#she might be taller than anne!

[princessanneftw]

Savannah Phillips helping out on day two of the Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park on 5 August 2023

[boobchuy]

something I've found a bit funny if u compare the kids designs in toh, gf and A are how dip and mabe, being 12, are so tiny compared to how lanky toh and A kids are even w them only being a few years older. toh's designs is a bit less jarring 2 me since it's more realistic, but if u put the mystery twins beside calamity trio it's silly how the latter look so l o n g in comparison

[jischw]

1. Catherine of Aragon (married 1509-1533)

motto: HUMBLE AND LOYAL

Even allowing for tactful hyperbole, it is clear that Catherine, […] did have the kind of youthful prettiness and freshness of appearance that charmed observers, not only the family into which she would marry. It was partly a question of her complexion: her naturally pink cheeks and white skin were much admired in an age when make-up was clumsy in execution, easy to detect and much scorned. Ambassadors abroad, describing princesses to their masters, generally emphasized the tint of the skin, carefully noting whether it was 'painted' or not. A fair complexion like Catherine's was thought to indicate a more serene and cheerful temperament than a 'brown' one. Then Catherine's hair was also fair and thick, with a reddish-gold tint, her features neat and regular in a pleasingly shaped oval face.

Perhaps Catherine's fair colouring, so far from the conventional picture of a dark-visaged Spaniard, reminded onlookers of her one-eighth of English blood: […] 'there is nothing wanting in her that the most beautiful girl should have. '

If her complexion was her chief beauty, Catherine's chief disadvantage was her lack of height. All the grace of her bearing, inculcated over many years at the Castilian court, could not conceal the fact that she was extremely short, even tiny. Years later a loyal defender had to admit that she was 'in stature somewhat mean', while adding quickly 'but bonarly [bonnie] withal'. She was also on the plump side - but then a pleasant roundness in youth was considered to be desirable at this period, a pointer to future fertility. In contrast Catherine's voice was surprisingly low and 'big-sounding' for a woman; and that no doubt contributed to the impression of gracious dignity she left on all observers, making up for the lack of inches.

2. Anne Boleyn (married 1533-1536)

motto: THE MOST HAPPY

Anne Boleyn was not a great beauty. The Venetian ambassador […] pronounced her 'not one of the handsomest women in the world'. […] Anne Boleyn was only moderately pretty.

Some of this lukewarm praise may have been due to the fact that her looks did not accord with the fair-haired, blue-eyed ideal of the time. In theory, dark looks were regarded with suspicion and Anne Boleyn's looks were conspicuously dark: she was 'Brunet' […] Anne Boleyn's olive complexion’ […] her colouring 'rather dark' or sallow 'as if troubled with jaundice', or 'not so whitely as ... above all we may esteem.' She did have a few moles, although she was hardly disfigured by them on the contrary they acted as beauty-spots. Her hair, thick and lustrous as it might be, was extremely dark […] And her eyes were so dark as to be almost black. But then the theory of public admiration was one thing - blondes were supposed to be of cheerful temperament - and the practice of physical attraction was quite another. Clearly in adulthood Anne Boleyn exercised a kind of sexual fascination over most men who met her; whether it aroused desire or hostility, the fascination was there.

The black eyes were sparkling and expressive; and they were set off by those 'dark, silky and well-marked eyebrows' […] on the subject: she knew well how 'to use [her eyes] with effect', whether deliberately leaving them in repose or using them to send a silent message which carried ‘the secret testimony of the heart'. As a result many became obedient to their power. More prosaically, the Venetian ambassador called her eyes "black and beautiful'. Her mouth, described by him as 'wide' (another theoretical disadvantage by the standards of the time), was recorded by Sander as pretty. […] Anne Boleyn was 'of middling stature' (which made her of course a great deal taller than Queen Catherine). She seems to have been quite slight or at any rate not full-breasted - the Venetian ambassador remarked that her bosom was 'not much raised' […]. But a much more important aspect of her appearance when she first came to court was her elegant long neck; this, with the deportment she had learned in France […] gave her a special grace, especially when dancing, which no one denied.

The fresh young damsel had other qualities, some more obvious than others at the moment of her arrival back in England. She had 'a very good wit', wrote Cavendish in his Life of Wolsey, another source not prejudiced in Anne Boleyn's favour? The phrase, going beyond mere intelligence, carried with it connotations of spirit and adventurousness; in other words, Anne Boleyn was good company. Like many spirited people, she had another more impatient side to her: she would display on occasion a quick temper and a sharp tongue. But of these characteristics, deplored in a woman as much as skill at singing and dancing was prized, there was as yet no sign.

3. Jane Seymour (married 1536-1537)

motto: BOUND TO OBEY AND SERVE

From other sources, it seems likely that the charm of her character considerably outweighed the charm of her appearance: […] of middle statute and no great beauty. Her most distinctive aspect was her famously pure white complexion. Holbein gives her a long nose, and firm mouth, with the lips slighty compressed, although her face son a pleasing oval shape with the high forehead then admired (enhanced sometimes by discret plucking of the hairline) and set off by the headdresses of the time. Altogether, if Anne

Boleyn conveys the fascination of the new, there is a dignified but slightly stolid look to Jane Seymour, appropriately reminiscent of English medieval consorts.

But the predominant impression given by her portrait - at the hands of a master of artistic realism - is a young woman of calm good sense. And contemporaries all commented on Jane Seymour's intelligence: in this she was clearly more like her cautious brother Edward than her dashing brother Tom. She was also naturally sweet-natured (no angry words or tantrums here) and virtuous - her virtue was another topic on which there was general agreement. There was a story that she had been attached to the son of Sir Robert and Lady Dormer, a country neighbour, but was thought of too modest a rank to marry him; even if true, the tale brought with it no slur on Jane's maidenly honour. It was told more as a Cinderella story, where the unfairly slighted girl would go on to be raised triumphantly to far greater heights. Her survival as a lady-in-waiting to two Queens at the Tudor court still with a spotless reputation may indeed be seen as a testament to both Jane Seymour's salient characteristics - virtue and common good sense. A Bessie Blount or Madge Shelton might fool around, Anne Boleyn might listen or even accede to the seductive wooings of Lord Percy: but Jane Seymour was unquestionably virginal.

In short, Jane Seymour was exactly the kind of female praised by the contemporary handbooks to correct conduct; just as Anne Boleyn had been the sort they warned against. There was certainly no threatening sexuality about her. Nor is it necessary to believe that her 'virtue' was in some way hypocritically assumed, in order to intrigue the King […]. On the contrary, Jane Seymour was simply fulfilling the expectations for a female of her time and class: it was Anne Boleyn who was - or rather who had been - the fascinating outsider.

4. Anne of Cleves (married 1540-1540)

motto: GOD SEND ME WELL TO KEEP

Let us take the actual appearance of Anna of Cleves first: for this we are fortunate in having a first-hand description, written only a few days later by the French ambassador, Charles de Marillac, who was not prejudiced in either direction, towards her beauty or her ugliness. Anna of Cleves looked about thirty, he wrote (she was in fact twenty-four), tall and thin, 'of middling beauty, with a determined and resolute countenance.' The Lady was not as handsome as people had affirmed she was, nor as young […], but there was a steadiness of purpose in her face to counteract her want of beauty.

The 'daughter of Cleves' was solemn, or at any rate by English standards she was, and she looked old for her age. She was solemn because she had not been trained to be anything else and the German fashions did little to give an impression of youthful charm in a court in love as ever with things French, or at any rate associating them with fun and delight. […] Turning to Holbein's picture, one finds this solemnity well captured: a critic might indeed term it stolidity. Besides Wotton, in his report, had confirmed that Holbein, generally regarded as the master of the 'lively' or lifelike (not the flattering) in his own time, had indeed captured Anna's "image' very well.

Of course a beautiful young woman, however stolid or badly dressed, would still have been acceptable. Anna of Cleves was not beautiful, and those reports which declared she was were egregious exaggerations in the interests of diplomats […]. But was Anna of Cleves actually hideous? Holbein, painting her full-face, as was the custom, does not make her so to the modern eye, with her high forehead, wide-apart, heavy-lidded eyes and pointed chin.

There is indirect evidence that Anna of Cleves was perfectly pleasant-looking from the later years of Henry VIII. When Chapuys reported Anna of Cleves as rating her contemporary, Catherine Parr, 'not nearly as beautiful' as herself, this expert observer did not choose to contradict her; so that the boast was presumably true, or at least true enough not to be ridiculous.

5. Katherine Howard (married 1540-1542)

motto: NO OTHER WILL BUT HIS

No confirmed authentic picture of Katherine Howard survives. The fact that Katherine Howard is the only one of Henry VIII’s wives for whose appearance we must rely properly on contemporary descriptions, gives her career an appropriately evanescent quality. The same mistiness surrounds her date of birth. She was eighteen or nineteen when the King’s roving eye first fell upon her: that is, roughly thirty years younger than he was. […] Katherine was not only small, as Catherine of Aragon had been, but diminutive: parvissima puella – a really tiny girl. If King Henry was about thirty years older than Katherine, he must have been well over a foot taller. We need not speculate further about their respective weights. The French ambassador rated her beauty as only middling (the same phrase he had used for Anna of Cleves, incidentally), but he did praise her gracefulness, and he found much sweetness in her expression; her habit of dressing à la française (as opposed to Anna of Cleves’ Germanic fashions) no doubt commended itself to him.

Even if Katherine Howard was not a beauty, she must have had considerable prettiness and obvious sex appeal (as well as – or perhaps because of – her youth) since we know that she captivated the King instantly.

6. Catherine Parr (married 1543-1547)

motto: TO BE USEFUL IN ALL I DO

The woman who brought about this cheerfulness, the new Queen Catherine Parr, was herself never described by anyone as a beauty: even the term ‘of middling beauty’ used for both Anna of Cleves and Jane Seymour by Marillac was not applied in this case. ‘Pleasing’ and ‘lively’, ‘kind’ and ‘gracious’ were the most flattering epithets ascribed to her. It is true that a difference of age and status may have been responsible for this lack – widows of over thirty were not expected to be beauties – but when Anna of Cleves indignantly exclaimed that the new Queen was ‘not nearly as beautiful as she’, Chapuys, passing on the comment, did not see fit to contradict it.

Queen Catherine Parr’s only known authentic likeness, attributed to William Scrots, shows an amiable face rather than an intriguing one; the nose is short, the mouth small, and the forehead broad rather than domed in the way that contemporaries admired. Her hair was rather similar in colour to that of Catherine of Aragon: light auburn, tinged with what Agnes Strickland in the nineteenth century would call ‘threads of burnished gold’.

But if the new Queen Catherine was not a beauty, she was neither dull nor austere. She enjoyed dancing. […] She was well set up – the tallest of King Henry’s wives – and her height would have enabled her to cut a regal figure since her conception of her role as queen consort also included a great deal of ornate dressing-up.

Bibliography:

- Fraser, Antonia. The Six Wives of Henry VIII. New York Knopf, 1993.

[renren-006]

FIGHTING FOR YOU

Reiner Braun x fem reader

❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃

plot: you are the one thing reiner is living for. he fights for you.

A/N: i finished all of AOT the other week and it was amazing! i had not seen the final season till this year and it was sooo good, especially the animation. anyways it reawakened my love for reiner! enjoy!

It wasn't hard for Reiner to find something to fight for when the war between Marley and Paradi started. It wasn't even hard for him to keep living once he knew what he was fighting for. What was hard for Reiner was not worrying the entire time if you were still alive or not. He was worried whenever he heard screams, hoping it wasn't you. He knew you were strong, that wasn't why he was worried, he just knew he couldn't live without you if you left him alone in this world. Reiners' entire world flipped upside down when he met you on this island. 

Reiner was fourteen when he met you, still burdened with the guilt of what he and the others had done. You were thirteen and weighing the cost of joining the training camp. You knew you had to; there was something about fighting for the world that comforted you. You were short compared to Reiner, who you felt towered over you. Initially, that terrified you; the man was taller than you and built for a fourteen-year-old. You tried your best not to be caught under his gaze for a while, but that didn't help you out.

