#that's dust btw not snow

[xthunderbolt]

"Is there any difference between humans and spirits? Demons and angels? [...] What am I in your myths if I can touch you?" – from Slenderman, a slothmahi fanfic that will come

[meeks-just-wants-to-scroll]

:D For the people who know of the fanfic series The Devils (Kicking Up the Dust + Blood Under The Snow, both by Amras on AO3) I offer you my playlist based off of it!

Some of it are songs directly picked from what Amras listened to while writing the story, some are my own picks. Most of it are sad gloomy songs perfect for the snowy village setting of Blood Under the Snow. There are some more fast paced and lyrics-heavy songs amongst it

[littlegermanboy]

it snowed just enough where i am for the car windshields to have a layer of snow on them. take that climate change.

[luna0713hunter]

Its something well known that Sukuna doesn't get cold.

It doesn't matter what season it is;the man can go on with only a t-shirt in the freaking snow. (He's done that btw.)

But as the two of you walk side by side in the cold windy weather,you wrap your arms around yourself and let out a sneeze. When Sukuna gives you a raised brow,you give him a cold glare, hoping to make him freeze as well.

"you cold?"

You shiver and pull the hood of your hoodie on your head.

"well,yeah! can't you feel how cold it fucking is?!"

Sukuna just shrugs and looks up to the gray sky.

"its not that cold. Just a breeze."

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU! EVERYONE'S FREEZING!" you then sniffle pathetically, regretting your offer to get some fresh air with your boyfriend, "sometimes i think you're the devil. With how hot you always are."

At that, Sukuna gives you a smug grin to which you slap his hard bicep.

"not like that!"

"I'm touched, princess." Then just as you're about to suggest to go back home,you watch him shrug his overcoat and drop it around your shoulders. He doesn't give you time to complain when he's wrapping his strong arm around you;pulling you in his warm side. You immediately feel much warmer and snuggle to his side with a happy grin. You flutter your lashes up at him and your smile widens when you see a dust of pink,almost the same color of his hair, across his high cheekbones .

"thank you,babe." You give his cheek a loving kiss, "I'll make it up to you when we get home."

Sukuna hums,but his arm tightens around you more.

"how about we head home then? I'll make sure to warm you up in bed."

You only laugh with flushed cheeks and nod your head.

"sounds perfect."

[f1version]

NEW YEAR'S DAY ‧͙*̩̩͙❅ LH44

pairing: Lewis Hamilton x girlfriend!Reader ( she/her )

summary: New years is always special when you spend it next to those you love the most. That’s why you spend it with Lewis, and Lewis spends it with you.

warnings/info: fluff, midnight kisses, mentions of alcohol, they get a bit drunk. the extra bit has angst!

word count: 951 + an extra scene of 591 (1.5k)

note: so, the end of 2023. that’s so crazy. i’m so thankful for everything really, there’s a paragraph incoming but, yeah, thank you for reading and following along this year. you made a difference <3

btw i recomend listening to the instrumental of new year’s day by taylor swift !!

snowglobe, a holiday special

One minute before midnight. One minute in which people fall anxious, the sound of heels hitting the floor and whispers reciting resolutions over and over is their favorite tune for one minute. In your minute, you see people gather around the terrace of Lewis’ penthouse, stumbling and laughing, the blinding lights of New York lighting up part of their snow-dusted faces. You knew a couple of faces, some interacting with Lewis and you before your minute hit the half-mark. 

When you’re upon seconds, you look up at the waiting sky, stars expecting to be overshadowed by something bigger, louder. You can feel the anticipation in the air, spotlights from Times Square moving faster, the echo of people’s excitement drowning the streets.

Fifteen seconds away and you look at the man holding you close. His eyes dart between your eyes and your lips, a smile that could light up the world—and already does—on his lips. I don’t do New Year’s kisses, you remember him saying last year, back when your memories together consisted of clandestine meetings in hotel rooms and longing stares, too afraid to confess.

Perhaps this year is a completely different story, but the same character has his arms wrapped around you. There are changes, so many you can barely count, you wonder if this one will be one too.

“So,” Lewis says, “what a year.”

You smile, leaving a kiss on his cheek before resting your forehead on his. “You finally got the hint,” you whisper and he laughs, bringing you closer just as the insatiable sounds of anxiety start morphing into something discernible.

Ten. Nine. 

He lets out a deep breath, “I know what I said last year. About the kisses.”

Eight, they sing as your heart picks up. Seven, and Lewis laughing nervously. 

“And I mean it,” he says, “Meant it.”

Six. Five. Four.

You smile as your side of the world lift their glasses of champagne, recording phones, or just bring their loved ones close. It’s a bubble bath of each life trapped in its own delicate bubble.

Lewis smiles back, breathing heavily, “But I want you to be my first New Year's kiss.”

Three, and you laugh, rolling your eyes. Two, “Then kiss me,”

One, and he closes the distance, the so obnoxious world goes silent, and it’s the best kiss he’s ever received. It’s immersive; Your hands play with his braids and his draw shapes on your hips, his heavy breaths fall over your soft ones, and the taste of two different bottles of champagne tempt to be bitter.

The world around you starts echoing in your head, different colors tinting the perfect kiss. People are patting Lewis’ back as he looks at you, ignoring them for a little longer, only wanting to focus on the girl who enchanted him, the one he could hear talk and talk about for hours on end, the one who changed his mind over love and relationships, the one who held his hand through his darkest times. This was all he needed, all he wanted to focus on. On the girl he loves. 

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” you tease, daydream still in his eyes.

He smiles, “Oh, absolutely not”

Then you’re walking around, hand-in-hand wishing a happy New Year to the known and the unknown. He calls his family and you call yours, spending ten minutes together sweet-talking to a very sleepy Roscoe on Lewis’ screen. It’s absurd how fast minutes pass but how slow time moves. You see the crowd fading away, leaving the dance floor empty enough to drag Lewis’ over, dancing away the hectic city under you. It’s a new year, and you can’t warp your head around your luckiness.

