#peep the 11:55

[chai-berries]

texting abby in autumn

[supportpunk]

The complete plushie collection! It ended up at an even 90 friends!

The only ones not pictured are one squishmallow I found buried in my closet after this picture was taken and my car buddy Hamburger the forest demon

I also have a whole list of them that I'll put under the cut! Some of the names are very silly :)

1. Big Bear

2. Treasure (Squishmallow cat)

3. Oobleck the elephant

4. Plague Doctor

5. Brighton Bear

6. Big Dog

7. Little Dog

8. Blah the snake

9. Mama Rex

10. Benvolio

11. Vampire Bat

12. Spiderman

13. Pleakley (fish squishmallow)

14. Red Fox (squishmallow)

15. Grogu pillow pet

16. Llama Mama

17. Tiger

18. Puppy trio one

19. Puppy trio two

20. Puppy trio three

21. Elefun (yellow elephant)

22. Taddle Toes the alien

23. Fruity squishmallow (not pictured)

24. Darth Bear-der

25. Clark the supercow

26. Brucie Bear

27. Rico the zomb frog

28. Buffy the rabbit

29. Black Friday Bear

30. Creeper

31. Mona the bearlien

32. BonBon teddy

33. Ferrari the timeless teddy

34. Pawlette the rabbit

35. Melanie the crochet hippo

36. BeeGee the froggie

37. Schlepp the bear

38. Rock lobster the triceratops

39. Sub Zero

40. Dexter dragon

41. Val the cow

42. Hello Kitty squishmallow

43. Miffy

44. Eeyore

45. Piglet

46. Bulbasaur

47. Large lots of love carebear

48. Small lots of love carebear

49. Wish bear

50. Funshine bear

51. Try your best bear

52. Share bear

53. Flat fuck Friday the whale Shark

54. Hammerhead shark

55. Elmo

56. Toothpick the fox

57. Pretty puppy the dog

58. Frank the dog

59. Knuffle bunny

60. Pink puppy

61. Brown puppy

62. Blue puppy

63. Mr. Beaver

64. Rainbow sock monkey

65. Mr. Trooper

66. Mothman

67. Peep

68. Pico the dino

69. Squeaky cow

70. Music box bear

71. Music box triceratops

72. Piggy

73. Raggedy puppy

74. Mushy puppy

75. Monk monk

76. Bunny rattle

77. Bunny lovey

78. Scorch the dragon

79. Luna the wolf

80. Jasmine the rainbow leopard

81. The very hungry caterpillar

82. Smokey Bear

83. Blues clues

84. July beanie baby

85. Fox beanie baby

86. Fawn beanie baby

87. Witch beanie baby

88. Owl squishable 

89. Luna moth squishable

90. Hamburger the forest demon squishable (not pictured)

[bratshaws]

goodness gracious 78. brb x oc

a/n: *sprinkles some shit in this chapter because I am just feeling like it * also this week might be a bit rough for me but I will keep uploading daily. If I don't I'll let you guys know, just send some good vibes my way peeps I think I'll need it.

check out the fic's playlist made by the sweet @wiipes !!

pairing: plus size!oc x rooster

warnings: fluff??, Bea's brothers (esp Michael ) being a gd menace

chapters:

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20/21/22/23/24/25/26/27/28/29/30/31/32/33/34/35/36/37/38/39/40/41/42/43/44

45/46/47/48/49/50/51/52/53/54/55/56/57/58/59/60/61/62/63/64

65/66/67/68/69/70/71/72/73/74/75/76/77

(pls let me know if you want to be added to the taglist!!)

taglist: @mirandastuckinthe80s @roosterschanelslut @wiipes @lcahwriter @shrimping-for-all @gretagerwigsmuse @frenchtoastix

@lizzie-rdj @fanboyluvr @atarmychick007 @comebacktoearthpls

@peachiicherries @mak-32 @lizziespidiepridie @roosterswifey @ollyoxenfrees @piceous21 @sqrlgrl22 @hofficoffi @lexhalstead3 @lorilane33 @legendarydreamersharkparty @luckyladycreator2 @emilybradshaw @j-6o @louisahale @leobabbyyy @kulicny @winter-run @ktjmac @graciereads

-

Beatrice keeps her eyes on her brothers as they run after the pilots, it was almost comical how both Michael and Guillermo literally stood out from the group by being so immensely tall, with an average sized Leonardo right behind. It wasn’t so bad, at first, they all worked together really nicely, avoiding being tackled just by leaping away.

That is until Guillermo remembered that he was a quarterback and he had a lot more power than most of the guys. He could trek through the others so easily, holding the ball above his head with his face so blank it was like Michael Myers decided to play. The others tried everything, jumping to grab the ball, Coyote even dug his feet into the sand only for Guillermo to just drag him forward when he walked.

It was hilarious.

And a bit worrisome.

Beatrice couldn’t sit down, she kept pacing in front of the seating area about to step in if Bradley got hurt - she didn’t think her brothers would hurt him willingly, but it was still something to think about. He seemed to be having fun, laughing and avoiding Guillermo’s huge frame by skidding to the left like she told him to do, but the ball remained in between her oldest brother’s hands.

Every once in a while, Rooster looked over to where she was just to let her know he was fine, he wanted desperately to walk over and kiss her just to prove he was okay, but he could. The game was still going and her brothers were there, well, he knew Michael and Leonardo wouldn’t mind but Guillermo was a bit of an enigma to him still.

The oldest of the Schiavoni siblings was the quiet brooding type, but he knew he always softened when it came to Bea. Even if Bradley was now accepted into the family, there were still other things he had to deal with along the way…he wondered how they’d feel once they found out they were going to live together.

She wanted to tell her parents last, but said nothing of her siblings. He didn’t know if there was a time where it’d be easier to let them know…but until then, he could handle this. They already got a place! They just had to make it public. 

They didn’t know how long they stayed there, but there was a point where Guillermo stepped out saying he was done. He put on his shirt and grabbed the keys from Michael’s pocket when his brother was distracted, telling him he’d be waiting in the car but not before he got closer to Bea and kissed her forehead, giving her the smallest yet kindest smile that dropped back to the neutral line as he nodded to the other women and walked back to the car.

Then Leonardo stepped back too, pressing two fingers on his wrist to check his heartbeat, “Fucking Christ,I’m old.”

‘You are one year older than Brad, Leo.”

Leonardo grumbled, “Yeah, don’t remind me.” he mutters, tapping his shirt free of sand before he puts on his top as well, groaning in pain when he lifts his arms, “My joints feel like granite.”

“I think you are exaggerating.” her brother just glared her way, playfully shoving her shoulder with a small smile. The male pilots were drenched with sweat, panting like old dogs that could no longer hunt while Michael was beaming, skin flushed red and just as covered with sweat, but he looked nothing like the others. He looked younger than he was, the hair he usually kept in his half bun falling in front of his eyes, “He looks happy.”

“I’m sure he does.” Leonardo groans, “I think I need some first aid.”

“Oh shush.” Beatrice playfully swats his bicep, then turns her attention to Bradley who looked downright delectable shining with sweat and flushed such a lovely red color. His chest heaved with his breathing, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, but his lips immediately turned into a smile when he met her eyes. “Not too hurt,right?” 

Her question earns a soft laugh out of him, “No, not hurt at all, to be honest.” he looks back to where Michael is, putting on his shirt and buttoning as low as before, “It was really fun.” he could see those green eyes brimming with worry, even if she smiled, it was obvious she wanted to know if he was alright without asking. He smirks, “I’m fine, I promise.”

“Okay.” she replies with a sigh, nodding towards him with her hands clasped together.

Michael is all smiles, grinning so wide it’s like his head was going to get split in half with how happy he was. He clapped Leonardo’s shoulder, tugging him to his chest and earning a ‘ew your wet chest hair is all over my face!’ which the promptly decided to ignore, keeping his brother close, “That was really fun, wasn’t it Leo? Of course it was.” Leonardo rolled his eyes with a frown, seeing that his brother answered his own question, “Anyway, let’s do that again, I moved back and I think it’ll be good for the old bones to get back into sports.”

Beatrice arches one eyebrow at him, “You are a boxer, Michael…and you are forty one, you are not old.”

“Maybe, but I’m getting there.” he chuckles, a deep humming sound that comes from within his chest, “At least we’ll live close by, huh Bea? We’ll be almost neighbors.”

Oh.

Beatrice opened her mouth to speak but the words were stuck in her throat, something that Bradley noticed, placing a hand on her lower back to comfort seeing how anxious she was starting to get. Beatrice’s body relaxed once she feels his huge hand touching her back, thumb following the line of her spine soothingly, the repetitive movements helping her nervous heart ease down, “Well–”

“Oh, you moved close to their new place? That’s pretty cool!” comes Shells voice from the side, unaware that her siblings had no idea she planned on moving in with Rooster nor that they already got themselves a place to stay. Michael and Leonardo slowly turned their head to their little sister, the oldest of the two with his hands on his hips and his smile turning confused.

“Wait, moving in? I wasn’t told of that.” comes Leonardo’s voice, breaking the silence and looking over his shoulder to see if Guillermo was coming back. He wasn’t, thankfully, because that would only turn this situation a lot messier than they thought.  But both Michael and Leo were a lot more attuned with Beatrice’s feelings than their older brother, and one look at her was enough to tell him that she was very nervous to say that, “...but you don’t need my permission! You are almost thirty and no longer a child! I’m very happy for you!”

Beatrice blinks up in surprise, her worried façade melting into a relieved smile as she hears her brother’s comforting words to her. Of course Michael would be supportive, he was the…rebel of the family, he’d be all for a sudden chaos or a break in the common family chain. Leonardo’s smile…she isn’t sure if it’s because of pain or because he’s happy as well - maybe both - followed by his weak thumbs up because he couldn’t lift his arm higher than that, was heartwarming too.

Unfortunately they couldn’t stay, a short but loud horn vibrated from the front of the bar, which meant Guillermo was telling them to speed it up. Michael scoffs, muttering to himself about how he was a ‘spoilsport’ before he turns to Beatrice and kisses her forehead before messing her hair with one of his hands. She whines out a complaint, slapping his bigger hand from her head only to earn a deep chuckle, before hitting knuckles with Bradley as a goodbye.

Leonardo did the same, albeit with more groans and moans of pain, having to be escorted out of the little seating area by his older brother picking him by the shoulder and carrying him forward like a toddler. Beatrice waved them both goodbye, easing out a nervous breath she didn’t even notice she was holding, turning her head back to Rooster who had his lips tilted in a small smirk, “That wasn’t so bad.” she mutters once her brothers are both far from sight, “I expected…I don’t know what I expected.”

“Well, we both know sometimes our expectations aren’t what we end up with.” he replies casually, leaning down to kiss the top of her head as the officers behind them talked amongst themselves, “We better go back home, I need a shower. I’d hate to come back to the bar sticking with sweat.”

“Yeah, that’d be terrible.” she giggles, grabbing his hand that dropped from her lower back, interlacing their fingers together, “Penny would probably kick you out.” she whispered the last part since the bar owner was sitting just a few steps away with Pete by her side, “You know she hates when people come smelling to the bar.”

Bradley laughs softly, agreeing with her before he grabs his white tank tee he left folded on one of the seats. Both of them wave their goodbyes, the officers telling Bea to ‘invite her brothers again whenever she wanted’ and she laughs with the promise she’d do that, knowing that Michael would be more than happy to come. Leo, not so much. He’d probably be still soaking his muscles in hot water by the time they play another game.

-

She didn’t know how it happened, but she and Bradley were now walking Jolene past midnight around his neighborhood after her shift at the Hard Deck. Maybe it was because the weather wasn’t too cold that night and the heat would be dealt with by walking close to the shore, but it was very nice.

“I half expected Michael to show up at the bar.” she says as she sits on the sand, Jolene a bit ahead of them sniffing a little mound that undoubtedly had a crab inside that wasn’t stupid enough to come out, “With him here and all now, he’d be the type to surprise visit me.”

Bradley chuckles, leaning back on his hands as they watch the waves crash against the sand quite strongly, but they were at a safe distance from the ocean. “I don’t think it’d be so bad if he did, the others liked him.” he shrugs, “He’s fun, a bit crazy, but fun.”

“I know he is fun…but the crazy part is also true. My brother has the alcohol tolerance of a purebred horse, I’ve never seen someone chug so much alcohol and not be affected by it.” she mutters, bringing her knees up to her chin so she could hug her legs,  holding them close to her by clasping her wrist. But she had a smile on her face in the end, “But I love him, I know I complain about my siblings a bit but I love Mike. I’m glad he’s back.”

Not to mention that having him back meant she’d have more help when it comes to getting a new car. Her father knew cars like the back of his hand, but his knowledge of modern vehicles was limited and his interest wasn’t really the best, preferring everything before her birth and backwards. Michael however, was the one that knew everything about cars and motorcycles, not that she’d get a motorcycle but it’s good to have that type of knowledge.

Silence takes over them after a while, the wind hitting their faces and Beatrice lowering her lips to prevent them from getting dry,”You know,” she begins, shaking her head with a smile, “I’ve been thinking about it and…I mean,I…” shr shrugs, still trying to find her words, “A lot has happened before I turned thirty. And…I don’t know I guess it’s more than I ever expected.” he turns his head towards her in questioning and Beatrice drops her hand to the sand to draw with her fingernail, “I think the main one is well,I met you.”

She looks at him with her face red, seeing his lips curl up into a pleased smile, “And ever since then, I guess…my life took a turn for the better. I was really stagnant,Roos. I was part of a routine that never changed: wake up, have breakfast, take Jolene on a walk, get back, do yoga, spend, I don't know how long, worrying about stuff, go to the bar, repeat. I don’t regret it, it wasn’t a bad type of routine it was just…you know? The usual thing every day. And probably wallow in my own self pity and anxiety until I could no longer understand what was reality and what was a figment of my imagination.” 

Bradley hums, scooting closer to her so their shoulders touch, grabbing the hand that was currently drawing on the send to lift to his lips, kissing her knuckles with a smile. “Well, you know when it’s real or not now, right?” her cheeks redden but she nodded. He looks down at her fingers, especifically her ring finger with interest, rubbing its length with his thumb much to Beatrice’s obliviousness. He knew it was dumb, but he was trying to figure out her size with his own fingers - which were bigger than hers by a good amount.

He couldn’t get to the jewelry box she keeps in her room to check for other rings, so he was improvising right now. Beatrice didn’t stop him, she just leaned her head on his shoulder as both watched the waves.

“You know what makes me really excited about all this?” she asks, enjoying the caressing to her fingers with a smile, “We have similar decoration styles.”

He stops, furrows his eyebrows then relaxes them with the realization, “Wow, we do. I never noticed.” Of course Beatrice had the pop culture mixed in, which he doesn’t mind but their whole ‘aesthetic’ per se was very minimalist and neutral colored, modern too. “I guess that makes it easier for us to figure out how to arrange the house how we like it.”

God they had a house. Fair, it was rented but they had a house. He was now slowly starting to notice that this was a real deal, that Beatrice and him were going to really live together. He knew there were things that he couldn’t control, like whenever he was deployed - which thankfully there were no talks about it yet- and she’d be pretty much alone in their house with Jolene. And while Jolene was a pitbull, she was never aggressive, she was actually a bit of a scaredy cat most of the time.

