#love how the last two tags don't exist B)

[calcar]

like the next logical step is just becoming a legit satanist at this point idk man I feel so unwell

[rwrbficrecs]

We’ll Invite Something In by @smc-27 (book-verse)

@dot524: This is a fandom favorite and for good reason. In this canon divergence AU, Alex is President, Henry is out, and they never got together in their 20s. Instead, they encounter each other in their late 30s and a very different type of relationship ensues. They still hide it at first, but there’s a lot of living that they both have done and need to work through. I really enjoyed the character dynamics here and how the premise changed both Alex and Henry, making them bolder and more mature. Definitely read this one!

Eyes Blue, Like the Atlantic by bleedingballroomfloor (book-verse)

@dot524: A Titanic AU! Adapted by an excellent writer, this one has suspense, action, romance, and intrigue. There is a MCD (Main Character Death) in here and some other tags to be aware of, but also vibrant scenes with dancing, chasing, art, and formal wear. I really enjoyed it!

Clean Slate by @smc-27 (book-verse)

@heysweetheart-writes: This was just so excellent. I devoured it in no time, couldn't put it down. I love the way Alex just slips into Henry's life like a silk glove even though Henry has his hesitations. There's abslutely no angst at all other than "you're too young for me" "no, next question" I love it. I love Henry finally feeling young for the first time. I think that is something that Henry generally feels after meeting Alex, like he's never been able to, no matter at what point in life he is. ANYWAY I'm talking about Henry way too much again for a rec. Read this.

Most People Exist by @sprigsofviolets (book-verse)

@na-dineee: Henry, 30, is a nurse on a cancer ward. From the very first moment he feels an intense connection and attraction to his newest patient, the one who has a brain tumor and is named Alexander Claremont-Diaz. - The tags say it all: "Falling in love, Slow Burn, Angst with a happy ending, Hurt/Comfort". After reading this story I am a whole new person. I laughed and cried, had butterflies in my stomach, I felt it all. Hands down one of the best fics I've ever read!

after hours by @dumbpeachjuice (book-verse)

@na-dineee: How much can happen in a few hours? stutteringpeach: Hold my beer. 😅🤝 Reading this was truly a roller coaster ride, my stomach was doing somersaults non-stop: On his last evening in New York, poet Henry meets bartender Alex and the two spend the night together - in true "Before Sunrise" style. To sum it all up: enchanting, sweet, phenomenal, iconic!

No. 1 (Royal Red and Blue) Oil on Canvas by @captainjunglegym (book-verse)

@zwiazdziarka: This fic is so twisted and surprising in the best way! The summary did not prepare me for all the action that comes after the initial relationship drama and I'd really like to fawn over it some more but I don't want to spoil the fun of figuring out what really is going on and what are characters' motivations. Just give it a try.

Meet the Parents (series) by @14carrotghoul (book-verse)

@dot524: I really enjoyed these thoughtful character studies of Ellen and Oscar. The two short stories are a series of canon vignettes from Oscar and Ellen’s POV. These glimpses of the Claremont-Diaz parents add heart and depth to the RWRB canon, giving insight about how Ellen and Oscar think about parenthood, power, family, and each other.

Leave The World Better Than You Found It: A BONES AU by @treluna4 (book/movie-verse)

@myheartalivewrites: I really enjoyed this FirstPrince meets procedural TV show fic! With Alex as Booth and Henry as Brennan, they learn to work together, solve crimes--and fall in love, of course. Plus take down a very satisfying book villain.

No Laughing Matter by @inexplicablymine (book-verse)

@suseagull04: This fic is absolutely hysterical- a must read if you need something to cheer you up! It's also very relatable for anyone who, like me, has said things they've regretted in all the best ways!

in summer air by @acdsbff (book-verse)

@na-dineee: I need a vacation and vitamin D - maybe that's why this series (both POVs are covered 🥰) captivated me so much?! It is set on a Greek island, where Alex, just cheated on by his boyfriend, meets hotel owner Henry. What follows is a whirlwind speedrun romance against a beautiful backdrop. Really therapeutic for the heart on dreary days!!

here is a map (with your name as a capital) by @alasse9 (book-verse)

@dot524: What an incredible surprise to have this entire 50k story drop at once. In this canon divergent story, Alex and Henry start getting to know each other in Rio, when Alex helps him recover from a panic attack. Their friendship, and later their relationship, is a delightful slow burn with funny moments, heartbreak, and steady support of each other. I thoroughly enjoyed this start to finish — the characterization of both Alex and Henry is on point and I really enjoyed how the writer changed some of the scenes from the book while keeping key callbacks. A delight.

Claremont 2008 by @happiness-of-the-pursuit (book-verse)

@suseagull04: This friends to lovers AU is done so well! Having Henry and Alex meet as kids means we get years of their friendship before they even start dating, and it gives every aspect of their relationship so much depth through this entire fic. It also gives some events only referenced in the novel a completely different perspective, which makes them even better!

keep me in the moment (don't it feel so real?) by @anincompletelist (book-verse)

@heysweetheart-writes: I absolutely love everything that comes out of Sarah's magic little fingers and this was no exception. Alex and Henry are best friends and pinning over eache other unknowingly and an accidental lil discovery turns their relationship upside-down (for the better) absolutely recommended. I honestly loved it so much.

you know i can't be found with you by @dumbpeachjuice (book-verse)

@heysweetheart-writes: This was SO much fun. Alex was RELENTLESS and I absolutely love an older Henry. It was also very fucking funny. 10/10

the great duck fiasco by @alexclaremont-diaz (book-verse)

@suseagull04: A spy AU, dating apps, and Alex's Texas roots combine in the funniest way possible- definitely read this if you want a good laugh!

[nicoline1998enilocin]

Purring with love

PAIRING || Sugar Daddy!Tony Stark x Sugar Baby!Fem!Reader

WORDCOUNT || 4.5K

SUMMARY || As you're walking to your car through the pouring rain, you suddenly spot a completely drenched cardboard box in the bushes. As you peek in, you find an abandoned little kitten who is only a few weeks old at most, so you decide to nurse it back to health, creating a strong bond between you two in the process.

RATING || Mature (M)

TAGS || Sugar Daddy AU. Sugar Daddy!Tony Stark. Sugar Baby!Reader.

WARNINGS || Unspecified age gap. Use of nicknames (Sugar). Mutual pining. Idiots in love. Overheard love confession. Animal abandonment. Animal rescue. Light sexual tension. Sexual content.

A/N || This amazing story has been brought to life with love and support from my bestie @ccbsrmsf1, for which I'll forever be grateful! Thank you for proofreading, loving, and supporting me because this wouldn't have existed without your help! Eu te amo 3000 💙

EVENTS Masterlist || @avengersbingo || Clothes sharing Masterlist || @fandom-free-bingo Wild || 'Hoping for more good days'

Banners: @nicoline1998enilocin || Divider: @rookthornesartistry || Photo: @ccbsrmsf1

Main Masterlist || Tony Stark Masterlist || AU Masterlist

You sigh as you look outside from your place in the library, where you have been holed up all day to finish a few assignments. As soon as your alarm goes off, notifying you that it's time to go home, you quickly pack up your stuff to get to your car before the rain worsens.

Seeing how the clock is already creeping closer to 7 p.m., it is relatively quiet on Campus, except for the few evening classes that are still being taught. As you go to the door, you adjust your jacket and put the hood on, hoping to shield you from the rain for as long as possible.

With a last deep breath, you swing open the doors leading to the parking lot while inwardly scolding yourself for parking your car so far away today. With a bit of a jog, you make your way to the entrance of the lot, and you can already see your trusty car when your attention is suddenly pulled away.

Right next to the parking lot entrance is a small box that is half open. The rain is steadily pouring inside as you go over to see what is in it and throw it away if it's nothing important. When you crouch next to it, you forget all about the rain as you see a tiny, pitch-black kitten lying in a rapidly growing puddle.

The first thing you do is take off your jacket, rain be damned, and pick up the kitten to keep it warm inside. It's clear that it's still alive as their chest moves with every breath, but as you run to your car, you can't stop the tears from flowing, thinking about how anyone could even begin to think about doing something cruel like this.

As soon as you're dry in your car, you look for something to keep it warmer, suddenly remembering the blanket you have in your backseat. You wrap up the kitten safely, and it doesn't take long to stop shivering in the warmth.

Meanwhile, you find your phone at the bottom of your bag, and with tears streaming down your face steadily, you call the first person who comes to mind: Tony.

It only takes him two rings to pick up, and the worry on his face is immediately visible when he sees and hears how distraught you are.

"Who do I need to hunt down, Sugar?" Tony asks, worry laced in his voice as he sits down. He is technically in the middle of a meeting, but when he sees you calling, he drops everything and answers immediately.

"I-I don't k-know," you stammer out between sobs, tears constantly wetting your cheeks the second you try and wipe them away. "I-I found a-a kitten in a b-box in the p-pouring rain." More sobs make their way through your body as you look down at the kitten on your lap, your camera now aimed at them as well.

"Oh, poor Sugar," Tony whispers, his brows knitted together in concern.

"Are they still alive? Can you take them to a nearby vet?" he asks, and you nod, finally calming down a bit now that you're talking to Tony. His voice always manages to calm you during moments like these, and you wish he were there with you now, but the FaceTime call would have to suffice right now.

"Y-yeah, they're still breathing. Do you think I can keep them if they're okay? I can't abandon them in a shelter, and maybe I won't be as lonely in my apartment if they're around as well," you ask, your tears and sobs having reduced to sniffles now.

"Absolutely, you can, Sugar. Please keep me updated about their well-being, okay? I will ensure they have the best medical care and at-home care," he says, and you feel the butterflies in your stomach fluttering wildly at his words.

"Thank you, Tony. And I'm sorry for interrupting your meeting," you whisper, guilt creeping into your gut.

"Please, there's no need to apologize, Sugar. You know you can call me no matter what, and I'll be there for you, alright?" he asks, and you nod. After your last goodbyes, he returns to his meeting as if nothing happened, and you look up the directions to the closest emergency vet.

Luckily, it's only a 15-minute drive, and as soon as you're there, the vet will immediately see you and the little kitten.

"So, what happened to them?" the vet asks, but you shrug.

"I found them in a box near the college, so I figured I'd give them a fair shot at life and bring them here," you say, tears welling up in your eyes again as you swallow away the lump forming in your throat.

"Alright, I'll check them out, and you can wait in here for now. I'll be back within 20 minutes or so," the kind man says. You nod before turning around and sitting down, ready to update Tony. When you unlock your phone, you get his incoming call and pick up on the first ring.

"Hi, Sugar," Tony says as he sees your face, this time with fewer tears. Warmth spreads through his chest as you smile at him and greet him back. For a moment, everything is right with the world again.

"How's the kitten doing?"