“You think it's fair?” he asked you. Sasaha was out running laps after the commandant caught her with extra food. 

“Oh. Not really” you said shyly. “Sasha…she's just different; not really her fault that she couldn't hold back from eating that potato”

“Yeah, you got that right,” he said, laughing slightly beside you, making you smile.

“I'm not sure I've heard you laugh since we've been here,” you told him. He smiled down at you. 

“Not sure I ever talked to you.” It was a pointed attack; you knew that. 

“Yeah, that's my fault.” You scratched the back of your neck. “I got intimidated by how tall you are.”

“Really?” he said, “I'm not that scary”

“I can see that now,” you told him. 

After that, it was common to see the two of you walking, talking, or training together. Bertold made jabs at Reiner whenever he could about it. Anne only smirked and kept eating. You could see the three interact, slowly putting the pieces of their friendship together. It took you a bit longer to understand that he was the Armored Titan. 

The final piece came together when you saw the female titan that day after being put into the scouts with the others. You were riding with Armin when he appeared. You remember her looking at the two of you under your hoods and recognizing the eyes looking back at you. The events that followed and how Rreiner and Bertold acted made more and more sense. 

“Oh my god” you whispered. You were standing next to Reiner in the trees, playing the events on a loop. Reiner glanced at you from the brand slightly above you.

“You alright?” he asked, squatting down to be at eye level with you. The two of you had become closer over the months of training and the secret romance you were building. You looked up at him, shocked. You knew no one else was around that could hear you when you told him.

“That's Anne.” You saw his face trying to hide the shock. 

“Y/N,” he said cautiously. You shook your head, facing him, and were at a loss for words. “I'll explain everything to you tonight.” 

Reiner's promise was kept, and everything about his life and why he was here was explained. He kept some information about the world and his home from you for your own safety, he said. You knew from the start there was something different about Reiner; maybe it wasn't his height after all that initially terrified you. Some part of you might have always known he was different, but perhaps that would not be a bad thing. At least not for now. Things for a while were good with the two of you, and Reiner did nothing that would make you think he didn't love you. 

Reiner knew he messed up when he finally revealed himself to Eren. You remember standing behind Mikasa, hearing the entire conversation, and having the same thoughts run through your head. “Why Reiner? Why? Why now?” The day went by in a blur, the mission to save Eren, seeing Reiner titan form up close. There was a moment when it was just you two, the eyes of the titan were Reiners and they looked so deep into your soul. Bertold was watching the two of you, waiting for his moment to speak.

“He has something for you” he told you, your eyes fell to the colossal. He fished through his pocket and gave you a tin. “Open it later” 

You nodded before looking back at Reiner and touching his titan's cheek. “I love you... I'm sorry you're stuck in this situation.” With that, you left his titan form and fell back with the others. Connie had your horse and let him go once you were back on. He didn't ask you about it; no one did. Completing the mission was the end goal. 

*

There Reiner was again, watching the battle before him and the rage in Eren's eyes. He struggled for a moment, not sure what was happening. Maybe all was lost, and he needed to give up. It was the perfect time for you to land on his soldier and yell at him.

“Renier, fight!” you yelled. Those golden eyes landed on you, Reiner was watching the woman he loved fight not only for him but her home. “Goddamn it, Reiner” You punched the bit of armor on his cheek, and you looked angry at him. He smirked in the nape of his titan; you were his spark. Small tears were in her eyes; Reiners gut twisted, knowing you were still upset but wanted him to live regardless. 

When all was over and Reiner was out of his titan body, he raced toward your figure, consoling a sad Gabby. She was smiling up at him. 

*

The final battle raged on and all you could do was sit back and watch. Reiner refused to go anywhere near you, you stood watching on a roof as your fellow scouts fought for their life. You couldn't do it. 

“Y/N Get up!” Jean yelled, and they all yelled. They needed you, and all you could offer was a choked sob. You had not opened the note yet, afraid of the content. It was in your breast pocket, burning a hole in your chest. Your heart hurt, and there Reiner was, golden eyes catching yours here and during the fight. 

When it was all over, and you had jumped at the last moment to land the blow, you screamed. “I'm sorry”. Reiner knew you didn't want to; he knew in his heart that it was the consequence of being a soldier. Reiner took the blow. 

After that, it was a blur.

Reiners only thought while he was healing, and half a man was you. Only you, his drive to fight, was for you. He would save you one day. 

*

“Y/N,” Reiner yelled, running towards you and pulling you into his arms. You giggled slightly; under the circumstances, you shouldn't be so happy to be back in the armored arms. When you looked back up at Reiner, the world around you disappeared. It was only him, and it was only you that mattered to Reiner. The both of you looked older than you did when he left. His hair was shaggy, and his beard matched the maturing face he had. Your hair was (longer or shorter), but the color was still the same, making Reiner smile as he saw it with his own eyes. You looked like you had matured. Your eyes held the years of maturing and torment you faced. Reiner and yourself looked like new versions of yourself. 

“I'm sorry,” he said. “You kept me going all these years. I know I betrayed you.”

“That doesn't matter now.” You told him to hold his face in yours. “None of that matters anymore.”

The world was in shambles, and you were happy you had at least the man you truly loved back with you.

*the letter (short but sweet; not sure Reiner is the type of guy to write out a whole letter about his feelings)*

Dear Y/N

I'm sorry. When I came to Eldia I didnt think about meeting a woman like you, I didn't think I would fall in love. I thought this island was just devils, but then I met you. You have given me purpose, a drive to live. I can't take you with me to Marley, I can't let them know my crimes of falling in love. I will never be ashamed that I fell in love with you.  

Wait for me, Y/N. When I come back to Eldia I will find you and I will protect you. You are worth more than the world, Marley, and being a titan. You're my everything. 

From, 

Reiner

[thewrothode-if]

♡ROs dynamic with A tall Mc vs with A short Mc?

Thyra:

Tall Female MC: She finds it extremely hot. Every time you look down at her whenever you have to tell her something, the heat in her stomach burns. This makes it hard for her to keep eye contact with you, because every time she does so, she wants to (if I may say so) fuck. :)

Tall Male MC: She feels a lot more nervous around your tall form. Having to look up at you always makes her shy, which in turn makes her a lot more irritable. So when she throws an insult your way, she doesn’t actually mean it. She’s just a little bashful.

Short Female MC: She feels the need to protect you. She’s a lot more gentle with you, but her insults don’t stop, especially not if you’re a lively personality who loves to jest around. One thing she loves to do is rest a hand on the curve of your back any chance she gets.

Short Male MC: She finds it adorable. She’s a lot more confident around you, though not to the same extent as with a short female MC. If you’re a very tough personality, she will still be very shy around you, but if you’re a shyer personality, she unconsciously becomes more protective of you.

Gungir:

Tall Female MC: He’s kinda intimidated if you’re taller than him, but deep down he loves it. If you’re tall, but not taller than him, he feels powerful, like he’s won a childish game against you. Even if you’re taller than him, he still wants to be the one who protects and takes care of you. He still wants to be a “man” around you.

Tall Male MC: He doesn’t think much about your height. It’s like he doesn’t even notice it. The only time he would ever notice would be when you try to use your height to intimidate him. If you’re a more shy personality, he finds it funny how different you are compared to your intimidating figure. If you’re a bolder personality, he again, wouldn’t comment because it’s what he would’ve expected.

Short Female MC: Oh boy, if he’s gentle to begin with, he’s even more gentle with a short female MC. He is definitely afraid he might break you if he accidentally runs into you or holds you too tight. As much as he loves the size difference between the two of you, he still worries about it a lot.

Short Male MC: Anyone shorter than him gets treated with a gentler hand, however, not as much as a short female MC would. He knows you’re strong, so he isn’t as worried about hurting you, but he would still try to avoid anything that would result in that. I can definitely see him being slightly smug about having a height advantage on you.

Raud:

Tall Female MC: Similarly to Thyra, he finds it very sexy, but he would never admit it, not to himself and not to you. Whenever he sees you fighting on the battlefield, he gets very hot and bothered. I can see him being shyer around you. This is why he prefers talking with you while sitting down…

Tall Male MC: He notices it, but he doesn’t comment on it (not in the beginning at least). If he gets his memories back, he’s kinda bitter that you ended up being taller than him. Also, once again, he would find it hot. This man just has a thing for tall babes I guess. He loves hugging bigger bodies because it makes him feel safer. So whether he’s doing the hugging or getting hugged, he’s loving every moment of it.

Short Female MC: He has this instinct to protect you. As harsh as it may sound, he wouldn’t have much faith in you on the battlefield. You would need to prove it to him that you can take care of yourself because otherwise he would never let you leave his sight. He really can’t lose you too. I also envision him being more shy with you because he would see himself as having to be the one to take the lead and make advances.

Short Male MC: He’s the same with a short female MC. He wants to protect you. He also ends up worrying a lot about you. He’s still very closed off and shy with you, mostly because he just has no clue how to talk to human beings. Deep down, he would definitely enjoy being taller.

Anne:

Tall Female MC: She’s kinda intimidated by you, especially if you’re a very flirty type. Your flirting would overstimulated her senses and she would end up running away and pushing you back. Growing a romantic relationship with her as a flirty tall female MC would be more of a challenge because of how out of the norm it is for her.

Tall Male MC: She’s a shy babbling mess. She really can’t take any form of flirting, especially not from such a handsome, tall, rugged man. If she decides she likes you, she would follow you around like a puppy, subtly begging you for attention. When you’re together, she would show you off any chance she gets.

Short Female MC: She feels powerful and is very overjoyed. Finally there’s someone who’s shorter than her. You will never hear the end of it. She will constantly tease you about your height, fondly resting her chin on the top of your head. She would be more daring around you, but only when you aren’t firing shots back. ;)

Short Male MC: She is once again, overjoyed and filled with superiority. She would be more hesitant to tease you but deep down, she’s coming up with so many jokes about your height. She would still not flirt with you outright, because even if you’re shorter, she would be too shy to do anything more than a subtle bashful smile.

???:

Tall Female MC: His first thought would be that he wants to see you kneel. The only thing he can ever think of is always somehow related to sex, so there will be a lot of sex jokes around you. He would feel a lot more powerful to have a taller female MC by his side. He will never stop bragging about being able to bed you (if he manages to).

Tall Male MC: Just like with a taller female MC, he finds it extremely sexy and his whole being urges him to make you into a submissive little doggy he can command around. Having a huge male MC by his side is just as amazing as having a tall female MC by his side.

Short Female MC: He always hooks up with shorter women because that’s just the norm. The women are usually shorter than him so he doesn’t really bat an eye when you are as well. Though, he will enjoy it if you’re a bolder type. A feisty tiny goblin is very fun to play around with!

Short Male MC: This he finds very interesting. He loves it. It makes him feel powerful in a way he can’t really describe. Every time you’re forced to look up at him, he squeals with joy on the inside. You will never be free from his teasing, I promise you that.

[saleemb]

I finally finished those two... I suppose it is time for presentation !!!!!!

Titania (the big horsie) is actually a shape shifter and a merc. No one knows her real age. (im so sorry i didn't have time to draw her human form,,,)

->She's not a Jorvik Wild Horse, she's much larger, taller and stronger than average. Najma suspect she used to be in M. Anwir's hand at one point, and is just a drugged bull (Which might be the truth :3). ->She has a daughter, Aurora. A few month old, perlino girly >:3c Najma met Titania for the first time when she saw that she was searching for a baby sitter for a BABY HUMAN. What a surprise when she saw that Aurora was in fact, a foal. But not any foal, a shape shifter foal !! (i promis to draw her baby form) ->Najma is the fifth soul rider, but doesn't take her duty very seriously, and is actually friend with Katja. ->She's 19, unlabeled. -> She lives in South Hoof, She helps Hugh and the shelter from time to time and works the horses before they find a new loving family. (She's broke but it's alright her gf Miss Von Blyssen buys her food) ->She's from France ! That's where she met Anne, at a dressage event. Uhmm that's all im sorry i suck at writing OCs :( BUT I LOVE DRAWING THEM SO ITS ALRIGHT (btw will tag my ocs with najma and titania)

[stargazer-sims]

The Art of Redemption

(part 16)

previous // next // story index

—————

This morning, Nikolai is seeing Beth-Anne, Brett and Brett's guardian Jordy off to South Korea, to the World Junior Figure Skating Championship.

