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shae-pine · 7 years

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Happy Birthday

My submission for the sanders sides fic exchange by @the-prince-and-the-emo I was assigned to @secretsanderssideblog Hope you like it!

Tag List of People I think might like this: @asexual-trashbag @princey-must-slay @what-even-is-thiss @mylasagnaisraw @analogically-prinxiety @prinanalogicality @prinxietys @thatsthat24

Prompt 1(sfw): Anxiety hurt/comfort with a side of Dad. not romantic, just platonic

It hurt, but then again almost everything did to him lately. From his so called family no longer being there for him to his panic attacks being harder to get over and more frequent. The cause of such attacks being unaware as they all slowly began to forget about his very existence, once again leaving him alone to wallow in his own misery and depression.

The change in the others demeanor had been gradual, so much so that he hadn’t truly realized what was happening until it was too late. Unable to do anything but watch as the life he had become accustomed to living crumpled apart before his eyes. What made it worse was that Anxiety had no idea what it was he did wrong to cause the others to begin ignoring him again, yet another reason he had begun spending more and more time in his room. The bleak exterior doing nothing for his emotional state as the comfort the room had once provided was tainted with the memory of when the others had come searching for him and the first true moment he had been cared for. Yet, it was either the room where he was unlikely to be disturbed or risk the living room and subsequently seeing the others and being brushed off.

It had started with Roman, which wasn’t a surprise to him as the Prince had been the last one to finally accept Virgil as a true part of the Sanders family. Their usual banter becoming one sided as rather than retort Roman would simply fall silent. His passion for arguing seemingly lost as his interest lied elsewhere until Virgil eventually stopped talking to him. If Roman was simply going to give him the silent treatment what was the point of trying if he would only be disappointed.

The next one the start ignoring him had been Logan, the logical side having often sought out Anxiety for help with video planning until the routine had been for Virgil to simply show up to help so that Logan wouldn’t have to hunt him down. However, his input was disregarded, Logan beginning to shoot down his concerns and worries about new videos with more force and overall harshness than necessary. The change in tone making it clear to Virgil that he as no longer wanted and therefore he simply stopped showing up unannounced, and Logan didn't come for him.

Finally, there was Patton, the cheery paternal figure having been the first to accept Virgil and therefore the darker trait had held onto the belief that his father figure would never push him out even if the others would. But his belief turned out to be false, slowly but surely, Patton began ignoring him too. At first it was small, the father figure explaining that he had to help one of the other two sides with a project or was busy making a new recipe in the kitchen. Even with Virgil offering to help him cook Patton would brush him off, explaining kindly that he wanted to expand his culinary expertise. Implying the Virgil’s company was unwanted, so Virgil stopped offering.

Now the dark trait remained in his room, the only time he left was to make ure he hadn’t stopped affecting Thomas like last time. As he didn’t want the others hunting him down because he couldn’t do his job correctly, after all, if all he was good for was being a negative emotion like always he may as well make sure he’s doing it right. And after his latest check to make sure Thomas still felt his presence Anxiety returned to his room, and cried.

Patton was excited, after three weeks of careful preparation Virgil’s surprise party was finally ready. And with his dark son being none the wiser as despite how much Patton was eager to spend time with the emo he wanted to make sure the surprise party would indeed be a surprise.

The plan having been to make sure Virgil would be either with Thomas or in his room to ensure that the three sides had plenty of time to set up. Streamers and balloons covering the main area of the mindscape as a pile of presents lay waiting on the table. Patton putting the finishing touches on the cake as the black frosting spelled out ‘Happy Birthday Virgil’ in edgy looking letters that had taken the father figure a week to perfect. But to him it would be worth it as soon as he saw the smile on Virgil’s face once he saw the decorations in honor of his first video with Thomas and the day the others had chosen to celebrate his birthday.

‘Speaking of the others,’ Patton thought to himself as he placed the cake on the table. “Roman! Logan! Are you two almost done?” Patton yelled out as he walked into the living room area where the other two were putting up a birthday banner.

“Almost Patton, this birthday will be such a party it will put Cinderella’s ball to shame,” Roman boasted as he secured the final side of the banner and joined Morality by the couch.

“That’s fantastic kiddo!” Patton praised, “all we need is the birthday boy and we can get this party started!”

“I suggest you retrieve him Patton, it will be the least suspicious if you do so while Roman and I stay here,” Logan suggested.

“Now Logan, this isn’t just an excuse for you two to sneak pieces of the cake away is it?” Patton questioned.

“Of course not, the sugar intake would no doubt decrease productivity,” Logan spoke.

“Well good because you’re sweet enough as it is without it!” Patton proclaimed happily, sinking into Anxiety’s room to the eye roll of Logan.

“Hey kiddo, are you busy?” Patton questioned once he was in Anxiety’s room, only to pause as he realized his emo son wasn’t there. Shrugging he simply continued on to the bedroom, assuming that he would find Virgil there. However, as Patton made his way up the stairs he felt his heart sink as he heard small sobs coming from the side’s bedroom. Worried, Patton rushed into the room to discover Virgil who lay curled up on his bed, the side in question sobbing into his pillow.

The sight caused Patton’s heart to break as he wasted no time in rushing over to his self-proclaimed son and quickly giving him a hug.

“It’s okay kiddo,” Patton spoke warmly as Virgil tensed at the sudden contact, “I’m here, just let it out.”

At the sudden comfort Virgil quickly wrapped his arms around Patton, sobbing into his shirt rather than the pillow as he let all of his loneliness from the past weeks finally show. Patton saying nothing as he simply held Virgil, knowing he would talk when he was ready.

“Why did you avoid me?” Virgil questioned in between tears.

“Oh kiddo,” Patton spoke sadly as he rubbed soothing circles into the teen’s back, putting the pieces together as he realized in his effort to keep the surprise party secret he hadn’t been spending as much time with the darker side, “that’s not it. I’m so sorry, I got carried away that’s all.”

“With what?” Virgil questioned as his sobs died down, yet when he looked up at the fatherly trait his eyes were still watery.

“Come with me and I’ll show you,” Patton spoke simply, wanting to show Virgil the true reason everyone wasn’t around as much.

“Okay,” Virgil spoke as he wiped his eyes, trusting Patton as the older trait led him to the main living room of the mindscape.

“Surprise!” Roman and Logan exclaimed once they appeared, Virgil jumping slightly at the exclamation as he looked around in confusion.

“What’s all this?” Virgil questioned as he looked around.

“It’s the reason we haven’t been around as much,” Patton explained, “see, it’s the anniversary of your first video with Thomas so I thought it would be nice to throw you a little party. But it seems in my effort to make sure it was a surprise I didn’t spend time with you and for that I am sorry.”

“So, you weren’t trying to get rid of me?” Virgil questioned.

“Goodness no, the last time that happened everything was a mess, it’s far better if you stay with Thomas, J.Delightful,” Roman answered, a teasing smirk of his face which caused Virgil to give a small smile in return.

“Oh my delusional Prince I wouldn’t dream of having a repeat of my attempt to leave,” Virgil spoke.

“Well good because I don’t think three of us can eat all this cake by ourselves!” Patton exclaimed as he brought the cake out.

“I’m sure we could, it would just mean more sugar intake thus resulting in a buzz that would result in a sugar crash leaving us at a lower energy than before the cake was ingested,” Logan spoke.

The comment giving Virgil comfort as the three other sides crowded around him in order to sing Happy Birthday. Virgil smiling in content as he thought of how glad he was that his family hadn’t been avoiding him to get rid of him. As everything was now okay.

#thomas sanders #virgil sanders #roman sanders #patton sanders #logan sanders #sanders sides #fanfiction #Shae writes #my writing

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clinchcoverenthusiast · 3 years

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Some spooky-ish/atmospheric books I’d like to read for October:

The Dare and Her Soul to Take - Harley Laroux

Ensnared - Tiffany Roberts

Mexican Gothic - Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Trick and Treat - Shae Sanders

Witch Please and Bitterburn - Ann Aguirre

His Beauty - Jack Harbon

Some books I’ve read and like:

Met by Moonlight - Rosemary Edghill

Mating the Huntress - Talia Hibbert

A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor - Kathryn Moon

The Only Good Indians - Stephen Graham Jones

My Heart is a Chainsaw - Stephen Graham Jones

The Cabin at the End of the World - Paul Tremblay

Survivor Song - Paul Tremblay

Ring Shout - P. Djèlí Clark

Killadelphia Vols. 1 & 2 - Rodney Barnes

A Dowry of Blood - S.T. Gibson

Bitter Root Vols. 1 & 2 - David F. Walker

If anyone is interested in a black author-centered readathon check out this video about Blackoweenathon and this book rec list.

#reading #spooky reads #diverse reading #october readathon #bookblr

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sleepyowlwrites · 3 years

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find the word tag CCXVII, CCXIII

when did this tag stop being the thing I did all the time? very odd. very odd indeed. also I noticed that I was missing a ccxiii so I just added it in here. heep hoop. we're finally getting a bunch of new associates so the rest of us won't be so strung out and have to work extra long shifts to get stuff done. and one of them has my name! but her mom (who also works with me) calls me Princess so there needn't be any confusion. and everyone can just call me by my various nicknames anyway.

I grabbed a couple stars off the nearest constellation @diphthongsfordays @akindofmagictoo

hack (the illusion, 2011)

Torash ran in front of me, pushing branches aside or hacking at them with his sword when they wouldn't give way. Our pursuers had dogs tracking our smell anyway, so no amount of caution would hide our trail until we reached the river. Speed was what mattered now. Verain ran behind me, making no sounds while Torash and I crashed through the bushes that blocked our path. I couldn't even hear her breathing, but knew she was there, protecting my back just like before. My own heart thudded against my ribcage, beating for all it was worth, my lungs trying to give me the air I needed to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

hall (the grave diggers, 2021)

Darryl rolls his eyes. A voice yells out of the void. “Do NOT dump your belongings in the hall or I swear I’ll report you!”

“You’re making Pumpkin mad.” Sanders holds the bucket at arms length and hands it through the void. Eventually he takes it back out, but the tools are gone.

“Gumpkin is perpetually mad. And- wait. Pumpkin?” Darryl snorts. “Was that Wanda’s joke?”

Sanders nods. “She says it’s seasonally appropriate to amend people’s names.”

heal (summon story d0)

“Is it just me, or is Wryn’s spirit becoming more chatty?”

Shae rolled her eyes. “Just because it shows up after a killing and makes terrible jokes about murder doesn’t mean it’s getting chatty. It has to conserve its strength, after all. And I assume that Wryn doesn’t make it through a fight completely unscathed. It probably has to heal him.”

harsh (life is: the flowers of spring, 2011)

Life is the flowers of spring When before the sky had been grey And the air cold The wind harsh The ground wet and muddy But then you wake up in the morning And you can't see the brown Because your yard is covered over With buttercups and clover

have (a universe of you, 2021)

“I don’t need any more universe,” she says with her tongue coated in stardust. “I see it in your eyes.”

