#then his stepson goes missing

[pomieszanesny]

Bro... q!Roier...

[pjohoo-reclists]

Percy Jackson & Amphitrite Fic Recs

A list of fics with Percy & Amphitrite's platonic or/and familial relationship. Enjoy!

Icicles in the sky: the beach by TheTrueCthulhu9

G | 800 words | Complete

Percy Jackson & Amphitrite

Good parent Amphitrite, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Percy Jackson needs a hug

Percy is struggling with his first day at camp, lost his mother, doesn't know his godly parent, everyone expects him to be more. So he goes to where he feels the most comfort.

Baking Cookies by PunkFlame 

G | 1.4k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Amphitrite

Baking, Domestic, Amphitrite is a good step parent

Armed with her new knowledge, the queen exited the water. She needed to find a recipe after all. She wasn't too familiar with the style and popularity of land foods and didn't want to make something that he wouldn't like. This had to be perfect. __ Amphitrite is determined to bond with Percy, and she found out the perfect way. Baking cookies.

My Immortal Stepmother by aislingyngaio

G | 1.7k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Amphitrite

Percy and Amphitrite meet again after the Battle of Manhattan and form a bond.

Brought Home by GhostlyPages

G | 1.8k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Sally Jackson, Percy Jackson & Triton, Percy Jackson & Amphitrite

Kid Percy Jackson, Royal Percy Jackson, Queen Amphitrite, Good parent Amphitrite

“Who’s my father?” He turned his attention back to the Queen who was sitting across from him. “Your father is the King, Poseidon.” She answered him, and Percy blinked at her in confusion. “But isn’t he married to you?” He asked, “How could he be my father when he’s married to you?” He asked, tilting his head to the side as he looked over to Triton as if he would have the answer. Triton had looked away and had a sour look on his voice. He worried that Triton disliked him like Gabe disliked him.

Happiness Does Not Wait by mrthology

G | 2.0k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Amphitrite, Percy Jackson & Poseidon

Percy Jackson needs a hug, Slice of life, Family Dynamics

"Who said anything about a quest, child?" Amphitrite asked, laughter in her voice. It reminded Percy of Kymopoleia's, much to his discomfort. He hardly had good memories of his godly sister. “Gods don’t tend to want anything else from me,” Percy pointed out dryly. “You lot always want something.” “Of course I want something,” Amphitrite said, voice awash in amusement. “I want you to come to Atlantis,” she continued, cutting him off right as he was about to speak. She started to walk again, bypassing throngs of gaping students. She was hiding her divinity, but she still looked so much more than human. “As I said, your father misses your presence. And he is incredibly irritating when he sulks.” — Or, Percy spends some time with his godly stepmother, much to his bafflement.

A Mother's Jewel by EclecticPhoenix

G | 3.5k | Complete

Poseidon/Amphitrite, Percy Jackson & Amphitrite

Family Fluff, Amphitrite Centric, Protective Triton

Amphitrite had no love for her husband's half-blood children. But when Percy Jackson has to stay in Atlantis while he recovers, can she accept him and let go of her resentment? Or in which Amphitrite comes to care for her demigod stepson.

family in disguise by osamugiris

G | 3.7k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Amphitrite, Poseidon/Amphitrite, Percy Jackson & Triton

Growing up, Good Parent Amphitrite, Disguised gods

"Thank you," he smiled softly. "I like blue candy a lot. Smelly Gabe says food can't be blue, so Mom likes to make blue food and bring home blue candy all the time just to say he's wrong. It's our thingy." "Anything can be blue if you wish," she nodded with a smile. "What's your name, dear?" "Percy," he said. "What's yours, miss?" The woman grinned at him. "You just call me Mrs. A." Amphitrite and (reluctantly) triton have been looking out for Percy his entire life without Poseidon’s knowledge. Percy feels stupid for not figuring it out sooner.

Family doesn't end in blood by HadrianPeverellBlack

G | 3.9k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Amphitrite, Percy Jackson & Poseidon

Percy Jackson is a Little Shit, Good Parent Amphitrite, Poseidon is a Good Parent

Five times Amphitrite saw Percy help sea creatures, Plus the one time Percy needed help.

I really don’t know clouds at all by Melanthios

T | 4.1k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Poseidon, Percy Jackson & Triton, Percy Jackson & Amphitrite

Poseidon is overprotective, Triton is a good sibling, Good parent Amphitrite

Percy and the sea fam hold hands on different occasions.

Gratuity At Twenty Percent by inkncoffee

T | 5.6k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Poseidon, Percy Jackson & Amphitrite

Father-son relationship, Family, Good step-mother, Protective Percy

Amphitrite was no fool and she wouldn't be played for one. Not even by the lord of the sea himself. When Poseidon starts disappearing at night, Amphitrite investigates. She's not entirely sure if what she finds is better or worse than what she expected.

Get Well by PunkFlame 

Not Rated | 6.8k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Triton, Percy Jackson & Poseidon, Percy Jackson & Amphitrite

Sickfic, Misunderstandings, Family Bonding

Normally Percy wasn’t huge on physical contact, which is what made the demigod utterly melting into him - and even nuzzling against his chest - all the more bewildering. Not that a single thing in the past few minutes made much of any sense. Firstly Percy never prayed to him, so hearing him do so filled the god with trepidation. Despite whatever situation he thought he would find the demigod in, not for a moment did the messenger even consider that his brother would be lying face first in a bathtub, one foot hooked over the edge of the tub, and the other wedged in the corner. What had happened to him now?