By 5:44, everyone is gone. You and Lewis lay down on the couch after drowning 6 shots of Tequila, a strong scent of alcohol and sweat hanging in the air, with glitter all across the floor. You’re holding hands, eyes fixated on the ceiling, drunk and in love. What a wonderful way to start the year, you think. 

Lewis moves next to you, standing up a bit disoriented but with determination on his face. “A’right get up,” he says too enthusiastically for almost 6 am, “we have to pick all of this mess.”

You snort, ”Are you crazy?” 

“As ever,” he giggles, “Now, get up!”

This man is incredibly drunk, but so are you, so you stand up, your head spinning around each planet you can barely remember. Lewis puts his hands around your hips, holding you in place, “Lew, I feel like I'm going to fall and die. Oh my god!”

“Not true,” the Brit says, “you promised you’d die with me, and I’m not doing that today.”

You roll your eyes at that, laughing. 

Cleaning up—if you can call two drunk idiots laughing like crazy while trying to remove a stain of wine from the ceiling that—isn’t as awful. Spotify’s ‘Top Hits of 2023’ is playing in the background as you pick up the plastic cups on the floor, Lewis searching for dirty bottles around the house to then be wrapped around each other while cleaning them. The glittery floor is a lost cause, both try to recollect as much as you can with the broom but give up knowing you’ll be surrounded by it for the rest of the year. 

The house looks clean enough in your exhausted eyes by 8 am. Lewis follows you to the bedroom, briefly showering together before dropping under the cloud-like covers, dark curtains forbidding the early sun from disturbing your shortly-approaching sleep. 

You are curled up on Lewis’ chest when you hear him say: “Happy New Year, love.” 

“Happy New Year, Lew.”

EXTRA BIT!! ( 591 words )

“You know,” Lewis calls, arms wrapped around your body as you lay on his bare chest, “I’ve been thinking, well, overthinking, and I want to, like, get it out.”

He pauses, his anxiety clear in the way he speeds up the tender touches on your back. You look up at him, making a small motion of encouragement. He smiles.

“Half of the people today were strangers, friends of friends, and it reminded me that, once, you were a friend of friends. I don’t really know where I’m going with this, but I don’t want us to be like that ever again,” he says, stumbling on words. “I don’t want to call you a stranger; I’ve done that with enough people I’ve loved—not in the way I love you, but loved nonetheless. I’m just so sorry I was so late to this,” he whispers, and you want to interrupt, reminding him that you also played into it, but he talks first: “I know you were also scared to tell me; you don’t have to say it, but you just didn’t deserve all that waiting.”

You search for his hand, needing to hold it. He understands and wraps one of his around yours, taking a deep breath. He says your name before continuing. “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, ever. I was scared because of those stupid things I used to tell myself, and you know the rumors around my last relationship. I was terrified of doing the same thing—being too greedy and distancing myself when things got bad—but I didn’t want to lose you. I do not want to lose you.” Lewis says, and you squish his hand three times, reassuring. You feel another breath being taken. “And I know we are okay; we are so wonderful, sweetheart. You’ve taught me so much, but I can’t stop thinking about the what-ifs. What if we have some inconceivable fight? What if the distance during next season messes with us? What if I screw up and you don’t want to see me ever again?”

“I really don’t want to lose you. I love you too much,” he concludes.

You feel tears crowding your eyes, wondering when did he started thinking about all of this. You sit up, looking down at his beautiful face in the faint darkness. His eyes are so full of emotion, so caring and afraid. You cup his face in your hands, leaning down to peck his lips.

“I love you too, so incredibly much. Thank you for opening up,” you said, knowing it was hard for him to talk about these topics. “But, Lew, trust me when I tell you that, as long as both of us are willing to fight for it, we won’t go back to being strangers. When these types of thoughts are overwhelming you again, talk to me, let me know, and we will discuss them together." He has tears in his eyes, and you are sure yours are already streaming down. “Don’t try to read the last page; whatever is written there can change, and if it doesn’t, who cares? Maybe we are set up to die together, just like I promised you, yeah? I’ll hold your hand through it.”

He brings you down to his arms, giving you the warmest hug in the freezing winter. He cries, and you do too, talking here and there, leaving kisses everywhere, drowning in each other's touches. Lewis believes this is the best start to a year he’s ever had.

taglist — @smartstupyd @ziarah @nouvellevqgue @iloveyou3000morgan @carsgovroomm @goldenalbon @doofenshmirtzevil-inc @panicsinvirgo . . . add yourself here

[bedoballoons]

I dont celebrate christmas so a fluffy winter theme with thoma zhongli diluc and childe woild be nice :] she/her btw c:

Yess fluffy winter theme!! I hope you enjoy and I apologize for the wait!!

─⊰⁠⊹ฺ⛄𝔾𝕖𝕟𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕟 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕔𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕟𝕤⊰⁠⊹ฺ⛄

{༻~Blushed~༺}

CW: Fluffy! Fem! Reader has a winter blush and the guys take notice of it!

(Includes: Thoma, Diluc, Zhongli, and Childe!)

𑁍༄Thoma:

Thoma rubbed his hands together, trying to warm them as snow fell softly into his strawberry blonde hair. The tips of his ears were red and stung as the cold settled in, but he wouldn't change it for the world. Seeing your sweet face all blushed from the cold, your nose slightly red and your cheeks dusted dark pink, he wished he could stay out here with you forever.

"Brrr! It's so cold!" You hurried over to him, hiding your face in his chest, feeling the dampness of his clothes and his warmth washing over you as he wrapped his arms around your middle.

"Well let's finish up and we can go back home, I'll make nice hot ramen and we can cuddle to warm up."

𑁍༄Diluc:

Diluc looked away from you, trying to hide the smile that played on his lips as your blush grew deeper from the cold. You looked even sweeter than usual somehow and when you combined that with the fact you were wearing his oversized beanie and scarf...he was struggling to keep his normally stiff appearance up.

