#shine the brightest

[starseneyes]

Heart-Warmed and Teary-Eyed: Kindness Matters

I have a P.O. Box that I check once a week. Right now, I mostly use it for letter correspondence with my friend @always-coffee—a tremendous published poet and beautiful human I met by chance online.

Monday she said she mailed her latest letter. So, I stopped by the Post Office on the way home from dropping the kids at school on the off-chance it made it through USPS faster than normal.

I found no letter inside, but a flyer from the Post Office saying they were holding something for me that wouldn't fit in the box. I wondered if Ali had sent a letter that was too tall (because she has such amazing stationary). I had no idea what was about to happen.

I glimpsed the package as they pulled it from a cabinet and wondered what on earth Ali sent me. That was not a letter.

Then I saw The Golden Notebook Bookstore label and knew it was something @neil-gaiman related.

For those who don't know (normal people who don't follow Neil on social media, for example), that is the local bookstore near Neil's home in New York. He periodically signs books for them that are sold with zero markup.

I am a fan of Neil as a writer, but also as a human. I don't follow many celebrities—a side effect of my set-kid youth—but I did follow Neil last year during the WGA Strike. Been a fan of his for ages, and Neverwhere is my favorite book.

Ali knows all this, and I just knew she had done something sneakily sweet.

I rushed home with a smile on my face, trying desperately not to set off the speed-trap on the road back. Let me tell you, driving speed limit when excited is not easy for me!

When I finally whipped into my driveway and sprinted into my house, I carefully opened the package (more excruciating slowness) and tried not to cry happy tears when I saw what was inside. Wrapped tenderly in bubble-wrap rested... a book.

What You Need to be Warm is a poem Neil wrote that features illustrations from some of the best artists in the industry. That in itself is wonderful. But the mission of this little book is what is so amazing.

See, the sale of every copy supports UNHCR—the UN Refugee Agency. This book literally helps people when you buy it.

I have wanted to buy a copy for ages, but you all know I thrift and buy books secondhand. I didn't want to do that with this book.

I wanted to buy it outright to ensure the maximum amount of money went to support the cause. So, I have been waiting until we were a little more stable so I could buy it full-price, outright.

Thanks to Ali, I have a copy that was purchased outright (so it helps people in need) and it is signed!

Yes, it's a signed copy with pen bleed on the opposite page, and all.

I would never do something like this for myself. You all know I am woefully practical and doing things for myself isn't second-nature. I’m working on it, but it is slow coming reprogramming a lifetime of behavior. So gifts like this... oh, they mean everything.

I am overwhelmed with gratitude that such a kind soul would do something like this for me. Thank you, Ali.

[heymrspatel]

(kid cudi voice) now look at this

AH-!

i am having such a strong reaction to this!! like that's the same lil guy! that's our guy! and i love him so damn much and he's my favorite silly billy and he's sweet and kind and loving and dopey and beautiful and strong and brave and courageous and the biggest brightest shining light!!!

that's our guy! and he was so so little and then he was not and he's still wearing the same clothes and i bet this was a hand-me-down to begin with and i bet it's so soft and comforting now. and he still latches on to it.

and the time passes. and he keeps going back to this shirt.

he grew up in it, he fell in love in it, his heart got broken in it, he met the love of his life at the docks in it. the cycle repeating itself and he still had this shirt. until things quieted down. he got married. they moved out. he settled into his life and his body and his threadbare beige shirt with the little buttons.

and now mickey wears it. he sticks his little hands out. sleeve paws for ian to giggle over. he's endeared by it.

his shirt that stuck around.

[gege]

♡ CHENG YI ♡

[emdeerm]

Idea!

Ex-Twin

Damian and Danyal were twins. They were very close but only within their mother's sight. Everyone else only ever saw a cold indifference.

Danyal has failed a mission at the age of 6 which resulted in his death. Damian was with him at the time and retrieved the body. In a desperate attempt to get his brother back, he tried to dip him into the Lazarus Pit.

The Pit took him away much to the heartbreak of the living boy.

Damian threw himself into an even more ruthless training and excelled at it. With time, Ra's was even happy that the other boy has died. It served as an excellent motivator to his heir.

Years passed. Damian has been with his Father for a long while now. He was now turning 22 and Father held a Gala in his honour. Damian has long since realised that it was quite unnecessary but it helped their covers and allowed him to make connections.

However, they were just as boring as ever. Same faces, same lies, same talks. Nothing aloevera changed

Until a new couple from a city Amity Park, came with two teenage children. Samantha, the girl, was expected. Her bright pink gown less so if any information on her was any true.

Her companion, a boy her age, clearly uncomfortable in the suit and tie, made the ground under his feet disappear.

He looked so much like Damian himself did at the age of 15. And his eyes were that familiar, haunting blue.

Damian excused himself from his current conversation, and gracefully strode out of the room past the young teens.