"We found out it's a he. The vet took him for some exams, and he should be back in about 20 minutes, so... All I can do now is wait," you say with a shrug and an unconvincing smile. At this moment, Tony decides to stop everything he's doing, as he needs to be with you tonight. You may not ask for it outright, but he can tell you shouldn't be alone, at least not on the first night.

"Do you have a name for him?" he asks, and you nod.

"I'm thinking of calling him Moon. He's a beautiful pitch-black cat with the most stunning blue eyes, and the name really seems to fit him well," you say, a smile now tugging at the corners of your lips as you think about the little kitten.

"I can't wait to meet little Moon," Tony replies as he allows himself to sink back into his office chair. There's a comfortable silence between you two for a short moment, and neither of you feels the need to fill it. Eventually, you two make some small talk until the vet returns, and you have to say your goodbyes.

"How is he?" you ask as you quickly get up from your seat, your heart going a mile a minute right now. You reach out to the kitten, petting his head gently with the tip of your finger, and he feels so soft.

"He's surprisingly doing well. I think you found him not long after he was left, so apart from his hunger, there's nothing wrong with him. Over the next few weeks, you will need to bottle-feed him until he can start eating regular food, and I would like to see him once a week for the next three or four weeks to keep an eye on him," the vet says, and you nod in understanding.

"For now, I'll give you enough supplies to last you a day or two, but you need to get more soon," he says. With that, he shows you how to feed little Moon, and you're on your way home quickly. With Moon sitting comfortably in a carrying case in one hand and the supplies in your other hand, you go out the door and back to your car.

"It's time to go home, Little Moon. Are you excited?" you ask him, and he lets out a squeaky noise that resembles somewhat of a meow, making your heart race as you hear it. As you take off, you can't stop thinking that you have officially adopted a kitten and won't be as lonely anymore in your apartment.

"Welcome home, Moon!" you tell the little kitten as your front door swings open. The first thing you do after closing it again is put the carrier and supplies down on your dining room table so you can put on something a bit warmer. It's a good thing he's asleep in there right now, so you quickly grab one of Tony's old shirts and a pair of sweatpants, changing with lightning speed.

Your hair is put up in a messy bun, and you decide to trade your contacts for your glasses, which makes you feel even more comfortable, especially since you have quite a long night ahead of you.

The moment you're back in your dining room, you look inside the carrier, and he's awake again, which is perfect timing for feeding him. His bottle is prepared within no time, and you wrap him up in the softest blanket you could find, which has pink and yellow flowers on it.

Moon latches on to the bottle without a problem, his eyes curiously looking around as you feed him. Just before you have the chance to sit down, you hear a few knocks on your door, and you make your way over to see who's on the other side. As soon as you peek through the little peephole, you see it's Tony, so you take a step back to call out that it's open.

"Tony, what are you doing here?" you ask, surprised as he's holding a duffle bag in one hand and some food in the other. He made the educated guess you still needed to eat dinner, and he was right.

"I figured my Sugar could use some extra help now that you have a baby to take care of," he winks, and your cheeks warm at his words. He leans forward to place a soft peck on your lips, and you happily accept it as you smile into the kiss.

"Thank you for coming over; I cannot even begin to explain how much I appreciate it," you sigh, and he nods.

"So, this is Moon, huh?" Tony asks after putting down the bags he is holding, and you nod.

"It is. I have enough supplies to take care of him for a day or two, so I have to go out and buy more tomorrow. Luckily, the vet gave me a list of everything I could possibly need to make sure he's happy and healthy," you tell Tony, who's now carefully petting Moon between his ears.

"He's beautiful," Tony whispers, and you agree.

"How about this: You sit on the couch and continue feeding and loving the little guy, and I get you a plate of food? I have a hunch you haven't had dinner yet, and I could use some food as well," he says, to which you happily agree.

"That would be amazing right about now. Thank you, Tony," you say, sitting on the couch with your legs crossed, looking down at Moon with a broad smile.

Tony can't stop smiling as he prepares a plate for you both. As he takes in the way you look in a pair of sweatpants and his shirt, combined with your glasses and your hair up like this, he can't help but fall in love with you just a little more, and he knows he can't hide it much longer. But for now, he will have to keep to himself, as there are other priorities to take care of.

"Who's ready for some food?" Tony asks as he walks into the living room with two plates of food, and the smell immediately invades your senses. He got Chinese take-out, and it smells divine.

"I'll just go put him down for a bit in his carrier; he just fell asleep again after finishing his bottle, so I'll be right back," you tell Tony. Before you know it, he's in the carrying case you brought him home in, but you decide to take off the top so you can keep an eye on him.

"Alright, I believe it's time for dinner!" you say excitedly as you walk back into the living room. As you stand before the couch, Tony extends his hand, and you take it, only to be pulled onto his lap with a soft shriek.

"Now I can finally say a proper hello to you," he whispers before leaning in to kiss you, his hands lying on your hips while your hands are gliding through the hair on the nape of his neck, your nails softly scratching over his scalp.

Your lips glide against his effortlessly, your bodies fitting together like puzzle pieces. Your hearts match each other's rhythm as they speed up, and the moment is perfect. You're held by the man you love, and even though neither of you wants to admit it, you're both entirely sure about it.

You're both head over heels in love with one another.

During dinner, you and Tony watched a cheesy romantic comedy that happened to be on; even though neither of you paid too much attention to it—you were too busy teasing one another to even care about the movie—there were still a lot of laughs shared between you two over it.

"I can't believe people enjoy these movies, and even more so that people think a happily ever after like that exists," you sigh, thinking back to your awful past and why you moved to the other side of the country.

"I don't know, I quite like the idea of having a happily ever after with someone. To love someone so deeply that you would go to the end of the earth for them without a second thought. I guess I like the idea of having someone to grow old with and someone to come home to after a long day of work," he says, though his eyes are trained on the coffee table instead of looking at you.

"I mean, when you put it like that, I think I might want it as well, as long as it's with the right person," you say softly. You look at him from the corner of your eye, trying to see his reaction. His cheeks are turning a familiar pink tint, making you smile at his cuteness.

Without saying a word, Tony grabs your hand and interlaces his fingers with yours, squeezing softly as his gaze is now focused on the TV again. You cuddle into his side more, your head leaning on his shoulder as you sigh softly.

Just as Tony has finally gathered the courage to tell you what's on his mind, your next alarm goes off, letting you know it's time to give Moon some medicine. It has to be given a few hours before he's fed again, so it's a good thing he's nearby. You can easily take care of him this way.

Reluctantly, you untangle your lips from Tony's and give him an apologetic smile as you get up. He also smiles at you, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes this time, and he's left with an empty feeling in his chest.

Moon is taking the medicine like an absolute champ, and before you know it, you're back on the couch with Tony, who has now wrapped his arm around you to pull you against his side, and your hand is tracing figures on his thigh as you're both watching another movie.

A shiver runs down your spine, and Tony pulls you closer to him, but to no avail.

"Tony? Can I maybe borrow your sweatshirt? I'm starting to get a little chilly over here," you ask, but he has a better plan.

"I brought you something even better," Tony says as he grabs a hoodie from his duffle bag. He wore it yesterday while working in his lab, so even though it's gotten a bit dirty, it smells like him, which you can never get enough of.

"Oh my god, thank you!" you say as you immediately slip it on. You pull Tony in for a hug, which he happily reciprocates. It feels good to be held by one another, and you two stay like that for a few minutes as you bury your nose in his neck.

"Thank you for being here, Tony. You didn't have to be, but I'm grateful you did," you tell him after you pull away. Your eyes look at his deep brown ones, and you can see a shimmer of happiness in them as he smiles.

"I know I didn't have to be, but I couldn't leave my girl alone after what happened," he tells you, and a deep red blush covers your cheeks. The thought of you being his girl makes you feel excited, but before you can say something stupid, you pull him into a kiss.

It started slowly at first, but when you moaned softly as he pulled you against him, Tony immediately slipped his tongue into your mouth. As you two explored each other's mouths for a while, you could feel yourself clenching around nothing, and he was also definitely getting aroused as well.

Just as Tony's hands wandered down your body and to the hem of the hoodie you were wearing, another alarm went off, but this time, it caught you both off-guard as you jumped apart.

"It's time for another feeding. Do you want to do the honors this time?" you ask, and he agrees after you give him a few more pecks.

"Alright," you say, and you get his bottle ready while Tony gets Moon ready, and he's all wrapped up in his little blanket. While Tony is feeding him, you take your time to snap some photos of Tony taking care of the black kitten, as it melts your heart, and you want to remember this moment for many years to come.

"Do you mind if I go take a shower? Now that you're here, I might as well make the most of the situation, especially after the rain earlier," you ask Tony after you've snapped enough photos to fill a few books.

"Course not, Sugar. You go take care of yourself, and I'll take care of him, okay?" Tony says softly, and you smile before turning around and heading towards your bathroom. As soon as you're in there, you grab a tight hold of the sink and suppress the scream that wants to leave your body.

Tony showing up for you like that and being so loving and sweet has the butterflies in your stomach in complete disarray, and you can't believe you have gotten so lucky as to have met someone like him. You thought you would never find love again after moving away, but he has shown you it's possible, and you're more than grateful for it.

The shower is quick but very refreshing as you finally get to wash away every last worry that has crept its way into your mind and body, making you refreshed and a little tired at the same time. The amount of relaxation you feel now is something you haven't felt in a long time, and you breathe a sigh of relief as a smile tugs on the corners of your lips.

Once you're done, you slip into a comfortable pair of underwear, sweatpants, and Tony's hoodie, which you bring up to your nose as you take a whiff of his scent. It envelops you completely, and it feels like coming home after a long day.

As you walk back to the living room, you hear Tony talking to Moon, and you can't help but wait on the other side of the door, partially because you're curious about what he's saying and partially because you don't want to interrupt their conversation.

"You're very lucky to have an amazing Mommy like Sugar, you know that? She'll take amazing care of you and love you so much. And maybe one day I will be your Daddy as well, making us a big, happy family," Tony says with a soft sigh, the idea of you two being together forming more and more in his head.

"I'm already so in love with you, you know that? And with Sugar, too, but I don't want to admit it just yet—I don't even know if she likes me like that as well," he tells Moon, his voice trailing off near the end. If only he knew you had fallen head over heels for him as well.

After a few more moments, you swing open the door, and you see Tony cuddling with Moon in the blanket and his bottle empty on the table.

"How did he do?" you ask as you sit beside Tony. You both look at a sleepy Moon as he's curled up in the blanket's warmth combined with the heat of Tony's body.

"He ate like a champ, just finished his bottle, so I figured I'd cuddle with him for a bit so you could see him too. He's so cute when he's sleepy," Tony says as he looks at you with a fond expression.

