. 

You pop open another box, and lo and behold sits your sai’s. You laugh, pulling them out and turning them over in your hands. They’re shiny, new as the day as they were made.

“Look at these!” the excitement bubbles out of you, “I knew that they were here somewhere. They wouldn’t have the weapons for everyone but me.”

“Aren’t those used for disarming people, though? Not really for killing?”

You look up at Finnick, “That’s the best part. The bluntness makes it hurt.”

Getting to your feet, you spin them in your hands, and then aim them towards Finnick. You give him a pretty big smile, and he knows what you want. He picks up his trident, pointing it at your chest.

“What happens if I accidentally stab you?” Finnick asks.

“Don’t flatter yourself, you won’t even get close.” you swing first.

The bar to the trident gets stuck in the sai, and with one healthy twist, you’ve already disarmed Finnick in three moves. You grab the trident before it hits the rock, and then you hand it back to Finnick.

“That was quick.” Finnick raises his eyebrows, “What else do you know?”

“How to shoot a bow, wield a number of swords that are different variations of the same model. I know how to use the trident you’re holding, and anything close to a spear--what else?” you look into the cornucopia, “Probably the whip, the mace--with and without the chain too. The axes that Johanna has, I’d be able to use that too, but it’s a little heavy for my liking.”

When you look at Finnick, he clearly doesn’t know what to think, “Are you lying to me?”

“No.”

“What can’t you do?” 

“Swim well, and probably fish either. District Two is a barren wasteland.” you belt at least one of the sai’s before picking the glaive up, “Sun’s hit the trees, it’s about time we head back.”

You take the lead while Finnick lags for a moment.

The walk back is filled with questions, and more banter back and forth. By the time you get to the beach, the others are ready to go. Everyone packs up their shit--not that there’s much in the first place--and then you all head into the jungle, one by one.

Finnick, Beetee, Peeta, Katniss, Johanna, and then you. Johanna and you had a power struggle for a moment, until Finnick said that you probably should be kept away from Katniss and Peeta since you’re more dangerous than you let on. Johanna laughed in your face, but didn’t argue.

You guess that he isn’t wrong. You could take any of their weapons and thrive. One of the perks of being a games-trained tribute, rather than an unsuspecting child. You were taught to be able to use anything, which doesn’t mean that you don’t have preferences when it comes to certain things, of course.

You’d prefer an sai because it’s able to disarm people pretty quickly. It’s unrealistic in a deadly fight though, so you’d always go for something more simple as a sword. You would have picked that instead, if it weren’t for the fact that swords are basic, and have average reach. A glaive, a spear, or a trident is a complete different story.

Throwing a glaive is going to be easier than throwing a sword. They’re built different, swords are meant to slice through the air to move quicker. While the glaive, spear, or trident are specifically designed to be able to be thrown without fucking it up. If you threw a sword, with the handle and the blade that it has, it would spin through the air. While the others specifically have a pole made for throwing.

Also, the tip of the spear is meant to guide the rest of the weapon. It’s heavy in that one spot mostly, as the rest of it is light material--or it’s supposed to be, at least. It’s going to be a lot harder to throw one thing straight than the other.

As the sun gets lower, the jungle gets darker. The heat might be less, but that doesn’t stop the humidity. You’re sweating out all the water you drank before this hike. The entire thing is uphill, and it’s pretty steep too. You can feel the burn in your calves from it.

Capitol music interrupts the silence. But while the others stop, you don’t bother. You can see their faces and their districts in your mind already. Cashmere and Gloss from District One, Cashmere being your kill, Gloss being Katniss. Wiress since Gloss has killed her before going down seconds later.

Mags because she died due to the poisonous fog in a noble sacrifice for Peeta. The girl from five, she drowned in the tidal wave that hit at ten this morning. Next is the female morphling that died for Peeta during the mutt attack, which was just an hour after Mags had died.

Blight, Johanna’s district mate because he ran head-first into the forcefield wall or whatever when he was blinded by the blood rain. The guy from ten died from an unknown mutt attack, which would later be the same fate for Chaff.

It’s you and Brutus, Beetee, Finnick, Johanna, and Katniss and Peeta left in here. Brutus is the odd man out, while the rest of you are in a supposed alliance. By now, in any other regular games, the tributes would be at each other’s throats already. If you all were careers--which, two of you are in this case--it would be even worse. 

People would be picked off in their sleep, there would be no time to sort a plan out. Let everyone run in different directions and go from there. If you come across each other, it’s a fight to the death. Unless they’re making mini allies after that. 

“Eager?” Finnick asks as soon as you get up to him.

“If I stop walking now, then I’m not going to get back up.” you tell him, “Plus I know everyone that’s died already, and you know the exact amount too. Take a look at your arm.”

“You won’t take a moment to honor them?”

“I had planned to kill half of them, so no, I really won’t.” you then pause for a second, looking at Finnick, “May Mags have peace, though.” 

Finnick cracks a smile, “You’re soft.”

You scowl at Finnick, before going back to the hill. Finnick keeps at your pace, and in no time, you’re reached the tree. Beetee passes you guys up.

“Minimal charring, impressive conductor… let’s get started.” Beetee says, heading over to the tree.

As everyone else follows him over, you decide to stay watch instead. Finnick doesn’t move either, probably deciding that it’ll be best to stick by your sick.

“Lost puppy.” you mutter.

Beetee gets the wire going around the tree, and since it’s made up of a bunch of small trees, Beetee focuses on those and not the one main part. It takes a while before he finally gets a rhythm down, he goes much faster after that.

And since he’s Beetee, he’s also blabbing his mouth while he does it, “Typically, a lightning strike contains five billion volts of energy.”

“Fascinating.” Finnick snickers, and you look over to give him a look of amusement.

“We don’t want to be anywhere in the vicinity when this hits.”

Beetee finishes up with the wire, and then he begins off in the direction that you guys came from, holding it out to Katniss, “You girls go together now, take this. Unspool it carefully, make sure the entire coil is in the water, you understand? Then head to the tree at the two o’clock center, we’ll meet you there.”

Katniss looks between Beetee and Johanna, like she doesn’t know what to think of this. Too bad for her, you’re not entirely sure either. You have no clue what the hell is going on, but from the look on Finnick’s face, he wants you to play along.

“I’m going to go with them as a guard.” Peeta says.

You laugh, “As if you’d be much help.”

“No, you’re staying here to protect me.” Beetee then adds, “And the tree.”

“No, I need to go with her.” Peeta says in a mock authoritative tone. 

“Brutus is the size of two careers, I need two guards.”

“Finnick and (Y/n) can protect you just fine.” Peeta tries.

“Last time I checked, you’re not a girl,” you lean on the glaive.

“Yeah, why can’t Finnick and (Y/n) protect you, and Peeta, Johanna and I take the coil?”

“You all agreed to keep me alive until midnight, correct?” Beetee comes closer, glasses halfway down his nose.

“It’s his plan, we all agreed to it,” Johanna says.

Finnick chimes in too, “Is there a problem, here?”

“Excellent question.” Beetee waits for an objection.

There is none, “No, there’s no problem.”

Katniss goes to say goodbye to Peeta, and you give a look to Johanna, “I’m not holding the wire.”

“I don’t plan on it either.” Johanna says.

Johanna gives Katniss another second before telling him to pick up the pace. After that, the three of you leave to go down the hill to the sand. As you go down the way you came, you realize that Johanna seems to have an entire path planned out, she’s got a goal.

As much as you hate to say it, you’ve got to follow her lead, especially if you might screw up whatever it is that she has to do. With what Finnick said and all earlier this evening, midnight or after. Six hours has come upon you guys quite quickly, it’s not even thirty minutes or so until the lightning does happen.

You go down the hill first, allowing Johanna and then Katniss go behind you. Johanna seemed to have wanted it this way, and she even encouraged you to be the one that went first. You’d like to be paranoid about it being because she can literally backstab you in this position, but you don’t have the energy for this.

You’d really like to know the point of going all the way up the hill to wrap a wire around a tree only for it to turn out that you’d literally be going back down the hill maybe an hour to a half hour later.

It’s mostly just silence, the most difficult part is going down the rocks. You use the glaive as a walking stick as you carefully lower yourself down onto each rock. With Johanna and Katniss, Johanna takes the bow from her to allow Katniss to get down safely. Also allowing her to focus on the safety of the wire.

Johanna hands the bow back, and then says, “Come on. I want to put as much distance between me and this beach as possible. Frying is not how I want to go.”

You guys walk a couple more steps, until the sound of the wire unspooling stops altogether, and Katniss comes to a halt too. When you turn around to see, the wire is pulled tight, and each time Katniss tugs, it doesn’t move.

“There’s something…” Katniss trails off, leaning forward a little bit.

This isn’t a coincidence, you give a look to Johanna just before the wire snaps, and she nods at you. The moment you look back at the place where the wire had been stuck, Brutus emerges. In the same moment, Johanna grabs the wire from Katniss and hits her over the head with it.

“Keep an eye on him.” Johanna murmurs lowly, and she doesn’t really have to tell you twice.

Whatever Johanna does, it makes Katniss scream. By the time Johanna stands again, there’s blood on her hands, you watch as she reaches for her axe, but you stop her. You grab the sai on your belt and throw it, before shoving Johanna to get her running.

She doesn’t hesitate, and she might even be grateful of the fact that she won’t be fighting Brutus with her two tiny fists.

“Is he following?” Johanna asks.

You pause for a moment, listening, until Brutus comes running at you from the fucking trees. You swing the glaive, allowing him to dodge and get out of the way. You slip under his arm when his attention is then turned to Johanna. After that, you scramble your way up to higher ground.

As you go up, you dig your hand into your boot, searching for the pocketknife. However, you can’t seem to find it at first. You stop, make your way up to the top of the hill first, before pulling the boot off. The knife drops into the leaves, and you pick it up, flicking it open.

After that, you take off running without the shoe. You can feel the rocks and needles poking into your foot with every single step you take. You keep an eye on your right, looking for Brutus’ shiny bald head in the moonlight. And when you’re sure you caught a glimpse of it, you take a couple of steps back.

You catch your breath the best you can, and when you feel the adrenaline run through your body like a shot of energy, you bolt towards the cliff. When you hit the edge, you push off, and pull the knife over your head. Johanna clearly sees you behind him, over him, flying down like an eagle catching its prey.

Then, you sink the knife straight into the back of Brutus’ neck. It doesn’t kill him immediately, but he does fall flat onto his elbows. It’s not over yet, the cannon hasn’t signaled so you pull the knife out and sink it straight into the back of Brutus’ skull.

The cannon goes off, and you dip your head a little bit, sucking in the air between your teeth.

“Shit.”

“Don’t fucking mention it.” you tell her, getting up again, “You should find Katniss, or whatever.”

“Yeah, you’re okay?”

“Are you? I left you alone for a minute.”

“No dents.” she says.

She takes off after that, and you nod a little to yourself. You take the same path that you did the first time, finding your shoe at the top. You yank the sock off, shove your foot into the boot, pick up the glaive and then start towards the tree. You only know you’re heading in the right direction when you can see glimpses through the trees.

You slam into something solid, but you grab onto it before you bounce off. It takes you a second to realize that it’s no tree, it’s Finnick. His eyes are wide and he looks over you.

“Who’s blood--”

“Brutus, he’s dead. Johanna went to look for Katniss.”

“Peeta ran off when the cannon--we need to find Katniss first.”

“What’s the plan?” you ask, stopping Finnick.

“Find who you can and bring them back to the tree.”

This is chaos.

“Okay,” you agree, “Yeah, alright.”

You go to go by yourself, but Finnick pulls you along with him. The two of you run through the trees a little bit as he calls out for Johanna, and Peeta and Katniss. When you guys take a moment to get your heads back, you suggest that they might have just gone back to the lightning tree.

“Yeah--okay.” Finnick says.

“I’m going to look for another minute or so, I’ll be there in a second.” you push him.

“No, come with me.”

“Finnick, if they’re not at the tree, they’re out here.” you pause for a second, “I’m not going to kill anyone, promise. Just go.”

He clearly doesn’t want to agree, but he heads in that direction anyway. And just as you said, you search the ground, in the bushes, leaves and trees. You’re mainly hoping that Peeta is pulling his stupid camoflauge stunt, but you’re not entirely sure how he would have enough time to do that.

Nevertheless, you kick in bushes, and peek into trees that are split open. You sweep your foot between rocks, hoping that you’ll find something squishy, or a groan of complaint, but there really is nothing. 

Another couple of minutes, and then you decide that they have to be back at camp at this rate, right?

“Johanna?” you yell, fed up with this quiet game, because there is no threat anymore, “Peeta?”

Just as there’s rustling in the leaves, an explosion goes off above you. You crouch, covering your head as you meekly look to see what caused it. Your mouth falls open when you see the sky of the arena is black, and the hexagons that hold the arena together, are coming loose.

“What the fuck?” Johanna asks.

“Did you find Peeta?”

“No, Finnick or Katniss?”

“Finnick went back to the tree.” your voice sounds far away.

The hexagons are falling now, the mouth of the arena is now on fire. You can see all the construction that’s behind the making of these places. The tree is so far up the hill, it would take a lot of energy to run all that way again.

Neither you or Johanna move, though, staring at the opening. Then, a familiar black mass appears in the bright blue sky, lowering a claw. All the way down, until it sweeps up Beetee.

You start moving towards the tree, keeping your eyes on the hovercraft, watching as it gets dropped down a second time.

“(Y/n)--!” Johanna starts.

“I’m not staying in here!” you yell back at her, “I’m getting the fuck out of here even if it kills me!”

You struggle going up the ledge of dirt, and then the rocks too as you try not to make them dislodge and tumble. Johanna doesn’t follow you, almost like she knows something and you don’t.

The claw goes down a third time, and some sick feeling in your stomach tells you that it’s the final time. You push yourself the best you can, but you can feel your body giving up already. And just as you make it into the clearing, Finnick is already getting lifted into the air.

The ground shakes with every hexagon that falls. The jungle is on fire, and you can smell the burning wood, giving you a headache. But you don’t move from where you’re standing, watching as the claw is brought in. And just as you anticipate it coming out the fourth time.

The hovercraft flies away.

[pmpkinns]

Growls From The Dark (Chapter 1 - Missing)

(I’m deciding to upload the chapters here as I upload them on archieve! I aim to upload a new chapter between Friday or Saturday of each week. Feel free to follow me on my social medio for upload updates and other information! 

Twitter: TiredLeaf@LeafTired , Instagram: _tiredleaf_

Please feel free to leave a comment because I love hearing for y’all!

Word Count: 5K+

Summary:  Luz hasn't shown up to school all week, which leaves her friends concerned. Brushing it off as the human needing to do errands for Eda, Amity's concern reaches its peak when Luz blows off their Azura Bookclub Meeting without any word as to why. Even stranger, Eda and Lilith refuse to tell Amity the truth about the noises she hears from outside the owl house as well as refusing to let her see Luz. Things remain in the dark until Amity is attacked by a strange creature on her way home one night. However, its eyes remind her of the human girl she loves.

____________________________________________________________

It was quiet. Nearly too quiet for Willows liking. Her gaze remained on the empty seat across from her as Gus continued to drink his apple blood without care. There was a silence between them, though it was not awkward, it was oddly peaceful. “Gus, have you seen Luz around today?” Willow asked, a hint of worry clearly laced in her voice. Gus stopped, his eyes shifting to the spot where Luz usually sat. The young witch thought for a moment. Luz had not been in his illusions class that morning, which he found a bit odd. However, his mind had been more focused on writing up an essay for the Human Appreciation Society, discussing a few new things that Luz had told him about the human realm. “I haven’t, but I wouldn’t think too hard on it. Maybe she’s out with the owl lady?” Gus tried his best to calm his friends' worries. They usually talked every morning before school; however, Luz had never picked up.

