#october elora

[filopay]

Prompt from:@oc-tober2023

[ I am not following the same order ]

[ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ]

~ Mask

"Can I count on you, Herald?"

"Always." Elora nods, dipping her head lower in respect.

She thought to hear her goddess smile.

Iesis or Uwila | the goddess of wisdom, knowledge and healing | Animal: The Owl | Symbol: Open Eye

Sometimes she appears as a fair maiden, with long white hair and owl wings on her back. On her forehead a giant eye. Othertimes she is dark skinned, wrapped entirely in scrolls scribbled texts on body and paper. Owl wings and one giant eye for a face. Its usually her I- can't- be- bothered- to- dress- up look. She changes her look fairly often, based on whatever new powerful knowledge she consumes. The eye and the owl wings the only prominent feature that stay. Thus they became what people associate with her.

[cloveroctobers]

OCTOBER PROMPTS 🎃 — 2. Willie Jack

A/N: okay y’all lured me in to write anotha one about our girl! Can’t believe the show is over, idk why I expected at least 4-6 seasons smh. Show will be missed and I’m open to seeing where the cast further take their careers fr. I’m not speaking on that supposed relationship between two certain characters because it wasn’t really executed to me while watching? We all know if there was going to be a relationship between the teens who it really should have focused on. So whatever they hinted at this time doesn’t actually exist and it’s not canon to me! Anyways, would definitely recommend a rewatch for myself lol.

WARNINGS: language + awkwardness when it comes to crushes?

PROMPTS are from here + I’m using: blackberry picking, “do you want some hot chocolate?” and “I don’t like scary movies.” “I’ll keep you safe.”

🕸️𖤐༘⋆/ᐠ - ˕ -マ༘⋆𖤐🕸️ 🕸️𖤐༘⋆/ᐠ - ˕ -マ༘⋆𖤐🕸️ 🕸️𖤐༘⋆/

Willie Jack is still in disbelief that she’s back.

Well…not really back she thought. Mika was simply visiting temporarily from Nebraska—of all fucken places!!! which she moved to with her house full of family a few years back. She didn’t get the chance to visit much (at least Elora did being a whole college student and shit) but it seemed like she kept up with mostly everybody else, except for Willie Jack who was still being closed off with Mika’s departure.

“What’s up with you? Why aren’t you over there chopping it up with Mika? You know she’s outta here on Sunday right?” Bear says from beside Willie Jack, who quickly turns her attention back to her friend on the field.

Willie Jack shrugs, “don’t be in my business bro.”

“Yeah Cheese is right, you’re vibe is giving preternaturalness.”

Immediately Willie Jack jerks her head back with a frown, “fuck did you just call me?”

“I don’t know but i know it fits.” Bear grins at Willie Jack, slapping his hands down on her shoulders before leaving her at the plants to join the rest.

Yes it was unusual for Willie Jack to ever distance herself from her friends. She was a social butterfly amongst her friends majority of the time but having Mika back after all this time made her feel off and that’s something she hardly allows herself to feel.

“Sup,” another familiar voice catches Willie Jack off guard from behind the shrubs, her fists going up ready to defend herself but she realizes it’s just Elora staring at her strangely.

Elora lifts her chin, “what’s up with you?”

“I really wish everyone would stop saying that shit to me. I’m cool, having a grand time with my buddy, bart the blackberry tree.” Willie Jack is waving her hands at the dark fruit.

Elora stares hard at her friend before flicking her eyes off to the group where Mika has her head thrown back in laughter at something Jackie says.

Which also doesn’t sit right with Willie Jack.

“Jackie ain’t funny, so fuck is she laughing at?” Willie Jack mutters making Elora slowly nod her head and cross her arms as she gets closer to the girl.

Elora states, “Mika’s still that giggly person we’ve always known and love. That hasn’t changed.”

“Yo, You’re supposed to be on my side here.”

“Why does there need to be sides when it comes to Mika, she’s our homie no?”

Willie Jack rolls her eyes and says nothing more at that. She did consider Mika a friend once upon a time and it’s not like she didn’t consider her as such but things did change the night that she left. And Willie Jack never told anyone about it and still wasn’t sure how she felt.

“I guess but like…it’s different now.”

“But why?” Elora pressed, “to me it seems like you’re the one making it an issue when it didn’t seem like she had a problem since she hugged you when we met up earlier.”

Willie Jack messes with her beaded earrings now, briefly thinking about that encounter hours ago. Mika was all deep dimple smiles and although Willie Jack was the last person she hugged, Mika still acknowledged her like they haven’t stopped talking.

“If I tell you, you got to promise me you won’t make it a big deal.”

Elora nods, “okay…go on.”

Willie jack looks around to make sure everyone is still out of ear shot, she scratches at the back of her neck in nervousness. She’s been holding onto this for so long now and she knows there’ll be some relief telling somebody about what went down.

“Alright so I’m just gonna come right out with it,” Willie Jack exhales, “the night Mika left to shitty Nebraska…she came over to the crib and we were out in my backyard having a bit of a heart to heart you know? And she kissed me, bro.”

“What?!” Elora yells gaining the attention of everyone and Willie Jack goes to slam her hands on top of her cap covered hair in embarrassment.

Willie Jack glares at Elora who covers her mouth trying to hide her laughs, leaving Willie Jack to turn to Jackie, Bear, cheese, and of course Mika. She gives them a commercialized thumbs up before turning back to Elora, yanking on her shoulders to shove her further away between the shrubs.

“Fuck did I just say,” Willie Jack hisses at Elora who’s grinning at the younger girl now after stumbling a bit, “you’re the one making it worse now.”

Elora rolls her eyes, “please, they have no clue what we’re even talking about.”

“Maybe not or maybe! with you sounding like a fucken surround sound.”

Elora chuckles, “my bad, bro. But this explains so much!”

“Does it?”

“Yeah! she’s been asking me about you whenever we catch up with me at school and her all the way in Nebraska.” Elora informs Willie Jack who lifts her brows at bit at the news until Elora then sighs, “I was the only one that figured out that something went on without her really saying anything about it.”

“Wait…Mika’s asked about me?” Willie Jack is rocking on her toes now and Elora sends her a knowing smile.

“Uh yeah bro, it’s not like she ever forgot about you. You’re the one who stopped sending letters and picking up the phone.”

Willie Jack lifts her chin inquiring, “How you know that?”

“Mika told me, shit ass!” Elora lightly shoves Willie Jack’s shoulders.

“So…I’ve been a shit ass all this time when Mika’s been worried about me?”

Willie Jack’s never been the type of friend to just leave you hanging. If there was a issue, she would be quick to tell you to, “not be like that!” Wanting to figure it out, even if it was only keeping each other company until you were ready to speak on it. However with Mika, things change and she wasn’t sure if it was for the better.

“Well…I wouldn’t say worried but she cares and I don’t think she ever stopped being your friend, you’re the one who stopped.”

“I didn’t mean to.” Willie Jack feels the weight of that statement and she didn’t enjoy the sinking feeling in her tummy right now.

“Then fix it.” Elora orders, “Stop hovering in the corner by yourself like a fucken weirdo and just talk to her! So maybe you guys can be something if that’s what y’all want.”

Willie Jack scowls, “who said all that? I still don’t even know how I feel about it all. It happened forever ago anyways. Maybe she forgot? Plus she could be seeing somebody and we live hours away now so I doubt that will ever work.”

“Stop doubting yourself and you won’t know unless you try.”

Plus they could always look at Elora as a prime example. Although she wasn’t that far away from Okern, Elora still put in the effort to still be around now that their lives were slowly but surely changing.

“…Mvto, Elora.”

“Don’t mention it,” Elora pushes Willie Jack’s shoulder, “can’t believe you’re growing up on me, making out and shit.”

“Ah, yeah, shut up.”

“Let’s go!”

“Alright man, don’t rush me! Let me get my thoughts together first.”

“If you think too much, you’re gonna fuck it up…more than you already have.”

“Wow, it’s like that?

“Yeah, kinda.” Elora snickers.

Elora ends up leaving Willie Jack for a few moments to gather herself, gradually directing the rest away from Mika as she sees Willie Jack making her way over.

She’s swinging her hands behind her back awkwardly as the crisp air blows. Mika’s dressed in a jet black off the shoulder baggy sweater paired with a patterned pleated skirt, ripped up stockings, and gummy bear earrings.

She’s gorgeous and it’s not fair.

“How much blackberries you think you got?” Willie Jack starts from behind Mika, who’s on her tippy toes.

She sets back down, tossing some into a picnic basket she brought along, which Bear and Jackie teased her about but she shrugged it off with a smile and middle finger.

“You know…I was trash at probability in school right?” Mika’s sunset eyes glance at Willie Jack over her shoulder, “I never guessed right or got the prizes and it definitely pissed me off to no end.”

Willie Jack leans forward, peeking at her basket but Mika playfully steps in front of it, “I’m not sharing.”

“What?” Willie Jack blows a raspberry, “I’m sure I got more than you back in my own stash. These hands are the quickest ones here.”

Mika stares off at the spot Willie Jack was once at and dips her head, almost pointing, “are you faster than a Prairie dog?”

Willie Jack whips around, locating the chunky animal running off with her sack of blackberries. “Hey you oversized chicken nugget, that shit ain’t yours!”

The animal stops in the middle on its run, dropping the bag to bare its teeth at Willie Jack who jumps back with her hands raised in the air, leaving the dog to pick the sack up with its teeth and carry on its way.

“Even the fucken animals tryin’ to tear a hard working woman down, that ain’t right! Imma tell the ancestors about your bullshit too!” Willie Jack yells as the prairie dog continues fleeing.

Mika’s laughing before softly placing her hands on Willie Jack’s shoulders, “I think that was his way of telling me to share, although you’re the one who ghosted me.”

“Don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.” Willie Jack is poking her lips out.

Mika gives the long haired girl a look before turning to put her basket on her wrist, leading the way through the rows of blackberry shrubs.

Letting out a long sigh Mika replies, “the dogs never told me you ended up with amnesia.”

“I don’t think I have that,” Willie Jack said walking beside her, “…I just don’t want to make it awkward for you.”

Mika glances at the braided girl, “For me or for you? I don’t have any regrets if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“…are we talking about the same thing? The thing that happened a couple years ago in my backyard?”

“Oh you mean: me kissing you and you kissing me back?”

“Is that how it went?” Willie Jack’s eyes were in slits now.

Mika laughs, “hell yeah, shit ass and I didn’t forget! I couldn’t, which is why I wrote to you.”

“But you never brought it up?”

“I couldn’t get the best read on you when it happened. I knew you were caught off guard but…did you like it?”

Willie Jack stares at the floor, twisting her lips around in thought. How it felt to have Mika’s always covered bracelet arms locked softly around her shoulders, and her natural scent of patchouli, apples, and brown sugar was already intoxicating before she even put her lips on Willie Jack’s. Of course she was caught off guard with Mika taking the lead, Mika’s focus only on Willie Jack’s lips as she stopped thinking about it and just did it. There was only one chance and she waited a long time to take it so why not go forth with the risk?

“I mean…I didn’t not like it.” Willie Jack peeks at Mika who nods with a small smile, “it’s just shitty that you pulled that that same night you were leaving though. Didn’t really have a chance to talk about it or process it really.”

Mika understands that, “sorry about that, the not talking about it but not the actual kissing part. guess I kinda had to process myself…since I been wanted to kiss you but I did panic when you didn’t say much after.”

“It was something…but a good something.” Willie jack bumps her shoulder with the girl who smirks at her.

Soon they’re walking in silence, fingertips brushing against each others as the make their way back to Elora’s car where everyone else is standing near it talking themselves.

“Hey guys!” Cheese waves, “we’re gonna have enough berries to last us to new years!”

Willie Jack announces, “I got the most though!”

“Where?” Jackie asks.

Willie Jack kisses her teeth, “fucken prairie—it doesn’t matter, I just do and you’ll have to take my word for it.”

“I’d rather not.”

Willie jack rolls her eyes.

Elora laughs as she gazes at Mika and Willie Jack, “you two ready to go? It’s getting dark and we got a hour drive back home.”

Her eyes meet Willie Jack’s silently hinting that she hoped they got somewhere with their talk but Wille Jack just shrugs her shoulders.

“I’ll help if you get tired, Elora.” Mika speaks up.

Willie Jack raises her brows, “you got a license?”

Mika was a year older than Willie Jack.