But that could wait until they moved in, he didn’t want to think about being deployed now, fearing that just thinking about it would make it happen sooner than later. It was his job but that didn’t mean he wanted it to happen before they moved in and she had to do everything alone. God he hoped it’d take a little while longer for him to actually go.

“Yeah, and there are rooms in the house where we can put one of the couches. And we have a guest room too.” she explains, breaking him out of his worried thoughts, “So we can put one of the beds. I think we’ll use the space really nicely, don’t you?”

“Well it is a lot of space.” he chuckles, “I think we’ll do good.”

“Yeah.” she whispers, her head lifting from his shoulder with her lips forming an ‘oh!’ “Oh, so I was thinking, for my birthday,” he slowly turns his head towards her, arching one eyebrow, “Maybe we can go karaoke and go eat out somewhere! What do you think? We can invite some people too.”

Bradley tries his best to keep his face neutral, pursing his lips with a nod “I think I can do that.” He hopes she couldn’t see in his face how he already had everything planned, settled and ready to go for next week. Thank God for Evelyn’s amazing organization skills, because neither he or Shells would be able to pull half of the things she did. She had a whole file where she put down everything needed for Beatrice’s surprise birthday party, “I don’t see why not.” Her brilliant smile was enough to make his heart turn into goo, she looked so happy just by the thought of having their friends and himself on a little get together.

Oh if only she knew what was going to happen, “I mean, I could ask some of my family members to come too. My parents wouldn’t join, they aren’t very…tech savvy, but Michael,Leo and Cyn would.” he hums, agreeing with her, keeping in mind to send them a message before he forgot, “But it’ll be fun!”

“Of course it will, we are going to celebrate you.” he replies smoothly just so her cheeks turned crimson and her eyes softened as she looked at him. When the wind started to pick up, Jolene rushed to their side and launched herself in between them, curling against their bodies trying to shield herself from the wind, “I think it’s better if go back,” he says already pushing himself upwards, helping Beatrice up and smiling down at the pittie who remained in between the two “Jojo is ready to leave.”

“Howling wind does make her a bit nervous, come here baby.” she coos, picking the dog up so she could carry her like an actual child, with Jolene’s huge head nestled on the curve of Beatrice’s shoulder. She follows Brad to the Bronco, still holding Jolene tight to herself but blinks when she feels the furs on her back suddenly stand to an end, “Jojo?” the dog’s head is directed somewhere else, her throat vibrating in a quiet growl that makes both of them stop and look at her, “Jojo, what’s the matter? Maybe there’s a cat.” Beatrice answers Bradley’s confused stare.

Both of them jump at a loud bark breaking the silence, something that Jolene never does and that makes both of the humans with her stare into the darkest part of the street. Rooster’s narrowed eyes try to see something, anything, but it was too dark for him to see, so he steps in front of Beatrice in hopes he could have any idea why Jolene suddenly got mad. He hears Beatrice gently calming Jolene down, the low growling still present which meant that whatever was bothering her was still in the direction they were all looking at, “Brad?” Beatrice’s soft voice calls, which promptly makes him hold a hand back for her to be quiet for a bit, moving his eyes around but not being able to see anything.

There is a noise from beyond, the clatter of a trash can’s lid falling to the ground making Jolene bark one more time, except this time Bradley can see what was actually bothering her: a raccoon. “Oh my God,” Beatrice heaves out a sigh, watching the small animal scurry away from there and disappear into the night “God that scared me.” Jolene ‘boofed’ towards the gray critter in warning, “It was just a raccoon, Jojo, it’s all good.”

Bur Bradley wasn’t convinced. He didn’t know why but his eyes remained in the same direction, Jolene wouldn’t bark even for squirrels, why would she bark for a raccoon? He was starting to get the same feeling from when Damon was not following them. Something in him was on high alert, something in him got closer to Beatrice, gently ushering her to the car with his narrowed gaze back to the dark area. If there was someone there, a mugger or something of the sort, they didn’t step closer.

Unless it was, God forbid, Chloe…but she already fucked her career enough, she wouldn’t try to pull any bullshit like that. He hesitated on going back, only moving when Beatrice calls him and he walks to the driver’s side with his eyes still on the same direction, getting into the car to see Beatrice looking back as well, since Jolene supported her huge head on the top of the back seat, “Do you think there’s something else there?”

He kept his eyes on the rear view mirror, trying to see if there was something moving or any light that would turn on the second they got to the car, but there wasn’t, “I don’t know, maybe there’s more raccoons. I can’t be sure.” 

“A person?”

Bradley inhales, turning the car on, “I’m not sure, baby.” if there was, they were really well hidden in there, so well hidden he couldn’t see anything, “It is past midnight, strange people roam around this time. Can’t be too careful.” she agrees, leaning back against the seat to sigh softly, placing her interlaced hands on top of her thighs. While still a bit nervous by Jolene’s sudden aggressive behavior to whatever it was hidden in the dark, they managed to get back to his apartment safely.

Beatrice chews her lower lip once inside, running her hands through her hair as she thinks about what just happened minutes ago. It was strange, and a bit scary, but neither of them were hurt so that’s always good. She sighs, kicking off her sneakers and putting her bag on the coat hanger before she meets Bradley in the kitchen, pushing herself to sit on the counter top as he pours himself some water, offering a glass to her, “Thanks.” she murmurs, sipping the cool drink slowly, swinging her feet back and forth.

“You are welcome.” he says back, kissing her cheek and leaning his lower back on the counter’s edge, trying to ease his mind from what happened by thinking of anything but Jolene’s weird behavior, “So, when do you want to check the car out?”

“I’ve looked some stuff up and probably on monday.” she says, holding the glass with both hands, “I can ask Mike to help me out, so you don’t have to worry. He’s really good with cars and whatnot…and well, he has a lot of experience with cars and motorbikes and such.” she shrugs, giving him a small smile, “And well, yeah,I think that’d be good.”

“I’m okay with that,” the pilot replies with a little smile, drinking his own water slowly, “It’ll be a long week, but I’ll be calm enough for your birthday on Saturday.” he grins, kissing her forehead when she gave him a thankful smile, dropping his lips to the tip of her nose then her mouth, “I think around…eight would be a good time to go, huh?” not because that was the scheduled time Evelyn managed to get them, but Bea didn’t have to know that.

“I think so! It’s usually open around seven, so yeah!It’ll be fine!” she grins, still swinging her feet, “Did you ever go to a karaoke bar?”

Bradley chuckles, “Have I? Yes, absolutely.”

“And what’s your go to song?” she asks with genuine interest, placing the empty glass in the sink, “Any Jerry Lee Lewis ones?”

“While I love his music, very few karaoke bars have them.I had a bit of everything, and I’m not telling you yet, it’ll be a surprise when we go there.” he finishes his sentence by taking a slow sip of his water.

Beatrice stares at him for a while, her smile widening, “It’s Backstreet Boys isn’t it?” he chokes, placing a hand under his chin to hold back the dribble as he tries to calm down his shocked coughing. He didn’t know how she figured out so easily, he wasn’t exactly ashamed of liking Backstreet Boys, they were a good band, but it wasn’t something he shared with everyone, “I’ve heard you humming to I Want it That Way one time in the shower when you thought I was asleep. It was really cute, Roos.”

Bradley licks his lips and wipes his chin, his coughing diminishing until it is finally gone, “It’s a good song.” she just giggles, mentioning it was cute no matter what and Bradley’s cheeks warm up just a bit, just enough for him to look away. He honestly preferred them to think about him singing Backstreet Boys by the top of his lungs than what happened close to the beach hours before. “What about you, what is your favorite song?”

Beatrice shrugs, “I don’t have one. I think. I can never really choose, I get a bit…over excited when I see the options.” 

“I thought you were going to say Great Balls of Fire but,” he shrugs, with a little pout, looking away from her, “I’m not hurt by it.” Beatrice laughs, which in turn makes his lips quirk up in a smile as he steps closer to her, her legs parting so accommodate him better, “But seeing you singing it was really good for me.” he mutters with his lips on hers.

Beatrice however, blinked, her lips just brushing his as her head recoiled in surprise, “Where did you see me singing it?”

“Shells sent me the video when you guys went there, when I was deployed.” Beatrice’s face slowly lost color, little by little the usual light peach coloring turned lighter and lighter, “It was really cute, you don’t have to be embarrassed.”

“Oh my God, that’s why she was recording!! She just said to keep it for prosperity!!” she covers her face with both hands, whining into her palms, “That’s so–”

“Cute and adorable and probably sexy too since it’s you we are talking about.” he smiles, hugging her shoulders when her forehead pressed on his chest, “You know it is. And you know I loved seeing you singing it.” Beatrice whines again on his shirt, her face so hot he could feel it through his top, “And you can sing it again at a…later time…when we are alone and less clothed.”

Her swat to his arm was light but enough to sting a bit, lifting her head just enough to glare at him playfully,”You are terrible.” she’s still blushing a violent shade of red “But I’ll consider.” she yelps out in surprise when he picks her up by the legs, laughing when he travels all the way back to his room, kicking the door behind him.

[lokiforever]

Happy Birthday, my dear💗

Tom Holland x reader

Trope: Friends to lovers

A/N : So...... guys this one is for one of my friends. She absolutely loves Tom Holland but she doesn't watch marvel unlike me. So here Y/N is her ( for me). Though I do like him, but more like a friend / cousin / fellow avenger 😅. My love is only for Tom Hiddleston and all of his characters. My favorite is Loki ( of course). Anyways, let's start with the drabble. Enjoy!!!! ✌🏻✌🏻❤️

Summary : The reader and Tom Holland are best friends. It was her birthday, so he decided to surprise her!

Your birthday was tomorrow . Well, more likely in 5 minutes as it was 11:55 pm. You were lying on your bed with your phone in your hand, you really missed your days before you came to London. Though it was a nice place but you missed New York, your parents and old your friends.

12:00

*Beep*

The bell rang. "Who could it be? " you thought. You peeped out of the peep hole. You smiled brightly when you saw Tom, your best friend, standing outside with a cake in his hand . You immediately opened the door.

Tom : HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Y/N : Thank you so much, Tom.

You hugged him and he hugged you back.

Tom : Come, let's cut the cake!

You smile brightly. Tom sings a birthday song for you.

*After cutting the cake *

Tom : Now, it's time for my gift.

Y/N : Tom, you really didn't have to -

Tom : Why not, it's one of my favorite person's birthday.

You both chuckle. Tom takes out two tickets.

Y/N : What's this?

You ask excitedly.

Tom : Tickets to Paris.

Y/N : OMG!!!!!!! Thank you so much!!!!You're the best!

*In Paris *

It was definitely your best birthday. You spent the whole day exploring the streets of Paris. Now. Finally. The Eiffel Tower. You guys planned to go there at night.

You were standing in front of the Eiffel Tower when Tom handed you a blindfold.

Y/N : Now, what's this for?

Tom : Just put it on.

Tom said smiling."Ok" you said.

*After a long minute *

Your jaw almost touched the floor at the sight in front of you. Tom was on his knees with a ring in his hands.

Y/N : Tom, wh-

Tom : My dear, you're the one of the best person I've ever met. The best thing that ever happened to me. I've liked you since the first time we met. Your smile ; your laughter ; your everything ; every habit. I can't even imagine a life without you. I really love you. Y/N Y/L/N, my world, would be so kind to grant me the honor of being your boyfriend?

Tears of happiness were formed in the brim of your eyes. You have always loved him but as you didn't dare to tell him cuz your friendship was precious to you and if he didn't felt the same way, you'll loose that thing as well.

Y/N : T-Tom, I - Yes! A hundred times yes! And I love you too, I always have!

Tom slipped the ring in your finger, stood up and kissed you.

You were so happy that you can't even put it in words, even if you want to. He loves you!!!!! And you love him!

*********************

A/N : Whoa!! I can't believe I wrote that 😂😂

Tagging @holdmytesseract, my dear friend ❤️

[manitat]

The 100 greatest TV series of the 21st Century

BBC Culture polled 206 TV experts from 43 countries in order to find the greatest TV of the 21st Century – here’s the top 100

01 The Wire (2002-2008) 02 Mad Men (2007-2015) 03 Breaking Bad (2008-2013) 04 Fleabag (2016-2019) 05 Game Of Thrones (2011-2019) 06 I May Destroy You (2020) 07 The Leftovers (2014-2017) 08 The Americans (2013-2018) 09 The Office (UK) (2001-2003) 10 Succession (2018-) 11 BoJack Horseman (2014-2020) 12 Six Feet Under (2001-2005) 13 Twin Peaks: The Return (2017) 14 Atlanta (2016-) 15 Chernobyl (2019) 16 The Crown (2016-) 17 30 Rock (2006-2013) 18 Deadwood (2004-2006) 19 Lost (2004-2010) 20 The Thick Of It (2005-2012) 21 Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-) 22 Black Mirror (2011-) 23 Better Call Saul (2015-2022) 24 Veep (2012-2019) 25 Sherlock (2010-2017) 26 Watchmen (2019) 27 Line Of Duty (2012-2021) 28 Friday Night Lights (2006-2011) 29 Parks And Recreation (2009-2015) 30 Girls (2012-2017) 31 True Detective (2014-2019) 32 Arrested Development (2003-2019) 33 The Good Wife (2009-2016) 34 The Bridge (2011-2018) 35 Fargo (2014-) 36 Downton Abbey (2010-2015) 37 Band Of Brothers (2001) 38 The Handmaid's Tale (2017-) 39 The Office (US) (2005-2013) 40 Borgen (2010-2022) 41 Schitt's Creek (2015-2020) 42 Peep Show (2003-2015) 43 Money Heist (2017-2021) 44 Community (2009-2015) 45 The Good Fight (2017-) 46 Homeland (2011-2020) 47 Grey's Anatomy (2005-) 48 Inside No 9 (2014-) 49 The Bureau (2015-) 50 Halt And Catch Fire (2014-2017) 51 Small Axe (2020) 52 This Is England 86, 88, 90 (2010-2015) 53 Call My Agent! (2015-2020) 54 Happy Valley (2014-) 55 The Shield (2002-2008) 56 The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019) 57 The Young Pope (2016) 58 Dark (2017-2020) 59 The Underground Railroad (2021) 60 House Of Cards (2013-2018) 61 Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008) 62 The Good Place (2016-2020) 63 Pose (2018-2021) 64 Detectorists (2014-2017) 65 Orange Is The New Black (2013-2019) 66 Mare Of Easttown (2021) 67 RuPaul's Drag Race (2009-) 68 Stranger Things (2016-) 69 24 (2001-2010) 70 Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009) 71 Enlightened (2011-2013) 72 Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) 73 Planet Earth (2006) 74 Utopia (2013-2014) 75 Babylon Berlin (2017-) 76 Rick And Morty (2013-) 77 American Crime Story (2016-) 78 The Killing (Denmark) (2007-2012) 79 Mindhunter (2017-2019) 80 House (2004-2012) 81 OJ: Made In America (2016) 82 Big Little Lies (2017-2019) 83 Insecure (2016-2021) 84 Normal People (2020) 85 Narcos (2015-2017) 86 How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014) 87 The Comeback (2005-2014) 88 The OA (2016-2019) 89 Dexter (2006-2013) 90 It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2005-) 91 Westworld (2016-) 92 Show Me A Hero (2015) 93 Treme (2010-2013) 94 Louie (2010-2015) 95 Luther (2010-2019) 96 Catastrophe (2015-2019) 97 Hannibal (2013-2015) 98 Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015-2019) 99 Steven Universe (2013-2020) 100 The Queen's Gambit (2020)

[grumpygreenwitch]

The Fairy And The Prince #66 + #67 + #68 + #69 + #70 + #71 + #72

Part 1 - Part 2 - Parts 3 & 4 - Part 5 - Part 6, 7 & 8 - Part 9 & 10 - Part 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 & 16 - Part 17, 18, & 19 - Part 20, 21 & 22 - Part 23, 24, 25 & 26 - Part 27, 28, 29 & 30 - Part 31, 32, 33 & 34 - Part 35, 36 & 37 - Part 38, 39, 40 & 41 - Part 42 & 43 - Part 44 & 45 - Part 46 & 47 - Part 48, 49, 50 & 51 - Part, 52, 53 & 54 - Part 55 & 56 - Part 57, 58, 59 & 60 - Part 61, 62, 63, 64 & 65 - Part 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71 & 72

THIS IS IT. 103K words and I don’t even know how many months later, and it’s done. If you stuck it out with me, THANK YOU. Thank you from the bottom of my soul. If you enjoyed it, just a little, and would like to let me know, I’d appreciate it. If you hated it, I would like to know as well. When I first started writing this, I meant to go back and forth between it and Ser Lyrian’s story. I also thought it’d be a short story, a speed writing. It... is not. The size of it boggles my mind somewhat, and I’m the one who wrote it. If you came this far with me, and would like to do me a kindness, there are five questions I always ask of people who read my writing and express a willingness to go the extra mile.