Willow gave a curt nod of understanding, before going back to the lunch on her tray. As soon as the sound of shuffling reached her eyes, Willow's eyes shot up, expecting to see the smiling Latina. However, they met with a pair of concerned yellow eyes. “Have either of you seen Luz today?” Amity asked her gaze drifting to the empty spot next to her. Willow seemed to tense just a bit, however, remembered Gus’s words. “She didn’t answer her crystal ball this morning, but she’s probably off somewhere helping Eda and Lilith. Also, she does stay with her mother on the weekends, so there’s a chance they’re just spending the day together.” Willow listed the different possibilities. Amity’s ears appeared to droop just a bit, which did not go unnoticed by the plant witch. “Hey, don’t think too much about you. I’m sure she’ll be back tomorrow!” Willow tried her best to raise the spirits of the youngest Blight, Titan knows she needed some joy in her life.

Amity’s eyes continue to remain on the spot where Luz usually sat. Finally, she sighed, giving Willow a reassuring smile. “You’re right, she’s probably just needing a day to herself,” Amity admitted. The group had been through so much within the past two years. With the takedown of Belos, there was still danger lurking in the shadows due to the escape of Kikimora. Due to this, Amity no longer needed to focus on joining the emperors' coven at the time, with Lilith having taken over and currently working to rebuild it and shape it into a proper coven that could do good. Amity now spent most of her days studying, hanging out with her new group of friends, and spending time alone with Luz that the group and her siblings did not need to know about.

School went on normally with only a few incidents. Someone had accidentally created a rather large plant beast that tried to consume students. Another tried creating an illusion of themself that ended up running around the school, spray painting everything in its path. And finally, the school had to evacuate due to a student in potions not paying attention, thus the smoke from their cauldron had caused the fire alarm to go off. The trio met outside, slightly damp due to the water. Willow was busy ringing out the little bit of water from her uniform, meanwhile, Gus created the illusion of a fan to help dry off the notes he had been taken in one of his classes. Amity stood beside him, opening one of her abomination textbooks to try and dry as well. Once everything was situated, and the smoke cleared, everyone returned to their classes to finish off the day. In the end, the group once again met up outside. “Should we just wait to give Luz her schoolwork tomorrow when she comes back?” Gus asked as he stared at the papers in his hands that his teacher had given to him earlier. Willow and Amity shared a look, almost as if they were having a silent conversation with each other. “I think we should wait until tomorrow. That way we can help her if she has any questions.” The plant witch insisted. “I think I’ll copy my notes for Luz tonight, that way she isn’t too lost,” Amity claimed as she thought about the girl, she had a crush on. Willow's eyes shifted towards Amity, who was busy staring at the ground. She bit the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from smiling as Amity’s cheeks turned a light pink.

“I think she’d like that.” Willow agreed.

The next day, Luz did not meet with the trio at the front of the school. Nor did she ever show up to lunch or any of her classes.

The day after, Luz remained absent, something that was beginning to worry the group. She had not been picking up when they called the owl house’s crystal ball, nor had been seen by any of the local vendors.

“Maybe something finally ate her,” Boscha had commented one day as she listened in on the group’s conversation during class change. Both Willow and Amity shot a look towards the three-eyed girl. She currently wore her grudgby jacket, due to the season starting the upcoming weekend, and tossed a ball in her hand. “Or maybe she’s just tired of hanging out with losers, though, she’s quite the loser herself.” The girl commented with a giggle. Willow took a deep breath to calm herself. “Luz is fine, she’s just out due to personal reasons.” Willow lied. Boscha stopped tossing the ball as she scoffed. She was about to open her mouth once again until Skara roughly grabbed her arm. “Boscha, you’re supposed to be at practice! We’ve been wondering where you’ve been!” She stated, tugging at her friend's jacket. Her eyes lit up at the sight of Amity.

“Amity!” She called excitedly, taking a step forward wanting to talk to the green-haired witch, however she was roughly tugged back. “We don’t have time for talking Skara! We need to practice!” Boscha barked as she pulled her friend away. “But you got to talk to Amity!” They heard Skara whine as Boscha led her down the hall and out the school. Amity’s expression became somber. Skara was not as bad as Boscha and honestly, she would be lying if she said she didn’t miss her. Gus took note of this. “Hey, I’m sure Luz is alright like Willow said! You two have your Azura Book Club meeting tonight, right? I’m sure she’ll be there!” Gus tried his best to reassure the youngest Blight. Amity thought it over. She couldn’t say she’d be exactly happy that Luz decided to miss school but attend their book club meeting; however, the thought that Luz missing school but still wanting to see her made her heart flutter a bit. “Yeah, I’m sure she’ll be there.” She agreed, holding her books closer to her chest as if the gesture helped slow down her beating heart.

Amity waited from six till a quarter to the witching hour in her hideout at the library.

Luz never showed.

Her pillow was soaked with tears when she woke up. Her siblings had suspected Amity to be out at a sleepover but were surprised to hear the front door open from the living room where they were busy watching a horror movie. Eric had nearly screamed, but Emira was quickly able to cover his mouth before he woke their parents up. The twins slowly peaked over the couch, surprised to see their sister slowly closing the door closed. “Mittens?” Emira gently called out, watching her sister tense. Both their eyes widened in concern as they took in their sisters tear-stained face. She sniffled weakly, eyes starring at the floor instead of her siblings. “Amity, is everything alright?” Edric asked, standing from the couch and ready to rush to his younger sister to see if she was hurt. Amity’s bottom lip trembled as more tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over. “Amity!” The twins tried to keep their voices low as their sister ran from their view and up the stairs towards her room.

They remained in the living room with the movie paused, giving their sister some time to herself, hoping she would come down and speak with them when she felt better.

Amity never returned to her siblings.

Amity cringed at the feeling of the dried tears against her face. She felt gross and wanted a shower more than anything at the moment. Well, she actually wanted to rush to the owl house to see if Luz was alright, but that would have to wait. Amity crawled out of bed nearly jumped at the sound of knocking echoing throughout the manor. Somebody was at the door. Amity glanced at the clock on her wall and then out her window. It was nearly seven in the morning and the sun was just beginning to rise. The knocking continued and from the sounds of it, the person was clearly not happy. Amity grabbed a change of clothes, preparing to take a shower, before walking out of her room. “I know it had to be those twins!” Whoever was at the door barking.

Curious about the topic of her siblings, and what they could have done to make someone so angry, Amity turns away from the direction of the bathroom to instead stand at the top of the staircase. One of the maids starred unamused at the man in front of her. Amity took note of his attire, chalking him up to be one of the farmers that lived a few miles away in the more rural area of the boiling isles. “Excuse me sir, but I don’t really see how you can believe the Blight twins to be the cause of such-” The maid seemed to be mulling over a variety of negative words in her head “-Misfortune.” She went with. The man huffed, rage clear on his face. “Because they’ve done this before!” He yelled, clearly irritated that he was not believed.

“My fence door was torn apart and some of my screech sheep gone!” The man growled. Amity could tell the maid was holding back an eye roll at the man’s accusation. “Well some may be missing; however, you still have the rest.” The maid claimed, ready to shut the door; however, the man was quick to press his hand against it. The woman’s eyes shifted towards his calloused, the twitch of her brown signaling she was becoming more irritated by the second. “There is nothing left.” The man hissed. Amity tensed slightly. It wouldn’t have been the first time a farmer had beat down their door due to her siblings, but something seemed off. When she came home the twins had been in their pajamas, clearly too lazy and not planning to go out and terrorize people with their usual shenanigans.

The man made no move to step inside the manor; however, he clearly didn’t plan on just leaving either. “And what, if I may ask, are you wanting exactly? Because I shall tell you now, the Blights will now be paying for your losses due to a claim without proof.” The maid stated rather harshly. The man sucked his teeth, ears twitching in clear irritated. His mouth opened and closed before he simply took his hand off the door and turned to walk away. The maid puffed out her chest in a bit of pride, though her eyes narrowed when the man stopped. “I know it was those damn Blight twins! And I’m going to catch them next time!” The man barked as he stomped down the old pathway.

Amity processed the conversation. Her siblings had scared local sheep stiff, laughing as they would fall over, however she could not wrap her head around the twins breaking into something physically to cause chaos. No, that was simply too much work for them. If they can’t use magic to get where they want, they’ll go find something else to entertain them. “Ms. Blight.” The voice of the maid pulled Amity away. Her eyes met with disinterested pair of green ones. “You may wish to change before breakfast. Your parents will be joining you, and I doubt they’d be very thrilled to see you in your school attire on a weekend.” The maid hissed. Amity tensed. No doubt about it her parents would be up soon, so she had to hurry. Quickly, Amity rushed to the bathroom. She undressed of her school uniform and tried to make her shower as quickly as possible, aiming to get changed and downstairs before her parents woke.

When she was done Amity wrapped her bathrobe around her, exiting the bathroom as soon as she finished everything she needed to do. She stepped out, ready to head straight to her room, instead of the waiting hands of her mother. Odalia gently cupped Amity’s face. “Sleep well?” She asked as a small smile graced her features. “Yes, mother,” Amity replied automatically. Odalia hummed lowly, her thumbs gently rubbing against Amity’s pale cheeks. “That’s good. I could have sworn I heard you crying at some point in the night,” Her mother stated which nearly made Amity’s body tense. “Oh darling,” She cooed, bringing Amity into an embrace. “Did you and Boscha have a disagreement? I haven’t seen her or Skara around in quite some time.” Odalia claimed. Amity gave a small nod, refusing to open her mouth in fear of her voice betraying how nervous she felt. Odalia hummed lowly, her nails finding purchase in Amity’s hair.

Usually, such an action would cause people to feel comforted and safe. Amity felt like she could throw up. Odalias nails raked against Amity’s scalp, her fingers stopping to place a strand of green between her fingers. “Such a beautiful shade. It really brings out the brightness of your eyes. The paleness of your skin. It’s absolutely beautiful.” She hummed, gently rubbing the wet strands between her fingers. Her hand once against found its way into Amity’s hair. This time she felt a rather harsh scrape against her roots. It made her wince. “Such a nasty shade. Very distasteful to the eye. Don’t you hate it Amity? This disgusting shade of brown takes away from such a lovely shade of green.” Her mother claimed, fingers pulling at her roots as if she were pulling weeds from a garden. What a silly comparison, as if Odalia had to do a hard day’s work in her life, let alone get dirty in a garden.

“I hate it, mother.” Amity lied.

Odalia hummed lowly in joy. She didn’t need to look up to know that her mother's smile had grown. “That makes me so happy to hear. I’m actually going into town after breakfast to have my hair done for a party your father and I must attend tonight. You’ll join me.” She stated, pulling away from Amity. Odalia’s hands once again cupped her face, giving her no choice but to stare up at her mother. “Be a good girl and wear something nice.” Odalia stated with one more look over of Amity “Don’t embarrass me.” Her eyes read before releasing her daughter's face to head downstair. Amity felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She was quick to rush back to her room, changing into something she felt would be flattering to her mother’s taste, which meant an outfit that her mother had gifted her recently.

It took Amity a moment to find something reasonable, due to her usually stuffing all her clothes given to her by her parents to the back of her closet. Usually what she wore were outfits she bought while out with Willow and Luz, some even coming from shopping trips with her siblings. Once she was changed, she used a spell to dry her hair and pulled it up into its usual half pull back state. She packed a bag, making sure to put in the notes and the homework Willow and Gus gave her yesterday since she had been expecting to see Luz that night. She halted at the thought. Amity sniffled at the memory. Was Boscha right? Was Luz tired of hanging out with them? Had she done something that had upset Luz? Amity shook her head free of the thoughts. If Luz had a problem, she’d come to them to speak about it, she wouldn’t just cut them off. Quickly, Amity made her way downstairs, making sure to drop off the bag by the door to grab when she and her mother left. Breakfast was quiet and uneventful, the twins mostly conversing amongst themselves and answering any questions their mother had.

Due to the takedown of Belos, Odalia had enlightened her family about her “concerns” of the Emperor's Coven. She had made it clear she didn’t feel comfortable with her children joining now that such a corrupt person had taken over. They were not allowed to join until a more suitable person was placed as head of the coven. On their way out, Amity grabbed the bag and slipped it over her shoulder. A carriage waited for them outside, which Odalia insisted her daughter enter first. Once they were comfortable the carriage began its journey to the marketplace. “Schoolwork darling?” Odalia asked, having taken notice of her daughter's bag. “Actually, a student in my abominations course was out sick this week, so I offered to bring them their schoolwork.” Amity partially lied. It felt as if her mother was starring through her, subtle smile still on her face as she checked her daughter for any hints of a lie.

“Such a good girl.” Was all that she said before turning her attention to the window. The conversation ended just like that, and the rest of the journey was silent. At the hair salon, Amity was quickly rushed into a chair by her usual stylist who scolded her for allowing her roots to grow out so much. She listened to her mother chuckle as she was placed in her own chair, the stylist being quick to let Odalia’s hair out of its usual updo. “I told her, brown just isn’t her color.” Her mother stated, relaxing in her chair as the stylist began to work. Amity felt embarrassed as the adults talked about her as if she wasn’t there.

Amity stayed out of the conversation, only speaking when spoken to. The sooner this ended, the quicker she could get to the owl house to see Luz and make sure she was okay. To hold her in a tight embrace and run her fingers through her hair. Amity’s face began to burn at the memories. At the times they were supposed to be having a book club meeting, but instead leaned against each other and took a nap, their arms wrapped around each other. The times they would be out to see a movie with Willow and Gus who didn’t realize that the two girls were secretly holding hands under the armrest between them. Jeez, she really missed her. “- And grudgby season has once again started! My husband and I went to the game last night and my oh my, how things have changed since your daughter left Mrs. Blight.” The man behind Amity laughed.

“All negative I hope.” Odalia chuckle, which caused the rest of the salon employees to give a laugh. They could think her mother was joking, but behind that innocent smile, Amity knew her mother meant what she said. “Your daughter was such a star player, it’s sad that she decided to quit.” He spoke as if he wasn’t talking about the girl who sat in his chair. “Oh, I know. Her father and I were so upset to hear that she quit due to a little mishap with her team. Luckily, she’s feeling better and Amity plans to rejoin the team again next year.” Odalia stated proudly. Amity tensed, her eyes widening. They had never spoken about this. She had no plans on returning to the grudgby team. “Oh, how wonderful! It’ll be so wonderful to see you on the field once again Ms. Blight!” Her stylist stated excitedly as he finished adding the last bit of dye to her hair. “Yeah, me too.” Amity gave a fake smile and even through in a giggle for effect.

“Is she wanting to be grudgby captain again?” An older woman who was having her hair washed asked, joining in on the conversation. Amity could feel her mother's gaze, as the older woman stared at the back of her daughter's head from her mirror. “You bet she does,” Odelia stated happily, which earned a few mumbled of joy from the other clients. Though Boscha had brought Hexside to victory on many occasions, everyone knew that the only way she even became captain was due to Amity leaving. “Oh, how exciting! We can’t wait to see you on the field once again!” A man who was having his hair dyed as well claimed excitedly. Amity chuckled, becoming more embarrassed as attention was drawn to her.

“Me too.” Amity lied once again.

________________________________________________________________

Amity waved goodbye to her mother as she once again entered the carriage, hair more elegant and ready to be seen. Her mother had originally offered to drop her off at the so-called classmate's house, but Amity insisted she walk to prevent her mother from being late. Her mother looked as if she wanted to continue with her daughter, though held back as soon as Amity mentioned the party her mother needed to attend. Before entering her mother had gently brushed some strands of green hair out of Amity’s face with a simple “Beautiful once again.” Slipping past her lips before disappearing into the carriage. She waited till the carriage was out of her sight before turning and heading towards the owl house.