“Yup not long before my family and I traveled back here. Think that’s why my ma really wanted me to do it in the first place since they took my granny’s license away. She’s losing her sight and thinks my hair is on fire instead of pink.”

“Orange would look sick on you though,” Jackie comments, making Willie Jack flick her eyes over to the once bleached girl.

Willie jack adds, “you want Meeks to look like fucken child’s play? She’s wearing the pink well, better than I’ve ever seen. True queen shit, which you wouldn’t know a thing about.”

Jackie sends a look to Elora and Bear, unsure what was going on here.

Mika bumps her hip with Willie Jack’s, “we’re cool again, I think.”

“Must be with how hard Willie Jack just went for you,” Bear grins before glancing at the girl on his right, “got Jackie here speechless.”

“Fuck off,” Jackie shoves Bear while looking at the hat wearing girl, “…glad whatever you two went through is over but…do we got a problem Willie?”

Willie Jack is nonchalant, “we don’t got no beef…just chill out.”

Which definitely sounded like a warning in Jackie’s eyes.

“It was a compliment or suggestion. Don’t see Mika getting tight about it.”

“Okay! Let’s get going.” Elora steers the conversation away, “Jackie, ride up front with me.”

“Sure,” Jackie eyes Willie Jack who huffs at her, circling around to the passenger side.

Cheese gets in the middle of the backseat while Bear runs around to the other side of the car to sit behind Jackie. Willie jack is awkwardly looking at the space in the car.

“I’ll hold your basket for you, Mika.” Cheese offers, while she thanks the young boy.

Bear sees The dilemma and also offers, “You can squeeze in Mika or sit on my lap if you want?”

“Oh god,” Elora mutters, pressing her forehead against the steering wheel, making Jackie frown at her.

Willie jack shakes her head, quickly moving to sit right beside cheese, strapping herself into the car before holding out her hand, “C’mon on then, you heard Elora. We got a long way to go.”

“Ohhh are you—

Willie Jack dips her head silently making Mika smile to herself, while the rest await the scene that plays out in front of them. Mika doesn’t further question it, entering the car and sitting right on Willie Jack’s lap before closing the door behind her.

“Aw but Mika doesn’t have a seat belt.”

Willie jack carefully slips her hands around Mika’s waist, “I got her.”

“That works for now!” Cheese beams, not reading into it too much like the rest in the car are.

Bear is smirking now after it dawns on him what is happening as Mika leans back into Willie Jack’s embrace so Elora can better see out the back window but also because it was a nice place to be.

“Is this okay?” Willie Jack whispers to Mika who’s made herself comfortable, head resting back in the space between Willie Jack’s neck and shoulder.

Mika says, “yup! Long as you got me.”

“I do.” Willie Jack meets Mika’s eyes, squeezing her a bit tighter.

“Good, then we have nothing to worry about. Let’s enjoy the ride.”

“Word.” Willie jack concludes, almost snapping her eyes shut at how annoying she probably sounded but Mika just presses her forehead into the side of Willie Jack’s head.

Elora drops Willie Jack off first with Mika having to exit the car. She asks Mika if she’ll walk her to her door and she agrees with a yawn along with a stretch of her arms up into the autumn air.

“So…” Willie Jack is back to swinging her hands in front of her as she stands face to face with Mika on her stoop.

Mika laughs, “yes Mena?”

“Do you want some hot chocolate?”

“I’d love some!” She bounces on her toes, “I’ll just tell the guys that I’m staying here.”

“Yeah, okay. Nice!”

Willie Jack silently curses to herself again while she just knows her friends are in the car talking shit. She watches Mika lean against the door of the window, talking to their friends in the car, waving at them before she steps back. Skirt spinning with her as she walks back to Willie Jack and fuck she’s so pretty!

Which almost distracts her from Bear smashing his lips on the car window as Elora pulls off from the curb with a honk of her horn.

“After you my lady,” Willie Jack holds her hands out after pushing the front door open.

Mika curtesy’s before entering the home, peeking around as she steps into the first space, which happens to be the living room. “Everything still looks the same.”

“Yeah?”

“Uh huh.” Mika plops down on the couch while Willie Jack enters the kitchen, turning the stove on before opening the fridge to get the leftover homemade hot chocolate she made at midnight.

It’s quiet but it’s not awkward as Mika makes herself comfortable, folding her legs underneath her on the couch. It’s not long before Willie Jack enters the living room with steaming mugs.

“Thanks,” Mika takes the mug with a smile while Willie Jack places her’s on the coffee table.

She takes off her hat, tossing it on the arm of the couch before digging her fingers into her braid to let her hair run free. Mika watches Willie Jack as she sips on the just right hot beverage, admiring just how beautiful her “friend” is.

“Your hair’s gotten longer,” Mika observes, “it’s still stunning.”

Willie jack fans her hand about, “thanks girl, I grew it myself.”

“Hell yeah! Love it just the way it is.”

And the way Mika is looking at Willie Jack makes her heart thud in her chest. The damn girl’s only been here for a day and she’s already got her feeling a way.

“We should watch a scary movie!” Willie jack jumps to her feet, heading over to the collection of dvd’s.

Mika rests one hand in the crease of her other arm, “I don’t like scary movies.”

Willie jack looks back at Mika from her squatting position, picking up on her unease. She was aware that Willie Jack’s parents weren’t home as the house was too hushed and she didn’t see her dad’s truck in the driveway. Night time has definitely fallen and they were alone, dancing around what they could be and now this girl was trying to put on a horror movie?!

“Really?” Willie jack asks, “any particular reason or…?”

“I don’t think it’s never really been my thing,” Mika murmurs while she looks at the front door, “every time you or bear would suggest sneaking into the outdoor movie night by lake crow I wanted to stick my head in the dirt and never come out.”

“Shit…guess I gotta pay more attention.”

“Nah, who wants to be the odd one out when everyone else was down? I just dealt with it…plus you two were always so excited although I lost sleep for a few nights because of all those movies but…you get over it you know?”

“If we do this…you think you’re gonna have any nightmares?”

“Hard to say honestly.”

“Then…I’ll keep you safe.” Willie Jack strongly said, “but that’s only if you want to. I’ll even pick the least scary one out of the batch.”

Mika sips at the hot chocolate, thinking about it, “I’m gonna hold you to it.”

Willie Jack makes a offering motion with a imaginary hot chip before taking the time to go through the collection. She finds one that she thinks will be alright before shoving it into the dvd player. Once she’s seated back next to Mika, she tosses one arm along the top of the couch allowing Mika to fill in that space.

She does, shuffling closer as a long suspenseful intro starts after Willie jack fumbled with the remote. Willie jack tries her hardest to keep her eyes on the screen but it’s the heat radiating off from Mika that makes it hard.

“Hey…you’re not drinking your chocolate?” Mika points out, pulling her head back to look at Willie Jack who fails to hide her staring.

She scratches at her ear, “oh right, it’s still piping hot. Imma let it rest for a bit you know?”

“Don’t tell me you’re one of those iced hot chocolate people?”

Willie jack scrunches up her lips, “I’m not. Don’t even think I ever tried that before.”

“Hmm.”

“You don’t believe me?”

“I didn’t say anything!”

“Your face did though.”

“What’s wrong with my face?” Mika leans back to give Willie Jack the side eye.

Now they’re looking at each other and Willie Jack is silently counting the beauty marks that’s on Mika’s diamond shaped face while Mika’s peering at Willie’s side profile.

“Nothing,” Willie Jack fully turns now gripping Mika’s chin and she almost forgets to breathe correctly, “nothing at all,” before she leans forward to press her lips right against Mika’s.

Willie Jack hears her squeal a bit but Mika knows she has to hold on tighter to the mug now while Willie Jack holds her in place. Mika tastes just like chocolate and cherries while her lips feel like fresh petals. Look at that, Willie Jack could be poetic or corny when it comes to romance too! Mika’s unfortunately not Willie Jack’s first kiss but this kiss definitely makes her forget all about what’s their face. The only thing that’s on her mind is how her heart basically skips a beat with her lips right on Mika’s.

And a kiss like this has never made Mika’s toes curl before.

When she pulls back, Mika is curling Willie Jack’s hair back behind her ear. She bits down on her lips to hide her dimpled smile (which doesn’t work in her favor really, Willie Jack was so tempted to poke them) as Willie Jack slowly opens her eyes to meet Mika’s sunset.

Willie Jack remembers to breathe, “What?”

“You kissed me, you really like me.” Mika sings into Willie Jack’s face, while the girl claps her hands against her face hoping her skin isn’t warming up but knows it probably is.

Mika reaches for Willie Jack’s wrist while laying her head back on the couch, “don’t be shy now, that was glorious!”

“Glorious? Oh my god.”

“That a great thing! Marvelous! Splendid even!”

“You sound like one of those teachers who thinks the sun shines out of their ass, bro.”

Mika pauses,“I don’t think you can call me bro anymore.”

“Why not?”

“‘Cause we kissed, twice?” Mika holds up the deuces, laughing as Willie Jack shakes her head, trying to wrap her head around the fact that she initiated this kiss.

Willie Jack nods her head at her own thinking, “You’ll always be my bro…just a different type. More meaningful, a higher level.”

“Oooh so I get perks?”

“Yeah…as soon as we figure out what to do about us?”

Mika goes quiet then, knowing their time was limited. She was only here for a week, mainly to visit and go to the state fair but that thought made her depressed since she was also building a life after graduating high school…all the way in Nebraska…and that’s not something she wanted to dwell on right now.

She peers at Willie Jack from underneath her lengthy eyelashes, “We could always just make out some more until we do?”

Willie jack scoffs, “I see, you only want me for my lips.”

“And your heart,” Mika leans into Willie Jack who licks her lips, feeling those butterflies in her stomach.

Willie jack throws her head back, “the rizz is killing me!”

“You love it.”

“I think I do.” Willie Jack nods.

“Yeaaah! So kiss me.”

“I’ll do more of that after we finish the movie, I know you’ll need it.”

“So you’re the one plotting on me then.”

“Noooo.” Wille jack fails to hide her smile although this wasn’t originally her plan…it doesn’t sound half bad now.

Mika pokes the long haired girl, “Now I don’t believe you!”

“Well I hope you have it in your heart not to hold nothing else against me. I made you hot chocolate, I gave you my love—

Mika laughs a bit, “that you did, that you did.”

They briefly place their foreheads against each other until Mika moves to rest her head on Willie Jack’s shoulder. It’s not long that they turn their attention back to the screen, both confused on this grainy yet clearly dated horror film.

“I think we need edibles to enjoy this.”

That would make the most logical sense and why Willie Jack’s dad even owned this film: House (1977).

“Damn,” Willie Jack snaps her finger, “and it would be even better if we at least had the blackberries. All that work we put in, we should at least be able to enjoy them.”

Mika gasps, “I can’t believe I left them in elora’s car.”

“That blows…hopefully cheese holds them down for you or else we’ll have to kick somebody’s ass. And by somebody, I mean bear and probably Jackie’s Wednesday Addams lookin’ ass.”

Mika snorts, missing this friend dynamic, “Meeks and Mena, doing what we do best.”

“Fuck yeah, thriving and Survivin’.”

“Real shit,” Mika grins as Willie Jack slips her hand to intertwine with Mika’s.

And she enjoys how Mika’s hand fits just right in her own, although a little shaky, which reminded Wille Jack of Mika’s old fear of bodies of water when they were much younger, Willie Jack gives Mika’s a quick squeeze to ease any form of anxiety her body maybe experiencing.

Whether it be the wonders of the world or the wonders of their relationship.

They didn’t have to always search for the answers, at least not right away. So for the present they could settle into the excitement of what’s happening in the now…

To just live with the guidance of one another.

With Meeks and Mena holding on no longer tiptoeing…then perhaps that could be more than enough.

🕸️𖤐༘⋆/ᐠ - ˕ -マ༘⋆𖤐🕸️ 🕸️𖤐༘⋆/ᐠ - ˕ -マ༘⋆𖤐🕸️ 🕸️𖤐༘⋆/

Continue with my October anthology prompts here.

[sxftriina]

Elora birthday art 🎂

(I tried drawing my own bg but ended up using a screenshot from in-game instead 😩)

[ramonag-if]

Play the game here.

The demo has now been updated for Cyre tier Patrons and above! Play the second half of Chapter 8 in the update. The update contains:

Chatting with your companions on the ship;

Exploring your feelings about your family;

Spending more time unlocking your divinity;

Arriving in the Southern Islands;

Meeting Emos;

Meeting Dena;

Learn that there is a civil war brewing in the Southern Islands;

Decide if you will join Dena and Elora, or kick back with the rest of the gang.