Despite his initial concerns that he wouldn't cope well with this situation, he's doing all right. Admittedly, he was a little anxious about Beth-Anne leaving, and he's still slightly envious of Brett's opportunity to compete at one of the most important international skating events of the season, but neither feeling has proved overwhelming enough to prevent him from staying calm and behaving like a normal adult.

A few days ago, Nikolai suggested it'd make sense if he brought Beth-Anne, Brett and Jordy to the airport instead of Jordy or Beth-Anne having to leave their vehicle in the airport parking lot for a week. Beth-Anne agreed it was a good idea, and apparently Jordy had seconded her opinion. Brett, on the other hand, hadn't seemed quite as impressed with the plan as his coach and tutor were, but Nikolai suspected that had more to do with Brett not wanting to show any weakness in front of Nikolai than with any lingering animosity between the two of them.

In fact, Brett had offered him such a sincere apology for his outburst at the rink a few weeks back, Nikolai is inclined to believe there had never really been any animosity at all. He'd had to remind himself that Brett is only fourteen, and even the simplest upsets can seem enormous and insurmountable at that age. They'd both been trying to process some big emotions, and the combination of Brett's anger and frustration and Nikolai's pain and anxiety had the inevitability of disaster written all over it.

Brett understood that too, in hindsight. He said he'd been so focused on himself and his own feelings, he hadn't even considered Nikolai's, and he said he genuinely felt bad for hurting him.

Nikolai could forgive that. After all, Brett is still learning and growing, and no one is perfect anyway. He'd praised Brett for recognizing what went wrong and for acknowledging it. That had earned him a tentative smile from the teenager, and a promise that he'd try to do better in the future.

"I"m sure you will," Nikolai had told him. "I'll do better too. We'll try to do like Beth-Anne says; respond, not react. Okay?"

"Okay," Brett had agreed, and the two of them shook hands.

The handshake had been unexpected from Nikolai's point of view, and he'd guessed it was something Brett had seen his parents do with their business associates. Still, it felt significant to Nikolai, like he and Brett were making a pact of mutual support and respect. They might never become close, but at least they'd agreed that they shouldn't be adversaries, and Nikolai is more than satisfied with that.

Today, he has a feeling their agreement is about to meet its first test.

They took Beth-Anne's truck to the airport, and Beth-Anne drove on the way there. It's the sort of truck that has a small backseat in the cab, so there was adequate room for all four of them, but Nikolai hadn't considered that he and Brett would be the ones sitting in the back. Jordy is easily 190 centimetres, if not taller, and they decided that he should sit up front with Beth-Anne so he could adjust the passenger seat and have some legroom.

Brett's acquiescence was clearly grudging, and he spent most of the ride alternating between staring out the window and shooting annoyed looks at Nikolai. Nikolai didn't take it personally. When he was Brett's age and travelling to a competition, he's sure he would've preferred to sit next to Grandpa or Allison on a long drive rather than beside some guy he only tolerated.

When they got to the airport, Nikolai helped Beth-Anne carry her stuff even though she insisted she could do it by herself. Brett and Jordy each had a backpack, and Brett had his skate carrier, but it seemed they were sharing a suitcase. The thing Jordy heaved out of the back of the truck was huge, but he didn't appear to have any difficulty with it. The last item was a red garment bag that Nikolai knew would have Brett's costumes in it. Jordy handed that to Brett and took charge of the gigantic suitcase himself, and then the four of them trooped into the airport together.

At such an early hour, there wasn't much of a lineup yet and check-in was relatively easy. Nikolai waited for them. He decided he'd go with them as far as he was permitted, which was all the way to security. That's where they are now.

Standing in the large, open space near the doors to the security area, Brett looks terrified. There's no trace of his typical bravado. He seems far younger than his fourteen years, and he's clinging to Jordy like his life depends on not letting go.

The image of Brett as a frightened child is made even more pronounced by Jordy's physical size. The top of Brett's head only comes up to his broad chest, and his arms are nearly twice as big around as Brett's.

Regardless of Jordy's imposing stature, however, Nikolai is certain there isn't a mean bone in the man's body. He gives the impression of being a natural-born caregiver, and Nikolai can't help admiring his patience with Brett's behaviour.

But, just because Jordy doesn't seem frustrated or irritated, this doesn't necessarily mean he's tolerant of Brett's nonsense. When Nikolai starts to talk to Brett, to wish him luck, the teenager turns away from him and hides his face against Jordy's chest. Jordy's immediate response is to admonish him.

The big man leans in to speak quietly to the boy, the beads at the ends of his braids clicking together gently as he bends his head forward. "Brett, that's not how we behave. Your friend is speaking to you."

"Don't wanna talk to him," Brett mumbles into the fabric of Jordy's coat.

"Don't be rude, please," Jordy says. "There are lots of things we don't want to do in life, but we need to do them because it's the right thing to do."

"I just wanna go," Brett says. "Hanging around here is stressing me out."

"We'll go through security in a minute, Brett," Beth-Anne interjects. "Just let Nikolai say what he wanted to tell you."

"All I wanted was to say good luck," Nikolai says. "You're going to do great, Brett. It's always stressful beforehand, but you've been looking awesome in practice and you know what you're doing, so just have fun with it and the rest will fall right into place."

Brett finally looks up at that. "You actually think I'm worried about the competition?"

Caught off-guard, Nikolai stammers, “You're... not?"

"It's not the competition. It's the flying," Jordy explains. "He doesn't like it, and we can't give him anything to help with the airsickness because... y'know. Drug tests."

"Sorry." Nikolai says. "Yeah, I do know, actually."

"Oh, that's right," Brett ventures, finally letting go of Jordy and standing up straight. "Beth-Anne said you don't like flying either."

"That'd be an understatement." Nikolai says. "I'd call it a win if I made it through an entire flight without throwing up."

Brett wrinkles his nose. "Eww... At least I've never done that."

"Consider yourself lucky. Throwing up and crying on an airplane full of strangers is definitely not a good look, and nobody wants to be next to the guy puking on the plane."

"Gross," Brett says, but then he flashes a quick, cheeky grin. "So, I guess that means I handle flying better than you do."

Nikolai returns the grin. "Gold medal to you for that. And I meant what I said. Have fun, and I hope you kick ass over there. It's your last season at Junior level, so make it one nobody forgets."

“Don’t worry. I will. When I debut in Senior division next season, everybody’s already gonna know my name,” Brett declares. “Too bad you’re not gonna be competing. It’d be fun to challenge you.”

“It’s lucky for you I’m not competing. I’d polish the ice so thoroughly with your scrawny butt, everybody'd call you Zamboni afterwards.”

“You would not.”

“You don’t think? When my leg gets better, maybe we should find out.”

Brett turns to fully face him. He meets his gaze and holds it, and Nikolai sees the unmistakable gleam in his eyes of a true competitor who can't resist any challenge, no matter how big or small. “Is that an invitation to a competition? ‘Cause if it is, you’re on."

"Absolutely," Nikolai says. "Beth-Anne can be the judge."

"There’ll be plenty of people around the rink who can be judges for us, but I think we probably won’t need much help figuring out the winner.”

"You're right." Nikolai can feel his smile spreading across his face. “No question, it'll be me."

"We'll see," Brett says.

This is the point at which Beth-Anne intervenes.

"Okay, boys. That's enough." She gives each of them a stern look. "Nikolai, you should know better, and Brett..." She trails off, shaking her head. "No, you know what? Never mind. We'll discuss this when we get back."

Undeterred, Brett says, "Yeah, we can discuss how I'm gonna make him look like yesterday's news."

"Brett, weren't you in a hurry to get through security?" Beth-Anne asks. She waves in the direction of the wide glass doors. "Why don't you and Jordy go ahead? I want to talk to Nikolai for a minute, and then I'll catch up with you, all right?"

Brett looks like he might protest, but seems to think better of it when Jordy lifts their carry-on bags from the floor and passes Brett's to him. "Come along, Brett. It'll be hard to win anything in Seoul if you're not on the plane when it leaves."

They head off toward the security area, and Brett walks calmly beside Jordy for several steps, but then he puts his bags down and runs ahead. Once he's built up some momentum he does a neat little one and a half rotation jump that brings him back down to face in Nikolai and Beth-Anne's direction again.

He waves at Nikolai and calls out, "See you later... Zamboni!"

Nikolai loses it. He doesn't even bother attempting to stifle his laughter as he watches an exasperated Jordy gather up Brett's skate carrier and backpack and hurry after him. Brett is jogging backwards, probably so he can see Nikolai's reaction. Nikolai sticks his tongue out at him.

"Cheeky little shit," Beth-Anne says, but she's laughing too.

"I can tell you love him," Nikolai says.

"What can I say?" she responds. "Apparently, I have a thing for troublemakers."

Nikolai feigns innocence. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Like hell you don't," she scoffs. "You're the biggest goddamned troublemaker of all, Nikolai Pavlenko." But, a second later her arms are around him and she's hugging him tight. "Thank you."

He laughs as he reciprocates the embrace. "Way to send mixed messages, coach."

"Brett's probably going to be thinking about that ridiculous challenge all day," she says. "You know how reckless that was, challenging him like that? But, I'd much rather have him obsessing about how he's going to come up with a way to beat you than for him to dwell on how much he hates flying."

"So... what I'm hearing is that you think I can win the challenge?"

With her arms still around him, she swats him lightly on the back. "Fuck off! That's not what I said at all. And who says I'm even going to let either of you do it?"

"You mean... you can stop us?"

"Oh my God. I'm about to fucking disown you," she says, but no sooner than these words are out of her mouth, she's squeezing him once again. "For what it's worth though, I do think you'd win the challenge. I also think it's a fucking stupid idea, but it if motivates Brett and gives you something to look forward to, then I guess I'll agree to it."

"And you'll help me get ready for it?"

"How about I train the two of you together?" she says. "You can see up close how I work with someone at Brett's skill level, and I think he'll learn a lot from watching you. But," she adds, her tone suddenly no-nonsense. "All this is conditional, do you understand? If the doctor and the sports therapist fully clear you, we'll do it, but if they say no spins and no jumping..."

"I hope they don't say that."

"Do everything they tell you and keep your fingers crossed, and maybe they won't."

"You know what I want? I want to be able to do everything on the ice that I could do before. I wouldn't be able to keep up with a competitive training schedule, obviously, but... I want to jump again."

"I know you do," she says quietly.

"And I really want to do this challenge with Brett if I can, even if it is kind of stupid."

"I know that too." She's trembling a little, and he wonders what she's thinking. They stand together silently until she composes herself and lowers her arms at last. She takes a step back. "Okay, I'd better go. I'll give you a call when we get there."

"Okay," he says.

"You take care of yourself while I'm gone. Do your physio exercises, and don't forget about your appointment at the sports medicine clinic. Hang up your wet towels, and eat real meals, not just peanut butter toast all the time, and—"

'Beth-Anne, I'll be fine," he says. "If I need anything, I know who to call, and I promise I'll do all my exercises and go to my doctor's appointment and eat lots of protein. It'll be okay."

"Sorry. It's just... I'm not a hundred percent okay with leaving you. Plus, it's strange, being at the airport with you but leaving you behind."

"Yeah, but you don't really want to get on a plane with me and my delicate equilibrium."

"Delicate equilibrium," she echoes. "Well, that's one way of describing it. And maybe I don't love sitting next to you on a long flight, but it's being at the destination with you that I'm going to miss."

"Me too," he says. "But, you know what? Brett's not that much older than Eden, so maybe if everything goes the way we think it should, there'll be a day in the future when we'll be travelling to the same destinations again. You never know, right?"