"Diluc, do you think I can wear your things more often? They are so much warmer than mine and so cozy, they smell like you." You hugged the scarf tightly, feeling nice and comfortable in his clothes, if only he let you borrow them more often.

"Please, go ahead."

"Wait, what really?"

"Yes, I enjoy seeing you in them."

𑁍༄Zhongli:

Zhongli draped his coat over your shoulders, making sure to wrap his arm around you and keep you close. As a archon and dragon, he naturally went unaffected by the cold and yet still gave off a fair amount of heat that whenever the cold started to get to his love, he was there as your source of warmth. Though, he honestly kind of liked when the snow and winter breeze got to you, it always made your cheeks and nose turn red, all of which emphasized how cute your precious face was.

"Is that better?"

"Mhm! Thank you!"

"But of course my dear."

𑁍༄Childe:

Childe kissed your cheek, holding you tight as you looked up at him through the gentle fall of the snow...you could see his breath in the air and feel the shiver of the cold even when he was trying to keep you warm...he didn't seem affected by it at all though. Maybe living in Schneznya had helped him build a tolerance...

"You know, I've seen alot of people with a winter blush, it's common when you come from a place like Schneznya...but yours is by far the cutest I've come across. Are you naturally cuter than most? Like having a edge in a fight?"

"I-...what??"

"You're cute."

ଘ(੭*ˊᵕˋ)੭* ੈ♡‧₊˚~Have a nice lovely winter!~*⁠.⁠✧

[aescela]

Hekarro's Attire Combines All Three Clan Styles - An Essay.

The Tenakth as a whole in Forbidden West have a very distinct way of making armor that follows the basic concept of "Cover as little skin as possible with the most aggressively spiky machine parts you can find".

However, all three clans - Sky, Lowland and Desert - have unique style elements that none of the other clans use. Their Chief, Hekarro, wears armor that incorporates details from all three clans.

1. Lowland Clan - Cheek Armor

The Lowland Clan is not only unique for their excessive use of feathers in their attire but also for wearing pants, most likely because of how overgrown, swampy and bushy their territory is. Neither show up in Hekarro's outfit but he does wear the trademark cheekbone adornment many Lowlanders have.

2. Sky Clan - Fuzzy Furs

Of all clans the Sky Clan inhabits the coldest climate. That doesn't stop them from going topless in the snow half of the time but they still are the only clan using animal furs in their attire for warmth. Another unique element are the small turquoise beads for trimmings (that Kotallo wears in his hair btw).

3. Desert Clan - Spikes for days

The Desert Clan has a few unique style elements (for example the way they shave their hair to look like jet tail fins or the bandanas to protect mouth and nose from dust) but the most striking is their heavy use of spikes for trimmings and edges, as well as long spokes woven into their tassets and skirts. Hekarro has a lot of those and his famous kitchen knife cape might have been inspired by this.

Hekarro's goal in life is to unite the Clans as one and to forge friendships with other tribes, and I absolutely adore how this is reflected in his outfit and how much thought and detail went into this game.

(All concept art used as examples is taken from Artstation and belongs to Guerilla and their respective creators that are listed on the images.)

[weirdmageddon]

davejade is so zelink

at first i was like “theyre nothing alike fym. i mean i can see dave and link but jade and zelda seem so different” but then i thought about it

the girls living in a tower have a strong personality and love science technology and flora and fauna but are so tangled up in being lonely ultra powerful plot devices. also im pretty sure jade’s dream self being awake on prospit the kingdom of light for as long as she could remember and staring into the clouds of skaia that forecast events is something idk

chill impassive “just some guy” knight with a “flair for the absurd” who has to send his broken legendary sword, that’s said to defeat a big tyrannical muscly green guy, back in time to unfuck it to complete a timeloop. and constantly breaks swords

also he drops the g off of -ing sometimes so it’s like -in’. and whatever this mhm yep mhm stuff is. and gaslighting people for fun

btw link would probably fuse a snoop dogg snow cone machete if given the opportunity. also unreal air is absolutely something he would deploy ad infinitum for a vertical boost or just grind down rails on and then ragdoll when it breaks into artifact dust

he dies—or almost dies—in her arms (interestingly while she wears a strapless dress) and gets revived later

theres a frog at one point

theres plenty of differences though these are all rather superficial. narratively they’re very different which is why i was like “huh…i dont see it” at first

the biggest major difference in terms of arcs is that jade never harbored an attitude or jealousy towards dave at any point. shes not really a jealous person, and she doesnt take dave’s cool exterior seriously she just humors him

and when she did once compare her progress to theirs it was never with resentment. but also dave reassured her really damn quick about it while link’s lack of communication allowed zelda’s doubts to fester

even though i love them both jade’s just plain more agreeable than zelda haha. she’s not like “augh it comes so easy to him” she’s like “wow that’s so cool that comes so easy to him!!!”

edit: oh fuck the yearning we gotta talk about the separation and yearning

[at-thezenith]

acquiring a manuscript - the agent and editor

hello, it's me, your favourite publishing student. let's talk acquisition.

so you've managed to secure an agent with your manuscript. then what?

most agents will do a developmental edit on first deciding to work with you. plot, character, pace, continuity and worldbuilding all come under this. what makes a good agent (and editor) is whether they are offering you suggestions on what to do instead of outright rewriting your work.

once you've made those changes (or gone back and forth depending on how much you do or don't want to make that change), your agent will send your manuscript to editors in publishing houses.

a key question on their mind is: can i sell this book? agents (and editors, but i'm getting to that) look at a book's merit, and they look at what they can compare it to. you need some sort of USP (unique selling point)

is it pride and prejudice but trans? most ardently by gabe cole novoa. is it black mirror in south east asia? red dust , white snow by pan huiting. (highly rec both, btw)

key note here - if you are submitting to a publishing house that accepts unsolicited manuscripts, you will skip straight to this next step.