This is a partial release so it's not as large of an update as a full update would be. Part 3 will conclude Chapter 8's release and will continue where this update ends.

In order to play the updated demo, you will need to subscribe to my Patreon:

Cyre Tiers and up ($5): Play the demo now.

Nomad Tier Patrons ($2): Play the demo on the 20th of October 2023.

Thanks for your patience and enjoy!

[swashbucklery]

and her light stretches (willow ot3 au)

(header: @spybrarian)

over salt sea and flowerdeep fields (Kit/Jade/Elora, E, 62.9K)

Everything feels the same, and everything feels different, all at once. Because the victory, the heart-pounding elation of fighting the Crone and rescuing Airk and actually doing it, that's incredible. It's everything Kit ever wanted. Everything her bones knew she needed when she'd dreamt about having adventures. But it fades, quickly. Into sore shoulders and bruised ribs and the realization that they have to sleep and eat so badly. + (Kit and Jade and Elora and the long journey back from the Immemorial City, sorting out all the things that love and home can mean.)

the beautiful dew is poured out and roses bloom (Kit/Jade/Elora, E, 12.7K)

The last embers of sunset are slipping over the horizon, the grey half-light of dusk filtering in among the candle and lamp light. Kit takes another deep breath, prepares herself to step out into the hallway and everything that will follow. She's getting married tonight. + (OR: the wedding night divination sex dream finally happens.)

she shines on the earth in silver (Kit/Jade/Elora, E, ??)

It's strange, being married. The way some things feel so profoundly, irrevocably different and some things feel exactly the same. Kit spent so long dreading marriage - a particular type of marriage, she now realizes - that she never really had the time to think about how it might feel to be married any way but unhappily. Kit's moved fully now, her old bedroom an empty space and her things in Elora's quarters - their quarters - officially the Princess Empress-Consort. Officially, the three of them are a well-kept secret. Kit and Elora are married, and as far as court and society know that's the extent of it. Unofficially, of course, they're - three. + (OR: Kit and Jade and Elora navigating home. Also, the Doppelgangland AU that no one asked for.)

Part One: Wednesday, September 27

Part Two: Wednesday, October 4

[tanthamoretober]

Our round up of the fics posted in the Tanthamoretober collection for week 2 of the horror prompts

Don’t forget to leave a comment if you liked a fic!

Day 8: Witchcraft/magic

Festival Ideas by Anarik Rating: Teen and up Summary: “Where have you been?” Kit retorts, crossing her arms. “Come on. It’ll be fun. And you’re the only person I know with the necessary balls to do it.”

“You don’t really know me, though.”

“True. But I’ve heard and seen things.”

Now that takes Jade by surprise. (also appears under the prompts ‘harvest’ and 'voyeurism’)

petrichor- the smell exuded by plants during dry periods by Geek_and_Nina Rating: Teen and up Summary: pumpkin picking! (also appears under the tags 'voyeurism (mildly) and ‘harvest’)

Part 8 of Show Don't Tell

Day 9: The Wyrm

love of mine by Geek_and_Nina Rating: Teen and up Summary: i have decided to give them all of the quiet and soft moments that I would want on my fall break

Lili is the wyrm and she is the WORM

you have full permission to hate this version

Part 9 of Show Don't Tell

Day 10: Help isn’t coming

One Night in October, Chapter 2: The Woman on the Hood by TheLateNightStoryTeller Rating: Teen and up Summary: On their way back from a family visit, a turn of events leaves Kit and Jade stranded in the wild. As night falls and the weather grows colder, the pair soon realize that someone in the woods is hunting them.

perfect by Geek_and_Nina Rating: Explicit Summary: jade and kit are gathering leaves to stuff their scarecrows with and kit sees a mugging! (also appears under the prompts 'scarecrow’ and ‘mirror sex’) Part 10 of Show Don't Tell

Day 11: Cursed

cold steel, warm wax by Geek_and_Nina Rating: Explicit Summary: Jade has another one of those nightmares and as always, kit is there

(also appears under the prompts ‘haunted’ and ‘knifeplay’ Part 11 of Show Don't Tell

Day 12: Locked in/Dungeon

the cellar door is an open throat by spybrarian Rating: Mature Summary: Kit and Jade find themselves locked in a dungeon, hurt, terrified, and not alone.

One Night in October, Chapter 3: The Pair in the Pit, by TheLateNightStoryTeller Rating: Teen and up Summary: On their way back from a family visit, a turn of events leaves Kit and Jade stranded in the wild. As night falls and the weather grows colder, the pair soon realize that someone in the woods is hunting them.

inside by Geek_and_Nina Rating: Explicit Summary: kit is feeling particularly needy and wants jade to spend the day with her in bed 'watching movies' (also appears under the prompts ‘orgasm denial’ and ‘horror movie marathon’) Part 12 of Show Don't Tell

Day 13: Abduction

rolling in the leaves by Geek_and_Nina Rating: Explicit Summary: so i did this as a kid with trash bags, where we filled them with fallen leaves and set them up to look like a huge spider and spray painted a face on it. i think the idea would come across kit's tiktok or interest and she would feel the deep need to do this at airk's house and just... not tell him (also appears under the prompts ‘impact play’ and ‘jumping in leaves’ Part 13 of Show Don't Tell

Day 14: Prank gone wrong

lace and silk and mesh by Geek_and_Nina Rating: Explicit Summary: kit winds down from a day out with elora and airk and texts her girlfriend whom she misses A LOT (also appears under the prompt ‘warm drinks’ and ‘dirty talk’)

Part 14 of Show Don't Tell

Finally, here’s the link to Horror, Week One

Want to join in? See this post for the complete list of horror prompts for the rest of October.

[wigster07]

Never Not Commenting Fic List: (my goal of 3-4/Day)

Today's fics read and commented on. If any of these strike your fancy, please check them out and maybe let the author know a favorite line or moment that happened! As with any fic rec, please not the tags and determine if the fic is for you before reading.

Forbidden Connections, Crossing the Boundary - Chapter 1 - Cailean - Willow (TV 2022) [Archive of Our Own]

Rated E / Summary: Kit's easy-going time is coming to an end and she asks Jade for help to face that uncertain future while Jade is struggling with her own path ahead.

Only chapter one of two of this is posted so far and it's delightful. I would say chapter one is more T but sets up for an E rated second chapter.

show don't tell - Geek_and_Nina - Willow (TV 2022) [Archive of Our Own]

Rated T / Summary: Kit is having a mental block with her writing, but it's a beautiful day outside. So Jade takes on a stupid walk for her stupid mental health.

The Show Don't Tell is a delightful series created by @geek-and-nina. There are 31 parts to the series where Nina (who did the crazy thing like I did) and touched a prompt for every day (sometimes more than just the one and weaving them all together). This is a deaf Kit AU that is just *chef's kiss*. I could do a tumblr post just on this series alone and highly recommend it. This is the start of the series and a wonderful starting look into their relationship. (Kit is a writer in this one and carries a little field notebook wherever she goes and that just calls out to me and my little field notebook.)

concert and candy apples - Geek_and_Nina - Willow (TV 2022) [Archive of Our Own]

Rated G / Summary: Jade takes Kit to a concert (yes deaf people like music and concerts)

Another piece of the Show Don't Tell series by Nina. This one has some lovely mirror bits from Kit to Jade from the previous one. (It's about the hands and listen...it's peak lesbian iconic behavior). This one is all about a concert and it has some lovely moments in it.

Longing for the Perfect Kiss - sofys37 - Willow (TV 2022) [Archive of Our Own]

Rated E / Summary: Kit has been searching for centuries, without ever giving up hope that one day she would find the one worthy to be by her side. Jade is just having a regular night out until she meets Kit.

It wouldn't be October prompts without a little horror. This one is a vampire Kit fic with some inspiration from Vampire Masquerade. I'm not familiar with the lore/universe but it shines through and it's easy to get what's going on. There is also a delightful bit of Jade/Elora in this one involving a strap. There is a follow up to this fic that I look forward to reading as I continue my commentfest.

I would love to tag the fic authors on Tumblr but I'm not sure I know them all. Please let me know Tumblr handles so I can tag them appropriately!

I hope you all join me on this Never Not Commenting event for the rest of the month. Kudos, a simple "I loved this", or quoting your favorite line/bit is a wonderful way to show some love back to the people who write amazing fics in their free time for you to get to tag along into the world and enjoy.

[destrapop]

We’ve reached the end omg, we finish off the posting spree with Elora and Liv together for spooky month gosh they’re adorable together anywho HAPPY HALLOWEEN early Halloween hope ur October was great I shall be posting whenever I finish my pieces thank you for this tiny journey love u all and these queens

[realmackross]

PARTIES: @contemporarybardess, @realmackross TIMING: A Saturday Evening in October SUMMARY: Mackenzie meets Elora at Maized & Confused for something that some might call a first date. 😊 WARNINGS: Murder mention tw, Grief mention tw

It was approaching 4pm, and Elora waited nervously in the parking lot of the town’s featured corn maze, Maized and Confused. She knew that the maze wasn’t too far from Monty’s ranch, and wondered if Mackenzie was nearby. She remembered watching her on TV late at night as she bounced around between motels, but she hadn’t expected to ever come face to face with her in person. Not that she ever idolized her when she knew her as an actress, she was never the type to obsess or fawn over celebrities. She had plans on becoming famous herself one day, and would only be annoyed if any fans acted that way towards her. 

And yet, the day she had taken her to Monty, something different occurred. The person on the screen was no longer an abstract hypothetical, she was real flesh and blood and far more captivating than any camera could do proper justice. The only real issue is she was, to put it bluntly, dead. That is, she was walking and talking like a normal human being. But she was dead all the same, and brain hungry. Hey, nobody was perfect. 

While she waited, she thought she may as well get their tickets, and quickly made her way to the ticket booth. She figured it was definitely a better look than just standing around awkwardly in the parking lot. The cold fall air of Maine was finally starting to put a harsh chill over the town, but Elora had thankfully dressed in many layers. The wind was hardly blowing, so their day out should at least be tolerable. She had hoped the weather wouldn’t end their day early. Expectantly, she walked away from the ticket booth and eagerly waited for her date. 

—

Mackenzie hadn’t been on a date since well…Brody. To say she was nervous was an understatement. If her heart could beat, it would’ve been beating right out of her cold, dead chest. But this was good right? It was a step moving forward? She would always love Brody. He would forever be the boy who had her heart, and she was still grieving him; she was just trying something new. Trying to move forward and do better for herself. But never would she have imagined it would have been with someone who saved her life…err death?

Pulling into the parking lot of Maized and Confused, Mackenzie checked in the mirror to see if everything looked okay. She wanted to look less dead than usual, and for the first time in a while, she had really taken the time to get ready and to look her best. More so than when she had a shift at Dance Macabre. “Okay, Mack. It’s just one date. A thank you for saving me sort of thing…You got this.”

Peptalk out of the way, the zombie got out of her Mini and made her way to the entrance finding Elora was already there, “Hey! Sorry, I’m a little late. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was kinda nervous.” She shot Elora an uneasy laugh, before glancing down to see the tickets already in her date’s hands, “Oh, hey you didn’t have to do that. This was going to be my treat for you saving me, even though I mean it’ll never be enough, but you know, just…” Realizing she was talking way more than she needed to, Mackenzie quickly got quiet and looked to the ground embarrassed, “Sorry. I talk a lot when I’m nervous.”

—

When Elora saw a car pull up and park, she looked on eagerly, having a strong suspicion it would be Mackenzie. She was happy to see this confirmed when the blonde stepped out of her car and locked eyes with her. She flashed her a warm smile as she approached. She had been looking forward to seeing her again since the incident that brought them to the ranch. She was really looking forward to spending some quality time with the woman now that she wasn’t so…feral. 

“You don’t have to be nervous, I’ve seen you looking a lot worse after all.” She could tell the other woman was about as nervous as she was, maybe even more. She wanted to diffuse the situation as much as she could, the sooner they all calmed down and got comfortable the more they’d be able to just enjoy the night. “Well, I’m the one who asked you to come here with me. Figured it’s only right I be the one to get the tickets, right? Besides, they weren’t that much.” 

