#stolen moment

[mistresslrigtar]

Written for my Birthday prompt challenge. Enjoy!

Excerpt:

Zelda stopped in front of an ornate suit of armor on a plinth flanked by two flickering torches. With a side glance to Link, she looked down the long hallway and taking her unspoken cue, Link made a quick circuit, scouting both ends before trotting back to her side. His quiet, relaxed stance made it clear they were alone. She reached for the hilt of the sword at the armor’s side and gave it a sharp twist, before stepping back to stand beside Link. He shifted beside her, no doubt about to step back, but she stopped him with a firm shake of her head and a light touch on his forearm. Without the bracers he normally wore, she could feel the defined muscle beneath the soft white leather glove of his Royal Guard uniform, and her fingers tightened their grip. When he glanced down at her hand, his long lashes cast shadows across his face, highlighting chiseled cheekbones normally hidden beneath the roundness of youth. There seemed to be a subtle shift in the air and Zelda felt heat rise to her cheeks, her corseted gown suddenly constricting her breath. 

The pedestal rumbling and the scrape of stone on stone shattered the moment and Zelda dropped her hand, taking a step back as she did so. Link looked up at her with a furrowed brow and Zelda shook off the strange feeling lingering in her breast and smiled. She mustn’t forget the whole reason she’d brought him here. Stepping into the hidden alcove the statue had revealed, Zelda waved toward a small moonlit courtyard just beyond the opening, indicating Link should go before her. His eyes narrowed, peering past her extended arm and he gave her a bemused smile. 

“Another secret of the castle I’m sharing with you,” Zelda explained, her voice muffled in the enclosed space. “Go on, you’ll see.”

Read the rest on AO3

[morganofthewildfire]

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Stolen Moment

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Just wrote this in an hour lol, don’t know what to say, but I like the vibes 😊 it reminds me of Ivy

~ 1k words

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The Terrasenian Countryside, 1839

The orchard was quiet, like it always was. The silence was only punctuated by the lilting sounds of the outdoors: the birds singing in the flowering blooms, the insects buzzing around and floating in the summery breeze, that same breeze flitting through the branches of the trees, and of course the sounds of his paintbrush darting across the canvas.

There were no words that passed between him and his muse, though her blue eyes were trained on him with the whisper of a thousand hidden secrets.

Rowan Whitethorn knew they were playing with fire, but the risk made the moment that much more charged. If anyone were to discover them… for multiple reasons it would lead to either his banishment or his death.

There was no other possible consequence should anyone happen upon them. Not that there should be; they were out at his small house in the countryside, tucked back in the corner of his sprawling acreage, the hidden garden behind the fields of farmland. It was not harvest season, there’d been no need for field hands in the recent days, no one had any reason for being in the vicinity of them.

He did most of the labor himself, saving his art for the few spare moments he could manage to wrangle for himself. It was a secret he didn’t share often; only a few people knew of it. His friend and main field hand, Lorcan, who he’d served in the war with, and Lorcan’s wife Elide both knew.

The painting had started as a way of processing after the war, and Lorcan was the only one who could really understand the horrors that had driven him to this outlet. Elide worked on the farm as well, and had stumbled across his collection of paintings when delivering some of the milk from the cows one morning.

They lived together in a cabin not far from him, and Rowan considered the farm theirs too; they felt more like the true owners than him, though he’d been the one to inherit the land from his father. He didn’t want it, it wasn’t his dream, though he preferred the solitary life it provided.

He didn’t need the pains of social interaction, nor the struggle of trying to constantly pretend. He was fine being alone… or he had been. Until he met her.

Rowan’s eyes lifted from the canvas, landing on the feminine form sprawled on her side on the chaise he’d dragged out here for this purpose. Her head rested on her arms, one leg curled over the other to showcase the delicate curves clothed in a satin chemise, the neckline slipping down her shoulder to show miles of creamy skin. Her golden hair was smoothed in gentle waves, flowing down her back, and those blue eyes of hers remained trained on him.

Aelin Galathynius - Miss Aelin Galathynius - was forbidden to him. It was an idea he couldn’t even dare to foster, and yet here she was, half dressed and alone with him as he studied her form closer than likely anyone ever had.

The Galathynius family was one of the most esteemed families in all of Terrasen, not quite nobility but close to it. They were wealthy, and high ranking, and untouchable for someone like him.

But when it came to their only daughter, Rowan simply couldn’t stay away.