1. Favorite Character? 2. Least Favorite Character? I’m interested in the character you love to hate, but if you have a character that’s just boring, I want to know about that, too. 3. Favorite Scene? 4. Least Favorite Scene? Meaning a scene that plodded on or was poorly written. 5. Anything else you liked/hated?

Adam managed. He even found the time and the energy, somehow, to scrub at his battered clothing, and to replace his missing sword with the traveling blade kept with his saddle. The peeping, chirping sparrows that made their homes in the vastness of the stables came to greet him; to them he'd always been Adam, and he always would be. They didn't care about crowns or Compacts or trials, lucky them.

He didn't meet any of the stable-hands he heard working in other parts of the vast building. He did meet some few people on the worn path going down to the stables, but sleepy and elderly and blind his horse was still a very large creature, and they scrabbled out of his way, staring in disbelief. Someone ran back up to the palace, and Adam kicked the charger into a light trot; even the jarring gait of its arthritic limbs felt good, felt real and solid against the Prince's own aches. "Trout, would you go tell them I'm coming?"

The pixie took off like a bird. He could hear the ruckus slowly growing somewhere in the depths of the castle as he rode up to the gate, frowning minutely when he realized the closer he drew, the more exhausted he felt, as if he were dragging miles of chains all unseen behind him. Had they snuck up another test on him? Were they truly cheating at the very last possible moment? He'd ride the horse to his bed if he had to, the charger seemed to have no problem carrying him.

His concerns scattered when he reached the palace gates, and a smile as sunny as the dawn broke over his face when he saw Dane standing there, tall and broad and wrapped in priest-blessed armor.

Trout flew back to Adam's shoulder and perched there. Dane caught the reins of the gelding and looked up.

"Dane," Adam greeted.

"Highness," Dane replied.

With a muffled groan Adam slid off the saddle. His ankle tried to give out on him; Dane's hand snapped out to steady him, and Adam caught onto his shoulder. They traded a very small smile, and Adam felt suddenly lighter, as if he were young again, at a time where such things as crown and loss hadn't mattered.

No one stopped them as they made their way through the palace, coming back much as they'd gone the day before, even if Adam was a little poorer in fairy gifts in his pockets, and infinitely wealthier in grime. Somewhere behind him a ruckus was growing where the impromptu messenger who'd caught sight of him on the path to the stables delivered his news.

Adam didn't care. He opened the door to his rooms.

He paused, and after a moment he had to laugh.

The same breakfast on the table, laid out exactly the same to the last plate and spoon. The same books on the desk, quill trimmings on a small bowl. A fire in the hearth. The wash basin ready, steaming faintly. Even Culli-maid's and Beli's clothing were the same, a miracle he would have never believed after seeing the state of Culli's house slippers the night before. He had the feeling that his bed would be rumpled down the same to the last wrinkle on the sheets.

Beli had been pacing restlessly, and Culli had been sitting by the fire, her basket of mending on her lap. It went flying when she sprang up to her feet. That, at least, they didn't have to change; they'd been just as anxious the day before.

"Hello, Culli," Adam greeted her.

Tears spilled down her round cheeks, and she couldn't speak for a moment. "Good morning, Highness," she managed at last.

He swept her into a hug that dislodged Trout off his shoulder, and she sobbed. "Has it killed you, not to make the bed?"

"Oh, it needs changing anyways, Highness," she protested, laughing through her tears.

Adam held her a moment longer before stalking up to Beli. "Look at me," he demanded.

"I can," Beli told him.

"Look at me!"

"I can!" Beli's smile was the brightest Adam had ever seen in the solemn young man. The pale brown of his eyes was bright through tears he refused to cry until Adam caught his face and stared at him; he caught his Prince's shoulders. "I can. I can see you. I can see you just fine."

"Beli." Adam dragged him into a hug as well.

"Don't think this will save you from doing the books with me," Beli warned him in a choked whisper. "Welcome back, Highness."

Adam stared all around them, at this tiny Court of his, his friends, half his world that he'd come so close to losing. He still felt exhausted, crushed, as if he were carrying a millstone on his back, but even that couldn't crush the simple joy of being home, being among friends, being safe.

"Adam," Dane called in warning, and the young Prince turned. There, on the doorway to his rooms, stood the Queen Dowager. She was wearing an exquisite quilted robe over her sleeping clothes, and a long, elegant shawl over it all. Her silver hair hung in a long braid at her back. Without the pomp of her rank she looked tiny and fragile, like a porcelain figurine. There was a single maid with her, likely the only one who'd been dressed and present at that early hour.

Adam left Beli and nodded to Culli, who moved over to further push the door open. The Dowager and the young Prince met by the hearth, and Adam bowed very low before her. "Majesty, good morning."

There were tears caught in the deep blue of her eyes, Adam suddenly realized, but she drew herself up proudly. "Good morning, my Heir."

Something immense snapped so loudly that Adam flinched, instinctively whirling around to cover the Queen, hand going for his sword. The Dowager cried out and staggered, and both Culli and her maid rushed over to catch her. Dane and Beli were instantly by Adam. "What's wrong, what's happened?!"

Adam tried to step back and nearly fell into the hearth. He felt light as air, light as a feather in a stiff breeze. The world, beautiful though it was, shone to his eyes with nearly blinding new colors, with light and life he'd never seen before. "Didn't you hear that, can't you see that?"

"He can't. They can't." It was the Dowager who replied, leaning on the young maid and drawing herself up carefully straight. "The Compact is fulfilled, and the seal in our bloodline's magic is broken. Now, now we are as we were always meant to be." She gestured lightly, and power gathered and spiraled around her fingertips; the smile she gave Adam was radiant. "Thank you, my Heir."

***

Life turned into a whirlwind after that.

Adam insisted on making one last visit alone. He hadn't known what to expect, but after seeing how hard it had been for everyone he'd left behind, he'd wanted to give his oldest nemesis the grace of discretion. Everidge Leminy had wept like a child at the news.

The priests of the Night-Mother and the Tree-Father had come, and before two vast audiences of worried, hand-wringing nobility, Adam had gone through all the tests. He'd been pulled this way and that, brought to far too many meetings, asked a deluge of questions though no one seemed to be listening to his answers, introduced to endless rows of people. Adam smiled and nodded and did as he was told.

He bid his time.

He still found the chance, on the early morning of the first true day of summer, to sneak out of his room and the palace altogether. He ran into the woods and to the clearing where the green pixies nested. Barefoot, in nothing but pants and a light shirt, he climbed up the linden tree and nestled in the familiar crook of a strong branch, watching the vast green sea of the woods ripple in the morning breeze. "I heard you," he murmured. "When I was lost, and I had nothing else, and I called out, I heard you. What a nanny you've been," he teased wryly. "There's not a time I can name when danger came looking for me in these woods that you weren't there to ward it off."

The tree swayed lightly in the breeze, a green, sweetly scented cloud all around him.

"Thank you," he said simply.

Stay, the tree begged in the song of the breeze.

"I can't," he replied, caught off-guard and strangled breathless by the endless well of the tree's heart, that even then would ask him to forgive. To heal.

He stayed there as long as he could, but in the end he had to go back. He was dressed in rich royal finery, fussed over, fawned over.

On that first true day of summer, Prince Adam of the Realm was named Crown Prince and Heir before the worthies of the realm. A great celebration was thrown. He smiled and greeted people and let them fuss over him and make much conversation about their daughters and nieces and sisters and cousins.

He bid his time still.

The next day, for the first time, he made his way to the Chamber of Council. During those two months between his birthday and his coronation, Adam had spent every moment he could spare with the Queen Dowager, with Master Leminy, with the Genealogist and with teachers who'd seen very little of him before. Nine years of education had taught him the theory of the laws and politics of the realm, but in truth none of the princes had any actual practice with the ruling bit of, well, ruling. None of them were firstborns, none of them were heirs to their own family holdings; Adam, himself, was the youngest of several children.

Though neither the Dowager nor the Master of Scions approved of what Adam wished to do, neither would oppose him. They had made very careful plans for that first meeting. Adam walked in to find most of the seats empty, as expected. He'd taken the throne at the vast horseshoe table and been mostly ignored, as expected. The fact he'd ousted the Earl and Duchess sitting at both his sides to allow both the Queen Dowager and Master Leminy to take their places had made them grumble, but there were so many empty seats that it seemed a non-issue.

The first issue, on fisheries and taxation, came up. It was, the Dowager had told him, an old issue. The coastal lords didn't want to pay taxes; they wanted the fisherfolk to pay them instead, leaving their coffers untouched. Adam remembered the kind, warm welcome of the folk who worked the gull-winged ships of the realm. He refused the tax. The lords threatened to override him.

He snapped his fingers and the very long and seal-laden scroll burst into flames.

The chamber went breath-takingly quiet.

"All this time," he said into the silence. "All this time you've known the price the Crown paid to keep the rest of you safe, and still into the grindstone you sent your children, just for a shot at it. And in the meantime, you schemed for power and acted as if the only reason you'd given your loyalty was fear. Fear of magic. Fear of power. If you want to be ruled by fear, I can absolutely do that. I've learned a little about fear from the Court Beyond the Woods. I'm happy to put those lessons to use with you."

"How dare you speak to us so!" One of the nobles shouted, surging to his feet and gesturing sharply at the Dowager. "Do something!"

"The Duke of Cherst misunderstands, perhaps," the Dowager replied mildly, "who answers to whom here."

"Perhaps the Duke is not aware," Adam examined some of the documents before him idly, "that people can burn just as well as parchment, provided the right amount of power is applied." He leveled a hard, dark stare on the man, who didn't need to know it had taken Adam two weeks to be able to pull off that bit of showy magic without setting on fire everything else in the vicinity. "Sit down."

When the ashen-faced Duke obeyed, he threw the list aside. "Fear is a poor way to rule," he said into the silence. "I want to rule with you, but make no mistake, mine is the crown. Mine is the right. I have bled for it, I have faced madness and darkness and death for it. I will hear your voices, and I will take your words into account, as long as you speak sense to me. But you would do well to remember that the power of our armies is meant to be used against our enemies abroad. In here, within our lands, the power is magic and the magic is mine." He stared at them all. "We're not taxing the common folk. If that's your business here today, it's concluded. The answer's 'no'."

"But, Majesty -" A woman protested.

"Your reasons better be exceptional, Duchess, because I have a full day planned ahead for us and you're already costing us lunch. Let's hear them."

She went quiet.

"Hm." Adam gestured. Leminy's secretaries began passing around scrolls. "These are the new taxes and levies; you'll find there's also -" The chamber had gone to chaos at the sound of that dreaded word, and Adam sprang up on his feet with a shout. "Enough!"

Every goblet, pitcher and inkpot shattered. Cracks appeared on several of the glass panes in the windows.

"Levies, yes. You'll find they're generous. There are also exemptions for the provinces that meet the quotas included."

"Majesty," a younger man pointed out hesitantly. "These are quotas for uncured iron and rowan wood army lengths."

"They are." Adam dipped his head politely. "There are thirteen graves behind the palace temples. There are just as many if not more scattered across the realm. That doesn't include the common folk that had the miserable luck of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The crown is done with the Court Beyond the Woods. We go to war." Before they could get into too much of a fit over those news, Adam pitched his voice to carry. "And because I know first-hand how fragile a matter royal inheritance can be, I will be wed before we march." He gave them all that hard, heartlessly level look. "Consider the choice of my queen a further potential exemption."

"Majesty," a stately woman with far too much make-up smiled graciously at him. "Surely this is a course of action best discussed with all of your ruling lords, not just us measly few?"

Adam popped his lips thoughtfully, as if the meeting weren't going exactly as the Queen Dowager had predicted. Well, barring the glass shattering. At least he hadn't had to escalate to kicking a chair; they were bloody solid and he wasn't sure he wouldn't have broken his foot in the doing, no matter what she said. "Exceptional wisdom, Baroness. On second thought, meeting adjourned. We meet again in one week's time. Enough time for those who wish to travel to do so."

And with that, he swept out of the chamber and left them to their panic.

***

Prince Canemore made one last trip into the hidden keep beneath the Old Place. He made it wearing traveling clothes, his very best; he had very far to go, on a trip he didn't wish to undertake, to a goal he didn't wish to reach.

He found the gateway leading into his secret garden empty, cold and dark. Rubble covered the space beneath it; though he didn't know it, it had been painstakingly carried, one piece at a time, from beneath the empty plinth where the dancing lady had once stood.

Beyond, the frozen summer garden had gone to autumn, against all his power, matched at last to the seasons above. At the center of it, in the perfect clearing, the golden, gilded cage stood, twisted and broken, bars pried apart by the force of the wild growth of the amethyst vine.

Of Linden there was no trace.

He threw the garden into winter and darkness as he left, and stalked away, never to return.

***

His books had been absolutely right, Adam found out: war is not a quick affair. He found his time full from dawn to midnight, accounting for meetings and supplies, oversight of troops and manufacturing. He never faltered when he spoke, and neither did those around him: their enemy was the Court Beyond The Woods, not the woods themselves. The Courts could be powerful allies just as they could be dire enemies; he would point at the winged, golden creature perched on his shoulder whenever the question came up. Trout had already bit someone's fingers off when they'd waggled them too angrily in Adam's face, and no one cared to find out how well it could wield those silver-tipped lacquered hair-pins.