She found that Mackenzie talked faster when she was nervous, which was a trait she seemed to share. She was trying to taper it back, it was no use having two balls of anxiety talking to each other. She contemplated grabbing Mackenzie’s hand and leading her towards the maze, but decided to simply gesture behind herself and say “You ready?” 

They walked towards the maze slowly, and she hoped it wouldn’t be a waste of time and money. Some corn mazes could be really fun, but a lot of others were just a short walk in a circle. Many didn’t have much of a “maze” like quality to them at all, but she had heard good things about this one in particular. 

—

Mackenzie knew Elora had a point. She was knocking on death’s door, again, the first time Elora had seen her. But tonight, she had hoped she’d make a different impression. That the two could just have a fun evening with laughter and maybe a kiss at the end of the night if they had hit it off and vibed well together, “You do have a point, about both things, so thank you. But any snacks, hot cocoa, or souvenirs are on me.” She smiled softly. It was the very least she could do for someone who had saved her.

Mackenzie was excited. The last time she had been in a corn maze had been when she was just a kid. She could remember the excitement, but also the absolute terror of getting lost. But her mom and dad had been right by her side the whole time, which seemed to make things a lot better, and by the end of the night, she was laughing and not scared anymore, “Absolutely. Let’s do this.” Of course, this was Wicked’s Rest so there was no guarantee there wasn’t going to be some monster lurking in the shadows.

Moving forward, Mackenzie took note of what was around them, so they could hopefully find their way back to the entrance if worse came to worst, “So have you been through one of these before?” She slowly walked alongside Elora eager to learn more about her new friend.

—

“You drive a hard bargain”, Elora replied with a smirk. She was relieved her date had offered to buy any extras, but didn’t want to come off as a bum. “I could go for some hot cocoa after all, maybe after we find our way out. Assuming, of course, they don’t have to come in and rescue us”. She was sure they could find their way out without a problem. After all, these things are mostly for kids, right? 

“Haven’t been to one of these since I was a kid,” she began “and I gotta say the ones back home weren’t quite so creepy. Guess that’s the Wicked’s Rest effect, anything in this town instantly has double the creepy factor.” It was true, her father would take her into human society often enough to not feel isolated from the world. As a result, she had quite a few “normal” childhood experiences she could look back on. She really didn’t like the idea of walking through the mysterious dark cornfields if there was the chance of something jumping out at her, though. For all she knew, the corn itself might be some blood sucking carnivore variety. 

The pair made their way inside the maze, and were surprised to see six different divergent paths right from the start. Usually things moved in a straight line before giving a two way intersection to choose from. Already, this seemed just a tad more elaborate than a standard corn maze. Not that Elora was worried, the two of them could still find their way through… eventually. 

“So, I know you were an actress. And now, somehow and some way, you’ve passed away. If you don’t mind me asking, what happened? And what brought you to Wicked’s Rest, of all places? I mean, we’re kind of on the opposite end of the country from where you were before.” 

—

Mackenzie shrugged, “What can I say? I’ve just had to negotiate on more than one occasion, so I know my stuff.” It was true. Being an actress meant negotiating things on the regular, and if it wasn’t her who was doing it, she was certainly telling her manager, publicist, and other members on her team what she wanted. “Plus hot cocoa and maybe a s’more or two are a given, considering it’s actually cold here in Maine.” She laughed, but was also glad she had decided to order some warmer clothes, including flannel, at the first cold spell. “And yeah, I’d say this thing takes us thirty minutes, maybe an hour tops.” She wanted to keep that confidence, but this was like living over a Hellmouth, and by the end of the night, who knew what they were going to witness.

She let her eyes shift from people to scarecrows to pumpkins, now that that trademarked Wicked’s Rest Paranoia was starting to creep in ever so slowly, “Yeah, same here. The last time I went was with my parents when I was little. I was so scared, but by the end of it, I loved it. Give me the night to see if I can say the same for this place.” However, Mackenzie’s words had seemed to fade as they came up immediately to a multitude of path options, “Well, this is already starting out as a challenge…”

Watching as some kids ran past them randomly choosing a path, Mack turned her attention back to her date and the questions that were already being asked, “Whoa, I would say you move fast, but you did see me at my lowest, so that’s fair.” She paused for a minute trying to figure out how much she wanted to divulge. “Um, well, ironically enough, I was working on a tv show called Dropped, and when I went to do a stunt, the person that was supposed to pull the rigging on my harness back in time didn’t, and I broke my neck and back in the fall. The last thing I remember was waking up extremely hungry.”

After it had happened and Mackenzie had realized she had eaten one of the crew members, someone she had been very fond of, she had shut down for nearly a month. It had taken Taylor, her assistant, convincing her that everything was okay and that what she had done was an accident, for Mackenzie to resume “living”. At least up until the last day with Brody. “And as for choosing Wicked’s Rest, I kind of just closed my eyes and picked a spot. The furthest away I could be from everything and everyone I loved.” She wasn’t ready to confess anything about Brody to Elora. “What about you? How did you end up here? And since you know what I am, are you something other than just a normal human being? AND the more important question…Which path?” She wanted to keep up this conversation, but if they didn’t start moving they were going to be there all night, which honestly at this rate, she didn’t mind.

—

When Elora had asked about Mack’s human death, she didn’t mean to pry into anything sensitive. Not that the very nature of death wasn’t extremely sensitive or personal, it was just an elephant in the room she figured should be asked about. The truth was, she sucked at small talk. Big talk. Now that was more her speed. But big talk isn’t really ideal for a first date, now is it? Ask about her favorite music, color, flower. Normal stuff like that. 

“Well while we’re being honest with each other”, the two had come to a complete stop a while ago, almost frozen in place at the amount of choices they had in front of them. She lowered her voice a bit, not wanting any families or passing children to overhear their talk. Already she had found herself a bit absorbed in the closeness the two of them shared and she had briefly forgotten they were in a public place. “I didn’t really grow up with a ton of human interaction. A little bit of it, but not much. I come from a species called sirens. We’re kind of…bird people, I guess you could say? You’ve probably heard the more famous myths, ‘the siren’s song’ that lead sailors to guide their ships directly into certain death. While it’s a neat trick, traditional hunting was far more reliable.” She could already imagine judgment from her date with telling her that her people hunted humans regularly, so quickly added, “I didn’t really participate in hunting humans. Some in the colony did, but I and my family didn’t participate. We were sort of in a…transitionary period let’s call it at the time. Moving away from the old traditions and embracing more humane and modern ways of living.” Perhaps it was this “tradition” of hunting humans that lead to the hunters being enlisted. Maybe if they had abandoned the old ways, they’d all still be alive today. 

“I came here for a second chance. And a shot at finding people who I can relate to on a level that I can’t do with regular humans. And I’ve heard plenty of rumors about this town and the paranormal creatures that live here. Figured this would be just as good a place as anywhere else.” 

Looking down the many branching paths were starting to disorient her, and they hadn’t even gone down one of the paths yet. She decided to go down one branching out towards the northeast. She was very impressed at how big the corn maze seemed to be now, did it seem this large from the outside? 

“Sorry for the hard hitting questions. Let’s go to something normal. What do you like to do for fun? I mean other than getting lost in corn fields, of course.” 

—

Mackenzie definitely hadn’t seen their date going in this direction, but they weren’t really conventional in many ways to begin with. She did, however, find herself engrossed in Elora’s tale about her family and her life. So there were zombies, mares, vampires, selkies, mediums, ghosts, werewolves, fae, and now sirens? This definitely had been a monster’s stomping ground. Not to say that Elora was a monster. She was far from it. Her red hair shining under the moonlight and soft skin made Mackenzie’s dead heart want to beat. The woman was beautiful, and it had been the first time she had felt this way since Brody.

It had also made her feel somewhat ashamed and embarrassed though. Did she deserve this happiness? To be with someone else after what she had done to him? It tore at her conscience, but she had needed a nice night. Something fun and enjoyable, and as much as she hated herself on the regular, she wasn’t going to let tonight be one of those nights.

“Wow, first, I didn’t even think sirens were real. No offense, and you saved my life. You’re far from what your ancestors believed. Trust me. I wouldn’t be here, if you hadn’t taken the time and risked your life to help me. Just remember that.” She smiled softly, before following along down a random path with her date.

“No, it’s totally fine. I actually didn’t mind them. I’m so used to getting stupid questions from paparazzi and fans that it’s nice being asked something genuine.” She strolled along next Elora occasionally glancing up at her as they walked. “As for fun. I’ve recently taken up the art of being a hermit since coming here.” Mackenzie laughed, “I’m kidding…sort of. But I like karate, dancing, singing and writing songs, watching movies; even though I miss working in movies. Hanging out with the few friends I’ve made so far. What about you?”

—

It was comforting for Elora to hear that Mackenzie thought she was a good person. She was nervous she’d be seen as a monster, like most people saw her as once they learned her true identity. Then again, she wasn’t a normal person. And she had her own experience in eating human flesh. 

“Well, you’re not the scary monster Mr. Romero made you out to be. You’re very sweet, and genuine. And have a lot more to say than just “Guh…braaaiiins” Elora said, giving her best zombie impression.

“I like music, mostly writing and producing. Guess that’s something you and I share! What genre? I also dabble in painting, though I’m far from good at it. Other than that, movies and TV shows are good! Most of what I learned about human society has come from movies and TV, so I’ve watched A. Lot.” She was happy that they had a few shared interests they could bond over. Maybe they could collab? Talk about a power couple. 

“Friends are hard to come by in this town, I’ve learned”. It was hard to say, since a big part of why she came here was to make new friends and feel a sense of belonging. She just kept telling herself it would be a little trickier and longer than she’d like, and that’s okay. “It’s why I’m grateful I’ve been able to meet people like you and Monty.” 

Just then, they heard a rustling in the corn fields, and could barely make out a bipedal creature of some kind running through the corn. While this would normally terrify Elora, it seemed almost as if it were trying to hide from them, not ambush them. 

—

Mackenzie laughed a little harder than she probably should have at Elora’s zombie joke. It was kind though. And considering the way she had felt about herself since becoming a flesh eating monster, the compliment had meant a lot, “Do I really sound like that? Because if I do I probably need to work on my acting skills a little more.” Unfortunately, as much as she had wanted it to be an act, it just wasn’t, “But that’s very kind of you. Guess I’ve just had a hard time not seeing myself as something other than a monster lately, but that’s a story for another time.”

She moved along through the grass as they slowly made turn after turn not paying much attention to anything, but their conversation, “Really? Uh, pop is what I was trying to break into, before going off the grid, but I love all kinds of music. You paint? That’s supes cool. I can paint stick figures. Maybe you can model for me one day, and I’ll paint you like one of my french sticks.” It was probably a super lame joke, but Mack didn’t care. She was enjoying herself, “And if that’s not an option, then maybe we could write a song together?” She leaned in towards Elora and nudged her playfully with her shoulder.

“I can’t say that I’ve had as big of a struggle, but then again, I’ve lived a life where most people wanted to be my friend, but not because they genuinely wanted to know me. Though, I’ve found there are some people around here that have surprised me. And Monty is a very kind man. I’m glad we both have him in our lives. And hey, maybe I could introduce you to some of my friends. Like Alex, I think you’d love her. And Milo.” She wanted badly to say Winter, but considering they weren’t speaking right now, she thought it best to not even bring her up.

Looking forward, Mackenzie stopped walking when she heard a noise followed by something small dashing through the maze and into some stalks of corn, “You just saw that too right?” She looked over at Elora.

—

She wanted to write a song together with her. It was like something out of the cheesy rom coms Elora binge watched as a guilty pleasure, and she loved it. 

“Oh yeah, give me a beret and a long cigarette and I’d love to be your French stick!”

She wasn’t familiar with the people she had mentioned yet, but she was sure they were lovely people.

“Have you met Cassius or Ariadne? They’ve been great at welcoming me too.” 

She focused her eyes again on the figure in the corn. “I sure did. Y’know, I think I heard a rumor. That there was a creature in the corn fields named Gourdon who tries to hide away from people and hates getting his picture taken. It’s like a small challenge with the people in town to try and get him on camera.” 

A mischievous smile flashed across Elora’s lips. 

“You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?”

—

This night had been going so much better than her anxious mind had said it would be, and Mackenzie was grateful for that. They were even making cute little inside jokes, “Really? Consider it done. Next date…I mean, if you want a next date…I’m turning you into a work of art. Not that you’re not one already, but you know what I mean.” There she went rambling again, but it was okay.