"If I didn't already say so, it's good to see this side of you," she says. "I was beginning to wonder where my sunshine went."

"Just stuck behind a cloud for a while, that's all."

"Fucking clouds, always messing things up."

They always disappear eventually, though." He picks up her backpack and skate bag and hands them to her. "Here, you'd better take these. Not that I'm in a hurry to part ways, but you might miss your flight if we keep trying to have a long goodbye like this."

"Right," she says as she takes her things from him. "Christ, I'm fucking awful at goodbyes. I better haul ass before this gets any worse."

"I'll see you in a week. Good luck, and don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"That leaves it wide open, doesn’t it?”

"Go on," he says. "Brett and Jordy are waiting for you. You got this. Tell Brett I'll be watching on TV and cheering him on."

She offers him a grateful smile. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," he says, as he watches her rush off.

The drive back to town feels long and lonely. Even with his favourite classic rock music blasting from the radio and a beautiful early morning sky overhead, he can't help feeling a little sad. He hadn't wanted to say anything to Beth-Anne since it was clear she was already worried, but being left behind feels strange to him too. Naturally, Beth-Anne has travelled without him before, with her other students and for her own personal reasons, but this was the first time they'd been at the airport together without both having a ticket for the same flight. He'd gotten through the actual experience at the airport, but now that he's on his own, he's not at all confident about it.

I'm just going to have to keep myself busy while she's gone, he tells himself. That's what Beth-Anne would tell me to do. Keep busy, so I don't dwell on stuff.

With Beth-Anne away, her group classes will be cancelled for the week, as well as the individual lessons for Eden and the two Novice level girls, Ruby and Katie. It's highly likely that Mariah will come to the rink to skate on her own, and perhaps thirteen-year-old Ruby might do the same, but Nikolai isn't allowed to work with either of them without Beth-Anne's supervision. He can watch, but that's about it, and now that he's started helping with the group classes and with Eden's and Katie's individual lessons, he's not sure he'll be content to simply watch any more.

So, if I'm not going to the rink, what am I supposed to do?

He makes a mental list of the possibilities. He'll visit his parents, of course, and he'll probably have dinner with his sister and brother-in-law at least once. There's his doctor's appointment, his daily walks on the treadmill, his and Ginger's planned bowling and pizza night, and he's positive that Grandpa wouldn't mind if he came over to hang out.

At first, this seems more than sufficient to occupy him, but he quickly realizes it's not going to fill an entire week. He pictures himself doing a lot of reading and playing a lot of video games to pass the time.

Then, he thinks about Anya. He's seen her at the arena a handful of times over the past few weeks, but they haven't spoken, and they only text each other sporadically now. This week might be a good time to meet with her and discuss their relationship. Maybe later in the week, because has to talk himself up and somehow convince himself he's brave enough to do it, and that might take a bit of time.

Ginger might be able to give me a pep talk.

He pictures Ginger's reaction if he asked her to do that, and he wants to laugh. She'd probably tell him to march in there like there's no way he could lose. "Approach it like a competition," she'd say.

Oddly, this sounds like good advice even if it's only in his imagination and not technically from his friend. Maybe he can do it, even if he's scared. He's been scared before competitions too, but he's come out on top more than he hasn't, so there must be some merit in that idea.

By the time he gets home, he feels better.

He thought it'd be weird to stay at Beth-Anne's house without her, but the moment he walks in the door it occurs to him that he thinks of it as home just as much as he does his own place. Inside, the air is warm and smells faintly of the French toast he'd made for breakfast. Their empty breakfast dishes are still on the table, and Beth-Anne's blue oversized cardigan is slung haphazardly over the back of a chair. Elvis the cat is asleep in his favourite spot atop the fridge.

Nikolai shrugs out of his coat and tugs off his sneakers. The kitchen is going to need some attention, but it can wait for an hour or two. First, he wants to write in his journal and then take a nap.

He wouldn't normally nap in the morning, but his knee hurts and he thinks the best cure would be an ibuprofen and some rest. He can sort out the mess in the kitchen after that, and then try to find something to do for the rest of the day.

In his room, he changes out of his jeans and sweater and into a comfortable pair of sweatpants and his favourite t-shirt. As he's folding his sweater and putting it back into one of his suitcases, something at the back of the closet catches his eye. It's the cardboard box he'd noticed when he first came to stay; the one with his costumes from the Four Continents in it. He'd meant to go through it and see what else was inside, but he'd been so caught up in going to the rink with Beth-Anne, learning to cook and do his own laundry, doing physio, and working on his new blog that it hadn't crossed his mind.

Well, no time like the present, I guess.

He really is curious, now that he thinks about it. Slipping quickly into the room's adjoining bathroom, he downs two ibuprofen tablets with lukewarm water, and then returns to haul the box out of the closet. He places it on the bed and climbs up after it.

With a pillow tucked under his sore knee and another behind his back, and the cardboard box beside him, he takes a deep breath before grasping the flaps of the box and pulling them open.

[hollowwrites]

Garreth Headcanons

GARRETH ERA. I love him so much. I blame him entirely for me slowing down on my Ominis content

Maeve is my HufflePuff MC and who I ship with Garreth the most.

🔞 MINORS DNI 🔞

-

General HCs

I love love love the idea of Sebastian, Ominis and Garreth.

Sebastian and Garreth are different sides of the same coin and would 100% encourage each others shit. Sebastian would always be eager to try his brews and Ominis would be left to pick up the pieces.

I think originally Garreth hated Ominis. He’d grown up hearing about the Gaunts and what they’re like so when he starts school with one he’s initially quite scared of him. Eventually, Garreth confronts him and realised that they’re both soft bois.

Garreth would 10000% slip Ominis potions when Sharp wasn’t looking so he could pass class.

Also why I think him and Anne are perfect. We know she likes Potions so much she’s continued brewing at home because of her Potions set in the Sallow Household. He would’ve also spent a lot of time with her hanging out with the bois.

Perhaps he knows about the Undercroft(?) haven’t made my mind up about that but if he did Anne showed him. Probably why Ominis forgives Sebastian for showing MC so quickly because he forgave Anne.

Has a way with faculty like Ominis cause he can just go to his Aunt. The only downside is she will scold him to get him out of trouble and will sulk for the rest of the day. Sebastian is practically untouchable with the combo of Ominis and Garreth

Player Quidditch in third year as a beater but never really cared for it. His mother bought bigger sizes in all his gear because she expected him to continue through till seventh year. Wanted to save money but he ended up giving it all to Maeve so wasn’t really a waste.

He’s an inch taller than Sebastian, Does Not Let Him Forget It. I do think he’s the most muscular of the bois. Some of those cauldrons are huge…he’s bound to have built some sort of build from hurling them around.

Favourite Subject: Obviously Potions…Him and Sharp have an interesting relationship. Sharp knows he’s intelligent and is messing up on purpose for a laugh. Can’t scold him because although the walls are covered in Liquid Luck it is correctly brewed…has to remind himself not to laugh in class when Garreth pulls obscene stunts…A reluctant 10 points to Gryffindor

When he looks into the Mirror of Erised he sees himself looking back but covered soot. His apron is filthy, he’s missing a finger but he still has that sparkle of mischief in his eye, despite being much much older.

I’ve already spoke about his Boggart but I think he might have two(?) depending on how he’s feeling. His first is being a disappointment that I talk about here but I also think his other is being alone. I don’t know there’s something about the fact we don’t see him with anyone in game and everyone walking away from him in the Common Room after offering his brew makes me think he’s lonely. He has the Slytherin bois but no one in Gryffindor.

Family

Maybe it’s because I did a CharacterAI where Garreth said he didn’t like his mother but I don’t think they have a good relationship. She loves him to bits but he always just feels like a little bit of a disappointment. Could be because his Aunt tell the family everything he does so his brother and sisters tease him whenever he’s home, and he feels like they just mock him when he’s not there. Explains my Boggart HC

Speaking of, I think he has a much older brother and twin baby sisters. Our boi is classic middle child

His older brother (Garrett) and him don’t get on. Much like Percy, he’s a stuffy know it all and, most importantly, doesn’t enjoy potions. Thinks they’re a waste of time. Initially, Garreth took an interest in potions to spite him but found he really enjoyed it.

His mother calls him Garrett on occasion and it doesn’t help with the comparison and feeling of inadequacy.

He’s very protective of his twin sisters (Gracie and Gloria) . He leaves Hogwarts as they start and he takes a job at JPippins just to be close to the school and keep an eye on them.

Him and his Aunt actually have a very good relationship. She lets him get away with a lot more than he lets on. That little ‘Ugh’ in the Potions Class is so forced please…

Patronus

I found his patronus to be the hardest to pin down so here goes:

Hyena - Okay I won’t lie I just chose this because they laugh and he’s a goofy boi BUT I was doing research and it’s PERFECT. Theyre, apparently, Witty, Courageous and Clever with strong family ties. Despite what I say about his family I still think he cares for them and he’s a Weasley he’ll have a huge family I just know it

Fox - Going into my theory that he’s lonely, foxes are solitary creatures that have been known to have rather silly personality traits. Also ginger…

Golden Retriever - …I don’t need to explain this. At all. Big Golden Retriever energy. Still clever but a total dumb dumb that everyone loves.

How he summons a Patronus is equally difficult for me:

First I imagine is when he successfully brews a Wiggenweld for the first time. He’d earned a detention earlier in the day and he’s sat with Sharp scrubbing the Cauldrons. Eventually Sharp re teaches him the lesson in an attempt to scold him but he does it perfectly. Sharp ends up getting uncharacteristically hype for him and it’s the first time Garreth feels like he’s actually good at the thing he loves doing.

I hate making these things revolve around MC like we’re the centre of the Universe but I think his second would be when he takes our character to Hogsmeade. He loved just her awe and delight at everything in the Wizarding World and he felt an overwhelming pride that he was the one who showed it to her.

Nicknames

Already spoke about how he would never call anyone by their name here but these are specific for Maeve and Anne:

For Maeve

Mae, V, Maevey, Maevinchi, any variant of her name you can think of…he’s said it

He also refers to her as his Partner in Crime

As a more term of endearment type thing he’s the only one who can get away with calling anyone baby…mainly because everything he says is a joke so he can get away with it. Also Maevey Baby is so cute I die…

I have a fondness for Princess just because Maeve is so un-princess like it’s perfect.

But he’s just such a goofball he can say anything. Plus his voice helps even the most disgusting of nicknames sound acceptable…

“How are doing today, Pumpkin?”

“I like watching you squirm, Princess”

For Anne

Anything to annoy Sebastian. His favourite is ‘The better Sallow’, ‘My favourite Sallow’ etc

I think Trouble suits her really well for the same reason as Princess suits Maeve. Cause let’s face it Anne is definitely the calmer of the two.

“Well, Well, Well, if it isn’t My Favourite Sallow…And Sebastian”

Relationshipy Stuff

He’s so touchy it gets them in trouble a lot. Just in the hallways or in class if he sees her…he’s touching her.

Not a big hand holder, prefers to either loop his arm around her shoulder and hers around his waist or he’ll just pick her up and carry her around everywhere.

Loves a piggyback ride or throwing her over his shoulder. Light smacks to her backside as they’re walking. He loves the little squeaky laughs she makes.

He’ll defiantly want kids. He’s been around them his whole life with his own sisters and cousins etc. and he’s so good with them too. I don’t think his family will be as big as typical Weasley families maybe just two or three kids.

🔞 NSFW Headcanons 🔞

The most disgusting of the three, will do literally anything with her.

Choking, Spanking, Dominiating, being dominated, just likes being with her

Likes doing things semi publicly.

Already said he’s touchy but in the worst way. Your in the library? His hand is up her skirt. Quidditch game? He’s pressing himself into her back and copping a feel. But he’ll only do it if there’s no one around because he’s really possessive. Doesn’t actually want anyone to see anything.

Gets a scolded for it and plays dumb with a dark look in his eye.