Love Blooms From Within by PunkFlame 

T | 16k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Poseidon, Percy Jackson & Triton, Percy Jackson & Amphitrite

Platonic Hanahkai, Undersea Family, Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending

Percy grabbed a tissue from the nearby box to cough into, only to nearly faint when he caught sight of what was nestled in the bloody mess. “Are those… petals?” He pushed it to the back of his mind, and tried his very best to forget all about them. Even though the cough and the petals never truly went away. ____ All Percy ever wanted was his Father's love. Some brotherly love would certainly have been nice too, but how could they possibly ever love someone as fleeting as him? (Hanahaki with a familial twist.)

The Sea Does Not Like to Be Restrained by PunkFlame

T | 20k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Poseidon, Percy Jackson & Triton, Percy Jackson & Amphitrite, Percy Jackson/Apollo

Undersea Family, Controlling Relationships, Protective family dynamics

As it turns out, when a demigod rejects their godly parent’s domain with such vehemence, the god and their child could become entirely severed from one another. There was little knowledge on the matter, the bottom line seemed to be that if the two did not mend the sever, Perseus would slowly fade away and die, step by step loosing more and more of himself as his soul desperately tried to mend the gaping hole in itself. Triton couldn't even imagine. The most terrifying concept to him was piece by piece loosing what made him who he was. To have parts of oneself ripped from one's very soul until they remain a husk of what they once were, there were scarcely worse things...

Oh Yeah, No, I Totally Forgot by BlueberryLimoncello

T | 93k+ | Ongoing as of 23/8/23

Sally Jackson & Amphitrite, Percy Jackson & Amphitrite

Sally Jackson is a good parent, Amphitrite is 'aunt Rita', Amphitrite is a homie

Amphitrite really had only gone to that particular beach to see if there was something special about it. To see if the surf was softer, the wildlife nicer, if the nymphs were maybe prettier. She needed to see if there was a reason Poseidon went there so often. But the stretch of sand she’d come to was truly pitiful, it wasn’t anything special or different, it was in fact boringly empty. Or it was meant to be empty. A small child stared up at her with big green eyes, a mop of dark curly hair, and an armful of various colorful buckets and a tiny shovel. Oh.

Who Would Dare? by PunkFlame

T | 120k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Triton, Percy Jackson & Poseidon, Percy Jackson & Amphitrite

Poison, Sickfic, Undersea Family, Extreme medical trauma

"Listen." Triton's voice cut through Percy’s haze "We both know you're hurt, but you don’t have to play the hero. Now let me see your damn wound." Percy nodded, opening up his stance and allowing Triton to approach him. He lifted the hem of Percy’s shirt carefully, to reveal an inch deep gash that stretched from the top of his shoulder to his upper thigh. Triton froze, eyes widening in disbelief, but he remained silent. He reached out but stopped himself just short of touching the wound. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and grave. "Tell me who did this to you... Now." ________ Triton, at Poseidon's request, goes to seek out Percy; however, he finds him on the brink of death, and brings him back to Atlantis in an attempt to save his life. What will this mean for them, what will this mean for the royal family as a whole, and who would dare to have done this in the first place?

Nothing to make a song about but kings by iwillpassthis

T | 201k | Complete

Percy Jackson & Amphitrite, Percy Jackson & Poseidon

King!Percy, Undersea politics, Atlantis

Percy knelt before Atlantis’ throne, feeling the ancient power of the sea run through his veins in an uncoordinated dance. You are the sea now, it whispered, and the sea is you. A crown of gold and emeralds was placed on his head. Long live the king. Long live the king. . It’s a fortune that Poseidon has a mortal son, because when an ancient curse hits his kingdom and all the sea gods disappear… well, someone must rule.

[heather123fan-blog]

Firebrand Review Part 2

Second part of my Firebrand review. Some of the bad things I didn't like and/or significant changes that were made I'll try not to spoil too much of the ending for everyone who hasn't seen it. I know it comes out later in the UK.

Firebrand seems to convey the feeling of a horror movie in that something bad is always about to happen. It starts out in a cold, dreary forest. The overall atmosphere is dark and gloomy.

Henry VIII never interacts directly with either Princess Mary or Princess Elizabeth. Even when they're in the same room. He is very cold and unloving towards them as well as Edward. All three kids are terrified of their father and don't seem to love him. This is an interesting choice I'm not saying Henry was a great dad, but he had a better relationship with his kids than what Firebrand portrays. Even if Mary, Elizabeth and Edward were frightened of their father's wrath they did love him and revere him. In one scene Elizabeth even accuses Henry of not loving them and then states that Catherine DOES love them. Hmm I thought that was taking things too far. The real Elizabeth wouldn't be that outspoken about her feelings even if she was privately thinking something of the sort, she wouldn't risk her father's anger by accusing him of not loving her. Outwardly at least, she revered him and wanted his love. So did Mary so did Edward. That scene could've been handled better.

