#so finding a snippet was SO HARD

[ecstarry]

last line x new year new snippet!

“I want to.” James pressed a kiss to Regulus’ right cheek. “Let me.” Another kiss landed on his left cheek. “I just want to spend it with you,” he insisted, sealing his words with a kiss on Regulus’ lips.

James never got tired of this—kissing Regulus, running his hands through his curls, feeling the way he melted under his touch. Even the quiet moans Regulus made during the gentlest of kisses were something James adored.

this took me an emberrasing amount of time to get to i'm so sorry i have nothing to show but this cute snippet of iva's original xmas fic that i did not finish (the one i posted still was very cute i promise) but here it is <3

thank you for the lovely tag @velanavis , @ultravioletbrit , @residentrookie , @lavenderhaze , @sunfl0w3rmoon , @kalegreeneyes , @sixlane

this took me too long omfg this is most definitely an open tag babes !!

[devotee-of-apollomes]

my mind has been plagued by the scene of Hermes' body squirming on the bed, legs weak from physical exertion, wings outstretched and motionless, breaths coming shallowly, eyes unable to focus, an expression of pure pleasure stamped on his face, lips slightly parted and a trickle of saliva coming from the corner of his mouth.

Apollo still buried inside him, feeling turned on by the wonderful and flawless sight before him, wanting to push him to the limit even after they lost count of how many times they did it. he can see the bulge formed in Hermes' belly, completely full and begging him to continue.

Hermes is pretty sensitive here and can't think straight, but honestly, he'll find it hot if Apollo keeps going and his mind will remain in a state of bliss.

[larkwinged]

𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐒 𝐅. 、𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐊𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

PROFILE. a self-righteous knight who is too willing to throw their life away, and too eager to charge into battle. underneath their stubborn exterior, they are riddled with the pressure of upholding a family title that has long been lost to time.

FULL NAME. artemis elise fröhlich

PRONOUNS. they / them

GENDER. fem-presenting non-binary

AGE. early twenties

HEIGHT. 5”1

BIRTHDAY. november 12th

OCCUPATION. knight

AFFILIATION. knights of favonius

ELEMENT. pyro

CONSTELLATION. columba bellicosi

WEAPON TYPE. sword — “herald of the dawn”

Now stripped of its original purpose as a vessel to store all the memories of an ancient god king, this sword has been passed down in the Fröhlich family since the dawn of time.

Once wielded by the god of memories herself, this sword was blessed by the winds and presented as a gift to her youngest child upon the morn of their knighting ceremony.

“You, who represent the grace and bravery of humanity,” said the Queen, “take this and go. Become a pillar of hope to those wallowing in the darkness, and guide the lost onto a chivalrous path. You, the Dovewing Knight.”

And so, the first Dovewing Knight set out, protecting the people of Cairnfelle and standing tall as a beacon of hope, just as they were requested.

At the edge of the world, when the brilliance of Cairnfelle collapsed and the mountains crumbled, the sword found its way tumbling back into the hands of its previous owner to defend her honor, and upkeep her legacy until the final trumpet sang … announcing her defeat.

With no definite home, the sword lay in the ruins of its kin, preserved well by the Anemo Archon and his will — until the day it found its way into the waiting hands of the inheritor of an ancient title.

• demo music concepts. one two three

• ENG voice claim : keath òsk as cole seymour from yaelokre’s “meadowlark” project

• JP voice claim : marina inoue as armin arlert from attack on titan

CHARACTER STORY 1: eastward of eden

It is true that Artemis has long held resentment towards their older sister and past caretaker, Lilith. As a child, Artemis was refused of many things — including choosing their own clothes, partaking in certain activities, and having their own privacy. There wasn’t much they were allowed to do, and even the hobbies they enjoyed ended up ruined by Lilith’s excitement and pushy nature.

To this day, Lilith is unaware of the mental anguish she caused her siblings over the course of their entire childhood. However, in her own eyes, she has done no such thing, and has succeeded at being a “mother.”

Many citizens have told her, “My, you exercise much control over them,” and yet, she has failed to see the error in her ways. It is not entirely her fault, as she was forced into the role of a mother when she wasn’t ready for such a task. Even though she failed in many aspects of her parenting skills, there was one thing she has always truly succeeded at: caring deeply for her family.

However, no amount of love could undo the years of fighting and hurtful words thrown around between the siblings.

CHARACTER STORY 2: legacy

Long ago, in the days of yore, the archaic land of Mondstadt had been ruled by a monarch older than Decarabian. Her rule was rumored to last longer than his, and her birth is now nothing but scattered fragments along the wind.