“I’m not doing anything, Sweetheart”

He’s an ass man so loves doggy. So naturally loves spanking.

Loves that Maeve looks so innocent and will let him do whatever.

She really plays into it. Looking at him with big brown eyes and acting like butter wouldn’t melt. Drives him insane.

Play fights turning saucy

Absolutely the most dominant of the three. He gets away with because he’s just so sweet outside of the bedroom.

Demands things and just watches:

“I’m busy, play with yourself for me”

“I can’t let you finish yet, my love”

“Why don’t you taste yourself on me, baby?”

Masterlist

[skylarmoon71]

Miguel O'Hara (Across The Spiderverse) - Chapter 2

If he thought he could get out of it, that was almost impossible now with how ecstatic Lyla got.

 Typing in the coordinates, he was already jumping through the spiraling portal. His feet landed on a rooftop and he straightened, looking over the city.

“Lyla, pull up her file.”

“You betcha.”

The golden icon of a folder popped up and a number of sheets opened. Miguel’s eyes ran over all that he could, settling on one particular piece of information.

“She’s a counselor at Alchemax.” He muttered.

Lyla nodded.

“Your watch has aligned with the time zone, so she should be getting out in about twenty minutes. Maybe you can catch her.” She snapped away the documents and Miguel pushed ahead to the coordinates. The lab was at least twenty minutes away, so he would cut it close.

Feet hitting each hard surface, he swung, jumped and dodged until he arrived at his destination. When he landed on the building adjacent to Alchemax, he stopped. His gaze dropped down and maybe two minutes later you were walking out the building, ID card hanging off your neck, business suit neat, surprisingly so.

“There she is!!” Lyla pointed excitedly, expecting Miguel to just drop in but he didn’t make a move. He just watched you walk down the street.

“Are we waiting for something?” Lyla asked, confused.

“Yes, we are.”

You stopped at the crosswalk, and his eyes narrowed. Just as the light changed you crossed the road and he was stunned.

“I’m not sure if you understand the concept of a pep talk. You actually have to speak to the person.”

Miguel’s blank expression spoke for itself. Taking off, he was careful, staying at just the right distance that he could see you without making his presence known.

“Are we looking for something?”

“We are. It’s been at least three minutes and she hasn’t crashed into everything in sight.”

Lyla placed a hand under her chin.

“You're right. That’s strange.”

It was. He couldn’t fathom why you seemed almost like a different person here. That’s why he tracked you all the way to what looked like an orphanage. His feet stopped, and this time he dove on a smaller building that was directly next to the building. You seemed completely oblivious to his presence.

His eyes watched you walk right through the gate and the second the children playing outside spotted you, they were laughing and sprinting in your direction. The many bodies crashed right into you and you fell with a laugh of your own as they tackled you in hugs.

His eyes softened at the sight.

“Ms. Reilly, look I grew two inches!” The child exclaimed standing upright.

You finally got to your feet, staring in astonishment.

“Are you kidding me! I’ve only been gone for a week. If you get any bigger you'd be taller than me.” The girl looked proud and you gestured for them to gather over the porch. They all flocked around in a circle as you took a seat, pulling out a book from your handbag.

“What are we reading today?” You asked. You held out the book and the smallest lifted her hand as she read the text.

“I-It says psychology.”

“Very good Anne.” You praise.

She looked proud and the others smiled in her direction with little giggles. You settled back in.

“This is for beginners, it’s a tough read but you guys kept asking so I had to. This is actually the one I started with when I got into my field. Back then I was pretty inexperienced. I made a lot of mistakes as an intern.”

“What, that’s crazy, you’re the best!” You smiled.

“I’m better now, but even adults like me struggle sometimes. Actually I’ve recently joined a club and it’s not going so well. I might have made my boss mad.”

“What did you do?” Another child urged.

“I sort of knocked out one of his colleagues during training. Then I broke some of his tech and lost his really special watch.”

Some of them were laughing, because they were somewhat aware of your clumsy nature.

Miguel couldn’t truly get himself to say much. Lyla was watching with the same level of interest.

“It’s okay, I’m sure he knows you’re just nervous. We still love you even if you’re clumsy Ms. Reilly!”

The statement earned nods of agreement and your lower lip quivered.

“G-Group hug!!” You yelled.

In a matter of seconds they were all rushing and you were once again playfully crushed under them. Miguel’s head turned at the sounds of their laughter.

“Wow, you’re a monster.” Lyla commented.

“How is this my fault!!”

She shrugged, and Miguel’s annoyed expression was planted on his face the entire trip back.

The situation was eye opening. If he felt bad before, he feels worse now. That’s why he’d sent a message for you to check in. He fully expected you to walk into the room suited up, but when he turned you were dressed in sweats and a hoodie.

“I’d like to quit.”

That’s not what he expected at all. He straightened in his spot, now focused. He could see the conflict in your eyes. This was obviously something you’d been thinking about for a while.

“I’m not really cut out for this hero stuff. That day on the bridge was just a fluke. I’m really glad Peter introduced me to everyone but I think it’s better if I stay away from all things hero. It’s only a matter of time before I accidentally do some real damage. If I end up hurting someone I..”

You gulp.

“I’d never be able to forgive myself.”

You’d already come to terms with it. This whole thing must have been a mistake. These abilities, it’s clear they weren’t meant for you. Being a hero was the last thing you should be attempting. You’re just disappointed that it took you so long to see it.

“I’ll drop my watch off in the lab.”

You didn’t want to see anymore of his looks of disappointment. You’d already had your full quota in the last month.

Turning, you walk away.

“So you’re giving up.”

His words caused you to halt in place.

“It didn’t go the way you wanted, so you’re done. If that’s all it takes then you’re probably right, you don’t belong here.”

Spinning around, you’re a bit angry. You couldn’t believe he was saying that after you’d spent the better part of those four weeks getting pummeled just trying to prove yourself.

“I-I’m not giving up because I want to!”

“Another excuse.”

“W-What the hell do you want from me!!”

“I want you to prove to me that this wasn’t a mistake. Every person that has ever come in here was brought here by fate. Those gifts you have could have been given to anyone, but you got it. There’s a reason you did. If you just walk away, then you’re saying that I’m wrong. I’m basically a genius, are you really trying to tell me that I’m wrong.”

His logic didn’t make much sense and he looks pretty pissed, but you can’t help but feel a bit of comfort. He could have just as easily let you walk out, but he’s actually trying to encourage you.

The very same person who lacked faith in you the moment you walked through those doors. You’re not sure if it’s pity, or if he truly believes that you might have potential, but you actually smile, despite the tears that had been threatening to spill. You sniffle, wiping the one that does slip out.

With a nod, you straighten your form as you march right back over to him. Stopping right in front of him, you hold out your hand.

“T-Thank you Mr. O’ Hara, I won’t let you down!”

Your confidence has returned and his expression doesn’t truly change, but he reaches over and takes your hand.

“You better not.”

You’re nodding frantically. You mean to pull back your hand, but you apparently forget to open your palm and Miguel is startled at the force applied as his body is yanked and crashes right into your own. You both hit the ground with a groan. Your eyes are closed due to the harsh impact, and when they finally open you practically gape.

Your eyes are wide and Miguel is staring right back at you in shock. His lips are pressed to your own. For a moment neither of you move. Not until he processes the position. He pulls back with a gasp and you look down when you feel pressure on your chest. His large palm is laying on your right boob. You stammer, cheeks immediately turning red.

“Mierda..”

He curses under his breath and instantly he’s upright, clearly at a loss for words. You’re not much better.

“I-I’m sorry!!” You yell.

Another disaster that you’ve caused.

You rush to your feet sprinting out the room. Once you’re gone, Miguel merely stares at his palm, then his hand slowly moves to his lips, licking them experimentally.

“Do you need a minute?”

Lyla’s sudden appearance makes him growl.

“Cállate!”

She just smiles. 

[ticcitobysgoggles]

💙🩹🩸Eyeless Jack’s relationships with other pastas!!🩸🩹💙

Please note that this is my own au/opinion and if you do not agree or like it then just move on

🎮BEN Drowned🎮

🎮| Somewhat friends

🎮| May help BEN with small pranks

🎮| Jack can tolerate BEN but not for too long before he just finds him annoying

🔪Jeff the Killer🔪

🔪 | Somewhat friends

🔪 | Jeff comes in with small injuries regularly

🔪 | Jack can tolerate Jeff but not for to long before he just finds him annoying

🔪 | He would never admit it, but Jeff was terrified and probably peed his pants when he first saw Jack

🍬Laughing Jack🍬

🍬| Eh

🍬| Not fond of eachother

🍬| EJ finds LJ annoying and doesn’t get why he’d rather gut them and stuff them with candy than take their kidneys

🍬| LJ finds it disgusting how EJ eats kidneys so they just tend to stay away from eachother

💄Nina💄

💄| Eh

💄| Nina usually doesn’t come in with injuries and if she does she usually goes to Nurse Ann

💄| Jack finds her obsession over Jeff strange

💄| Nina wasn’t scared of him at first until learning he was eyeless and that scared the shit out of her

🖤Jane🖤

🖤| Friends

🖤| Don’t interact to much but when they do it’s nothing serious

🖤| Jane was one of the only ones, if not the ONLY one who didn’t piss her pants when first seeing Jack

🧣Liu🧣

🧣| Only interacted like once

🧣| Liu was a little intimidated when first being introduced to Jack

🧣| Liu knows how to stitch and sometimes will take some people and stitch them up for Jack so he doesn’t have to do it

🧣| Sully has some respect for Jack.

🧣| Jack isn’t annoying or as idiotic as the others, and he also scared Sully a little bit, but he’d never admit it

🪓Toby🪓

🪓| Good friends

🪓| Jack never questioned Toby’s ticks and Toby never questioned his eyelessness

🪓| Toby’s lack of pain is good for Jack for whenever he has to take care of his wounds

🪓| Though Toby does have a tendency to bite his fingers and sometimes breaks the skin and Jack always makes sure to look out for that

⏰Clockwork⏰

⏰| Never really interacted

⏰| Clockwork’s just glad to have someone taller than her for once

🧸Sally🧸

🧸| Jack’s kind of like an older brother

🧸| Sally was scared shitless the first time she saw him and stayed away from him for the first few weeks

🧸| Now she trusts him a lot though, and occasionally might fall asleep, leaning against his shoulder to which Jack never knows how to react to that

📷Hoodie📷

📷| Acquaintances

📷| Hoodie also wasn’t very scared like a lot of others when first seeing Jack, but he was a bit intimidated

📷| They never really interacted but have this mutual respect for one another

🔫Masky🔫

🔫| Eh

🔫| Don’t really interact either

🔫| Masky wouldn’t admit it, but he definitely pissed his pants when first seeing Jack

🎨Bloody Painter🎨

🎨| Eh

🎨| Never interacted

🎨| Helen was confused as of why his heart raced when he first saw Jack because it wasn’t like him to feel scared or intimidated

🎭KageKao🎭

🎭| Somewhat friends

🎭| Both demons

🎭| Jack may help with some small pranks of his

🎭| Both are basically polar opposites but can get along SOMETIMES for a SMALL amount of time

[wendynoire]

A Divine Surprise

"This is the place for redemption, right?" A blonde sinner, having many toad-like traits, with 2 swords crossed on her back. Both were infused with angelic steel, but it seemed the colours were important to her due to the dual of the blades - one was angelic steel and a pale cyan, the other angelic steel and a rusty pink. 

"Yes!" Charlie practically fell over herself as she raced towards the door which opened wider to reveal another sinner was there too. "I can explain how everything works while showing you around, you're going to love it here!" 

The other sinner's head looked like they were wearing a black helmet with horns that looked like axolotl gills, 3 red eyes that looked like they were rotated versions of the others. Otherwise she looked like she belonged in an RPG adventurer game with her patchwork armour and skirt. 

"You'll need to leave your swords behind to stay here." Vaggie's trust was stretched thin with the mish mash of sinners they already had at the hotel, especially with an Overlord, the last thing she needed was a murder happy sinner with not one, but 2 angelic weapons. 