There's also a similar scene where Mary is speaking in Spanish to her father and begging him to return the country to Catholicism. "Wasn't it better back then with Mama," she asks. Poor Mary.

Major characters such as Archbishop Cranmer, Latimer, Ridley, Anne Seymour, Thomas Wriothesley, Richard Rich and the Howards are missing.

John Dudley appears in a Council scene hurray! But doesn't get any lines boo.

The Seymour brothers look like dwarves from Lord of the Rings especially Edward. Their beards really stand out hehe.

There is a very unusual pagan-type dance with lots of leaves performed at court. Thomas and Catherine dance together I'm not sure if this is from the 16th century but it didn't seem to be a Renaissance dance.

Henry VIII makes Catherine Parr regent in his Will for Prince Edward when he dies at one point and then goes back on it and then re-instates her.

He accuses Catherine of having an affair with Thomas Seymour after the dance and they have a huge fight.

Thomas Seymour is portrayed as the sleazeball he was thank goodness and he betrays Catherine near the end of the film.

Catherine gets arrested put in prison and interrogated by Gardiner (this portion is shown in the trailer) in real life she was never arrested.

Eventually she is released, and she and Henry reconcile somewhat. I won't spoil the ending as there is a huge twist and I'll discuss it more once the film comes out in the UK with everyone else, but it ends on a positive note with Catherine Parr and Elizabeth in the final scene. With an emphasis on Catherine's writings, the influence she had on her stepdaughter and her long reign, as well as the establishment of the Protestant Church.

It's interesting because the film never states that Henry VIII rewrote his Will so one is left thinking that Catherine should have been Regent for the young Prince Edward when Henry died but others stole that position from her.

I almost think Firebrand would've worked better as an Alternative History film or a historical fantasy. It felt like I was watching the same story being told a different way where it seemed like Catherine Parr was destined to be the feminist heroine who comes out on top, saves the Kingdom and becomes regent for her stepson. Sadly, this didn't happen in real life. How I wish it had if only Catherine had been made regent for Edward, I wonder how things would've gone? Probably better as long as she doesn't marry Thomas Seymour.

[wonderlandleighleigh]

So if Joel has been gone for two years and Ethan is nine. That would make Esther five? Two years can be a five year old’s entire memory. More of the park fic please? Lenny thinks of Midges kids as his, since he’s been there only male role model for a while? Esther only knows Lenny as dad? No one is happy with Joel returning? Maybe.

(yep! Esther is five, Ethan is nine, Kitty is eight)

Lenny's not sure what to expect.

Things have been so good. He's been clean, and he and Midge just got back from their honeymoon, and he's working, and Midge is working, and the kids are great and things have just been...

Good.

And now Joel is back, and the entire family is coming here for dinner, and Midge has cooked up a fucking storm, and the kids are stressed.

Ethan is, for all intents and purposes, brooding, as much as a nine-year-old can brood, and Esther stays completely silent while Kitty helps Midge in the kitchen.

"No matter what happens with the adults tonight, everything is going to be okay," Lenny promises as he holds a pinkie between the loop in Esther's shoelace to help her tie it. "Whatever arguments, whatever dumb crap gets muttered, it's not at all about any of you."

"I don't wanna see Pop," Ethan tells him grumpily. "He has a new family, he doesn't need us."

Lenny's heart goes out to his stepson. He remembers what it was like to be ditched by his own father. The disappointment and anger. The wondering.

Esther is too young to understand most of this, and Lenny knows that the fact that she calls him "dad" is going to cause a fight that he's not looking forward to, but there's nothing for it.

Kitty is playing support staff, and at eight-going-on-thirty-five, she gets it all too well as she busies herself with helping Midge.

"Are we all ready?" Rose asks as she steps into the living room.

"Can we cancel?" Ethan asks.

"If only," Abe laments as he joins them.

"It'll be fine," Lenny insists.

"It probably won't be," Rose corrects him. "But we'll get through it."

Esther frowns. "I'm scared now."

Lenny sighs and scoops her up. "Don't be scared, darling, it'll all be fine. Grandma is just worried."

Esther cuddles in against him and rests her head on his shoulder. "Okay, Dad."

The knock on the door makes all of them freeze.

"Ready?" Midge asks, dashing towards the foyer.

"No!" Abe, Ethan and Rose call.

"Tough luck!" Midge calls back as she opens up the door. "Maisels! Come on in."

Shirley rushes in first. "Where are my grandbabies?" she calls as she steps into the living room. "There they are, oh they've gotten so big!"

"You saw them a week ago," Abe points out.

Shirley waves him off as she kisses Ethan loudly and then Esther, and then Kitty. "They're beautiful and they get more gornw up every day."

"Yes, Kitty will be forty in a month," Lenny quips.

"What?" Shirley asks.

"Nothing," Midge promises.

Moishe steps in next, greeting everyone, and Joel lags behind, obviously observing the situation. His eyes wander around the room, and when Lenny turns with Esther still in his arms he freezes.

"What the fuck," Joel mutters.

Midge takes a breath. "Joel, this is Lenny, my husband. Lenny, Joel, my ex."

"Lenny Bruce married my ex-wife and now he's holding my daughter," Joel mutters, in a bit of a daze.

Rose looks deeply unimpressed as she tries to take Esther from Lenny, but the little girls holds on.