Maybe he was being paranoid. Most likely unreasonably hopeful. Perhaps he was behaving irrationally.

Nonetheless, long minutes later, the scan of a hair he managed to snag revealed the truth.

It was his brother.

He came back.

___

Um... so, Maddie and Jack got dozed with some old Ecto at some point during very early stages of Maddie's pregnancy and Lazarus (Ectoplasm+Clockwork) infused the preserved genes of the baby, who died so early and had a glorious life of adventures ahead of him, into the barely formed zygot.

Danny's adventures happened. Phantom Planet not so much (unless you want it to be after the AGIT). Sam's parents finally made into an even bigger leagues and were invited to the Gala.

Danny had a bad feeling. Anything to do with the extremely rich was always problematic. No offence, Sam.

[lil-inky]

*screams from under the bed*

I finally got the courage to post about that one NightStar one shot from wayyyyy back.

AAAAAHHH THESE ARE OLD AND SO CRISPY *dies on the inside*

[some-shedanigans]

If your two Canadian friends jumped off a cliff would you also jump? (Answer is: They made me fall with them, there was no choice.)

[lordoftherazzles]

🍃 As The Tide Turns ‣ (4/9) ‣ The lost treasure of Durin the Deathless has been sought by many and found by none, but to Bilbo Baggins, it’s merely another riddle just waiting to be solved. The self-proclaimed “Deathless” expert finds himself whisked away aboard The Ravenheart, led by the infamous Captain Oakenshield, and the two embark on an unexpected journey to solve one of history’s biggest mysteries. (pirate au, teen and up, 23k)

🍃 Between Vices and Virtues ‣ (6/6) ‣ King Thorin Durinson has only held the throne for a few months after the death of his greedy predecessor. When Shire Inquiry journalist Bilbo Baggins is brought in to observe a meeting of powers, it's quickly made apparent that Thorin's sheltered and strict lifestyle has him completely disconnected from those he rules, as well as his family. It's up to Bilbo to show Thorin that the world is worth exploring and that not everything is as it seems. (modern royalty au, gen, 40k)

🍃 Bookbinder//Songwriter ‣ (13/???) ‣ Thorin Durinul has always dreamed of making it to the big leagues in the music industry. Ered Luin’s newest citizen, Bilbo Baggins, an aspiring writer and all-around bookworm, has recently taken ownership of the mountain town’s dusty old corner shop, now, Bag End Books. They weren’t looking for love, but now they can’t imagine tackling life’s challenges without each other. (modern band/bookshop au, explicit, 76k)

🍃 Dragonhearted ‣ (15/15) ‣ Thorin lives a life of solitude since Smaug’s curse fell upon Erebor. That is, until a brave hobbit turns the mountain upside down with little fear of Thorin’s snarls, scales and enchanted company, and learns to love a beast. (beauty & the beast au, explicit, 83k)

🍃 Forget-Me-Not ‣ (3/3) ‣ After the Battle of the Five Armies, Thorin remains out of consciousness until his outbursts of pain become too much for Bilbo to witness. Bilbo - the hobbit whom Thorin married in Lake-town - begs Gandalf for assistance. Magic may have pulled the pain away and brought Thorin to a lucid state, but it also took his memories of the quest, Bilbo, and their marriage, away from him. Now, with a fair warning from Gandalf that rushing Thorin's memories too quickly may cause him to relapse, Bilbo must tread carefully around his feelings, while Thorin is dead-set on courting the hobbit he can't remember he married. (post-botfa/amnesia au, gen, 14k)

🍃 Fuck Thy Neighbor ‣ (7/7) ‣ Bilbo and Thorin have a past, one that spans no longer than one wild evening which resulted in far too many drinks, a 24-hour chapel, and not knowing the other’s last name. They both thought they could simply ‘deal with it later’. When ‘later’ finally arrives, they must learn how to co-exist now as neighbors, but also as accidental newlyweds. (accidental marriage/neighbors au, explicit, 31k)

🍃 Golden Hearts Bleed Faster ‣ (1/9) ‣ Bilbo Baggins, Prince of the Shire, has been left with a kingdom on his back and a ring in his hand after the unexpected death of his parents. Bodyguard Thorin Oakenshield has been brought in to see to the prince’s safety, and do a little investigating of his own on the matter in hopes of coming face to face with the one who turned his mountain, and his life, upside down some years prior. (modern royalty/bodyguard au, teen+, 3.5k)

🍃 Kurdu 'abadaz ‣ (6/10) ‣ It's said the Arkenstone is the literal heart of the mountain with a pulse of its own, ensuring life can sustain within it, but it's also been said that the Arkenstone can drive any king mad. Not every curse of madness is the same. When Thorin Oakenshield is plucked from his eternal slumber by some miracle of the stone, he must work with Bilbo to navigate this new world and what it means for the both of them. (post-botfa/supernatural au, explicit, 34k)