When the Queen of the North Wind descended and claimed Mondstadt as her home, a mighty kingdom formed under her feet. Small huts grew to larger, firmer homes, and gargantuan cathedrals made of marble were erected in her honor. Trumpets blew, the wind howled, snow fell, and mountains as high as the heavens towered above humanity.

In later years, the prospering kingdom of Cairnfelle was officially born. Serving as a haven for travelers and poets alike, the kingdom sang with energy as it thrived under Queen Catalina’s guiding hand. The god of memories was exceptionally gentle, with a kind and compassionate heart that moved even the most stoic-faced men to tears. Her words were wise, her complexion glowing, and her promises true.

Cairnfelle, as much as it prospered, gained an enemy from a distant land. With no choice but to face the beast she prodded, the Queen set out to befriend the raging phoenix that had enough of her games. Ever the charming soul, the Queen did not have to do much to make the phoenix bow to her every whim, and before the citizens of Cairnfelle had the chance to acclimate to the visitor, the two were to be wed.

There is not much to say for the years in between the joining of two god kings and the fall of Cairnfelle, but this: Four inexplicably brave and virtuous souls were born from the two gods — four demigod knights who carved the way for the future of Mondstadt: The Four Archangels.

The Blair Family — the origin of the Fröhlichs, is no longer the raging flame of life it had once been, but a snuffed out ember of its former glory.

Only in passing on the titles of the Four Archangel Knights can the present day Fröhlich family hold tight to what was once a name feared and adored by all.

CHARACTER STORY 3: composition

Many questions have arisen over the years; all pertaining to a certain facet of Artemis’ composition.

“Is it a curse?” They’ve inquired, only to wind up receiving a simple, “I’m not even sure myself!”

However, that it is a small white lie they’ve grown to tell. In fact, Artemis is very much aware of the reason why they consistently find themselves on the brink of death and luckily make it out alive. It is because of the unique composition their ancestor, Lowen, was made of: pure and unbridled wrath.

The story goes as such: In the days of yore, when gods and monsters still yet walked the earth, a beast born of flame and rage took flight. They seared their enemies and allies alike, and roused the hearts of warriors all across Natlan. They utterly refused to lay their past life to rest. In doing so, they made a promise to their newfound family. The wrath that lived inside them was nothing but a blessing, and deserved to be passed on through their children, and future generations. And so, the endless wrath that boiled in their veins was passed on — consuming the lives of their children, and overtaking the brilliant flames that became their descendants.

To be a god’s descendant has always been an honor in the Fröhlich family line… Yet, Artemis — like the direct children of the god of wrath — see it as naught but a curse; For what blessing could bring about destruction and the devastation of any living being in one’s wake.

VISION STORY:

The blistering pyro vision attached to Artemis’ belt was said to be a gift from the gods, and maybe even a gift from the long gone god of wrath themselves.

What else are visions besides gifts from the gods? A tool to wield, and yet another curse Artemis must deal with.

At the young age of eleven, Artemis was sent out on their first escorting mission. It was their first mission given to them by Grand Master Varka, who was elated to test their strength and endurance. Not many were willing to accept an escort from a child — as was the case with the Fontainian aristocrat Artemis was talking their ear off to. However, the man said nothing, as the child’s directional skills were second to none. It was only when they hit a bump in the road that the man questioned Artemis’ capabilities as a knight.

“I should’ve known better than to trust a child!” He yelled, waving his fist in the air as he pushed them aside and ran off ahead by himself in the rain, leaving the young Artemis to fend for themselves amidst a hoard of abyssal monsters.

Although panic was steadily rising throughout their body, they forced themself forward — slashing at every monster with a shaky grip on their sword. The rain poured, sagging their clothes, and dragging their arms down to the dirt. The grip on their sword slipped, as did their footing, and they tumbled to the hard ground with a rough clash.

Their shoulder-piece scratched the bridge of their nose on the way down, and a thick line of blood began to spill from the open wound. A rifthound drew closer, baring its teeth and snapping its jaw as its claws outstretched, striking Artemis across the head. A clap of thunder sounded, and amidst the ringing in their ears, Artemis felt the weight of ten large wooden planks collapse on their back.

Even so, they shakily grabbed their sword, their nails digging into the wet earth, and began to stand. Their blood boiled as a wrath they were only warned about once crept up to the surface, prickling along their skin until it caved inwards, tugging at their ribcage and burning against their racing heart.