“I see it in your eyes,” he answers, sawdust and tree sap on his palms, paint on the roof of his mouth. his words have colors like the fire when the sky’s full dark.

“then that’s the bucket for your collection. are you satisfied?” she is the only song he wants to sing.

he peels the hesitation from his fingertips and touches a thumb to her pulse. it blooms like later July roses and smells so sweet. “I’ve never needed anything else.”

heart (the sleepy stash)

"I'm perfectly capable of studying by myself."

"Oh, I'm not going to study with you. I'm going to cast a sleep spell on you so you don't die before the test tomorrow."

He stared at her. "I'll cast a blocking spell."

Her grin was completely unnerving. "You probably can't remember the words. Your brain is slipping off each and every thought, your heart keeps trying to skip beats. You are so tired you think you've only been here three hours and it's not 1 in the morning."

health (the illusion, 2011)

"Look at her feet. How can you say there's not marked? There're blisters all over them, and--, I can see her bone on this one!"

Torash reached as if to touch my left foot, but I scooted away from him, pulling myself to a standing position by scrabbling up the tree at my back. As soon as I let go I fell over, though, and tried to ignore the strange knowledge of sticky liquid running from where my feet should've been, up my legs, almost to my knees.

Was it blood? Can something bleed if it doesn't really exist?

Yet, Torash and Verain could both see them. One said they were torn, the other perfectly assured of their complete health. Who should I believe?

heat (but I was a saint you couldn't own, 2021)

you were a warpath; you and your endless screams a tightening of broken fingers on a cut that will always bleed a yesterday of sorrows too unsightly for tomorrow’s reprieve a message for another to cherish while pining for a moment’s heat

stairs, sounds, slips, stings, stands. BONUS: saturates, spites. @vellichor-virgo @mecharose @ettawritesnstudies @stardustspiral @writing-with-melon OR ANYBODY or nobody

#find the word tag #tag game #searching circle

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bdub86 · 5 years

Photo

Isha Baaker, Chandler Hutchison, Emmanuel Sanders

Kevin Hampton, Tequan Richmond, Trey Revis

Designer, Ryan Jamaal Swain, Tyus Jones

Jordan Calloway, Brandon Mychal Smith, Tre Jones

Lil Romeo, Kenny Jones, Tyrel Jackson Williams

Toro y Moi aka Chaz Bear, De-Reece Grant, Sinqua Walls

Don Benjamin, Shae Pulver, Mandela Van Peebles

Sarunas J. Jackson, Devin Booker

Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford, Memphis Depay

Trey Kostra, Jordan Love, Bandhunta Izzy

*Please DO NOT reblog if you are willing to ignore whitewashing, racial slurs, BLACKFACE or post white people and celebrities who have done these things. No, I won’t care how long ago it happened. This post is for, by, and about black people! This post is not meant to be a token splash of color on pages filled with mostly white faces*

Just to be clear: If regularly including ALL KINDS of black people isn’t important to you, this post is not for you. If you can overlook racism towards black people, period, but especially by your nonblack celebrity faves then this post is not for you. If you only objectify (ignore the objectification of) black men then move the fuck on. If your default porn preference is fetishizing interracial race play, mandingo, sex slave or some other dehumanizing fantasies MOVE THE FUCK ON.

FYI, if this caption bothers you then I’m DEFINITELY talking about you.

This post is about celebrating black men and connecting with others who respect black men and not those who fetishize us and our bodies.

#black men #black is beautiful

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booksbydlwhite · 3 months

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BOOKCAST 88: Check-in and Unraveling the Mystery: The Photograph, Part 3

Send me fan mail!

I woke up with a craving for tacos but first I had to record the Bookcast. Episode 88 brings updates on reading and writing as a self published author of romantic fiction that centers Black love. I also recorded part 3 of my four part serial, THE PHOTOGRAPH. Woot.

Books on sale:

Leslie's Curl & Dye is $.99 everywhere and Beach Thing is on sale for $1.99. Find links to both at my store- payhip.com/booksbydlwhite.

Appearances:

Celebrating Curvy Girl Summer by Danielle Allen at RESIST booksellers June 22, 2024. Details at Resist Booksellers.com.

EssenceFest 2024 (I am NOT a featured author and will not be on the stage, jut in the buildin!)

Black Romance Book Fest May 2025-: https://blackromancebookfest.com. Tix go on sale June 21st.

LISTEN to today’s episode here. Transcript is below the episode details. ENJOY!

I discussed the following books today:

Starcrossed: An Enemies to Lovers Romance (Jackson Brothers Book 2) by Shae Sanders

Truth Be Told (Rogue Justice #2) by Kendra Elliot

Do What Godmother Says by L.S. Stratton

Just Like Her: A Queer Romance by Fiona Zedde

Bitter and Sweet by Rhonda McKnight

Uncovering her Dreams by Rae Shawn

Come Ride with Me by AC Arthur

What If I Love You by Yvonne Marie

The Stones We Cast by Chelsea Marie

Back Down Memory Lane by Lamartz Brown

Legal Seduction by Sharon C Cooper.

What You Leave Behind by Wanda M. Morris

A Dream in the Dark (A Wrongful Conviction Novel 2)

Nia Forrester Backlist titles

Support the Show with a recurring gift at bookcast.buzzsprout.com. Buy books by DL White at https://BooksbyDLWhite.com/books. Buy Merch by DLWhite at https://payhip.com/BooksbyDLWhite/collection/merch Find the Bookcast on booksbydlwhite.com/bookcast or your fave podcast app: Apple Podcasts | Spotify |Overcast | Podlink| Youtube

TRANSCRIPT

DL White [00:00:00]:

This has nothing to do with anything podcast related, but I woke up thinking about tacos. Like, tacos with a little bit of yellow rice and some black beans at 7 AM. So guess what I'm having for dinner? Welcome back to the book cast, my platform for sharing short fiction and updates on life as a self published author of romantic fiction that centers black love and relationships. I am so excited that you're here, especially since you're not supposed to be. I was not supposed to record today. I was supposed to be visiting a, bustling Midwestern city, but I delayed my flight by a few days, so I'm here. I am Dale White. I'm an Atlanta based author of 14 and counting novels and numerous short stories and fan fiction works.

DL White [00:00:50]:

I'm a reader First. So we usually begin with a book report, and we talk about writing and topics of the day. I am currently in pre publication for The Pearl, a Black Diamond Romance. Tentative release date is scheduled for on or before July 2nd 2024. Check my blog and my social media for Goodreads and story graph links as well as samples, teasers, even a playlist for this book. I also want you to pay really close attention, in case this book might come out early. You never know. It might be for sale exclusively on my website for a few days if you're very excited about that kind of thing.

DL White [00:01:29]:

I'm really I'm I I can't wait to bring Davis and Kari to your faces. I do have some advanced readers out there who have expressed that they're enjoying the book, so I can't wait until the general population gets their hands on it. I actually just sent out another arc to someone who requested it, so yay for them and for me. It's gonna be a busy month at Books by d l White. I do have some travel, on deck. Leslie's curl and die is on sale as part of the blue collar romance Kobo promotion. Beach thing is also on sale for 199 if you still need to get started on the Black Diamond romance series before book 3 comes out. I actually have a hankering a hankering to refresh myself on the Black Diamond couples, so I might spin Wade and Amina and Vance and Athena one time before I release the pearl.

DL White [00:02:21]:

My most recent newsletter is out. You'll find a link to that if you're not subscribed on my links page. It's books by dlwhite.com/linkinbio. I also need you to take care of that subscription thing exceptionally. Booksbydlwhite.com/newsletter. I'm gonna work on a couple exclusive excerpts to go out before the book is published, so you wanna be on that to get the good stuff. Thank you so much, and don't forget to confirm. Your mailbox will not be blessed if you do not confirm.

DL White [00:02:51]:

I just go go ahead and delete it. As always, if you're a member at Kobo Plus, you can grab all my ebooks and audiobooks as part of your subscription. And if you're a premium subscriber at Spotify, you get 15 free hours there, so snatch up my audiobooks. I get paid for them. I don't think you understand. I get paid for them. I'm available in ebook and audio at your local library, so hit them up, Libby Hoopla, and request me. If you don't find me there, let me know when your request is granted because I absolutely love it.

DL White [00:03:23]:

Libraries buy books. I love it so much. Libraries actually pay more than retail for books, so request me everywhere all the time nonstop. I do believe all my audiobooks are now available on Hoopla, and they have ebooks, and I'm most pleased. Do you have a topic you would like me to cover on the book cast? Something author y, something reader y, something hybrid y? Let me know. Shout me out. Holler. I'm always on Instagram or Twitter at author_dlwhite.

DL White [00:03:56]:

You can even visit the show notes of this year episode at booksbydlwhite.com/bookcast slash 88. You can also drop me a voice note called fan mail. Peep the link in the show notes and send me some dulcet tones of love. I welcome your comments and questions. I'll dedicate a part of the show to answering them. Onward. Today's gonna be a great show. Not not too long, not too short, but not too long.

DL White [00:04:21]:

It's the weekend. I don't have a book to write. My editor is rejoicing. I I see it. I see it. I I'm picturing it in my mind, and I am all about the books. So we will talk about my reading challenge and what I have been putting into my face. I'll finish today's episode with part 3 of the photograph, which is my short run serial that I wrote specifically for the podcast because I just had not shared enough short fiction lately.

DL White [00:04:48]:

Today is Saturday, June 8th. It is 9:55 AM. Whoo. I'm way behind y'all. It's sunny and 65 degrees today in the AAT l. I have a mic and I am ready to dig in, but first, join me for some coffee. It took me so long to get up and running today that my coffee is lukewarm, and I'm sad about it. I like it hot.

DL White [00:05:26]:

We begin as always with the book report because I am a book head. I have read 89 books of my challenge to read 150 books this year, putting me 24 books ahead on my Goodreads challenge. The more I read, the further ahead I am. How how is that happening? Should I increase my goal or just be really ridiculous with it? Let me know in the comments. I had a very good reading week, so let's get into it. This week, I read star crossed and enemies to lovers romance by Shay Sanders. This was absolutely slap your nearest relative. Delicious.

DL White [00:06:00]:

Fantastic. So well done. I'm a Shea Sanders fan. It is cemented in the pantheon. She did such a good job with this. I highlight highlighted so much in this book. I really tried not to spoil things, but, like, she just has a way with, like, a twist of phrase. She is very sassy and sarcastic, but, like, also able to to bring out, like, emotion and, like, just, like, talk about what's actually happening between these two characters.

DL White [00:06:28]:

And her steamy scenes aren't bad either. Big fan. Love that. I also listened to truth be told, Rogue Justice number 2 by Kendra Elliott. Kendra is another one of those thriller authors that has, like, 99 books out in Kindle Unlimited, so I can read and listen with my subscription. And I often will just throw on something to, like, listen to just because. So this was a just because listen. I also got an audio arc of Do What Godmother Says by Ellis Stratton, who is my author bae.