"Why? You have an angelic spear." The blonde sinner raised an eyebrow. "Besides, I only really use these when it's an extermination- Marcy, you're on fire." 

"What- HOW!?" The other sinner's cloak was, indeed, in flames as she shrugged it off, flapping it around until the flames went out. "Sasha! Don't laugh!" 

"Sorry, Marmar, but seriously? We've been in hell for 3 years now, and you still can't walk down the street without something going wrong." Sasha pressed a kiss on the part of Marcy's face that didn't look like a helmet. "I'm not going to use my swords on anyone here, and they're kinda important to me." 

"How d'ya use them for the extermination?" Angel had wandered over to the newcomers quickly, with his long, spindly limbs. 

"Stab exorcists." Sasha shrugged, though it was Marcy's turn to laugh at her under the breath complaint about how much taller than her Angel was, used to being the tallest. "They stop moving, so I assume it kills them." 

"How'd you-" 

"Jesus fucking Christ!" Husk's voice made Sasha jump, grabbing and shielding Marcy by putting herself between the source of the voice and Marcy. "Andrias!?" 

"... My name is Husker." The cat bartender just blinked in surprise at the response to his voice. "The fuck is 'Andrias'?" 

"A psychopathic piece of shit with the same voice as you." Sasha didn't quite look fully convinced that the cat wasn't the person she was talking about, her grip on Marcy still tight. 

"He wasn't that bad." 

Sasha slowly turned to face Marcy, her head tilted to the side. 

"Marmar... He stabbed you through the chest, threw Sprig out of a window, got you possessed by the Core, acted as a dictator, and tried to take over and destroy Earth." Sasha spoke slowly like she was talking to a child. 

"You also tried to be a dictator though." Marcy pointed out. 

"And that's why I'm in hell." Sasha seemed satisfied that Husk wasn't Andrias due to his lack of input at her insults towards the giant newt as she turned back to Charlie, moving her hand down from Marcy's shoulder to her hand. "Anyway, sorry, you were talking about a tour?" 

"Right! Yes!" Charlie smiled again as Vaggie, with her spear, joined the tour. "I have a meeting with heaven in about a month to get them to agree to help with the redemption plan! If you can tell us more about what happened to the 2 of you when you were alive it might help with redemption." 

"There were 3 of us." Marcy peered around as she walked, relying on Sasha to lead her as she always used to in school. 

"Anne ended up in heaven though. If she didn't I would sue heaven." Sasha followed Charlie as she told them which rooms were occupied and by who. 

"I don't think you can sue heaven." Vaggie raised an eyebrow at Sasha. 

"I don't give a shit." The toad shrugged. "I'm fucking doing it anyway." 

----- 

Needless to say, Charlie's meeting with heaven didn't go well. 

The extermination was aimed almost entirely at the hotel, but thanks to Sasha's accidental discovery, they were able to arm themselves. The two members of the calamity trio in hell were prepared for a fight, and while they no longer had access to the powers of the crystals, they still had the experiences of fighting the core... Even if it had taken Anne's disintegration and reformation to get rid of it once and for all. 

At least Sasha wouldn't have to fight Darcy this time - unable to seriously hurt her opponent who hid in Marcy's body. 

"Here they come." Vaggie steeled her resolve when they all saw the portal open, Charlie taking a deep, calming breath. "Get ready everyone! We fight together!" 

Sasha raised both her swords, Marcy aiming her crossbow with angelic steel arrow heads at the portal, everyone ready for the angels to come. 

"Now! For your souls!" Vaggie raised her spear, the crowd of sinners and hellborn cheering as the exorcists came through the portal. 

But before the exorcists were in anyone's range, the sound of a storm deafened them. Dark clouds none of them had seen since they entered hell forming above the hotel, even the exorcists holding still as they could sense the overwhelming power that this storm held. 

"No!" Charlie looked desperate as tears formed in her eyes, seeming to realise what was going on as a ball of barely blue tinted light appearing. 

There was simply no way any of the sinners could fight this thing, Marcy thought it was a reasonable assessment to assume that even Lucifer would come short if he was forced to face the overwhelming power. From the divine power that seemed to pour out of the being of light as if it were a waterfall, it also seemed likely for it to take the side of the exorcists. 

"It was nice loving you, Marmar." Sasha didn't have a hand left to take hold of Marcy, offering a smile instead. 

"I wouldn't give up our time together for anything." Marcy returned the smile. 

Even knowing this fight was futile, they were going to keep their stand until they were dead. If they gave up easily then they didn't deserve to be members of the calamity trio. 

"What are you doing?" The almost human shaped ball of light spoke with a voice that sounded like a chorus of millions, but something about it made the breath catch in Sasha and Marcy's throats. "I had already banned these practices." 

"But they killed some of us!" Adam flew to the front of the exorcists, the sinners unable to do anything but watch, but his arguing showed a sign of hope. 

"And you have killed millions of them." The echoing voice sounded like it was siding with hell. "And you would have lost none if you had done as you were told. Go back, exterminations are done." 

"But-" 

"Go. Back." The voice cut off whatever argument Adam was trying to raise, their tone final. "Don't let me catch you doing this again." 

Adam and the rest of the exorcists couldn't argue with the divine being in their way, so they turned tail and ran before anything could happen to the hotel. 

That didn't mean the danger had passed for the hotel, though. The exorcists were gone, but heaven had denied Charlie's attempts to work together. A divine being like this would surely be on the same side as heaven despite the disagreement with the exterminations. 

But the ball of light didn't attack, instead changing form and becoming much, much dimmer. 

It kept changing until it took the form of a woman with dark skin, and tightly curled hair with a lot of volume, tied back in a way that made it look like a pompom.

It was a woman so familiar it almost hurt. 

"Anne!?" 

Sasha and Marcy hadn't been trying to speak in unison, but their voices built off each other, almost sounding like the ball of light as they echoed in the now empty space. The woman clearly heard them, looking down in surprise despite the quiet frustration she had been showing. 

"Sasha!" The woman's face lit up as she flew down to the sinners standing outside of the hotel. "Mar- Whyyyy do you look like that?" 

Upon getting a good look at Marcy the woman who still gave off a strong divine aura hid behind Sasha, clearly freaked out. 

"Yeah, it's really unsettling, but she's got no connections to the core any more. Just looks quite like Darcy." Sasha took one of Anne's hands, her swords forgotten on the ground in the presence of her old friend. 

"Do you mind if I change it?" Anne was still using Sasha as a shield, the drone that the V's had been using to spy on the battle crashing to the ground glitching. "I can make you look like a newt?" 

"That's fine, but Anne, what just happened?" Marcy took Anne's other hand as her form shifted, looking more like the friends she had made in Amphibia. 

"Oh... I'm God now." Anne shrugged as though it was no big deal. "Why are you two in hell?" 

"No, no no no, you're fucking what?" Sasha pulled away from Anne to face the woman, relieved to see her in better health than the last time they had spoken, but a finger in her face nonetheless. 

"I'm God." Anne tilted her head to the side, confused. "Didn't I tell you that?" 

"No, no you did not." Marcy, now looking remarkably like Andrias with her newt features and strongly blue tinted skin. "How long did you know you were going to be god without telling us!?" 

"You remember when I died after absorbing the power of all the stones and defeating the Core?" Anne adjusted herself so she was sitting, floating just above the ground, the blue glow still there, the cannibals leaving as the food they were promised wasn't going to happen, the other residents of the hotel not sure if this new god would even let them talk. 

"Yes... That was traumatising... You literally turned into leaves." Sasha spoke slowly, as though she was thinking Anne was being stupid. 

"Well I met the previous God. Turns out the stones were a test, and I was the first person to pass the test. They offered to have me become God, I tried to reject it, but they just created the identical copy of my body for me to come back to life and made me become god the next time I died." Anne shrugged, clearly having had a long time to understand her situation. "Why are you two in hell?" 

"Anne," Sasha lay a hand on the God's shoulder. "I tried to become a dictator of Amphibia. I also almost killed the Planters." 

"And I'm the reason we got stuck in Amphibia in the first place, leading to Frogvasion." Marcy raised the hand that wasn't holding Anne's. 

"Sasha... You were a therapist." Anne raised an eyebrow at the two sinners. "And Marcy, you paid for that with what happened with Darcy, and you were a comic writer. You've both done enough good to be redeemed." 

"Wait, you're for redemption?" Charlie interrupted, Anne looking like she had forgotten there was anyone else nearby. 

"Well... Yeah... I mean, it's already happened a few times." Anne wasn't omniscient, at least not yet with how many different universes she now had to take care of, but she knew that much. "One of the first was your brother." Anne pointed at Vaggie. 

"My what?" Vaggie's voice was more aggressive than she meant with her shock. 

"Yeah, Daniel.... You are Victoria, right?" Anne was starting to feel a little insecure, perhaps she had confused this angel with someone else, but she didn't think so. There weren't many fallen exorcists. 

Vaggie didn't say anything else, looking horrified. 

"I feel like I said something I shouldn't have, and I have a lot to do. The previous God kinda just fucked off, so I have no idea what I'm doing." Anne squeezed Sasha and Marcy's hands with a smile. "You two, get to heaven, I'll be seeing you.. Oh! The guy who ran you both off the road got arrested and I'm cursing him randomly when I'm bored." 

"Serves him fuckin' right!" Sasha grinned an evil grin. "The guy's been stalking my patient and her family with insane rambling as a justification." 

"Ehhhhh... He's not entirely wrong; Vee is a basilisk so technically a type of demon." Anne shrugged. 

"So you two are friends with God?" Husk raised an eyebrow at the two sinners, Anne immediately reforming. 

"What the fuck!?" Anne did the same as Sasha when she had first heard the cat's voice, placing herself between her friends and the bartender. 

"That's Husker, he's got nothing to do with Andrias." Sasha put her hand on Anne's shoulder again. 

"Then why does he sound like him?" Anne's voice was high pitched as she looked back. 

"Shouldn't you know that?" Marcy laughed. 

"I don't know shit!" Anne argued. "I'm a frog scientist!" 

"You're the best frog scientist." Marcy grinned. 

"Bullshit." Anne tinted her head back so she was looking down her nose at Marcy. 

"Didn't you say you had shit to do?" Sasha laughed. "Go on, you know where to find us when you have time." 

"Fine, but you both need to get to heaven." Anne sighed, giving them both hugs before she disappeared like she had come. 

"What did I miss?" Lucifer was out of breath as he arrived, a little concerned now he couldn't see any signs of an extermination. 

"Those two are friends with God." Angel pointed at Sasha and Marcy. 

"Exterminations are cancelled." Nifty sounded disappointed as she said that. 

"I have a brother who is a redeemed sinner and my name is actually Victoria." Victoria still looked shellshocked as Charlie tried to comfort her. 

"The new God agrees with redemption and it's already happened." Charlie added. 

"... What?" 

----- 

"Took you two fucking long enough." Anne greeted the remaining two thirds of the calamity trio as they appeared in a grand hall where not just Anne, but other angels who looked to be powerful. "This guy's a bitch, wanna be my new Metatron angels?" 

"Be your what?" Sasha looked around, glad she had been redeemed with Marcy, but surprised at the same time. 

"Metatron is the highest angel." Marcy explained. "But why us?" 

"Because I can trust you two." Anne shrugged. "Will you?" 

"If you retire, we get to as well." Sasha grinned, accepting Anne's offer. 

[secondgenerationnerd]

Can I have a fanfic where jai gets hit in the crotch by irey, Mari, & lian either on purpose or accidentally?

For the sake of his gonads, we won’t have Mar’i and her super strength do it 😂😂 but I’ll do two little drabbles of when Lian and Irey did it. Light smut with Lian

——————————

Irey

“YOU FUCKING BASTARD!”

“I KNOW YOU ARE BUT WHAT AM I?!”

Wally knew this would happen. Sighing as he walks into the Omega living area with Dick and Roy, take out in hands to surprise the kids, he looks at his kids.