Her concern only grew as a few merchants who recognized her, stopped her to ask where Luz had been. She usually delivered potions to people around the area, however, hadn’t been seen all week. Eda and sometimes Lilith would be spotted instead, selling potions to customers both new and old. Amity began to feel more anxious each time she was stopped and asked about the human girl. By the time she reached the edge of the woods Amity’s pace quickened. As soon as the owl house came into view, she began to slow down. Oddly, King was outside. There were scattered band-aid wrappers drifting away from him and past Amity. Some even floating towards the ocean. She shuddered at the breeze, a reminder that the days were becoming chillier, and that she had forgotten her coat at home. King appeared too busy to realize Amity was walking upon him. Hooty had fresh scratches on him, which King placed band-aids over. “You know she didn’t mean it, something just uh, different for now.” King tried to reassure the cowering owl door. The sound of crashing caught Amity’s attention as well as Kings. They both looked up towards the second floor where rattling could be heard. “Is everything alright?” Amity finally spoke up, causing King to jump and Hooty to hiss in surprise. “Danger! More danger!” The owl cried, still not forgetting when Amity had released her furry upon the door two years ago. Honestly, she thought things had gotten better between them, thus something must have happened to cause the door to be so shaken. “Uh, yeah, what brings you here?” King asked, turning his full attention to Amity. “I came to drop off Luz’s homework since she never came to school all week,” Amity claimed, shifting her backpack off her shoulders.

“Welp, thanks for that uh, greenie? I can give that to Luz!” He stated, jumping up to grab the bag from Amity, who quickly held it out of his reach. King glared at her. “What’s the big idea!” He barked, continuing to jump as if he would somehow jump high enough to reach that bag. “Can I please see Luz?” Amity tried her best to keep her temper under wraps. King finally stopped jumping, a long “Um” escaping him and causing a brow to rise in curiosity on Amity’s face. “King, who are you talking to?” Eda’s voice caught both their attention as she threw the door open. She looked tired and her hair disheveled. Her eyes widened. “Oh, it’s you.” She stated rather tiredly. Did these people just forget her name or something? “Edalyn who’s at the door?” Lilith asked from the couch, leaning over the side just a bit to see past her sister. Her eyes widened. “Amity? What brings you here?” She asked, placing some documents on a small table that had been move beside the couch over the past two years.

Amity’s eyes couldn’t help but follow the papers her old mentor had placed down. More so what caught her attention was that by the way she had placed them signaled she had the papers upside down when she was originally holding them. Odd. “I’m here to see Luz. She wasn’t at school all week, so I brought her homework and was going to see if she needed any help.” Amity stated while opening the bag and pulling out the homework. Eda and Lilith exchanged a look. “We can give that to Luz for your Amity,” Lilith claimed as she stood from the couch. Amity was quick to notice the woman nudge what appeared to be a book further under the piece of furniture. Something was off. “May I ask why I can’t see her? Is she sick?” Worry was clear in Amity’s voice as she asked. “Yep, got a bad human sickness or something. I blame it on this one here’s cooking.” Eda tried to joke and even nudged her older sister who simply glared at her.

“The human is just feeling a little under the weather. However, she may not be-” Lilith was cut off at the sound of a loud banging coming from upstairs. Everyone looked up to stare at the ceiling for a moment before the rustling calmed down, though it was clear someone was walking above them. “Yeah, she sounds very bedridden,” Amity stated with a bit of venom laced behind her words. Eda glared at the girl, though Lilith placed a hand on her shoulder. A warning as to hold her tongue. Eda sighed, “Listen, kid, Luz isn’t doing so hot right now-” another loud bang echoed throughout the house “And she probably won’t be for a while.” The witch claimed. Amity shifted her gaze away from the witches to stare in between them. From what she could see the house was a wreck. The couch had claw marks, there were torn and tattered books and pieces of fabric that littered the floor as well. Her eyes narrowed, was that a large hole in the window behind the table? “Did someone try to break in?” Amity once again questioned. The sisters shared a look once more, a motion that was steadily beginning to irritate Amity.

The sounds continued to pick up whenever everything went quiet, however, Amity was noticing that when she spoke, the sounds would stop for a while. As if on cue, the sounds of scratching at wood interrupted the sisters. “So, what exactly do you have up there with Luz?” The teen asked with a raised brow. Once again, the sounds stopped, causing the sisters to exchange a look. “Nothing of importance. Just an old house, don’t you know they creak and moan?” Lilith claimed, shifting closer to Eda to block Amity’s view of the house further. As soon as she finished speaking, the sounds picked up, the clawing seeming to intensify. “Yeah, you’ve been here plenty of times! You know the sounds this house can make.” Eda chuckled, which earned her a rather sour look from Lilith. Amity mulled the words she wished to use next over in her head.

What caught her attention though was the sound of a rather loud sniffing? It was clear whatever creature was above them was trying to figure out something or had the scent of something it was trying to get to. Once it stopped sniffing the scratching began once again. “I think you should go,” Eda claimed, reaching for the bookbag that Amity held in her hands. Before Amity could register what had just happened, the white-haired witch slammed the door in her face. Amity stared wide eyes as she came face to face with a concerned and battered Hooty. She listened as Lilith scolded Eda for her rude behavior, though their voices began to drown out as they took their arguing further into the house. Hooty took in Amity’s upset expression. “There there, it’s okay!” Hooty stated, wrapping its body around Amity once. She wanted nothing more than to shove the bird tube away, but at the same time, she was trying to wrap her head around what just happened.

“Luz isn’t feeling too well, and it’s not really good for her to be out and about, hoot!” Hooty claimed, its eyes shifting to the side of the house where Luz's bedroom was located. “Is-,” Amity’s voice got caught in her throat. She basically knew nothing about the diseases and sicknesses humans caught. “Is she going to make it?” Amity asked with clear concern of what the answer would be. Hooty’s eyes widened, its normal smile once again appearing. “Of course! Luz is going to be fine once Eda and Lilith sort everything out, hoot!” Hooty stated with such confidence Amity couldn’t help but feel a bit better. “Really?” She asked, happy that she was getting a bit of information out of the house at least. “Yep! Eda’s been dealing with the same thing for years! Hoot!” Hooty nuzzled its face against Amity’s who just seemed lost and confused at his statement.

“Welp, you don’t worry too hard about it! I’m sure you’ll see Luz soon when everything is better!” The owl pulled away from Amity as it spoke, once again appearing as just a face in the door. Amity remained standing; the ruckus upstairs having faded away as background noise by now. She was tempted to continue questioning the bird tube, however, quickly concluded that it would not be much help. It was currently trying to reach a spider that was crawling down its web with the weak attempt of grabbing it with its tongue. Amity slowly backed away, deciding it would be best to return home. She had spent a good bit of her day with her mother, much to her displeasure, though felt it would be best to return home before her parents made it back from their party. Plus, the wind was beginning to pick up as well as the chill in the air.

She spared the house one last glance, even moving closer to the cliff to see if she could peer up at Luz’s window. Oddly, it was boarded up, only adding to Amity’s concern. Taking a deep breath, Amity was quick to turn around and head back home. She was sure once everything was said and done with, Luz would explain herself. Amity had to admit to herself that she felt relieved that Luz wasn’t avoiding her on purpose nor their group of friends. She continued down the normal path, though turned onto a new one that she had found which was a quicker way to her home. She hummed at the memories of all the times she had taken it as she slipped away from the owl house to go home. Her mind was occupied to the point she didn’t realize how late it had gotten and how close she was to getting home. The old money houses that littered her neighborhood came into view.

Most of the houses were lit up due to the darkness that had begun to cover Bonesborough, which brought a sense of relief upon Amity that she was nearly home. Her parents wouldn’t be back till later that night, which meant she could do as she pleased. Getting a warm cup of boiling chocolate sounded delightful, something to bite the chill in the air. Maybe she could even convince the twins not to bother her and instead allow her to watch a movie with them. The ideas of what she could do when she got home began to run through her mind. It was so rare for her to feel like she could be herself at home.

Little did she know that a creature lurked close behind, its snout pressed to the ground as it sniffed furiously. The creature had been tracking her, for quite some time. Its speed picked up as Amity’s scent got stronger. The green-haired witch never ever realized what was coming. The only time she registered anything is when the sound of breaking sticks and running caught her attention and she was shoved off the path by a large body and into the darkening woods on the other side.

_______________________________________________________

Thank you for reading and please feel free to leave a comment!

[bookshelf-imagines]

Chasing Light | PART VI

Pairing/Fandom: Lumity/ToH

Summary: oh boy oh boy oh boy more backstory and some planning for the big stuff in chapters 7 and 8!

Warnings: Kind of gory but not really

Notes: Really hope y’all enjoy! The reblogs have been giving me motivation to write more and more faster and faster and y’all may or may not get a double update some day...Plus, this is becoming way longer than I originally planned, so double yay!

PART I || PART II || PART III || PART IV || PART V || PART VII

Pluto had released Odalia some time after the cursed souls had gorged themselves as much as possible without simply killing the woman. He knew she would drive him insane if she were to die soon, and she was too far gone to fully recover anyway. All she could do now was mutter incomprehensible words and hope that someone understood her.

He took the last step from the Underworld and stretched. The chariot ride to Earth was far less leisurely than he remembered. Another reminder that he should do his dirty work himself rather than sending foolish and unqualified mortals to do it for him.

The trees sang in tune with the wind while the sun beat down upon the dewish, morning grass. It was truly a sight to behold, but Pluto had to hold back his true feelings of admiration and replace them with hatred. It was what his brothers would want, and it’s why they struck him.

He was too good.

One would expect the God of the Dead to be grim, improper, and rude.

Pluto was the complete polar opposite.

Being in charge of the Underworld wasn’t all what it was cracked up to be and he allowed it, over the last thousands of years, to get to him. He allowed the sickness to spread throughout his joints and infect his bloodstream, causing him to feel nothing but hate for this world and the next.

He wasn’t bad, he was just told he was. So, he acted like how they wanted him to. He acted like the villain, for he had lost sight of who he truly was.

Alas, enough about Pluto. It wasn’t his story.

He laid Odalia’s mumbling, deteriorated body on the side of a rather populated road, just outside the town that his demigod nemesis was to patrol.

His hands wiped against his black robe and were dusted off, turning around to head back to his ‘home.’