Before he knew what had happened, autumn and winter had come and gone, and spring loomed again. His birthday, the celebration of the Compact being fulfilled, was planned to be a massive celebration, a masquerade to dwarf all others before. The entirety of the realm, it seemed, wanted to attend.

"They're dusting off every relation they can find, as long as they're young and female," Adam protested vaguely as he suffered through one more fitting. "There's girls pouring out of every cellar and cupboard."

"You can't blame them, Adam." The Dowager was directing the seamstresses and examining the Heir's costume with a stern look. "You're the one who opened that door."

"It seemed the thing to do," he admitted.

"Oh." She shooed the seamstresses away so she could speak to him so very, very quietly. "You could try for friendship, Adam. Even a broken heart can have friends."

He managed a wry smile at that. "It can. But it wouldn't be fair to her. She'd expect love. No, it's better like this. She gets a crown, I get iron. Beli, any new contenders on the guest list?"

The Dowager gestured the seamstresses back to work. From his desk in the Prince's rooms, his Seneschal answered. "Not really. It's hard to compete with the fact that Lord Bagley has both the mines and the foundries. There's just one. Their counteroffer is... clever."

He brought a set of papers for Adam to examine, and the Heir looked very surprised. "You're joking!"

"I thought it might be an issue -"

"No, no." Adam found what the letters were telling him, at the very least, amusing in the extreme. There was light and animation to him that had been missing for months. "At least I'll be able to tell her apart from the others. How goes my personal project?"

"The engineers are working the axles and wheels. Water's heavy, Adam, I didn't realize how heavy until they told me. Carrying that much water, and a person to boot? That's hard. They're thinking of sleds at this point."

"As long as they think of something," Adam winced when a pin stabbed him, and looked up swiftly when the door opened, suddenly hopeful.

Dane, just coming in, shook his head as he'd done every morning for nearly a year, and wilted to once again see hope fade from his Prince. Every morning he went into the woods to wait. Every morning he came back having met no one, not even the pixies. They'd abandoned the clearing of the linden tree, and no one could find them.

No Needlemaw.

No Boul.

Adam turned, expression gone to stone. "Well, now I just have to meet the ladies and we'll see what we'll see."

He was eventually allowed to escape the fittings, only to be snared into a few more last-minute meetings. Then it was Culli who rescued him, only to shove him into a bath, though she did manage to sneak in a meal, the first of his day, for all that it came at the price of his dignity, having to subject himself to the ignominy of being scrubbed like a toddler just so he could use his hands to eat.

Clad in his costume, the circlet on his head, an incredibly itchy domino tied to his face, he took his place at the entrance to the palace's grandest ballroom, to greet the mass of people pouring in and be introduced to all their marriageable relations. He wouldn't, couldn't, leave the party without a betrothed; a number of concessions had been granted to the Council of Nobles in exchange for that promise. No one wanted war, and no one could budge the Crown Prince from it, so they were all working as best they could to minimize any potential fallout from it.

Trout, on his shoulder, solved half the itchy part within five minutes, by biting off the domino's feathers and gleefully flailing around with them. Adam couldn't very well be stern at the pixie when the Queen Dowager herself, standing just behind him, could barely keep from laughing aloud at the fierce creature's antics.

He was introduced to the young lady Bagley, grand-daughter of the Earl of Bagley, who stammered through half her greeting and forgot the other half, overwhelmed. She winced openly when Trout spit out a feather. Adam sighed.

Behind her came the first familiar face in that sea of strangers, and the young Heir couldn't help but smile. "Prince Rickard."

Rickard flushed under his elaborate mask, all the more so when the Crown Prince offered his hand, preempting a bow. He took it, and couldn't help a little smile. "Prince Adam."

Adam grinned, the first honest gesture to cross his face since the gala had started.  Rickard was costumed as a bull, in violets and reds, and the silver and gold that his family boasted were stitched on every velvet and satin seam. He'd grown into a young bull, too, though he couldn't match Dane in either height or breadth of shoulder. The hand gripping Adam's was powerful, but the callouses Rickard had earned from his years spent at the palace were fading. Still, it was the sight of the man that gladdened him. "Prince Bully," he murmured.

Rickard's discomfort vanished under a very inelegant snort of laughter. "Prince Twerp," he retaliated. "Where are the others? I know there's a few that... made it."

Adam gave him a disbelieving look. "As far away from the palace as they can be," he replied. When his one-time torturer gave him an uncomprehending look, Adam gestured all around. "Every girl of marriageable age in the realm is here, Rickard, prowling for blood. Until you got here, I was the only available bachelor." He watched understanding, horror, and panic flicker over what he could see of the young man's features and jerked him suddenly close. "No running. We die as men," he whispered, and let him go.

"Oh, gods," Rickard squeaked. In all of the ruthlessness and machinations he'd once wielded and devised, this apparently was a trap he'd not seen coming.

He was none too gently elbowed by his companion, and the Crown Prince's mouth twitched. "Duke Lagrace, won't you introduce me to your companion?"

Rickard cleared his throat and gestured to the elegant white, silver and gold doe next to him. "My sister, the lady Elizabeth Lagrace, Majesty."

Elizabeth Lagrace curtsied with great grace. "Majesty," she murmured. She was, astonishingly, built along the same powerful lines as her brother, softened by the fact she'd not spent her formative years trying to survive in a cutthroat court, or learning to fight with every weapon and tactic created by man. Adam could only see that she had her brother's eyes, but her hair was lighter, a riot of golden curls artfully oiled and pinned over her head with an exquisite silver clip.

Silver, gold and priests. The Lagraces would back the Crown Prince's war without hesitation for a shot at the crown. Adam expected nothing less than the lethal predator that her brother had once been behind the dainty doe's mask. Elizabeth Lagrace was one year older than Adam, but they'd been so sure of their offer that they'd sent none of their younger ladies.

"The lady's costume is radiant as a star." Adam took her hand and kissed the lace of her gloves. "I wager it pales before what it hides."

"The Heir's costume seems to have grown lopsided," she replied evenly. "Shall I make a note to stay only to one side of you if I wish my hair to stay of even lengths, Majesty?"

Adam barked a laugh. "They grow them merciless in Lagrace," he noted in amusement at the siblings. "I should like a dance with the lady, if I can find her in the chaos later?"

"I will be found, Majesty," she assured him, lacing her arm through her brother, who was scowling in an entirely brotherly fashion at the Crown Prince. She all but dragged him off.

"Better than Bagley," the Queen Dowager murmured.

"Perhaps a little too much," Adam agreed.

"Adam, what are you looking for? Bread in milk?"

"A queen that won't resent my absence from her life. That one has her brother's wits. If she also has his drive, she absolutely would."

But then who would be coming up to him but Arditty, and he swept her off her feet and spun her around, her lace butterfly wings fluttering with the wind of his delight. She introduced him to her flustered husband and their son, who was young enough to be shy of the firebird stranger, but old enough to do his bow without aid. Adam made her promise him one dance before the endless cavalcade resumed once again.

The first dance, however, went to the Queen Dowager. It was the one move Adam knew couldn't be ascribed to politics or diplomacy. Likely they thought it was an invitation made out of family love, but love was the one thing they knew would never grow between them; they had both done things too terrible, lost too much, to be willing to offer more than affection and loyalty and friendship. But they could indeed be friends, and hers was the wealth of knowledge and courtly savagery Adam knew he would need in the days to come. He would have asked the same of Master Leminy, but the Master of Scions had begged leave to retire, and he'd looked so worn and fragile when at last he'd known himself free of his terrible duty that Adam hadn't had the heart to refuse him.

They moved sedately to the music, the swan and the firebird, and Adam was surprised to find out he'd put on a few inches on her. When had that happened?

He danced a merry jig with Arditty, bringing her back to her husband breathless and laughing, and taking the time to tell him wicked tales of her besting the higher authorities of the palace when they'd been younger. He left them in each other's arms and went on to dance and dance and dance some more, until he found himself wishing for more conversations on supply trains and iron forging just so he could sit at a table and rest his feet. Trout brought him a handful of grapes and Adam didn't ask where the pixie had got them. A special pocket had been stitched into the costume because Adam would not have worn it without, and Trout dove into it, safely away from the noise and crowds. Adam envied him.

He danced with the lady Bagley, and managed to get a timid smile out of her. Rickard was under siege when he went to request a dance from the lady Lagrace. She took his hand with a little curtsy; the music began, and they danced in silence for a few moments before she spoke. "You really aren't here at all, are you, Majesty?"

"I beg your pardon?" Adam jerked himself sharply back to the present.

"Here, at the party," she specified, then added. "You're as far away as if you'd flown to another land."

"I am here now. The Lady Lagrace has my undivided attention."

She scoffed. "I know better, Majesty. Don't insult my intelligence and I shan't insult yours."

"Noted," Adam replied, his curiosity roused. "Is this how the lady means to draw my interest? Veiled insults?"

"Nothing I said would be new to you, Majesty. I asked Rickard to tell me all he could of your time in the palace. I wrote to any of my friends who had family here during that time. No, I shall simply be honest."

"Honest."

"Yes. And share with you my observations."

"Do." The dance spun them momentarily away from one another, then brought her back into his arms.

"You're never going to love your queen."

Adam's jaw tightened until a muscle twitched along his cheek. "The lady Lagrace is correct. 'Correct' and 'bethroted' are quickly becoming mutually exclusive."

She smiled. "Would it help if I admitted I've been mistaken for a while now, and didn't realize it until I met you?"

"Do I truly wear my heart on my sleeve like that?"

"Gods, no. You're one of the hardest men to read I've ever met."

Adam hesitated as he spun her. "Thank you?"

"You're welcome. No, you see, I thought at first you wanted a queen that would love you, even if you don't love her. But I was wrong. You know how cruel that would be -"

"Dangerous."

Her head cocked minutely.

"Cruel and dangerous. I don't need a wife that'll stray. Thrones have fallen for less."

"Ah. Cruel and dangerous, then. And you are many things, Majesty, but you're not cruel. You're simply not here at all. Whatever wife you choose will have to live with that absence. It would break Miriana's heart, you know. Lady Bagley. She might agree to a loveless marriage, but your absence would destroy her. She'd die thinking she failed in some way she can never understand."

"So I should choose you?"

"Lagrace has the best offer to your future military endeavors," she replied coyly.

"You don't strike me as the sort that would abide my not being there."

"Oh, I'm sure it would drive me mad every now and again. But I would have the crown to keep me warm in that empty bed. See, marking your absence and letting you know I do are two different things, Majesty. I'm quite sure you'd never find out how I felt about it. Until I met you I was also fairly certain I could make you happy, but now I know no one can."

The dance ended; Adam held onto her. "And why would that be?"

"Because it's not that you can't love, which is what everyone believes, what I believed until I met you. But that you already love someone, and can never have them." She shrugged gracefully in his grip. "I come into this fight knowing I'm already beat, Majesty. And I'm alright with that. How many girls here can say the same thing?"

She stepped back and Adam let her go. He danced, again and again, but it all came to him in a blur where he didn't register faces or names or music, his feet moving out of training as Elizabeth's words careened through his mind.

You already love someone, and can never have them.

For a while, caught in the whirlwind storm of preparing for war, Adam had forgotten.

Suddenly there was no hiding, and the pain was there, like a fist around his throat, like a dagger through his heart.

Linden.

"Mortal prince?"

"Adam?"

He was sitting, and there was a cup being pressed into his hands. The storm of sound and color of the party came back to him, painfully overwhelming in ways the world hadn't been since he'd learned to master his perceptions of it with his magic unchained. Trout was a warm press against his cheek, and Dane was crouched before him, splendid in the official armor of the Captain-of-the-Guard he was still years from becoming.

"What happened?" he asked hoarsely, dragging off the mask and rubbing at his face. He was sitting on the stone bench that ran along the railing of an oval balcony, one curtain drawn, the other open, and he felt cold to his soul.

"You stopped. Like a clockity-clockwork toy," Trout told him. "You said not to bite you so I called Dane."

"Ugh." Adam buried a hand in his gold-dusted hair. "Did anyone notice?"

"Only that you're tired. The Dowager is making your excuses."

Adam buried his face in his hands. "I really thought I could do this, Dane."

"You're doing fine, Adam. What happened? Trout said you were just talking, no one's come at you with a weapon. And Culli's got the kitchen locked tighter than Beli's purse-strings. It can't have been poison."

"It was words, Dane. It was just words, and suddenly I just remembered everything I'll never have anymore, and I couldn't breathe. I remembered that I miss my other friends. That I never said goodbye to Boul, that I never even saw Needle. That Linden..." He swallowed thickly and threw his head back, eyes closed and hands gone to fists.

"I'll get you out if you want, Adam. Just give the word."

"I never wanted this," Adam whispered.

"I know."

"Well, gods help me if Lady Lagrace figures it out." Adam downed the cup in one gulp. "Trout, thank you for not biting me." The pixie's wings buzzed and its slender chest puffed up proudly. "I need a favor from each of you."

"Name it," Dane said simply.

"I need you to find an alcove, close the curtains and douse the candles. Trout -"

"I'll go find them!" The pixie arrowed away.

"Adam, what are you doing?"

"Making sure I've done one thing right since I came out of the damn woods," the Crown Prince replied, rolling to his feet and tying on the domino with a gusting, weary sigh. "Go on. I suppose I can get in one more dance while you get it all set up."

He was halfway through a dance with a young girl who was giggling so hard out of nerves that Adam had yet to get her name out of her, when he caught sight of Dane waiting for him. The dance ended and she curtsied and fled, leaving him free to meet his friend. "I wonder if their parents told them I eat young marriageable girls for breakfast or something. I know I'm not that terrifying to look at."

"You aren't. The crown you're wearing is." Dane led the way.

"Ugh." Adam followed. "You'll want to wait outside, Dane."

"Adam -"

"This is stranger than Needlemaw."

Dane's jaws worked a great deal around words he would have never told Adam, but was seriously considering telling his Prince. In the end he stepped back and closed the curtains, leaving the Heir in nearly perfect darkness.

"Sluagh?" Adam asked quietly of the dark.

"Oh." Several sets of eyes suddenly filled the dark with their pale, blight-haunted light. "You did ask after us. We did not know what to think, when the pixie told us."

Adam had to laugh a little. "I did. I wanted to know... that you're alright. That you're finding the scraps and the bones left for you."

"Yes." The pairs of eyes moved through the dark. One drew close and suddenly stood up, towering over Adam. He could just make out, in the light of Sluagh's eyes, the faint upper outline of its muzzle, neither human nor animal but something more and something else. "Hunger is less now, because of you."

"You can never not be hungry, can you?"

"No," Sluagh admitted. "We are hungry to the marrow of our hollow bones, to the knots in our empty muscles. We can eat until we gorge, and gorge we have, thanks to you. But there will always be hunger to us."

"Then I'll ask something else. Are you content?"

Sluagh stared down at the Crown Prince. "This is important to you, this answer. Not because you will use it against us, not because it brings you power. But because we... matter to you."

"Yes. You've been watching people, Sluagh, you're learning how they think."