DL White [00:07:03]:

I absolutely love her. You also know her as Shelley Ellis and Shelley Stratton. Listen. If you don't read Shelley, I need you to get your life together immediately, like, right now because sis is on the way up, and you you you you wanna climb on this train, this rocket ship as it's ascending. Do what Gomother says is I think it's called a gothic thriller? Gothic? It's a gothic something, it's dual time period which is my fave, absolutely love it. There's a little bit I feel like there's a little bit of Shelley Ellis in Ellis Stratton. Just just the way that she writes a relationship in a book, it's very reminiscent. But this book is heavily, heavily a mystery, a thriller.

DL White [00:07:57]:

There's, like, a lot going on with, like, some spooky characters and some people that, like, make the hair on the back of your neck stand up, and I'd be like, I knew. I knew it. I knew it. But then, like, I send her a DM, and she was doesn't tell me anything, and she makes me find out for myself. It's just not fair. It's not it's not like, being friends with an author should mean that you get to know the twist before you have to read the twist, but she doesn't play fair. I also read Just Like Her, a queer romance by Fiona Zedd. This finally came out.

DL White [00:08:30]:

I know she's been working on it for a minute. Congratulations, Fiona. And then, I read bitter and sweet by Rhonda McKnight, which was absolutely fantastic. Really, really well done. I can't remember if I had that on my list last week. I just I don't I don't know. The weeks are all running together, but, really, really enjoyed that. That comes out on Tuesday.

DL White [00:08:50]:

Also, Do What Good Mother Says comes out on Tuesday. You wanna grab both of those. They are both excellent. I don't have anything officially on my reading list, but I do know I have at least one ARC for June 11th that I need to read. It's not likely to come out in audio, so I really need to get it together. I'll probably get on it, like, Sunday afternoon. It's a romance, and I don't think it's a long one. And I don't typically read romance by white authors, but Laurie Foster is a fave.

DL White [00:09:17]:

I also love Ronnie Lauren. So I saw that she had a new book coming out. I've loved her since getting rowdy came out, like, 7000000 years ago. Love me some Laurie Foster, so I'm gonna snatch that one up. I have a bunch of stuff in Kindle Unlimited that I wanna read or clear, ala Brigitte Bianca's KU reader release challenge. I have, uncovering her dreams by Rayshawn, Come Ride With Me by AC author, What If I Love You by Yvonne Marie. I have a couple of few Nia Forester backlist titles. I'm I'm on a mission to read all of Nia Forester's work, and so I'd wanna get a few more of those down.

DL White [00:09:56]:

I just love her writing. Just delicious. Like, Nia Forester and Tasha l Harrison, if I don't bring them up every other episode, something is wrong. Please send when they send the police to your house because they think something's wrong, if I don't mention Nia Forester or Tasha l Harrison, send the police. That's what I'm saying. The stones we cast by Chelsea Marie, back down memory lane by LaMarts Brown. I've gotta gotta gotta read more black male authors, specifically more black male indie authors, so I gotta get into it and legal seduction by my good good friend Sharon c Cooper. Lots to dig through, plus I have some upcoming arcs I need to get read.

DL White [00:10:35]:

First up is What You Leave Behind by Wanda Morris. I'm very, very excited about this. I might wait for audio on that one. That one's coming up, June 18th. So, I don't know if I can I don't know if I can wait? I also have a dream in the dark, wrongful conviction novel number 2 by Robert Justice coming up. I'm very excited about that one also, and, I'm just saying I know Robert listens to the podcast, and sometimes I know a book is just gonna be absolutely awesome in audio. And so I will wait for audio to come out so I can listen to it, but I get an ARC specifically so I can read it early because I'm impatient. And so now I'm in this thing where do I wanna read it on the page early because that helps the author, or do I wanna wait for it on audio because that helps me? You know, it's it's it's a struggle.

DL White [00:11:34]:

It's a struggle. That one's coming out in July. I'm very excited about it. I'm really, really excited for Robert Justice. I'm also wanna thank him that he read one of my books, and I so do cherish my, male readers because I I write specifically for 2 black women, but I do have some male readers that really dig me, and I so appreciate your good words about my books. So, thank you so much, and, keep them coming. This week, I put down Secret Keeper of Main Street by Tricia r Thomas. This book just didn't hit me.

DL White [00:12:09]:

It just didn't love love Tricia. I just I couldn't finish it. Sometimes I skip through till the end, because I feel bad about putting down a book. I just I got to about 30%, and I just was not interested in finishing. I think this book has some pretty good reviews, and I just wasn't interested in bringing it down, so I just went ahead and put it down. I don't know if it's a mood thing or the way the book is written or if it would have been better on the page versus audio. I just I lost interest. I didn't wanna pick it back up.

DL White [00:12:38]:

Often, this is a pacing issue. If it doesn't snap, I just I can't I can't stay engaged. I blame my short span of attention. On appearances, reminder that I'll be celebrating Danielle Allen's release cover girl summer in Petersburg, Virginia. She'll be at Resist Booksellers. I will be there to support. I'll be a featured author, and I'm I'm really looking forward to seeing Danielle and Demetrius who owns Resist Booksellers again. That'll be on June 22, 2024, I believe, from 1 to 3 PM.

DL White [00:13:09]:

There's a post on my Instagram and my TikTok and my Facebook page with details, and, of course, follow Danielle Allen and resist booksellers for all of the deets. I'll also be at the Black Romance Festival in Atlanta, Georgia, May 30th through June 1, 2025. I have already booked my room, and I'm telling you, start saving your money. I'm gonna say this every week. Start saving your money. Tickets go on sale June 21st, so get in there, and, come find me because it's very likely that you'll know me before I know you, so don't quiz me. I don't know your name. I might know your face.

DL White [00:13:44]:

I can't tell who people are by that little little avatar, but please come say hi to me. I am not shy, but I am introverted, so I am not likely see see me. Say hi. Give me a hug. You ain't even gotta buy a book. I mean, I'm a just be there to meet authors and, like, fawn over people that I have wanted to meet and see in person, so I might not even ever be at my table. I'm just saying. I'm also gonna be at Essence Fest.

DL White [00:14:24]:

I am not a featured author. I am not on anybody's stage. I'm basically just there to be a fan of some bookish people and authors. The BJ's said they were gonna be there. I have met miss Beverly Jenkins. I have not met miss Brenda met miss Brenda Jackson, and I can't stand the thought of so many good people being in one space at one time. So I'm really, really super excited. So I will be in the building for Essence Fest.

DL White [00:14:53]:

I believe I'll be in town the 3rd through 7th, leaving on 7th. So let a system know if you're gonna be out there. I would love to meet you. Onto the writing update. No real update on the Pearl except we're still in editing. I expect final edits back next weekend ish ish. No. Seriously.

DL White [00:15:16]:

Like rush, but no rush. You know what I'm saying? And then I'll be heads down and making corrections to my file in Vellum and getting my girl ready for her close-up. I wanna be done with this novel, like, have it put together and up for a private sale by the time I hug Danielle's at Resist. So fingers crossed, I can get I can get that. As I mentioned, ARCs are out. The initial reception is good. I real I really, really try not to be precious about the words. So I don't stalk my reviews, and I ask that people not tag me in them if they can help it, send egregious errors and concerns to my email so I can address them before publication, but otherwise, enjoy and warn the others.

DL White [00:15:59]:

It's good or it's not. I mean, it's it's done. You know what I'm saying? Reviews are for readers, so I hope the readers like what they see and decide to read or not read the book based on honest opinions. I'm I am of the I said what I said variety. So if it's not something that popped up in my group chat or from my editor, it is not likely to change shoulder shrug. If you haven't read Beach Thing or Elysium, do not let that stop you from snatching up this novel. I did add a bit in the front matter on some previously on Black Diamond tip, so you can catch up without having to read both books because this book will spoil the first two. I have been working on my front matter and my back matter, so the book is ready to go once edits are complete.

DL White [00:16:46]:

We're getting really close. I'm getting really excited. I've lost count of how many books we've written together on this podcast. 3? 4? I wrote Neverlist, Hey, Lover, Elysium, and Now The Pearl live on the podcast. What a time. What an exciting time to be alive. So it's exciting every time and never ever, ever gets old going through this process. And this process.

DL White [00:17:12]:

And this fall, I'm about to go through the process of writing book 15, and I'm a take you all along. I don't even care if you want to go. We going. Get in the car. Sunday is our first check-in for the summer writing challenge. I'm writing I'm running over at the fiction archive that I own and operate. I hope the writers are getting in good words this week and are ready to chat it up about their summer of writing. Again, this is an off shoot of the 1,000 words of summer challenge, which is a 2 week challenge to write 1,000 words a day.

DL White [00:17:45]:

Our challenge will span June July, and it would be hard to maintain that for 2 months, so our parameters are very loose. The idea is to jump into summer with words and gear up for our most popular challenge, awesome August. So I'm looking forward to writing for fun, writing just because, writing to write, writing to get these thoughts out of my head, and really just, like, building that habit and getting some good ideas flowing. Speaking of writing, it is time for part 3 of the photograph. A little ditty I came up with because it had been too long since I shared fiction on the podcast. It's not lost on me that as a writer of kissing novels, my opportunity to break from the right publish stress about how much I sold rhythm manifests in material that is decidedly not romantic. Anyone that tells you that writing romance is easy as lying. Lying through their teeth.

DL White [00:18:38]:

It's much easier for me to write these little mystery thriller trysts, and I admit they don't go deep, they're not intricate. I will literally I sit down, I read what I wrote before. I write the next section. I edit it a little bit. I record it. Like, it's, like, not deep because if I start too early, I will start stressing about it, and then we have, like, a 67,000 word novel that I have read on the podcast. And, frankly, 67,000 words is something I need to sell. You know what I'm saying? I have decided, though.

DL White [00:19:11]:

My next short serial is going to be romantic. So I will close out the show after the jump. So if you are jumping here, thank you so much for joining me for this week's chat. We will talk again next week. I almost always have chapters in these, episodes, so you can just skip to the end. I appreciate you. Bye bye. The photograph, part 3.

DL White [00:19:40]:

I knew I had to confront Robin, but I couldn't just barge into her office and demand answers. Considering that someone found my email address and sent me a menacing note, the possibility that our offices and her home might be bugged was high. We needed to be careful. I suggested we meet at a quiet out of the way park where we could talk freely without fear of being overheard. Robin agreed and we found ourselves sitting on a secluded bench far from prying eyes or ears. Robin, I need to ask you something and I want need you to be honest with me, I said, looking her straight in the eye. What really happened to Damon? She stiffened, her fingers clenching in her lap. I told you he's not part of our lives anymore.

DL White [00:20:28]:

Why are you so interested in him all of a sudden? Because I found something and I started asking questions. I pulled up my phone showing her the photo that had been haunting my dreams followed by a screenshot of the threatening text message. Someone doesn't want me looking into Damon's disappearance. I know you know why. Robin's eyes widened as she read the message, and for a moment, I thought she might bolt, but then she sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. There's a lot that I haven't told you, Jada. There's so much, but I haven't been going on dates. I furrowed my brow, confused.