"You're cute when you're sleepy, too," Tony says as a yawn escapes, and you can no longer hide your tiredness. It's already been a long day, and now that you have little Moon to take care of, staying awake is only getting more challenging, as it's all taking up so much of your energy.

"Do you want me to stay tonight, Sugar? I can help take care of Moon, so you won't have to get up every time," Tony offers.

"Oh no, that's okay, I don't mind," you quickly respond, but he shakes his head.

"I think it's best if I stay; you need your rest tonight as well,'' he tries again, and this time, you agree. Once Moon is done feeding, you carefully put him in his bed again before taking him to your bedroom so you can keep an eye on him if needed.

After you and Tony have gotten ready to sleep, he sits on his side of the bed, his legs spread and arm held out. Both of you are fully clothed, but that won't be for long if it's up to Tony.

"Let's get you out of these clothes, hmm?" he asks with a raised brow, and you agree. With a few swift motions, you're left in nothing but your bra and panties, and Tony can't help but place a few soft kisses on the exposed skin of your belly.

"So beautiful," he whispers as his hands glide over your thighs and the flesh of your butt, where he squeezes as well. A giggle escapes your lips as he does, and it doesn't take long for him to be left in nothing but his boxer briefs as well.

As you crawl into bed, you're quickly followed by Tony, who, instead of lying next to you, crawls over your body to cage you in with his large frame. His broad shoulders and thick thighs cover quite a large portion of your body, and you can't help but bite your lip at the thought.

"What's going on in that brain of yours, Sugar?" Tony asks as he noses along your jaw and neck before placing soft kisses over the column of your throat that have you moaning ever so softly.

"You."

"And what are you thinking about exactly?" he asks, and a deep red blush spreads over your cheeks again.

"How good it feels when you slide that thick, delicious monster of a cock inside my tight, warm pussy," you whisper, and his eyes go wide at your words. With those words, Tony doesn't take long to do just that.

Your legs are spread perfectly for him as he gets comfortable between them, his bare cock resting on your thigh as he takes his time with your nipples first. Tugging and suckling on them to pull soft moans from you is one of his favorite activities, and he can spend hours doing just that.

When he's had his fill, and he's happy with how red and perky they are, he lets his hand glide to his cock, which he pumps up and down a few times before lining up with your entrance and pushing in every so slowly.

Your breaths mingle with every soft and careful thrust, your moans becoming one as he bottoms out, and your bodies working in a perfect rhythm together as you both roll your hips together. Your hands are linked above your head while Tony kisses you softly, and this moment feels nothing short of perfect.

Making love to the man you love is the best feeling in the world, and falling over the edge at the same time while your foreheads are connected has never felt more intimate. The way your pussy clenches around his cock, milking him for everything he's worth, has never felt this good, and neither of you ever wants to stop.

Neither of you wants this moment to end while you're wrapped in your little bubble. There is not a single care in the world, just you, him, and your love. Once Tony's finished inside you, he pulls out to clean both of you up, grabs some fruit from your fridge, and comes back to bed to be close to you again.

"Here, eat this so you can regain some of your strength again," he whispers, followed by a kiss on your forehead. You happily munch on the sweet fruits as you're cuddled against his side.

"I still can't believe you adopted a little kitten today," he suddenly says with a chuckle, making you laugh, too. This was not part of your plan at the start of your day, but at the same time, you wouldn't want it any other way.

"Neither can I, but despite finding him in a little box, it has been a good day. Meeting Moon has been the highlight of my day, and all we can do now is hope for more good days," you say, to which Tony agrees.

"As long as all three of us have each other, I think every day is great, Sugar. And maybe, some of them may even turn into perfect days if we're really lucky," Tony tells you, and you nod in agreement.

After that, it doesn't take long for you to fall asleep, and the first time your alarm goes off to give Moon his medicine, Tony gets up so you can get some more sleep.

"It's okay, Sugar. I got him," he whispers as he kisses your forehead.

"Thank you, Tony, for everything," you tell him, and he smiles at you in response. After another soft kiss, he gets up to help Moon, who is still asleep in the blanket he was wrapped up in. The medicine is administered quickly, and Tony's back in bed with you before you know it.

Your head is on his chest, your hand covers his arc reactor, and your leg is draped over his. This is something you can get used to and something you will look forward to in the future as well.

[kitkatt0430]

So big shout out to SquidgeWorld for the news update acknowledging and encouraging the use of the tilde relationship identifier for queerplatonic ships!!!

I actually had a bit of a hand in how this one came about, which is pretty fun. (Story time!)

So a few years ago the Character A ~ Character B format was introduced over here on tumblr to represent QPRs. There is a post I know I rebloged a few times buried on my main somewhere about this and I'll have to try to remember to dig that up later. And there was bit of a push to try and get Ao3 to officially acknowledge the tilde or at least for those of us who write fic there start using it in tagging regardless of official acknowledgement and see what happened. And, well, what largely seems to have happened is that the tag wranglers have let us use the tilde, but there's been no official acknowledgement as the Tag Wrangling page for relationships on Ao3 still only discusses the '&' and '/' identifiers. (If there was anything official said about it elsewhere, sadly I must have missed it.)

I started using the tilde... two years ago? I think? And went back to update some of my existing fics to add in ship tags with the tilde. I still made sure to keep the Queerplatonic Relationship tags because those are still the best way to find fics that have QPRs included in them. And I've seen a few others using the '~' out in the wild, but discussion about it kind of faded again. If you knew, you knew. And if you didn't... there was always that Queerplatonic Relationship tag.

Then, about a year ago, I signed up for SquidgeWorld. I'd never heard of it before (which is likely because I'm just not super active in fandom outside the niche I've carved for myself; I admit, I am a bit under a rock at times...) but Squidge been around in one form or another since 1994. One of the fanfic authors I followed was moving their works there and so I followed and did what I always do on new sites I'm curious about - I lurked.

Fast forward to more recently. Fanfiction.net that I've been loyally using as my backup fic location for years after leaving it as my main fanfic archive... it's getting buggier and more unstable by the year. I don't intend to pull my fanfiction off it - I will leave what's on there up until the site collapses in on itself - but the day is coming ever nearer that the bugs and lack of tagging updates will finally make cross-posting there entirely too much of a hassle. And much as I love Ao3, I don't like the idea of only having all my fanfic in one place. I've seen enough archives big and small get destroyed over the years that no matter how stable or permanent Ao3 feels... I'm more comfortable knowing my fic can be found in multiple places. (Of course, the biggest hurdle for getting my fics cross-posted in multiple places is... executive dysfunction.)

I started finally cross-posting to SquidgeWorld recently and honestly just didn't really think too much about it when bringing over fics tagged with the QPR identifier. I just copied over the Character A ~ Character B tags and hit post. :D

But admin-squidgie over there - who I believe is found here on tumblr using @squidgiepdx (hi! Thanks a bunch for the news post!) - asked me about the tilde usage and what that was being used to represent. So I responded with an explanation about how it was a relatively new identifier used because queerplatonic relationships aren't really well represented by romantic or platonic identifiers. And then admin-squidgie got back to me to let me know there'd be a news post soon about this new identifier type. Which was so awesome.

While the wrangling guidelines haven't been updated on SquidgeWorld to note the use of the tilde yet (and could take a while, I know official docs always wind up being the last thing updated), the news post really is a very big deal for those of us who like to write and read queerplatonic ships.

For those of you interested in cross-posting or moving your fanfic to SquidgeWorld, I do recommend the archive. I've lurked long enough to see that the community there is pretty friendly, the interface is a clone of Ao3's so it should be familiar to a lot of you and is easily customized to make it more accessible (or covered in rainbows if you prefer ^_^ ), and (as seen here) the admin over there is open to helping make the archive an inclusive place for all of us.

And with at least one fanfic archive both acknowledging and encouraging the use of the queerplatonic relationship identifier, it'd be nice to see information on that making the rounds here on tumblr again. I bet there are a lot of aspecs who don't know about the identifier but who would be glad to know it exists and start using it themselves.

[nothorses]

You 100% don't have to answer this, especially if talking about this could harm you. I was just wondering if you had any tips or thoughts about dealing with the trauma of Tumblr abuse campaigns that the people who did the harassing claimed was righteous. They usually start with callout posts. Years later and I am still traumatized, have nightmares, and my disabilities have worsened because of the abuse.

I think the best thing that I did for myself was set a couple of boundaries around exposure to it, at the advise of @vaspider: I decided I wasn't going to look at tags or blogs that I knew I'd find more of those posts in, and I asked people to stop sending me updates as well.

Just removing exposure did a lot for me. I still do have moments where I "break" and go look in my tags, but a) not for at least 6 months, b) I felt I was not going to be impacted the same way, and c) I was and am always wrong, and I stop myself before getting very far because of that.

Block people liberally. Block them for saying shit that hurts you, and block them for being annoying. It's not an act of violence, it's not mean or cruel or whatever; just curate your experience. And don't allow people access to you who intend to do you harm.

Beyond that... take a break. If you have a piece you feel you still need to say, type it up somewhere else, wait a day or two, post it if you still feel you need to, and make that the last time you talk about it.

Focus on, and nurture, real-life hobbies and relationships. Interact with people and things that have no connection to these events. Not because online relationships aren't "real", but because your social life being public is genuinely, inherently unhealthy. You should not have to worry about the worst possible interpretations of everything you do or say all the time; find people who love you and trust you, and spend time with them. Privately. Exist in a space where you feel loved and worth loving; trusted and worth trusting; and where you don't feel the need to apologize for, or defend, everything you do or say.

Most importantly, cultivate a trust in yourself. Trust that you are always trying, and trust that mistakes are just mistakes. Trust that people who trust you will see the best interpretations of your words and actions, even if you realize later how they "might have come off".

Let feelings go, if you can. Letting go of the hurt doesn't mean it never happened, and you never felt that way; you're just allowing yourself to move on, to find peace, and to remove the power they had over you. Living in panic and hurt will only make the panic and the hurt worse.

I'm sorry you're going through this, and I'm sorry it was that bad. You're not alone. You can heal. I wish you all the best 💙

[cpcwiki]

⚠ WIKI AD INCOMING ⚠

Hi, everyone! @mechanical-clown here on a new blog! That's right, it's the Real Official CPC Wiki Social Media Account here!! B) Unfortunately I do not have good news to deliver

It's been a hot minute since my last ad and I do want you all to know I'm still sorry for doing this. Unfortunately, again, how bad I feel making another ad is outweighed by how much the wiki needs more help. I've been feeling especially desperate lately because of the fact that CPC is ending soon, and there are many tasks that will be made harder if it's put on daily pass. So, in my cry for effort to get help, here's an explanation of what I believe is our biggest issue and a rundown of things that currently need to be done! Again I am sorry. This could take a while

If you were fortunate enough to not have seen this post last time, the Cursed Princess (Club) Wiki needs help if it wants to be complete any time soon. Kind of a lot of it. As we all know, cpcblr's very active and prolific in content and the wiki's typically... not. To seriously get into this, the only three active editors in the past month or two have been me, @the-neighbors-kid (aka cursed-princess-club), and Ama (not sure if she wants to be tagged but we all know her!). Shoutout to you two because you are actually the best thank you I love you /pl <3

Anyways, there are already a lot of things we need to do to fix up the wiki. Thankfully, accessing any episode for any information you'd like is easy! And it will continue to be that easy after CPC ends, because Webtoon doesn't feel the need to limit how many episodes a person can view, right? Right? ...Yeah, so, uh, daily pass exists.