Someone would find her, and he was hoping that someone was to be Luz.

~~~~~~~~~~

Lo and behold, Luz found Odalia.

It had been two days since the incident and they all decided that resting would be the best choice. However, Luz still had patrol, and after hours of attempting to convince Willow, she was finally allowed to do her job. Amity had to stay for safety purposes and because her wounds were not fully healed.

Luz was currently on patrol around the perimeter of the town and saw a crawling form on the side of the road.

Odalia looked like she was on the verge of death.

Her eyes drooped, weighing on her lips in order to form a permanent frown. Her nose was crooked and her hair was visibly greasy. Bones were popping from her skin as her near non-existent flesh clung to said bones. She was skeletal and delirious.

“By the Titans, what happened to you?” Luz whispered, delicately picking up the bundle of marrow. It was like picking up a feather.

“Let’s go, Blight.” Luz sighed, “You shouldn’t have dealt with a god.”

The legionnaire hiked back to the outskirts of town, catching Gus just in time.

“Gus!”

“Luz? Odalia?” The courier was surprised. He hadn’t seen his friends in a few days due to deliveries so he wasn’t caught up on what happened.

“I need to borrow your carriage.”

“Wait, wait, wait. You need to what? Luz- why are you carrying Mrs. Blight?”

“It’s a long story and I’ll explain on the way. For now, we need to grab Willow and Amity and head to Rome. Alador is waiting for us to get Odalia to him. We’re going to present the case to the emperor-”

“The emperor?”

“Yes, the emperor. Odalia was dealing with the gods and, obviously, she’s paid the price-”

“Wait, the gods?”

“Yes, keep up. Then Cerberus tried to kill me, and- oh- Amity isn’t actually a slave, and she’s a Blight, which means we can get Odalia sentenced to death because of the crimes she’s committed against not only a Roman citizen, but a centurion, which is me, as well-”

“Luz!”

Luz looked up from the fingers she was counting on her hands and saw the confused and shocked expression on her friend’s face. She gulped.

“Too much?”

“One thing at a time. Cerberus? Blights? What is going on? What could I have missed in three days?” Gus did the thing with his hands, outstretching them and throwing them in the air.

“Um, well, okay. Amity isn’t actually a slave, Odalia worked with Pluto and sent Cerberus after me, and then I was saved by a bright light, and now I have to head to Rome in order for Odalia to stand trial. In this state, though, I’m not sure if she can.”

“That’s why you need our help.”

“Exactly! It’ll be an adventure. Please?” Luz begged, sticking out her lower lip and putting on her most impressive puppy dog eyes.

Gus gave in.

“Okay, okay, you got me. I’m in.”

“Yes! Thank you! You won’t regret this, I promise. Now, let’s go grab the others.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“We’re going where?” Willow questioned. They were technically legal adults, with two of them turning seventeen soon and Gus on the cusp of sixteen, but it wasn’t necessarily the greatest idea.

“Rome. Odalia is passed out in the carriage. I’m not sure she’ll even be waking up. Pluto did something to her.” Luz paced back and forth with one hand on her hip and the other rubbing her chin. Even after observation, she wasn’t sure as to what happened to the woman.

Amity entered the room and Luz had to do a double take.

Rather than the ripped tunic she usually wore, she now donned a form fitting toga. Despite it being men’s clothing, Luz agreed with herself that the brunette looked much better than any man she had seen wearing a toga. Gods above, her cheeks were hot.

She was snapped from her thoughts when someone spoke up.

“I’m in.” Amity said.

“But-”

“If it gets me away from this place, and if it condemns my...mother...I’ll go with you.”

Luz seemed taken aback at the sudden look of determination, but nodded her head regardless.

Willow sighed.

“I’m not talking you guys out of this one, am I?”

A round of ‘no’s’ could be heard.

“Okay. Let’s do this then.”

[tardisman14]

Enchanting: Chapter 3: A Night to Remember

A novelized version of Enchanting Grom Fright, told from Amity’s pov. A look into what was going through her mind in that episode, with snippets of happenings in-between scenes. Told in 4 parts (3 main chapters, plus the prologue), rated to be safe, and obviously Lumity.

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Bits of final scene and flashback inspired by this tweet (12/28/20 update: screencap because Dana deactivated her Twitter) and this image which was cut from the episode for time

That wasn’t Eda. It appeared to be some kind of human. In fact, Amity could’ve sworn they looked quite a bit like… Luz.

Amity saw Luz start to back up nervously. Was this one of her relatives? What was going on? With all these questions going through Amity’s head, she suddenly heard Grom’s form shout something from the arena.

“...have you been lying to me?!”

All of a sudden, Grom turned into a more monstrous form of whoever this was supposed to be. Lying? What could Luz have been lying about? Could it really be so bad that she couldn’t bring it up during the training session? This was bad. If Amity was reading the look on Luz’s face right, she wouldn’t last much longer.

And she was proven right. Amity saw Luz make a break for the door. And… Oh no. Grom was escaping! All around her, everyone started piling out of the bleachers and went right for the hallway. But Amity was so in shock over what just happened, she was frozen in place.

“Hey, kid! You in there?”

Amity was snapped out of it by Eda, now standing in front of her.

“Come on!”

Amity and Eda started following the others already in the hallway.

“Yeah, that's right, so let's follow them and see what happens next.”

Apparently King and Gus were leading the others to see the rest of the battle. Amity and Eda were still a bit behind, but with one look at each other, they both had the same thought. They had to help Luz, and fast.

Once they made it outside Eda summoned her staff.

“I’m gonna follow them from the air. Try not to fall behind.”

With that, the Owl Lady took to the sky while Amity followed from the ground. Judging by Eda’s current direction, Amity figured that Luz and Grom must’ve been headed for the woods.

As Amity ran towards that direction, her mind was racing. This was all her fault. She LET Luz get involved because she was too scared to face her fear. She KNEW Eda was right about Luz getting in over her head, and she went forward with it anyway. And now because of her, Luz was in danger. All because she couldn’t face the possibility of Luz not reciprocating any feelings she STILL didn’t know whether or not even exist!

Amity had to make this right. She just HAD to.

She made it to the woods, but lost sight of Eda. Just then, she heard some kind of blast and figured that Eda had caught up to them. She went towards the source, and came across the other students and Principal Bump gathered behind some bushes. She went to see what they were looking at and saw Luz, Eda, and Grom several yards in front of them.

Whatever thoughts might have been going through Amity’s mind at that moment, her body started acting on instinct. And right now, it was telling her to protect Luz, no matter how dangerous it might be.

Deciding to act, Amity lept out from behind the treeline and rushed to put herself between Luz and Grom.

“Stay away from her!”

Just then, Grom reached out and grabbed a hold of her. Amity knew what was coming next.

“I'm sorry, Luz. I should have fought my own battle. I-”

Right then, Amity could feel Grom going through her head, searching for what it was that she feared the most. She could barely hear Luz calling out to her. And then, Grom had found what it was looking for.

Amity had felt Grom set her down. When she came to, she had seen that it had transformed into some kind of humanoid form, roughly around age if she had to guess. It reached into her pocket, took out the note, ripped it in half, and crumpled it right in front of her.

And with that, Amity had her answer. And it hurt even worse than she could have imagined. It didn’t matter how vague Grom’s form was. Deep down, she knew exactly who it was supposed to be. And while she knew it wasn’t the real them, she could still feel her heart shatter into a million pieces in that moment.

As Amity picked up half of the crumpled note, she saw Luz run over and pick up the other half. Well, looks like the secret was about to get out.

“You were afraid of getting rejected.”

And when Amity looked up at Luz, she could see her start to… smile?

“Amity, it's okay. What if I went to Grom with you instead?”

Had Luz not seen the half that had her name on it? Whatever the case, Amity started to feel as a weight was being lifted off of her.

“Really?”

“That’s what friends do.”

In all that time Amity had spent that day worrying about the idea of her now-confirmed crush turning her down, she had forgotten about one of things that she admired about Luz the most. Her kindness. All those times. At the covention, the library, fixing Willow’s memories. It was always Luz trying to reach out to her. There was no way she could see Luz deliberately hurting her like that.

With her worries eased, Amity felt a renewed sense of determination flow through her. There was a shapeshifting fear monster that needed to be dealt with. She knew that Luz would be by her side to face it together. And given the occasion, there was only one way she could think of at that moment.

“Well, then, if that's settled, may I have this dance?”

It was now Amity’s turn to reach out to Luz. And Luz seemed more than happy to accept. They joined together, and it was as if something had clicked in that moment.

The two began their dance, taking one step after another. Throughout it all, the two were in perfect sync, never missing a beat. It was like neither one needed to tell the other what to do next. Amity used the routine to cast a spell circle with her feet, rising her and Luz atop a giant abomination. They continued from there, with Luz placing her glyphs on the abomination before they leapt off, sending the abomination into Grom itself. At that moment, the glyphs start to take effect, causing various plants to bloom from Grom’s body. Finally, the two land, finishing off their routine in a flourish as Grom explodes behind them.

In Grom’s place, a tree stood before them. The two look in awe as tiaras appear on each of their heads. They look at each other and smile as, for the first time that night, all felt right.

“Sooooooo.... who did you wanna ask out?”

“Oh, it’s… not important.”

Amity tossed her half of the note aside. As amazing as that moment was, she still didn’t feel like she was ready to tell Luz. Not yet, anyway.

“And there you have it, folks. A happy ending for this year's Grom. Let's give a big hand to our Grom queens, Luz and Amity!”

Well, Amity was certainly caught off guard. She had been so caught up in the moment that she had forgotten there was anyone there besides her and Luz. Right then, the rest of the students and Principal Bump came out from behind the bushes and started cheering the two queens. As the two were lifted up by the crowd and started to make their way back to Hexside, Amity felt on top of the world.

---

Hexside gymnasium,

Not much later

Now that Grom had been taken care of, the rest of the evening went a lot smoother. More students had been dancing than before the main event. The photo line was even longer than before. Everything was going great.

...And then, there was Amity just standing off to the side.

“Hey, kid. Why the party-of-one?”

Amity looked to her side and saw Eda standing next to her.

“*SIGH* I know I should be thrilled that Grom was defeated. But… you were right. Luz got in over her head trying to help me, and she almost got hurt because of it. I should’ve done more to keep her from doing it, but I was too scared to face my own fear to do anything about it.”

There was a few seconds of silence before Eda spoke up.

“Look, don’t be too hard on yourself. Fear can be a powerful thing. Even for most powerful witches, having to face your worst fears can be intense. The importanting thing is that when the time came, you stepped up and were willing to face yours so that Luz would be safe. The way I see it, it all worked out in the end, didn’t it?”

“I suppose you’re right.”

“Also, speaking from personal experience these last few weeks, it gets harder and harder to say no to Luz when she offers to help. The kid’s just more endearing that way.”

“Heh, yeah.”

Amity would admit, trying to turn down Luz’s help was getting difficult for her at this point.

“Plus, I won’t lie. You two look rather cute together.”

...WHAT?

“Uh- W-well I mean, I g-guess it WAS a rather impressive dance routine, and I suppose Luz’s outfit COULD’VE been way more unusual than what it already was. But, um… Is it me, or is the room getting smaller?”

“Kid, you can save it. I’ve seen the way you’ve been looking at her all night. I’ve seen it plenty of times before with many different people.”

“...Oh.”

So it was that obvious.

“Listen, I’m not gonna tell her if you don’t want me to. That’s your business, so it’s up to you to decide when you’re ready.”

Huh. That’s actually pretty cool of her.

“Although, I will say this. You can’t wait for the right moment forever. ...But for now, I’d say enjoy tonight. Have fun with your co-Grom queen”

At that moment, Eda looked behind Amity.

“Speaking of which…”

“Get in here, Blight!”

Amity felt Luz yank her towards where the photos were being taken. She was so caught off guard, she could feel herself blushing. Right then the photographer spoke up.

“Say ‘Grom Fright!’”

“‘Grom Fright!’”

Amity realized that there were two other voices there that weren’t her or Luz. After the photo was taken, she turned to see that Willow and Gus had managed to get in as well. 

Maybe Eda was right. The worst part of the night was over with. Amity should be having fun with her friends. If Luz could be enjoying herself after everything that happened, then so could she.

---

Blight Manor,

Later that night

The walk home that night had been surprisingly quiet. While Amity may have had a lot on her mind then, it was rather jarring to not hear a word from the twins. Although, given what she had heard, she couldn’t really blame them. Apparently their dates had stood them up. While they could be annoying a good amount of the time, she couldn’t help but feel a little bad for them. She was just glad that HER night hadn’t been as bad as she feared it would be.

As Amity made it to her room for the night, she decided to reflect on the evening. The night had certainly been eventful. Not just for her, but also Luz, if that one conversation was anything to go by.

*flashback*

“You really think Willow and Gus will be able to convince Bump to let you back into the dance?”

“We’ll see. Looks like I at least found one thing magic school and mortal school have in common. Otter suits are a ‘no’ at dances.”

“Yeah… Sorry you got kicked out because of it.”

“Eh. I at least got a picture in with it, AND I lasted longer than my last school dance. I still consider this a win.”

“Well, I guess that’s one way to look at it. So, just in case they can’t convince Bump, you want me to stay here until Eda’s done chaperoning?”

“I’d like that,”

There were a few moments of silence. Then, Amity figured this would be a good time to ask about something that had been on her mind since the fight against Grom.

“Hey, there’s something I wanted to ask about. But, you don’t have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“Well… I guess it depends on what it is.”

“That last form Grom took when you were going up against it. It wasn’t anything you had brought up while we were training. And from what I saw, you weren’t expecting it either.”

Luz looked uneasy for a moment. Did Amity cross a line? After a bit, Luz gave an answer.

“That last form that Grom took… That was my mom.”

“Your mom? Did something happen between you two? All I was able to hear from where I had been sitting in the stands was something about lying. What did she mean?”

“*SIGH* You know how I can be a bit of a weirdo at times?”

“Um… yeeeeeessss?”

While Amity didn’t like saying it after how close they had gotten, if Luz wanted the truth, she supposed it was only fair to tell her.

“Well, back home, it was starting to become a problem. My mom had decided to send me to a summer camp to help straighten out my eccentric tendencies. While I was waiting for the bus, Eda’s palisman, Owbert, got a hold of one of my Azura books. So I chased him to this old house, which actually turned out to be a portal to the Boiling Isles that Eda had been using.

Eda agreed to send me back if I helped her and King with something. After I helped her, she held up her end of the deal. ...But I decided I wanted to spend some time in the Isles so that she could teach me magic. And the rest is history.

While I’ve still been able to keep in touch with my mom through my phone, I still haven’t told her where I am or what I’ve been up to these last several weeks. I feel bad about having to lie to her, and I know I’ll have to tell her eventually. But, I still don’t know how, when, or even IF I’ll be able to tell her.”

To say Amity was surprised would be an understatement. To think that Luz has been having to deal with this for weeks… No wonder she looked so freaked out when Grom took that form.

“...Wow. I had no idea.”

“Yeah. I know I should have brought it up during training so I could’ve been better prepared. But, I guess I thought that I could distract myself from one big fear with another. Guess we both know how well that turned out.”

It was then that Amity remembered what Eda had said to her earlier.

“Well, as someone rather wise told me, you can’t wait for the right moment forever. Maybe at least start with trying to open up to her a bit more.”

“...yeah, maybe you’re right. Thanks Amity. I felt good to talk about this with someone other than King.”

“Did he have any advice?”

“Well… sort of. But, I think yours was more helpful.”

“Anytime.”

*end flashback*

It really put things into perspective for Amity. If she had been having a difficult time trying to tell Luz how she feels, she imagined that Luz was feeling even worse. She hoped that Luz would be able to work it out somehow.

As she took off her tiara and placed it in her hope chest, Eda’s words ran through her head once more. ‘You can’t wait for the right moment forever.’ Amity knew that at some point, Luz was going to have to leave the Boiling Isles and go back to her realm. She didn’t know when, but she knew that it was certain. How will she know if she’ll be ready by the time that happens? It looked like all she could do for now was make the most of her time with Luz and hope for the best.

But, Amity would choose to worry about it tomorrow. For now, it had been a long night, and she needed to get some rest. As she got ready for bed, she thought about everything that night had been. Intense, nerve-wracking, and scary for sure. But most of all, that night had been… enchanting.

[d-criss-news]