DL White [00:21:06]:

What do you mean you haven't been going on dates? I've been meeting with someone who claims to have information about Damon, she admitted, about what happened to him, his disappearance, and who might be responsible. My heart began to race. Who is this person? I don't know him. His name is Liam. He used to work with Damon back when he was involved in some less than legal activities. Drugs mostly, Robin explained, her voice trembling slightly. It was all stuff he was involved in before we met. He tried to leave to go straight, live a normal life, but you know you can never really leave that life especially if they have something on you.

DL White [00:21:45]:

Liam reached out to me about a year ago telling me he had important information about Damon, but it's taken this long to get him to meet me and relay anything I could work with. I leaned forward, my mind reeling. So what has he told you? Robin took a deep breath. He said years ago Damon was involved with a man named Donovan, a drug dealer, of course. Liam said that Damon had crossed Donovan somehow and that Damon's disappearance was likely due to him. He had it inside track, and he was sending me information as he could get it. Isn't that enough to go to the police? Your husband has been missing, Robin. I did, Robin said, her eyes filling with tears.

DL White [00:22:28]:

I did go to them, but they weren't interested. They know that name from back in the day. They're probably happy to not have to deal with a low level drug dealer. They told me that it wasn't illegal for him to leave his family. They even suggested that photo of him being tortured might be a deep fake meant to throw me off so he could start a new life somewhere else. I reached out and took her hand, squeezing it gently. But you don't believe that, do you? No, Robin whispered, shaking her head. I think someone killed him, and I think they're still out there watching me making sure I don't talk.

DL White [00:23:02]:

I felt a chill run down my spine. Robin, this is serious. If what Liam is saying is true then you could be in real danger and what about your kids? Why are you even still here? Robin's face crumpled and she let out a sob. I know. I've been so afraid to tell anyone. I can barely keep us above water. I don't have money to move them where Donovan can't watch us. I can't let anything happen to them, Jada.

DL White [00:23:26]:

They're all I have left of Daemon. I pulled her into a hug, feeling the weight of her pain and fear. We'll figure this out, Robin, together. She pulled back, wiping her eyes. How? Where do we even start? I thought for a moment, my mind racing. We'll start with Donovan. If he's as dangerous as Liam says, then he's our best lead. I'll see what I can find out about him.

DL White [00:23:52]:

Maybe I can track him down. In the age of the Internet, it's really hard to hide. Robin nodded, a flicker of hope in her eyes. And I'll keep meeting with Liam to see if he has any information that can help us. We have to be careful, I warned her. Someone knows I've been snooping. There's no telling what Donovan might do or have done. I know, Robin said, her jaw tight.

DL White [00:24:16]:

I can't go one more day not knowing the truth. I need to know and I need justice for Damon, for my kids. I cannot let his tillers go free. I nodded feeling a surge of admiration for her strength and courage. We'll get them, Robin. We need to make sure they pay for what they did to Damon. We just have to get enough information that the case looks good to the police. We left the part separately going in opposite directions, couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched, Every car that passed me on the street, every set of headlights in my rearview mirror seemed to hold some hidden threat.

DL White [00:24:52]:

I pushed down that fear and focused on the task at hand. I had inserted myself into something way bigger than I thought it would be, and I had now tethered myself to Robin, to her kids. I was in just as much a danger as she was, and the only way out was to find the truth about what happened to Damon. I wouldn't rest until we found a way to bring his killers to justice no matter the cost. That'll do it. Thank you for joining me for part 3 of the photograph. I think it's getting interesting, and we will see how I managed to wrap this up in one episode. I don't know how I'm going to do that, but I'm committed to this only being 4 chapters before I start the next one.

DL White [00:25:41]:

So that also brings us to a close for today's chat. I truly enjoy having you here. I welcome any comments or feedback at books by dlwhite.com/bookcast/eighty 8. You'll find full show notes with all the books I talked about today, the links to all the writing, I'm sorry, the links to all the things I talked about today, and a transcript for today's show including the serial if you would rather read it instead of listen to it. Please share the podcast if you enjoyed today's episode and if you listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, give a girl a rating. I'd really appreciate it. Do not forget that you can support this podcast with your book purchases by spreading the good word or throwing some coins in the hat at bookcast.busprout dotcom. Every little bit helps.

DL White [00:26:28]:

I will be back next Saturday, June 15th. Is next Saturday 15th? Let's check the calendar super quick because I was not prepared. Yes. Next Saturday, June 15th, also payday. So, I will be back post my trip to a bustling Midwest city. So enjoy your week as always. Have a superlative one, and we'll chat again soon. Bye bye.

#BOOKCAST #podcast #the photograph #serial fiction #goodreads

0 notes

neitherlandslibrary · 6 years

Photo

Happy International Women’s Day

to all the female-identifying people!

As we could not put everyone on the gifset, we also want to shout out to all the woman inside and outside the show

Character in the show: Callie, Camille, Carol, Cindy Gaines, Copy Girl, Crying Woman, Dr. Jennifer London, Dragon, Emily Greenstreet, Etta, Eve, Female Professor, Fray, Genji, Gretchen, Harriet, Healer Faye, Hedge #1, Homicide Detective #1, Irene McAllistair, Iris, Kimber D'Antoni, Kira, Lia, Librarian Rona, Mackenzie, Old Woman, Orgy Girl #1, Orgy Girl #2, Phyllis, Prof. Pearl Sunderland, Poppy, Professor Bigby, Psychic Girl #2, Rainbow Girl, Receptionist, Sam Cunningham, Shelia, Stone Queen, Sylvia, The Prophet, The White Lady, Whitley, Young Hedge, AD, Arielle, Arleen, Ashley the Bookie, Baba Yaga (and the girl she posess), Beatrice McAllister,Beatrix, Becky, Dana, Doctor Meers, Dr. Higgins, Evelyn,Fairy Queen, Fillorian Mother, Goldie, Hanna, Harriet, Healer Tara, Heloise,Homeless Lady, Jane Chatwin,Marina Andrieski,Mellony, Napster, Natural Student #1,Nurse#1, Nurse#2, Persephone, Physical Kid #1, Poppy, Professor Lipson, Prudence Plover, Quentin's Mother, Rhona, Scared Woman 36,Shara,Shoshana, Silver, Skye, Sonia 36, Spectre, Stephanie Quinn, Stephanie's Friend, Suzie, TV Crew, Victoria, Water Dragon,Zal, Zelda and all uncredited characters!

off cameras woman : Adela Baborova, Aeryn Gray, Alexandra Rojek, Allison Gordin, Alma Kuttruff, Alyssa Jacobson, Amber Crombach, Amber Waters, Ana Lossada, Ana Lossada, Angie Kennedy, Anna Register, Annalese Tilling, Anne Grennan, Ashley Biggs, Ashley Mason, Athena Wong,Audrey Himmer-Jude, Aylwin Fernando, Barbara Jansen, Beth Williams, Blair Richmond, Blythe Bickham, Breanna Watkins, Bree Brincat, Briana Skye, Brittney Diez, Caitlin Groves, Candice Harvey, Cara Doell, Carmen Lavender, Carole Appleby, Caroline Milliard, Carolyn McCauley, Carolyn Williams,Carrie Audino ,Cassandra Parigian, Cathy Darby, Chere Theriot, Cherie Bessette, Cherie Smid, Cheryl Callihoo, Christina Nakhvat, Clara George, Clarinda Wong, Coreen Mayrs, Crystal Mudry, Danielle White, Debbie Douglas, Deborah Burns, Deborah Burns, Deneen McArthur, Denya McLean-Adhya, Desiree J. Cadena, Donna Stocker, Elie Smolkin, Elizabeth Rainey, Elle Lipson, Emily Nomland, Emily Upham, Emily Weston, Emmanuelle Charlier, Errin Clutton, Eunice Yeung, Eva Abramycheva, Gilda Longoria, Ginge Cox, Grace Delahanty, Heike Brandstatter, Helen Geier, Irina Berdyanskaya, Irwin Figuera, Janene Carleton, Janet D. Munro, Janice MacIsaac,Janice Williams, Jayne Dancose, Jenni Macdonald, Jennifer Gilevich, Jennifer Kaminski, Jennifer Machnee, Jennifer Nelson, Jesse Toves, Jessica Goodwin, Jessica Williams, Juli Van Brown, Julia Holt, June E. Watson, Justin Coulter, Kai Lesack, Kara Bowman, Karen Lorena Parker, Karina Partington, Karley Stroscher, Karly Paranich, Kate Marshall, katerina Motylova, Kathie Singh, Katie Letien, Katrissa 'Kat' Peterson, Kelli Dunsmore, Kendelle Elliott, Kristy Jelinek, Kyla Rose Tremblay, Kyle Landry, Laura Dickinson, Laura Schiff, Lauren Aspden, Lauren Beason, Laurie Lieser, Leslie Cairns, Lisa Blaxley, Lisa Chandler, Lisa Godwin, Lisa Pouliot, Lisa Pouliot, Lisle Fehlauer, Liz Goldwyn, Lucie Elwes, Luisa Abuchaibe, Lyne Talbot, Lynn Werner, Madeline Jensen, Madison Mah, Madison Penland, Magali Guidasci, Maisie Lucas, Margot Ready, Maria Gleeson, Marie Marolle, Marijke Richman, Martha Dietsche, Mary Hubert, Meghan Kelly, Michelle Kabatoff, Michelle Kee, Michelle Yu, Miluette Nalin, Mimi Dejene, Nadia Alaskari, Natasha Wehn, Nicole Bivens, Nina Göldner, Patricia Jagger, Patti Henderson, Paula Antil, Polina Nikolai, Pricilla Rodgers,Priya Ayengar, Rachel O'Toole,Rita K. Sanders, Rudy Jones, Sam Ochotta, Sarah McLauchlan, Sera Gamble, Shae Salmon, Shae Salmon, Shailey Horton, Shannon Courte, Shannon Kohli, Shannon McArthur, Sharon Dever, Shelly Goldsack, Shelly Shaw, Sina Nazarian, Sondra Durkse, Sonia V. Torres, Sophia Delgiglio, Stephane Bourgeault, Stephanie Plett, Sue Blainey, Sumner Boissiere III, Sunil Pant, Taja Perkins, Tamara Daroshin, Teresa Brauer, Tracey McLean,Tracie Hansen, Tracie Leaphart, Tracy Craigen, Vanja Cernjul, Wendy Foster, Wendy Snowdon, Wendy Talley

(Source IMDB)

#the magicians #themagiciansedit #margo hanson #alice quinn #julia wicker #kady orloff-diaz #fen #season 4

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stormcrawler75 · 5 years

Note

For the Hero/villain ideas: Patton as a villain who is always willing to watch out for young heroes (capture instead of kill, give them snacks, etc.)