As of the time I'm writing this, there are ~10 episodes left in CPC (forgot the exact number lol). Assuming there are no hiatuses, that's only 10 more weeks, or 2 and a half months - and that's pretty soon! While there is a chance that CPC might not have daily pass after it ends, it's a small one. And, to me, that sounds like a huge problem!! If CPC is put on daily pass, accessing episodes will become much more difficult. Looking for a certain character's appearances, adding images, even just finding a single reference - it'll take a day to unlock the needed episode, and that episode will be gone in 2 weeks. The best solution to this problem would probably be to just use physical copies of CPC to find things, but those aren't available to everyone.

And adding images with daily pass episodes? As a reminder, screenshotting while viewing an episode on daily pass is taken as a sign of piracy. Screenshotting, the way we get images for the wiki. I've tried poring through Webtoon's terms of use to find some answer about whether publicly posting such screenshotted images would be illegal, but there's no mention of daily pass, and the text is so dense it's hard for me to tell. (I want to say I'll take a second look at it sometime, but that's probably just going to go into my list of permanently-unfinished priorities. I doubt the physical copies would be a good alternative to screenshots, either.) Regardless, I don't want to take any chances with the law, or see however Webtoon would punish us on the chance they find our frightening screenshots. Thus, another top priority of mine is to add more images and complete more galleries before CPC ends.

Oh, yeah, and that's barely even scratching the surface! Here's more stuff we need to do, presented in an appealing (classic Mocha iykyk) bulleted list:

A major thing is filling in episode pages. Episodes 40-around 110 are basically blank - no synopsis, character list, summary, or extra information. This is the task that would likely be least burdened by the addition of daily pass, but in my opinion, it's still of the absolute highest priority.

Galleries, which display images of characters, locations, or episodes. While not generally that important, I do think it'd be a good idea to fill out mostly empty ones now - you know, since taking screenshots of CPC may become illegal in the future! Most characters have a good amount of images on their pages, thankfully (the pastel sisters have so many they were the first to get separate gallery pages); some, including Jack and Leland, have very few. Episode pages and locations often have way less, though those aren’t as important

Relationship sections for a number of characters. These involve write about characters’ relationships, though in a way that mainly describes their interactions throughout the episodes without expressing any specific opinions. Some major sections that need to be written/updated include Jamie and Leopold; Jolie and Nell; Leland and really everyone on his page but especially Jack; Jack and Lilyth; Suzanna and Lance/Lorena; the Plaid Princes with each other; and more! Many more!

History sections for a number of characters. In a similar vein to relationship sections, these just detail a character’s appearances in the story, as well as their past or other mentions of them. Examples of (mostly - Isolde's isn't fully updated yet) completed history sections include Whitney’s, Isolde’s, and Monika’s! Examples of incomplete sections include virtually everyone else’s.

You might be wondering why I, a wiki admin (in case I haven't said it enough) am not doing any of these things! That’s because I'm neglectful and pretty bad at my job. I will not sugarcoat that part anymore. As much as I love the wiki (it's where I met my best friend after all, and while I'm writing this they just went offline so he can get fucked /j) I don't have motivation to work on it very often. Really, I don't have motivation to work on much nowadays! Ama's been doing the virtually thankless job of keeping the wiki up for the past couple months, and I've been mostly absent. The wiki is only remotely as active as cpcblr because of her. I feel terrible about it, but I'd rather be writing this 9-paragraph cry for help than editing, so, uh... yeah this is a public apology to Ama. I am so sorry. I know this isn't very professional but I'm incapable of being professional about the wiki tbh

TL;DR: As CPC is ending soon, the impending threat of daily pass could take away the ability to look at episodes whenever you want, which would make wiki editing much harder. We seriously need editors to join us in finishing the wiki. Please at least consider helping us!! Any way you can is appreciated - even if you can only make very few edits, I'll be immensely grateful for your support :)

If you have any questions about anything wiki-related, contact me!! My Discord's at musicitself, and you can also always DM me on here! And here's an invite to our wiki Discord server, too!! Of course, you don't have to become a wiki editor to join, but (as was the point of this entire post) I would really really REALLY love if you did. Thank you so much for reading this long, and have a great day!

[leonawriter]

I'm sure I've said this before some time in the past, but- there's certain ships that since they have no foundation in canon and one or more of the two are already canonically attracted in a monogamous way to someone else... I tend not to feel any sense of attachment to the fandom portrayal of them, because usually (not always! just often enough that it sticks in my head) the impression I get is that fanon erases the pre-existing attraction one or either of them has, in order to make things more... simple. Or something. So I see that, and I lose interest.

But the thing is, if the fanworks I see accept and address the fact that one or more of the people in the ship used to be attracted to/in love with someone else? I'd be WAY more likely to get on board the ship!

It does several things for me.

One: It doesn't disregard canon in a way that makes me feel like certain things are being retconned purely for the fan-preferred/author's ship. Often I'm a fan of how things actually go in the canon, or I just use it as a base point of reference, so if something's been thrown out and it feels arbitrary... that's off-putting.

Two: it keeps their core personality traits intact. This might sound weird, but it's a fact that who we are changes depending on who we're most interested in at any given time. If a character has been seen crushing on someone so badly that they base parts of their own personality on matching someone else, that's not something you can or should easily ignore, given how big of an effect that is. And when it comes to relationships, you'll notice that the vibes they give off shift how the characters act and are written/portrayed. Some pairings with one character have them be soft, while others have them sharper.

Three: I enjoy seeing characters go "I used to like [x], those feelings were real, but [I moved on]/[they don't like me back, so I had to move on] and now I've started to like someone else." I like to see that sense of progression. Especially if the canon has them all as teens, it's more realistic to have not all of them create their livelong commitments in the course of one year when they're 16! Some, sure, it's fun - but not all. Let them make mistakes, break up, move on, find someone else.

Four: It... honestly adds nuance and depth to the characters - both in a pairing - if they're shown moving on, and/or attracted to someone who either still has feelings for another person, or who's moved on. Give them a bit of time. A bit more maturity. As said above, not everyone finds true love at 16 or so. Having that happen is simple, it's cute, and it's kind of like a fairy tale - but there are other ways to have it work out without making it love at first sight.

But really. How do they feel about this? How does the first person feel about how long they've had someone feel that way about them? Is there a dance of "the last time we knew each other you were still tagging after [other person], are you available now?" or is it more "I want to attempt asking them out, but I'm too nervous in case it's not wanted" when at this point, it'd be welcomed?

Have Character A be there for Character B when they've realised they'll never be with C!

Maybe they even just see each other as "just friends" for the longest time, until someone goes "doesn't your idea of a perfect partner sound like [A]?" and it's the first time they've thought of that.

And in the case of both of them having previously been attracted to the same person (no matter how much or how little), there's the evergreen "oh fun, we can roast [C] together now!"

So like... so many of those ships aren't even bad. I just wish I could see them having gone through a progression from "where they're at in canon" to "where they're at crushing on someone other than their canonical crush/love interest" more, y'know? Even if it's just handwaved as having happened in the past!

[cafeinthemoon]

Thorns - Part II

Chapter 2/3

Wordcount 3,9k

Title Part II

Fandom Shuumatsu no Valkyrie / Record of Ragnarok

Pairing Hades x reader

Previous chapter

1

Symbols ⭕ . ➕ . 💛

Warnings: light angst; argument at the throne room

Tagging @mikkies (if you want to be tagged in any of my stories, just leave a comment on this chapter or send an ask or a message)

N. A.: So... I stated that this story will only have 2 chapters, but the text for the second part ended up too long and I had to divide it in two, and now we'll have 3 chapters (hope you don't mind).

So, a few thoughts about this story:

- The three generals that follow Hades were first intended to be the three Judges of Hell, but since I didn't make previous references to them, I thought it'd sound weird to introduce them like this now.

- When I had the idea for the poison ivy, I didn't really think of how reader would make it disappear, so Beelzebub's participation in this was a sort of a plan b (even when plan a didn't exist lol).

- When reader and Hades argue at the throne room, my first idea was that he would sound even more angry and just leave without a word for her, so she would have to solve everything by herself and appeal to the dangerous technique with the ivy, but I thought it wouldn't fit the dynamics I've been creating for them in my other story "Ruins", so I decided to write a "softer" argument.

- It's never specified how long Hades has been ruling over Hellheim, but we can suppose that it might have been for billion years if we consider what's said about his age on the SNV wiki: "He is very ancient, being older than the Big Bang, making him over 13.8 billion years old".

- I absolutely love the dynamics between Adamas and Beel in the manga's extra chapter! It's the type of humor I enjoy writing, simple and effective, since it's not the strongest trait of my writing :)

You refused to believe in your ears. Hades was telling you that he intended to go to the battlefield and stop the beasts all by himself?

– What…? You… – your hand loosened the grip upon his arm, the same in which hand he had the bident, but didn’t release it.

Hades ignored your shock and gave you a clear explanation:

– You know that the messenger came from our nearest detachment. If he was their last man, then the enemies are probably going to trespass the gates and reach the castle’s bridge soon. They will be at our doors before the night falls.

You immediately remembered what Adamas told you, how he went alone to Hellheim and fought the Titans without help, just to save his brothers and his people, and realized that now he intended to do the same.

However, I’m here with him this time. He doesn’t need to do this alone.

And you wanted to show that to him.

– Hades, if your intention is to go and face them by yourself…

Your husband put his hand upon yours on his arm and looked into your eyes, where he guessed what you were trying to say.

– Y/n, if you’re going to ask to go with me, then, please, don’t. You’re not going anywhere. You’re staying here to grant the castle’s safeness, and your own. This is why I asked Adamas to come and stay here despite his willing to fight – he glanced over you, probably to his brother – He will help you in anything you need.

You swallowed. You were already expecting this, but you weren’t finished yet.

– I’m not asking for permission – you approached him as you spoke – We all understand that the situation is worse than we first suspected and might become out of hand if we don’t do anything! The last member of our remaining detachment just died in my arms! How can I stay behind when I know you’ll be in the eye of the hurricane? I can’t…

Hades laid his free hand on the knob, irreducible.