“I have actually! They’re great people too. I don’t know them as well, but I’m glad you’re making friends. You deserve friends and happiness.” Mackenzie had genuinely meant that too. If Elora had come here looking for a better life, then that’s what the zombie had hoped for her.

Okay, good. She wasn’t losing her mind. “Gourdon huh?” Mackenzie looked back to where the creature had tried to hide, seeing the corn stalks rustle again. Glancing over to Elora, she caught sight of the grin, and slowly started to pull out her phone and switch it onto the camera app, “Oh yeah.” The idea to split up had crossed her mind, but she knew good and well, she’d get lost, if she broke away trying to snap a picture of this thing.

—

Here she was already thinking about a second date. I’m so in there, Elora thought to herself. “I’d love a second date, of course! After we catch this thing of course!” she said before taking out her phone and pointing in the general direction she had saw the creature. While venturing into the cornfield may not have been the smartest decision, she had suddenly found her focus placed solely on catching Gourdon on camera. 

She sauntered into the cornfield, before realizing having two cameras was better than one. 

“Mack, hun, would you mind going further down the cornfield that way? Maybe try to cut him off if he runs that way?” She hadn’t meant for a pet name to slip out. Growing up in South Carolina and working a couple waitressing jobs to get by, little terms of affection just sort of slipped out even in casual settings. 

With that, the two women took off into the cornfield trying to catch the elusive Gourdon. Sure, it wasn’t a conventional date night, but it was one Elora was sure she wouldn’t be forgetting any time soon.

—

So this was officially a date, and they were now officially going on a second date. Mackenzie was giddy and so badly wanted to blush. But Elora was right. They had a creature to catch. Did you win a prize if you had proof? She wasn’t sure. It was like going after Bigfoot, except this little guy lived in a cornfield and wasn’t quite as intimidating - or so it seemed. She hadn’t actually seen him yet.

“Right. Creature first.” Wait…Did Elora just call me hun? It had somewhat caught her off guard, and she wanted to overthink it, but didn’t. Couldn’t, especially because she had picked up on the slightest of movement just up ahead in the direction that her date had requested she go, “No, not at all, Babe.” She glanced back over to the red head with a wink, before heading in the opposite direction.

Mackenzie tiptoed forward towards the rustling, and without much of a chance to get her phone up, she watched as Gourdon slipped out and started running back towards Elora, “Elora! It’s coming towards you!” Picking up her pace, Mackenzie moved forwards back towards the siren and hopefully Gourdon.

—

Babe? Had Elora’s old habit worked out in her favor? She’d worried that, if anything, it would have came on too strong too quickly. Not only was her date into her, but she was also down to chase cryptids in a corn field with her. If that wasn’t a match written in the stars, she didn’t know what was. She felt as though she was walking on air.

Soon, however, she had to come back to earth as she heard Mackenzie’s voice call out that Gourdon was headed her way. It was hard to get a decent view through the corn, and she was mostly navigating through her phone’s camera so she’d know when the creature came into frame. Finally, she heard the rustling and ran full speed towards where it was coming from, trying to cut the creature off. 

Suddenly, the full force of a grown adult landed on top of her, and she felt all the air leave her body as she hit the ground. Instead of a mischievous corn gremlin, it was her date for the evening. While she normally would have been upset that their prey had escaped them, feeling the warmth and closeness of her laying on top of her was extremely comforting and exciting. All she could do was look into the other woman’s eyes, unsure of what to do next.

—

Mackenzie was determined to get a picture of this thing. If not for herself, then at least for Elora. The night had definitely taken an unexpected turn, but that was par for the course in Wicked’s Rest. At least it wasn’t a fucking giant ass spider. She hated spiders, especially huge ones that made you feel way too much when they stuck their fangs into your stomach. This little cryptid was a far better thing to try and catch.

However, it was the brief glance down at her phone that had caused Mackenzie to falter, and before long, she was stumbling forwards and into another form; Elora’s form.

As they both hit the ground with a thud, Mackenzie’s phone went flying and so did her pride. She had been so embarrassed, but as she looked down at the woman she was currently laying on top of, all anxiousness faded away. Moving a cold hand upwards, she gently moved some strands of red hair out of Elora’s face, before she slowly leaned in and laid a soft kiss on her lips. One that didn’t linger too long, but was just right. The perfect movie kiss, but one that was real and held more passion than kissing her co-stars. A kiss filled with genuine love and want.

—

When Elora felt the woman’s hands on her face, she felt a comforting warmth build within her in spite of the icy cold temperature of the woman’s hands. It was like a scene out of a movie. And true to the script, the pair shared a loving kiss. Only the butterflies and fireworks portrayed in the movies didn’t even come close to doing this sensation justice. This was something else entirely. Something she had never felt before. No boy in her past had ever kissed her the way that the one and only Mackenzie Ross had just kissed her. And she never wanted to be kissed by anyone else again. 

Breathless, she just laid there and looked into Mackenzie’s eyes. Finally, she took a shaky breath and cleared her throat. 

“I, uh, think we lost him. Not that I mind, at all. That was…wow. Incredible” This time she reached her head up to give her date another kiss, this one just as magical as the previous one had been. 

She could feel herself blushing. While she had done a good job of maintaining her composure through the night, all of that had now gone out the window. While she wasn’t expecting things to progress so quickly, it still felt so natural. And so right. Like they were meant to slam into each other in this cornfield the whole time. 

“Not that I mind laying here with you, because I don’t at all. But we should probably make our way out of this maze before people forget we’re in here”. 

—

Mackenzie couldn’t help but stare back into Elora’s inviting eyes. Everything about this moment had been perfect. So much so that the thoughts of guilt, shame, and even, for the first time in a while, grief, had left her. She just wanted to stay in this moment forever. Just her and her date while it felt like time stood still and nothing else mattered, “Yeah…” Mackenzie’s voice was airy, “I think we did.”

The second kiss, soft and sweet, had left Mackenzie longing for more. She was breathless, both literally and figuratively. But her body seemed to appear different with the rise and fall of her chest from excitement by the entire situation.

This moment far surpassed what the past several months had brought. Not only had Elora saved her, but she had also given her a reason to feel whole again. Tomorrow might be another story, but tonight she was going to enjoy every lingering minute of it.

“I think you’re right. I don’t think I want to end a perfect night by being eaten by a giant pumpkin, because you know it’s probably possible.” She laughed softly as she rolled off her date and found her way back to her feet, helping Elora up in the process. Finding their way out hadn’t been as hard as Mackenzie had thought it would be, especially since she was currently on Cloud 9, but she did make sure to let her hand meet Elora’s and walked as slowly as she possibly could to make the night last. But this was only the start of something special, and she was looking forward to every upcoming moment and the possibility of more unexpected kisses in cornfields, the rain, and any other obstacles Wicked’s Rest threw in their way.

[bisexualshakespeare]

fic writer asks

I saw these questions by @ficwip and decided to just answer all of them rather than waiting to be asked

30 questions below the cut!

What’s something new that you tried in a fic this year? How did it turn out and would you do it again? Uhh I wrote a lot of smut? 😅 oh I have a fic that is just a sex scene? it was part of a series so the lead in was technically there and also I was about to start my period and was very horny. I loooove a long lead in to the sex. Lightning Strike, and kind of Nymph Butter too, has like a couple horny paragraphs and then sex. I don't know if I would do it again but it wasn't really planned? so I guess we'll see what happens!

How many fics did you work on this year? (They don’t have to be finished or published!) it looks like 25??? wild

What’s something you learned about yourself as a writer? I think I have a better grasp of how I intuitively write and I learned that it's NOT a thing I need to train myself out of. It's okay if I write non chronologically or in dialogue only for the first draft, because following the way my brain works will lead me into the most energetic path and I can circle back and add description or transitions later. I think I'm better at description than I think I am but it just doesn't come as quickly.

What piece of media inspired you the most? I mean I published 5 Willow fics in less than two months and started several more so I feel like I have to say Willow!

What fandom(s) did you write for this year? Willow, Ted Lasso, Haven, a couple other one off fandom filks

What ship(s) captured your heart? Airk/Elora/Graydon I am such a sucker for ot3s

What character(s) captured your heart? THRAXUS BOORMAN MY LOVE

Did you write for a new fandom or ship this year? Yeah I watched Willow in i think April and enjoyed nothing else as much

What fic meant the most to you to write? Finishing Multivocal was soooooo wow. Like it is The longest thing I've ever finished and it really brought writing back into my daily life as something to look forward too rather than something to feel guilty for not doing? I wrote it for like three years. This year I made some edits and added some scenes that made me feel really good about taking my time. I really wrote the fic I wanted to see (except i mean i would've preferred them to fuck but other than that lol)

What fic made you feel the happiest to work on? Eckleberry Pie was so fun. It was really stream of consciousness. I just had no worries about what other people would think cause I literally was like no one is gonna read this but @lowkeyed1 so I can do whatever stupid shit I want 😂

What fic was the most satisfying to finish writing? I think Apple Candy. I didn't realize how it was going to end until I got there. I kinda sped through the end of the chapter cause it was already going up after the October collection was closed and I wanted to get it done, so I was just kinda awkwardly figuring out what we were gonna leave on and then I wrote that Graydon was loved and I was like 'oh. yeah. that's what this was about!'

What fic was the most difficult to write? Did you finish it? All of them were difficult. If we're including fics I didn't finish then probably every ted lasso fic I tried to write and couldn't. I was planning on writing a series from Jamie's perspective, I tried to write a fantasy AU, I tried to write PWP, just so much did not work and then I left the fandom.

What fic was the easiest to write? I think I wrote Lightning Strike in like an hour lol

What were your shortest and longest fics this year? If we're ignoring filks and Multivocal, which started posting last year, then the shortest would be Bridges at 670 words and the longest would be my as yet unposted Cyrano AU at 21K.

Rec a fic you wrote or posted in 2023 I mean I have to go with Eckleberry Pie and the rest of the Harvest Festival series right?! Or if you don't want a bunch of smut then In The Middle is a filk about yelling at creators, so that's a mood

What were your go-to writing songs? I got really into these "immersive writing session" videos where someone buys the rights to a bunch of instrumental music and puts it together to fit a vibe. I listened a lot to traveling through a medieval fantasy world but it gets darker the longer you write What were your go-to writing snacks? tiny bottles of wine cocktails from the grocery store

What was the hardest fic to title? I guess Lightning Strike? I almost always name fics after phrases I use in the fic and in the Harvest Fest series I wanted them to be named after food cause I knew the last one was going to be called Apple Candy, but Lightning Strike didn't have any time for food cause it was just fuckin so I had to find something that felt like it fit but was different. It was a change in perspective, Elora instead of Graydon, so once I decided I wasn't mad about the title not fitting the theme.

Share your favorite opening line Okay I actually wanna use a filk for this cause I love the first verse of What You Believe: How on earth could I be calm When inside my chest's a ticking bomb? The nicest guys can be deceiving Lift you up, then leave you bleeding It's a goddamn tragedy like Misérables

Share your favorite ending line As the moon rose on the final day of the Harvest Festival, Graydon knew, with the utmost certainty, he was loved.

Share your favorite piece of dialogue From Apple Candy:

“So what am I gonna do while you and Airk are together? Sit in my room twiddling my thumbs?” She scoffed and dropped her hands from his shoulders. “I kinda thought you would do things that I don’t like, like studying your languages or practicing the flute.” “Yeah or sleeping with Boorman.” Elora groaned and rolled her eyes. It was kinda cute though. Knowing she was in love with him made it better. He ran a thumb over her hip. “Hey so, Airk left us your bedroom for a few hours. What do you think he’s doing, knowing what we’re supposed to be doing?” Elora’s eyes narrowed. “He better be twiddling his damn thumbs.”

Share an excerpt from your favorite scene From Multivocal, a scene between Duke and Audrey I added right before posting and was much needed:

“I think it could work." She pressed. "The three of us.” “Oh you’re not even gonna ask me? I could have other offers. I’m a very well liked guy.” “As I can see by the gigantic mess all your friends left.” “Hey I don’t mind a mess,” he held her eyes, “as long as I’m not the only one trying to clean up.” She stepped closer. “You’re not.” Audrey put a hand on his chest. She had almost done the same thing several months ago, when she thought the only option was giving him his family trouble again. But then she’d wrapped her hand around his neck instead and pulled him in for their first kiss since Colorado.