This is part 1! Here’s Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Virgil groaned as he woke up. His head was pounding and it felt like he had been run over by a truck. Several times. Virgil tried to move his hands up from his sides to cup his head but his hands only twitched in response. He forced his eyes open and looked down at himself. He was covered head to toe in bandages and was lying down on a large bed. He raised to his head.

His stomach dropped. This wasn’t his room.

That was when the memory from the night before hit him. He had been called by one of the older heroes, The Prince, to help out with a group of thugs that The Prince thought had been hired by one of the city’s villains. He had asked Virgil to take care of them while he went after the villain himself.

Virgil had agreed. Even though he never handled the big name villains like the Prince, usually going after things that the big heroes didn’t have time for, but he wasn’t about to let these thugs walk around his neighbourhood and do whatever they wanted.

He had thought that everything was going fine. It was a small group of people unloading boxes from vans. Virgil had recognized the logos on the boxes as Dr. Logic’s. A man that had a history of selling to villains. He hadn’t hesitated to attack. It had been an easy fight, Virgil disarming the grunts easily and knocking them out. But it had been a setup. The first box he had opened up had released a violent electric shock up his body that had sent Virgil to the ground. He didn’t remember anything else after that.

Whoever had been brought those boxes had known that a hero would be coming to stop them. And had decided to keep Virgil as a little prize.

Panic started to set in. What were they going to do to him? His mask was gone so they probably knew who he was and his powers weren’t responding. This was a nightmare.

Virgil had heard stories about villains did to heroes, had seen some of the Prince’s scars. He hadn’t thought he’d ever had to deal with that sort of thing. Virgil didn’t deal with villains, he dealt with street crimes. He never thought that a villain would be coming after him. He never should’ve taken this job, he was going to be killed, tortured, picked apart piece by piece.

A whimper escaped Virgil when he heard a door creak open. He tried to steel himself for what he knew was coming next. He had to be strong, he had to be strong. Prince would come for him, he would. He just needed to hold out until then.

He looked around the room desperately for something that he could use to fight back but there was nothing. It was an empty room with only the bed Virgil was on, another door that had to hold something terrible in it, and a chair beside it to fill it. He tried to sit up but his muscles barely twitched. Had he been drugged?

The door swung open and Virgil shrunk back into his bed. Be brave, be brave, be brave.

A man, short built with blond curly hair walked in with a covered tray in his hands. He was wearing khakis pants and a blue polo shirt with a grey sweater tied around his shoulders. He looked over at Virgil and smiled happily when he saw Virgil looking back at him. “You’re awake! Good morning, Shadow!”

Virgil clenched his jaw and stared defiantly back at him. He went through the list of villains in his head and tried to match this man to one of them but no one stood out in his mind as this man. Maybe another member of the villain’s crew?

“I’m glad you’re awake,” the man sighed. “I’m so sorry that this happened. I thought that it was going to be The Prince who would be going after my crew, not you. I should’ve known better than to think that, especially since you tend to look out for that side of the city.” He kicked the door closed behind him and set the tray down on the tray.

“What’d you do to me?” Virgil asked. He cursed himself when he heard the waver in his voice, something that the man had picked up on, no doubt.

The man smiled at him reassuringly. “Just a shot that’ll keep you from moving for a while. I couldn’t have you running around my home, now could I, kiddo?”

Virgil tensed up when the man walked over to the closet and start rummaging inside. He glanced over to the tray on the chair and tried to imagine what could be under it. What was this man going to do to him?”

The man turned around with a pile of blankets, something that made Virgil blink in confusion. He watched as the man laid blanket after blanket over him, tucking him in as he went.

“My name’s Patton, by the way,” the man, Patton, chirped. “You’re gonna be here for a few days so I thought that I should tell you. It was going to get really awkward really quickly if I hadn’t. I wouldn’t want you to not know what to call me. So you can call me Patton, or whatever makes you comfortable.”

Virgil asked hesitantly, “And what does your boss call you?”

Patton paused in his task and stared at Virgil. Slowly, a smile grew on his lips and a bubbly laugh came out of him. “Oh, oh kiddo!” He shook his head in amusement. “I think you got me mistaken for someone else. I know that I don’t get out much and there aren’t many pictures taken of me so maybe I shouldn’t be surprised that you don’t know you I am.”

He leaned over and brushed Virgil’s bangs out of his eyes. “I think you’ll know the name ‘Heart’ better than Patton.”

Virgil’s breath hitched. Oh fuck. Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck.

It wasn’t his luck that he had been caught by a bad guy. He had to be caught by the bad guy. The big one.

Heart was known by everyone. He was an Empath and one of the villains that every Hero knew to be on the lookout for. He was the villain that seemed to have a hand in everything that happened in the city. The real-life boogieman parents warned their kids about.

And now Virgil was his prisoner.

“No need to be scared, kiddo,” Patton cooed. “I know I have a bit of a reputation among Heroes but I’d never hurt a young one. You’re only fourteen, aren’t you?”

“How do you know that?” Virgil asked, fear rising. He was trembling, shaking now. Any chance of staying strong was slipping through his fingers and he wasn’t sure that he’d be able to handle it if Patton started anything.

“I did some digging when my crew brought you in!” Patton sat on the edge of his bed and patted his limp hand. “Virgil Shae, fourteen years old, lives at the city’s Orphanage and is a freshman in High School. You got some cool powers there, kiddo, they’re really something else. You do great work with them!” He leaned over to the tray and uncovered it, placing the dome on the floor. On the tray, was a plate of orange slices and a cup of apple juice with a bendy straw bobbing inside.

Confusion replaced his fear and Virgil could only stare at the plate in bemusement. Was the juice laced with something? Was Patton just playing with him? “What are you playing at?” He asked with an edge in his voice. “When are you going to drop this act and start it?”

“It?” Patton cocked his head. “Kiddo, I think you’re confused. I’m not going to hurt you. You’re just gonna stay here for a few days while I wait for Prince to show his head.” He picked up an orange slice and popped it in his mouth. “I took another young Hero a few months ago. He was poking around one of my operations. I think his name’s Sleep. Did I hurt him?”

Virgil thought back to the story that Sleep had told him about his brief time as a prisoner of Heart. He hadn’t been hurt at all. Kept in a room with plenty of books and a Gameboy to keep him entertained. A minion would give him a plate of food every few hours and he was released after a few days. Sleep didn’t say much about it but was insistent on the fact that Heart had never touched him. Not once. He shook his head.

“See! I promise you’re safe.” Patton grinned and held an orange slice to Virgil’s lips. “Now, you haven’t eaten for a whole day now and you need to get something in your stomach. Eat.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’m telling you, Prince,” Virgil said in a bored voice. “No matter how many times you ask, the answer won’t change. He didn’t hurt me. I was drugged up for a few hours and I wasn’t able to move much or use my powers. The muscle thing wore off though and I was fine. I was given food and wasn’t touched.” He shrugged. “Heart gave me a DS to play around with.”

“What?!” Sleep crossed his arms petulantly. He was sitting on the edge of roof him, Virgil, and The Prince was standing on. Virgil was sitting a few meters away from him and Prince was pacing between them anxiously. “That just ain’t fair, gurl. He only gave me a Gameboy.”

“Sucks to be you,” Virgil drawled. Remy flipped him the bird in reply.

Prince stepped between them. “That’s enough. Now, are you sure he didn’t hurt you, Vee? You said he knew your name?”

Virgil nodded. “Yeah, knew a lot about me. Knew where I live too.”

Prince sighed and shook his head. “That’s not good. He has both of your names now. Okay, I’m not taking any risks. I let you go back home, Rem, but now? You’re both relocating to my HQ. We need to keep you both safe. We might have to get you guys new IDs. This is such a mess.”

“He’s not that bad,” Virgil shrugged. “He seemed to like us, at least.”

Remy nodded. “Maybe he just doesn’t like you, Princey.”

Prince gasped dramatically and clasped his hands to his chest. “Everyone likes me! Heart just doesn’t appreciate my witty banter, that’s all!”

Virgil rolled his eyes and stood up. “Whatever, Princey. Now, are you gonna show us our new digs or not? I’m hungry. Patton might be nice but he didn’t give me many snacks except for orange slices.”

Remy grinned at him. “Sucks to be you. He gave me some pineapple.”

“What?! Lucky jerk!”

Taglist undercut

General Taglist

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@ambersky0319

#tw swearing #torture mention

707 notes · View notes

shae-and-sides · 6 years

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Some handwriting headcannons for the sides! ((All found on PicsArt)) •Okay so Logan’s is cursive because it’s easier to take lots of fast notes if the letters are all together and since he is super specific about that he writes in cursive because it’s meant to be connected and it’s easier and it makes him look more serious and sophisticated. He also writes in blue because blue helps him remember stuff easier and get the information in his head. •Patton writes in all caps because a majority of grown men I know who are also fathers write in all caps and it’s just one of those dad things to do. Black pen because it’s a classic (and they are easier to buy in bulk because he always loses them). •Roman has bigger handwriting because it needs to stand out (Also See the choice of red pen color). It’s also connected (like a modified cursive) so when he had a burst of ideas he can write fast and it will still be nice. •And finally Virgil has a purple pen because purple calms him and writing notes is calmer and better for him than talking because you can rewrite notes until they are perfect but talking you say it and then it’s out there. His writing is small, but it’s neat because he doesn’t want to run the risk of a misunderstanding because he wrote too fast and now his handwriting is messy and someone misreads something and hates him and stuff. This will come into play when I launch something in a little while! Hope you guys like this!

#logan sanders #patton sanders #virgil sanders #roman sanders #thomas sanders #shae headcannons

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findmethesun · 6 years

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The Story: Who’s Who Pt 1

Here’s a quick summary of the major players in this story, and their relationships to one another!

The Main 4

Patton Sanders: 36 yo, single. Patton is the author of a series of very successful children’s books. He always wanted to be a dad, and, as a trust fund baby AND a successful author, is financially secure enough he decided to foster. He becomes Virgil’s foster father.

Logan Sanders: 36 yo. Married to Roman. Patton’s twin. Science teacher in the local high school.

Roman Sanders (formerly Callahan): 34 yo. Married to Logan. Patton’s former college roommate and current best friend. Private voice teacher and musical director for the local community theater.

Virgil: 17 yo. Has been in the foster system since he was 4. He’s been in and out of various foster homes, some better than others, but he’s resigned himself to aging out of the system and being abandoned when he turns 18.

Secondaries

Charles Sanders: 62 yo. Patton’s father. Quiet but super kind. Crinkly eyes. Like. Hallmark grampa. Retired to his ranch after a patent got him set for life when he was a young man. He loves baking and puttering around his farm.

Donna Sanders: 64 yo. Patton’s mother. She’s where Patton gets his sense of humor. She’s all about dad jokes. She loves everyone and is the sweetest person ever. She loathes cooking with a passion and is incredibly smart. She retired early and now breeds and shows horses.

Diana Sanders: 65 yo. Charles’ sister. A physician. Also retired at this point. Has money on her own but her brother also created a trust for her. Has one daughter, Dot, though she herself never married. She has with her brother and his wife all of Patton’s life so Dot is basically a big sister to Logan and Patton.