– But you must. You've never been in the battlefield before, and that’s not the best way to start. I won’t forgive myself if anything happens to you.

Here, your patience was gone.

– And how do you think I’m going to feel if anything happens to you? Especially when you know you don’t have to do everything by yourself? – you gasped – Did you forget that I’m no longer human? I've been here for five hundred years now! Frailty doesn’t define me anymore! If someone will have to die in battle, it won’t be the Queen of the Dead!

Apparently, Hades’ patience had the same destiny as yours, because his posture – and the entire energy around him – changed. Leaning the bident on the fold of his arm and holding you by your shoulders, he made you forget everything and everyone in that room while you looked at him.

– And she won’t die in battle because the King of the Dead, who has been here for billion years longer than her, will keep her safe inside her home and in the company of the people he trusts – and, before you could think of any response, he pulled you closer and kissed your forehead – And, being the reliable wife she is, she won’t do anything to disappoint him.

Now, there was nothing you could do or say to change his mind. You took his hands off your shoulders and held them between you for a moment.

– Then she asks him to take at least a few strong, capable men with him, so her heart can be still.

There was a moment of silence from his part, where you just stared at each other, and you even thought he was going to turn his back on you and leave without a word, but he sighed, recovering his calmness, and agreed with your request.

– If this will soothe her anxiety, then, he can do it.

Moving his hands away from yours, the King of the Underworld looked ahead of you and called three of the present generals, the ones nearest Adamas. When the men approached, you took a step back as they knelt before their King, ready to obey.

– Grab your strongest weapons and save your energy for the primary battle. If we hurry, we will reach the enemy in one hour or two. Then, we will close the passage they’ve been using – Hades isntructed them.

The men immediately went to their own lodges to make the preparations. Only after they were gone, you noticed the stain of blood that your hand left on Hades’ white sleeve. You hid your hands behind your back.

He turned to you one last time, with a softer tone:

– We'll be right back.

You nodded, trying to control your shaking body.

– Yes, my Lord.

Nothing more was said between you two. Your husband opened the door and left. It closed slowly at his back and its noise echoed through the throne room, then disappeared.

You raised your head and returned to the company of your brother-in-law and the other officers, who were staring at you in expectation.

You were the first to speak.

– Our King expects me to grant the castle’s security while he’s away, and I will do anything to fulfill this task – you passed your eyes on each one’s face – But I cannot do this alone.

There was a murmur of agreement among the officers.

– We will give you all the necessary support, my Lady – said one of the men.

– You just need to tell us what we have to do, y/n-sama – a second one, beside him, corroborated.

– Thank you – you turned to your brother-in-law – Adamas-sama, I need your help too.

The god of Conquest, aware of things that went unnoticed by the others, didn’t take long to offer his own support.

– Of course, y/n-chan. What do you need?

You took a moment to consider your first measures.

– First, I need you to take the lead of the guards and the others who are directly involved in the security. All the doors, from the main to the smallest ones, need to be checked from time to time, and every suspicious movement must be informed to you.

You turned to the two men who just offered their help.

– The servants and the nursery staff must be prepared to receive the common folks who might come here seeking for shelter. I want you to communicate this to these two groups and give them instructions to take care of the newcomers. They must be led through the main door only. You must not use the secondary entries under any circumstance.

They nodded in compliance.

– Yes, my Lady.

You took a deep breath, then gave your last order.

– Finally, this instruction is for all of you – you glanced at Adamas – With no exception. Do not approach any of the windows, the balconies or the secondary entries, and do not let anyone do it. This will mean the difference between your life and your death. Now, go and send this message to everybody in the castle, then return to this room and stay under Adamas-sama’s command. I’m counting on you.

A wave of worried whispers spread among the presents, but no one dared question you. All the men left your presence, so that there was only you and Adamas now.

You asked him if you were forgetting anything. He had a growing smile on his face at first, as if enjoying how you were putting effort in playing your role as Queen in your first time facing a crisis, but your last words caught him by surprise as much as the others, making him frown.

– Not for now, but I’ll warn you if necessary – and, asking what everyone wanted to know, – But what is it that we can’t approach the castle’s open spaces? Can you tell me what you have in mind?

You stared at him for a moment.

– There’s a defense technique that I’ve been developing for years with the help of Beelzebub-sama. We happened to find a way to potentialize the effects of a poison ivy I created… using a fraction of Hades’ blood.

Adamas didn’t interrupt your explanation, but it was clear that he wasn’t expecting something of this sort.

– I was hoping I’d never have to use it because, despite reaching total efficacy, I couldn’t find a way to balance its energy consumption and because of the obvious danger – you lowered your voice – But in the current situation, I have no choice.

Adamas crossed his arms.

– So… you’re telling me that your technique will work for sure, but it will drain your energy? And it’s so strong that it might kill the people inside the castle if they get too close? – he sighed – Does my brother know about this?

You hesitated.

– Of course, he does. He witnessed most of the developing process. The technique will only reach its full strength precisely because of his collaboration… But I didn’t discuss the exhaustion part with him.

He clicked his tongue in impatience, probably wondering why you always had to plot such disastrous things.

– I see – he shrugged – Well, you do as you want, but at the first sign that something is wrong, call me immediately, uh?

– Of course, but, please, do the same. I’ll be in the castle’s highest tower if you need me.

You left the throne room without waiting for a reply.

***

The more you walked up the stairs, leaving the crowded rooms of the castle below you, the more you sensed you were entering a different world. The walls were colder, and the echo of your steps lasted longer inside them; the distance between the rooms was larger as well, and judging by how long you’ve been walking, you started to think it’d be impossible to call Adamas or anyone else if you needed help, so you prayed that nothing went wrong.

When you reached the entry of the highest tower at last, your hand trembled before you touched the knob.

I don’t even know if I’m doing the right thing... But what choice do I have?

You breathed deep and opened the door.

The room was almost empty, except for the high curtains that separated the room from the balcony and a modest furniture, including a large couch in the middle of it. You closed the door behind you and went to the candle holders in each corner to light them up. That room was rarely used, so that scent of dust and old things around was no surprise.

The last time I’ve been here was when I brought the final product with Hades and Beelzebub-sama. I didn’t even want to leave the curtains open.

You then walked to the curtains and opened them on each side, wrapping them up on the supports by their golden stripes. You unlocked the balcony’s sliding doors and looked at the reddish skies on the outside; you had the impression that they were darker, as if a storm was about to start. You swallowed and went back inside.

There was a small desk on a corner, upon which there was a vase full of flowers of various shapes and sizes – all of them attempts of spontaneous materialization of yours from your first years in Hellheim. It has been centuries since you were established as a goddess of nature and creation, and your private garden – a gift from your husband and where you created those flowers – has been transformed into a researching and experimenting center. From time to time, you would receive Beelzebub, an old acquaintance of Hades and an experienced scientist himself, for orientation, and what you came after in that room was among your first works together, which took countless decades to reach perfection and have been there for two hundred years now. Fortunately for you and for the rest of your people, you've grown in ability and power, and that experiment was a superior product in all senses.

You took a small key from your pocket and opened the first drawer, grabbing a crystal bottle from it. You held it at your eyes’ height, observing the precious content inside it: a fraction of Hades’ blood.

Pluto Ichor.

You would never use it if you had your way; you would leave the castle under Adamas’ administration and go with your husband to face the intruders instead. However, Hades decided for a different strategy, one where he would take all the risk to himself while the others would be safe. You hated this, but now it was too late to argue or to complain.

You took a second bottle from the same drawer and turned its content on your palm: some of the seeds you created under the instructions of Beelzebub, which would grow into an extremely toxic species of ivy that would take over the castle’s surroundings and keep the invaders at bay. The ivy, with which you communicate through energetic signature, would respond only to you, and through their thorns you’d track anything – and anyone – who approached the area.

In all the experiences you’ve made in your garden, you’ve managed to grow some specimen that would never reach more than a few meters, but that would never be enough to protect the entire building. That was the reason why you reached for your husband’s blood.

I know it’s going to work… The only problem is that I have no idea of how much.

You went to the balcony with the seeds in one hand and the bottle in the other. You opened it, poured some drops of the dark fluid over the seeds and threw them to the air. Seconds passed until the seeds reached the soil, where they drowned.

It was when you commanded them to germinate.

Immediately, a sequence of vibrations raised from underground, and monstrous, green plants grew out of it to all directions, surrounding the castle, the abyss under the bridge and the empty fields around, creating a forest of vines and thorns.

You were afraid that, because of the blood’s power, the technique would soon get out of control, and when you saw how fast the forest appeared, the possibility of having done a terrible mistake got you scared. Thankfully, it wasn’t the case: when you tried to redirect some of the plants around, they obeyed you, and you sighed in relief.

The task was harder than you anticipated. The size and weight of the plants, as well as their strength increased by the blood’s influence, demanded an abnormal amount of energy from you, and sensing the entire surroundings through their thorns was as disorienting as having a lamp turned on right at your face, but you did your best to get over the discomfort and manipulate the ivy to cover the necessary spots and to leave others free. You also moved them away from the bridge and the castle’s main entry to open the way to the people who might come for help.

Hades said that he and the generals could reach the enemies in a few hours, but it wasn’t hard to guess that they met the monsters before this: by the instabilities you noticed in the sky – and in the horizon, spreading through the air – you knew that the battle just began.

And you would be able to accompany everything from your spot.

Well... now I just have to hold on until they come back. For the people who are counting on us, for Adamas-sama... and for him. Hades, my dear... please, don’t do anything absurd and stay safe…

***

The battle and the subsequent events didn’t last long if you’d only count the chronological time, but it felt like eternity while you stood in that balcony, controlling the poisonous forest from there.

Just like you predicted, some common folks came to Hades’ door for help, and you freed the bridge’s passage for them. The main door was used to receive them as you instructed, and it was immediately closed after they entered.

The ivy that grew from the abyss was kept away from the passage, only returning to the surface when invaders were spotted, and the same happened with the plants that covered the tors that surrounded the building: with the invasion of Hellheim and the resulting battle for its defense, many evil creatures that wandered through those lands were expelled from their usual hideouts and ended up crawling toward the castle, but you were there to protect its inhabitants from them.

Meanwhile, you sensed the progress of the battle through the ivy that grew in the edges of the castle’s territory. Those foreign creatures were strong, and you could tell that only by the vibrations of their strikes spreading across the space and the soil, but they were no match for your husband and his men. The main problem was really the number of invaders: if they could reach the spot through which they were entering the Underworld and close the passage, everything could be solved, but they would take a while to pass through them.

If only Hades wasn’t so stubborn, he could have taken more people with him.

Your stomach burned when you thought of the man you loved facing all those monsters with little to no help. Despite what Adamas told you, your heart could never rest knowing what was happening out there. However, thinking too much about this now could interfere in your balance.