In a flash of white and gold, the hoard of rifthounds lay motionless on the grass, their bodies turning to dust as Artemis panted heavily. The wrath inside their veins bubbled, and their vision turned red. It was all consuming. It was destructive, and it was total annihilation. They struck down every monster seeping from an abyssal pylon until finally, they tore the pylon in half with nothing but their blade and their bare hands.

The rain continued to fall as they dropped their sword and collapsed to the ground in a heap of sore limbs and bloodied grass. Their eyes fell close for a moment — at least, what felt like a moment — and when they opened, a shining vision sat amongst the pool of blood left behind by their foes.

Indeed. The god of wrath, whose curse ran rampant in their veins, rewarded them with yet another “gift.”

𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒

𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐀

• hobbies: When they are home in Dornman Port enjoying their days off, they like to wind down by practicing the art of crochet. Not only is it soothing to sit by a windowsill while the afternoon breeze filters into their bedroom, it is also a hobby their late mother held dear. By partaking in this hobby, they feel closer to their mother, and can preserve her memory longer. Another hobby is sports. Artemis can often be found playing with the kids in the port during vacations.

• beliefs: The Fröhlich family have always dedicated their lives to the protection of Mondstadt, and hold a firm worship to a god king who has long been dead. Although they have accepted Barbatos as their new savior, they still hold their original god close to their hearts. Artemis has naturally followed this belief and considers their worship of the god of memories their religion. During rough times, they find solace in a temple far north and meditate there for as long as they deem necessary. Once a month, they offer up a few of their most important memories— a ritual that has been passed down in the Fröhlich family for over 3000 years.

(This act of offering up memories is akin to the way some worshippers will offer animal sacrifices to the god they serve.)

• about — fate: Artemis is a firm believer that fate will guide the worthy and ultimately lead everyone onto the path they are destined to walk. However, they do not include the meddling of gods and higher beings into this equation. They believe that fate is its own entity and not dictated by the Archons nor Celestia. It acts of its own accord, and the gods are mere victims of fate, as well. Not even Celestia will be spared.

• about — death: Artemis believes that death is a stepping stone to a greater afterlife. Akin to their many family members, they believe that life is temporary, and death is eternal. When one dies, they are not truly dead; for they are shedding their mortal shell and accepting their true form, which is the soul. The soul will live on forever in the afterlife, while the physical body is nothing more than a temporary shell to house said soul. With this belief, the Fröhlich family does not fear death, but welcomes it with open arms— greeting it like an old friend.

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

An analysis of Alhaitham's egoism in relation to Kaveh

(Update: The essay this is taken from is now uploaded! It can be accessed here and here as as a pdf <3)

Max Stirner's anarchist egoism is speculated to be the basis of Alhaitham's personal egoism, therefore I will be drawing upon Stirner's 'The Unique and Its Property' for this analysis.

Property and power are key principles within this philosophy. The egoist recognises himself as an individual, separate from the general collective of “humanity”, in which concepts such as freedom and property are governed to and over the people, for then the individual is not considered as such, rather they are a part of “humanity”, rather than a whole individual (Stirner, 170). This thinking is demonstrated within Alhaitham’s Story Quest, where he dismantles Siraj’s Hivemind by targeting individuals that compromised the Hive and reminding them of their own beliefs and preferences – the individual in themselves is a whole, and is not a “part” of a system (Stirner, 170).

In this, the egoist governs himself by what he owns and what he wants to own: “ownness is my whole essence and existence, it is myself. I am free from what I am rid of, owner of what I have in my power, what I control. I am at all times and under every circumstance my own”(Stirner, 106). This relates to the concept of freedom, which, for an egoist exists according to having the power to be free of something, for example, being freed of hunger, thirst, or societal expectations (Stirner, 105). This is reflected within Alhaitham’s description: “He lives free – free from the searching eyes of ordinary people,” but also extends to the power to own.

As power is considered something which the egoist owns, property then becomes something which the egoist exerts power over, and in this, can property be made use of by the egoist – all the while, the property remains an independent vessel (Stirner, 162). This is seen within Alhaitham’s view on his vision, in that it is “no more than a useful tool”, as it can be used to serve his own needs, and that since it in his possession, he has obtained it with his own power, it makes no difference to check on it as he continues to retain that power.

In this sense then, Alhaitham has constructed his life around this form of egoism, in that anything he wants, he has, such as his job as the Scribe, his house, the interests he pursues, the people he enjoys. In order to maintain this way of life, he will deal with, or be rid of, anything he deems as "harmful".