Share the final version of a sentence or paragraph you struggled with. What about it was challenging? Are you happy with how it turned out?

this is so hard. I feel like I forget what I used to struggle with cause I'm so focus on what i'm currently struggling with 😅

I had a really hard time writing Nymph Butter because it was this mix of humor and smut and sincerity and I wanted to have like real moments of connection between Graydon and Elora without it being so serious that it killed the sexy mood. The whole fic was a big balancing act there.

“Can you stop talking about Airk? He has nothing to do with us.” “Of course he does!” She shouted, hitting the ground in frustration. “I thought I loved him, but what if I was just using him to get over you? Like you're using Boorman to get over me.” “First of all, Boorman likes being used. Don't you, pal?” Boorman’s moan came from behind him, along with the sound of his hand sliding with help from the nymph butter.

I'm pretty happy with how it came out. I was very meh when I first posted it, but on a reread I think it holds up. Since my new main ship is an ot3 I'm sure I'll have many more chances to work on this mixture of sex and relationship negotiation.

What’s something that surprised you while you were working on a fic? Did it change the story?

I think I was surprised in Apple Candy that Boorman got a little jealous of Graydon and Elora. Boorman was always supportive of them but when I was writing the morning after, I started thinking in Boorman's voice and I felt that little twinge of sensitivity that he has and how he runs away from his emotions and I was like hmm okay I'll follow that. The overall story was the same but I think it added a little weight to the Graydon/Elora relationship negotiation that came after.

What did you use to write? (e.g. writing programs, paper & pen, etc.) a combination of GDrive, LibreOffice, OneNote, and a physical notebook.

If you had to choose one, what was THE most satisfying writing moment of your year? Probably in August when I first started writing Cryano AU. I hadn't written anything the whole month and then in the last week and a half I wrote like 5k

Did you do anything special to celebrate finishing a fic?

No but I should! I need to think of a good finished project ritual. I think I usually just text a friend and sigh and watch youtube videos and wait to get a comment.

How did you recharge between fics?

I...don't? Should I have a recharge ritual too?

If this were an awards show, who would you thank?

🥺 I would like to thank my IRL friend Lee for beta-ing Multivocal for me. I would like to thank lowkeyed for leading the way in the scary world of rare pairs. Thanks to everyone on the Revolorilution server for encouraging my ideas. Everyone at Voiceteam for encouraging my filks, especially klb! And of course I thank everyone who commented and gave a kudos on my fics! I love you all so much! It's been a great year of writing! Thank you 😭

What’s something that you want to write in 2024?

I want to write all of the willow season 2 fic ideas. I am manifesting an announcement of the show coming back and I want to make sure I get all my thoughts out before that happens. I'm definitely excited about the possibility and would like to have trust in the writers, BUT I put off all my ted lasso ideas until season 3 and now they're all dead to me so gotta grab my joy while I can!

[filopay]

ELORA ESKILDOTTIR

[ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ]

Prompt from @oc-tober2023

[ I am not following the same order ]

~ Promise

"My Lady?"

Elora groaned, the voice an unpleasant disturbance. She kept her eyes closed, not willing to wake just yet.

"My Lady, Herald? The All-Seeing wants to speak to you."

That snapped her awake in an instant. Blue eyes now wide awake as she sat up from the floor. Why was she lying on the floor?

The Library Assistant flinched back, looking at Elora with hesitant eyes. She was one of the lower devotees. Granted a glimpse at a few pages of Iesis grand library, when she did her duties well. Elora barely ever talks to the others living and working in the tower. Iesis does not tolerate distractions. Thus she never learned their names.

It was clear that the Assistant wanted to leave as soon as possible.

Elora pressed her fingers against her temples, a thick headache starting to take root. "I will be there, you are dismissed."

The Assistant bowed once, before departing with hasty steps.

It didn't take long and the all familiar voice echoed through Eloras mind.

"You are slacking." It chided, "I have been calling you for awhile now. You did not react. Come to the secret library. I am waiting there for you."

She seems dissapointed.

Elora got up right away, albeit slower as her mind started spinning. The memories still fresh in her mind, as she pulled up her sleeve, the black veins running down her arm were still visible. What did it all mean?

She hasted up the steps of the winding tower towards the secret library of her goddess. It was locked behind a magical door, only those who were granted the key by the goddess herself, could enter. As Elora stood before the golden gates, they opened upon her approach.

The room was bright. The curved roof was built of glass, expensive and skillfull work. A craft lost with the last elves. The All-Seeing goddess created it out of memories that Elora had provided and whenever she entered the secret library it overwhelned her with a longing for a time long lost.

"Don't make me wait again, Herald. When I call you, you are to answer immedietly." 

Elora's attention was quickly on the figure standing at the end of the library, her back turned towards her reealed her owl wings sticking out of her back. If not for the wings, her height was a good indication for her not being human. Her tall body wrapped in scriptures, pages stuck to her body, with scribbled texts and sigils that only herself can decipher. Where the pages end, the text continues on her skin.

Pages were floating around her freely while she read in a thick and dusty book, long elegant fingers turning the pages.

Elora bend one knee, averting her gaze.

"I am at your service All-Seeing." She greets, hearing the goddess smack her tongue.

"You are one of the last of your kind. Are you not?"

"Yes." Elora saw no need to lie, it was a known fact.

"You promised me knowledge long lost and forgotten, valuable insight into your peoples culture. It had entertained me for awhile, but it seems others are eager to take your place."

Elora frowns, she knew for a fact that she was the only elven follower Iesis has, most of the elves preferred hiding, blending in. She had never been good at sitting idle.

She flinched, as the heavy book fell to the ground in front of her. The heavy cover breaking in half.

There were drawings of architecture and furniture. Elven furniture. Her interest piped Elora scooted closer turning the pages, these were things long forgotten. Memorial places, the crafts of building them. Where has this come from?

"Lando or should I say Tin'avel used to be a craftsmen of your people. He has been most forthcoming that I am considering him as my Herald."

Elora swallows. He could have the means to replace her.

Suddenly the pages dissapear in front of her, they start to dissipate and looking up she saw the goddess towering over her, her one eye all that her face posessed inhaling the contents of the book.

It then snapped towards her, unblinking, attentive and all seeing. It was not an easy gaze to hold.

"I have watched your progress on your new topic of interest. I like your dedication, your thirst for answers."

Elora averts her gaze again, nodding. "I am on the right path, I can feel it. There is more to the dark creatures that attacked my home. I just need a bit more time."

"No." The goddess voice was harsh, almost making Elora look up again, "Time will not get you what you need. The knowledge you seek is not hidden in my library, if so, I wouldn't need you looking through it. I have read each book you find on these shelves, I know every content inside of it. What you seek lies elsewhere."

"Where?"

"The northern Kingdom of En-Ar."

En-Ar. The land of Kings. Once her homeland.

"Travel to the fortress Skaeld in my dear brother's domain, the god of mountains. Be wary of him, all he knows is the mindless instincts of an animal. There will be no reasoning with him. He will prevent you from entering the city, should you be discovered as my Herald."

The last standing fortress of En-Ar. "Win'av El. The never falling refuge." Now occupied by humans, who rebuild the ruins of her people. She always wantesld to see it. If she could spot the changes done to it - find familiarities. Answers.

"It is time for you to return to your roots and fulfill your promise to me. There you will find out more on the creatures of the night, how they came to be and how to defeat them."

"Defeat?" She thought she was there for knowledge alone.

"Ulgrim's followers are Warriors. They prefer raw violance over reason. Don't expect a warm welcome there. My brother can be quite unreasonable, but I know he hides valuable knowledge from me. You are to bring it to me without raising his suspicion. Can I count on you, Herald?"

"Always." Elora nods, dipping her head lower in respect.

She thought to hear her goddess smile.

"You will leave at the break of dawn, I will bless you with the swift wings of my owls. And remember that I will be watching you, Herald. I know the sight of a new city can be tempting, but you shall not fall for its allure. Don't break your promise to me or you will regret it." 

[ ~ 1083 words ]

[cloveroctobers]

Willie Jack | October Prompts 🕷

A/N: this my girl! This my favorite character! WLW + reader is always of color & in this case Afro-indigenous.

Prompt: 1. “I’m not helping you carve your pumpkin.” + 13. “Can you stop breathing down my neck?” — “Dude, I’m over here.”

┏━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┓ ┏━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┓ ┏━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┓

Letting out a yawn, you moved your cheek from the palm of your hand as you sat at your girlfriend’s dinner table. It was going on 8pm and honestly you were ready to go home but didn’t exactly have the energy to do that just yet.

Also you had plans with your girl, yet she got caught up with the dogs and you got off work at six; you were more than willing to reschedule as the sun disappeared behind the clouds. However when you had plans to spend time together, Willie Jack took that seriously and always wanted you around.

She had to do a little bribing, having Elora drop her off at your place after their hang out sesh just to walk back to her’s (honestly…she carried you on her back to the next street over) so she could make you some frybread with the leftover Succotash her mom had in the fridge.

“Hey, you sleeping over there on me?” Willie Jack called out to you from behind, standing in front of the stove.

Widening your eyes, you sat up straight, chin now pressed into your shoulder as you replied, “who me? Nooo. I’m just wondering how much longer I gotta stare at this pumpkin to magically make it carved already.”

“With your eyes closed?”

“And how do you know my eyes are closed if my back is to you, Mena J?” You questioned, using your own spin on the girl’s name who didn’t mind the nickname—only if it came from you.

Willie Jack switched off the stove with a twist of her lips, “don’t you think I know you by now? We’ve only been together for like half a year or something, babe? The only time you sit in that seat is when I’m in the kitchen and you try and hide that you’re gonna take a nap while I’m over here doing shit like a wife.”

“Aren’t you?” You smiled as the girl padded over to you, placing the glass plate full of bread on the center of the table.

Willie Jack then pulled the chair out to plop down on your right, “Damn straight.”

You tilted your head as a, ‘alright then,’ response, feeling the true weight of your two curly buns sitting on both sides of your head while you did so. Exhaling you reached forward over your pumpkin, plucking a piece of bread off the paper towel, which drained the grease for you, and placed it next to the veggies on your plate. Using a fork you scrapped the colorful vegetables into the frybread and began folding it as Willie peeked over at you, sipping from her raspberry colored cup.

Raising your brows at her, you briefly turned your attention back to your dinner, taking a bite as Willie spun the pumpkin to her attention, eyeing the outline of the design you chose.

“A ghost? You sure didn’t pick anything simple.”

“When have I ever?”

Willie Jack pushed out her lips with a nod of her head in agreement. She flicked at your pumpkin with a decision, “I’m not helping you carve your pumpkin.”

A frown settled in between your brows as you questioned, “and why not?”

This didn’t make sense to you. Willie Jack was the one who wanted to do all this fall inspired couple shit with you and all of a sudden she didn’t want to help you out?

“I thought we were gonna paint them not carve them? You know how tough this skin is? I’m not fucking up my fingers because of this orange shit. I rather do that in the ring you know?” Willie Jack responded, sending in a few jabs into the air.

You huffed, “that’s why we use this baby right here and not the sorry excuse for a knife that they give you in those stupid kits they sell at the store elora works at.” You waved the butcher knife in the air as Willie Jack watched you spin the item around with ease.

Willie Jack reached over, grasping your wrist to take the knife from you, “what am I, fucken Michael myers? I like hitting people not stabbing them.”

“Not you trying to switch up on me when this was your idea.” You rolled your eyes, “I was down for this instead of the usual smashing a few pumpkins.”

Willie Jack gave you a look, “who says we can’t do everything but that? October is just starting, baby!”

“You just did.” You pointed as Willie got to her feet to enter her living room and turn on the tv to play some music.

Once Willie Jack sat back down next to you, she reached over to playfully pull down on your ear, making you slap her hand away, “Aw don’t be like that. I was just fucken around since you decided to snooze on me for like seven seconds. You know I got you always, right?”

Shaking your head you sat back against the chair, bringing your plate up to take another bite. After chewing for awhile you decided, “Then I’m not helping you paint your pumpkin.”

“That’s whack. You know I failed art class.”

Which wasn’t a hundred percent true. You met Willie jack in jewelry class sophomore year, seated at the same table but over as you and one of your friends that she didn’t particularly like kept to your side. Willie Jack didn’t have any issue with the saw, screwing the wire into the handle and going away at the metal with no issue. She had one of the best works in the class and she knew it, even went around helping other students when she finished her work, much to the teachers passionate joy.