Their country estate wasn’t far from his land, a few miles or so, but it remained unoccupied most of the time. He’d known it belonged to them, but it wasn’t until a few seasons ago that he’d laid eyes on a member of the family. And it just so happened to be the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

Miss Galathynius - Aelin - had been out for a ride on her Asterion mare nearby when an unexpected storm had struck. Her horse had spooked at the crack of thunder, throwing her rider off onto the muddy ground. Rowan had been out assessing damage to the crops when he’d come across her sprawled form.

After helping her up and checking to make sure she was okay, a conversation had struck. She’d been charming, and witty, with the widest smile he’d ever seen, and he’d fallen head over heels practically immediately.

He hadn’t realized who she was.

He learned soon enough, but that didn’t stop her from continuing to reach out to him, and he didn’t have enough self control to stop himself from reaching back out to her, so here they were. He’d confessed his love of painting not long into their acquaintance, and she’d finally convinced him to let her pose for him. He couldn’t say no, no matter the consequences.

If anyone caught them right now, she’d be ruined. If anyone ever found this painting, then he’d be dead.

Because she was to be married soon. She’d told him, though she hadn’t needed to. He’d seen the ring on her finger.

He couldn’t expect anything different. She was eighteen years of age, from a distinguished family. She was sure to have offers by the plenty. Her family had just seemingly finally found the perfect one.

At twenty one, Rowan knew he was likely closer in age to her than several of those offers, but he knew he would never have even been considered. A few decades ago, he’d be beheaded for even daring to put forward his proposal.

His heart ached as he dragged his paintbrush along the canvas, smoothing out the perfect curve of her hip, and the dip of her waist where his hand so perfectly fit. They hadn’t done anything, had never even kissed.

If Aelin were to be discovered as anything but a virgin on her wedding night, then Hellas would rain down on them both.

So Rowan ignored the aching in his chest and the urges of his hands and just enjoyed the stolen moment the best he could. This was leading to ruin, and they both knew it.

But he would savor whatever little piece of her he could get.

——-

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[redshift-13]

Ahmad Jamal: July 2, 1930 – April 16, 2023

There are a handful of pieces that to me capture the essence of jazz, or at least a certain mood that seems intrinsic to its sound world, and this rendition of Stolen Moment by Ahmad Jamal is one of them.

Every other version I've heard sounds too involved, too loud, and it took Jamal's pianistic quiet to reveal this song's hidden heart and mystery.

It's as though every piece of music has a best version of itself, which might be quite different from the songwriter's original vision. If this is generalizable, then maybe most of the best music remains yet hidden.

I almost shudder when I hear the first minute or so.

[angstsplatter]

Stolen Moment - Alice in Borderland fanfic; takes place during Acid Rain; Arisu x Usagi qpp for ASAW 2023

In a stolen moment in the peace of the pond, it feels deliciously right and yet stubbornly wrong when their lips finally meet in an expression of the love and care he and Usagi share for each other. Right because it's Usagi and her lips and soft and salty, yielding yet strong just like her, and he thinks he's wanted to do this for a very long time now. Every time they're ripped apart and rediscover each other...it's hard to believe how deeply he has grown to care for this amazing woman over such a period of time. But when surrounded by so much grief and trauma and violence, it's hard not to get to know who a person really is when surviving with them through such atrocities.

Wrong because nowhere is safe anymore. As protected and isolated as this little slice of paradise seems, Arisu knows that danger is always lurking and can strike at any time. Wrong because it's not what he was expecting. He's been wondering if he's not falling in love with Usagi - and what little wonder that is, with her strength of heart and loyalty and honor. The way she looks through him and sees his fear and grabs his hand without saying a word. The way she fights against a crowd of scared and desperate adults to save a child she's only just met.

But when it finally happens, Arisu begins to wonder if what he really wants is the kind of love he's been thinking of. He loves Usagi. That is for sure. Perhaps just not in a married with kids kind of way. In a way that he trusts her with his life, yes. In a way that he knows he can depend on her, yes. In a way that she understands him better than anyone else, even Karube and Chota, yes. In a way that he wants to be by her side and even end the day with her, yes. In a way that he definitely wouldn't mind getting to keep kissing her, yes.

But romantic? There's something there that doesn't feel quite right. Pieces of a lifelong puzzle that Arisu has been trying to solve but can't quite put his finger on what the full picture is supposed to look like tug at his mind. He hates leaving things unsolved, but he learned long ago that people are a very different sort of puzzle, one he's not quite so skilled at solving - himself, especially.

Arisu doesn't want to ruin this moment with Usagi but it feels wrong to leave her out of this line of thinking he's delved into.