With this, the egoist seeks satisfaction in themselves through the satisfaction of another. Ownership, in relation to another person, can become love, which like all things the egoist has power over, is ultimately theirs – as in their love for a person (Stirner, 187), which is given willingly by the egoist, for loving a person is done for the satisfaction that love brings: “But I love them with the awareness of egoism; I love them because love makes me happy, I love because love is natural to me, it pleases me,” (186).

In loving another comes sacrifice, which the egoist can give into without compromising himself, as he himself sets the “purchase price of [his love]” (187) according to the happiness attributed to the loved one, as in return, the egoist shall also receive happiness (186). To enjoy someone, in an egoist fashion, is to be able to sacrifice all possessions and ownerships without foregoing the sense of an individual, of “ownness”, as the egoist would then lose his objectivity:

“I can deny myself countless things to heighten his pleasure, and I can risk for him what would be dearest to me without him, my life, my welfare, my freedom. Indeed, it forms my pleasure and happiness to feast on his pleasure and happiness. But me, myself I do not sacrifice to him, but rather remain an egoist and—enjoy him. If I sacrifice to him everything I would keep without my love for him, that is very easy… But if I sacrifice others to one passion, I still do not…  sacrifice my particular worth, my ownness. Where this nasty incident occurs, love looks no better than any other passion that I blindly obey.” – The Unique and Its Property, 185

It is relevant to note that just as the egoist receives happiness from a loved one’s pleasure, so does an egoist suffer from a loved one’s despair. Just as the egoist would sacrifice something of their own to provide happiness for a loved one in order to exact their own happiness, so too would an egoist sacrifice something, or act, to eradicate the root problem of a loved one’s misery, as this, in turn, would then resolve their own misery:

“If I see the beloved suffering, I suffer with him, and I find no rest until I’ve tried everything to comfort and cheer him…. It doesn’t follow from this that the same thing causes suffering… his tooth gives him pain, but his pain gives me pain. But because I cannot bear the sorrowful crease on the beloved forehead, therefore, then for my sake, I kiss it away. If I didn’t love this person, he could go right on creasing his forehead, that wouldn’t trouble me; I’m only driving away my troubles. – The Unique and Its Property, 186

The phrasing of “driving away… troubles” is particular to note here, due to similar usages of language used within Alhaitham’s Character Stories, in relation to him acting in accordance with his self-governed rules and serving his own self-interest by: “[acting] on his own will and deals with anything that appears harmful in his eyes”.

Kaveh, however, interprets Alhaitham’s egoism as a detached, pragmatic view of humanity, in which the individual isolates themselves not only as a means of prioritisation, but by elevating oneself over others by refusal to intermingle and to cooperate for the benefit of others. Not only is this a harmful opposition to Kaveh’s view of individuals sharing their knowledge and talent in order to pursue a better society, but due to Kaveh’s experience of Alhaitham’s personal egoism, it is harmful to Kaveh personally. Kaveh refuses to prioritise himself over others because he has seen a negative consequence of egoism, in which he has been “cut to the quick” and it has ended one of the few stable relationships in his life.

By Kaveh seeing Alhaitham’s comment about his altruism as malicious, Alhaitham has elevated himself over Kaveh, since Alhaitham does not have the same struggles as him, and has trivialised Kaveh’s trauma. To Kaveh, Alhaitham’s prioritisation of the self actively harms others as it desensitises the self to the emotions of others. Therefore, Kaveh opposes the egoism which Alhaitham advocates for, since he interprets it through his own lived experience. Hence, by Alhaitham asserting egoism over Kaveh as a means of Kaveh prioritising himself, it only reinforces Kaveh to strive to consider the feelings of others, as well as to not prioritise his own way of thinking if it undermines someone else’s.

In actuality, Alhaitham’s frustrations with Kaveh lie in his belief that Kaveh’s talents are incongruous with his values, and that if Kaveh were to prioritise himself, he would save himself suffering and enable himself to discover his “true self”, unrestricted by others placing labels onto him.

This is a personal frustration which Alhaitham would not compromise himself to assert onto a person he was indifferent to, due to his belief of not getting involved with other’s fates. However, he has been observed to ‘subvert’ his own rules to accommodate Kaveh. Through egoism, it can be seen that rather than ‘subverting’ these rules, Alhaitham adheres to them as an egoist, since he sees Kaveh as his mirror, they offer each other a contrasting perspective he believes they need to have a complete, objective vision of the world.