When it was announced that The Rosie O'Donnell Show would be back for one night only with a guest list of about 15 million Broadway talents, many of us wondered, would it be a return to the glory days of her multiple Emmy-winning daytime talk show or more like her ill-fated attempt to resuscitate the primetime variety format on NBC in 2008. It turned out to borrow from both those predecessors while evolving into something completely different — a low-tech lovefest that felt like eavesdropping on a group chat among friends looking out for one another in a time of need.

It was spontaneous, messy and blighted by some of the worst audio glitches imaginable. Yet it was often affectingly intimate, and even over an endurance-testing three-and-a-half commercial-free hours, also strangely addictive. The lack of slickness seemed to carry through to the relaxed manner of the guests, and their refreshing unpretentiousness.

Conceived by actor-producer (and occasional tech-support helpmate) Erich Bergen and live-streamed on Broadway.com and the website's YouTube channel, the show was a benefit for The Actors Fund, the charitable organization founded in 1882 that supports performers and behind-the-scenes theater workers. It raised more than half-a-million dollars, O'Donnell announced at the end of the marathon, sitting in a Hamilton hoodie and offering a champagne toast in a glass emblazoned with the face of Barbra Streisand.

She conducted the entire show from behind a laptop in her New Jersey garage, its floor spattered with the paint spillage of countless craft projects. "I'm a little bit of a Broadway nerd, I admit it," said O'Donnell, establishing her dual role as host and superfan.

Part of the show's unique pleasure was seeing favorite Broadway performers chilling in their own homes, almost all of them dressed down, with little visible attention to makeup or hair, and zero concern about unflattering angles. It was a great equalizer, proving that even artists who can hold packed theaters in the palm of their hands with a song are housebound and trying to make the best of a bad situation just like the rest of us — staying close to their families, killing time, learning to cook, wondering how long this unnerving isolation will last. Or how much longer we can put off that shower.

It was kind of comforting to see Idina Menzel sitting by her microwave and confessing, "I guess I'm going a little bonkers," while lamenting a failed lasagna attempt and sharing the challenges of homeschooling her son when she's no math genius. Likewise, hearing Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker talk about watching Columbo reruns or catching up on The Crown, while SJP begged for no spoilers on the final episode of The Sopranos, which she may now get to at last. Seeing Annette Bening on her Los Angeles balcony wearing a "Make America Kind Again" baseball cap was as much a tonic as watching Neil Patrick Harris do a card trick with his adorable twins. And who doesn't want to meet Gloria and Emilio Estefan's cute rescue dogs or hear about Lin-Manuel Miranda's kids' reaction to their first exposure to Singin' in the Rain?

Then there were the musical interludes.

Where else could you catch Patti LuPone, in magnificent voice, singing the urgently upbeat 1930s standard "A Hundred Years From Today," unaccompanied while sitting by the jukebox in her basement? Or Kelli O'Hara nestled into an armchair honoring Stephen Sondheim's 90th birthday by wrapping her crystalline soprano around "Take Me to the World," a hymn to unity from Evening Primrose? Or husband and wife Audra McDonald and Will Swenson duetting on the Charlie Chaplin evergreen, "Smile," from their Westchester living room? Or Darren Criss pouring his heart into another Sondheim classic about the desire for connection, "Being Alive," from Company, accompanying himself in a lovely pop arrangement on acoustic guitar from the sofa of his Los Angeles home? And while sound problems plagued Barry Manilow's selection of hits, ending with "I Made It Through the Rain," I was tickled to see his Judy Garland Kleenex dispenser.

Many of the song choices were thoughtfully apropos of the current crisis, offering comforting reassurance of the eventual return of resilience and togetherness while people in major cities all over the country self-isolate as the infection rate of the coronavirus pandemic continues to climb. Maybe Tituss Burgess at his home keyboard singing "The Glory of Love" is exactly the kind of uplift we all need right now.

Even in the seemingly random numbers, the entire enterprise was characterized by a spirit of generosity and sharing.

Kristin Chenoweth celebrated a Starbucks romance in "Taylor the Latte Boy." Matthew Morrison goofed it up on ukulele to a mashup of "The Bare Necessities" and "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" from his Disney Dreamin' album. Alan Menken whipped through a medley of his songs from The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Little Shop of Horrors, among others, at the piano. Ben Platt, also at the keyboard, did Bob Dylan's "Make You Feel My Love." And Adrienne Warren, the sensational star of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, growled out "Simply the Best" from her bathtub. That was on the third attempt during a particularly troublesome audio patch, by which time her bubbles were history.

Prompted by O'Donnell, more than one guest reminded viewers that The Actors Fund is not just about Broadway artists pulling star salaries but also stagehands, makeup artists, wigmakers and ushers who work in what is very much a gig economy. The organization provides emergency financial assistance, social services, affordable housing, healthcare and insurance counseling and addiction support.

"Everything's a one-off," said Tony-winning actor Brian Stokes Mitchell, who serves as chairman of The Actors Fund. "That's how we get by, and many people are living on the edge right now."

"We're all just one, two, maybe three paychecks away from bankruptcy," added Billy Porter, whose mother is in an Actors Fund nursing home. "In this community, our whole job description is insecurity," said Judith Light.

Porter, along with Lea Salonga and longtime activist Light recalled how Broadway was on the frontlines of another life-threatening struggle during the early days of the AIDS crisis. All of them urged viewers to stay strong and take the time to reflect on the value of solidarity.

While O'Donnell has never been shy about her opposition to Donald Trump and everything he stands for, the show was remarkably light on politics, with just the occasional dig slipping through. She opened with a little celebratory "Yay!" while admitting she had missed the president's daily coronavirus press update, and then explained that she and her guests were not there to talk Trump. When Harvey Fierstein, O'Donnell's 2005 stage husband in Fiddler on the Roof, reminded her of all the election work still to be done, she said, "Let's all just know, we deserve a leader who tells the truth." And the delays in making coronavirus testing more widely available prompted a comment that the government should have gotten busy on that back in January when the writing was already on the wall.

Mostly, however, the hastily revamped Rosie O'Donnell Show was about bringing people together at this time of anxiety and isolation, as the host reconnected with artists whom she has championed since her reign as the Queen of Nice. "Everyone in the community loves you," she told Chita Rivera in a particularly effusive greeting. "You are our queen mother!"

Many of the performers would have been decompressing after rehearsals or Sunday matinees if the Broadway shutdown hadn't happened — Criss in American Buffalo, Broderick and Parker in Plaza Suite, Warren in Tina, Lauren Patten and Elizabeth Stanley in Jagged Little Pill. Sunday would have been LuPone's opening night in the gender-flipped revival of Company. Gavin Creel, who abruptly ended his London run in Waitress to fly home and is in isolation in a cabin in upstate New York, revealed the fear that he might have contracted the virus, given that several others in the cast have fallen ill, with one of them testing positive.

The show bridged the gap separating us from artists whose work we normally experience on the other side of the footlights. Most of us will never again get to see Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber exchange greetings in song on the birthday the two composers happen to share. From those celebrated veterans to rising-star newbies, the common denominator here was everybody facing the crisis just like us, reaching out a hand of friendship, albeit from a mandatory safe distance.

[nagdabbit]

lamp-bright rind Food Masterlist

Hello! I am Daggs! I write things and stuff!

Currently, I write a fic over on Ao3 called lamp-bright rind where everything is soft and I work out my feelings on an unsuspecting Billy Hargrove, because that’s just what’s happening while I’m stuck at home.

I thought it might be fun (and because I reeeeeaaallllllyy need something else to take up time, I’m going bonkers here) to like make a master list of all the recipe/food references in the fic? Because it’s a lot. My roommates can’t get out to get ingredients to feed me and I’m going through withdrawal. And, also, I really fucking love food. I can’t cook for shit, but I can eat like a mother fucker.

So with each chapter I’m gonna update this with where I got the recipes and link to them if they’re online or if my roommates let me give out their recipes that I have stolen (with permission, of course!). I’ll put a link at the top of each chapter, too. So. Here we go!

Chapter 1

This is a recipe from one of my roommates--henceforth known as Roommate Senior--and it is the most comfort food ass shit, y’all. I DO NOT have permission to give out the entire recipe for the sauce, only the ingredients that are included in the chapter. There are a few bits that I had to leave out, but not including them won’t actually ruin the dish, or so she says. Senior also does something else to her trofie because she’s just Like That. But, homemade trofie is my favourite pasta, y’all.

Here is a recipe from Italian Food Forever if you wanna give it a go. If you don’t feel like making your own pasta, because that shit takes time, The Chef recommends getting gnocchi. Something soft and starchy, basically. She also recommends: Delallo Roasted Red Peppers in Olive Oil. It’s a pretty common brand, apparently.

Chapter 2

1. This is my grandma’s Chicken Noodle Soup. So this is what we always had at Christmas time because it makes A Whole Ass Lot. And looking back, I think I definitely underestimated the amount of water/broth needed. This is one of three (3) things I can actually, competently cook IRL. Which explains why I work out as much as I do, because Reames noodles, y’all.

2. Jasmine Tea Panna Cotta from Madeline Effect. Never had it but, 1) Shiiiit is it pretty; 2) I love jasmine tea; and, 3) I fucking love plums, y’all.

3. Popcorn Ice Cream with Caramelized Popcorn and Black Pepper from page 263-5 of the NOPI cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Ramael Scully. My other roommate--henceforth known as Roommate Junior--made this once and I just. I don’t even like popcorn, and I still think about that. The recipe itself isn’t online anywhere that I can find in full, but here is an Eat You Books link for the basic ingredients.

4. Raspberry Tart. This is a lesson in bookmarks. I SWEAR TO GOD, this came from Felicity Spector’s instagram, probably very far back. You’re gonna see her name pop up a lot on this list because I just love her instagram. So anyway. I have a very vivid memory of seeing a small little raspberry tart with pillowy clouds of whipped lemon verbena ganache. I know I saw it SOMEWHERE, but now I cannot find it. Learn from me. Bookmark your shit when you find it.

Chapter 3

A lot of the food I’m gonna mention is in reference to my favourite restaurant. It’s called Bourbon & Baker and my aunt takes me every time I visit. I don’t even care how long the drive there is, I’m there for the foooooooood (and her puppy, but that’s not the point). Funnily enough, the used to have a sister location in Chicago! Anyway, this is kind of what I’m basing Billy & Robin’s restaurant off of.

Currently, because of the You Know What, the menu on their site is pared down for To Go orders only, but I’m gonna use an old one I still have on my phone to give you an idea of the kind of food they serve, but also because I’m going through withdrawal.

1. Brussel sprouts. This, for the reason mentioned in the fic (blight), was removed from their menu before the last time I went, so this is gonna be mostly from memory: Roasted brussel sprouts (they were chopped p small and roasted til crispy), with toasted pecans, with a maple, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar glaze, and topped with shaved parm. Christ I miss those. Senior does a pretty good remix, but I think about those all the time.

2. Lamb Belly Tacos. So fucking goooooood. For size reference, it’s two street-style sized tacos. From the menu: Poblano chimichurri, crispy lamb belly, flour tortillas, Cojita cheese, pickled red onion, sunflower shoots, lime-mint tzatziki, cashew crumble.

3. Duck Tacos. This is a go-to for me. Like, if they take it off the menu, I will riot. From the menu: Citrus chile marinade, chargrilled, flour tortillas, Manchego cheese, spicy green-onion hoisin sauce, arugula, heirloom tomato relish.

4. Smoked Salmon. Here’s the trick. Get the salmon, keep 1-2 of the toasted breadsticks and use them to sop up the last of the Duck Taco juice. That’s the money. From the menu: Dill cream cheese, fried avocado, caper-red onion relish, lemon balsamic, arugula, toasted baguette.

5. The Waffle Thing. Okay. This is another thing they took off the menu before my last visit and I nearly DID riot. It sounds like there wasn’t nearly enough demand for it, which is a shame because it’s hecking incredible. From memory: a stack of orange zest waffles (1/4 wedges, so it was just one small/medium waffle divided and stacked) with sweet mascarpone, crispy prosciutto, maple syrup and a gooey ball of dates and pistachios.

6. “shrimp--” This was gonna be Shrimp & Grits. From the menu: Andouille grits, spinach collard greens, gulf chrimp, Cajun BBQ cashew cream.

ALSO on the menu this chapter, GRILLED CHEESES.

1. THE SOUP. I based it on this Smoky Tomato Soup from two peas & their pod.

2. Red Rock Cheddar & Gruyere. This is kinda based on the grilled cheese from B&B, except I just really like sourdough more than brioche. But that’s me. Red Rock Cheddar is a very specific kind of cheddar. It’s SUPER orange and also a blue cheese? It’s great. Creamy cheddar-like taste, but a hint of blue. Here’s a little thing about it if you’re curious.

3. Pumpernickel, ham, cheese. It’s basically this recipe from Finlandia Cheese, only Junior made it with pumpernickel once and it fucked me up. So good.

4. Onion, Mayo, Gouda. This is a Senior recipe. The closest IRL I can find is this from redbook mag. She, because she is just Like That, does something extra to her onions, but she confirmed that this recipe would be close enough to taste p good. Just switch in gouda for the cheese and put mayo INSIDE the sammich. I saw that some people put in on the outside instead of butter, and y’all need jesus. *shudder*

5. Toad in the hole. A midwest staple, but here is a recipe from Taste of Home if your family isn’t into dying early from a heart attack. In my head, Billy cooked the egg over hard, or at least NOT gooey, but that’s just for the mess. Obv it would be over easy/sunny in the restaurant. Obvs.

And there we have it! All the food from the first three chapters. Join me next time for more Daggs Loves Food and Really Misses Fresh Veggies, JFC.

Now, how should I tag this.

[aethelflaedladyofmercia]

What Might Have Been - 16

@goodomenscelebration​ - themes prompts!

Read the full story on AO3!

Happy Good Omens Armageddoniversary! How many of these can I post in one day?

(For those who have not read previous sections: Kasbeel is our Aziraphale, trapped in another universe and going by a pseudonym. Crowley’s “mirror image” is his AU self.)

Far Future

Kasbeel hovered in the air, giving his report.

“The demonic army attempted to strike from the Scottish Highlands, reinforced by several thousand of the Marked soldiers. They were driven off by Matafiel’s troops. We believe there may be some still hidden far to the north, on the Outer Hebrides.”

“These names mean nothing to us,” said Tufriel, rolling his eyes towards his partner. “Some of these scouts are starting to go native.”

“Won’t be a problem much longer,” Bezaliel replied. “Never mind the demons, we’ll get an update further north. Is this land still free from the blight?”

“Yes, Dominion,” Kasbeel bobbed his head with the correct amount of deference. “The whole of the Peak District is believed to be the last area free of Abaddon’s curse anywhere on this island, though rumors persist of some clear ground in Ireland.”

“Are there any humans left on the islands?” Bezaliel asked.

“The Retrieval squads took ours and we cleared out the rest last month.” Tufriel crossed his arms. “If only this island were so easy to deal with. Still, if this is the only unblemished land, it’s probably where the humans will gather. Once they realize they can’t get in the city. We’ll keep watching it. Good work.”

“Thank you.” He held up his messenger tube, sealed and directed to Michael’s base camp in Cornwall. “I will need to continue south with this. Do you have any details to add?”

“Only that I thought we’d be finished by now. Seven damn years of this. How much longer is it supposed to go on, anyway?”

Bezaliel grinned hungrily. “Not much more. Our offensive should begin in a little less than a month.” A wink towards the dutiful scout. “Keep an eye on the sky, tonight or tomorrow. Things are starting to happen.”

Kasbeel saluted, and the other two returned to their patrol. When they were well out of sight, he landed on a bare rock outcrop and hummed. Not with his lips; his wings vibrated, creating a single, perfect tone, echoing off the stones of the Peaks.

The humans began emerging from their hiding spots almost immediately, secreted behind stones or in deceptive hollows. Mostly teenagers, a few older, many younger, about half with a Mark upon their faces. They gathered around the angel, moving silently on the grass and moss.

It took nearly an hour for all to arrive. Kasbeel’s group of wanderers now numbered in the hundreds.

“Doesn’t sound like we’re going to be safe up here much longer,” Lyla said, without preamble. “Probably should have left last week, like I said.”

“Perhaps,” Kasbeel conceded, waving his arm to miracle up some food. It wasn’t much. Loaves of bread, potatoes, carrots. A little bit of meat, but he couldn’t produce anywhere near enough for a group this large. “But if we’d left then, Jennifer, Mickey and Ollie wouldn’t have found us.” At only five years old, Ollie was the youngest they’d taken in.

“Fine.” Lyla counted out the servings of meat and checked her list. “Group six gets the meat tonight. Only group six, Alex, I know that doesn’t include you.” She turned back to the angel who led them. “But we leave tonight.”

“Agreed.” He sighed, looking around the tumbling rocks one more time. “We’ll have to move quickly. This was a good hiding place. We won’t find another place this convenient, or this safe.”

“Where to, then?” Lyla grabbed Alex’s wrist, sending the thirteen-year-old over to the bread line. “Ireland? I don’t know how we’ll cross the sea, but it sounds like they’ve stopped looking there.”