your manuscript will land on an editor's desk, along with the pitch your agent has given them, usually tailored to that editor's or that house's tastes. in a big house, that editor will usually pass that manuscript to an assistant, to do a reader's report, in which the assistant will sum up the plot, point out strengths and weaknesses, and most importantly, tell them whether it is worth publishing. some manuscripts don't make it past this step, and in that case, the agent will send it to another house.

if the editor likes the sound of this manuscript, they will then read it. usually, they will read it three times: one for first glance edits, two for developmental edits, and three for line edits (line by line, spelling/grammar, vocabulary, etc). once this is done, they will tell the agent that they plan to put their house in the running for acquisition. then comes the acquisition meeting.

the acquisition meeting is where your editor will fight to get the publishing house on board with your book. remember that USP? here's where that comes into play. your editor needs, above all else, to get sales and marketing on board. how can i sell this book? editors often ask other members of the meeting to read the book beforehand to have some support, and to point to the book's readability.

the literary qualities of the book certainly come into play, but what sales and marketing want to hear is how your book is both familiar and new. so your editor will construct a pitch that both highlights the excitement of your book, but also point to previous successes with books like yours. i know that comparing books to other books is tedious, but sales are notoriously pessimistic. they control the money, after all.

but your book makes it through the meeting, and you have the whole team on board. now comes the editorial letter. this is where the editor is going to do their best to sweet talk you (and your agent) into accepting their offer of publishing your book. however, they will both gush about your work, and tell you the edits they want you to make to it, from the big developmental changes all the way down to the way a character moves in a scene. don't be discouraged if the list of changes is long; if the editor didn't want to publish the book, it wouldn't have made it past their assistant.

this of course is assuming you decide to accept their offer immediately. you could have offers from other houses, and in that case you usually won't receive the editorial letter - or at least, not in such great depth - until you have signed a contract with the house of your choice. that is more complicated.

hope you found this useful! my dms are open if anyone has any questions :)

[delicrieux]

Hello can I please request something where Aemond is the king at the end of the "dance" and reader is his Queen? :3 btw if you can don't mention any children i have a phobia ahaha. Hopefully my request is okay with you

. 

QUEEN OF ASHES | endless drabble series (winter edition)

summary: the dance is over. long may he reign pairing: aemond targaryen x f!reader a/n: mandatory angst. also, used 26. choir chants from this list <3

masterlist. ☕. reqs are open for the winter prompts list 1 & 2 !

It does not snow in King’s Landing - the sun is far too kind for such harsh weather, and never would you have thought to see it obscured, a bleak, pale orb in the sky casting long, sharp shadows on pallid ruins of a beautiful city. The dance is over, and what dust it brought up turned to ash that had not stopped falling since the night before. It covers everything - the flowers, the roofs, the charred remains of those once breathing. Dragon fire. It was all chaos and smoke.

The choir chants, and dawn feels like evening, and the crumbling Dragon Keep houses fewer citizens than it had for Aegon’s coronation. Aemond’s mother is here, and so are you, two women clad in silk and velvet. The fire burn green when Hightower goes to war. It burned red when Targaryens did.

He had wished to be king, and he had won that right through blood and blades and Vhagar’s jaws. Pride beats in your chest aligned with his, but the sacrifice weighs on your shoulders and it weighs heavier than his crown. Aemond keeps staring onward into the disheveled crowd of peasants that are so subdued under the haunting hymns of the Seven. Queen Mother looks down into her clasped, trembling hands. You keep looking at Aemond, your love, your husband, your king.

He suddenly turns to you, and his gloved hand extends in invitation. His expression is unreadable, but the slight quiver of his jaw reminds you that deep down, somewhere, he’s still young, and still afraid, and still trying to mask the fact. Your steps are quiet, but your hand holds his tight. Both of you face the crowd and the choir stops.

“Long may he reign!” You announce.

The people roar it back, over and over again with renewed vigor, and somewhere above, Vhagar flaps her wings and dissipates the clouds. 

It’s the dawn of a new era. Yours and his.

hope u liked it xx

[l0vergirlwrites]

come over ; peter parker

warnings: sweet angst & fluff post no way home (btw i didn't really edit this, don't judge)

also, listen to "pistol" by cigarettes after sex while reading <3

it was cold, considering it was the start of december. snow continued to fall from the sky at a steady pace, adding to the snow-covered streets & buildings upon where spiderman sat. peter dangled his feet off the edge of the building, gloved hands resting in his lap as he peered out onto the busy streets. "last christmas" by wham mixed in with "all i want for christmas" by mariah carrey blasted from the shops below, families eagerly trekking up & down the sidewalks with gifts & winter attire.

peter sat alone with that familiar ache in his chest. he couldn't suppress it any longer. it overtook him, making him feel both heavy like a brick & as light as the wind. heartstrings likely snapped as he caught the figures of his former friends below, faces full of smiles as they headed to mj's work.

he was happy his old friends were safe, but it was still bittersweet. more bitter though.

moving away from the ledge of the building, he dusted off the snow that gathered on him, ignoring his cuts & bruises that made him wince, & he swung to his apartment window to sit on the fire escape. while his head rested against the rusted metal, feet moving back & forth to pass the time, he waited for you--the only person he has left-- to call.

he soon heard the sweet bluebird tweeting from his phone, the ringtone he picked for you, & felt a bit of tension ease from his muscles. swiping right on the call, he put the phone up to his right ear & lifted his mask to be just under his nose.

"hey, i just got in" your voice told him, sounding soft like sleep due to the yawn you let out.

"you sound tired" he noted, looking up to see if he could catch a glance of your apartment window, only to see a bit of light seep through the curtains a few windows above.

"i can say the same thing about you. so, come over" you insisted as you plopped onto your couch, letting out the smallest sigh as the cushions enveloped you after a long day of studying.