This is necessary for Alhaitham to consider within his own life, and therefore has extended his house to Kaveh, in order to expand his scope of thinking, and to consider perspectives he otherwise would not entertain. Kaveh’s ideals, his beliefs, and his philosophies explicitly interest Alhaitham, in contradiction with Kaveh believing that Alhaitham is disdainful of his perspectives.

In this way, Alhaitham enjoys Kaveh. He willingly pays for some of Kaveh’s tabs; pays for crates of wine for the two of them; and goes out of his way to pursue interactions with Kaveh. Just as Alhaitham is to Kaveh, Kaveh is an old friend, as unchanged in his beliefs as he was in the past and thus is a constant: “the most unshakable part of one's past is a friend that will never change”’.

Alhaitham strives to act in accordance to his own egoism and therefore assesses what “appears harmful” to him, in relation to these rules, so as to be rid of them. This can be extended to Kaveh, as Kaveh falls under what ‘belongs’ to Alhaitham, in the sense that ownership equates to Alhaitham’s enjoyment.

Alhaitham wants to have Kaveh in his life due to the alternate perspective which Kaveh offers him, thus expanding his horizons and granting him knowledge he otherwise would not obtain. As well as this, Kaveh is seen to be considered part of Alhaitham’s way of life that he wants to protect. In line with Stirner’s egoism, it follows that as Alhaitham enjoys Kaveh, as in, ‘owns’ the contentment Kaveh elicits, he therefore is affected by Kaveh’s self-inflicted grievances. Therefore, Alhaitham sees Kaveh’s altruism at the expense of his own wellbeing as something “harmful” to be dealt with, as this not only causes Kaveh inward misery, but also detriments Kaveh finding his “true self” (Alhaitham Character Story 3), which the egoist pursues above all else.

[the-kipsabian]

the fact that kip wore three different shirts to three different social events in the span of like 48 hours is everything to me

[honeyedmiller]

thinking of my din djarin x jedi!reader fic that’s been in the drafts for almost a year. 🥀

[sunset-a-story]

Heads up Seven Up!

Thanks for the tag @chauceryfairytales! Here are seven lines from a scene I wrote recently!

The lights beyond emergency lighting weren’t fully on. If it weren’t for the agents' flashlights, Marek would have relied on his phone light but his phone was gone. Which was just strange to think about. Oh? Did you drop it? Put it through the wash?  No, actually.

I'm no pressure tagging @winterandwords @toribookworm22 and @void-botanist (and open tag)

[diazsdimples]

Fuck it Friday/ Inspiration Saturday!

It's a very late FIF and almost late Inspiration Saturday, but I am here with a snippet/ moodboard combo for a bit more of Frostpunk AU. I'm not super happy with this section but I've been working on writing - uh - something else today (don't judge me it was very spur of the moment) so this is as much as I could scrounge up. Tomorrow's another (and better) day!!

Tagged for FIF by @pirrusstuff @tizniz @daffi-990 @cal-daisies-and-briars @hippolotamus @kitteneddiediaz @spotsandsocks @wikiangela @smilingbuckley @theotherbuckley @watchyourbuck and @wildlife4life (please consider this as your Inspiration Saturday tag too)

Tommy and Sal also look a little worse for wear as they pull on their scouting gear and check each other over. The usual pep in their step is missing, along with the jokes that Buck’s grown to love. A tired team doesn’t bode well for a mission, especially not one like this where there are other people’s lives at stake, but as Bobby had said, it’s an urgent one and there’s no other option. A rough hand brushes over his neck, pulling the collar of his undershirt up so he’s properly covered and Buck turns to see Bobby, his face pulled in a tight smile. “You okay, kid?” Buck shrugs as he chains his crampons to the bottom of his boots. “Yeah, tired is all. That last mission took it out of me.” Bobby nods in acknowledgement, giving Buck’s shoulder a quick squeeze. “Maddie’s promised to take us off missions for the next week as an apology.” “Assuming we make it back from this one,” Buck replies stiffly, tightening the chains so the crampons won’t slip off. He’s lost too many pairs in the snow before and it’s only in the last couple of missions that Bobby hasn’t knelt at his feet and checked them himself, a faint echo of how he used to help Buck with his shoelaces when he was a young boy. Bobby chuckles and ruffles Buck’s hair. “Stop being so dramatic, we’ve survived longer missions and on much less sleep. It’ll be fine.” Tommy makes his way over to the pair, his crampons clicking against the wooden slats of the street as he walks. “What’s the plan, Cap?” he asks, leaning against the wooden crate Buck’s currently perched on. Bobby gestures to Sal and Eli, who slouch on over, and he huddles them in close, like a coach prepping his team before a match.