Kasbeel pursed his lips. “Have you given up on finding New Eden, then?”

She spun towards him, fury in her eyes. “You know I haven’t. But it could be anywhere in the world! How the hell are we ever going to find it? We’ve barely searched half of England in over three years.”

He winced. “Three years, four months, six days,” he muttered. It was a very, very long time to go without hearing from Crowley. He’d tried contacting the demon in his dreams, over and over. He was here. He could sense that. But nothing else. “It’s in England. It must be. One of the patrols told me…Aziraphale,” he hesitated over the name, as always, “chose the location himself. He wouldn’t pick anywhere other than England.”

“Your double.” Lyla sat down next to him. She had grown, in the last three years, her hair getting long, her clothing replaced by whatever they could loot in half-abandoned cities, as was the case for all Kasbeel’s wards. Even her newest shirt was threadbare, the colors faded, as if the inanimate objects of the world had ceased to care. “You never told me what the deal was with you two.”

“No. I think it would be rather too much for you to understand.”

“Kasbeel, the world is ending. The ground is cursed. And I spend half my time talking to a rogue angel. What could possibly be weird at this point?”

He smiled. “My child, you haven’t the first idea.” He smoothed his hands down his jacket, then realized he was still in his scout uniform. A wave of his fingers turned it back to the familiar suit, bowtie and all. “Still, if you like, I can bring you all to Ireland before I continue my search. It should only take a few days to reach the coast, even with the young ones. After that…” he hesitated. Miracle up a giant ship? And how to make sure it landed somewhere unblighted?

“You know we won’t last a day without you,” Lyla sighed. “Wherever you’re going, you’re stuck with us.”

He turned back to the crowd that he had slowly gathered across the years. Orphans. Renegades. Many of them troublemakers who had been thrown out of the gangs they thought would protect them, others the only survivors by angelic or demonic attack. Exhausted, half-malnourished, so worn and dirty as to almost blend in with the rocks around them.

But not afraid. Of all the people left in the world, and Kasbeel feared there were not many, these few hundred slept safely at night, under the watch of an angel.

His godchildren.

“My dear Lyla, I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He settled down on a rock that conveniently grew to about the size of an armchair, with a thick cushion of moss.

She rolled her eyes at him. “How is it even out here, you manage to pamper yourself?”

“Millennia of practice. Now, what do you say we try for London again? It’s a risk, with all the patrols, but it may be the only place large enough to hide this many.”

“Assuming we can get in.”

“Assuming so, yes,” he said, gazing across the crowd. “And it sounds like there are many angels gathered in the south. But If I’m right about the wall of energy surrounding the city, I may know how to cross it.”

“And you still think your friend might be there.”

Kasbeel nodded. “I can’t imagine where else he might be. He should have contacted me by now, but they say no messages can get out of London. But, still, I would think–”

A cry went up from the gathered crowd, a scream of fear, echoed by person after person. “The sky!” Someone shouted, pointing. “The clouds are parting!”

In an instant, Kasbeel was on his feet, wings spread. He should have heard the trumpets, sensed the angels long before they parted the clouds – he had spent months honing his senses, in order to protect his charges. He braced himself for the orders that would arrive in his mind; if the Guardian of Humanity were among them, it would be difficult to resist…

Nothing came.

Instead, the clouds simply drifted apart, faster and faster, not a small parting but the whole sky, revealing the fading blue of twilight, deepening to black. Stars pierced the sky, just a few at first, but each bright as a jewel, clearer than he could ever remember them being, even in Heaven.

“Oh my God…” Lyla whispered, stepping next to him. “It’s clear. It hasn’t been clear since…since the war…I was a kid…”

Another star seemed to burst into view, white and shining, and Kasbeel fell to his knees, remembering…remembering a cottage in the South Downs, a blanket in the back garden, laying on his back and watching them arrive, while next to him…next to him…

That one’s Regulus. Not one of mine, Angel, that was some snooty wanker who thought he was so clever just because he could get four stars to orbit each other. And over there is Arcturus. Also technically not mine, but I had this really great idea and I needed a red giant to test it out on. It worked, by the way, so keep an eye out for a helium flash in the next thousand years or so…

It hurt, like being pierced by a spear, like being torn apart. He reached out a hand, grasping, wishing to feel Crowley, lying at his left side, as he always was, his protector, his partner, his friend…

A small hand caught his, wrapping around his fingers. He turned, blinking tears from his eyes, to see Lyla, kneeling beside him. A moment later the others started gathering around. Mickey, Rahima, Alex, Lochlan, Mariah, Amiyah, Dominic, Ollie, and so many more.

“Look,” Kasbeel said, pointing at the sky. “That star there. That’s Regulus. And over there…that one is named Arcturus…”

--

Far away, in a cell that seemed to exist in its own bubble far from anything else, Crowley snapped awake, emerging from a dream that was slightly less painful than reality.

Something had changed.

He could feel it, deep inside. Something that had been missing, suddenly returned.

“It’s the stars,” said his mirror image, across the cell. Shoftiel had left them both in their human bodies this time. The manacles that held their wrists – Crowley’s left, his mirror image’s right – were too short to lay down comfortably, so they both sprawled against their walls.

They didn’t talk much. The secrets they held were the only things keeping them alive. So they simply existed, here, together, witnessing each other’s pain and humiliation, waiting for their own turns. It bonded them in ways conversation never could.

“The sky is clear again,” the mirror image continued, looking up at the ceiling, lost to the dark above. “I wish I could see it.”

“Yeah,” Crowley said, allowing himself to remember a night on a blanket in a garden, just for a moment. “Me, too.”

“Not long now,” the mirror image said. “Seven years. That’s all it ever was.” His eyes met Crowley’s, and they were full of fear. They couldn’t hide their emotions without the glasses, and that was one thing they were never allowed. “If the stars are back, time’s nearly up.”

“So they’ve…learned everything?” It wasn’t something they asked each other. But if it was the end, Crowley wanted to know.

“Just one secret left.” The mirror image rolled his head, with a broken version of Crowley’s smile. “How to get into London.”

[captainderyn]

WIP Project Update: 1

So...the WIP Project ey...where I said I was going to finish Ill Tidings and make headway on Ashes? @the-wip-project​‘s lovely little community project for Motivation and Writing(tm)?

Yeah. That. It’s going well..yikes. 

Admittedly the past week has been a mess and a half. When I said the semester was started I wasn’t expecting to mean that that would start an anxiety (and what probably was in part a depressive) episode along with it. Luckily that’s finally handled and the root cause fixed, but it drained the hell out of me. 

So basically I have written jack-shit in the last week. 

I’ve written 954 on Ill Tidings, which puts me maybe halfway through chapter 2? I feel a little guilty for that as I’ve now missed 2 of my posting deadlines...*sigh*. 

Nothing new writing-wise on Ashes, but I have had some ideas for it, which is more than I can say in the last few months. Namely that I need to go back and rewrite a scene in the first few chapters to be more Intense(tm). And that one of the main characters, Ruinel, will no longer be with Leliana after the Blight. 

Ru x Leliana lovers please don’t come at me lmao, it just wasn’t working anymore. More TBD on that, but I need to make those edits in Ashes as it’ll come into play later. 

--

*big sigh* so all in all, not a very productive week. But that’s okay and I’m going to try not to beat myself up too much over it. Best of luck to everyone else participating! Push through yall, we’ve got this :’)

[whereismywarden]

OC Masterlist

@kiraia​ pointed out (rightfully so) that I made quite a few vague posts about my OCs, but that I’ve never properly introduced them. It’s true, mostly because I tend to wait until they are well developed to properly do anything with them, which doesn’t happen all that often. So consider this a formal introduction to my current OCs :)

(Under a cut because there are quite a bunch of them. I hope it works on mobile, because otherwise yikes! I’m very sorry.)

Sad Mages Worldstate

It’s probably the one I talk about the most. It’s the most developed worldstate, with the most developed OCs and I’ve written a lot of fics about them.

The Warden: Ana Surana [Tag | Complete bio | Fanfictions]

pairings: Ana x Daylen Amell (friends with benefits), Ana x Alistair (DAO romance), Ana x Carver (current pairing, now married) + I occasionally throw Isabela into the mix because reasons.

Born in the Gallows and taken to an orphanage in Highever until her magic manifested.

Grew up close to Anders, Jowan, Amell and (to a lesser extent) Finn.

Had a baby that she was forced to give to the Chantry.

Main DAO choices include: romancing Alistair, getting her heart broken after making him king, stupidly refusing to do Morrigan’s ritual and watching him sacrifice his life for her.

Later she starts dating Carver (whom she actually met at Ostagar where they had a brief fling before the Battle).

Takes part in the Mage Underground and helps Anders build his bomb.

Starts hearing the Calling shortly before DAI.

Is Hawke’s contact during HLtA.

The Champion: Alwyn Hawke [Tag | Complete bio | Fanfictions]

pairings: Alwyn x Anders (DA2 romance, on and off), Alwyn x Cullen (one time), Alwyn x Rylen (post DAI, considering making them endgame, not sure yet).

Purple Hawke.

Carver becomes a warden.

Supports the mages.

Develops a close friendship with Ana.

Breaks up with Anders after the Chantry explosion, wishing he’d trusted him enough to share his plan with him. They do get back together later on.

Is the first one to learn about Ana hearing the Calling.

Stays behind in the Fade during HLtA, but eventually finds a way out.

He was found by Inquisition scouts in the Western Approach, suffering from amnesia.

Later falls in love with Rylen.

(Note that I still need to update that last part into his bio.)

The Inquisitor: Violette Surana [Tag | Complete bio | Fanfictions]

pairings: Violette x Orsino (once twice), Violette x Samson (current partner).

Ana’s mum.

Orlesian who grew up in Ferelden during the occupation.

Was taken to the Gallows at age 13.

Was a close friend of Malcolm Hawke.

Had her baby (Ana) taken by the Chantry. Later escaped.

Hates the Chantry.

Attends the Conclave in the hopes that Ana might be there.

Starts sleeping with Samson after his capture because he basically said fuck the Chantry to her face and it turned her on.

Hardened Leliana becomes Divine.

Other OC: Neriah Amell-Hawke

Is Ana’s daughter. She got her out of the orphanage after the Blight (thanks, Leliana).

Her father is Daylen Amell. Carver adopted her when he married her mama.

Is 18 as of Trespasser.

Second Chances Worldstate

This one started off as an AU for a fic starring Ana and Alistair which is why these two worldstates are so similar. The point of divergence is that Jowan went to Amell for help instead of Ana for some reason.

The Warden: Daylen Amell [Tag | Fanfictions]

pairings: Day x Ana (friends with benefits), Day x Morrigan (DAO romance and while I did consider for a while not having him follow her through the eluvian, I changed my mind. There’s too much growth potential.)

His father was Maurevar Carver, because I say so.

Main DAO choices include: Sparing Loghain, Alistair becoming a drunk, not doing Morrigan’s ritual because he can just throw Loghain at the Archdemon (which he did).

Helps Ana get their daughter out of the Kirkwall orphanage. Bails on them right afterwards.

Does follow Morrigan through the eluvian and actually ends up being a decent dad to Kieran.

Does not become Ferelden’s Warden-Commander.

The Champion: Alwyn Hawke (yes, again)

Like I said, this was originally an AU, so it made sense to keep the same Hawke. There are quite a few differences, however.

pairings: none.

Does not bring Anders to the Deep Roads. Carver dies.

Suffers from severe depression afterwards.

Goes from purple to full blue after Leandra’s death.

Stays behind in the Fade. Probably won’t make it out in this worldstate.

The Inquisitor: Asaara Adaar [Tag | Fanfictions]

pairings: Asaara x Cullen (starts before DAI, now married).

Meets Cullen shortly before the Chantry explosion. They fall in love.

Not going into too much details because it will be part of Second Chances’ main story.

Other OCs: Ana Surana and Neriah [Main fic | Other fics]

Again, can’t go into too much detail because spoilers.

pairings: Ana x Carver (before the Deep Roads expedition anyway), Ana x Alistair.

Day brings Ana to Kirkwall shortly after the Blight to meet their daughter. She ends up staying after they get Neriah out of the orphanage.

Single mom. Works as a waitress.

They find drunk Alistair in their garbage. Ana wants to help him get better.

Other OC: Issala Adaar [Tag]

pairings: Issala x Varric (post-DAI).

Is Asaara’s overexcited little sister.

Likes to tinker with explosives.

Built a handheld cannon. It’s clunky, not very accurate and is prone to misfire. In other words, it still needs a lot of work.

Varric thinks she’s adorable so he made her his personal bodyguard.

Angry Dalish Worldstate

The Warden: Shaelyn Mahariel [Tag | Fanfictions]

pairings: Lyn x Tamlen (Origin), Lyn x Bethany, (considering Lyn x Alistair between DA2 and DAI but even that might be too cruel.)

Doesn’t want to be a warden.

DAO choices include: Alistair remaining with the wardens because he doesn’t want to be king.

No in-game romance, she was too heartbroken after losing Tamlen.

Eventually starts dating Bethany.

Travels to the Free Marches after the death of her clan to kill the man responsible.

Almost dies in the resulting fight against Hawke (thank the Creators Anders was there).

Goes home and confesses to Bethany that she almost killed her brother and that she would have done it had he not been so badass. They break up.

The two of them reconcile post-DAI, after Hawke and Merrill’s wedding.

The Champion: Kris Hawke [Tag]

pairings: Kris x Merrill (now married).

Blue Hawke.

Sadly couldn’t save Merrill’s clan.

Didn’t want to hurt Lyn that badly during their fight, he was just defending himself. Deeply regrets it afterwards.

The Inquisitor: no one specific yet, but likely a Lavellan romancing Solas.

Alistair stays behind in the Fade.

Elves in Luuuuv Worldstate

The Warden: Kallian Tabris [Tag | Fanfictions]

pairings: Tabs x Alistair (DAO romance)

Probably the most canon-compliant OC.

Main DAO choices include: making Alistair king with Anora as queen and becoming his mistress.

Madly in love.

Will have a happy ending.

No Hawke or Inquisitor yet.

Homecoming Worldstate

The Warden: Elaine Cousland [Tag]

pairings: Elle x Nathaniel (pre-DAO, now ex-husband), Elle x Leliana (DAO romance), Elle x Sebastian (current).

Was BFF with Anora during their childhood.

Actually met Sebastian before he was sent to the Chantry. The two of them had similar lifestyles back then, so when Elle visited Starkhaven with her father, the two of them developed a rivalry of sorts in their romantic pursuits (think Merteuil and Valmont, but a lot more light-hearted). They do spend one night together after learning that he is going to be sent to the Chantry.

Eventually fell in love and married Nate. They kept their relationship a secret, however. They divorced after the Blight.

Main DAO choices include: romancing Leliana, making Alistair king with Anora as queen, sparing Loghain and performing the ritual.

Her relationship with Leliana didn’t survive the distance.

Leaves the Wardens after the Chantry explosion and basically goes on the run from everyone because she feels responsible for what happened.

Helps Sebastian reclaim his throne. They fall in love. (I’m currently writing a fic about this, actually)

Still unsure about her DAI fate. Either she replaces Hawke in HLtA and stays behind in the Fade, or she becomes Inquisitor.

The Champion: Violetta Hawke [Tag | Fanfictions]

pairings: Letta x Isabela (DA2 romance).

Yes, she was totally named after Violette.

Is Kris’ sister.

Carver becomes a Templar.

Spared Anders.

Sails into the sunset with Isabela.

DAI fate will depend on what I decide to do with Elle.

The Inquisitor: no one yet.

Loghain survives HLtA.

I am considering having Neriah (yes, again) be the Herald with someone else as Inquisitor since she’s only a kid. In this worldstate, she grew up in Kirkwall’s orphanage before being taken to the Gallows. She escapes the massacre and Carver eventually takes her under his wing.

I'm planning to have two additional worldstates (I want one per warden origin). One called "Happy Dwarves" with a male Brosca romancing Zevran and one called "Dead Heroes" with a male Aeducan romancing Leliana (and probably Alwyn again, idk). I also have a couple of Cadashes that I want to put somewhere, a woman romancing Josie and a man romancing Divine Cassandra. Idk yet if they'll be Inquisitors or if I'll just add them to one of the existing worldstates. Odds are one will be Inquisitor while the other just tags along.

I probably missed a few things here and there, but that’s basically the gist of it. Thanks to anyone who actually stuck to the end, lmao.

[dammitadolfnomorecake]

COTW 17 - update