That’s eventually how the both of you got to talking, despite your bestie (at the time) mumbling shit about this underneath her breath. Until this day you still weren’t sure what the exact beef was between your old friend and your current girlfriend. The both of you knew she needed help too but would rather get help from the teacher than Willie Jack. Nonetheless that friend ended up not being in your life anymore since she told others that it had to do with you picking sides with the enemy. However you’d say it had to do with her not accepting that you can be friends with anyone you wanted and she retaliated by making up untrue rumors and dating your idiot ex who was on the football team.

“Well that’s a lie,” you started and stopped as you swallowed your food, “you seemed to do well in jewelry class.”

The brown haired girl brushed off her shoulders with a grin, “yeah but I’m no auntie b tho!”

“Fine, I’ll give you that.”

The two of you smiled at each other for a moment, enjoying each other’s company, despite you being exhausted and dreading going to school on Monday.

“Hurry up then, wife.” Willie Jack knocked on the table, “we got work to do! And I’m playing that indie boyband you like while we work.”

“Is this your way of telling me you want to slow dance in the living room with me?”

“I’ll save that for our wedding day.” Willie winked, taking her own piece of bread to bite into before she tossed the rest onto your plate.

Scoffing, you crossed one leg over the other as you continued eating.

After some time the both of you were seated in the living room, newspaper resting on the coffee table as Willie went to work on your pumpkin and you did the same for her. The Spotify playlist was on shuffle, playing a mixture of both of your music tastes making the both of you feel further at ease. You basically sat on top of each other, one leg tossed over her’s as she crouched forward carving your pumpkin while you lounged backwards.

Willie Jack rapped the lyrics while you hummed to them, pumpkin on your belly as you made small strokes of the thin brush against the orange pumpkin.

“Hold on, I’ll be right back. It’s probably my dad.” Willie said abruptly, making you snap out of your zone to realize that the telephone was ringing.

She carefully lifted up your leggings covered thigh, then shimmied by you instead of going around the coffee table to head into the hall. Sighing you stretched out your long legs, continuing on Willie Jack’s piece.

Before you could zone off some more, vibing out to the music, Kendrick Lamar’s voice suddenly went quiet making you huff in annoyance. Was Spotify having a moment again? Your eyes flicked to the television just in time to see the tv shut off with a flash of white to signal it’s exit. Not too long after, all the dim lights in Willie Jack’s house also erupted your vision in complete darkness.

“The fuck!?” You heard Willie Jack yell in the background.

Carefully leaning upwards, you used one of your hands to feel for a free spot on the table to place the wet pumpkin down. Next you got to your feet as you listened to the patter of Willie Jack’s feet.

“Yo, what happened?” Willie asked you from somewhere on your right.

Slowly you moved sideways from in between the couch and table, shrugging before realizing that your girlfriend most likely couldn’t see this, “I don’t know. I was just sitting here and the tv cut off right before everything else went off? Where’s your parents?”

“Dad said they’d be out a little longer, stopped at the general store to let me know there’s something going on downtown. He didn’t get to tell me exactly what before we lost power.” Willie Jack answered as you crept to the door.

Grabbing at the curtain that covered the windows by the door, you gently moved it to the side to peek outdoors. There wasn’t any street lights or lights illuminating from other houses showing outside either, which means this was possibly a blackout. Your hands suddenly crept over to the doorknob, fingertips reading for the knob to make sure it was locked.

It wasn’t.

Which instantly made you silently curse at your girlfriend in your head. You didn’t play that shit, especially when you all didn’t live far from a sundown town that was only about four miles out from the reservation. Don’t get it wrong, you loved your girlfriend but she could be so careless sometimes.

“Can you stop breathing down my neck?” You hissed, back to peeking out through the glass in search of any movement out there.

Usually most people went outside, ready to throw a party when things like this went down or talk to their neighbors with some source of light to guide the way. It felt strange to you to not see a single person doing just that.

It wasn’t the norm.

Your hand went to the back of your neck, feeling warm air brush against your skin.

“Bro…I’m over here.” Willie Jack told you, making you whip around as the hair on your forearms underneath your sweater began to rise.

“the fuck was that?”

“What?” Willie Jack pressed, trying to make her way over to you.

Holding out your hands you whisper-yelled, “stop! Stay on your side.”

“No. I wanna be next to you.”

“Something just breathed on the back of my neck, Mena J! And you said it wasn’t you.”

Willie Jack hesitated, “Yeah I did say that…maybe it’s just the ancestors and nothing you’re thinking about.”

“Really? ‘Cause I’m thinking it was a damn demon and I’ve never felt that energy before here.” The stress was rising in your voice, “it’s pretty convenient that it wants to come out and play while the town is experiencing a blackout.”

Willie Jack said, “don’t say shit like that to me when I gotta live here and you won’t let me come to you.”

Swallowing the lump in your throat, you began tiptoeing around, hands outwards as you felt the air, which definitely felt hot in a specific area but you tried not to think about it too much. Your number one goal was to be beside your girl and away from whatever the hell that was back there.

Fumbling hands reached out for the girl, who quickly yanked you to her frame by the small of your back. Your cheeks were pressed against each other as you embraced for a moment.

“Let’s lock ourselves away in my room.” Willie Jack suggested, quickly slipping a hand around your waist and guiding you down the hall to her bedroom.

With you entering first, Willie Jack locked the door behind her before telling you, “I’ve got some cedar and a lighter in one of my drawers.”

You didn’t take long to head over to the said drawer, hands out to lead the way and hoping there was nothing tossed around on the floor for you to break your neck on. With the cedar smudging, the strong smell circulated the air as Willie Jack eventually went towards her closet to pull her storage rack full of her boxing equipment; which included her weights to press up against her door.

Soon she found you back by her bed, away from her bedroom door and sat right beside you. Her hands went to grip the sides of your neck, feeling upwards and gathering that your hair was now down at it curtained around her hands. Next her forehead pressed against yours for a moment, “we’re good in here. Nothing is fucking with us, even if our ancestors aren’t with us right now. We got the cedar and probably a few more hours before daylight.”

At least you weren’t alone and being with Willie Jack, you never had to worry about that.

Soon you found the both of you laying back on her bed, wrapped up in each other. Sleep wasn’t on your mind anymore but the comfort of Willie Jack’s arms wrapped tight around you led you to just that.

“Nobody’s touching you, babe. Not if these hands got anything to say about it, I promise.” Willie Jack muttered against the top of your head before you involuntarily dozed off.

It wasn’t the cawing that woke you up the next morning, or the snoring that escaped from Willie Jack’s wide open mouth. Your eyes peeled open at the sound of something rattling, making your head jerk upwards to focus on the doorknob wiggling. Your eyes then shot to the single window in the room, from what you could tell behind the blinds it was possibly a foggy blue sky outside.

Sitting up, frantically your eyes searched around the various of objects that made up your girlfriend’s bedroom, you were just about to cross over her body when a large kicking sounded at the door.

That’s when Willie Jack shot up, head knocking against yours that made you wince.

“Fuck man,” Willie Jack rubbed against the center of her forehead, “what you doing? Trying to get freaky after being terrified?”

Scowling you wanted to pull on her messed up braid but thought against it as the stinging sensation against your temple told you otherwise.

The kicking continued at the door, making Willie Jack latch onto your hips to untangle you from her. She was ready for war as she jumped down from her bed, picking up a dumbbell before she halted at the knob of the door.

Picking up the salt lamp in her window sill you stood up on her bed, arm cocked back as Willie Jack took one last look at you with a dip of her head. Silently counting, she pressed out the lock to her door and pulled the door back with a scream.

“Fuck outta my house, bitch!” Willie yelled, just about to launch the dumbbell at the entity.

“Hey, hey! It’s me you shit ass!”

The voice of a very alarmed Bear screamed, hands held out and face turned away from the incoming abuse from his friend.

“Bear?” Willie Jack had her eyes in slits, “We almost clocked your ass, bro! What’re you doing here?!”

“Your mom told me to wake you guys up before she went to work. Said the blackout held her and your dad up for hours, they were in and out. Didn’t have the time to scold you two from smashing with the door closed.” Bear was now smirking, as he peeked into the room as you now plopped down onto the bed, pinching in between your brows.

Willie Jack went to swing at Bear, smirking to herself as he easily flinched. “Shut up, shit ass. We weren’t doing none of that, not like it’s any of your biz tho.”

“Then…what were you doing?” Bear was confused.

You now stood beside Willie Jack, who glanced at you, “carving and painting pumpkins, you?”

Squeezing by the two friends you didn’t respond to Bear as he asked your retreating frame, “in the dark?”

Willie Jack placed the dumbbell back onto the rack and moved to slip her arm around a still confused Bear as she led the way back down the hall, “did you see or feel anything last night?”

“No, because it was fucking dark.” Bear commented, “what’s up with you two?”

Willie Jack peered over at you now sitting at the table with Elora (who waved at Willie Jack) and Jackie who dipped her head in acknowledgement at Willie, pouring yourself some coffee as you sat with hunched shoulders.

“Morning, Willie Jack.” Cheese greeted from his spot on the couch, “you guys enjoy the blackout?”

“Fuck no.”

“Oh, okay.” Cheese blinked, “there’s something I found when we first entered your house while everyone else made themselves comfortable.”

Willie Jack frowned, “what, bro?”

Cheese held what appeared to be a nose guard up in the air, making a deeper frown appear on Willie Jack’s face.

“And here I thought I was the only one who had a broken nose.” Bear smiled, “somebody messed you up in the ring and you didn’t tell us about it huh?”

“That’ll never happen, shut up.” Willie Jack shoved the long haired boy who didn’t wipe the smile off his face as he stumbled, “…that’s not mine, cheese.”

“Oh…then who’s…”

Willie Jack blew out a breath as she clapped her hands, “everybody, lets leave!”

“Huh? We just got here not long ago.” Elora argued.

“So?! Donuts sound better and I don’t got that shit here, let’s go. Elora you’re driving.”

“Obviously, I’m the only one that can drive, dumbass.” Elora snarked, slowly following as you were the first to leave the house.

Willie Jack began waving everyone outside the house quickly, pulling the door shut behind everyone.

“You sure you guys were okay, last night?” Bear asked as Willie Jack walked beside him into the fall air.

Willie Jack had her eyes set only on you, up ahead as you waited for Elora to unlock the doors. Cheese stood on the side closest to Willie Jack and Bear as he struck up a conversation with you that Willie Jack picked up on.

“By the way, you guys made really cool pumpkins. Did you do that before the town shut down?” Cheese chatted.

That’s when your eyes flicked back to Willie Jack’s in alarm and she went into protect mode. She quickly nudged Bear’s arm to get away from her house as fast as possible, “I’ll let you know later, bro. We just gotta go.”

Bear barely let his words slip through his lips as Willie Jack rushed to your side, hand sliding into yours as your eyes silently shared concerns with each other.

It wasn’t Willie Jack’s breath hovering behind you last night so…who’s was it?

┏━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┓ ┏━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┓ ┏━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┓

Continue along with my fall anthology prompts here

[littlemissmeggie]

i'm rereading all the time before i knew you because i'm planning to work on the final chapter and i need to get myself back in it and just all around refresh my memory. and i thought i'd share some little fun facts!

elora is a shameless self-insert. i am a pastry chef and at one point dreamed of opening my own bakery/cafe. i'd even written up a business plan. the name of said bakery/cafe? black treacle. elora is the name i'd planned to give my first daughter, should i have had a daughter, back when i still thought i wanted to have children.

harry's (and eventually niall's) cat butterscotch was a copy-and-paste of my cat. butterscotch sadly passed this past october but she was a beautiful tortoiseshell calico.

elora's sister abby is just my sister. my sister abby is not a baker so that's been tweaked. their cousins kate and mack are my real-life cousins kate and mackenzie. i mention their grandmother patty who acts as a surrogate grandmother to "the lads." my grandma's name is pat and will be anyone's grandma.

although a full layout of harry and niall's apartment is never given in complete detail, i based it entirely on the apartment where my sister lived for a couple years before she and her now-husband moved in together.

i have so many others but i don't want this post to be wicked long. if anyone out there is interested in hearing more, send me a message! it's kind of a fun way to get me back into this!

(i've decided to cut back on my phone screen time and have set limits. since doing that, i've found i have a lot more free time. i'm on my usual two month winter break from work and even with reading two 400 page books a week, planning my dessert menus for the upcoming year, reading multiple cookbooks, and doing a deep clean on my apartment, i still find myself with lots of free time. that says a lot about how much time i waste on my phone... it has also inspired me to start writing this last chapter. i'm a little scared if i'm being 100% honest.)