🍃 May Your Forge Burn Bright ‣ (18/18) ‣ Thorin labors as a blacksmith within the world of men to support his family and the other displaced dwarves of Erebor. Change comes to his monotonous routine when the smithy he works in unexpectedly comes under a hobbit’s management. (pre-quest au, explicit, 109k)

🍃 (Take Me Back To) The Night We Met ‣ (6/6) ‣ On a night when The Green Dragon Inn is out of vacancy, Bilbo Baggins opens up his home to a trio of displaced and rain-soaked dwarves. The two children of the bunch are happy to have a temporary home away from the rain, but their uncle, Thorin, sees it only as a debt to be repaid. (pre-quest au, gen, 25k)

🍃 They Stole My Heart (Along With the Rest of Him) ‣ (6/6) ‣ After departing less than amicably, Thorin and Bilbo find themselves pining over memories and questions of ‘what if’ without any courage to seek out the answers themselves. So their friends and family step in to help…some more forcefully than others. (post-botfa/kidnap au, teen and up, 21k collab with @sunnyrosewritesstuff)

🍃 When Darkness Shines Brightest ‣ (10/10) ‣ As the Master of Shadows and King Under the Mountain, Thorin lives burdened with guilt and loss, for Erebor is dark, dead, and on the brink. That is until he finds a possible solution to save his people in a being that radiates light and life. But is it truly possible to save them all from the shadows he created? (hades&persephone/TNBC au, teen and up, 58k)

🍃 Where The Shadows Lie ‣ (8/???) ‣ Bag End Bed & Breakfast collects more dust than customers these days. An unexpected visit lands a company of royal vampires into Bilbo’s care. As he learns to coexist, he discovers secrets to his lineage. (vampire/slayer au, explicit, 59k)

[bethiewhimsy]

um mister william wood?? why do your eyes sparkle like the stars???

[jacarandaaaas]

“stars don’t shine they burn” is such a gorgeous lyric.

[blusandbirds]

JAMIE’S LITTLE CARTWHEEL HE IS THE MOST SPECIALEST BOY IN THE WORLD

[narcissusbrokenmirror]

you don't even have to shipp Juke, but you gotta admit Perfect Harmony is capital R romantic song. you can feel the connection and the admiration within the lyrics and the tones.

[mikeysketches]

Karkolak4Eva colors

[stardryad]

“I’m so sorry! I don’t even want to pretend that I understand, I can’t even fathom the hurt and the loneliness this has brought you!” Bilbo gasped, trying hard to get his words out as emotion swirled around his insides uncomfortably. “I’m…so very sorry…”

Here's the illustration for the newest chapter of the fic When Darkness Shines Brightest on AO3 (a collab with the super talented @lordoftherazzles )!

[arthursfuckinghat]

The Heartlands - New Hanover

[zacs-of-rwby]

Home is Where Your Light Shines Brightest

Chapter 8: Reality Check

Story Summary: Ozpin works tirelessly in his pursuit: to make Beacon of Hope a safe place for kids to grow up. With a bigger location and more kids to take care of, Ozpin starts to feel the weight of responsibility crushing him, and he plans to carry the whole thing himself.

For Qrow, volunteering for Beacon of Hope had only one purpose: to get Summer off his back for a little while. When he meets the polite, friendly, and handsome man in charge, he wonders if he could actually get something out of this whole ordeal after all.

With Qrow’s support, maybe Oz will be able to reach his goal of turning this house into a home.

Story Categories: Mental Health, Recovery, Slice of Life, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Slow Burn, Friends to Lovers, Found Family, LGBTQ+ Themes, Alternate Universe, Ozpin’s Halfway House AU, please check Ao3 tags for potentially triggering topics

Chapter Summary: Whitley is trying to adjust to his new home. It’s a strange feeling, but he thinks he’s gonna like it at Beacon.

Chapter Categories: Mental health, emotional hurt/comfort, angst

Warnings: Dissociative episode, addressing trauma

Author’s Note: Whitley gets his own mini arc this chapter :) also a lil cameo from Ironwood and a bit of character development. Fun for everyone in this chapter haha.

[lordoftherazzles]

Chapter 10: Epilogue

As the Master of Shadows and King Under the Mountain, Thorin lives burdened with guilt and loss, for Erebor is dark, dead, and on the brink. That is until he finds a possible solution to save his people in a being that radiates light and life. But is it truly possible to save them all from the shadows he created? (When Darkness Shines Brightest)

“Lost your king, did you?” Roac teased, flapping his wings as if to laugh alongside his words. “He’s always been hard to keep track of, even in a land of snow! It’s how he found you, after all.” Wandering through doors and all that—not that Thorin had any say in that, which both of them were very aware of.

It's finally finished, and I just want to say thank you to everyone who read this fic! It's been such a fun ride, and definitely something I've enjoyed working on and developing for nearly two years now. Many big thanks to @stardryad for being an amazing collaborator, supporter, and all around friend <3

Onto the next project!