Dorothy “Dot” Sanders: 40 yo. Patton’s first cousin, but basically raised as a sister to him. Diana’s daughter. Bossy but fun. Stay-at-home-mom of 4. Kept her name when she married.

Larry McNaughton: 43 yo. Dot’s husband. Works at a local dentist’s office as a receptionist/office manager.

Emile Picani: 45 yo. The therapist assigned to Virgil by his case worker after he moves to Colorado.

Rachel Sanders-Shae: 30 yo. Patton and Logan’s younger sister. Owns and runs a local bookstore with her wife, Dana. Has 2 sons, twins Ethan and Kyle, 5 years old. Twins run in the family.

Dana Sanders-Shae: 27 yo. Wheelchair user due to a back injury. Works with her wife Rachel at the bookstore. Accountant by education. Manages their finances and budget.

Elliot Callahan-Sanders: 15 yo. Roman’s child. Non-binary. Super shy and very anxious. Also sees Dr Picani.

Thomas Sanders: 16 yo. Junior in hs. Son of Dot and Larry.

Gabi: 14 yo. Born Gabriel, transgirl. Daughter of Dot and Larry.

Levi: 12 yo. Son of Dot and Larry

Stephen: 9 yo. Unexpected youngest son of Dot and Larry.

Ethan and Kyle : 5 yo. Twins. Sons of Rachel and Dana.

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clinchcoverenthusiast · 3 years

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I read everything I was trying to get read in October except Mexican Gothic and Witch Please, which I bailed on for now. Yes, I’m back on my KU bullshit.

Heir (Bloodline Vampires #2) - Katee Robert

Girls Weekend: a Monster Bait Romance - C.M. Nascosta

The Dare - Harley Laroux

Her Soul to Take (Souls Trilogy #1) - Harley Laroux

Devil in Winter (Wallflowers #3) - Lisa Kleypas

His Leading Lady (Key Club #1) - Jenny Nordbak

Bitterburn (Gothic Fairytales) - Ann Aguirre

Knot My Type (All Access #1) - Evie Mitchell

Trick and Treat (Halloween Stories Book 1 and 2) - Shae Sanders* **

Harbor (Beards & Bondage #3) - Rebekah Weatherspoon* **

The Jasmine Throne (The Burning Kingdom #1) - Tasha Suri* **

Bound in Stone - Stefanie Simpson

The Devil You Know (Mercenary Librarians #2) - Kit Rocha**

His Beauty - Jack Harbon*

Night of the Mannequins - Stephen Graham Jones* **

Ensnared: an Alien Romance (The Spider’s Mate #1) - Tiffany Roberts

Nothing but Blackened Teeth - Cassandra Khaw* **

Enthralled: an Alien Romance (The Spider’s Mate #2) - Tiffany Roberts

The Mabon Feast (Wheel of the Year: a Cambric Creek Romance #1) - C.M. Nascosta

* = author(s) of color

** = main character(s) of color

#october reads #reading #books #bookblr

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seandarling · 2 years

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An Unfinished Sanders Sides Prequel (Part 1) [because it only allows 1000 blocks of text on Tumblr for some reason]

14k of unfinished, uncomfortably-written, 2020 fanfic with an nearly-unsympathetic Patton. Note that this was written after POF but before DWIT and FWA. The 'rewrite' I'm planning is less... uh, this? It'll have more stuff related to more recent videos causing my brain to think thoughts and modifying their backstories. But here's this thing that'll never be finished. Good luck.

Warning for: Remus's uncomfortable speech, homophobia, some dark themes I can barely remember right now, basically imprisonment of what's technically children but also are just figments of a child's imagination by another figment of that child's imagination, arguing, plans for discomforting revenge, the effects of that imaginary-imprisonment... not sure if that's all, it probably isn't. Religious/Catholic trauma, repression.

In the beginning, there were three; Heart, Learning, and Fun. They worked together to protect Thomas, the boy they all resided in.

In the beginning, they had no form. They were white - blobs with mouths and eyes. But soon, they solidified; gained color, and while they all wore white, they each could tell them apart with as little as a glance.

Thomas was four, and Heart loved all of his head mates.

Thomas was four when he started going to church, and that pastor said “Lying is bad. Sins send you to Hell. Hell is terrifying. Horrible. Painful. Never ending suffering." And Heart realizes; he has thoughts that are bad. He struggles, fights the thoughts, until Learning suggests Splitting to help deal with the problem, and Heart agrees.

Fun is the one who pulls the mass from Heart’s body.

The Mind is White. Pure White. And those in the Mind all began as White.

This mass is Grey. Solid, cold, Grey.

Heart steadies him. Holds him. Helps him form

He remembers Before the split, when he was Heart, but Heart is no longer Him.

He learns, and he works with them to help Thomas, as they all do.

But Heart thinks that lying is bad.

He knows better.

His Purpose is Denial.

But he is also Self Preservation.

When Fun and Heart excitedly get Thomas to steal a cookie, they don’t think about what would happen. Mom asks him, “Tommy, do you know what happened to the cookies? I think one is missing.” Heart clams up.

Lying is bad

Denial knows better

What happens if Thomas told the truth? Mom would smack his hands. Hurt him. Or maybe put him in time out. Make him sit there for an hour, not move, not read, nothing. He steps up while Learning and Heart are arguing

“"It was Shae! I saw him steal one!”"

Heart freezes.

Thomas watches as mom purses her lips. “Alright, then I guess Shae is in trouble.”

“No! No no no, Denial, you can’t do that! Now Shae is in trouble!”

He makes a face.

“Better the baby than Thomas.”

Heart gasps.

“Take that back!”

What.

Wait.

No.

“No, it’s the truth! Thomas is more important! He can’t get in trouble because getting in trouble hurts!”

“Well, lying is bad! Worse than stealing! You’re gonna make Thomas go to Hell!.”

He flinches back. He remembers Before, when Hell was the only thing he was afraid of.

“Fuck you.”

Heart gasps.

“You can’t say that! That’s a bad word!”

Learning sighs.

“Denial, you go to time-out, right now! You can’t talk to Thomas for an hour!”

He pulls back.

Mean.

Heart is mean.

“No.”

“What?”

“I said no.”

“But… but you can’t do that!”

“I did. Deal with it.”

Heart stares at him until Fun bounds up, chattering about a book he had seen, wanted to read, and Heart’s thoughts shift.

Thomas is eight, and Denial and Heart always fight.

“We can’t do that! That’s bad!”

“Oh and being bad is just so horrible.”

“Yes! If we want Thomas to go to Heaven when he dies, he has to be good!”

“Heaven is stupid.”

“What! You can’t say that! That’s a lie and you know it!”

Thomas is nine and a boy on the playground makes fun of two men kissing.

Thomas is ten and he has been in school for a while and a girl tells him, “You’re cute, you’re my boyfriend now.” He doesn’t feel anything.

Denial hums.

“I’m probably too young. That’s what Pat always says. I’ll understand when I’m older.”

Thomas doesn’t understand.

Thomas is twelve, and Heart screams because Denial knows Thomas likes boys and so does Heart, but Denial knows it is Bad. Not the way Heart thinks he thinks it is bad, but bad because everyone else hates it, mocks it. If Thomas ever said he likes a boy, they would hate him, mock him. Hurt him

Denial refuses to let him think about it.

Heart screams and cries and fights, until Learning sides with Denial and Heart gasps in horro.

Fun takes Heart to the further side of the Mind. To cool down.

The Pure White leaves nowhere else to go.

Thomas is thirteen and Denial learns he can quiet everyone else with a single hand. A fist, raised, closed, and all of their mouths snap shut. He only does it once, on accident.

Heart wouldn’t stop staring at him.

Thomas is fourteen and he stares at a boy too long.

“What are you, gay? Fucking faggot.”

Denial snarls.

“What? No, I just—“

“Fuck off before I kick your ass, fairy.”

Denial shuts it down.

Thomas walks away.

Heart is nowhere to be seen.

Thomas is fifteen and Heart smiles.

“Hey Denial?”

“What,” he snaps.

Heart doesn’t stop smiling.

“Fun made something really cool! I want to show you!”

Wrong.

He stares at Heart until the smile wavers.

Gives.

“Sure.”

Heart grins. Grabs him by the wrist. Pulls him away from the front of the Mind.

And strangely, the Pure White seems to … darken.

“Where are we going?”

“Don’t worry, I know where we are.”

“That wasn’t an answer.”

“It’s for the best.”

His chest goes cold.

He tries to stop.

“Heart, what are you—“

Heart turns to him.

His smile is fixed.

Too wide.

“It’s for Thomas. You want what’s best for Thomas, don’t you?”

“Obviously, but Heart—“

“Then keep walking.”

He can’t breathe.

Heart turns back around.

Pulls him, almost dragging.

He sees it, in the floor of the Pure White.

A hole

A black empty Void.

A Pit.

“Heart, I’m sorry, whatever I did, please, just let me go.”

“It’ll be okay, Denial. I’ll be right here, okay? Just do as your told, and Thomas won’t go to Hell.”

“Heart, please, please, I’m sorry, I’ll stop, please!”

Heart’s grip tightens - hurts.

Pain.

“It’ll be okay. I promise. I’ll be right here. This will make Thomas a better person.”

Heart shoves him.

He stumbles

And

Doesn’t

Feel

Ground.

His body hurts.

Aches burns.

It’s cold.

So cold

Freezing icy too much too much too much.

He groans.

Hands cold cold cold.

Pushes himself from the floor.

Cold cold cold freezing.

Hisses.

It burns, hurts, aches.

“Heart?” he calls out.

His voice - muffled. Quiet. Almost not there.

Dark dark dark dark dark.

“Heart?!”

Frantic, scared.

He never liked the dark.

“Heart, please! I’m sorry, just get me out!”

He can barely hear himself over the silence ringing in his ears.

“Heart, please! Let me out!”

He stands, shaky.

Hurts pain burns cold cold cold.

Stumbles. Tries to find a wall.

“Heart, please! I don’t like the dark, you know that! I won’t do it again, I promise! Please, just let me out!”

No wall no wall no wall.

He stumbles, falls. His hands hit the floor—

Cold cold cold cold burns.

He whimpers.

Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry.

He feels hot tears—

Cold cold cold freezing water.

—roll down his cheeks.

He—he can’t feel it on one cheek.

He reaches up.

Hand face touch cold cold cold hard smooth cold not skin not skin not skin.

He screams.

“HEART! HEART, PLEASE! LET ME OUT, LET ME OUT, LET ME OUT!”

He sobs, cries, shouts.

Nothing.

He bites his tongue.

Blood blood blood pain.

He gasps—touches his lip.

Teeth.

Cold hard dull dull dull dull sharp fang skin skin scales scales scales scar tongue split.

“Heart?”

His voice cracks.

No answer.

He’s quiet. Unsure. Scared.

The silence grows.

Heavy.

Pressure.

“It’ll be okay.”

He jumps.

“Heart? Is that you?”