Arguing on this is useless now. What I have to do is to show faith in him while I do my part.

Some say that speaking is always easier, and you had proof of this in the next minutes, hours or any other possible unit of time during which you’ve maintained the control over the ivy. You were aware that, due to Pluto Ichor, it would take more energy to manipulate them, but you were worried about how fast they were consuming your strength.

Fortunately, everyone inside the building obeyed your instructions and didn’t approach the windows and exits while you worked: even if they didn’t understand how it worked, they at least realized the power contained in the ivy, and acted accordingly. That made things a bit easier for you, because you only had to worry about managing your powers.

You never saw how it ended, however.

There was a moment when you sensed the strength abandoning your legs, and you fell on your knees; that didn’t make you give up, for you still had the connection with the forest, but it wasn’t the same anymore. Little by little, your arms started trembling and you couldn’t keep them raised or move them in any way. Even sitting on the ground was difficult, and the air burned your lungs with every breath.

You looked ahead and knew that the battle wasn’t as fierce as before, but it hasn’t come to its end yet.

I can’t stop now. I need to finish this...

You made one last effort to keep the bridge free from the ivy and prayed for the poison to keep the monsters away. You had the sensation of someone entering the room and approaching you from behind, but your sight darkened before you looked at them.

***

You opened your eyes and found yourself lying on the couch of the tower’s room.

The candles were still burning, or so thought, judging by the light you sensed around you, and thanks to it you saw Adamas standing a few meters from your spot, his back turned on the balcony and the twilight out there, staring at you with a frown. You inclined your head forward and saw a young man in black clothing, sitting on the couch’s edge, holding a tiny bottle that he was about to open. You recognized him immediately.

– Beelzebub-sama!... – you tried to stand up, but your body didn’t respond to you.

– Easy, y/n-san – the Lord of the Flies replied with a soft smile, without taking his eyes from the bottle – You’re not in the best conditions after everything you’ve done out there.

You sighed and stood still.

It wasn’t a surprise to you that he managed to cross your forest and enter the castle without difficulties: if there was someone who couldn’t be killed in any circumstance, it was Beelzebub, and being involved in the creating process of your technique, avoiding its effects was the easiest thing for him. Besides, once he appeared before the main door, no one would dare deny his entry or ask what he was doing there.

However, he saw no problem in explaining his arrival to you.

– I was passing by and found Hades-san and his men fighting against some invaders. Of course, I stopped to help them, even though it wasn’t necessary because the King of Hellheim had already solved most of the problem when I arrived. So, he sent me here to see how you were doing – his smile widened – And, as expected, you were giving him reasons to be worried.

Adamas, who has been quiet all this time, laughed. You asked him how the people in the castle were doing now.

– Better than you, y/n-chan – it was the reply – Everyone in the castle is tense because of the forest, of course, but their compliance was total. No accidents concerning the poison.

Your sighed in relief. So, everything was alright. That was all you needed to hear.

You turned to Beelzebub.

– Thank you for coming, and I’m sorry for not being able to give you a better reception – you mumbled – What is it in this bottle?

– A medicine for you to regain your strength – he offered it to you – Judging by your current state, you will need hours to recover. Please, take this and stay where you are.

You thanked him for the medicine and emptied the bottle’s content.

– How long I’ve been sleeping? – you asked while giving the bottle back to him.

– Half an hour, I’d say – he replied – We’ve been here since then.

You passed your hand over your forehead, but said nothing in response. Adamas, with all his rationality, soon led the conversation to the practical matters.

– Everything is all well, but the forest will have to disappear now that our safeness is granted – he approached the couch – How will you do it now?

You swallowed.

– I...

Before you could think of something, Beelzebub intervened:

– I’ll take care of this. I know how to do it.

You stared at him in silent gratitude, and for a moment none of you spoke...

Until a sudden change in the energy at the castle’s entry was detected by the thorns, making you stand up and look around in anxiety.

– Ah! Oh, my…!

– What is it?! – the two gods asked at the same time.

– Guys, they're back! – you yelled, sitting on the couch – Hades is back! I need to go!

Beelzebub tried to reason with you, stating that you couldn’t make any effort right now, but you didn’t hear anything. You just stood up and left the room, rushing across the stairs.

You never knew about the conversation that followed between the two men you just left behind, but if you did, it’d make you giggle in embarrassment.

– So – Adamas stood by the side of a wide-eyed, speechless Beelzebub on the couch, with a raised eyebrow – Hours until she recovers, you say?

The Lord of the Flies sighed, smiling as he put his hand on his forehead.

– Eh, these young gods are always surprising us. Especially when they’re former humans.

[shittyelfwriter]

ALRIGHTY here we are at weeks three and four for the santa clauses series! I did not rewatch a second time because genuinely, these melted my brain. anyway, lets get into it below the cut!

So apparently according to the tsc tag, episode 3 that I missed last week is a sort of filler episode? OH BROTHER REALLY

Normally I would not complain bc I miss old format, 20-23 episode series but because I know this Isn't That? DREAD. how are you going to plot well and good in 7-8eps if some are filler? that is just SO condensed, my guy

Counterpoint to people who were sad about it but: I thought the teen romance was annoying and I'm GLAD they ended it even JUST for a bit (it will come back to haunt again, trust. It’s a disney series ffs.) Whoever is writing this needs to ask a teen about how they talk nowadays. This is not it.

I also think we're driving the whole "Buddy is terrible at everything" punchline WAY past its breaking point. Which I would argue was last season entirely, but. At the very latest, last episode with how heavy on cringe it was. Yes, EVEN for kids/teens.

Again, they are not antagonizing Magnus Antas enough for me to hate him. waaaaay too funny to be a villain. I can't take him seriously and DON'T want to

The way that Noel keeps sideyeing the Betty cutout as if to say "do you see this shit?" during his brunch with the Clauses SENT me tbh. That's bernelle coded and I love it

I do not know why Disney gets OFF on the Clauses being absolutely inept parents but I wish they would stop

SHOUTOUT JUDY OMG JUDY'S ACTRESS THAT’S JUDY JUDY IS HERE YOU GUYS (SCREAMINGGGG)

LOVING the exterior shots of the workshop and Elfsburg. As someone who has POURED over all available screenshots from the movies of those I am LIVING for new angles (even though I do NOT think bernelle would live that close to the Workshop, but it doesn't seem like Betty and Noel can POOF like Bman and Elle can (and do))

I don't know why there are TWO instances of a "misspoken turn of phrase" in this episode but neither were funny and TWO OF THEM was REALLY bad

CHUBBY BUNNY DID NOT EXIST THAT LONG AGO. NOT IN MAGNUS ANTAS' TIME. THAT WAS AN INTERNET FAD LESS THAN TEN YEARS AGO. WHAT ARE WE DOING DUDE. WHAT ARE THESE WRITERS ON (it's not good, I don't want some)

Crossing guard callback? For what? (okay, shrug I GUESS dot meme)

Why does this specific franchise always have to make EB SO WEIRD. WHY. Nothing about this is funny it's just off-putting. Just like the previous EB flirting with Carol's MARRIED MOM in tsc3

This Carol and La Befana scene was actually very good. LOVE it when they actually just let the characters be HONEST with each other. Women supporting women core. Even if Carol's reason for being mad at her was really shallow and obviously stems form Carol's lack of identity as Mrs. Claus because they just cannot wrap that plot point from last season up.

THE LETTERS DEPARTMENT. It looks dope but HATE the explanation for it. Half assed as hell. WARNING! Rant incoming: like from what I know a LOT of postal services have little lore stories about how they get the letters to Santa. WHY COULDNT WE JUST SAY THERE ARE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN SANTA AND OTHER ADULT PEOPLE WHO KEEP THE SPIRIT ALIVE FOR OTHERS AS WELL? Why is this series so obsessed with making everything only powered by magic and never by others (yes, humans) who want to keep the spirit alive as well? It feels like magic is being used as an "explain it all away" crutch narratively. Even in season 1, the "solution" to mass consumerism wasn't for people to be kind to each other and do little things to keep the magical parts of Christmas alive, it was to show the world that magic was real. Season 2 so far, the answer to everything is also just magic. I'm hoping that maybe the B plot with Kris will touch on this. Because as it stands right now, it feels like the writers are talking out of both sides of their mouth. Commercial Christmas is bad, but Kris is a loser for having a Santa theme park. Like?? Homogenization of Christmas is the Big Bad at large, but also up at the Pole they are trying to find ways to do the same thing to be "current". CHRISTMAS IS MULTIFACTED. It is both secular and religious! That is OKAY, I don't even think "woke" people are arguing about that. Sheesh.

Can't believe I'm micro rambling IN my ramble post. New achievement unlocked omg

The way Magnus Antas picks up on modern slang so quickly practically puts Scott to shame. Good for him

AGAIN, the misturn of phrase jokes. DEAD. Not funny. STOP

If they are going to make Sandra so op that she can just Wanda Maximoff chaos magic "I just say something when I'm mad and it happens, anything I want with no negative impact on me" I will not find that swag. That is in fact Mary Sue territory, lads

Sandra's little outburst @ La Befana was giving magical nepo baby for a moment there. Oof. "Too bad I'm just naturally more skilled than you even though I'm new and you've been a witch forever" girl SHUT. UP. You are like a little baby. Also that is so mad disrespectful like no WONDER La Befana is wanting you to slow tf down. You fly off the handle WAY to easily and we ALL know you lose control when you do! Okay loose cannon! Werk!

Riley. Girl. "we never see each other" you were just up at the Pole?? Like. OFTEN?? This is so stupid of a breakup but they are teenagers so go off kids, be dysfunctional or what have you. Rah rah, as Jack would say

Episode four now, lord help us. God has cursed me for my (loving this one Christmas movie series) hubris and my work (watching it's hellish series spin off) is never finished

"Reversing a transformation is never a guarantee" what is this La Befana? the Sims? Sounds like transformation ray odds. Magic is not THAT unpredictable, even by in-universe logic

CURTIS-ITIS!??? CURTIS FUCKING EXPLODED??