"It seemed important. You were... new to us. There have not been many new things in our lives. And you were neither enemy nor food. It is important to learn, when someone is not either of those things."

"How old are you?"

"We don't count time as you do. We have been since before the War. There was no palace. We are not certain there were any of your people on this land. There were more of us then."

"What happened to them?"

"We ate them."

"I don't know why I even asked," Adam admitted sheepishly. "And no one's tried anything against you?"

"No. The Court Beyond the Woods is quiet. Waiting. They will see what you do, first. Perhaps they will leave, and things will be as they were before. Peaceful. Small. Better."

"I would accept that," Adam said. "I would count it a victory if they left and never came back."

"Ah, there is the shadow that follows you," Sluagh breathed. "Your crown of blood and sorrow and black ice. Until now it was hard to see."

"Hatred."

Sluagh nodded. "We do not feel hatred. We see it, know it, but do not feel it. We do not think it would be a good thing, to feel it, for all its power. It wounds you in ways no one can help." They paused. "And we would help, if we could."

"To know that is almost as good as the help itself, Sluagh. Thank you. I'm sorry if I called you away from something important. This is the first time I've had time to think on all that I should have done and didn't."

"It is fine, bones do not run," Sluagh replied blithely, their head cocking. "Here comes your pixie. Let us give you a gift on this, the day of so many of your births, when you are finally many. Truly a first among your kind." The fairy threw out their spindly, long arms, and bowed with unearthly grace. "We are Sluagh. We greet the mortal king, crowned in loss and wit and heart. We pledge him our service." Sluagh straightened up and crossed their arms. "Be he fair to us, we will always be fair to him." And then the dark fairy was no longer there.

The sound of Trout's wings came, muffled, past the curtains, pausing after a moment. Adam opened the curtains to find the pixie perched on Dane's gauntleted fist.

"It's tin and paste," Dane explained at the Heir's look of disbelief. He rapped his knuckles on the shiny, shiny gauntlet.

"It's gross." Trout was rubbing its hummingbird tongue against the tiny tabard Culli had made for it.

"Trout, please don't lick Dane's armor. Words I never thought I'd say, but here we are." Adam went out to dance and converse and occasionally sneak away to scarf down whatever food and drink Trout and Dane managed to sneak him. He found himself dancing with the Dowager once again at some point close to midnight.

"Any luck?" she asked him.

"I think it might have to be Lagrace," he replied. "Bagley is apparently the sort to get attached, and hurt later from it."

"And Lagrace?"

"She's the sort to not give a damn."

"A dangerous game, Adam. If you should grow to love -"

"I won't."

"If you should grow to love Bagley," she persisted, her tone clipped, "she would at least love you back. Lagrace never will."

"If I were capable of it, I would have never survived the trials," Adam said simply, and she could give him no answer to that.

"I will speak to her father," she said resignedly at last.

The dance ended and everyone clapped. The bells of the temple, the heavy brass of the Night-Mother's and the smaller copper ones of the Tree-Father's, called out midnight.

Conversations and music and the general hum of the party petered out under that double onslaught, until there was a rare moment of silence when the bells at last stopped ringing. In it, the thump of the Seneschal's staff on the marble floor seemed as loud as if he'd cracked the stone with it. "Queen of the Courts of Spring and Summer, her Majesty, Titania."

The entire immense ballroom might as well have been a painting. Even the servants ferrying food and drink had frozen in place. No one could believe what they'd just heard.

Adam closed his eyes and felt inexplicable laughter bubbling up inside him. The year's worth of training in remaining unreadable and stone-faced was the only reason he could turn around and look towards the entrance of the ballroom without looking like a madman before the elite of the realm, drawing in a deep breath through gritted teeth. "Well." He laced his hands at his back and waited to see the shape of this new trick against him.

He faltered almost immediately. He could remember, in vivid detail, Queen Conemara. He had drawn her a few times in his journal, and though he knew he was no artist, he was also certain he'd been faithful to the blinding, painful light and brittle, icy beauty of the Queen Beyond the Woods. Conemara would have been like a clay cup before the gilded chalice that was the Sidhe woman moving through the parting crowd.

She was nearly as petite as the Queen Dowager, of a height with her and even more delicate-seeming, as if she were made of the finest gossamer. Her skin was the pale, soft color of a quail's eggshell, her features sharp and inhuman but without any of the painful starkness that made it hard to look at any of the members of the Court Beyond the Woods. There was a subtle, gentle softness to her, detracting nothing from her inhumanity but making her a flawless, enthralling beauty. Her eyes were green and violet behind the merest hint of a domino. She was dressed in a gown that put to shame the richest costumes the wealthiest nobility in the realm had been able to conjure, all the more absurd because she was a humble spring meadow, a hundred shades of green dotted freely with violets and daisies and bluebells, with larkspur and clover, with fluttering butterflies and bumbling bees. Her hair was a rich crown of vivid crimson braided in a stern, motherly fashion. Her crown was gold, and on it winked a gem of every color known to mortals, and a few they had yet to find. Her wings were a summer sky, the finest spun clouds, sunlight dappling through the trees.

She moved with gracious surety through the crowd, never hesitating as she approached Adam. Dimly the Heir noticed that Dane had rushed to his side, that the Dowager was hurrying to him. Trout clambered up on his shoulder and shifted restlessly, wings slicked flat against its body.

There were three more fairies with the Queen - no, four, Adam realized. A tiny blue pixie perched on Titania's shoulder as Trout perched on his, wings flicking idly as it peered with great interest at everything and everyone around them. He tried to look at those escorting the Sidhe Queen, but his head shied away from them; they looked human enough, and that was enough for Adam to know that they weren't, but even his magic couldn't penetrate the Queen's glamour.

"The throne of Faerie greets the Crown Prince, the Heir to the Throne of this mortal Realm," Titania's voice was a song in the stunned silence. She curtsied with grace that made the heart glad to behold.

Adam bowed with as much formality as he knew. "I am beyond honored to welcome the Queen to the palace, to this party. She honors us with her presence, and even more with her greeting. I'm not sure we can do justice to her visit, but we will surely try." She smiled at him, and Adam felt his heart trying to swell with pride, as if she were a doting mother and he a child who'd done well at a difficult task. He gritted his teeth until they ached.

Linden.

"Your welcome is gracious and warm, Prince Adam. More, because we know it's offered under dire circumstances."

"My moods do not affect my manners, Majesty. I'd be a poor excuse of a future king if I allowed them to do so."

"Ah, one could hope to find such poise and sense of station among our own," she murmured. The Dowager reached them then and, astonishingly, a sunny little smile broke across the Sidhe Queen's flawless beauty. "Charlotte."

"Titania," the Dowager replied, trying not to sound breathless.

Adam blinked at her, and all at once he felt like a fool. All those years and it had never occurred to him that 'Dowager' was her title, not her name. He felt color creeping over his face.

"It has been brought to our attention," Titania's voice suddenly rang clear and sure like a silver bell over the gathering, "that the Crowned Heir of the Realm feels Faerie has deeply slighted him." She pinned those green and violet eyes on him. "Deeply enough that he feels war is the only solution."

Adam saw the question in her eyes, felt it in her power as it reached for him, but unlike Conemara, she didn't force her way in. She waited, as courteously as a guest at the gate. Before her he set the broken half of his heart, the other half shattered and gone. "Majesty, I do," he said simply.

Her eyes went soft and bright. "Oh, your heart," she whispered. "Is peace not an option?"

"I sued for peace," he admitted. "I sued for peace twice. Before the Court Beyond the Woods, before Queen Conemara and Prince Canemore I sued for peace. I asked for one thing. They could not, or would not, give it. I will, if need be, sue for peace a third time before the Highest Queen of Faerie. But that would be a third, and I fear it might be... discourteous."

The Faerie Queen smiled wryly. "It would. Particularly when the fault for this terrible situation lies completely with the Court Beyond the Woods."

Adam recoiled minutely. The entire gathering gasped; no one had expected to hear one of the Fair Folk, particularly their Highest Queen, admit to being wrong.

"When we sent the twins here, it was our hope that being alone, forsaking the joys and merriment of the Highest Court, would teach them the... poise and sense of station that they lacked at the time. Instead it would seem their character flaws have grown into unforgivable behaviors and abhorrent mannerisms." Titania pursed her lips. "The Court Beyond the Woods is no more. They are Queen and Prince no more. They are simply Conemara and Canemore." She looked at Adam. "Would that make peace an option?"

Ah, so that was the trick, then. Adam's smile was brief, thin and bereft of humor. "Majesty, it would not."

The nobles caught their breath. Next to Adam, Dane shifted nervously.

"Hm." Titania looked unsurprised. She tapped long, shimmering nails against the rosebud of her mouth. She had better offers in mind, Adam was sure of it; she hadn't got to them yet, that was all. "Our daughter offered you her brother's life, and you refused it. We will not repeat that mistake. Does the Crowned Heir remember what else she offered? It would help us greatly."

"Knowledge, wealth, power. Majesty, I hardly know what to do with the power I already have. I want no wealth but what keeps my people and their homes safe. I want nothing that she offered."

"Well, we would offer a palace greater than this one by a hundredfold, hidden in the woods," Titania mused, and the Dowager gasped tinily. "But it is not ours to give."

"It does miss its mistress, though," Adam murmured.

"It doesn't!" The Dowager hissed.

"It does," he persisted. "I didn't tell you?"

"I didn't think to ask," she admitted.

"For twenty thousand years we have watched you mortals." The Sidhe Queen's voice filled the immense hall. "We have laughed with you and cried with you. We have raged against you, taught you, learned from you. We have shared so much with you. What we have never done, not once, is win a war against you." Her green and violet eyes passed from spring to summer and back again, spiraling slightly, and for a moment it was nearly impossible for Adam to stare at them, they were so like those many-colored, shattered eyes. His hatred, his sorrow, his rage all rose up inside him until only the force of will that had brought him to that moment kept him from screaming until he lost his voice.

"Adam." Her voice was suddenly very gentle, like rain against the black ice of his hatred. She had reached out to touch his cheek with the tips of three fingers, warm like summer sunlight.

"Please don't do that." He stepped back minutely, his voice strangled. "It hurts too much."

"Ah, it must be a family thing, to give away your heart the once, and never again," she murmured, pulling away her hand and looking knowingly at the Dowager. "Tonight, on this day of celebration for your birthday, you are seeking a consort, I'm told."

"I am." Adam shrugged minutely. "A throne without an heir makes people nervous, and wars have a habit of killing without much care as to who dies, peasant or king. It's better for the realm to have that matter settled."

"And if such a consort asked you for peace?" Titania asked, and stepped gracefully aside.

Adam felt the world tilt out from under his feet. Dimly he was aware that Dane had caught him, was holding him upright, but he couldn't understand anything beyond that.

Behind the Queen of Spring and Summer, shining like the first true kiss of dawn on a night-dark land, was Linden, his friend, his love, his heart, willowy and slender, a willow's grace, an oak's strength, a linden tree's beauty. They were wearing a gown that shimmered through every color of their shattered eyes; Titania was a spring meadow, but Linden was the summer woods, where flowers hid amidst a sea of green, where the sky shone blue and perfect, where sunsets were fire and dawn was golden treasure. They had put on a slender domino made of bark, dotted with bejeweled insects picked out with fantastic accuracy in emeralds, sapphires, rubies, obsidian.

But they were Linden. His Linden, the white fuzz of their hair very short on their head so early in the season, faint green freckles on their sharp brown cheekbones. Adam's Linden, all that was kind and joyous and fierce in the woods, perfect down to the one bark-covered hand. Linden, surrounded by a flock of green pixies, crowned with a circlet of living vines with a single stone blossom nestled between the green leaves, an amethyst heart just peeking through the gray.

"Linden," Adam heard himself say, and the black vastness of icy hatred inside him cracked, his heart struggling in a darkness that had swallowed it for far too long.

"Adam," Linden said, and there were tears ruining the elegant glitter someone had sprinkled so very carefully on their cheekbones.

Titania lifted her hand, and blew lightly, scattering a stirring of dust like golden motes in the air. The Dowager gasped. Adam wheezed for breath.

Needlemaw, the illusion that had hidden her broken, was suddenly on Adam's other side, holding him up when he would have slipped from Dane's grip and fallen. "Come, now," she urged him, "where's that muchness of ye gone that yuir knees go to jelly for naught but a wee bit of glamour!"

"Needle," Adam gasped.

"Aye."

"Needle!" Adam cried out and dragged her close, close enough to bump their foreheads together, so close that he could smell her charnel-and-soil scent, and he felt as if he could not breathe, as if he were drowning in the blackness with which he'd armored himself. He clawed at nothing, trying to escape it -

A gentle, rough hand the size of his chest caught the front of his costume and lifted him effortlessly back onto his feet. "Adam."

Dane, for whom the Queen's glamour still persisted, swore under his breath at the all-too familiar voice, the abrupt pong of a bullfrog's croak, both coarse and gentle. Adam had to laugh. "Hello, Boul," he managed, and realized he was crying. "I'm sorry. I'm being a baby and can't even greet you properly after missing you like someone cut off a limb."

"You always greet me before," the young troll said. "Now, I greet you." He offered his hand in the human fashion. "Like the first time."

Adam, surrounded by his friend both mortal and fae, fought himself to his feet and then collapsed again. "I can't breathe."

"Breathe with me." Suddenly Linden was there, and it really was Linden, kissing their prince, their Adam, sweet and sure and patient, with a love that had known itself so clearly, so certainly, that it had never doubted its time would come. Under the taste of that kiss, lemon and honey, sunlight and summer, wind and laughter, the ice of Adam's hatred didn't stand a chance. It was gone as if it had never existed, and Adam gasped in a huge breath, as if he'd been drowning for the past three years and had only reached the surface there, in that place and moment.

Linden caught Adam's face between their hands, both sun-browned, one smooth, one rough. Adam clung to those hands and brought himself to his feet. Linden laced the fingers of one hand with his, and the young Heir turned to face the Sidhe Queen. There was one more person with her, but Titania had not broken the glamour on them.

"Majesty."

"Crowned Heir," she nodded graciously.

"You asked me a question." Adam found his voice rough, and swallowed to try and keep it from breaking. "I have been asked for peace before. I would not grant it to a friend." He looked at Dane, but his childhood friend looked so profoundly happy for him that Adam knew the prospect of war was not even a thought in Dane's head. "Nor would not I grant it to family." He glanced at the Dowager, who gave him the tiniest nod, her eyes once again filled with tears she refused to shed.

He looked at Linden, who squeezed his hand, and turned to face those green and violet eyes. "But if the right consort asks for peace, I will grant it."

"I ask," Linden whispered.

"It's yours," Adam answered, and they fell in each other's arms.

***

The gala continued. No one had a single solitary clue as to how to handle what had happened, but they also knew that the Queen of the Spring and Summer Court had come expecting a party, not for all the guests to stampede in a panic at her arrival. And so the party carried on.

"Charlotte."

The Queen Dowager had retreated to a seat behind an elegant floral sculpture, where she was nursing a goblet of mulled wine. She looked up into the unchanging face of an old and dear friend, and smiled. "Larkspur," she greeted, offering her hand.