And then their safety is shattered. Once again, it's time to fight for survival. He immediately buries his confusion and doubts down deep and focuses on getting out alive with Usagi.

There will be time to talk later.

There has to be time to talk later.

They just have to survive this.

[quecksilvereyes]

oh my god do not click links in emails that tell you to verify your data or your bank account gets locked or click links in messages telling you your safety protocol is ending, like, tomorrow, you will get SCAMMED SO BAD AND YOU WILL LOSE A LOT OF FUCKING MONEY never ever let anyone pressure you into giving away login information especially to your online banking by creating a sense of urgency oh my GOD

some things to look out for

1. spelling mistakes. do you know how many rounds of marketing and sales experts these things go through? if theres a spelling mistake dont click it

2. not using your name. if an email adresses you with "dear customer" or, even worse, a generic "ladies and gentlemen", it is most likely not actually targeted to you

3. verifying or login links. even IF your bank was stupid enough to send these to customers, dont EVER click those. look at me. they can legally argue that youve given your data away and thus they dont have to pay you anything back DONT CLICK THAT FUCKING LINK

4. creating a sense of urgency. do this or we lock your account next week. do this or your ebanking stops working tomorrow. give us all your money in cash or your beloved granddaughter will get HANGED FOR MURDERING BABIES. no serious organisation would ever do something like that over email or sms. ever. hands off.

5. ALWAYS CHECK WHO SENT YOU THE EMAIL. the display name and the email adress can vary a LOT. anyone can check the display name. look at the email adress. does it look weird? call the fucking place it says its from. you will likely hear a very weary sigh.

6. if its in a phonecall, scammers love preventing you from hanging up or talking to other people to have a little bit of a think about whats happening. there should always be a possibility to go hey i wanna think about this ill call back the official number thanks.

7. do not, i repeat, do NOT a) call a phone number flashing on your screen promising to rid your computer of viruses after clicking a dodgy link and b) let them install shit on your computer like. uh. idk. teamviewer.

7.i. TEAM VIEWER LETS PEOPLE USE YOUR COMPUTER HOWEVER THEY WANT AS LONG AS THEYRE CONNECTED. IF YOU DONT KNOW FOR FUCKING SURE YOURE TALKING TO ACTUAL TECH SUPPORT DONT GIVE ANYONE ACCESS TO YOUR COMPUTER.

fun little addendum: did you know a link can just automatically download shit? like. a virus? an app you can't uninstall unless you reset your entire device? dont click links unless youre extremely sure you know where they lead. hover your mouse over it and check the url.

thanks.

[may12324]

The little bird and the hag - Suren and Bogdana

[phd-in-bears]

Monarchies are only fun in fiction. But overthrowing a monarchy in real life could be very fun

[andthebeanstalk]

Hey anyone else remember the episode of Adventure Time called "Evergreen" where it's revealed that the original bearer of the crown to whom it was "forever linked" was actually a neglected child (and prior reincarnation of Finn) named Gunter trying to be like his wizard father?? Anyone??? Because I had fully forgotten until re-watching the episode last night and I'm losing my mind about the implications.

(This episode is also a devastating look at how a mistreated child unconsciously learns that he must treat himself and those he has power over as cruelly as he has been treated. Adventure Time has so much sadness and madness, y'all.)

[starrynightsxo]

"Cardan looks taken aback. Or possibly I spoke so fast he's not even sure what I said. 'You need not say it out of pity,' he says finally, with great deliberateness. 'Or because I was under a curse. I have asked you to lie to me in the past, in this very room, but I would beg you not to lie now.'"

- Cardan Greenbriar, The Queen of Nothing

[life-imitates-art-far-more]

Frederic William Burton (186-1900) "The Meeting on the Turret Stairs" (1864) Watercolor and gouache on paper Located in the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland The painting depicts the story of Hellelil, who fell in love with her personal guard Hildebrand. The story was taken from a medieval Danish ballad translated by the painter's friend Whitley Stokes.

[sheafrotherdon]

Of all the luxuries it is possible to seek in the world, Nicky is greedy for contentment. He finds it in a dozen different places, scattered piecemeal, hour by hour. The trick, he discovered two centuries into his improbable life, is simply to look for it, to notice the sweet, quiet stillness inside his chest that means he is full. Like now, an hour into wakefulness while Joe still sleeps beside him, their bedroom filled with fragile morning light; like this, he thinks, stretching a hand up toward the ceiling as if he might walk his fingers along the meandering lines of cracked and ancient paint.