ARE YOU SO FUCKING FR RN. SO BERNARD IS MARRIED TO A SENIOR CITIZEN AND CURTIS. FUCKIN VAPORIZED?? FROM STRESS? WHAT'S NEXT? Lemme guess, Judy joined the circus. Quintin is a crypto investor or works for Tesla. WHAT ARE WE D O I N G

Not Scott moving the scissors like he's afraid Buddy will shank him or others?? SIR

SANDMAN AHHHHHHHHHH HELLO SIR /POS :D

So they just con him? As though that's a long term solutio-- OH MY GOD NOT SCOTT USING SANDMAN'S SAND ON SANDMAN HIMSELF?? that's ILLEGALE?? According to tsc3 lore: "We legendaries can't use magic on each other?" I am so bewildered by the level of retcon occurring before my very eyes at BREAKNECK speed

Sandra doesn't need magic she needs THERAPY for her ANGER ISSUES bruh. Damn. She doesn't need a rage room (in someone's house too I might add? okayyyy) she needs to learn to process like a normal human being wtf

Scott being able to look like his normal self whenever he wants and they just didn't tell him? For like. 25 years? Like its clear that by the series standards, the elves think he's a total moron. But it pendulums hard and fast between "haha funny joke" and "damn they really think he ain't shit, huh"

Edie being a fashion diva is such a serve she's grown on me this season ngl

"I had to teach him how to do all the Legendaries jobs" Scott I know you're waffling, absolutely FUMBLING but what the FUCKKKKK is that excuse??? What's Cal going to do? Be EVERY Legendary? TERRIBLE AWFUL HATE IT UNINSPIRED. Not to mention, SOME OF THE OTHER LEGENDARIES MIGHT NOT TAKE THAT NEWS WELL. Some might even feel THREATENED

"The man I die for in my sleep every night" UM? Noel? You okay there bud? Holy heck

THE PURPLE JACKET IS SWAG AND SCOTT IS A HATER. HE CANNOT SEE THE VISION

Do you guys think according to this new lore Edie made Jack's suit? because me thinks PERHAPS

Magnus Antas is kind of popping off, damn. Like I think if the gnomes hadn’t given him MAJOR delusions of grandeur and an ego trip, he could have stayed totally a vibe. But stop giving the Santas snow powers and reconning Jack holy SHIT dude. First Scott now him? HATE IT

The way they made Scott and Cal look when "invisible" is Not a Good Look heck. Its like a bad picsart filter

These Scott visions. I get why, its through the Santa magic, right? But dang its corny

So Scott knows Magnus Antas is back now. Okay. They got away from him. Lost visual on Olga, have a bad feeling she somehow sneaked into the sleigh. Weird cliffhanger but EVERY episode has been like that so far

Final thoughts: I feel like they're definitely trying to make this season take itself less seriously, but I feel like the trade off is that the writers are taking too many liberties for diversions from source material and are therefore, losing the plot entirely and retconning movie lore at will and convenience. Tl;dr, it's messy. Concepts are fun until things just become so irreverent they fall apart or lean into entirely unfunny territory. Which is just a hallmark of T*m All*n brand humor, tee em, but you know.

It feels like this series is doing everything and nothing. It wants woke points, but immediately doubles back and makes fun of those same things. It wants us to feel empathy for these characters, and immediately makes them insufferable. I am so confused as to what the takeaway is supposed to be. It all feels so poorly executed--the series retcons itself constantly, not to mention the movies. I want it to be fun, and to take it at surface value, but if you know literally anything about the movies, that becomes a challenge to do. I'm just so confused dude.

I will be shocked if this gets a third season. Truly.

Also, I miss Betty too, Noel. Wish this whole season was about HER shenanigans, instead.

So. See you all next week then?

[zanyana626]

Alright, so here's my thoughts on the new Helluva Boss episode! 😈🤠❄️

Everything’s tagged as #hb spoilers for those who haven't seen it yet!

Stolas & Stella confronting each other be like:

Ice King Andrealphus being the third fucking wheel, questioning why he even showed up, but staying for the literal tea

Stolas & Stella obviously hated each other from the get go, so yeah, he didn't betray no one (except maybe his daughter's trust)

COWBOY DADDY STRIKER STRIKES BACK!!! Still sad that Norman Reedus didn't return to voice him, but I kinda already had a feeling that he wouldn't return cuz 1) We didn't get to hear Striker in the S2 Trailer & I think it was confirmed that most of the cast had finished recording their lines for this season over a year ago and 2) It's understandable bc he's a busy man in the acting industry!

And besides, Ed's an awesome VA (especially with all the characters he's voiced so far in the Hellaverse), so I didn't really mind the recast!

"Um... sexy?" Yep, Stolas & the I.M.P crew know what's up! 😉

Wonder what other kinds of Blessed items/weapons exist! I want more lore content!!!

Not bad for an M&M themed episode!

Mixed thoughts on the Blitzø & Loona B-plot of the episode! The Sloth Ring making these two wait 5 years for a rabies shot appointment & the dumbass staff not getting "Bingo & Tuna's" names right was funny tho!

Also, fuck off Fish Karen! It's Hell, no one gives a shit and yet, you're fine with your illegitimate son insulting Blitzø to his face!

"How does one get their own theme song?" Striker unwillingly getting his own theme song was gold! It gave me "Gaston's Song" vibes and I love it!!! 👏🏼

Moxxie finally fighting his own battles (even if it's for something as simple as a hat), good for him!

So there are tinier Imps in Hell, now? Again, lore content pls!!!!

Striker's little bat-cave: "I'm just impressed you seem to want to suck your own dick so badly", 'nuff said! 🤣

The parallels of Stolas "messing around" with Striker while being held hostage, to the time Blitzø & Moxxie fucked with the government agents in "Truth Seekers" was good too! 👌🏼

Hope we get to see a Striker backstory cuz he reeeeally has some sort of grudge towards the Goetia family or any of the higher ranked demons! Wonder if Paimon had anything to do with that?

"Prepare for trouble & make it double!" Stella & Andrealphus's dynamic was funny, but slightly creepy (mostly on Andre's side towards his sister)

LEAVE MAH CHILD VIA OUTTA THIS!!!! Like she hasn't had enough shit to deal with already!

M&M HUNGRY FOR A LI'L PAYBACK!!!!

They said, no Country music for a battle theme, only Pop music!

The fight scene mixed with Loona fighting back at her shot appointment was funny!

Angel Dust vs. Sir Pentious callback?? Moxxie's definitely been taking notes from the spider boi!

We still haven't seen the last of Cowboy Daddy Striker!

Poor Loony, getting a "cone of shame". At least she got a lollipop for being a "good patient"? 🤷🏻‍♀️

HOW TF DID THE MEDIA FIND OUT ABOUT STOLAS GETTING ATTACKED & NEARLY KILLED???

"...He can get hurt?" Yes, Blitzø! He may be a royal demon w/phenomenal cosmic powers, but he's just as fragile and hurting on the inside, just like me & you bud (and holy weapons don't help with that fact either)!

Had to pause to look at the Stolitz texts: so they have brought up the Ozzie's incident, but apparently haven't ACTUALLY talked about it face-to-face! At least Stolas is trying to work something out & give Blitzø some space!

BLITZØ, YOU BETTER GO VISIT YOUR MAN IN THE HOSPITAL, OR SO HELP ME…!!!!!

One thing that bugged me the most is Loona not getting any lines in this episode, yet Erica still got credited?

The last episode was understandable bc Loona appeared for a few seconds in the beggining & end. But they could've at least given Loona a few lines this time around, especially given the fact that she was freaking out & didn't wanna get the shot!

Overall not exactly the best episode, but it was still alright (I just mostly missed my cowboy daddy, ok?) Hopefully, the next episode does better!!!

[stereax]

9 People You'd Like to Know Better!

@dougiejack thank you for the tag!!!

Last song: Ave Cesaria, Stromae. Stromae is probably the only French-singing (he's Belgian) artist I listen to on at least a semi-regular basis. I really need to listen to his new album. And also finally check out more than like two songs from AnnenMayKantereit. They're a German rock-type band that I really only know from the national test that my German school had us take every year. They recycled questions a lot; the AMK video was used at least three years in a row with the same questions being asked from it LMAO. It did give me the song Oft Gefragt, though. Absolute banger. I need to listen to that album (Allex Nix Konkretes). And the new ones too.

Currently watching: My long-term attention span is AWFUL. I can't watch through an entire television series anymore. Most of what the family currently watches on YouTube are Good Mythical Morning (my dad found out Rhett and Link exist like a month ago and now it's everyone's problem), some Canada's Worst Driver (though we only got halfway through Season 12, then moved to Season 14 and only got halfway through that too), and my new favorite The Proper People (urbex!!! Really love urbex, may or may not be lightly planning out an urbex AU rn hahaha). Oh, and Food Wars from Insider Eats. Always a classic. (And Dan's Kitchen Gadgets from Epicurious! Awesome series!)

Currently reading: I'm trying to read The Invisible Hook by Peter Leeson as research for the @devils-pirate-crew sideblog/fanfic/askblog thing I've started! Yes, I'm gonna mention it incessantly because I need external motivation to work on it and also if you haven't seen it yet go check it out please!!! But also, on a more serious note, the book combines economics - a longstanding interest of mine - with piracy, so I'm super excited to see how the argument for the economic foundation of piracy is developed. That makes me sound like an old man. I'm not that old, I promise. I just sound old.

Current obsession: I mean, hockey? It's really getting up there right now in terms of how I'm slowly getting sucked further and further into hockey fandom and spending a ton of time on it. Besides that, uh... I'm working on re-sorting my quarter collection? (This does not help me beat the "secretly an old man" rumors, does it?)

+9: @barclaygoodrow @captain-hischier @forsakenpotato @hischieri @kmercer @lemondropbois @nicojackl0v3r @thg02 @zaynsbehen :D (you don't have to do this at all if you already have or don't want to but, y'know, if you want?)

if I didn't tag you it's probably because either a) I know you've been tagged already or b) you intimidate me too much haha 💜

[sansxfuckyou]

Like you've just forgotten / Edens fruit is rotten

Summary: You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become a villain, its just, he never expected any of his family to live long enough for a villain arc.

Warnings: Betrayal, brain washing, check tags for further warnings.

Authors Notes: For some reason all I can write for these four fuckers is poetic angst and honestly, I have no clue how to feel about that right now, title taken from Nimbasa Core by Plasterbrain, once again, I take reblogs as a form of currency over likes

Everything they do for each other, they do it out of love.

They need each other to work, to survive, to live and manage down below the surfaces edge.

As you can't separate a lion from her cubs, you can't separate a mutant from his kin.

Well, that's a lie.

You can separate a mutant from his few and far in between kin, but do you really want to find out what happens when you do? Do you really, desperately want to know what will happen when you take a pillar from a foundation holding up a city? Do you really need to learn what happens when a leader is torn from his team and his family and his drive to keep on going?

He breaks.

He breaks before the city does.

Shattering in the hand that leads and destroys him, crumbling under the gaze that he despises and that he follows.

Then his family comes to find him, comes to save him and follow him and help him and bring him back. But they can't as the life around them shrivels up and turns to black, turning to darkness, truest hues and pigmentation disappearing.

When the royal blue that leads mutants to victory turns to the black of ancient calligraphy and squids of the deepest depths everyone knows things have changed. When the brightest, bloodiest red a mutant has ever seen fades out into black of inked parchments and ravens feathers fluttering down from trees above everyone knows bade things are happening. When the happiest orange, the most amazing orange becomes a black like sky above on a starless night and like the pits of the ocean below. And finally, against all odds, royal purple turns into an over-saturated hue and is drenched in a black like a broken loading screen, there is nothing left.