Levi wasn't going to be happy. They'd finally gotten new chairs for the dining table, rather than new set because they expected you to pay for each individual chairs, and their first visitor was Floch... to tell him he was still being forced to testify. Floch called it being subpoenaed, but it was the same thing. The trial date had been moved, first forward then back, now starting on the 23rd, meaning he'd be 22 weeks when he took the stand. At least he'd had a nicish, stab free week to recover a little... before Floch had shown up again to ruin that. Sitting across from the alpha, Floch was recording their conversation on his phone, as Eren was asked to confirm the identity of each person in the photos. Even if he couldn't remember their names, he was still asked to confirm whether he'd seen them at the compound. It felt like they were dancing around the issue. The man being brought before court was the leader of this whole thing. An idiot with money, who'd thought he'd brought allegiances, only to be thrown under the bus by then all. Nick. The man who was a blight to the life and freedom of every omega on the island. Despite his racing heart and sweaty palms, Eren had word vomit. It was like Floch had reached down and pulled the plug from his throat, leaving him jumping from photo to photo and man to man. He just wanted to get those over with. He wanted Floch out the apartment before Levi came home, and risked the safety of the new dining chairs... and he wanted Floch gone because he still couldn't figure the man out. He'd loudly announced Eren was being subpoenaed, then expected him to have enough composure to talk about everything. After looking at the photos, he knew he couldn't just let the people in them get away with everything, but it'd been a nice dream to imagine he didn't have to take the stand. It was nice to believe he had a choice, like Levi had told him. When he ran out of people to talk about, Floch tapped his phone, before hitting his record again, Eren confused as to why... until Floch began asking him questions about his relationship with Levi. How long they'd been together. How they'd met. If Levi approved of him being a stripper. If Viren was Levi's. How their relationship had been after the Reiner thing. Was Levi responsible for his repeated trips to hospital. What Levi knew about Karanes. When did they get engage, and finally, why weren't they married? His questions were so far out of line, Eren's fingers hurt from how hard he gripping the edge of the table. He wanted to grab Floch by the throat and throw him off the balcony. None of it was any of his business. If he didn't know better, he'd swear the man was working for the piece of shit he was about to testify again. He spat each answer out, as if the words were poisoned. Floch not telling him that these were the kind of questions he'd face on the stand, until after he'd stopped recording the second line of questioning. Apparently he had to adjust his mood if he wanted to be believed. What a load of shit. As far as he was concerned, he had every right to be angered and insulted over being talked to like that. His pups were moving as if just angry, on his behalf. Instead of fucking of like he wanted him to, Floch decided he needed to dump two more lovely surprises on him. A full medical and psychological assessment, which had been requested by Nick's legal team. Both to be conducted by professionals chosen by Nick's team... in other words, people who wanted to make him feel like an absolute monster. The date and times had already been chosen, and Levi wasn't allowed to be in the room with him. Instead Floch made it sound like a big deal over having negotiated for a police and justice social worker to be there, though he couldn't say what their dynamic would be. If he was an alpha, he'd never have been forced to accept this degree of humiliation. If he was an alpha, people would listen to what he had to say... Now he was back to hating his secondary dynamic all over again. Back to doubting Levi could love or trust him. Doubting that one lone omega could make any difference at all. It wasn't a great feeling. The moment Floch left, Eren was rushing into the bathroom to throw up. Anger and indignation swirling through his scent as he hunched over the bathroom sink. His stomach fucking hurt, each hurl making it worse. He didn't know how he was supposed to handle taking the stand and being grilled by an alpha he didn't know, when he couldn't stomach taking shit from Floch. Of all the fucking days. Viren would be home from Hanji's soon, with Anna staying the night. He'd already had to dissemble his nest wash all his blankets thanks to. All of that perfectly good Levi scent, washed down the drain because he was good person. Nesting was great. Nesting with Levi didn't just mean sex. It meant near naked cuddles, and secrets whispered in the middle of the night. Nesting with Viren and Levi meant knowing his small family were all together and safe. Nesting with Viren alone meant spending hours watching his son sleep. It meant reading him to sleep, even if he'd been a brat all day... He'd been mourning the loss of his nest when Floch had turned up... even the thought of spending time with Anna didn't improve his mood. Trapped in the bathroom, he groaned when he heard Hanji letting herself in. Viren yelling out "daddy", didn't lift his mood either. Levi was working a 12 hour shift, and wouldn't be home for a few more hours "Uncle Eren?!" At least Anna sounded happy "Just a minute!" Rinsing his mouth, he spat, before promptly jumping at Hanji's voice "There you are, Honey. Everything ok?" "I was ok until you gave me a heart attack" "Really? Because I smell anger, and vomit" "You smell too much. It's fine" With the secret out, he grabbed his toothbrush and the toothpaste, hoping the familiar taste of mint would calm his stomach "Mhmmm. I thought your nausea had passed?" "Nope" Brushing his teeth quickly, he rinsed and spat, annoyed that Hanji was watching him "What?" "I just thought you might want to talk" "There's nothing to talk about... I'm just in a bad mood from doing the washing" "Well, if it's just that, than that's ok. Now, I finish at 9 tomorrow morning, then I'm back at work from 7 until 7. All Anna's things are in her bag, and she's been super excited for this sleep over. With Marco and Jean... well, she's been lost" "It'll be fine. She understands that I get sick because I'm growing babies. I won't be freaking her out" "I know you won't. I know we haven't been talking about it, but I was hoping you'd be able to come to my next IVF appointment with me" Fuck. Hanji had wanted to wait for her next period to pass before trying again... he'd forgotten. How the hell could have he forgotten "What day is it?" "The 23rd" "I... that's the day the trial starts..." "Oh!" "Yeah. I might be able to make it, but I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I've been subpoenaed, so I have to go" "No. No. It's alright. I'll see if I can shift me appointment" "Hanji, no. I know how much this means to you, and I don't want to be in the way of this for you. I want this for you. You're an amazing mother to Anna, and to Viren... and I need another godchild" Keeping up with Anna and Viren was a struggle as it was. Keeping up with Anna, Viren, two newborn twins and another godchild... Lord give him strength Unexpectedly, Hanji teared up. Fanning her face, she tried to compose herself "Sorry. I've been pumping myself full of hormones" "Hanji. It's alright. Levi is going to be there, so will Mike" "I can take Viren" "We were going to ask if Eld or Gunther could" "There's a small play area at the clinic, you know that. They're used to children, and the procedure doesn't take very long" "I don't want you stressing yourself" "I don't mind. I can take the kids to the park and rest while they wear themselves out" "If you're sure..." "I am. Thank you, Sweetheart. Alright. I'm ok now. I better get to work" "Go. We'll be fine" Hanji rushed out the room to kiss Anna goodbye, while Eren followed at much slower pace. Walking to the kitchen instead of becoming one with the sofa like he wanted, he grabbed out snacks and fruit boxes for the kids "Bye!" "Bye, Hanji!" Closing the door behind her, Eren sighed to himself. He didn't feel particularly child friendly. He really wanted Levi to come home so they could talk, but he also feared making his mate angry. Sitting herself on the sofa, Anna climbed up to watch him over the back of it, while only the top of Viren's hair was showing "Where's Uncle Levi?" "He's at work. He'll be home in a few hours" "Hear that Viren, your daddy will be home soonish. He's been asking for his dad" "I'm not surprised. Is there enough space for me to sit?" Anna hummed, pressing a finger to her chin as if thinking "I suppose I can make space. But only for you" "What about my babies?" "They're inside of you, so they get to sit too" Anna was completely precious "Alright. Make space, I'm bringing snacks" "Snacks? Uncle Eren! You're the best!" He didn't feel like the best, but it was nice to hear. Viren wasn't happy Levi wasn't there. His son had gotten a good kick in when Eren had lifted his legs to make space on the sofa. Leaning to "whisper" in his ear, Anna was way too sweet "Uncle Eren. Are you ok?" Taking her hand, he placed it over the spot where Viren had hit his stomach "I'm all better now. Thank you for asking" "Why can't I feel anything?" "Because they're still really small. When they get bigger you'll be able to feel them" "Can you feel them?" "Yeah. It feels like bubbles in my belly" "My mum likes to stick straws up her nose and blow bubbles into her milk" Anna sounded equal parts impressed and revolted "I promise I won't do that. Why don't you pick something to watch?" "Ok!" Turning his attention to Viren, he pulled his grumpy son into his lap "Hey, baby. Mummy missed you" Kissing his son's cheek, Viren let out a sigh "I want dad" "He's going to be home, once work is done" "He's always at work" "I know, but he's working hard so he can buy you all the things he likes" Tugging on his arm, Anna looked up to him with wide brown eyes "Uncle Eren, why don't you have a job?" "Because if I had a job, who would look after you two?" "I suppose that makes sense... but you're an adult" "I am. And I used to have a job, but now I'm... I'm taking time off because I'm having two babies" "So you don't have to work when you're having babies?" "It's a little different for everyone. Besides, I thought you liked hanging out with me" "I do. I wish you lived with us. That way I could see you all the time" "That's a very sweet thing to say, but what would Levi and Viren do?" Viren escaped his hold, kicking him leg as he pouted "I just need dad" "Then I'll take Uncle Eren" "No! He's my mum. Not yours" "Ok, you two. How about we watch movies until Levi comes home? Anna, you get to chose the first one" Because he'd told her to, with the hopes she'd be more interested in it than asking questions. Ignoring his son's anger, Eren wrapped his arm around his son, forcing him into cuddles. He didn't mean to upset Viren by talking to Anna, but he also didn't want to upset Anna by ignoring her. Kids could be worse than drunk alpha's when it came to being upset over small things... Anna didn't stop talking the whole length of the movie, nor the second one. Half the time Eren wasn't even sure what she was talking about, while Viren had fallen asleep against him. Trying to pay attention to the girl, she scolded him more than once for zoning out. He couldn't help it. He was ignoring the fact he needed to use the bathroom as it was, and trying to look like he wasn't counting down the seconds until Levi came home. Nope. It was no good. Extracting himself from Anna and Viren's hold, he bopped Anna on the nose before excusing himself to the bathroom... he'd barely gotten to the toilet when Anna's voice came through the door, continuing her story. At least she didn't have a tantrum over being shut out the bathroom. Viren was far too young to understand space and privacy, and the idea of "going to the toilet in peace". Trying to tell Anna to head back to the sofa and that he'd be done shortly didn't work either, the girl starting some story about Hanji on the toilet that he didn't need to hear about. By the time he got out the bathroom, Anna had moved back to the sofa and was yelling out her story. His aching head didn't appreciate the girl's loud voice, while the side of his stomach didn't appreciate Viren's hard kick. Walking past the sofa, Anna leapt up and followed him into the kitchen "What are you doing?" "I'm taking some medicine for a headache" "What medicine?" "It's for adults" "Mummy gives me this gross liquid when I'm sick. Is it the same thing?" They were both paracetamol, so kind of "Yeah. This is just the adult version" "It's gross. You shouldn't take it" "If I don't take it, I won't feel better" "Maybe you just need to do a big poo. My mum says..." It was now that Levi finally arrived to save him. Hearing the creak of the door, Anna span on the spot "Uncle Levi! Uncle Eren needs to poo" Choking on the water from the bottle he grabbed off the counter, stupidly thinking he was safe because she was distracted, Levi raised an eyebrow at him "Does he, now?" "Yep! He has a head... what did you call it again?" "A headache. I have a headache. Welcome home" "It's good to be home. I brought Chinese" Locking the door, his mate walked over to drop the bags of takeaway food on the table, before lifting Viren into his hold. The boy waking and joyously crying for Levi as hugged him "Hey, brat. Did you have a good time at Aunty Hanji's" "He's been asking for you the whole time. And he kicked Uncle Eren more than once" Dammit Anna "Did you kick your mum? You know that's very naughty" "He did" "Alright. That's enough, Anna. Why don't you go sit down on the sofa while I organise dinner" "Uncle Eren, he hurt you" "It's ok. He didn't mean to" "It's not ok. No one hurts my Uncle" "Viren's been naughty and he knows it... Uncle Levi and I will talk about it after dinner. Uncle Levi has to take a shower now, so why don't you watch something?" Anna sighed, slouching forward as she dragged herself to the sofa. Sitting Viren down, Levi grabbed the bags of food back up, moving them to the dining table before continuing into the kitchen. Wrapping his arms around him, Levi gave him a small kiss before hugging him properly "Are you ok?" "It's a little tender, but he was jealous that Anna was giving me attention" "No bleeding?" "Not that I saw. We need to talk later, once the kids are in bed" "I can smell it on you. Something happened" "I've officially been subpoenaed, and not just summoned. Floch came earlier and there's stuff to talk about. There's papers on the table about it" "Eren..." "Not right now. Not in front of the kids" "You should have called" "You were working. He made me angry, but that was about it" "Hmm. I don't like it" "I know. Thanks for bringing home dinner. Anna has been talking non-stop and I didn't want to disturb Viren" "I'm not impressed" "Then maybe you need to poo" Levi laughed, nodding as he did "Maybe I do. But it sounds pretty crap to me" Eren groaned "A poo joke. Are you shitting me?" "I knew I fell in love with you for a reason" "Mmm. Go take a shower. I'll get dinner organised" Having more dining chairs made dinner easier. The table wasn't massive, so he could sit between Anna and Viren without getting trouble with either of them. Viren didn't want to eat anything Levi didn't give him, while Anna was asking Levi question after question. The alpha patiently answering every single one, while talking to Viren at the same time. With the three of them talking, he didn't have to contribute. He was free to sit there and brood over Floch, as he also fought the desire to simple faceplant into his food and sleep like the dead "Eren?" Blinking owlishly at Levi, Eren couldn't hide his yawn "How about I give the kids their bath, while you stack the dishwasher?" Levi was perfection personified. Bath time was way too much effort after having to adult, and then listen to Anna "Mmm... then I'll do story time. I made up the bed up, so both kids can sleep in my old room" "Alright. We'll divide and conquer" Viren wanted to sleep in his own bed, which meant reading the same book twice to the kids. He didn't even need the book, the words so deeply imprinted on his brain, he wondered if his intelligence suffered for it. He'd tried to hint to Anna to choose another one, but the girl didn't want to have it. Stumbling into Levi's room, his mate was messing with their blankets as he wrapped his arms around him "Everything ok?" "It is now" "Do you want to help me straighten these out? What book was it?" "What book is it always?" "That depends on who's asking" "I don't even need the book anymore" Laughing, Levi turned in his hold "It can't be that bad... I know they're no Chronicles of Narnia, but..." "Levi. I know it word for word" "I'm sure you don't. Now go grab the other side of this for me" Taking a deep breath, Eren recited as he moved to the other side of the bed "You cannot rhyme, It is a crime, If you rhyme, you must do the time. It is a crime, If I do rhyme, But why must I do the time? You must do the time, Because to rhyme, Is to commit a crime. But why is rhyme a crime? Why can't I rhyme all the time? I can mime my rhyme! I came rhyme with time... Or dime! Or even Lime! I can rhyme on a ship, With a pirate with a fat lip! I can rhyme on the beach, As I eat a juicy peach! I can rhyme in the bath, Or down the garden path! I can rhyme in the car, As we go very far! I can rhyme to the mouse, That lives in my house. I can rhyme to my bed, Where I rest my sweet head. I can rhyme to my sister, As she dresses my blister. I can rhyme at the pig, wearing a wig As he dances a jig! I can rhyme on the busses, As my mother fusses. I can rhyme to my feet, As they tap out a beat. I can rhyme on my bike, Or as we go for a hike! I can rhyme to the cat, As he drinks milk thick and fat! I can rhyme, I can rhyme, I can rhyme! But you cannot rhyme, It is a crime. Then I shall be the naughtiest child in the world! I'll do the time, For my crime, As I rhyme!" Over their blankets, Levi stared at him "I told you I know the stupid thing off by heart" "I think it's time that book too a little walk" "Then you're the one stuck explaining it to both of them" Climbing in on his side of the bed, Eren let out a long sigh "I really hate that book" "That's not what it sounded like to me" Climbing in on his own side, Eren reached out for Levi, pulled his alpha close "I do. And we need to talk about the... Floch thing... but right now, I'm too tired" Interrupting his sentence with two loud yawns, he yawned a third time as he nuzzled into Levi's chest "I have two appointments I have to attend and... I have to testify" "I thought you said you're tired" "I am... I just wanted to make sure you knew" "I knew. I know. Oh ho ho" Eren groaned, weakly slapping Levi's arm "No more. I'm too tired" "Alright then. I love you" "Mmm. I love you, too. That book should be some kind of torture device" "Only for you... Shit. It's stuck in my head" "Suffer..." Levi grumbled about binning the book, while wrapping his arms around him. Next time, it was Levi's job to do story time. * Snuggled up on the sofa with Eren, Levi was playing with his hair. He was supposed to have gone into work, but after Eren's ultrasound appointment, he couldn't bare to leave him mate alone. The tumour had hit its growth spurt, now measuring over 4 centimetres, with over an inches growth in the last two weeks. On top of that, Viren hadn't been happy seeing his new siblings on the screen. Eren hadn't asked him to stay home. His mate just gave him a heartbreaking look during his ultrasound. His eyes were dry, but filled with pain. Coming home, Eren had dropped down on the sofa, obviously needing to think things through. So once Viren was set up drawing and talking away to his teddy, Levi had lifted his mate into his lap for some major cuddling. Floch had set the first of Eren's appointments for the following day. The physical came first, then the psychological exam came the Friday before court. It wasn't such a leap to think that it was intentional, so that Eren would still be shaken over it once the trial began. Nuzzling into Eren's hair, his omega sighed softly as he took his hand, pressing kisses to Levi's knuckles before placing it on his stomach for belly rubs, which he was happy to give "Wanna talk about it?" "No. Don't you have work?" "It's fine" "Levi" "It's fine. I don't particularly feel like going to work" "No one feels like going to work, but you have to" Levi's alpha couldn't take the idea of parting with their mate. Not after watching the scan, and smelling his omega's fear. If he went to work, he'd be more of a liability