"i really miss you & i don't know what else to do..." you admitted, hoping that'd be an incentive.

feeling his chest grow a little lighter now, the ache going away, peter gave in. he didn't like being alone anyways.

"give me five minutes?".

he could almost feel your smile beaming from the phone "see you then, peter".

ending the call off with a smile, you reluctantly rose from the couch to pull out some cleaning supplies from your bathroom, knowing that he'd likely have a few things he'd refused to patch up, so you'd do it for him.

taking a quick shower to get off any sweat & body odour, peter closed his eyes as the water pelted his skin. he grew tired of looking at all his scars, so he learned to do his routine blindly. once his body smelt of an aloe body wash he bought a few days ago & his hair was freshly clean, peter didn't bother to look at his reflection as he threw on a pair of sweatpants & a hoodie, locking his door to make his way to your apartment. lightly knocking on your door, peter could hear a few pill bottles rattling & a kettle going off, making him furrow a brow as he listened in.

but once you opened the door, his senses tuned out & he felt somewhat normal again. your warmth pulled him in, & he held you close, even though his bruised ribs weren't fond of your body's pressure; but he didn't care. his eyes closed & his arms held you tight. the comfort of your body against his felt nice.

"i missed you" you mumbled into his shoulder, smelling the aloe on the skin of his neck, which was littered with some light bruises. pulling away to get a better look at him, your hands scaled his skin before resting on his slightly hollowed cheeks as you inspected an old cut that was healing quite well.

"i'm okay, you don't have to clean me up tonight" peter whispered, knowing you worried too much cared for him.

you looked into his eyes & gave a knowing a look, a look that said "i don't completely believe you".

"okay, just checking" rubbing your thumbs along his soft skin, his hands did the same to your waist before you pulled him inside, locking the door & heading for the couch.

as he got comfortable on the cushions, you nudged his knee to look at you pointing at the tea & pain pills on the small coffee table. looking back at you with a "really, i'm okay" look, you nudged him again, urging him to take them. smiling happily when he took a few sips of hibiscus tea & the two pain pills, peter nudged you this time, a small smile forming on his lips.

"thank you" he said, his eyes twinkling at yours in the dim light of your apartment, feeling your hand slowly reach out to hold his, waiting for him to accept your touch even though you were pressed into his side.

"you're always welcome" you smiled back, heart fluttering when he rested his head against your shoulder.

comfortable silence overtook you both for a while. peter was enjoying your presence, your touch--just being there with you seemed to somewhat cure of him.

resting your head on top of his, your left arm taking a hold of his left upper arm, you asked him "do you want to talk?"

the question made him shift to peer up at you, his tired face looking at your slightly concerned one, & he tightened his lips.

but you squeezed his hand again, "no pressure, okay?" you nodded to him, just letting the option be out there because you knew he needed it.

with his eyes faltering a little, peter became conflicted. "i don't want to burden you" his hesitant voice said.

"it won't burden me, spider boy" you squeezed his hand again.

putting his head back on your shoulder, peter squeezed your hand three times, a sign that he'll talk. he quietly updated you on everything you've missed for the last few days: seeing happy again at may's grave, his old friends continuing their lives during their christmas break from MIT, the loneliness that continued to creep at him--he slowly broke through his hesitation & took off the things that made him grow hollow.

as he spoke, peter took notice of your heartbeat, your hand in his & how they both grew with empathy as he went on.

"... i-i just feel a little lost" he ended his vent, sighing deeply & shutting his eyes as the emotions he keeps trying to hide break through the surface.

you stayed silent for a minute or so while you gathered your thoughts, rubbing his arm with your left hand & rubbing his knuckles with the other.

"peter, you know you don't have to be strong right now, right?".

unsure of what you meant, peter moved his head to the the couch pillow behind him & looked at you, trying to read you.

"i-i, i-i don't know what you mean by that" he didn't understand.

biting the inside of your cheek, you tried explaining it. "you've been through so much in these last few months-- hell i could even say these last few years-- but throughout everything, you've been so strong haven't you?" you asked him, seeing him nod his head.

"i had to be" he added, to which you agreed.

"right. so you haven't had much time, until now, to process everything & take your time with it, right?" he nodded again, slowly seeing what you were getting at.

moving your hand up to his cheek again, you sighed at him, looking so fragile & precious, so vulnerable.

"you don't have to put up a front or ignore what you're feeling, even in front of me" your sincere voice told him like a vice, coaxing him out of his old isolating habits.

"it's okay to not be strong all the time".

in response, peter just nodded his head & felt his eyes begin to water, feeling more & more comfortable to be in this state with you.

"c'mere, it's okay," you cooed at him, letting him rest in the safety of your chest, hugging him as he held onto you tight. "i'm here for you" you told him quietly, lips pressed against the top of his head.

peter hasn't felt so cared for in so long after it being an official year since his old life came to a stop. you reminded him whats its like though--his light through the fog, through the tears & the endless nights where he didn't feel worth it, where he wished his dark thoughts would just consume him to the point of no return--you, the girl he met on the roof while stitching himself up, helped him through it one by one.

retreating from your chest, peter rested his forehead on yours as your hands ran through his hair, the act so domestic; so normal. his teary eyes closed as he breathed you in, the hollowness in his chest was there, but it wasn't so bad this time.

"it's been on my mind for so long... i've been meaning to properly thank you but--".

sadly smiling, you almost paused him but he shook his head, his nose bumping yours a little.

"i need to tell you how much you mean to me, 'cause you're all i got. i wait for your calls every night. i feel normal when i'm with you, i feel okay & i don't get to feel that much anymore... i-i..." opening his eyes to look at you, he genuinely smiled with so much ease where he looked almost like his old pictures from his homecoming he once showed you.

"i wasn't sure i'd get another chance at this..." he hinted, throat becoming dry due to his nerves.

"what is it?' you asked, even though you knew. you needed him to say it.