"No," she says firmly. "I wanna stay with Dad."

"I'm dad," Joel snaps.

"Sure you are," Ethan snorts.

"Hey," Joel warns. "I am your father."

"Some father, you ran away!" Ethan cries. "Twice!"

"Wow, this has gone downhill so much quicker than I thought it would," Midge mutters. "Noah, Astrid and Chaim aren't even here yet."

"Have we missed the total meltdown?" Noah asks as he and his family step inside.

"We're not knocking anymore?" Midge asks, lifting an eyebrow as she turns to him.

"Not for this shit show," he tells her.

"Hi everyone," Astrid beams as she goes around kissing all the children.

"Apparently the floor is lava, and I'm the only thing keeping Esther from melting," Lenny quips.

"Aw, sweetie," Astrid coos, coaxing the little girl out of Lenny's arms. "It's okay. See? Your dad is here."

Esther looks at Joel, deeply confused and looks at Midge. "Mama?"

Midge takes a breath. "Your dad was here when you were very, very little," she explains, walking over and taking Esther into her own arms. "And he's moving back to New York to spend time with you and your brother."

Ethan's snort is loud and derisive.

"You were not kidding about him," Joel marvels, looking to Midge.

She shrugs. "You were warned."

"I'm Kitty," Kitty blurts out.

Lenny chuckles and wraps an arm around her shoulders. "It's okay, Kit."

Joel looks around him, obviously overwhelmed. "I...I just-"

"Weren't expecting time to have passed and people to have moved on?" Abe asks him.

"Pop," Noah admonishes. "It's a lot," Noah tells Joel. "But yeah. Midge and Lenny got together shortly before you left for Chicago, and they've been together ever since. They got married a couple months ago."

Joel turns to Midge, glowering. "You could have warned me it was Lenny Bruce!"

"No," Esther snaps, reaching out to push him. "Be nice to Mama."

"Yeah, don't yell at Ma!" Ethan cries.

"This is so much worse than I thought it would be," Moishe mutters.

"I knew it would be awful," Rose tells him. "Why don't we all get settled. I'll make drinks."

Midge shifts Esther back into Lenny's arms. "I'll finish up dinner."

"I'll help!" Kitty says, trailing after her.

"This is...I'm in hell," Joel says. "Is this hell? Jews don't believe in hell, but-"

"Now you're just being dramatic," Abe admonishes.

Astrid lifts Chaim into her arms. "Let's get you kids some juice."

"Hey, juice!" Lenny chimes in, taking Kitty's hand and nodding Ethan along. "Let's do that."

"Scotch, Lenny?" Abe asks.

"A double," he mutters.

Joel watches them walk out and then turns to the other adults. "What the fuck."

"You left," Noah tells him. "You left, and you told Midge you wanted a fresh start in Chicago, and that you would reach out when you were ready. Did you?"

"She purposefully married Lenny Bruce and didn't tell me!" Joel cries.

Moishe groans. "Joel, I get that you're having some shock from being away for so long, but can you please calm down so we can drink our drinks and have dinner in peace?"

"I agree with Moishe," Abe says as he passes drinks around. "Let's have some calm tonight."

"I don't know why you're surprised Miriam moved on," Shirley says to her son. "She's gorgeous and wealthy now."

"Ma, really?"

Moishe takes a glass of whiskey from Abe and shoves it at Joel. "Drink this and shut up."

[rockyroadkylers]

14, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 3! Or just a couple if that's too much

not too much, if you don't mind me rambling for several paragraphs 🤭 i'll put some of it under a cut, lol.

3. This Love is Worth the Fight

this oneeeeeee 😍

this one is a sequel to my Kensington divergence Alex whump fic, which ended up being surprisingly highly requested after I posted the original. the original was just a oneshot, but this fic is gonna be much longer, with several chapters, going into Alex's recovery and Henry and Alex learning how to be a real couple while also dealing with backlash from the Crown and the email leak oop

so, one of the things i have planned for this fic is Henry and Alex exchanging handwritten letters after the email leak. Henry starts it as a way to give Alex something to read during the nighttime hours when visitors aren't allowed at the hospital; he starts writing in a journal that he leaves in Alex's room, and it makes Alex feel a little less lonely. in true Alex fashion, he writes Henry a list in response (the famous "incomplete list", except since it's handwritten, it doesn't get leaked with the rest of the emails, so it gets to stay between them. and Alex adds a few things to it that are specific to this fic.)

A continued list of things I love about HRH Prince Henry of Wales: - The fact that you came to see me that first day even though you were scared. Your bravery amazes me every goddamn day. - The way you tricked me into consuming your favorite classic authors by reading them out loud to me when I can’t hold up a book by myself (you’re not as sneaky as you think, but you’re cute, so I’ll allow it). - How clearly I can hear your voice in my head when I read the things you’ve written for me. - The fact that you snore when you fall asleep sitting up, like a sexy grandpa. - The way you roll your eyes when I say shit like “sexy grandpa”.

7. From Texas, With Love

This one is an AU where Alex is a child actor who gets cast in his first big TV role as Arthur's on-screen stepson. Alex uses acting as a coping mechanism - when he first gets cast, Ellen and Oscar's divorce is still fresh, and he throws himself into his role to escape from reality. Arthur takes him under his wing, and later introduces Alex to his son Henry, because he knows that both boys could use a friend, and he thinks they could be good for each other.