[ramonag-if]

Crown of Exile - Status Update

Hi everyone! I hope you're having a lovely start to October - I know I am. Winter this year has seemed to have lasted longer than usual and I'm more than happy to return to the warmer weather 😅

I thought I'd share the very rough release time frame for Chapter 8. Because my real life job eats up most of my time, writing is taking really long so I've decided to do another partial release. This release will be available to my Patrons in mid-October and will cover the first two thirds of Chapter 8. This means that if you wanted to play the beginning scenes of Chapter 8 previously, but couldn't, now you can because my Patreon is now open again 🎉

The update for October will include the early scenes of Chapter 8, the boat scenes and then meeting Emos, Dena and dealing with the alliance and politics aspects. What won't be included is the final third of the chapter which is basically romance, fun-party scenes and some optional smutty smut for Elora and Irus. Because those are more conclusion scenes, I'm hopeful to have that ready by November so the public release will naturally follow once the full Chapter 8 is completed.

If you can't wait and would like to support me, you can join my Patreon for the early access demo as well as bonus side stories which will be posted up this month.

The chapter progress is slow, but it will get there eventually😊 Thanks to everyone for their support and patience!

[swashbucklery]

she shines on the earth in silver (Willow, Kit/Jade/Elora, E)

It's strange, being married. The way some things feel so profoundly, irrevocably different and some things feel exactly the same. Kit spent so long dreading marriage - a particular type of marriage, she now realizes - that she never really had the time to think about how it might feel to be married any way but unhappily. Kit's moved fully now, her old bedroom an empty space and her things in Elora's quarters - their quarters - officially the Princess Empress-Consort. Officially, the three of them are a well-kept secret. Kit and Elora are married, and as far as court and society know that's the extent of it. Unofficially, of course, they're - three. + (OR: Kit and Jade and Elora navigating home. Also, the Doppelgangland AU that no one asked for.)

AO3 Link to Chapters 1-3

Chapters 4-6 coming Wednesday, October 4

[tanthamoretober]

Here we go, friends, the last days of the Autumn themed prompts posted to the Tanthamoretober collection on AO3

Multi day prompts

Day 1 & 15: Caramel apples, Harvest Ride

Apple Candy by TheArcher Rating: Explicit Summary: “You know, me and Elora were going to go on a carriage ride after breakfast. You should join us.”

“Oh, that’s such a nice and unexpected offer.” Graydon looked between Airk, smiling hopefully, and Elora, looking very nervous.

“Graydon’s probably busy hanging out with Boorman, right?” Elora said, looking at him purposefully.

“Actually, he wanted the day to himself.” He spoke before realizing Elora probably was hoping to have alone time with Airk. "I mean…

“Perfect!” Airk said, putting an arm around Elora. “The three of us can hang out.”

Part 4 of Harvest Festival

Day 5 & 20: Autumn Breeze, Festival

Forbidden Desires and Foolish Secrets by TheyAreSoGay Rating: Teen and up Summary: "Jade?" Kit looks so shocked the redhead wouldn't be surprised if she had grown three horns and a tail in the last few seconds.

She's going to reply, but her gaze is now stuck on the princess's eyes. They tell a story of heartbreak, and hope that was painfully discarded. They're stunning, and soft, and confused, and she looks so hurt in that moment that Jade can't even stand it.

"Kit?" Graydon walks up behind her, his hand tapping her shoulders softly, ruining the moment. The brown haired girl turns, her expression changing into a look she's never seen sported on her best friend's face. It's soft, and kind, and something else she can't place. "Would you like to dance?"

"Sure."

As they slowly travel to the dance floor, Kit sends her a look that clearly reads 'we need to talk later'. After the last few notes of the song is finished, the married couple makes their way to the center of the room.

OR

What happens when Brunhilde being Elora isn't revealed by Willow, and no one conveniently gets kidnapped right when Jade’s about to go to the Shining Legion, leaving her friend alone in her hour of need.

Day 27 & 28: Full moon & underneath the sky

Pack of Two by Silver85 Rating: Teen and up Summary: Kit makes a choice and puts herself on the path that one days leads her to Jade. Part 18 of Loving Me Loving You, (AWOOOO)

Day 1: Candy apples

One Night in October, Chapter 8: The Knife in the Flesh, by TheLateNightStoryTeller Rating: Teen and up Summary: On their way back from a family visit, a turn of events leaves Kit and Jade stranded in the wild. As night falls and the weather grows colder, the pair soon realize that someone in the woods is hunting them.

Day 16: Fireside

Salad by sofys37 Rating: Mature Summary: Lili gets caught off guard, she didn’t see Jade coming but she recovers and smiles. “I only take appointments in my office, you can come back tomorrow when we are open.”

“Oh, it’s ok, I’m not here for an appointment.” Jade gets a glock she had in the pocket of her hoodie and smiles. “I’m here to kill you, bitch!”

(also appears under the prompts ‘something in the woods’ and ‘wet’)

Day 20: Festival

feeling good by Anarik Rating: Explicit Summary: Meet me at 7:30 at the back of your house? K. Continuation of Festival Ideas (also appears under the prompts ‘voyeurism’ and ‘wet’)

Day 22: Kissing In The Rain

seeing stars by Geek_and_Nina Rating: Explicit Summary: that thing Jade found comes up and it's wonderful and then other wonderful things happen Part 22 of Show Don't Tell (also appears under the prompts ‘found footage’ and ‘rough sex’)

My Own Kind of Light, Chapter 7: Kissing in the rain, by slvershdws Rating: Teen and up Summary: Sixteen-year-old Kit Tanthalos meets visiting nineteen-year-old Jade Claymore at an Autumn Festival and it’s the start of a friendship that grows over the years into something neither expected, nor can they agree on what it is.

Until they do.

Day 23: Baking Pies

messy by Geek_and_Nina Rating: Explicit Summary: Kit and Jade pack up camp and head home, newly engaged... and nothing bad happens (sarcasm) Part 23 of Show Don't Tell (also appears under the tag ‘broken window’)

Day 24: Cemetery

Zombie Crack: Night of the Living Dental Dam by lowkeyed1 Rating: Teen and up Summary: Jade and Kit try a little Halloween roleplay… Part 1 of Tanthamoretober Crack Fics (also appears under prompts ‘role play’ and ’creepy setting’)

once more with feeling by Geek_and_Nina Rating: Teen and up Summary: kit and jade go on a stupid walk for their stupid mental health Part 24 of Show Don't Tell (also appears under the prompts ‘creepy setting’ and ‘roleplay’)

Day 25: Black Cat

Halloween Crack: Kiss of the Cat Woman by lowkeyed1 Rating: Teen and up Summary: Kit and Jade are on their way to a Halloween party when their car breaks down… Part 2 of Tanthamoretober Crack Fics (also appears under the prompts ‘costume party’ and ‘leather’)

this is a big world (that was a small town) by pirateygoodness Rating: Teen and up Summary: Jade makes noise, the sound coming out of her not quite a laugh but something close. It sounds like relief. She didn't notice herself holding her breath, but when the little creature yowls and squirms itself in half trying to take a bite out of Kit's arm, she realizes that she can breathe again.

Kit clucks a little against the back of her teeth, chuckles. "Look at you, hollering away. And we thought you was dead."

(OR: Cowboy Kit finds a stray kitten)

Part 3 of (cowboy) take me away (tanthamore rdr2 au)

leather lips and lights by Geek_and_Nina Rating: Explicit Summary: jade has a revenge plan for kit's teasing while she was on her conference but it really didn't go the way she planned Part 25 of Show Don't Tell

(also appears under the prompts and ‘leather’)

Day 26: Dead-End

Funhouse Crack: Mirror Maze by lowkeyed1 Rating: Teen and up Summary: Jade and Kit go on their first date. On Halloween. To the carnival Part 3 of Tanthamoretober Crack Fics (also appears under the prompts ‘mirrors’ and ‘lingerie’) 

My Own Kind of Light, chapter 9: Dead End, by slvershdws Rating: Teen and up Summary: Sixteen-year-old Kit Tanthalos meets visiting nineteen-year-old Jade Claymore at an Autumn Festival and it’s the start of a friendship that grows over the years into something neither expected, nor can they agree on what it is.

Until they do.

vengeance by Geek_and_Nina Rating: Explicit Summary: day after the bathtub fic! when i tell you jade got home as fast as possible Part 26 of Show Don't Tell (also appears under the prompts ‘mirrors’ and ‘lingerie’)

Day 27: Underneath The Sky

The List by Geek_and_Nina Rating: Explicit Summary: definitely not making fun of acre's naming protocols jade is on a trip and she leaves a list Part 27 of Show Don't Tell (also appears under the prompts ‘campfire stories’ and ‘dominance/submission’)

Day 28: Full Moon(s)

My Hands are Shaking from Holding Back from You by Jad3dEt3rnal Rating: Explicit Summary: Tentatively, Jade reached up and touched its cold face.

She breathed in deeply as the tips of her fingers found the cool, smooth stone; a force of energy seemed to billow out from it like a sudden, but not unbearable, wind, and Jade blinked as she gazed upon the stone in wonder. She was mesmerized by it as the rock seemed to minutely shift beneath her gentle touch. She stood there watching, gaping, as its face transformed.

Not once did it occur to Jade to pull away, to leave.

In moments, the lifeless statue had begun to move with the slightest set of spasms under Jade’s palm. She gasped then, recoiling a few steps to gaze upon the statue with awe, and confusion.

Suddenly- terrifyingly- intoxicatingly- the statue’s eyes moved, from looking off at some point in the distance, to looking right at her.

Or:

When Jade tries to go the extra mile for her thesis she summons more than she bargained for.

(also appears under the prompts ‘the lights go out’ and ‘magic’)

wake up by Geek_and_Nina Rating: Explicit Summary: kit makes jade watch movies again, but she keeps falling asleep and jade keeps her awake very different from their last movie binge... but also not different at all Part 28 of Show Don't Tell (also appears under the prompts ‘came back wrong’ and ‘sadism/masochism’

Werewolf Crack: A Galladoornian Werewolf in Tir Asleen by lowkeyed1 Rating: Teen and up Summary: Boorman and Graydon were all set to have a little fun in the woods -- until the full moons rose Part 5 of Tanthamoretober Crack Fics (also appears under the prompts ‘came back wrong’ and ‘sadism/masochism’)

Day 29: Carving Jack o’ Lanterns

Little Shop Crack: Mean Orange Bad by lowkeyed1 for LuckypupsMama Rating: Teen and up Summary: Graydon Krelborn is working at Mr. Willownik's flower shop, when he finds a strange and unusual pumpkin plant… Part 6 of Tanthamoretober Crack Fics (also appears under the prompts ‘cult’ and ‘long distance’)

pumpkins by Geek_and_Nina Rating: Teen and up Summary: kit and jade are moving in together two years ago there's a whoopsie Part 29 of Show Don't Tell (also appears under the prompts ‘cult’ and ‘long distance’)

Day 30: Costume Party

Costume Party Crack: Children of the Corn Cob by lowkeyed1 Rating: Teen and up Summary: Airk and Kit wear a costume to Boorman's party that Airk regrets, at first… Part 7 of Tanthamoretober Crack Fics (Also appears under the prompts ‘nipple play’ and ‘horror movies’)

My Own Kind of Light, chapter 10: Costume Party, by slvershdws Rating: Teen and up Summary: Sixteen-year-old Kit Tanthalos meets visiting nineteen-year-old Jade Claymore at an Autumn Festival and it’s the start of a friendship that grows over the years into something neither expected, nor can they agree on what it is.

Until they do.

lost in wanting her to win by Geek_and_Nina Rating: Explicit Summary: kit and jade have some fun at gray's party Part 30 of Show Don't Tell (also appears under the prompts ‘horror movies’ and ‘nipple play’)

Day 31: Trick or Treat

Corny Crack: Children of the Corn Cob II: The Final Crack by lowkeyed1 for GravityAlex Rating: Explicit Summary: Elora and Airk had so much fun at Boorman's party, they decide to meet up again… Part 8 of Tanthamoretober Crack Fics (also appears under the prompts ‘something in the woods’ and ‘sensation play’)

What a month (and a bit!!) it's been! Thank you, so much, to everyone who joined in, writers and readers alike.

And remember, Never Not Commenting November is a wonderful way to show your appreciation!