tagging (for either FIF or inspiration saturday, you choose) @thewolvesof1998 @disasterbuckdiaz @puppyboybuckley @bucksbackwardcap @fortheloveofbuddie @aroeddiediaz @housewifebuck @jesuisici33 @steadfastsaturnsrings @buckbuckgoose @exhuastedpigeon @slightlyobsessedwitheverything @evanbegins @nmcggg @alliaskisthepossibilityoflove @rainbow-nerdss @babytrapperdiaz @ci5mates @hermscat

[rebornofstars]

BEE!! UNO REVERSE!! before the rain stops?? wiggle eyebrows emoji

BEFORE THE RAIN STOPS! ahahahahg. this is the modern au road trip fic, except i didn't want to set it in the usa, so.... it is the australian modern au road trip fic. there's lore. there's shenanigans. they spend about two months on the road. it's absurd and i love it so much.

snippet for you from chapter 1!

“You’re mad,” Warriors said. He stood up. “What are you here for?” Twilight’s easy grin faltered. He worried his lip with his teeth. Time had been trying to break that habit for years. It was almost good to know he’d never succeeded. One less thing that had changed. One less milestone Warriors had missed. “Kid’s in the school band,” Twilight said. “He asked me if I’d get everyone to come to the concert.” “What?” Warriors scrubbed his face. “Wind? Fuck. He finally joined the band? He didn’t tell me, I didn’t know about any concert. When’s it on? It’s not tomorrow, is it? I’ve got a doctor’s appointment—” “Nah,” said Twilight. “End of September.” Warriors gripped the skin on his cheekbones tightly and stared. “September?” “Yeah,” Twilight said. He looked far too pleased with himself. “It’s July,” Warriors croaked. “Yeah,” said Twilight again. “Have you lost your mind?” “Nope. C’mon, you gotta pack, we’re losing the light.” “I hate you,” Warriors wheezed. “What are you on about? It doesn’t take two months to drive to Sydney. And if you just wanna freeload, I gotta break it to you, Lana’s not gonna like that—” “Kid asked me if I’d get everyone to come to the concert,” Twilight repeated. “You gotta pack. My girl’s waiting in the driveway. I left her running.” “Your g—are you talking about that fucking ute again? Go and turn the engine off, your battery’s gonna go flat.” “One and the same,” Twilight said, still infuriatingly calm. “Fixed her up all good. She runs better than the old man’s tractor now. I’ll go outside, you pack, alright?” “Pack for what,” Warriors asked. It was too late. Twilight had disappeared out into the cold night air, screen door bashing on the brick wall as he went.  “What is going on,” he said to the empty room. He began drafting a text. Hey L—no. Hey babe, my half-brother (remember time?) yeah, his cousin—too complicated. My cousin showed up— He put the phone down. No. How was he supposed to explain this when he barely understood what was happening himself? Twilight was a selfish, smug idiot. How could he just turn up out of the blue and expect Warriors to—to go somewhere with him? What was he thinking? They hadn’t seen each other for years. Warriors had skipped out on every Christmas barbeque since he’d moved away.  Kid asked me if I’d get everyone to come to the concert. “No,” he whispered. “No, what the—no. He can’t be—surely not.” Through the front blinds he could see the other man loitering about comfortably in the driveway. The ute was smaller than he remembered. A matte-brown, rickety thing. Twilight had bought it second-hand off a mate in high school for about a grand and spent the next few years replacing parts obsessively until it was almost a new vehicle. He’d been worried about the suspension when they spoke last. That and the fact that the oil cap was mysteriously leaky. He can’t seriously think— The screen door slammed again. Warriors’ legs propelled him down the driveway before he even had time to think. “You’ve gotta be kidding me. Tell me this is not what I think it is.” Twilight grinned winningly. He held out a half-eaten apple. Where did he get an apple? Why— “Why are you like this?” Warriors begged. “No, put that away. I’m not touching that, you’ve had your mouth on it. Two months. And the others are all over the place. You want to make this a road trip. You want us to drive all the way around the fucking country to collect everyone for Wind’s concert.”

[cafecitowriter]

In Her Embrace (I Was King) - Steggy Fic Preview

It's Day 6 of Steggy Week at @steggyfanevents (and possibly my favourite theme) WIP & Updates!

For this one I decided to go a bit out of the box (for me at least) and share a snippet of a WIP that I haven't even started posting yet. The prologue itself is already over 10K words so it's going to be a big one, and pretty plot heavy, so I need to make sure I don't write myself into a corner three chapters in.