than a help. Any small thing could make him snap "It's better I'm home right now. I already sent my boss a message. She knew about the scan. Besides, it's only the second half the shift. They'll send the placements out with the veterans" "I didn't even hear you leave this morning" Probably because Eren was out like a light... "You heard me come home" "Doesn't mean I didn't miss you when I woke up. Are you sure it's ok? She said she couldn't give you time off" "It's not really time off" "It's half a shift. You should go" "Eren, no. Just like your omega doesn't want you to be left alone, my alpha can't leave you alone" "Sometimes I think your alpha's more of an omega than mine" "Don't give it ideas. Since I'm home, we could do something?" "I honestly just want to sit here and do this. When the trial starts, we have no idea what's going to happen. So I want to enjoy this while we can" "We could look for things for the pups?" Eren swallowed hard, his mate tensing his hold. His fiancée was probably trying his hardest not to think about his scan, yet there he went "Or not... we could get some popcorn and watch a movie?" "I have a headache, but you and Viren can watch a movie. I'll go lay down..." "That ruins the whole point of us doing something together" "Daddy?" Looking up from his drawings, Viren nodded "TV? Pleeeeease?" "See. You should spend time with him" "I am spending time with him" "I mean one on one. I don't mind" "I'm not choosing between him and you" "I'm not telling you too. I'll just take some panadol and go for a nap" Eren had been taking panadol far too frequently for his liking. It seemed like every day his mate was coming down with headaches. He'd had bloods taken while in hospital, but the technician had been alarmed to see the bruising across Eren's stomach. Some of it had been bruises from sex, his finger marks on Eren's hips, but the bruise he'd gotten from Viren was a dark and nasty purple, that shouldn't have formed from a light kick. The pups had been ok during the scan, other than the growth of the tumour, but if it was starting to cause real problems with Eren's health, then what came next? "Lee?" "Sorry. I was just thinking" "Don't think too hard. It's just a headache from lack of sleep..." "I thought you slept through the night" "If your babies would leave my bladder alone, than maybe I would" "Fair point. I still wish you wouldn't move" "Aw, does my alpha want cuddles?" "Yes" Eren kissed his cheek "I'm sure Viren will give you plenty" Climbing off his lap, Levi was sure Eren wasn't as ok with heading off for a nap as he was pretending to be. When Anna was around, Viren's jealousy had become a lot more apparent. He didn't want things dissolving to the point where Eren was struggling to connect with Viren again. While Eren napped, Viren started drawing again. Levi moving off the sofa to sit on the floor with him, his son proudly explaining what he was drawing as he did. It was a good thing too, as Levi wasn't sure what the lines or colours were supposed to mean. "Forced" to draw by his son, his own artist ability was exhibited by three stick figures and a potato looking cat, which Viren scribbled over when he saw he wasn't drawing what he was supposed to. It was hardly his fault that the most he'd ever drawn had been basic medical diagrams. Placing down the red pencil he'd been using, Levi stretched as he yawned, sitting on the floor doing no favours for his aching back "Daddy, I'm hungry" Smiling at his son, Levi pulled him into his lap, kissing the top of his head as he squeezed him tight "It's about lunch time isn't it? What do you think mummy wants for lunch?" "Pasta!" "Mummy wants pasta? Or do you want pasta?" "Both" Snorting, Levi hefted Viren up onto his shoulders, his son grabbing his hair as he rose to stand "Daddy! Too high!" Oops... if he was too high on his shoulders, he wondered what their son thought of being on Eren's? Lifting Viren back down, he kissed his son's exposed back, before lowering him to stand "Are you going to help daddy make lunch?" Nodding happily, the toddler ran from him and to the kitchen. Levi having to jog after him before he could get into any mischief "Come here, you. Up we go" Lifting his son, he helped the boy wash his hands, before sitting him down in his usual spot on the bench... where the most trouble he could into was eating the ingredients "Now. What do you want on this pasta?" "Sketti!" "You want sketti?" "Sketti and nuggets" The world's healthiest lunch right there... they had one of those weird vegetable peeler things that turned carrots and zucchinis into pasta, but he didn't know if they had pasta sauce... He'd been forced to go the unhealthy route for lunch. Not that he'd admit it, but he had no luck with the vegetables. All incriminating evidence had been dinner, and a pot of pasta was now boiling on the stove, while the nuggets baked "Dad, mum wants you" He didn't hear Eren calling out to him. Kissing Viren on the forehead, he made sure everything sharp was out the way "Alright. Do you want to come down, or are you going to stay up here?" "Down!" "You've got to promise me you won't go near the kitchen without daddy" Shoving cheese in his mouth, Viren nodded around the mouthful. Lifting him off the bench, he steered the boy to the sofa "You be a good boy and stay here for me" "Levi?!" "Coming!" Eren was sitting on their bedroom, a wad of bloody tissues pushed to his nose "Blood nose?" "Tissue box is empty. Don't want Viren to see" "I'll grab you some toilet paper" "Thank you!" Levi's heart was racing as he jogged into the bathroom, grabbing a fresh roll of toilet paper and bringing it back to Eren "Here, let me look" "It's not great" "Show me" Eren's hands were bloodied from the bleed, it didn't look like it was going to stop any time soon. Throwing the ruined tissues in the bin, he tore off a long strip of toilet paper, folding it up and pressing it to Eren's nose "Thank you... I need to start lunch" "No need, Viren and I have it handled. Sketti and nuggets" "Sorry. I don't feel that hungry. I was going to make lunch for you two" "I've got it handled..." "Then you should make sure Viren isn't at the oven. He gets a bit excited when he smells nuggets" Levi frowned at Eren's dismissal "I could make you something" "No... no, I just needed so more tissues for my nose. If you've you it covered I'll go back to sleep when this stops" "You need to eat" "Levi, it's fine" "You're not fine. I saw how upset you were during the ultrasound. Now you're pushing Viren and I away. I stayed home to be with you today... because you're not the only one hurting over this" A long moment of silence hung between them, Eren swapping the toilet paper over "I didn't mean to make you feel like that. I'm not trying push you both away, I just didn't get much sleep last night. I don't want to be tired and cranky on top of everything right now. Plus, Viren has been pretty upset with me lately, so I thought he'd feel better after spending some time with you" "And there really wasn't any more to it than that?" "No, Levi. My stomach feels too queasy for food right now. So..." Coming running into the room, Viren yelled at them "Daddy! Door!" Eren wiped at his nose, turning to hide the blood from Viren "Go check the door, I'll be fine with this" "Are you sure?" "Now that we have this little misunderstanding out of the way, you can relax" "Alright. I still want to do something with you and Viren" "I know. It's only lunch time, there's still time" "Daddy, someone's at the door" "Yeah, baby. I'm coming. Stay here and if this is still bleeding in a few minutes, I want to know" "I'll be fine. Just go already" "Let me..." "I'll let you know. Seriously, I've got it handled" Kissing Eren's forehead, Levi collected Viren as he headed out the room. Walking over to the door, he sighed to himself as he told himself not to snap at whoever was on the other side. Opening the door, he blinked at the sight in front of him. Erwin's eyes were red, his scent pained and his body language was completely wrong "I... I think I fucked up my marriage"

[laraslandlockedblues]

Lara’s Master Writing Post

My Master Writing List can be found as a page here, and writing prompts only found on Tumblr can be found by searching my tag “writing prompt.”

But I realized I’ve never shared an easily mobile/rebloggable version before so here goes. Was just going to share again because I’ve updated it but also because I’ve gotten a lot of new followers since the last time I shared this. I suppose though since it’s Fanfiction Appreciation Day, though, I may as well share!

Dragon Age Inquisition - Lightning Struck Series - Cullen Rutherford and Evelyn Trevelyan

1. Eye of the Storm - Work in Progress

Evelyn is far too naive, young, and overwhelmed by everything asked of her after the Conclave. She tries to put on a brave face, but she’s slowly falling apart. Cullen is far too weary, self-loathing, and searching for redemption in his role as the Commander of the Inquisition’s forces, but he doesn’t think he’s worth finding any. They both feel broken, but maybe they can find a way to feel whole again.

Main canon fic for my Cullen/Evelyn pairing.

2. Moments Passed - Work in Progress

What if Cullen was sent to the Ostwick Circle instead of Kirkwall after the Fifth Blight was ended? An AU exploring the relationship between he and Evelyn Trevelyan after they meet following his relocation to Ostwick.

3. Miss Grey - Work in Progress

Commander Cullen came to Haven from Kirkwall to join the Inquisition, but he didn’t come alone. And no one quite knows what to make of the small Tranquil who follows him wherever he goes, never out of his sight.

4. Rehabilitation - Completed Work

Modern AU that focuses on Cullen’s lyrium withdrawal and recovery after he is sent to a rehabilitation center under the care of Dr. Evelyn Trevelyan. Follows his recovery and their blossoming relationship as he makes it through his addiction and eventually sets out to help others who wish to follow in his footsteps. Little to do with DA:I.

5. Even Doves Have Pride - Completed Work

An arranged betrothal leads to a rebellious, wild Evelyn, and her father enlists a certain former Templar-turned-bodyguard to keep her in line until the big day.

Modern Bodyguard AU with eventual smut and romance featuring lots of references to popular songs, including Prince, Led Zeppelin, and Tom Petty. Features little to do with DA or DA:I.

6. Bound to Burn - Work In Progress, Co-written with WindySuspirations.

A trip to Redcliffe to make reparations for the Mage Rebellion brings more complications that expected when rooms run short and the naive Inquisitor finds herself in close quarters with the man she can’t possibly ever have - her smirking Commander.

7. What Are the Odds - Completed Work

A chance encounter at the Hanged Man for some stress relief leaves Knight-Commander Cullen with a few questions, and an insatiable desire for the mystery woman he met.

DA2 & DA:I AU that places Evelyn in Kirkwall following the rebellion at the Gallows, where she meets and becomes involved with Cullen before he joins the Inquisition.

8. Dream a Little Dream of Me - One Shot

Evelyn’s usual wanderings of the Fade take an unusual turn when it starts to recreate the desires she has for the Commander, becoming more vivid each time she dreams. And Cullen finds himself waking from dreams that seem so real he swears he can still feel and taste her on him.

There’s no harm in indulging in fantasies, right? Unless there’s more going on than simple imagination.

9. The Deal - One Shot

Evelyn wishes she could more easily soothe all of Cullen’s issues, and help him sleep better at night. But after yet another bad night’s sleep, she gets an idea that just may work.

10. Discretion - Tumblr Prompt One Shot

A brief flare of jealousy in Evelyn makes Cullen wonder why he tries so hard to keep things private.

11. An Awkward Start - Tumblr Prompt One Shot

The Commander gets caught in an intimate moment, but it turns out better than he could have expected. Based on the Tumblr prompt, “You weren’t supposed to hear that,” requested for Cullen.

12. Just One Dance - Tumblr Prompt One Shot

Cullen asks for help from the last person he’d usually seek out, but an evening he dreads turns into confusion as it reveals things they both didn’t realize they wanted. Modern AU. Based on the Tumblr prompt, “Just pretend to be my date.”

13. The Dance of Love - Prompted One Shot

A first date on Valentine’s Day takes a turn when Cullen accidentally takes Evelyn to a dance club. Modern AU.

14. The Sun and The Moon - Marian Hawke/Fenris, Work in Progress/Very Slow to Update

Chronicles the important moments in the romance of the fem!Hawke/Fenris pairing that features in Eye of the Storm and other works in the Lightning Struck series. Inside are some spoilers for Eye of the Storm, as well as some background/headcanon Cullen moments.

Dragon Age Inquisition - Just Say Lass Series - Knight-Captain Rylen and MGIT Abigail Henderson

1. After Rain - Work in Progress

Abigail Henderson just wanted more out of life as everything began to fall apart - a chance to start over, a chance to be herself again.

When she ends up in Thedas, she finds more than she bargained for - as does the former Templar who finds himself fascinated by the woman from a place called Earth. Also features Inquisitor Evelyn Trevelyan from the Lightning Struck series.

2. Just Like Heaven - Work in Progress

Knight-Captain Rylen just wanted to do what he could to help defend the innocent people of Thedas - especially when the sky split ope and demons started falling out of the Fade.

When he somehow ends up in a place called Earth, instead, he has to come to terms with every part of his strange new reality - including the fascinating woman, Abigail, who finds him and helps save his life.

3. Wicked Game - OC/OC WIP

He’ll break your heart, Abigail. A man like that is used to having the world cater to his every whim, and you’ll never be enough. Be careful.

Companion piece to Just Like Heaven, a collection of semi-one shots from the perspective of Abigail Henderson’s soon-to-be ex-husband, John Baker. Gives insight into how they met, how their relationship began, how it fell apart, and later on will include insight into scenes from its parent fic.

4. Knight-Captain Rylen Appreciation Week 2018 - Completed Work

Collection of drabbles and one shots to celebrate Knight-Captain Rylen Appreciation Week!

5. Of All the Things to Fangirl Over… - Gift One Shot inspired by this art piece by Sloth-Race

MGiT Abigail Henderson has one of her first - very common - experiences in Thedas, and Rylen can’t quite figure out why she’s so excited about it. Set within After Rain canon.

6. Burning Up - Tumblr Prompted One Shot

Abigail meets a dashing Starkhaven stranger one night at the bar she works at, but one drunken decision turns into more when he comes back the next day. Modern Thedas AU. From the Tumblr prompt “You make adorable sounds.”

7. Stud - Tumblr Prompted One Shot

After a long day’s work at Skyhold, Abigail helps Rylen work through his stress. From the Tumblr prompt “Your skin is so soft.”

8. Never Enough - Tumblr Prompted One Shot

Rylen finds a few moments along with Abigail. From the Tumblr prompt, “Try to keep quiet…we wouldn’t want to get caught.”

9. His Lass - Tumblr Prompted One Shot

From a Tumblr prompt to see Rylen take care of things for himself when he’s away from Abigail.

10. Anniversary - Tumblr Prompted One Shot

From a Tumblr prompt for Rylen to see Abigail in a pretty dress and all dolled up for the first time.

11. Stolen Moments - Giveaway fic prize for Kawakaeguri

Each time, every time, just a smirk and the words “my lass,” and she caves. But why bother resisting if she doesn’t want to? Set within After Rain canon.

Dragon Age - And the Sky Will Burn Series - Modern Kirkwall AU Co-Written with Dismalzelenka

Part One: Your Arms Feel Like Home - Work in Progress

Two women with no connection to each other. A chance meeting and a quick goodbye. Neither of them expected everything to change.

Abigail Henderson was enduring a blind date turned cautionary Tinder tale. Solona Amell was just doing her job bounty hunting for a local bail bonds office. When Abby’s date and Solona’s target turn out to be one and the same, neither of them expects how quickly their lives will turn upside down.

When an altercation with local law enforcement is caught on video and begins to circulate the Internet, they both find themselves thrown headfirst into the lingering mage-templar conflict still gripping the Free Marches twenty years after the violent destruction of the Kirkwall Chantry. Their personal lives aren’t left unscathed either, as both women find themselves grappling with strange new acquaintances and relatively unwanted attractions to two former Templars now working as detectives with the Kirkwall City Police Department.

Tensions rise as past transgressions begin to surface, but everyone has secrets to hide.

Part Two Coming Soon!

Dragon Age Stand Alones

Beautiful Disaster - MGiT Cecilia Moore and Cullen Rutherford - Work in Progress

When she thought about how much she wanted to get away, she never realized just how far she would end up.

Just another Modern Girl in Thedas story.

Hero Worship - Mara Trevelyan and Garrett Hawke - Work in Progress

The Inquisitor can’t seem to think straight around the heroic and devilishly handsome Champion of Kirkwall. And he doesn’t make it any easier on her when he unexpectedly invites her to his room one night.

And what starts off as a fling turns into a whirlwind romance neither one of them is prepared for.

Out of the Ashes - Nemaine Tabris and Alistair WIP (on indefinite hiatus)

Nemaine Tabris’ life just seems to go from bad to worse after the traumatic interruption of her wedding causes her to be conscripted by the Grey Warden Duncan. But in the midst of the Blight, she finds herself thrown together with someone who just may help her survive and thrive.

In the Grotto - Knight-Captain Rylen and Cassandra Pentaghast - One Shot

Knight-Captain Rylen discovers what makes Seeker Pentaghast happy, and does his best to help her find some stress relief.

Inspired by this piece by SangoSweetz (NSFW Art)

The Hope of the Desert Bloom - Adoribull Giveaway fic prize for SoulRebel

Too much to hope, too much to dream that maybe - just maybe - this time it could be something more.

Mass Effect - Stress Relief Series - Fiona Shepard and Garrus Vakarian

Part One: Goose Bumps - Completed Work

Fiona Shepard woke up on a Cerberus operating table, apparently after being dead for two years. She wants nothing more than to see a familiar face, someone who will have her back as she works with her former enemies and tries to save the galaxy. Again.

And then after one trip to Omega, she’s reunited with her best friend in the galaxy.

But he looks at her differently, now - and she can’t seem to shake this new feeling. Especially not once she realizes it’s not really a new feeling.

Part Two: Ride or Die - Work in Progress (on hiatus)

It had been one hundred and eighty-four days when they finally sent for her.

Commander Fiona Shepard had spent six months relieved of duty, essentially on house arrest.

She had spent her time distracting herself, preparing herself, and resisting the urge to write to *him* for a prison break.

But now the Reapers have arrived, and all she can think about is getting back to him, and keeping the promise she made.