"love. i didn't know i'd get another chance at love" peter finally confessed, squeezing your hand in hopes you felt it too.

he was still hurt. he knew he still needed time to heal. but, he loved you & you need to know it.

with teary eyes, you lifted his hand to your heart which was beating loudly against your chest, & you both chuckled. tapping his hand to make him open his eyes, peter looked at you with an adoring gaze, immediately knowing you felt the same.

"i love you too, peter" those five words sounded like heaven to his ears.

they became his favourite.

[ant1quarian]

Verryyy interesting cannons! Do any of those repeat for other Dusts- or generally do they all have different stress methods unique to them?

You don't gotta list em all, just wondering if it's all unique to each Dusty.

(Btw how do you gather information that well, oh my gosh?? I'm pretty sure I've seen dusty creatures with like 12+ paragraphs of lore... Are you sane still??)

They don't so much as repeat as being similar to each other. There are many different coping mechanisms they have and different ways they just. . . handle trauma, I guess?

Each Dust is unique and very much their own person in their own unique ways!

Some Dusts actually find it better to hide in some sort of fort-like structure, others like to be in open spaces where nothing could creep up on them- hell, some of 'em like to bury themselves in snow.

( And how do I gather it? Well. I've once been told that I'm really good at improv- so most of these are just me being like "mmm yes this would make sense to that specific character" when asked lmao )

( others, though. Others I have about 20 pages of little character quirks and headcanons for )

Last time I checked I was sane! But that was a couple years ago so- /silly

[seamgel]

rating LS members by how i think they'd feel, taste, smell and sound like !!! [i only watch like a few of them so some may be inaccurate, it's all /lh btw]

4C: he feels like jelly ofc, prob tastes sour-sweet, smells of daisies and sounds like soft wind 3/4 [i hate sour things ckdjskdn]

Rek: tastes like syrup, feels like sorta airy and soft, defo smells like fresh air and he sounds like birds chirping 4/4 :3

Terrain: he smells of leaves and mint [is mint leaves ???], he tastes like make-up, sounds like a piano and feels like a mossy rock 2/4 [mmm make-up is blegh and i do not like the smell of purely mint]

Zam: smells like petrichor [the highest of compliments], sounds like soft sheep bahs, he feels like quick sand and tastes like a strawberry lolipop 4/4 !!!

Jaron: he feels smooth and silky, tastes of caramel, def smells like sticky notes and sounds like a creaking swing 4/4 :]

Planet: sounds like the rumbling of inside a car [driving home at night after a long day !!!], tastes like cotton, smells like a lemon and feels like butterfly wings 2/4 [cotton blegh, and the smell of lemons<<<]

Bacon: smells of lavender candles, feels kinda like a rough rock, tastes like hot chocolate [ik i could've said bacon but he does NOT taste like bacon !!! /lh] and sounds like laughing children 3/4 [lavender candles kinda smell not like lavender yk ??]

Red: he tastes of steak, smells like dry wall, feels like magma and sounds kinda like the quiet of night 3/4 [ouch magma]

Vi: sounds like echoed screaming [like with a heavenly voice tho-], defo tastes like whipped cream, he feels like a rough carpet and smells like actual lavender 2/4 [rough carpet bad :[ i fucking hate whipped cream who the fuck likes whipped cream]

Subz: smells of shrubbery, tastes like paper, sounds like angry bass [the instrument not an angry bass cksjdkn] and he feels like fur 4/4 :D<

Mapicc: smells like make-up, he defo tastes like mint [fuck yea slay king], sounds like rubble crashing and feels like metal 4/4 :]

Ro: tastes bitter like paint, sounds high pitched idk how to explain it, feels like a fluffy gown and smells like water 2/4 [mmm paint, high pitch hurts my ears :<]

Parrot: feels like scratchy fabric, smells like salt water, sounds like snow yk ?? and tastes like coffee 2/4 [coffe and scratcht fabric<<<]

Spoke: he sounds like a screaching car [i'm sorry king], tastes like gummies, feels airy and cold and smells like a fresh book 3/4 [i'm so sorry king]

Poafa: smells like air spray [idk what it's called cksnkd], sounds like the chatter of a cafe, tastes vv faint but vv funky and feels like grass 4/4 :>

Mid: she feels like cardboard ?? smells like smoke, sounds like howling wind and tastes like spicy ramen 3/4 [do not like the smell of smoke ty]

Branzy: tastes like rubber, rlly smells like metal, he sounds like Potential Breakup Song by Aly & AJ i'm not joking, feels like tree bark 2/4 [bah rubber and metal :P]

Clutch: he feels like fire, tastes like blood, sounds like soft knife sharpening and smells like a restaurant [look i was listening to And everything around us burns i'm sorry pdiejd] 4/4 !!!

Cube: tastes like plastic [rubix cube head], smells like a city, feels like a sunset and sounds like a loud, low rumbling 3/4 [plastic is super blegh !!]

Minutech: sounds like the sounds of the galaxy, feels warm like soup, tastes like ice and smells like chemicals 3/4 [mmm tasty chemicals]

Jumper: tastes like flowers, smells like dust, sounds french [idk either hon] and feels sorta like playdough 3/4 [dust is unpleasent]

Clown: tastes like cotton candy, sounds like gears creaking, feels like cold tiles and smells like toxins 2/4 [toxins are p self explanatory tbh and cold tiles<<]

Pangi: smells like sand, sounds like a banjo [what a funky dude], feels like thorns ans tastes like tacos 4/4 :3

Vortex: feels warm, sounds like laughter, tastes sour and smells like a forest 3/4 [sourrr]

Leo: tastes like ink, smells like lemons, feels like fur and sounds like bangs 1/4 [shit that's the lowest score, i'm so sorry, the only good thing is fur,,,,,,]

Woogie: sounds like an electric guitar, feels like snow, tastes like milk tea and smells like plastic 3/4 [plastic does not smell good, it barely has a smell but it's bad]

Ash: tastes vv much like soup, smells like daisies, sounds like Dark Beach by Pastel Ghost and feels like rushing water 4/4 :D<

i am so sleepy i spent an hour and half on this (, ,｡)

[sophiaredwood03]

Forlorn Pasts

HI! ...Never thought I'd spend 3 hours writing and re-writing this. I went and wrote a sort of Prequel to Recollections and Consequences . It's sort of a parallel to it. I had a lot of fun writing this, so I hope you like it! Comments are welcome! This is Vane with familiars, btw.