Fic Summary: After an Old Law is invoked, Steve Rogers is denied his rightful claim to the throne. In order for power to remain with the Rogers bloodline, he must marry a Council-approved suitor by age 27.

As the Widow who is trained from childhood to be the Crown Prince's Captain, his protector, Peggy makes it her own mission to find a way around this law - all the while vetting any potential prospects that crop up in the meantime (for the sake of the Crown, of course).

But in a desperate bid to keep Steve safe, Peggy unwittingly becomes entangled in a larger political scheme, where she learns that her enemies have been lurking in the walls of the palace itself, threatening not only their home, but also the bond that Steve and Peggy have built since they were born.

Fic Sneak Peek (Steve and Peggy are ~15 years old)

Peggy rushed through the palace halls, her heart racing as she turned the corner toward the staircase that would get her closer to the West Wing. However her trajectory was stalled when she ran into Bucky and Natasha - literally.

“Woah, what’s going on?” Bucky asked after she’d regained her balance. “Where’s the fire?”

“And where’s Steve?” Nat asked.

“Shut up,” Peggy hissed, clamping her hand over her mouth. “Someone will hear you.”

“Did you lose Steve?” Bucky asked with a raised eyebrow as she lowered her hand.

“I did not lose Steve.”

“Then where is he?” Nat cheeked.

Peggy let out a slow breath as she narrowed her eyes at both of them.

“He is in a place that I will be in very soon, and until that happens, no one is going to know that Steve left my sights for even a second. Not the Queen and especially not my mother. Or worse, Melina.”

“You’re really hard on Melina,” Natasha pointed out.

“She’s the one that’s hard on me” Peggy scoffed. “Just don’t tell her, alright? Or anyone at all? Please?”

“You know I won’t say anything, but you better find him, Carter,” Bucky told her. “Before Jarvis does.”

“I don’t need to find him, I know exactly where his Highness is.”

Without bothering to hear a response from either of them, Peggy swiftly made her way to the library in the West Wing, the one closest to Steve’s bedroom, then, upon confirming no one else was there, sprinted up the three flights of stairs to the restricted history section.

“Really, Steve?” she groaned, looking around where he had at least half a dozen books open and sprawled out on the floor around him. To his left he had his tablet that he was making notes into. “Again?”

“Hey, you found me,” he grinned before looking at his watch. “Record time, too. Only took you about fifteen years to get it under five minutes.”

“And yet you still managed to make just as much mess as usual.”

“One of my many talents,” he winked, ignoring her arched eyebrow.

Peggy snorted and shook her head as he started speaking.

“Well come on, Captain, grab a book and I’ll catch you up so you can help me find a way around this stupid law.”

She couldn’t help but smile at his use of her newly appointed title, and sat down across from him, picking up the closest book.

“You think the answer to the Council accepting you as the rightful heir lies in the War of Nations?” she asked as she glanced at the title.

“The only other time the law was invoked was right before the War began,” he shrugged. “Might just be a coincidence, but it’s worth a shot.”

“If you say so,” Peggy shrugged in agreement. The more time that passed by, the more desperate they were both becoming. She chanced another glance at Steve, who had returned his attention back to his book, a furrow in his brows.

She ignored the flip her stomach did and focused on the book in her hands in earnest.

[mothman-can-write]

Have a little snippet from my current wip that has accidentally ended up with the working title of 'tractor fic'. its not even about a tractor. the tractor plays a minor roll. there is ten thousand words about the tractor. (its about maria visiting clints farm and being incredibly awkward about it) (she visits to fix the tractor and then ends up staying much longer)

Cooper sits on the other side of the table as he munches on his own sandwich and he stares at Maria with all of the open intensity of an eight year old child. “Is this your boss?” he says to his dad without swallowing. 

Clint laughs as he finishes making Lila’s lunch and Maria takes a sip of the lemonade if only so that she doesn’t have to answer. It’s a little tart, but sweet enough that it goes down easy. She isn’t sure she could make better lemonade herself. 

“I guess she is, yeah,” Clint says eventually, folding ham neatly within the borders of the bread. “She’s sort of everyone’s boss.” 

“Everyone?” Cooper swallows his mouthful at last. “She can’t be everyone’s boss.” 

Natasha places her drink down in front of her, sitting a space away from Maria and directly opposite him. She leans forward ever so slightly, conspirational over the table as she lowers her voice. “Oh, she is. She even tells the president what to do sometimes. If someone has a boss, it’s her. Even your mom.” 