He is warm, and Joe feels warmer still beside him, curled toward him, his breath puffing softly against Nicky’s bare arm. He is not yet hungry; there is a glass of water on the bedside table, and Nicky is grateful to so easily be able to quench his thirst. The blankets on the bed are heavy; the flat is quiet; it’s too early yet for the traffic that passes on the street below to have become a constant hum. Beside him, Joe grumbles and turns on to his back, sighs and sleeps on, his mouth slightly open. Nicky smiles when Joe begins to snore.

The walls are pale blue; the door is wooden and stands ajar. There’s a chest of drawers against the wall that’s seen better days, on which sit dishes and bowls that Nicky can’t see but knows hold a watch, silver rings, a door key, a single stick of gum. The armchair that sits in a corner is green and the springs in the cushion are old and cranky, and Nicky can barely see the upholstery for the jeans and shirts and one stray sock piled there. If he lifts his head, if he rolls to the side, he'd see his own boots on the floor. But he doesn’t move; he thinks instead of the twist of fate or luck or destiny that put Joe in his bed, in his heart, in the deepest marrow of his bones, and only then does he turns to lie on his side and press his nose to Joe’s shoulder. He doesn’t speak. He is happy and still.

[yardsards]

merle and lucretia's friendship is so very good and extremely underrated. like during the lunar interludes but especially during stolen century. the way merle spent their last night on their home plane making sure lucretia was safe at the bar, the way clint always seems to jump at the chance to bring lucretia along for whatever merle's doing that cycle, the little talk when she's still quiet and shy but he tells her he thinks she could make a great leader. i love this crunchy dad trying to gently convince this quiet little perfectionist to come out of her shell, and her reciprocating that friendship in her own way.

[delzinrowe]

THE OFFICE BUT MAKE IT JJK

[tequiilasunriise]

I am so in love with this volume because I am so in love with the way Blake Belladonna is finally allowing herself to love Yang, you feel me?

Blake has always had this love fer Yang, we all watched their slowburn unfold over several volumes, but she kept this love close to her heart and only let that affection slip through cracks of her walls and/or during dire life or death situations. The simple, domestic, everyday ways to express love? Holding hands just because and softer words spoken freely and casually? Blake couldn’t do it because she was still afraid.

Afraid to hurt Yang and scare her away with her affections, because she had hurt Yang so much already and couldn’t bear to risk burdening her even more. She had left, she had abandoned the one person who she trusted most, and she had to prove she was staying for good this time. They still had to repair their friendship first and foremost.

Afraid to be the one hurting for exposing herself, because love had burned her once so throughly before. She trusts Yang with her life, but that haunting nightmare that is Adam makes it hard fer her to trust the brightest thing in her life with her heart. Blake had to overcome the bullish knife hanging over her head before she could be in another relationship.

And then when these issues were slowly getting resolved, Blake still held back. Sure, there were more tender moments between them, but they were more brief and far between. Blake was still holding back because this slowburn slowdance was all she knew when it came to Yang. They had to focus on the threat of Salem, of Atlas falling, of all that. It was better to play it safe, now was still not the right time.

But then? But then Blake watched Yang die, and suddenly all those cautious moments of ‘playing it safe’ racked up to an indescribable amount of missed opportunities and regret. Suddenly waiting all this time for the ‘right’ time didnt matter at all anymore because Blake completely ran out of any time.

Blake isn’t going to hold back anymore, she’s finally comfortable enough to be who she always was deep down under those trauma walls, this openly affectionate silly goofy little book nerd who just wants to make her beloved smile, and she’s going to absolutely s h o w e r Yang with flirty tones and dumb jokes and longing touches and be such a dorky romantic because she doesn’t want to waste anymore time. As Weiss spoke fer all of us, it’s, “About time”. The ‘right’ time is right the fuck now screw that ‘not concerned with sands of time’ bullshit she wants to kiss this stupid pretty face and she WILL let Yang know. I think about Blake this volume and I’m just SO PROUD OF HER. Nothing like a little taste of death to push a slowburn along, huh? Seriously though, witnessing Blake’s arc come full circle to open up and be the person she once was before Adam crushed her into taking up as little space as possible, before she deemed herself as nothing but a coward and a fool, seeing her laugh and smile openly and shoot every damn shot she can- it’s so, so damn good.

Anyways, I am also in love with Yang Xiao Long having no idea how to handle Blake being incredibly openly in love with her. 10/10 watching experience, truly.

[guardian-angle22]

911: Lone Star S4 E14 | The Case of the Stolen Pudding Cup -> The Crime Exposed

[leclercari]

now why would you do this to me