The 17-year-old twins, Jai and Irey, stand by the kitchen cabinets. A few years ago they were nearly the same height, Irey two or so inches taller than her brother. Then puberty swept through and shot Jai up to over 6 feet, leaving Irey at 5’4. Now his son is using that height to hold a bag of seaweed chips over his sister’s head.

“GIVE IT HERE OR—“

“OR WHAT YOU’LL BITE ME?! SO ORIG—FUCK!” Jai drops to his knees, hands covering his crotch. Irey catches the bag of chips in victory. She might be shorter than her brother, but she can kick high enough to reach his balls.

“IRIS ANNE WEST!”

“I WARNED HIM! HE FUCKED AROUND AND FOUND OUT!”

———

Lian

“Fuck, Jai….” Lian groans, his lips brushing against her throat, making her shiver. After a busy three weeks, they finally found time to themselves. Jai lost his shirt within two seconds of entering the room. Lian’s came off before they tumbled onto the bed.

Jai could write entire dissertations about how much he loves her body. She’s never been a small girl, especially with the years of archery shaping her arms and shoulders, god the seminars he could give on back muscles. Stretch marks on thick thighs poking out from her running shorts. Gorgeous long legs tangled with his. Muscles ripping under scarred skin with every movement.

“I’m hungry, Li….mind if I have a snack?” He murmurs into her skin, hands sliding down her sides, hooking into the bottoms of her shorts. He hears the grin in her voice as her hips lift.

“Who am I to deny a speedster their favorite—“

BANG!

“GUYS!”

The bedroom door flies open, Colin’s excited shout startling them. Jai had been sitting up to pull her shorts off, losing balance and taking Lian off the bed with him. Between that and their still tangled legs, Jai shouts in pain as his girlfriend’s knee meets his errection, her shorts ripping in the fall.

“FUCK!” Jai curls up beside the bed, Lian grabbing a blanket to cover them.

“WHAT THE FUCK, COLIN!”

“Sorry!” The meta holds up his hands, slowly backing up from the angry archer. “Just wanted to tell you YJL is here. You okay, Jai?”

“No!” Jai squeaks. “That could have been a text!”

“Right…so I’m going to go now.” Colin ducks as Lian throws a boot at his head. Once he’s gone, she cups his face.

“Fuck, Jaibae, I’m sorry.”

“Not your fault,” he grunts. “I’d ask you to kiss it better, but that makes it hurt more.”

Lian kisses his temple. “When it feels better, I will, promise.”

[thedanishsim]

The Summer of ‘23

A recap from May to August 2023

The summer months had gone quicker than expected, and then again - every year it felt the same when fall started knocking on the door. A lot of things have happened in the last six months. It still felt like yesterday that Mia celebrated her 30th birthday, having Logan showing up unexpectedly, and sent him back to LA a few days later. Ellie had enjoyed the visit from her father, even though it had been short and awkward. Luckily, she didn’t know.

Mia had been planning the summer months since last fall, planning for the competitions to come, and for the training of the horses. Shortly after Logan had left, Mia had entered a show in California at the end of April with Ballerine and Candlelight. Mia had debuted Candlelight in their first 1.25m. class. She hadn’t really been sure if they were ready for the class yet, even though they trained at this level at home, but they ended up placing 1st in a strong group. For Ballerine, Mia had entered the 1.35m. class, placing 2nd.

Everything had been going after the plans until mid-May when her landlord had shown up by her door and told her the house would be put up for sale and that she had until the end of July to move out. She had found herself on her way to Stockholm, Sweden, with Ballerine and Candlelight, with the possibility of actually coming home to.. no home? 

Her parents, Anne and Peter, as the wonderful and supporting parents they always had been, had offered her to help out while being away. Anne had joined Mia for the Scandinavia-trip - to help out with the horses and Ellie during Mia’s classes - and Peter had stayed back to look into the real estate market in and around Twinbrook to look at the few options Mia might have. Before leaving for Stockholm, Mia had spent a few days in New York with her parents, talking about the options of staying in Twinbrook, or moving back to New York to be closer to Anne and Peter. For now, New York wasn’t an option; they had all been agreeing to that. And then the next question popped up; should she rent another house with the possibility of standing without a roof over her head again within the next few years, or, should she spent the money she didn’t have to buy a house in a town that was known for its old money and houses costing more than she could afford on her own?

The trip to Stockholm was a great learning success for both Mia and the two horses; Mia had entered Candlelight in his second 1.25m. class, ending 3rd. Candlelight had been a good boy and seemed like he enjoyed being away for a bigger show, than the more local ones they had entered until now. For Ballerine, Mia had entered the 1.35m. class again, ending in second place, and Ballerine had behaved like a Pro - as always. She was such a great learning partner for Mia, always easy to navigate around the course and always so easy to bring along to shows. Mia had been having a good few days with her mom, Ellie and the horses, and when going home, her mom had sent them off home before she went to Copenhagen, Denmark, to visit her aunt.

Back in Twinbrook, Mia had the horses settled into their home again. She had decided to give both horses a break over the summer after attending two bigger shows during the last months. While being away, Peter had found a few options for Mia to look into. He had joined her when she went to look at a few houses for rent - one outside of Twinbrook, and one very close to the Town Square. Both houses had potential in their own ways, but none of them had been giving Mia that ‘homey’-feeling she wanted. One day, on her way home from O’Neil’s, Mia had suddenly stopped outside of a house. She had been driving this way many times before, but she had never really seen this house before. It was almost surrounded with a taller hedge to keep nosey looks out from the backyard, and at the front of the house was a small porch with beautiful flowers in front. After sitting in her car for a few minutes looking at the house, an older woman approached Mia, asking if she could help with something. Mia had quickly apologized and left, embarrassing for just sitting there looking at the house. Mia had tried to get rid of the feeling that she couldn’t explain about seeing the house, but something about it kept crawling back into her mind. A few days later, Mia had driven by again - and this time stopped to look at the ‘For Sale’-sign standing in front of the house. Had it been a sign? Was someone trying to tell her something the other day?

Mia had called her dad the same evening and told him about the house. Peter had reached out to the realtor the next day, but the realtor had quickly rejected him. There had already been over 20 people interested in seeing the house since it had been put up for sale the day before, and even if they had been able to look at the house, it had been way over the budget Mia had in mind. Mia felt lost. Something about the house had made her feel like this was the house that was meant for her and Ellie to stay in Twinbrook. A few days went by, and each day Mia drove by the house on her way home from the stable - mostly to let her little dream and that little hope stay alive… until it wasn’t. The ‘For Sale’ sign had changed just after a week. The house was sold. And the realtor hadn’t returned to her dad. It was over. The house was sold, gone, and now she had to get back into looking for a new home.

Mia had spent almost a week being moody and trying to get the idea out of her mind when her parents had come by for a visit. It wasn’t unusual for them to come by in the middle of a week - her mom did it all the time to help with Ellie - but it wasn’t as often that her dad joined. He had business to attend back in New York, so the visit had been a bit of a surprise for Mia. But hey? Ellie got to spend time with one of her favorite persons in her little world; her granddad. 

One evening, Anne and Peter had invited Mia out for an early dinner in downtown Twinbrook. They had brought Ellie along - hence the early dinner - and they had all had a good time. On the way home, Peter made a wrong turn, making Mia a bit annoyed, since they had to get home and get Ellie to bed. Her irritation had stopped in the same second they pulled up and parked in front of… the house. “What are we doing here?” Mia had looked at her dad, “Well, we talked.. And.. You need to do a lot before you can move in, but - it’s yours if you still want it”. “What are you talking about?!” Mia had almost jumped up into the ceiling of her dad’s car. Both of her parents had just smiled at each other, and it wasn’t until Peter had physically put the keys into Mia’s hands that she believed what they were telling her. Mia went inside to see the house - it was very clear that it was an elderly couple who had lived here. Everything was pretty outdated, and her dad had not been wrong about how much that needed to be done on the house to fit into what Mia wanted, but.. the house was hers!

The next few weeks went by pretty fast. Mia spent most of her time talking to an interior designer to get the work started. Luckily, the interior designer was the daughter of one of Anne and Peter’s good friends, and she quickly catched on to what Mia wanted to do with the house. And then the renovation started.

At the mid to end of June, Mia got a call from her aunt Lena. Like Logan, Lena lived in California, just outside of Logan, at a beautiful farm where she bred some amazing dressage horses with some of the best bloodlines from around Europe. Some would say that Lena might have been the reason for Mia to get into the more professional part of the equestrian world, even though Anne would say that it was because of both of the sisters' love for horses. Lena had invited Mia and Ellie to her home for a few weeks during the summer. Mia had always loved visiting her aunt and the beautiful farm, and when Lena had told about a project she had in mind, Mia had bought the tickets for a few days later.

Lena had picked up Mia and Ellie from the airport. It was the first time for Lena to spend a longer period of time with Ellie. Lena had never been able to have kids herself, so the horses had been her kids instead, which had also given Lena and her husband, James, a great opportunity to follow Lena’s dream of being one of the best breeders in the world. Lena had been able to breed some top performance horses over the years and she had had more than a dozen young horses qualified for the Young Dressage Horses World Championship in Europe during the years, and even a couple of horses competing in both the World Cups and the Olympics. It was also Lena who had bred Mia’s former Grand Prix-dressage horse, O’Malley, that had made Mia able to compete at some of the biggest Junior and Young Rider competitions. After losing O’Malley, Mia had bought Ballerine and changed her focus to Show Jumping, but she missed having a dressage horse. A few years ago, just before Mia got pregnant with Ellie, Lena had offered Mia one of her fillies to fill in for O’Malley. But sadly, the filly, Catwalk, had had an injury as a youngster, and since the injury had been to the mare's neck, Mia and Lena had been agreeing on not to put Catwalk into work and instead letting her be a broodmare for Lena. But now, Lena had a new plan, and for that she had to get Mia to California.

Mia and Ellie had been enjoying their stay with Lena and James. And Lena’s plan had worked just as she had wished for. Back when Lena had called Mia, she had told her about her main rider, Denise, quitting due to her moving to Europe with her fiancé. Lena had been feeling a bit frustrated since she then needed to find a new rider for the active competition horses and the younger ones at the farm. But since that wasn’t just something you would do from one day to another, Lena needed someone to take over the reins of a very special horse that stood her heart very near. And for that Lena had immediately thought of Mia.

The horse was a 4 years old Hanoverian mare, bred by Lena and James, and out of the most successful of Lena’s mares; the same dam as Catwalk. The mare, Magnolia’s Valerie, or as they just called her in the barn, Valerie, had already shown her huge talent under Denise. There was only just one problem; Lena wouldn’t let just anybody into the saddle of the mare. Mia had been a bit anxious about Lena’s plan. Knowing her aunt and how she was with the horses that meant just that extra to her, and the fact that Mia had chosen to focus on show jumping over dressage for the last couple of years, it was not without nerves Mia got ready to take the reins after seeing Denise riding the young mare. Valerie had shown off her great temper and gaits - oh lord, that horse could move! - already during the warm up. And it was easy to forget that she was only still 4 years old when watching her dancing around the sunny arena. Denise let Mia take the reins and stood on the ground while Mia mounted the mare. It didn’t take more than a few minutes in the saddle for Mia to fall in love with Valerie. It was like getting a deja vú to why Mia had been falling in love with dressage all those years ago. Mia had a few rides on Valerie in the following days, and soon the agreement was made between Lena and Mia; Mia was the new rider of Valerie, and in just a few weeks Valerie would arrive in Twinbrook.