The foundations have begun to decay, their pillars of existence collapsing out from under them.

They fall further and further from the tree of the Hamato clan with every single passing day under the Foot clans protection, under the Foot clans lies and training and mind wiping. Every night they fall asleep and they know their name, they say good night to each other, repeating their names and curling under their blue, red, orange and purple bed sheets. Every morning they wake up, repeat their names and head out to eat, then they train until they're sent on a mission together, no one has separated them yet.

Months pass and the city starts to crumble with two humans and a rat as the last line of defense, turtles and Hamatos are yet to cross paths again, the Foot clan makes sure of that. By then, they've already forgotten their names, whose Michelangelo, whose Leonardo, whose Raphael, whose Donatello, they all respond when a name is called, unsure of who it belongs to. The remedy to that aching problem is codes, B-03, O-12, R-87, D-20, they all respond to their title when its called and they don't question orders, and they do what they're told when they're are told.

They don't even know what they once were or what they're becoming.

[heartofspells]

“Two hours and one dead Death Eater later” lives in my mind rent-free. It’s weirdly funny, just because it’s like it’s an every day thing to Regulus, he avenged his brother and now he’s got to go yell at his brother’s friends to learn why nobody was watching Sirius’s back, that’s the most important thing on his to-do list right then; he went “kill Sirius’s killer, and speak to Sirius’s friends to figure out why they didn’t protect him.” He says it so casually too, Regulus killing Macnair was a foregone conclusion the second Macnair killed Sirius, there is no world in which Sirius’s killer would continue to draw breath if Regulus was still alive so he just went “nobody touches a Black and lives,” he never even considers that Macnair could kill him if he managed to take Sirius down because Regulus knows a) Macnair never could’ve done so if Sirius’s back wasn’t to him and b) Regulus has surprise on his side. Regulus truly went “You killed my brother? Death is your only option now”

I'm glad you brought this up, because this also lives in my head rent-free, and also because I think there are people here who have stumbled into this mess that don't know where all this #brothers in murder, #family in murder, #coercion in 28, #never left black stuff originated, and it's solely with this line.

Say what you want about Regulus and Sirius and whatever sort of relationship you think they had, but in my mind, there is no universe where these two did not care about one another and ever stopped. The tags and asks have become a little ridiculous, and I'm living for it, but they're jokes that have grown out of a deeper thing.

Sirius and Regulus were brothers. Even with their family and cousins running around, extensive pureblooded children constantly shoved upon them, they were all one another had for years if you dive deep enough. Sibling bonds are strong things, regardless of whatever else exists and surrounds them. They're difficult to break, and so is that love, and I think the one thing that kept Sirius at home with his family for as long as he lasted was Regulus, no matter how strained their relationship might have been by that point.

So, yes. Regulus not even hesitating, having not one second of question or decision over killing someone who took his brother's life seems like a legitimate thing, and I will stand by that headcanon forever. I'm also incredibly happy that someone else agrees with me.

(also him interrogating and yelling at Sirius' friends and chosen family, because he left Regulus for them. the least they could have done was keep him safe and protected, but they failed, and he's going to find out why and make them feel that guilt 1000 fold however he can)

[laurelwinchester]

I hope Beau won't be just a love interest or back up for Jenny and Cassie. I see people not wanting him to be another evil dude and I get it because he's been really cute, but I'm hoping for something spicier than simply a goodie two shoes.

i think this is a very common hope among jensen stans and definitely a valid one. but i'll be honest and admit that i have an unpopular opinion when it comes to beau and that is: i kinda think it would be hilarious if he was just a love interest.

i would absolutely not be turning up my nose at the concept of two badass ladies solving mysteries with their emotional support sexy golden retriever tagging along to make sure they're hydrated and given the proper amount of pep talks and flirty gazes. i genuinely think that would be incredibly entertaining to watch.

i mean let's face it. i can think of a very, very, very long list of women who were brought onto shows to be nothing more than love interests who exist solely to comfort and support the angsty male lead. why not give dudes the same treatment?

however…

i don't think this is going to happen.

because a) i don't think any show out there right now is going to stunt cast jensen ackles to be nothing more than a one off love interest and i especially don't think big sky is going to do that.

and b) if the plot info that came out in that article last week is accurate it seems like beau is going to be integral to the season's ''formidable'' mystery and it seems like both Emotional Support Himbo and Spicy Shady New Guy are out and Worried/Protective/Potentially Very Desperate Dad might be in. which i am really excited about. like, i cannot tell you how ready i am for this. there's a lot of ways that can play out and i think we are most likely in for some really stellar performances.

[kinghamilton]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favourite five fics that you've written, then pass it to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💖 p.s. sorry if you've already done this, pls link me if you have!

That's so sweet of you to think of me 🥺💜💙

This isn't easy because a) memory is bad so I don't remember most of what are in my fics >.< b) I can't rank anything because I'm a mood writer and I associate moods to fics more than anything and c) I'm like you and once a fic is published I kinda want to forget it exists for a moment because I feel very self-conscious that a part of my brain is out there under a microscope for others to look at.

Since I can't rank, I will split in pairings:

Moments in time - Valewis

I remember writing that very first ficlet. I remember the absolute joy I felt seeing the words flow out of me again after five years of absolute writer's block. I remember sending it to the OG tumblr roscoe chat and being scared AF of what the besties would say. I pondered and pondered and encouraged by their words and by the proud feeling in my chest to feel ~ satisfied ~ again by something I'd written... I published it. And people were so nice and receptive and I felt more and more inspired day after day, week after week. I will never forget that evening where I wrote the very first ficlet of this collection. It means the world to me as a writer. That feeling? When you feel it again after years of chasing it? Intoxicating.

I love you, I'm sorry - Valewis

Very dear to my heart. It was born out of a 'what if' scenario inbetween two discussions in a private chat. Discussing Valtteri and his life and what he went through and his divorce... The divorce. 'What if' not Tiffany so soon after, but Lewis before. And then it unfolded from there. Some parts were harder to write, others came in so easy. These two, Lewis and Valtteri, they made me love writing again and dissecting their dynamics and reactions and emotions.... I could never thank the F1 fandom enough for putting me in the head space for this magic to happen. That fic is not always about right and pretty, but it felt real to me and I love it for that. And also to the ones who left comments chapter after chapter... Making me feel how they felt reading... That is priceless.

The gift of you - Sebchal

That was a squick prompt. I read it and I had these flashes. Bits and pieces and finally a reason to dive into Sebchal for real. Even if the whole story was very clear to me, it's not my usual range - I'd never written cnc, never knifeplay, or almost any other tags I put there actually - so the fic was a challenge. But I like how it came out. I like how Charles feels and goes through this whole experience. I love the dynamic and the trust and having to focus on senses and emotions so much to build the story. And getting to write about earnest trust. I loved writing about them and I want to write more Sebchal.

Sweeter than Heaven, Hotter than Hell - Stucky/Evanstan

Listen, in terms of writing, if I had to pick which fic I thought was the best written of all the ones I published, I think I'd go with this one. I remember that 80% of that fic was written in my old bathtub. It's a massive fic if you look at the word count but I think I had everything written in a week or two. That's how inspired I was. That's how much I wanted to parallel the relationship with these two pairings, that's how passionate I was about putting those four inside a same situation. It's porn with feelings with a second layer of more porn and feelings. If I had to keep only one fic to remain on my Ao3... This would probably be the last one standing.

I was broken before I met you - Evanstan

This was majorly out of character but at the time I didn't care. I still don't. I couldn't care less that they're not who they should be because that fic was cathartic to me. Readers have told me how much they've cried, how much the self loathing touched them, how all the anxiety crisis felt too real... And that's the best compliment I could get. That I managed to make it so raw and real. Because hating yourself and dealing with chronic panic and anxiety attacks isn't pretty, and making mistakes, hurting people and pushing people away, it's not pretty either. I wrote that fic at a moment I really, deeply needed to put out there everything that was eating me from the inside. For this reason, this fic means a lot to me.

[hopeintheashes]

Oversharing on the Internet

Tagged By: @mellaithwen! <3

ONE: Are you named after anyone?

Nope! My parents just liked the name. I was almost named after my dad's grandmother, though. (For clarity, my actual name isn't Hope, that's just for internet anonymity purposes. :-))

TWO: When was the last time you cried?

I just watched a sad documentary, so in that sense, less than an hour ago. Over something in my own life? My last therapy session. (Most therapy sessions. In a useful/productive way.)

THREE: Do you have kids?

Not yet! That's the plan, though.

FOUR: Do you use sarcasm a lot?

An average amount, I think?

FIVE: What sports have you played/do you play?

I danced all the way through school (lyrical/tap/ballet/etc.). I did one season each of soccer when I was 8 and basketball when I was in 7th grade. Really wasn't my thing. Now, I do non-competitive things like hiking and kayaking.

SIX: What's the first thing you notice about people?

Their expression/attitude - it's always a quick calculation of, Is this an interaction where I'm going to be safe? Comfortable and relaxed? On the defense? In work mode? Things like that.

SEVEN: What's your eye color?

Brown. (Which apparently is a rare combo with red hair! Yay.)

EIGHT: Scary movies or happy endings?

Happy endings all the way.

NINE: Any special talents?

Sight-reading piano music. This talent was honed via many years of not practicing and just showing up to lessons/to play for church and sight-reading the music on the spot, lol. It's a useful skill!

TEN: Where were you born?

About an hour from where I grew up. (I was adopted, for context.)

ELEVEN: What are your hobbies?

Music, reading (hey, I love it even if I don't do it as often as I used to!), writing (fanfic, of course), doing Vermonty outdoorsy things at a casual level, crochet/knitting/embroidery...

TWELVE: Do you have any pets?

No, not since I had fish as a kid. I'm not opposed to having pets in the future, but probably it will take a) a partner who really wants a pet and/or b) having kids, so that my life is already tied-down and complicated, haha.

THIRTEEN: How tall are you?

5'6"

FOURTEEN: Favorite subject in school?

Anything music-related, for sure, followed by anything that felt like I got to unlock a puzzle/discover something new - so really any class (English, science, math, social studies) that was taught in an interesting way. Or occasionally where we taught ourselves, in the semesters where we had teachers who didn't actually know the subject matter. Yes, this happened on a semi-routine basis. Our (rural, moderately-resourced) school was... okay. Adequate. It had some bright spots! We'll go with that.

FIFTEEN: Dream job

The one I have now! (The profession/career, I mean, although my first year at my current job has been a positive experience as well.)

I'm still in semi-hermit mode so I'm not going to tag anyone, but this is me waving at the world: Hi! I still exist! Okay, I'm disappearing again. :-)