8. Christmas Carol AU

i came up with the concept for this one (and most of my other christmas AUs, tbh) after christmas was already over 😂 but at least that means i have 11 months to write it!

this one is, obviously, inspired by Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, and it's another Kensington divergence fic where Henry tells Alex to leave. Instead of Alex running off into the night and getting hit by a car, though, he actually does make it back to DC safely, and fast-forward a few months, it's almost Christmas and Henry is feeling pretty miserable. He goes to bed one night, and he's visited by the ghost of Arthur Fox!

9. National Treasure AU

gonna refer you to these posts, because that's pretty much all i have for this one so far 😅

10. Oscar Diaz as the Santa Clause

this is one of my newest AUs!!! i'm actually so excited about it 😍 I've explained most of my ideas in more detail in the Brownstone already, but basically it's based on the Tim Allen movie The Santa Clause. Oscar is Scott, and Alex is Charlie. Alex flies out to California to spend Christmas with Oscar, and Oscar becomes the next Santa when the old one falls off their roof.

I'm really excited about this one - I used to write parent-child family fic all the time, but I haven't in a good few months now, and I kind of miss it, so this fic is gonna be really fun to work on, I think.

14. The Tangled AU

again, referring back to this post 😊

[separatist-apologist]

Oh My Gosh I have been in love with your writing for a really long time, but just worked up the courage to tell you that so - hi. I'm a really big fan. Really all your Elucien content just warms my heart and it's also unbelievably hot??!!! Anyway, I noticed a lot of Taylor Swift lyrics and fics based on certain songs and I wanted to ask, what would be your vibes/headcanons for 'Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince' Elucien? And have a nice day <3

Hey!!

I actually DO have a WIP titled Heartbreak Prince that I was thinking about revamping for elucienweek. The premise is Elain tells Helion on a visit a decade after ACOSF that she feels stagnant and tired and he coaxes her out to the coast to oversee one of his cities. Beautiful gardens, nice people, good food, lots of sunshine...its perfect.

Meanwhile, Helion is also plotting a casual, very friendly takedown of Beron with his (hopefully) (if all goes to plan) soon-to-be stepson Eris. And perhaps is about to drop a bomb on Lucien's life.

And Lucien is like, wow so unchill of you dad and Eris. But he comes to Day court just to like, feel it out. And gosh, wouldn't you know there is something on the coast Helion could TOTALLY use some help with no of COURSE this isn't meddling.

[raayllum]

Hi! What are your thoughts on Callum’s biological father? I am curious. I have theories but I am wondering if you (or anyone else) has any ideas about what sort of story this may be.

While it may be nice if nothing is mentioned (perhaps he bears no relevance to the story whatsoever, which is fine) it may also be an interesting plot device. For example- we have this backstory about Soren being very unwell, and Viren used dark magic to save him… perhaps at the cost of his relationship with his ex-wife. We don’t know what he did… but we know that serious spells involve the use of another person’s life. Harrow seemed to know that Viren has done some pretty questionable stuff, and besides all this, we don’t know if Callum/Sarai are actually from Katolis to begin with. What if (and I am just theorising purely on a what if and no evidence whatsoever) Sarai’s husband / Callum’s dad was the unfortunate recipient of one of virens spells, if not using his life directly for Soren’s, but even transferring the ailment to him instead… as we know soren “wouldn’t be alive without (dark) magic”. Pretty dark and questionable things must have happened, as we know it seemed to tear Soren’s family apart. Soren had this strange dislike for Callum for a long time (yes- it was said that perhaps he was jealous of the King’s affection for Callum despite not being his biological son) but… what if it goes deeper than that? Viren disliked Callum strongly. Perhaps Callum is a constant reminder of what Viren did and why his family fell apart. It would explain why Callum’s dad is not there (either missing or passed away) and would be an interesting point of contention for Callum’s relationship with Soren/ Viren, whatever may happen in future seasons. We also know Sarai strongly dislikes dark magic and would explain why Harrow (who must have supported dark magic in the past) would have changed his stance upon learning something like that happened. I imagine that if this were the case, Sarai wouldn’t have known about it fully (as she would not have tolerated Viren’s presence), but maybe she met Harrow upon visiting the castle after Soren’s recovery (in place of her husband, who is no longer there).

I don’t know, I’m just throwing loose theories around! I’m curious to hear if you have any interesting ideas about this. I wonder if maybe his dad was a doctor/ medic of some sort and would explain why he would be “visiting” Katolis to assess Soren’s ailment (or something along those lines). I could be barking up completely the wrong tree, and perhaps he bears no relevance to any plot line at all and is simply going to be known as “Sarai’s past love and Callum’s dad”. But we know absolutely NOTHING about him- no profession, no story, not even what he looks like. Surely we would have some small drop of this of it was totally irrelevant..? Or something official would have been mentioned? What do you think? It’s definitely open to a lot of theorising until something is given to us!!