@atomsminecraft

Enjoy!

Every day, the gentle thrumming of the waves wake me up. To the sight of a small black cat curled up at the foot of bed, and feeling the gentle vibrations through the small island. The bed creaks and I feel a jolt of shock as the chill from the marble floor shoots through me. I can see the whole island from here. Acres upon acres of flowers, bubbling streams, mountains topped with snow rising in the distance. 

A streak of ruby red and cerulean blue twists and turns in the waning sun, before twisting, and then coiling. For a moment, the sky looks as if an eclipse has happened. 

Then, all of a sudden, a shadow looms on the ground and a strong wind blows into my face. Purring gently, the cat arches its back and springs up onto the windowsill. A scaly muzzle pushes itself under my palm.

I don’t want to go into town again. I can’t bear to see those rows of hesitant, frightened jewel-like eyes gazing at me, watching my every step. 

“...I should look at Saligia.” 

A shower of gold sparkles fell onto the flower fields below. 

…It’s so high up. I can see… all the kingdoms from here. So bright and beautiful, with lights on at every window and laughter ringing out from every door.Well, it would be, I suppose. It is the anniversary of The Cage of Peace, and the fall of Iritium.

I received an invite, of course. But it only the latest to fall onto a stack of letters, wax seals all still unopened. All slowly gathering dust. Except for one letter with a broken seal. That was the invite to the first anniversary.

When I pushed open those doors, the folds of my dress rustling, the room went silent. Not even the kings dared to look me in the eye. Oh, they were polite, of course. But I could tell that there was a undercurrent of fear behind every word that passed their mouths, surging through carefully placed compliments.

“She’s a witch, you know.” muttered a nobleman, clad in green. “She’s beautiful, you know-” whispered a young debutante, her voice barely more than  a breath , “-but I doubt that she has a living heart, with that way she dealt with-” Her her voice trailed off under her mother's disapproving gaze.

“Lord Vingard, what are your views on-”

“The Lady Vane?” Said the renowned diplomat

“Yes, milord.”

“Well-” a wineglass was raised, and wine as red as rubies splashed into it “ A great adeptus in magic, certainly. But, you know-” 

I caught his eye.

A great red cloak swirled and vanished out of the balcony door.

“I wonder-” a wine splashed into a glass, “- does the Lady intend for someone to perish on this fine night?” 

A fan, held by a slender hand, snapped open. “My, what would cause such a thought, Lord Royce?” 

“She’s all dressed in black, the finest satins and silks, certainly, but that surely cannot disguise her ill intent, now can it?” His tone, dripping with suspicion, cut me deeper than the sharpest dagger. 

Surely, they must realise that I mean them no ill harm?

…Right?

“Hmm.” Eyes laced with contempt pierced through me. “Nor can it conceal that most ignoble, low-blood running through her veins.” …What a low blow, indeed. A challenge that was practically begging for it to turn into a fight.

At that moment, I felt it. The weight of their prejudices, weighing me down, pressing against my heart like thorns. I couldn’t even  open my mouth to defend myself.

How I wish I could have been right. 

I left early. Not a human, they say. They all seem to agree that I’m fundamentally… different… from them.

…Did you know, I dreamed of a girl last night. Very like me, she was. Sitting by a window beneath the red moon- with a look of shock and confusion on her face. Her eyes were filled with fear, and yet! Why do I feel like she is returning to her homeland for the first time?

 I wonder who she is?

Smiling, I turn and spin in starlight, the wind curling around me and caressing my hair with a gentle hand. It feels like… my body is being filled up with the light of stars that are far away from here. I feel like Saligia will be re-awakened soon.

“...To my dream-girl… What’s your name, dear?”

[shellsinadune]

ok so i'm back, i've slept on it, here are some things i loved about the darlinghurst great comet (in no particular order - spoilers if you want to be surprised by the creative decisions):

the drinks were great, i don't drink so i had the war and peach at the intermission and it had glitter in it!! btw just in general love when theatres change the name of a drink for the show ('anatole spritz' (aperol spritz) tickled me)

everyone was so kind, i got complimented on my outfit and the person (usher? idk the word) was really helpful

the building was accessible in a way i wasn't used to. the accessible bathroom had those buttons to open and lock the door, idk whether the changing place was adequate for adults but it was there. there was a lift between the upper and lower ground floor so i could actually go down those half floor stairs that i usually just have to sit at the top of

the use of the (massive) disco ball was beautiful, i started crying during no one else and the little specks of light spinning like snow were a contributing factor in that

the costumes!!!! they definitely did their own thing with them. natasha's opening dress with the sleeves and anatole's crop top were highlights but the whole thing was cool. most of the fem clothes had a sort of babydoll vibe to them?? idk how to describe it.

sonya alone was beautiful, many of the solos (notably also pierre and dust and ashes) were performed as if the character was writing/singing a song rather than the actor performing the characters' thoughts, if that makes sense?? but just the spotlight on her, her playing the piano and singing..... it wasn't what i was expecting, but it allowed a nice little rest between bigger numbers and let me focus on the singing

the whole cast was so talented though, i think every actor played an instrument at some point which is super impressive. some of them had cellos strapped to them half the time and were still dancing.

the theatre was so small that i'm pretty sure the cast could fully see me sobbing in the back row at the end. that is how great comet should be.

the jumping skills were impressive. not just during the abduction but also when people were getting off the stage.