She straightens up again with a glance to Maria, picking her drink back up to hide her smirk around the straw. Maria tries not to roll her eyes as Cooper gawks. She downs the rest of her lemonade, avoiding eye contact as long as possible, and the moment she sets it back down, Laura is there beside her to fill it up again. She’s trying not to laugh along with everyone else and it makes it that much harder for Maria to keep a straight face too. 

“That’s right,” Clint says from the kitchen counter. Maria watches him cut the crusts off of the bread before handing the plate to Lila. “That means you have to listen to everything she says when you’re in the barn.” 

Cooper nods into another bite of his sandwich, his eyes wide, and Maria gives him a tight sort of smile. Natasha is still looking at her too, even as she eats her own lunch, and Maria suddenly feels like a bit of a spectacle. It makes Natasha’s eyes crinkle, just so, and that really doesn’t help.

[shyvioletcat]

SNIPPET TIME: Made of Ashes CH 23

I know, I’m such a liar, but this delay isn’t my fault I swear. The owners of the house we are currently renting have decided to sell and they want to take photos for the listing so I’ve been busy cleaning and hiding away as much personality within the house as I can. Which means less brain power for editing, which combined with fact checking, has slowed me down. So I have another snippet and the hope I can get this wrapped up tomorrow.

~~~~~

The wider office outside his door was fairly quiet as Rowan read the company email that went out everyday. It was full of information he already knew, most of which he had some hand in as part of his material role. Skimming it, Rowan assumed there was nothing he needed to take note of.

And then he almost missed a memo, it was so short and brief and he’d been intent only glancing over the words. But Rowan’s eyes caught on a familiar name and that was enough to give him pause and to give it the time of day. His eyes went a bit wider and he even went as far as checking his phone like the answer would appear. It didn’t, all he had were email notifications from clients.

[rolandkaros]

💖🖊 and 🌙 if you want <3

💖 What do you like most about your own writing?

i like the rhythm of my prose. that was the biggest change i made between my first era and second era of fanfic writing, and i think its still my proudest development. i used to write with a very consistent but somewhat boring style...it wasn't bad but it was just very rigid and didn't add anything to the story, just conveying the plot descriptively but directly. now i think i'm able to use the rhythmn of my prose to add to the story itself...idk if that makes sense? and ironically enough i used to feel sort of tentative about it, but now i've grown to love it.

🌙  What time of day do you prefer to write? Why?

i always prefer to do anything requiring a significant amount of brain power earlier in the day, so writing in the morning is my preference, but i usually can't get to it until after i've finished everyday obligations. i try not to stay up late writing but there can be something very calming about a post-midnight writing session when i know i don't have anything important the day after.

🖊 Post a snippet from a current WIP.

“I didn’t,” she says again. She doesn’t feel bad. Iga wouldn’t understand. It wasn’t a targeted move, and strategy comes first – winning comes first. Always. Iga hasn’t lost enough to understand. It wasn’t targeted but it was intentional and it’s not the same thing anyway. It was one moment in a million. Iga wouldn’t get it. “It wasn’t anything against you.”

Iga mouth tightens further. She shrugs.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“You brought it up.”

Iga doesn’t say anything else, and maybe it’s an admission. Her face is screwed up, unhappy, in a way that makes her general displeasure so obvious that Aryna thinks it must be on purpose. She doesn’t feel bad.

[summercourtship]

🌹 <3

For every “🌹” received in my inbox I’ll post one random sentence/snippet of a random WIP I’m currently writing

whomp whomp you got a lil something from the second chapter of the vulpes fic/revelations from crawling on the floor

“You’re up early.” Vulpes was standing right in front of the door, blocking the entrance from her. 

“I’m a morning person- I’m always up this early.” She didn’t look at him at first, wiping her hands on her tunic, if just to give herself something to do. “Are you spying on me?”

“No.”

“...Would you tell me if you were?”

He didn’t answer, though when she looked up, his eyes were narrowed with barely concealed mirth. 

[jumpscaregoose]

UPDATEE FOR UR EVIL BIG THING PRETTY PLEASE

alas not much progress has been made due to my work being crazy this week... the doc is now almost 6k words though...

after much deliberation you can have a snippet. as a treat

[ploverbear]

i have a highly specific memory of playing a pooh bear game on my mom's computer and playing tic-tac-toe with Roo. her window was open letting the breeze in but i was alone in the room. my dad and sister called me from outside and i looked out the window to see them by the fig tree, and they called me down to pick some figs with them. i left the computer and ran downstairs, with Roo waiting for me to take my turn. i found the game if you want to see it too; Disney's Animated Storybook: Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too.