I think ultimately TDP is going the Trollhunters’ route in which Callum being the king’s stepson mostly exists to explore blended families and dynamics than having a strong impact on the story. I also don’t think Viren and Callum’s dynamic needs that layering as heavily, either, tbh; if Viren’s spells had cost a human life directly I don’t think Harrow would’ve knowingly let it slide, I don’t think Viren would’ve gone that far with other humans previously (although who knows), and Harrow did support dark magic in the past! In 2x05 Viren’s plan is exciting and hopeful to him and he doesn’t understand Sarai’s moral reservations with it until she literally spells it out to him. It’s only a slow build after her death that causes him to reject it outright.

I do have always enjoyed the headcanon of Callum’s father being a dark mage who was wounded / died in one of his own accidents (re: breaking family cycles gets doubled down on, Sarai’s strong aversion to dark magic, etc). I implied it loosely in a fic about Callum’s childhood here (feat. lots of Opeli) and ever so slightly in “if time is money” (very long post-s3 multichap) but I’d like to explore it as well in future fics such as:

for any trace: Finally, the boy says, “You knew my mother?” “No.” The High Mage of Evenere adjusts his glasses. “But I knew your father.” OR Callum goes to Evenere post-s4 to hunt down info on Aaravos

The Unimaginable: “Don’t marry him.” / You always call your daughter a princess. You don’t expect it to come true. AKA Harrai’s courtship with her parents’ feelings over it and her death

I’m hoping to get the first one out before S5 since it’s a post-S4 speculation thing (even if I don’t expect it to line up with canon at all but hey, fanon’s gonna fanon) and I have no time estimate on the second, only Eventually, lmao

But traditionally I HC as Amaya and Sarai growing up away from the castle in a smaller village (still in Katolis as a kingdom though) with Amaya being head crownguard and Sarai taking up the post when Amaya leaves to join and/or lead the Standing Battalion instead. I actually touch on some of this in my Viren adopts Rayla AU as well, funnily enough (which I still very much want to get back to)

[sophiagrimes]

the monster of the week campaign that my friend is keeping takes place in 1992, on an island called point au faire! here is my character :)

courtney andrea miller - the snoop - she/her - 25

BACKSTORY:

lived in a town called little hammock on an island off the coast of louisiana called point au faire as a child. plenty of friends, close with a few cousins. they had all heard stories of ghosts and creatures lurking in the night, but they never thought much of it. it was just life. they were like 10.

courtney is 13 when her best friend, joanna, goes completely missing. last seen leaving the library alone one night and never made it home, no body ever located. no foul play suspected. courtney cannot accept this and goes around town to try and investigate on her own but people are obviously reluctant to give a 13 year old too much information. the most she discovers is that joanna was talking to herself the last time anybody saw her. when courtney is 14, barely a year later, her parents decide to move to dallas.

she lives a normal enough life from then on and goes to college in san antonio, then transfers to arizona. started off as a blogger and print journalist. does “get to know me’s” for local names such as small business owners, popular coaches, local record breakers, etc. she’s always kept a goal of getting into investigative journalism but people are reluctant to hire her. she begins to go by “andy” in her articles to be taken more seriously. slowly begins to become more popular in texas, and she meets her boyfriend mark. he’s 3 years older than her and his dream is to write movies. promises of money take her to hollywood very briefly, she rubs elbows with paparazzis, and gets into slightly invasive celebrity journalism for a pinch.

her dream is to SHOCK PEOPLE. shes always been unassuming, able to get close without being noticed unless she wants to be noticed. she likes putting out celeb gossip and being praised for her nosiness. this same dream and her childhood history drives her to stay updated on anything supernatural she hears about. she keeps this mostly secret, but if she can find time to talk to a man about a “ufo” he swears he saw or a woman who claims her bakery is haunted, she’ll do it. even if she’s laughed at for it.

she gets a call one day that her aunt denise passed away and allotted in the will that courtney would inherit her house. she agrees to go back south and deal with that and other estate affairs. having just been assigned two student mentees (glorified temp assistants, her boss says) and not wanting to lose the opportunity to be a good mentor, and having good money saved from past projects, she negotiates bringing the temps with her and insists they’ll do some kind of work when in town.

(the students are both 22, a girl named heather and a boy named zack. heather is a staunch skeptic of the paranormal. zack believes in all of it. they both HATE courtney’s boyfriend)

(mark thinks her job is silly, believes shes wasting her time with celebs and now with ghosts. he wants to get married but she keeps coming up with reasons not to.)

nobody on the island calls her andy, she’s just courtney. she has a few old friends who still live in town and one of her distant cousins, a man her age named steven, is also there. she ropes him into helping go through denise’s house even tho he initially refused to do so. he’s denise’s stepson. her assistants fumble when remembering to call her courtney and it makes other hunters roll their eyes from time to time.

from her aunt’s house she takes a long haired old cat named zoë, a smith & wesson revolver, and a pendulum in a dusty velvet bag. having also brought a brand new digital camcorder, a film camera, a tape recorder, and electromagnetic field detector (from zack), she’s confident she can unlock some mysteries and possibly get her big break in her old hometown.

MORE DETAILS:

- you can talk to her for 10 minutes, lovely conversation, you think she’s so nice… then she walks away and you realize you didnt really learn anything about her. she had YOU talking and telling her stuff the whole time.