Mia and Ellie went back to Twinbrook after a week with Lena and James, and a one-day visit with Logan in Los Angeles. It wasn’t with great pleasure that Mia went to visit Logan and his wife, Catharina. But she did it for Ellie. And that was the most important thing. Back home a lot was happening. The new house was changing each day, and Mia soon started to pack up everything from the old house. And soon the big days came; Mia and Ellie moved into the house - which looked like a completely different house except for the outside walls - at the end of July. The working-crew had done an amazing job with the house! The backyard had actually been in really good shape, but the patio and the pool had needed an update; the pool had gotten all new tiles - dark gray and black tones to get some kind of exclusive feeling instead of some old sun-bleached turquoise tiles - and the patio had gotten a whole new wood-deck. The biggest updates was done to the inside of the house; downstairs was a totally new open-kitchen with a big kitchen island in the middle and a small cozy dining spot, a combined living/dining room in the middle of the house with the most beautiful fireplace Mia had seen in a long time, a smaller living room next to the kitchen ready to invite you in for the cozy fall and winter evenings, all snuggled up on the big couch in front of the TV. And then also Mia’s new office with big windows between the office and the combined living/dining room. On the first floor, the workers had demolished all the walls and made 3 rooms; the master bedroom with direct access to a big walk-in-closet. Just as Mia had wanted. Then Ellie’s new bedroom and a guest room - which of course would be “Ali’s room”, as it also had been in the old house. 

Mia spent as much time as possible to get everything in order in the new house, but a new, major event came closer for each day: the biggest event of the year - the CTJL show in Monaco. The event would run in September, and since it would be a very big event, Mia had decided to only enter Ballerine. That meant a longer summer-break for Candlelight, lots of time for Valerie to settle in and have a break from the training, and that Ballerine and Mia had lots of training to do before their departure to a once in a lifetime-adventure… ✨

[winchestersdrive]

Story of Us// Tomark

I’ve decided to create a Tomark story since the world needs more Tomark‼️ this story will take place from 1992-currently. I hope you guys enjoy!

TW// Light cussing!, mention of broken bones.

June 1st, 1992  at 5;40pm in Poway, California.

16 almost 17 year old Tom Delonge sat in his room, listening to his records. School was out and he had nothing better to do at the moment. He might ride his skateboard around for a while before the weather turns shitty. His older brother,  Shon, was currently at his girlfriend's house. Kari was having a sleepover at her friend's house, and their parents were out of town for the week. So Tom basically had the whole house to himself for now. He liked it when no one else was home. He enjoyed the peaceful feeling.

He could hangout with Scott. Scott was a few years younger than Tom, but he was pretty chill. They went to school together while Tom was still in middle school. Scott was going to be a freshman this coming year and Tom was going to be a junior. Tom's sister, Kari, would be in Scott's classes with him. They sometimes hangout whenever Scott is at the Delonge household. Scott only lived a few blocks down from Tom so it wouldn't be much of a walk. He soon got up, turning his record player off. Tom soon threw on his Descendents shirt along with his jeans and his converse. Grabbing his skateboard, he made his way down the steps and out the front door. Once he was outside, he hoped on his board, making his way to Scott's house. The sky was cloudy, but luckily it wasn't raining yet. He didn't mind the rain, he actually loved it. But, when he's trying to skate. Him and rain aren't the best of friends.

Once he made it to Scott's house, he noticed a few of their other friends were there. Including an unfamiliar car that he's never seen before. Weird. He thought to himself. Tom made his way into the house, seeing a few of his friends. He also saw Anne Hoppus. He knew her only because one of his friends was dating her. She lived in Ridgecrest, which was a 3-4 and a half hour drive. He was impressed that she made her way from there all the way to Poway for a little get together.

Anne soon noticed Tom and smiled a bit. She made her way over to the other. "Hi, Tom! I have someone for you to meet." She said. Before he knew it, she was dragging him outside to where a few people were. She took him over to a boy that looked very similar to her. "Mark, meet Tom. This is the boy I was telling you about. Tom, this is my older brother, Mark." She introduced the two. The boys looked at each other in awe for a moment before Mark spoke. "Nice to meet you, Tom. I heard you play guitar. That's pretty cool." He said with a soft smile. His eyes are so pretty. Tom thought to himself. He nodded and smiled a bit. "Yeah! I do. I've been playing for a few years now." Mark smiled a bit more. "That's cool, I play bass. We should totally jam out sometime." He said as he examined the taller male. Mark seemed to like this kid already. "Hell yeah, man!" Tom said.

Anne smiled as she watched their interaction. "Great! Now Mark has someone new to annoy for the next few days. I'll leave you two to chat. I'm heading back inside." She said before soon walking off.

Mark watched his sister for a moment before looking back at Tom. "So..uhm, what's your favorite things to do?" He asked, getting his packet of cigarettes out. He offered one to the other. Tom accepted it, wanting to seem cool to the other male. He really didn't know how to smoke, but maybe he could fake it. "I like to listen to music, ride my skateboard, sometimes draw, watch horror movies, and also learn anything and everything about aliens and other cryptic creatures." Tom was such a nerd when it came to aliens.

Oh my god, this kid is a nerd! But, I like him. Mark thought to himself as he listened to Tom speak. He giggled a bit at the mention of Aliens. "Aliens? Really? Well whatever floats your boat I guess. Don't worry, I think that's pretty cool. I've never really met someone who believes in that stuff. Well..minus the crackheads at the gas station." He laughed.

Tom laughed a bit before he smiled at him. "What about you then?" He asked as he watched Mark light his cigarette. The lighter was passed to him once Mark was finished. He took a drag from his cigarette before he spoke. "Well, I like playing bass, also skateboarding, listening to music, goofing off at college, annnnd..watching movies."

College? How old is he? Tom asked himself before lighting the cigarette. He soon handed Mark's lighter back to him as he took a hit from the cigarette. He attempted to inhale, but failed which caused him to start to cough. He cleared his throat before letting out a sigh. "You said you like goofing off in college..how old are you? Not to sound rude or anything. I'm just curious." He said.

"I'm 20, about to be 21 in March next year. What about you? You're not 14 are you? Cause if you were then you're pretty tall for a fourteen year old." He joked with him. The other shook his head softly, giggling a little. "No no, I'm 16 about to be 17 in December. Dude, try seeing my family. I'm literally the tallest one! I don't get it." He laughed.

Mark laughed as well before taking another hit. He was really starting to like Tom. Maybe they would become great friends. Maybe he could pull off that party trick of his. "You know what? This party or whatever is kinda lame. Do you know a place we could go?" He asked.

"I mean..we could go to my place? We can listen to music and chill. My parents and siblings aren't home so we basically have the house all to ourselves." He offered, hoping that Mark would want to hangout with him. Mark smiled and nodded. "Sure! Why the hell not. I'll just have to tell Anne I'm going with you for awhile."

Once the boys went inside, Mark told Anne where'd he would be in case she needed to get a hold of him. He didn't fully trust her being with her boyfriend, but he knew he couldn't be protective over her for forever. When him and Tom made their way outside, Tom got on his skateboard, looking over at the older boy and smiling at him. "Hop on, I don't want you to try and keep up with me." Mark smiled a bit as he accepted the younger boys offer. He held onto the taller males shoulder as he stepped onto the board. Once he was adjusted, he placed both hands on either side of Tom's waist. This caused Tom to blush a bit. He did have to admit, Mark was pretty cute. The two soon took off. They both smiled a bit as they enjoyed the ride. After a while, the boys eventually made it to the Delonge's house.

Once they got off the skateboard, Mark looked at Tom with a mischievous look on his face. "Wanna see a party trick of mine?" He asked. Tom nodded and smiled a bit. "Sure, what is it?" He soon watched as Mark began to climb up his light post. He laughed as he watched him. What the fuck is he doing? He can't be serious.

He thought to himself as he watched. Meanwhile Mark was trying to impress Tom with whatever at this point. So why not climb a fucking lamp post? What's the worst that can happen? I'm sure this will impress him. Mark thought to himself. Once he made it to the top. He looked down at Tom with a big smile. "Look, Tom! I bet you can't do that!" He laughed a little. "Now watch this!" He said, soon jumping off the pole. When he landed, he let out a painful scream. "FUCK!"

Tom watched in shock as he witnessed it. He rushed over to Mark, "What happened?!" He asked, worried. Mark groaned in pain as he sat on the ground. "I-I think I broke my heels. They fucking hurt dude." He said as he looked up at him.

What. The. Fuck. Tom thought to himself.

[leoleolovesdc]

Anna von Kleve was described as being quite tall for a woman, however, in SIX’s original Broadway cast she’s 4’11”, now, that takes me to a fun concept that I never see being that well explored in this fandom: The queens adapting to their new bodies, more specifically their heights.

I can imagine Anna being a real bitch about becoming short, she just won’t shut up about how she can’t reach this or that and how she doesn’t understand how there are people who live like this, Anne, also 4’11”, is not that mad about the change, in fact, she barely minds it. She already wasn’t very tall in her first life, but in this one it’s just a whole new level of shortness. She adapts pretty quick, and actually thinks being small is fitting for her (gremilin energy) personality. She teaches Anna a bunch of tricks on how to reach tall shelves withot having to get a chair or ladder, but whenever is convenient she will just start making drama so the taller queens will give up on trying to convince her to do chores. No, her height has nothing to do with that. Yes, she will manage to make something up and get someone who’ll buy it.

I hc that Howard got significantly taller. She’s not huge or anything (I’d probably go for around 5’9”) but she was very small when she died, so it is a huge jump. Sometimes she’s smug and happy that she grew bigger than Anna, but others she’ll just get into a crisis about how much time has passed, how much she’s grown and she just wishes she got to be a kid (for real this time). Extra hc for this one: The only thing Anne dislikes about being short is not being able to hold Howard.

I think Catalina got bigger, but not much, js grew like a few inches really (5’6” ish) it barely makes a difference most of the time, but every once in a while she’ll bump her forehead into a car door or shelf because she miscalculated those fucking two inches. She’s the only one who does this, the others who’s heights actually got messed up couldn’t be as oblivious about their size than Lina if they fucking tried.

I’ll lazy to keep going, but tmr I might reblog this and add Cathy and Jane

[nothing-but-paisley]

Ooh what's Bad Bones?

It's a short story I'm kicking around. This baby's got it all:

generational trauma

nature-as-gothic

heavily symbolic dead steel mills

a shit ton of rivers

just rust belt things

goth lesbians

a murder mystery

home remodeling (i learned it from you, anne)

Thank you for the ask! Sorry it's not vc related 😅

Excerpt:

These Appalachian foothills are older than the Atlantic Ocean, which sundered them from what are now the Scottish Highlands. Older than the moon, maybe. They might have been taller than the Himalayas once, worn down over unthinkable eons, and the fossils inside them are ancient and strange. I used to go hunting for them in the shale, a serious and lonely child, splitting rocks to find the ghosts of ferns. Seeing the skeletal ridges of land again after months or years away, I can always feel their age.

Anna looks over at me from the driver’s seat and grins at the song that’s just come on the radio (Tom Petty's "American Girl"), her black hair caught in the hot green-smelling wind. Soon we’ll be poking around the hundred-year-old rooms of all the little houses we can maybe afford in the city, old frame constructions of the kind realtors call good bones.

As we crawl up the winding tree-lined way to Mt. Washington for a showing, Anna points out a derelict red brick house crawling with weeds and honeysuckle, the rotting front porch sagging like skin, a blue tarp hanging from the upper window like the tattered sail of a ghost ship.

“Good bones,” she drawls in a vampire voice and bites at my shoulder through dark denim, making me laugh.

“Mm, yeah.” The weather is unusually sunny, and the scent of grass and hot pavement is making me crave a cigarette, an old adolescent vice. “Meat’s a little stringy though.”

Just past this neighborhood, at the western peak of the ridge across the river from the lean dark skyscrapers of downtown, is an area called Duquesne Heights, once known as Coal Hill. Its houses are notorious for foundation issues caused by mine subsidence. My grandmother’s house was built in a similarly precarious place, on top of abandoned coal pits that could swallow a house without warning. Once after a lightning storm, the old strip mines caught fire underground and coal smoke rose up from unseen holes in the ground like the mouth of hell was open. I remember being terrified of falling through the sweet grassy earth and into the burning coal. It was a fear that never really went away.

My dad always avoided the basement of his childhood home—bad bones down there.