The Sidhe Queen caught that hand in both of hers and crouched before her mortal friend. "Oh, Charlie, why didn't you say something? Why didn't you call for help?"

"I honestly don't know, Larkspur," the Dowager admitted, finally allowing her tears to fall. "Pride? Grief? By the time I realized what he'd done, it was done. I couldn't figure out how to fix it on my own, and then I was too ashamed to admit to it, and you'd gone back home -"

"I would have come back for you. I would have come back for the sister of my heart, you know that."

"I know. Look, I was young, I was in love, I was heartbroken. Common sense was nowhere near my first priority."

They both laughed, sheepish and quiet. "I want to give you something, Charlie, but I won't if it will hurt you."

"What is it?"

"It's something you were promised," Titania said. "Promised, and never given. Your people taught mine the importance of keeping one's word." Without actually reaching into purse or pocket, there was suddenly a small velvet box, black and gilt in gold, in the Sidhe Queen's hand. She opened it.

The Queen Dowager went very still. After a long, long moment she drew in a deep, shaky breath, and reached out to brush her fingertips delicately against the ruby. It was a brooch, without adornment or addition, a single ruby the size and shape of a man's heart. Under her fingers it beat, harried and steady. "It's -"

"Yes," Titania confirmed. "He promised it to you, and lied. And so now he must keep his promise, whether he wants to or not. It is yours. And yours it will remain, until you feel he has earned it back."

"Is it wrong of me," the Dowager asked in a very small voice, "to be a little pleased at the shape of your justice?"

Titania laughed. "Never."

***

They sat, all of them, in an open balcony. Adam debated waking Beli, or trying to pry Culli from the kitchens, but decided against it in the end. Plenty of time in the morrow for them to gather once again and come together, at last, the two halves of his world. They shared their stories, the harrowing trials Adam had faced, the infinite patience of Linden's own escape and race to the High Court, only to be met halfway on the Winding Road by Titania. As Linden had predicted, the Queen had been more than glad to welcome the blue pixie back into her Court. She knew its worth. And its news had spurred her to action at last, to correct the unforgivable infraction her children had tendered against a Danu-child.

Boul and Needle were, in theory, there to escort the Queen, and so they'd had to leave when Titania chose to mingle, disconcerting greatly the massed nobles. But the third person stayed with Linden. She was an older woman with very dark skin and very green eyes, bundled up in simple peasant's clothing that was more cozy than elegant. She allowed them to kiss, but when the kiss lingered she cleared her throat pointedly.

Adam squinted at her. "Do I know you?"

Linden laughed. "Adam, how can you not? She didn't come here for me!"

Adam gave Linden a puzzled look, and then turned to face the stranger once more. The woman gave him a look of such profound and utter affection that the Heir found himself flushing faintly, and the last piece of the puzzle fell into place. He rushed over to hug her, and in those powerful arms he found himself made safe once again, as always he had. "Silly me," he said, feeling near tears once again at that most poignant show of loyalty. "You are wearing a costume, you're disguised as a human!"

The linden tree smiled proudly at him, and brushed back his hair. They hugged again, and when he was at last willing to let go, she turned and walked away through the crowd.

"It's hard for her to be away from her place," Linden explained. "But she really did want to come see you, make sure it was all set to rights. She wanted to know you weren't hurting anymore." When Adam looked down, they bumped him lightly. "She said you heard her."

"I did. She's the only one I hear. But if that's all I ever get, that's more than good enough." Linden beamed at him, then leaned on his shoulder with a grimace. "What, what's wrong?"

"These shoes are very pinchy."

"Kick them off? The skirt's so big, no one's going to notice."

Linden did so, and Adam shoved the delicate green slippers under a bench. "Ah!" Linden sighed in relief. "So much better."

"You still look like your head is full of plans."

"Well, not plans. I've done all the planning I can stomach already. You're the one who's good at planning, I just asked myself 'what would Adam do'. That's how I fixed everything. It's just..."

"What?"

"I don't care for the dress. It's lovely, but it's all over the place. I can't walk without crashing into someone, or something. And do I have to be a Queen? That's what Canemore called me."

"Oh, that!" Adam laughed in relief and stood up. "That's why you see all the women go around with their hands plastered down. Shoves the skirts right back out of your way."

"But what if I need my hands?"

Adam popped his mouth thoughtfully, and Linden swatted him for it, and the sheer familiarity of the gesture made him feel as if his heart might burst with joy. "You don't have to be anything you don't want to be Linden. Consort's just what you call someone who marries a King, so, yes, if we marry, you're a Consort. But that won't take away from you being Linden. It's just a thing people call you."

Linden's expression brightened up like a sunny day. "Oh, it's like having all those princes running around. Prince is just something you call them. Consort... I could be that, I suppose, as long as I can still be Linden."

"You will always be Linden." Adam leaned close, and they rested against each other.

"There's lines on your forehead that weren't there before," Linden brushed the fingers of their smooth hand over those lines. "Can't I fix that?"

"I don't know. The whole point of this mess," Adam waved a hand at the vastness of the hall and the ongoing masquerade, "was to make sure there'd be an heir. A baby, at some point. I guess." He sounded about as sure of the goal as he did the process, and even less thrilled about it.

Linden brightened up. "Oh, I can do that!"

"You can?"

"Yes, of course, it's easy." Linden seemed to think. "Though we're going to need a few cabbages."

8/29/2022 7:55 PM X 1/3/2023 3:48 AM

[mogwai-movie-house]

The 100 Best Films of The 1960s

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) ★★★★★★★★★★ 2. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) ★★★★★★★★★★ 3. Psycho (1960) ★★★★★★★★★½ 4. Blow-Up (1966) ★★★★★★★★★½ 5. A Fistful of Dollars (1964) ★★★★★★★★★½ 6. My Fair Lady (1964) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 7. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 8. The Virgin Spring (1960) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9. The Birds (1963) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 10. El Dorado (1967) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 11. Two Women (1960) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 12. Le Doulos (1962) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 13. Le Samouraï (1967) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 14. The Great Escape (1963) ★★★★★★★★½☆ 15. Cool Hand Luke (1967) ★★★★★★★★½☆ 16. For a Few Dollars More (1965) ★★★★★★★★½☆ 17. Onibaba (Demon Hag) (1964) ★★★★★★★★½☆ 18. Peeping Tom (1960) ★★★★★★★★½☆ 19. The Battle of Algiers (1966) ★★★★★★★★½☆ 20. Federico Fellini's 8½ (1963) ★★★★★★★★½☆ 21. Planet of the Apes (1968) ★★★★★★★★½☆ 22. Redbeard (1965) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 23. The Executioner (1963) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 24. I Am Cuba (1964) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 25. The Sound of Music (1965) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 26. The Italian Job (1969) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 27. The Jungle Book (1967) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 28. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 29. Dr. Strangelove (1964) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 30. Belle de Jour (1967) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 31. Alfie (1966) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 32. Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 33. Mary Poppins (1964) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 34. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 35. The Graduate (1967) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 36. A Man for All Seasons (1966) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 37. Lawrence of Arabia (1962) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 38. Bonnie and Clyde (1967) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 39. Rosemary's Baby (1968) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 40. The Magnificent Seven (1960) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 41. Wait Until Dark (1967) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 42. True Grit (1969) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 43. The Hustler (1961) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 44. The Ipcress File (1965) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 45. Andrei Rublev (1966) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 46. Hamlet (1969) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 47. Murder She Said (1961) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 48. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 49. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 50. Army of Shadows (1969) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 51. A Taste of Honey (1961) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 52. Goldfinger (1964) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 53. Kuroneko (The Black Cat) (1968) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 54. Mademoiselle (1966) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 55. Two Way Stretch (1960) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 56. Take the Money and Run (1969) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 57. In The Heat Of The Night (1967) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 58. 101 Dalmatians (1961) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 59. Electra (1962) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 60. Kwaidan (Ghost Stories) (1964) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 61. Mouchette (1967) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 62. My Night with Maud (1969) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 63. Cape Fear (1962) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 64. The Railrodder (1965) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 65. Harakiri (1962) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 66. Midnight Cowboy (1969) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 67. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 68. The Apartment (1960) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 69. Hunger (1966) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 70. The War Wagon (1967) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 71. Lolita (1962) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 72. Last Year in Marienbad (1961) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 73. Woman In Chains (1968) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 74. Whistle Down the Wind (1961) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 75. The Trial (1962) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 76. Privilege (1967) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 77. The Servant (1963) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 78. Yojimbo (1961)  ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 79. From Russia with Love (1963) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 80. A Hard Day's Night (1964) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 81. Night of the Living Dead (1968) ★★★★★★★½☆☆  82. Kes (1969)  ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 83. The Bride Wore Black (1968) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 84. Divorce Italian Style (1961) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 85. Shame (1968) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 86. Zulu (1964) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 87. They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 88. Zorba The Greek (1964)  ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 89. The Unfaithful Wife (1969) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 90. Dr. No (1962) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 91. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 92. Oliver! (1968) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 93. Knife in the Water (1962) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 94. Spartacus (1960) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆  95. Repulsion (1965) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 96. Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 97. Carry On Up the Khyber (1968) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 98. Quatermass and the Pit (1967) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 99. Marnie (1964) ★★★★★★½☆☆☆ 100. Lord of the Flies (1963) ★★★★★★½☆☆☆

[sleepyverstappens]

F1 Spotify Wrapped game

Okay F1 peeps, I came up with a spotify wrapped game. Show the songs for each driver number (either of the 2022 or 2023 grid). Feel free to use this as a template (pls @ me in yours though I wanna see all of them). Here’s mine with the 2022 grid:

1 -> Max = Shut Off The Lights by Bastille

3 -> Daniel = Thelma + Louise by Bastille

4 -> Lando = Een Teken by Froukje

5 -> Sebastian = Ik Wil Dansen by Froukje

6 -> Nicholas = Noodgeval by Goldband

10 -> Pierre = Kinderwens by Goldband

11 -> Sergio = No Bad Days by Bastille

14 -> Fernando = De Langste Nacht by Goldband

16 -> Charles = What You Do To Me by Blanks

18 -> Lance = Ik Haat Je by Goldband

20 -> Kevin = Lost In The Moment by Blanks

22 -> Yuki = Dit Is Voor Jou by Goldband

23 -> Alex = Club 57 by Bastille 

24 -> Zhou = Welcome To The Rock by Come From Away Original Broadway Cast

31 -> Esteban = Real Life by Bastille

33 -> Max (Bonus) = Heb Ik Dat Gezegd? by Froukje

44 -> Lewis = Starting Line by Luke Hemmings

47 -> Mick = Survivin’ by Bastille

55 -> Carlos = Shut Off The Lights (SPINALL Remix) by Bastille

63 -> George = SAD (Clap Your Hands) by Young Rising Sons

77 -> Valtteri = The Mustard Seed by Son Mieux

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Thursday 2.. June 1836

9 40/..

11 55/..

no kiss A- very low I heard her crying but took no notice did not seem to awake till eight thought I we must be off kept her in bed talking gently she took two pills last and did not like her getting up merely to be starved or not knowing what to do – out from 10 ½ to breakfast at 10 55/.. Robert Mann + 3 and Frank and 2 carts carrying clay from carriage court to finish making up at the back of the farmyard – Samuel Booth helping John to set potatoes at the back of the farmyard – took Robert to the Lodge to shew him about laying the stuff cut down from the steep bank Wood + 4 began it yesterday afternoon – A- cut out night things for me, and I out at 11 ¾ – with Booth and his men at the road wall in front of the house – told him I should have 15 horse power to spare – to get me a good tenant – to get to know what I could let power for at Listerwick  – he agreed that it was worth £20 a year per horse at H-x [Halifax], it should be worth £15 here – H- thought £800 would build a good mill for 15 horse power – told him to consider about a baring at A-‘s Hipperholme quarry – then went [?] to tell Mrs. Aquilla Green I hoped the 2 new cottage tenants at Mytholm would not incommode anybody – they talk of sending their oldest little boy from home – I advised St. Bees in Cumberland – she thinks Mr. Norris will have upper brea etc. – I said I would give the worth for the Redbeck cottages and land – she to remember that and tell her husband and not let the property be given away – stood a long while talking – just peeped into the front Mytholm cottage the plasterer plastering it – met George coming for me at 2 ¼ – a minute or 2 at the wheel-race – home at 2 ½ – A- and I dressed – Mr. Musgrave came at 3 25/.. and staid ½ hour – administered the sacrament to my aunt A- myself Oddy Cookson, Rachel Sharp and George – A- and I then rechanged our dress and went out at 4 20/.. and came in at 5 ¼ told Booth to move and reset the sink in the mytholm front cottage the 1st thing in the morning and let me pay him separately and immediately for that bit of a job – then A- and I went to the meer-drift head in the walk, and then to the Conery along the sort of footpath made last week (the sod pared off and thrown close up against the hedge) along the Conery Ing hedge (between hedge and railing) – Matty not at home – came in at 4 20/.. there being a spitting of rain – wrote all the above of today – and wrote and sent this evening as follows to ‘Messrs. Hammersleys and co. Bankers London’ ‘Shibden hall Thursday 2 June 1836. Gentlemen – Being under the necessity of postponing my leaving home for the continent five or six weeks longer, I shall be much obliged to you to forward any letters you may have for me, as also, if you have received it, the small parcel  I ordered to be sent to your care by Messrs. Rogers of Sheffield – I shall also be much obliged if you will be so good as get my passport signed by the Saxon minster – I am gentlemen your obedient servant A. Lister’ had just written so far of today at 5 55/.. – had Mr. Husband a few minutes – he brought Mr. Harper’s order for £118.1.0 for Mark Hepworth for carting here from Northgate 1574 yards of soil at 1/6 per yard – and having forgot to give Booth a money-order Husband himself made out and brought Booth’s bill for the clow at the meer £17.10.7 – Mr. Harper had seen the bill and thought it very moderate – dinner at 6 ¼ – A- did her French from 8 35/.. to 9 55/.. looking over my clothes – assorting out things for the journey – then with my aunt 25 minutes till 10 30/.. fine day but dullish and an appearance of rain – a light at 1st then smartish shower from 5 ½ to 6 – I see we must get off from home as soon as we can – immediately after the rent day – A-‘s 1st rent day  11 July – can we get off on the 13th? thinking today, it would be well to steam it from Hull to Hamburg and thence post it (of course, our own carriage) to Berlin, Leipzig, Dresden, Töplitz, Carlsbad, to Vienna etc. home by Paris – on going to bed found my cousin was come gently –

[zardinthebrokenatlas]

This is the first chapter to a book I've got posted elsewhere. It was originally requested 2 years ago but I liked it a lot and decided to make it a book :3

Today's been so boring.. I swear I'll die from just boredom. It's an annoying day. Nothing's happening here in the shop. No customers, no more of us 'tinies' being bought. I guess that's a good thing.. But the easiest way to escape is to be bought. This place is stupid. I wish I could just get out of here.. Not just myself but my distant pals. The ones on the shelves beside mine. Ging and Kila. They are my neighbors and my absolutely crazy friends. Though we may never meet face to face and only rely on voices, I'd say we like family. Always coming up with plans to get out of here and running free in the world again. Well. I guess that's all I have to write today. Time to sit around and wait for the place to close for the night.