- shes afraid of heights

- despite being left the house, her and her assistants are staying in a motel in town

- courtney’s parents had a second child when she was 16, a girl named anna. she doesn’t see her sister much besides holidays & birthdays but does love her lots. slightly resentful of the fact that they didnt give her a sister when she was younger and needed somebody to be close with during the move, she feels slightly replaced as a child because she’s so much older, but keeps this to herself and says its fine shes a grownup its fine

[theimpossiblescheme]

Some more headcanons for @the-cat-at-the-theatre-door...

I actually do think, even if they have separate homes, Bustopher’s stepchildren come to visit him all the time, and it’s a joy to spend the day with them.  Mungojerrie would never dream of stealing from the house, and he’s always brimming with refreshing energy and exciting stories, especially whenever he insists on bringing Rumpleteazer along.  They’re exhausting to keep up with sometimes, but Bustopher wouldn’t have them any other way.

(On a quick, sad sidenote, there’s a part of Bustopher that feels... sort of pity for so many of Macavity’s henchcats.  How many of them were tricked into it like his stepson was?  How many of them were forced?  Do they all have families who miss them?  He’ll have absolutely no truck with the ones who enjoy the harm they cause, but whenever he sees one of the younger ones with that glint of fear in their eyes, his heart really does goes out to them.  If he could convince them to come in for a bite to eat and a friendly ear...)

As for Etcetera, she can be just as much of a pawful sometimes, but she’s still a delight.  As she gets older, Bustopher insists that she sing for him more and more, letting her give little impromptu concerts whenever she pleases.  She also has a fondness for “writing songs” by walking across the grand piano in the drawing room, and he could swear she’s learned how to unlock the lid with just her claws.  It’s never a quiet house when they’re around, and they’re both the best kinds of Terrible Influences(TM) on Noilly Prat (well... Etcetera less so, but he certainly didn’t teach Noilly Prat how to ride around on humans’ shoulders like a parrot), but he loves them that way.

[rachelkaser]

Masonry Monday: The Case of the Black-Eyed Blonde

Poor Diana Reynolds finds herself desolate in Perry Mason's office when everyone in her life suddenly turns against her. When her roommate is murdered, a conspiracy involving a little boy (of which Diana is apparently the patsy) is forcibly brought to light.

Who's Who

Perry Mason's client: Diana Reynolds, a blonde secretary who finds her life upended by a series of false allegations

The victim: Marian Shaw, Diana's roommate, who was hiding more than her share of secrets

Suspects: Matthew Bartlett, Diana's employer, who is caught up in a custody battle for his four-year-old grandson Helen Bartlett, Tony's mother, who only married Bartlett for Tony's security, threatened by said grandson Tony Davis, a greedy stepson who was apparently romancing both Diana and Marian Norma Carter, Bartlett's widowed daughter-in-law and mother of Bobby, upon whose land Marian's body was discovered Otto Kessler, the superintendent of Marian and Diana's building, who keeps a stray bullet for no apparent reason

The Setup

An angry-looking blonde woman parks her car in front of an apartment building and storms inside, ignoring the superintendent who tries to greet her. Her roommate, another blonde named Diana, cheerfully greets her, but the first woman, Marian, responds by yelling at her to leave the apartment. When Diana protests, Marian pulls a gun on her. Diana grapples for it, and it goes off into the wall. When the super runs in, Marian runs out crying and the gun is in Diana's hand.

The next day, Diana arrives at her workplace at the Bartlett home. While she's doing secretarial work, she opens a letter with no return address and looks at it. A young man, Tony Davis, enters and Diana rebukes him. He apparently lied to Marian about her, hence why her roommate was so upset. Diana hides the letter in her drawer and leaves the room, but Tony quickly pries the drawer open and retrieves it. The letter is addressed to Tony's stepfather and Diana's boss, Matthew Bartlett, claiming that he has a grandson being raised by his widowed daughter-in-law.

Later, Tony is showing the letter to his mother, Bartlett's new wife Helen. She's furious, as she married Bartlett hoping he'd pass his fortune onto Tony, and an unknown grandson would upend those plans. She mentions that Bartlett's late son married a woman five months before his death named Norma Carter. They can destroy the letter, but Helen has plans to deal with Diana, the only other person who saw it. Tony drives out to the address written in the letter. It's a small poultry farm.

An adorable four-year-old named Bobby answers the door and Tony asks him to fetch his mother. When Norma arrives, Tony pretends to be a developer interested in her property, but Norma sees through him and tells him to leave. Later that night, Diana is in her room at the Bartlett home when Tony and Helen enter, claiming Diana stole some jewelry. When Diana refuses to leave and mentions the missing letter, Tony hits her and physically throws her out of the room.

Enter Perry Mason, Attorney at Law

In Perry Mason's office, he's winding down for the night when Della tells him a pretty blonde in a bathrobe wants to see him -- and she has a black eye. Diana explains everything to him, saying they wouldn't even let her take her purse. Her car is at her apartment as she couldn't start it. There's no evidence except her word there was a letter. Perry has an idea and asks Della to use a camera to take a close-up of Diana's face, black eye on full display. She'll stay at her apartment in Hollywood in the meantime.

The next morning, Perry presents the photo to Matthew Bartlett, who instantly believes the story. He's offended on Diana's behalf, saying he's known about his possible grandson for months after receiving an anonymous phone call. He investigated the informant's claims that Norma is unfit, but she's actually a wonderful mother. Bartlett saw Bobby from a distance but never tried approaching him. He was estranged from his son, Bobby's father, as Bartlett wasn't a fan of Norma. His son later died in a plane crash.