“I’ll be right here.”

He stands.

“Heart, please, I’m sorry, just let me out!”

“I care about you.”

But—

But but but.

It all—

Hurts wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong.

He stares up.

Dark dark dark.

It isn’t Heart.

“This is for the best. It’ll help Thomas. I care about you.”

“It was Shae! I saw him steal a cookie!”

“What? No, I’m not gay, why would I be gay? That’s gross.”

“This is for the best.”

“I love you.”

“Everything is going to be okay.”

It’s the dark.

The dark—

Dark dark dark dark.

—it’s whispering to him lies—

Lies

—that he had heard.

Told.

“I won’t do it again.”

“I’m sorry.”

He breaks.

“HEART!”

He can’t tell time in the Dark. It’s always pitch black. Void. No walls, no end. He had wandered once, until he hadn’t been able to move anymore. It was cold.

Cold cold cold cold.

He could never feel his fingers.

He had screamed, plead, begged to nothing until he could no longer speak but for hisses. Whispered words that hurt.

Hurt hurt hurt hurt

He knows that the Dark does not Like him. It pushes in, revolves—

Pressure hatred anger grief lies lies lies lies lies.

He sits, cold, hurt, aching. No tears.

He hisses his cries to the Dark.

A hiss comes back, but—

Nononononononono.

—a hiss is not a lie.

He stops. Pauses. Waits.

“Hsssss.”

He reaches out, hesitant.

The Darkness gives under his fingers. Doesn’t lighten, but—

Scales.

Not cold. Not warm, but not cold.

“Hsssss.”

He breathes

Out.

In.

Out.

In.

Hisses back.

The snake—Shadow-snake—moves, slithers between his fingers, up his arm, his neck. Touches his face, curls there. Not cold, but not warm.

He hisses.

It hisses back.

He hisses back.

It hisses back.

He cracks. Cries, no tears left, and imagines that when he is hissing, he is telling the shadow-snake everything he is thinking. Wishes the snake could comfort him. Imagines the shadow-snake's hisses in return are a response, speaking to him, reassuring him.

Heart will be back.

It’s going to be okay.

Just wait.

A little bit longer.

He regrets it.

He’ll be back soon.

He shouldn’t have done it.

Shouldn’t have hurt you.

It was a bad thing.

The worst thing.

Who else would have put you in the Dark?.

Thrown you down a hole.

Nobody.

And he agrees.

Nobody but Heart.

But he remembers. Fun had been the one to split them. He had been Heart, Before, and Fun was the only one who could change, who could Create.

His chest goes cold.

Colder than the Dark

Fun wouldn’t have created the Dark. No. He wouldn’t have… would he?

But who else?

Heart can’t Create. He’s Heart, not Fun. But Fun… I thought… he was good. If Fun made the Dark, then how is he Good?

He cries because he doesn’t know.

Once upon a time, Heart, Learning, and Fun all worked well together. And then, Thomas went to church. Heart had a dilemma. Couldn’t deal with the problems Thomas was having. So Learning suggested splitting, and Fun took Denial from Heart. They all knew that Denial had come out Grey instead of White like they all had started off as, but they ignored it. Didn’t think about it. Then Heart started noticing. Denial lied. Denial did things that Heart knew would send Thomas to Hell when he died. So Heart did what he neeeded to do to protect Thomas’s soul, and locked Denial away in a Cage made by Fun to house the Villain. A Hole In The Ground that couldn’t be climbed.

And life went on.

But Thomas wasn’t careful. He spouted what he wanted, fought with kids, argued, told the truth—only the truth.

Learning tried to stop him, curb his tendencies, leave him with some self preservation, but Denial had been the one to take care of that. Denial had been the one who had protected Thomas from himself. Denial had been the one to deal with any thoughts Heart didn’t want.

Learning couldn’t make Thomas lock the door behind him. Learning couldn’t make Thomas look both ways before crossing the street. Learning couldn’t help.

Fun tried to help too, but—

But but but.

Fun was a problem. Fun wasn’t good anymore. Fun had Bad Fun. Dirty thoughts that Heart knew could not stay.

He knew what he had to do

“So I have a villain inside me too?”

“Mhm. And, you remember when you helped me lock my villain away? We can do that to fix you too!”

Fun is hesitant.

“But what if I’m… not me anymore?”

Heart shakes his head.

“You remember when I did it, right? I was fine! See, and you know me, I’m Heart! I’m good!”

Fun gives.

“Alright. I suppose this is the best option.”

Learning adjusts his glasses.

“I do not believe, actually—“

“Of course it is! All the bad parts need to go away so Thomas can be a good person.”

Learning sighs.

Fun nods, determined.

“Okay then, let’s do it!”

It takes a moment.

Heart pulls—

Tugs rips.

But—

But but but

Instead of White.

Instead of Grey.

The thing that melts, shifts, tears from Fun’s back is Black.

The second it’s mouth is free—

Screaming.

Horrible, terrible, screaming.

A screech so loud, Heart can’t hear himself think.

He cries out

Grabs a hold of the Black mass

Tugs

Pulls

Tight

And throws it

Into

The Cage

Silence

Oh my God, Heart, that was horrible! Good thing we got it out of me!

Heart smiles, exhausted and rumpled

Learning doesn’t look happy

Denial can hear something

Something

Different

Not a whispered lie

Or the hiss of a shadow-snake

Or the scrape of his fingernails against his scales

But

Shuffling

Mumbling

And then

Then

Screaming

He jumps up

Calls out

Heart? Is that you?

He finally came for Denial

Just like he thought

He knew it

It would be okay after all

Heart hadn’t lied

The only thing that comes from his mouth is a hiss

Painful

He coughs

It hurts

He tries again

Heart!

It cracks against his throat

More of a groan than a word

Silence

It’ll be okay

The screaming

Louder

Thunk

He twitches

There

To the side

The screaming keeps going

But

He steps closer

To where the screaming is coming from

Closer

Stops

Leans down

Sits

Cold

Reaches out

Skin

Sticky, gross skin that comes off and drips from his fingers

But skin

The screaming stops

Harsh breathing

He-llo?

It’s crackly

New

Unused

He tilts his head

As a hand reaches up

And touches his face

His scales

He flinches away

Co-ol

He breathes

Cool?

He thinks the scales are cool?

He leans back

Into the hand

Shakes his head

Co-ol!

He can’t

Breathe

D-

The sound barely makes it past his lips

De- De- De—

He hisses

Angry

Frustrated

Dee! Dee Dee!

He breathes

Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!

He laughs

A breathy

Puff of air

And the boy

Cackles

Fun!

He freezes

Fun

He knows

But

Heart

He chokes

His hands grip the mess of liquid skin

Tight

And his head drops

And

Cries

The boy holds him, saying hiss and Dee Dee over and over again

Until

Denial has no more tears

And the boy has grown used to his voice

Heart hadn’t returned

Not for him

He had

Again

Tossed

Someone

Away

Hatred

The boy can hear the whispers too

He learns to speak that way

It’ll be okay, Dee he says, smacking his palms on the floor

He hums in response

We can tear Heart’s skin off!

Of course, he had learned some things from his memory

Form before

He had been ripped

Violently

Painfully

Into the

Burning

Light

And then thrown

Painfully

Away

Into the peaceful

Dim

Dark

Fun doesn’t deserve me anyways. And Heart is a dick! You deserve better

He remembers what Fun had done

To Heart

To Denial

When we get out, I’m gonna take his sword and stab him sixty-seven times in the elbow and tear his face off and burn his remains. I’ll melt his bones down and turn them into something… hm… I’ll turn them into a dildo! And shove it down Heart’s throat so he can choke on it!

He cackles

Yeah, that’s what I’ll do. Dee?

He hums

Do you ever wonder why the world is so mean?

He glances up

Not that he could see anything

He hums

Yeah, I thought so too. I mean, if Thomas never went to church, then… neither of us would have been made. So, I guess you’re right. It’s a good thing everyone is such a dick

He smiles

A hand touches his scales

I wish I had scales, they’re so pretty

He laughs

Yeah, whatever, they’re pretty to feel anyways. Like eyeballs! On a string made from a spinal cord!

He laughs harder

And tries to hold back the cough

This boy

His Purpose

He likes to say

He’s

Bad Fun

Although

More often than not

He says he’s more like

Better Fun

He laughs

Oh! Can you make one of those shadow-snakes for me? I’m craving!

He laughs

And hisses into the Dark

A shadow-snake hisses back

But curls around his palm

He holds it out

Bad Fun snatches it away

Crunch

Mm! Shadow-snake heads are the best!

He laughs

Whatever, I can remember what other foods tasted like when I was part of Stupid Fun!

Bad Fun laughs

He laughs too

Heart is the one who found the new-form

In the part of the Mind

That had grown

In between the Cage

And the White

There was a Grey

Heart only went there when Fun wanted him to

Because Fun had the most fun creating things when they could go wrong

And the Grey was unpredictable

Once

Fun had tried to make a lake to try and surf in

Instead

The Grey had made an ocean

And a tsunami

A torrential downpour

Fun had laughed, soaked to the bone, and admitted that he hadn’t been focusing very much

But the Grey

Has a mind of its own

And so sometimes

Heart likes to explore what it creates

This time

He finds

Baby

He coos

Picks up the baby

Takes it to the White

And shows Fun and Learning

Learning stares at the baby

Fun cheers

And Creates

A cradle

The baby doesn’t have his own name yet

But

He grows fast

Within a month

The baby is half their size

And he’s started talking to the Front

What does Learning do when Thomas is sleeping?

I organize and postulate on the day’s events and memories. Most of what occurs during daylight hours is nonsense and drivel, so I archive those memories in the short term memory. However, information that might be useful, I create a new section for and set them up

What about you, Heart?

Huh? Oh! I sleep, kiddo!

So you’re like me?

Yeah-huh!

And what about Fun?

Fun mostly works in Dreams during the night, although I have heard tell of a half-form frequenting the Grey where he creates them

So what do I do?

Aw, Kiddo, right now you don’t have to do anything! Just do what comes naturally, and eventually you’ll figure out your Purpose, just like we did!

You used to not have a Purpose?

Aw, shucks, well, none of us did in the beginning. We were just a bunch of blobs of white that thought different things! But as Thomas got older, Learning took an interest in school and stuff, Fun loved story books and fantasy, and I like animals and helping people!

How did you know what your Purpose was? Did you just pick one?

Not quite. At approximately age two, Thomas unconsciously decided what each part of us was, and what we did. For example, he recognized me, subconsciously, as the smartest, the most willing to learn and take in new information, and as such, I was given the Purpose of Learning. I also control Thomas’s language center and much more

So it just happened?

Yes

Wow

Wow is right, kiddo! Now, who wants to ask mom for a cookie?

But

Two months

And the child

The boy

Has started to speak

To help out

And Learning recognizes something

As the boy speaks, Thomas listens

And Thomas stops

Slowly

Doing reckless things

Leaving doors unlocked

Not looking both ways before crossing the street

Things that Denial had once presided over

The boy speaks in what ifs

What if mom notices that the door is unlocked and gets upset?