  ~ logged on a day, sometime in the year. I don't give a crap.

  I heaved a sigh, popped my journal into my small pack, and leaned against the back of the cage wall. Such a boring day. There were, like, three people that actually came to the shop today. They didn't even buy anything, instead, they just looked around. Why can't they just close now? Ain't nobody coming this late in the day.

  Would it really matter if anyone did anyway? Sure, they'd look around and whatever, but it's so doubtful that anyone is going to buy scrawny little tiny people anymore unless it's for some stupid kid that'll pull you limb from limb because it thinks you're a flipping doll. What kind of psychopathic generation is being raised? Somebody needs to teach discipline.

  My thoughts sure are productive today. Thinking about kids again. Just what I needed.

  Slowly, I forced myself to stand and hobble over to the glass pane that let me stare out into the 'amazing' shop I was trapped in. I stopped directly in front of the clear wall, pressing my face up against it as if it proved how devastatingly bored I was.

  I've lived here for about 11 months now and have grown completely neutral to this place. The employees find me as a 'handful' apparently. Probably because I've been bought and returned many, many times. It's definitely because of my strategy. Depending on the person that 'adopts' me, I refuse to talk or I'll talk to them all the time without shutting up. Course it's dangerous and I do indeed have scars from over-tempered people. It's so very easy to make people annoyed.

Though I would say I'm lucky to never have had to deal with a kid. So far, I haven't come up with any strategies for those vermin. I'd rather eat a rat leg than get trapped in a room with a kid.

  Heaving another exaggerated sigh, I pulled my face away from the glass and tottered to my little endearing house. I dusted a pile of shavings to heap on one side of me before plopping down on the cold metal. Maybe I could attempt to draw again. I'm not great at it.. but practice makes perfect, right?

  Hesitantly, I reached for my pack and pulled out my notebook. Sure. It was a journal, but I had nothing else to use. Plus, the semi-straight lines worked like a grid of sorts, and, just like that, I peeped my head out the front of my 'castle' and began to draw what I saw.

  Though the drawings were absolutely horrific, I managed to get a shelf, the cashier, the rack next to the door, and a bit of the manager drawn before somebody walked in. Odd. A customer.

Closing my book and packing it away to safety, I glanced up at the clock. 6:55. Just about time to close and this.. weirdo decided to show up. Firstly, this guy wore those slick new 'airpod' things and extremely nice clothes, despite it being just a hoodie and jeans. His vibe was like one of those distinctive rich kids from the old t.v. reruns that played during lunch break.

  Even though it made no difference, I scoffed at the college kid. It didn't really matter and I could've cared less, but for some reason, this guy ticked me off. Yet.. I did begin to wonder what that kind of person would want from such a junky store like this one. Maybe supplies or something.

  Wrong. The next thing I knew, I was being taken away from my cage. To be fair, I should have been used to being handled by now, but no matter how much I've tried, I have just always hated it. Probably always will.

  My struggle was cut short as I was dropped into a small cardboard box. Of course, it was one of those awfully shaped ones and had holes poked through the sides, but it was still an awful place to be. A shaky sigh left me as I tried to convince myself that they were just cleaning the cage or something but then the lid was reopened and another borrower like myself was roughly dropped in.

Our eyes met and I could tell we were both confused. This was the first time I'd ever been so close to another of my species. Well, at least since I was stowed away in this store.

It was a young teen boy like myself, but he had red hair, freckles, bright green eyes, and a decent-ish style of clothes.

  "Who are you?" He asked. His voice quaked with fear, but I could still hear the familiarity in his voice. My 'neighbor' from the cage.. I could've easily been wrong, so I held back on calling him any name, instead, I inhaled a shaky breath.

  "I'm Reb. Reb Hilk. Who are-" Before I could even finish the question, he had already practically flung himself at me to get a hug which I returned.

  "It's me, Ging! I can't believe it's really you!! I never thought we'd ever see each other.." His voice cracked, taking me aback at his sudden vulnerability.

  "Neither did I.."

  The moment was interrupted as the box shifted roughly before being opened again. Two more tinies were put in. At first, I had figured that was all of us that were going to be taken, but pretty soon there were roughly eleven of us all together, huddling in groups. Most were terrified, but some were curious, looking out the holes.

  A part of my protectiveness kicked in and I began to pace. This situation had suddenly become much more worrisome. Where were we going? Were more of us going to all get crammed together? There were too many questions and nowhere to get any answers. All I knew is that we had to stick together and figure it out, otherwise we might lose each other.

  The movement continued, shifting from being abrupt to absolutely nothing. What was happening? Were we being bought? Was the store shutting down? Were we going to be.. exterminated?

  I shook my head at the last awful thought. That couldn't have possibly been what was happening. Right..?

  Another shaky sigh escaped my throat as I joined a small group that were huddled together and Ging followed suit. In all my years of living, I had never seen such fear-stricken faces. It panged my heart, but the only thing I could do was comfort. For the first time, I felt helpless.

  In an attempt to locate where we were going, I glanced towards the holes. It didn't help much since the sun had set completely. Of course it had. Lovely.

  Soon enough, after waiting in the dark for roughly twenty minutes, there was suddenly a lot of noise followed by a lot of movement. The box was lifted, a little too fast, and was carried somewhere else.

  As if thinking the same thing, none of us made a single noise, allowing the fear levels to rise again. That's when it dawned on me. Kila, my other neighbor, wasn't with us. Was she not taken? Maybe that was a good thing..

  Then, after what felt like an eternity, the box was set on a table of some sort and someone was messing with the box as if they had no idea how to open it. The tension rose and the silence became deafening. All I could do was hold my breath as the lid slowly fell open.

  Instead of being met face to face with a trash can, like I previously thought, we were greeted by the college kid. My fear was replaced with a sudden stubbornness. I couldn't help but glare up at him. Of course, it was him. He just had to take us away from where we were and no man in their right thoughts would buy so many tinies for pets. He must've had some other plan. Something much worse.

  Just as the guy reached his hand in to take some of us out, I quickly interfered by backhanding him as hard as I could on the finger. Surprisingly he backed off.

  "Fuck off." I growled. The look he gave me was utterly pitiful, but I didn't care. Protectively, I stood my ground in front of my kind, as a defender.

  There was such a cold silence I felt like I could hear the hair on my neck stand on end, but it didn't last long as someone else suddenly scooped the group up and out of the box from behind me. The fear seared through me as I spun around on my heels. It was such a swift motion, I tripped over my own legs.

  "Hey-" My voice was cut off as my chest collided against the ground, knocking the breath out of me. I could hear Ging calling for me, but I couldn't seem to catch my breath before I also was lifted out of the box.

  After I regained myself and thoughts in that small moment, I began to thrash around in the hands of my new captor. It was definitely the one who I just had a stare-down with.

[squirrelkitty-art]

I posted 36 times in 2022

That's 6 more posts than 2021!

28 posts created (78%)

8 posts reblogged (22%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@scapegoat-comics

@h-e-double-gun

@echoghost1

@smolsalty

@squirrelkitty

I tagged 36 of my posts in 2022

#kitty's art - 30 posts

#fanart - 22 posts

#owl house - 11 posts

#the owl house - 10 posts

#alador blight - 7 posts

#disney - 7 posts

#odalia blight - 6 posts

#darius owl house - 5 posts

#other peeps ocs - 5 posts

#dalador week - 4 posts

Longest Tag: 55 characters

#given my current hyperfixation i might actually do this

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

I found this adorable Lumity doing a Korrasami cosplay DTIYS by Vago_xd on Insta, so I decided to give it a try :3

47 notes - Posted June 4, 2022

#4

Looks like the Emperor will have to wait a bit for the newest Abomatons.

Like, yeah, I know they're terrible parents; but I can't stop thinking about them and I have no other outlit to express it.

54 notes - Posted April 30, 2022

#3

See the full post

80 notes - Posted March 5, 2022

#2

Day 2's entry for Dalador Week is a day late but it's here. Today's theme is Odalia I had to, this is low-key my ot3.

Hosted by @ineffabill-gallimaufry

123 notes - Posted May 3, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Dalador Week Day 3- Abomination

This one's definitely my favorite so far X3

Hosted by @ineffabill-gallimaufry

245 notes - Posted May 4, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[indycar-series]

QUICK FACTS: Streets of Toronto

Round 10 of the NTT INDYCAR Series Championship.

Nicknames: Toronto, Exhibition Place

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Track Type: Street Circuit

Track Length: 1.786 miles/2.874 km

Number of Turns: 11 (6L, 5R)

Year of First Race: 1986

INDYCAR Lap Record: 58.806 (Cristiano de Matta, 2002)

Winner's Farthest Start: 13th (Michael Andretti, 2001)

Defending Winner: Simon Pagenaud

Previous Winners: Bobby Rahal (1986), Emerson Fittipaldi (1987), Al Unser Jr (1988, 1990), Michael Andretti (1989, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001), Paul Tracy (1993, 2003), Adrian Fernandez (1996), Mark Blundell (1997), Alex Zanardi (1998), Dario Franchitti (1999, 2009, 2011), Cristiano de Matta (2002), Sebastien Bourdais (2004, 2014), Justin Wilson (2005), AJ Allmendinger (2006), Will Power (2007, 2010, 2016), Ryan Hunter-Reay (2012), Scott Dixon (2013, 2013, 2018), Mike Conway (2014), Josef Newgarden (2015, 2017), Simon Pagenaud (2019)

Event Name: Honda Indy Toronto

Event Dates: Friday July 15 - Sunday July 17, 2022

Race Distance: 151.81 miles/224.31 km

Lap Count: 85 laps

Weekend Schedule:

Practice 1: Friday @ 2:30 pm EDT (6:30 pm UTC)

Practice 2: Saturday @ 10:00 am EDT (2:00 pm UTC)

Quali R1G1: Saturday @ 2:00 pm EDT (6:00 pm UTC)

Quali R1G2: Saturday @ 2:20 pm EDT (6:20 pm UTC)

Quali R2: Saturday @ 2:40 pm EDT (6:40 pm UTC)

Firestone Fast 6: Saturday @ 3:00 pm EDT (7:00 pm UTC)

Final Warmup: Sunday @ 10:55 am EDT (2:55 pm UTC)

Race: Sunday @ 3:20 pm EDT (7:20 pm UTC)*

*Note for US Viewers: this race can only be viewed on Peacock Premium. Here is the official guide on how to set up Peacock Premium, or if you're like me and you hate spending money, make sure to watch r/motorsportsstreams2 for the link.

Got any questions about Toronto or INDYCAR in general? Send me an ask, and I'll respond as soon as I'm able!

Want to get into INDYCAR and want peeps to chat with? Join the INDYBLR discord server!

[rosesinspirationandreference]

1. Pacifier 2. Package 3. Pact 4. Padlock 5. Pages 6. Paid 7. Painful 8. Paint   9. Palace 10. Paladins

11. Pampered 12. Pancakes 13. Pandemonium 14. Panic 15. Paparazzi 16. Papercut 17. Paradise 18. Paradox   19. Parallel 20. Parallel 21. Paranoia   22. Paranormal 23. Parasite 24. Parenthood 25. Park 26. Parking 27. Parlour   28. Parodies 29. Particular 30. Parties 31. Parting 32. Partner 33. Passenger 34. Passing 35. Passion 36. Passive 37. Password 38. Past 39. Patchwork 40. Pathetic 41. Pathology 42. Pathways 43. Patience 44. Patient 45. Patrolling 46. Patronage 47. Pattern 48. Pause 49. Paved 50. Pawn 51. Payback 52. Payment 53. Peaceful 54. Peach 55. Pearl   56. Pedal 57. Pedestals 58. Pedigree 59. Peeping 60. Pegasus 61. Penalty   62. Pendulum   63. Pentacle 64. Peppermint 65. Perception 66. Perchance 67. Perfectionist 68. Performance 69. Perfume 70. Perish 71. Periwinkle 72. Perks 73. Permanent 74. Permission 75. Persistence 76. Personal   77. Perspective 78. Persuasion   79. Perversion 80. Pessimistic 81. Pestilence 82. Petals 83. Petitions 84. Petty 85. Phantom   86. Pharaoh 87. Phenomenon 88. Phoenix 89. Phone 90. Photograph 91. Physical 92. Piano   93. Picnic 94. Picture 95. Piece 96. Piercing 97. Pilgrimage 98. Pillars 99. Pillow 100. Pinch 101. Pinpricks 102. Pirate 103. Pity 104. Pivot 105. Pixel 106. Pixie 107. Pizza 108. Plague 109. Plain 110. Plane 111. Planet 112. Planetarium   113. Planning 114. Plastic 115. Plateau 116. Platform 117. Player 118. Playful 119. Playground 120. Pleasant 121. Pleasurable 122. Plenty 123. Plight 124. Plotting 125. Plucked 126. Pocket 127. Poetry 128. Point 129. Pointless 130. Poisonous 131. Poke 132. Polaris 133. Police 134. Policy 135. Polished 136. Ponder 137. Pool 138. Poor 139. Popsicle 140. Popularity 141. Porcelain 142. Portal 143. Portrait 144. Positions 145. Positive   146. Possession 147. Possibilities   148. Postcard 149. Poster 150. Potato 151. Potential   152. Potion   153. Powerful 154. Powerless   155. Practical 156. Practice 157. Praise 158. Prank   159. Precarious 160. Precious 161. Precision 162. Precursor   163. Predator 164. Predestined 165. Predictability 166. Preference 167. Premise 168. Premonition 169. Preparation 170. Presence 171. Present 172. Pressure 173. Prestige 174. Pretence 175. Pretend 176. Pretty 177. Prevail 178. Preview 179. Price 180. Priceless 181. Pride 182. Primal 183. Primrose 184. Principles 185. Priorities 186. Prism 187. Prison 188. Prisoner   189. Private 190. Privilege 191. Prize 192. Problem 193. Proclaimed 194. Procrastinate 195. Prodigal 196. Professor 197. Profile 198. Profit 199. Prognosis 200. Programming 201. Progress 202. Prohibited 203. Project 204. Prom   205. Promiscuous 206. Promise   207. Promotional 208. Proof 209. Property 210. Prophecies 211. Proposal 212. Proposition 213. Protagonist 214. Protect 215. Prototype 216. Proud 217. Prove 218. Providence 219. Proximity 220. Pseudonym   221. Psyche 222. Psychic 223. Psycho 224. Publicity 225. Puddles 226. Pulled 227. Pulse   228. Pumpkin 229. Punching 230. Punctuality 231. Punished 232. Puppet 233. Purgatory   234. Purify 235. Pursuit   236. Pushover 237. Puzzle 238. Pyjamas 239. Pyramid 240. Pyromania

[purplecraze]

Beauty and the Beast AU 5

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 1:40 PM

He waved at thr birdy as it vanished, before laying back in bed, sighing.

Was there a world to say 'im fucking curious but also dont want to die'? Because thats how he was feeling right now

purplecraze — 08/28/2021 1:41 PM

Masochism.....

Well, considering the ruckus that was invoked about half an hour later, it didn't sound like it was worth the risk.

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 1:55 PM

Indeed but...