i like how opb's movements were mostly controlled by other actors dragging his clothes around. my dad and i had a conversation about whether it's symbolic of his privilege (having a bunch of yes man servants) or of his declining mental state (being controlled by his dementia (?) instead of what he used to be)

danatole rights in the duel and preparations (they are so dysfunctional <3). anatole grabbing at dolokhov's chest and kissing his neck when 'a fact known only to his intimates' *chefs kiss*

marya's actor wasn't performing and the swing was playing helene so the production manager (?) was playing marya. given that she didn't know the role perfectly (she had the script in hand) she did really well!!!!

the 2 little balconies were great, they added a lot of dimension to the stage. (for those wondering, to my memory the songs performed in the balconies were: pierre, natasha and sonya in the opera, natasha & anatole, dust and ashes, pierre in letters, preparations, anatole in find anatole, and pierre & anatole)

GENDERQUEER ANATOLE!!!!! the way they would switch octaves mid line <3333

actually multiple of these actors are trans/gnc!!!!!!!

there was no/very little ensemble so you could hear every individual voice during the harmonies

the program is gorgeous, there are little glossy constellations all over it which makes a nice texture

the choreography in charming was so neat. love those little shoulder wiggles.

no strobing in the duel (but yes strobing in the opera when anatole comes in)

they did something with the lighting during the ball kiss that sort of made it look like a veil of light and a little strip of darkness spinning around them. if i'm going to analyse it conveys natasha's confusion while giving her privacy. or something i can't figure out the words to explain it.

not really intentional but right before the bit of the opera with the show, they stopped the performance for a bit. idk why. but it was charming and helpful for me because i had to ground a bit.

i cried 7 times. my head hurt by the end of it.

the use of silence was so good. like pauses between songs, in the middle of them, idk just. you know that post about how live theatre conveys loneliness better than anything else? yeah.

i know i already said this but i kept putting these as separate points so i'll just say all the actors' performances are SO GOOD. natasha and sonya were like..... scarily well cast btw

the 'no, i am enjoying myself at home this evening' line was performed so well

i didn't get an on stage seat but they were sitting at a long table type thing that was actually part of the stage and the cast were literally dancing directly in front of them

i like the fact they didn't try to find gender conforming audience members to bring up (in this performance, mary's suitor was fem presenting and opb's 'cheap french thing' was masc presenting). they didn't change pronouns to try and match the gender presentation of whoever they called up. same with the actors during the abduction (matryoshka etc).

finally managed to id the woodwind instrument in the 'he'll come home one day and take me away, i want nothing more' bit ('twas a clarinet). that was bugging me for years.

the comet was depicted by natasha's actor holding a big lit up ball and slowly walking through the mid-audience bit of the stage. when the song ends she gives it to pierre and he holds it until it's the only light in the room. something something hope.

they didn't directly copy the recording, there were variations in the tune that caught me off guard (in a good way) and they pronounced things the way that was most natural for an australian performance instead of trying to americanise.

overall, the only thing i would want for is to have a recording for sale, because my memory is so shit that i remember something that happened yesterday about as well as i can remember being 4 years old (not an exaggeration). i'm sort of sad that i can't see it again and again, which is just part of ~the magic of theatre~ but also a sign that it's really that good.

(anyway i highly recommend it if you're in sydney before the 20th of august)

[hannahhbahng]

Cocoa Powder || Bang Chan x GN! Reader

've never seen snow before btw. harper = me. oh and the og storyline went- POOF- because skz is chaotic.

Y/n yelped as Chan threw one last snowball toward them. "CHIRSTOPHER BAHNG CHAN!" Y/n grumbled. Chan snickered as they entered the dorm, pulling off their winter clothes. Y/n threw a glove at Chan who caught it, shoving it into the laundry basket. "OI! WASH YOUR OWN LAUNDRY, GRAMPS!" Harper shouted from the kitchen. Han and Harper were making - well, more accurately, attempting to make - hot cocoa. "STOP! THATS TOO MUCH!" Lee Know yelled. Y/n rolled their eyes at the noise while Chan peeked into the kitchen, coming back with a face full of cocoa powder. "Foodfight?" Y/n said, fighting to keep the smile out of their voice. "You could say that." Chan grumbled. Han peeked out of the kitchen, throwing a handful of powder toward Chan. Chan ducked and Y/n spluttered, inhaling the powder. "Omigosh- are you okay?" Han hurried toward Y/n. Chan grabbed Han, dragging him away. "Don't go near them." Chan all but growled. Harper yanked Han back into the kitchen. "Are you okay, Y/n?" Chan grabbed the sides of Y/n's face, turning it so he could study them. "Take deep breaths, in and out." Y/n obeyed, coughing up the last of the powder. "Who knew cocoa powder could be so deadly?" Y/n wheezed. "What powder?" Changbin asked, striding into the room. He paused as he caught sight of them. "Did you guys take a bath in powder or something?" Chan rolled his eyes. "Cocoa powder. Just don't go into the kitchen." Loud yells came from the kitchen, Harper's laughter ringing through the house. Changbin nodded. "Wise advice from the half 50 man." Changbin ran off as Chan glared at him. Y/n grabbed Chan's arm before he could run after Changbin. "Geez Chan, don't kill him. He's just stating facts." Chan glared daggers at Y/n. "The one person I thought who would stand by me-" Chan put a hand dramatically over his heart, falling to his knee. "has left me- now I'm alo-" "What's he dramatizing?" Felix asked, pulling Y/n onto the couch. Chan sat up almost instantly, scrambling onto the couch next to Y/n and pulling them away from Felix. "Chan!" Y/n slapped Chan's arm. "Don't be so possessive." Chan pouted as Y/n settled in between him and Felix. "Okay, so basically. Changbin came and asked why we're covered in cocoa powde-" Y/n started. "Why ARE you covered in cocoa powder?" Felix interrupted. Harper came in from the kitchen, dusting the last of the cocoa powder off her hands. She plopped on the floor, at Y/n's feet.