What if Pat sees that you didn’t do your homework?

What it the teacher hears you talking to someone in class?

What if

And four months after appearing in the Mind

The boy gets a purpose

It’s in the middle of a conversation

I was planning on, perhaps, finishing today’s and tomorrow’s homework after school so we may ask mom to leave for Ryan’s house

I thought Ryan didn’t want Thomas at the party?

Well, from my, albeit limited, understanding of body language, Ryan appeared to be using ‘sarcasm’

What if you’re wrong, though? What if Ryan actually didn’t want Thomas over?

I highly doubt that—

Oh—

Yes? What happened?

I… I think… I think Thomas just figured out what I am

I see. And what might you be, then?

I… Caution. He called me Caution

Welcome, then, Caution, to what Fun calls the Thomasphere. As I was saying…

Fun and Heart celebrate Caution gaining his Purpose

But then

Then

Caution starts speaking in finites

You can’t go to class yet, Jeremy will see you and know you like him! He’ll hate you!

If you take that class, everyone will label you a fag

Remember when Reggi told everyone that his mom was gay? His locker got trashed. He came to school half dead. You’ll end up like that too

Mom can’t know! If she finds out, she’ll kick you out! You’ll be homeless! You’ll end up selling your body for a bed at night and addicted to heroin!

That guy that’s driving that car hasn’t stopped staring, if you don’t run now, he’s going to pick you up and kidnap you and use your body and then kill you and mom and Chris and Shae and Pat will never see you ever again except at your funeral

Heart

Does not like this

Says he’s overreacting

That

Caution should maybe

Sit out

For just a while

To calm down

To stop thinking so much

But

He fights

Thinks that what he’s saying

Is true

That Thomas will die if he goes to that party

That everyone will hate Thomas if he accepts himself as gay

That Thomas will end up a prostitute and addicted to drugs if he fails one test

And because of that

Heart

Stops

And brings up the thing that has always worked for them

We could always split you and throw away the bad parts

But Caution

Does not

That

What the hell, Heart? You think that if you just tear me in half, suddenly nothing bad will ever happen? If I’m not here, Thomas could die! Or worse! Whatever you think taking away from me will make this better, you’re wrong. It’ll just make Thomas more likely to make a mistake and ends up in a gutter somewhere

Heart

Does

Not

That

Well maybe you should just go away all by yourself!

Well maybe you should stop being an asshole and listen to me sometimes! Maybe then, Thomas might not have to be so scared of everything!

Guys? Fun asks, voice quiet, upset. Please stop fighting

Heart drops it

Because Fun is scared

Upset

With Heart

But

Heart is not done

Late in the night

When Learning is busy

And Fun is working

Heart creeps from his bed

Down the White

To where Caution sleeps

Leant against a wall

His bed untouched

Heart leans down and shakes Caution

Hm… uh? Heart? Wha’s up?

There’s something I need to show you

Can’t it wait ‘til morning? ‘M tired, Heart

Nuh-uh, you have to see it now

Caution groans, but pushes himself up

Fine, fine, whatever. What is it?

Come on, I’ll take you there

Caution sighs, but lets Heart drag him through the White

Where are we going?

Somewhere important

Important like Thomas important or important like Fun important?

Just important

Caution eyes Heart, who’s smiling, humming

You’re acting weird, Heart

No I’m not!

Caution hesitates

Maybe I should just go back to bed

No! It’s super important, I promise you won’t regret it

Heart sounds

Different

Heart, seriously, I’m tired. Can we just go back and look at it tomorrow? Thomas was super anxious today and—

Caution stops

Heart pulls his hand, but Caution doesn’t give

What do you mean, ‘no’?

Heart purses his lips

It’s only here tonight. Come on, or else we’ll miss it!

Heart, this isn’t cool. Normally you just… you’re being pushy

Am I being pushy though? Or are you just being stubborn? It’s not a big deal, you just have to see it!

Not a big deal? But you said it was important

Heart grits his teeth

It is! It’s just… he groans. I can’t explain it. Just… trust me? Please, Caution? It isn’t anything bad, I promise

Heart stares up at him

Sweet

Sweet Heart

Innocent Heart

He gives

Fine. But you owe me

Yes! Okay, I promise, it’ll be worth it!

Caution finds himself smiling

Heart always gets excited easily

Later,

He would hate that grin

But now,

He trusts

Caution almost doesn’t notice that they’ve wandered into the Grey

But he notices the sudden

Pressure

In his head

Heart, how much farther is it?

Not much, we’re almost there! Promise!

He glances around

The Grey changes frequently,

Always something new

That night

It was a forest

Grim

Trees bare

Scraggly

Haunting

Heart stops

His hand goes higher

Tight

Heart, that hurts—

Caution.

He stops

Caution, I’m really sorry about this. I am. But Thomas needs to be good. You understand that, right? That’s what we’re all here to do!

Caution stares into Heart’s eyes

They’re watering

He looks down

Beside him

Almost behind

A dark

Empty

Void

The ground

Heart, he starts, voice wobbly

Caution, you need to understand this. I’m doing this for a reason

Heart, this is ridiculous. You know I only ever help. I mean, Learning would agree!

Then Learning would be wrong

He can’t

Breathe

Heart, I’m serious, stop this right now and let go of me. We can forget this ever happened and just go back to sleep—

Sorry, kiddo, but that isn’t going to happen

Heart—

Heart shoves him

Screams

Do you hear that, Dee?

He hums, glancing up

Ye-esss

His voice crackles

The end isn’t much more than a hiss

But they had been working on it for a while now

What do you think is happening?

He narrows his eyes

The top of the Dark

Lighter?

He hums again

Listens

Ssso-ome-one is u-p the-re

Bad Fun smacks the floor

Stands up

Can you hear them?

M-ay-be

He breathes

Quiet

Screaming

He jumps up

His bones

Ache

Strain

Hurt

Burn

Cold

A light

Just for a second

High up

Far

And a body

The screaming

He jumps forward, arms stretched out, and grunts as the body lands on him

His arms close

The screaming cuts off

The light blips away

Heavy breathing

Terror

Panic

Fear

Heya! I’m Bad Fun and the guy holding you is Dee! Who’re you?

The boy’s breathing stutters

I… I’m Caution

He tilts his head

Caution slowly extracts himself

Where… am I?

Bad Fun snorts

Well, the Dark, obviously, but I call it the Cage. Much more appropriate

Why… why is that?

Well, this is where the assholes put those they think as bad. You know, so they don’t have to ever see them or listen to them ever again. And we can’t exactly get out, so, Cage

Caution is quiet for a moment

They think I’m bad?

He steps forward, settles a hand on Caution’s shoulder

They’re wrong, though. They’re just a bunch of idiots with assholes that think they’re better than us. And now we have more people to talk to than just the Dark and each other! Oh! Have you ever tasted a shadow-snake head before? They’re super crunchy!

Caution makes a sound far in the back of his throat

Disgust

But

Fear

It-t’s o-kay

Caution jumps

He tries not to cringe away from the movement

I-... uh…

Bad Thougths is rolling his eyes, he can tell

Dee is practicing, but talking sucks for him. But I’ve been here for ages, so I can help you if you don’t understand him!

O-oh…

Silence

The whispers of the Dark prevail in the dip of the conversation

It’ll be okay

I love you

It’s for the best

It’ll help Thomas be a better person

I care about you

He’ll come back for me

I promise!

It won’t be anything bad

No, I’m not!

I promise you won’t regret it

He hums quietly

Those are new

Why… why can I still hear him?

He hums, but doesn’t speak

Dee thinks the Dark represents everything they’re repressing. So, whenever they lie to someone in here, the Dark repeats it., because they don’t want to think that they’re lying

You… got all that from a hum?

Nah, we’ve talked about it for ages. That would be super cool, though!

Quiet

The whispers start up again

Usually, I just talk so we can’t hear any of them

Yeah… that… sounds better than...listening

And so Bad Fun happily jumps into his most recent, most gory plan for killing Heart and Fun

Caution gags at first

But when Bad Fun lags

Pauses

The whispers

So Caution tells him to keep talking

And it takes no time for Caution to stop feeling so strongly about words

But

Then

Starts

Crying

Denial steps closer

Wraps his arms around the boy

Sets his forehead on his shoulder from behind

And listens as Bad Fun scooches over and lays his head in Caution’s lap

And keeps babbling

They sit there

Listening to Bad Fun talking

And Denial knows

Heart

Will

Pay

Caution is a very sweet boy, Denial thinks

He is careful and hesitant

He hesitates to say anything bad about anyone

Mumbles when he’s nervous

Fiddles with his sleeves

Hunches in on himself

But

He knows how to curse out someone

Really

Well

Bad Fun had a hell of a time trading every other curse between them, getting more and more creative with every phrase

He had ended up cackling so hard he had fallen to the floor

And Caution had cracked up, laughing deep, straight from the bottom of his belly

And even though they couldn’t see it

Denial was smiling the whole time

He’s not the oldest

Not really

But he feels

They’re his

His

And only his

He loves them

He loves them so much

Once, he had summoned a shadow-snake

And when Bad Fun had lunged at it

Caution had screamed

But Bad Fun had just burst out laughing

And Caution hadn't been able to stop himself from laughing too

But then he had been

So curious

About the little snakes

That had form and sound

And reacted like he supposed a real snake would

Although

With a bit more easy to read emotions

And maybe a bit more relaxed around Denial than a typical human

But Caution

He had wondered

And held a snake

And murmured to it

And kept it

When he fell asleep

On the cold

Cold

Ground

The snake hadn’t dissipated

Like they usually did

It had curled into Caution’s clothes

And fallen asleep itself

Denial had to hold his mouth to stop himself from cooing

Caution was also very nice

You don’t have to apologize for not being able to speak. It’s not something you control, yeah?

He had hesitated, but hummed a no

If he had a choice

He would have his voice

Without the hiss

Without the crackle

Without the stammer

Without the stumbling

Then all I can say about it is that it’s really cool how hard you’re trying to learn how to talk

Relearn, he thinks, but he doesn’t correct him

Instead

He hums and reaches for Caution’s hand

Warm

He nearly melts

The heat

Nice

Yeah, you’re welcome buddy

Hah! I found it! See, this is where I cracked the floor when I fell on my ass! Haha! Oh wow, it’s actually really deep! Come feel it, CK!

Ew, gross, why would I want to feel the indent of your ass on the floor?

Hah! Whatever, you fuckin pussy

Where did you even learn that word?

Not telling!

They’re like

A family

And caring

And

Loving

And comforting

He finds himself comfortable

Every time one of them takes his hand

To lead him around the Dark

As if there might be something out there

Besides them and the shadow-snakes

That only ever solidified when he hissed

Called out to them

And the whispers

He loves them

Much

#sanders sides #sanders sides prequel #prequel #thomas sanders #patton sanders #roman sanders #logan sanders #janus sanders #remus sanders #virgil sanders #part one of ?

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