He got close to the door, and while he wasnt that stupid to open it, he took the key away and tried to peep from the keyhole, if he could see something of what was going on

purplecraze — 08/28/2021 2:03 PM

it was too dark to properly distinguish anything. And from what little sanity the monster had, it seemed to avoid this side of the castle. But it still passed by 2 times, throwing a chair and breaking it against the door.

Whatever out there was completely broken loose, worse than the 2 nights he had witnessed of it before.

And even though Narancia couldn't tell what it looked like, there was one thing he could discern from the limited view and abundant sounds:

Whatever it was, it was in pain.

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 2:08 PM

He scoot over as the chair hitted the door. Ok, new rule; dont go too close the door.

He sighed as he put the key back and layed down in the bed.

Narancia didnt really knew shit about curses or magic, but still he felt sorry about his host; being in pain like that sure was a bit too much of a punishment for only tired to fuck around a bit with magic right?

purplecraze — 08/28/2021 2:11 PM

The chaos quieted down after some time. Maybe it had exhausted itself? But the anguished screams and pitched squirms lasted throughout the night, resounding through the castle.

Once sunrise came, it was dead quiet once more.

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 2:15 PM

Nara managed to fall asleep after the sun was up; waking up kinda groggy and still sleepy, after all, even after all that noise, the bed was so soft snd confy...

"Nh...Ah! Shit is almost lunch time-!" He murmured taking off his nightdress and starting to wear the clothes for the next day, making sure to look good. He got in front of the mirror and combed his hair and made sure che cravat was not loose.

He did a little spin and giggled; the stuff sure looked fancy, no wonder rich people usually have maids to help them dress

purplecraze — 08/28/2021 2:27 PM

By the time he arrived in the dining room, someone was already there, sitting on the far opposite side of his usual spot.

He looked to be about his age, maybe a bit older. At first glance, he didn't seem very abnormal.

But he was very pale, and thin. It was clear to see he suffered from chronic lack of sleep and nourishment.

Also, what could be seen of his skin showed marks of wounds that recently closed. Most notable was that his arm was broken.

He held a complicated looking book in his good hand, looking up from it as the other approached.

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 2:31 PM

Holy shit that was a kid

In his head he imagined him young, dunno he 'sounded' young from he would write to him, but not a fucking kid of his age.

"Good morning!" He chirped, trying to not point the arm...God he hoped he knew some medical magic too

purplecraze — 08/28/2021 2:40 PM

"Good afternoon..." he replied, correcting him. He looked him over from his seat as well, as if he hadn't been able to do so properly until now with his little bird's help.

"You look disappointed. Expected something scarier?"

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 2:41 PM

"Ah- no just...h-how old are you??" He asked sitting down

purplecraze — 08/28/2021 2:42 PM

He blinked for a moment, considering how much time had passed since he bothered keeping track of time.

"16..."

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 2:57 PM

"...You are younger than me??" He asked a bit shocket "Im 17!"

purplecraze — 08/28/2021 3:00 PM

"........" Fugo looked a tad skeptical, swallowing some words along the line of 'you don't look a day over 14'.

In stead, he cleared his throat.

"I'd like to apologize to you once more in person, for the inconvenience this place has caused you. If I had realized sooner, I wouldn't have given you those items... Was it the emblem? I suppose there's rumors about me, then.."

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 3:03 PM

"Ehy, to be fair im the one that got inside your house and stole your stuff, guess i kinda deserved it" He murmured taking a big bite then

purplecraze — 08/28/2021 3:04 PM

"No you didn't..." he spoke timid.

he didn't eat a lot more than some bread.

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 3:21 PM

"Mh..." he observed him

"Umh...does it hurt eat?"

purplecraze — 08/28/2021 3:26 PM

".......? err.." He considered for a moment. "No. no, not exactly. uh.... in a way, perhaps...

Please, don't mind it. More importantly, mr. Ghirga: If you don't mind me asking, what has life been like for you? How are things outside this place?"

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 3:51 PM

Mr...?

"Ah- Narancia its just fine really!" He laughed awkardly

"And outside? Well i guess the same as always? If you ask about politic stuff i dont really know about it hah"

purplecraze — 08/28/2021 3:53 PM

"Alright. Narancia....

I want to know about the every day life, it doesn't matter how insignificant."

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 4:11 PM

"Mhhh well its winter so there is not really a lot of interesting, but some shops have started to decorate for chirstmas! Its nice at least is not everything gray now; also the air is really dry so maybe it could even snow soon!"

purplecraze — 08/28/2021 4:15 PM

"I can know the weather from around here too, it will probably snow in a few days.... Do you like the snow? What do you usually spend your day with?

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 4:33 PM

"Kinda? I mean im sure its better when younare inside haha...and well, i guess i just try to survive? In summer i find some jobs time to time, but in winter is a bit of just not dying in the streets kinda of game"

purplecraze — 08/28/2021 4:34 PM

"And just when you think you've got it made, you're chased out for being cursed, huh?"

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 4:35 PM

"Guess im not really lucky haha, but i least i got some nice clothes for the winter!"

purplecraze — 08/28/2021 4:39 PM

"The merchants who will deliver supplies in 4 days are.... not entirely sympathetic to my situation, but they at least know that it's not infectious. and they're in my service. They'll take care of you from next week forward, rest assured..."

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 4:45 PM

He took another bite and looked at him

"...why are you helping me?'

purplecraze — 08/28/2021 4:47 PM

"......" he pushed his fork around, not looking back at him. "...I don't get many visitors."

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 4:48 PM

"Mhh...Yknow i havent talked to someone of my age in a while too" he giggled

"Is kinda hard to make friends in the streets"

purplecraze — 08/28/2021 4:50 PM

".........." The boy stared back at him. His eyes looked.... confused, almost panicked. and starved.

He stood up. "I should take my leave."

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 4:51 PM

"Uh ok--- You should do do something for that arm, and try to rest- im not gonna steal or touch stuff so dont worry and sleep a bit"

purplecraze — 08/28/2021 4:52 PM

"That's not what I'm worried about... Again, take what you like, there's nothing I'm particularly attached to."

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 4:53 PM

"Umh ok-- anyway see you...umh, Tomorrow maybe? If you want we can keep eat lunch together!"

purplecraze — 08/28/2021 4:55 PM

He glanced at him. there was something cold to his look.

"............Why?"

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 4:57 PM

"Why not? You keep talking to me with the bird, why not just chat face to face! Makes more sense to me"

purplecraze — 08/28/2021 5:01 PM

".............."

He walked a few paces towards him. Glancing over the table, he took a silent breath and lay his hand on a still untouched melon.

What first looked like a very appetizing piece of fruit turned into a shriveled pile of misery within the blink of an eye.

"........Does it make sense to you now?"

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 5:03 PM

Ok that was...creepy...And kinda explained why henlooked so perished

"Well as long we dont get too close i dont see the problem!" Sorry, he dosent give up easly

purplecraze — 08/28/2021 5:05 PM

Fugo turned off and left without any word aside from "Idiot."

orange-plane-boy — 08/28/2021 5:08 PM

Rude!

"See you tomorrow then!" He insisted, finishing his lunch before thinking about what he could do...mhh, the library seemed like one of the best option to spend time

[theminimalistoo]

World 100 series-movies

1)The Wire- IMDb:9,3

2)Mad Men- IMDb:8,6

3)Breaking Bad- IMDb:9,4

4)Fleabag- IMDb:8,7

5)Game of Thrones- IMDb:9,2

6)I May Destroy You- IMDb:8,1

7)The Leftovers- IMDb:8,3

8)The Americans- IMDb:8,4

9)The Office (UK)- IMDb:8,5

10)Succession- IMDb:8,7

11)BoJack Horseman- IMDb:8,7

12)Six Feet Under- IMDb:8,7

13)Twin Peaks: The Return-IMDb:8,5

14)Atlanta- IMDb: 8,6

15)Chernobyl- IMDb:9,4

16)The Crown- IMDb:8,6

17)30 Rock- IMDb:8,2

18)Deadwood-IMDb:8,6

19)Lost- IMDb:8,3

20)The Thick of It- IMDb:8,7

21)Curb Your Enthusiasm

22)Black Mirror

23)Better Call Saul

24)Veep

25)Sherlock

26)Watchmen

27)Line of Duty

28)Friday Night Lights

29)Parks and Recreation

30)Girls

31)True Detective

32)Arrested Development

33)The Good Wife

34)The Bridge

35)Fargo

36)Band of Brothers

38)The Handmaid’s Tale

39)The Office (US)

40)Borgen

41)Schitt’s Creek

42)Peep Show

43)Money Heist

44)Community

45)The Good Fight

46)Homeland

47)Grey’s Anatomy

48)Inside No 9

49)The Bureau

50)Halt and Catch Fire

51)Small Axe

52)This is England 86, 88 and 90

53)Call My Agent!

54)Happy Valley

55)The Shield

56)The Big Bang Theory

57)The Young Pope

58)Dark

59)The Underground Railroad

60)House of Cards

61)Avatar: The Last Airbender

62)The Good Place

62)Pose

64)Detectorists

65)Orange is the New Black

66)Mare of Easttown

67)RuPaul’s Drag Race

68)Stranger Things

69)24

70)Battlestar Galactica

71)Enlightened

72)Gilmore Girls

73)Planet Earth

74)Utopia

75)Babylon Berlin

76)Rick and Morty

77)American Crime Story

78)The Killing (Denmark)

79)Mindhunter

80)House

81)OJ: Made in America

82)Big Little Lies

83)Insecure

84)Normal People

84)Narcos

86)How I Met Your Mother

87)The Comeback

88)The OA

89)Dexter

90)It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

91)Westworld

92)Show Me a Hero

93)Treme

94)Louie

95)Luther

96)Catastrophe

97)Hannibal

98)Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

99)Steven Universe

100)The Queen’s Gambit

[branzycrafted]

CERTIFIED BRANZY FICTIVE PLAYLIST(TM)!!

This is just a mix of mostly songs I like and maybe a few I apply to myself or c!branzy!! But mostly just songs I like. Not all of the songs are on spotify but they ARE on YouTube that's why I have both :D

[Spotify playlist]

[YouTube playlist]

Tracklist:

1. Welcome To The Trading Hall (Branzy)

2. Dr. Sunshine Is Dead (Will Wood)

3. Thermodynamic Lawyer Esq, G.F.D. (Will Wood)

4. BlackBoxWarrior - OKULTRA

5. Turn Off The Lights (P!ATD)

6. A Gorey Demise (Creature Feature)

7. The Room Where It Happens (Hamilton)

8. Devil's Train (The Lab Rats)

9. We Both Reached For The Gun (Chicago)

10. ENTER: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO FAKING YOUR DEATH (Jhariah)

11. DEBT COLLECTOR (Jhariah)

12. Whose Eye Is it Anyway??? (Jhariah)

13. BAD LUCK! (Jhariah)

14. Flight Of The Crows (Jhariah)

15. Just Gold (Caleb Hyles)

16. Punk Tactics (Joey Valence & Brae)

17. Told Ya So (Get Scared)

18. Bad Romance (Halestorm)

19. Combat Carousel (Nombra101)

20. ClownPierce's Theme (Nombra101)

21. Born To Win (Nombra101)

22. NOW'S YOUR CHANCE TO BE A (Toby Fox)

23. Hello Kitty (Jazmin Bean)

24. KAWAII (TATARKA)

25. Ghost Rule (Defoko, but I also like the crossover/mashup version with Meiko and Araki)

26. Honey I'm Home (Ghost and Pals)

27. ECHO (Crusher-P)

28. Wildfire (Crusher-P)

29. Roki (mikitoP)

30. KING (Kanaria)

31. Hai Domo (cao white)

32. Welcome To The Internet (Bo Burnham)

33. Mary On A Cross (Ghost)

34. Running Up That Hill (Loveless)

35. Blow My Brains Out (Tikkle Me)

36. Bitchboy (The Oozes) ((<- shameless)

37. Scotty Doesn't Know (Lustra)

38. End In Tragedy (SIO)

39. sugar honey ice & tea (BMTH)

40. Uma Thurman (FOB)

41. (Coffee's For Closers) (FOB)

42. 20 Dollar Nose Bleed (FOB)

43. West Coast Smoker (FOB)

44. Don't Threaten Me With A Good Time (P!ATD)

45. Emperor's New Clothes (P!ATD)

46. Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off (P!ATD)

47. There's A Good Reason These Tables Are Numbered Honey, You Just Haven't Figured It Out Yet (P!ATD)

48. Victorious (P!ATD)

49. House Of Memories (P!ATD)

50. Golden Days (P!ATD)

51. Ruler Of Everything (Tally Hall)

52. & (Tally Hall)

53. The Bidding (Tally Hall)

54. My Alcoholic Friends (The Dresdin Dolls)

55. Bleed Magic (IDKHOW)

56. Absinthe (IDKHOW)

57. Hayloft (Mother Mother)

58. Hayloft II (Mother Mother)

59. World's Smallest Violin (AJR)

60. Wow, I'm Not Crazy (AJR)

61. Burn The House Down (AJR)

62. Bang! (AJR)

63. Eleanor Ribgy (Remastered 2015) (The Beatles)

64. King For A Day (PTV)

65. Black Cat (Never Shout Never)

66. Partners In Crime (SIO)

67. The Last Of The Real Ones (FOB)

68. You're Gonna Go Far, Kid (The Offspring)

69. Angel With A Shotgun (The Cab)

70. Icarus (Bastille)

71. Crazy = Genius (P!ATD)

72. Fear & Delight (The Correspondents)

73. Paper Planes (M.I.A.)

74. Do It All The Time (IDKHOW)

75. Enjoy The Ride (Krewella)

76. Devil I Know (Allie X)

77. Carousel (Neoni)

78. Wonderland (Neoni)

79. Royalty (Connor Maynard)

80. Looking Like This (Lyre Le Temps)

81. Build Our Machine (DAGames)

82. The Devil's Swing (Fandroid & Caleb Hyles)

83. Casino Royale (Derivakat)

84. Posin' (Peggy Suave)

85. Tangled Up (Lokee Remix) (Caro Emerald)

86. Booty Swing (Parov Stelar)

87. Chillout Swing (HAVEADREAM)

88. Electro Swing! (Runaway 404)

89. Peeping Tom (Jamie Berry)

90. Sweet Rascal (Jamie Berry)

91. Lost In The Rhythm (Jamie Berry)

92. Jericho (Grant Lazlo)

93. Dixie Biscuit (Tape Five)

94. Kiss Me (Jazzotron vs Jamie Berry)

95. Time For Tea (Melbourne Swing Mix) (11 Acorn Lane)

96. Swing What You Got (5 IN LOVE vs Can Canavaral)

97. The Devil's Swing (SirensCeol)

98. Swagger Stagger (Lucas Pittman)

99. Mama Swing (Lucas Pittman)

100. Casino Swing (Drum Swing)

101. Die House (Electro Swing remix) (The Musical Ghost)

102. Black Betty (Caravan Palace)

103. Play Roulette (HD Studio)

104. Poker Face (HD Studio)

105. Royal Flush (HD Studio)

106. Poker Cheater (HD Studio)

107. Excitement (HD Studio)

108. Feeling Victory (HD Studio)