Before Tony and Helen return, Bartlett asks Perry to represent him in applying for custody of his grandson. Perry refuses, saying first that he doesn't believe you can buy rights to a child and second that his client is Diana. That's when the door opens and Tragg enters, saying that Diana has been murdered. He asks Bartlett about a pistol registered in his name -- Bartlett says he gave it to Diana for protection. Tragg asks Bartlett and Perry to identify the body.

The Murder

Cut to the crime scene, on Norma Carter's poultry farm. A telephone repairman discovered the body, and there are footprints around it. Perry lifts up the sheet -- it's not Diana. Her broken watch reads 9:25. The car nearby is registered to Diana, but Bartlett identifies her as Diana's roommate, Marian. A sergeant says Norma and Bobby have returned home from shopping, and Bartlett realizes whose land this is. Tragg tells him to come along while he speaks to Norma.

Norma is horrified, saying Marian was a good friend of hers whom she'd known for years. According to her, Marian had been fighting with her roommate over Tony -- yet again, Bartlett is shocked by another link to himself. Tragg thanks Norma and leaves. Bartlett pleads with Norma to let him see Bobby, and she agrees as long as he doesn't wake the boy from his nap.

Back in Perry's office, Paul says the super let him into Diana's apartment. Her bed hadn't been slept in. Perry asks him to check out Norma Carter as well. Diana herself arrives at the office as Paul leaves. Perry asks where she was -- Diana says she spent the night at a train station. She must have known Marian had been murdered, which means she was at Norma Carter's place. Diana recognizes the name but says she didn't know that's whose place it was.

Perry tells her to start from the beginning. Diana says she got a phone call at 8:45 pm, and it was a muffled voice claiming to be a traffic officer who said her car was involved in an accident, possibly stolen by Marian. She took the bus to the place he mentioned, saw her car and Marian's body and ran for the road. Perry asks why she didn't take her car, but Diana says she couldn't get it started. Perry wants Diana to shelter at a hotel, but it's too late -- Tragg has arrived and he arrests Diana.

The Investigation

Perry goes out to the Carter farm and strikes up a conversation with Bobby. Norma arrives and is immediately on the defensive. She thinks Perry represents Bartlett, but he corrects her. He also suggests Diana could have been the intended victim -- or Norma herself, as all three were blondes. He tells her about the anonymous call and letters to Bartlett that exposed Bobby's existence, which Norma was unaware of, and that he thinks the same anonymous party lured Diana to the farm.

In Perry's office, Paul reports that Helen and Tony claim to have been out driving together at the time of the murder. Bartlett also doesn't have a solid alibi, as his plane from Chicago got in hours before the murder. Norma Carter's alibi of being at a drive-in movie is also difficult to prove. Paul also tells Perry that the superintendent, Otto Kessler, is a witness for the prosecution to Diana's apparently menacing Marian with a gun. Diana forgot to tell Perry about it.

At the jailhouse, Diana tells Perry about the fight with Marian. He asks about the history between Tony and Marian. Diana says her secretary job with the Bartletts was originally offered to Marian, who met Tony when she interviewed at the house. Marian recommended Diana instead, despite her having no experience. Bartlett asked Diana frequently about Bobby. Bobby visited Marian and Diana's apartment a dozen times as Marian would babysit for Norma in the three months since they reunited.

Perry guesses that Bartlett was pumping her for information about his grandson. Diana says she and Marian were both fond of Bobby and offhandedly mentions that Marian kept a diary. She hid it in her typewriter case. Perry coyly asks if Diana has a dress for court and then says Della can pick one out for her from her apartment if Diana gives permission for her to enter. Della and Paul visit the apartment and Della distracts the officer on duty while Paul checks the typewriter case: It's empty.

The Trial

At the preliminary hearing, Burger questions medical examiner Dr. Rose. The doctor says Marian was shot multiple times and her time of death was about 9:30 p.m. On cross, Mason asks how Dr. Rose determined time of death, and the doctor says in addition to the physical factors, the victim broke her watch at 9:25. Mason alleges that Dr. Rose might not otherwise be so precise, and Dr. Rose concedes his estimate could be off by as much as two hours.

Burger next calls superintendent Otto Kessler, who testifies about hearing the shot and seeing Diana holding a gun. Kessler also dug a bullet out of the wall the following day. On cross, Mason asks whether Kessler saw Diana fire the gun -- he didn't, he says -- and why Kessler kept the bullet for over a week before turning it into the police, which Kessler has no answer for.

Burger then calls Tony to the stand. Tony claims that he and Marian were in love and engaged (Diana whispers to Mason that this isn't true) and Diana was upset over this. On cross, Mason inquires about Diana's black eye, which Tony denies giving it to her until Mason corners him on a claim of self-defense and leaves him floundering on the stand. Court adjourns, and that night, Bartlett pleads with Norma to give him custody of Bobby. He offers her a check for $100,000 -- she initially refuses, but he begs her to accept it and she relents.

The next day in court, Paul tells Mason that Burger's got the diary and something in it incriminates Diana. He also reports that Bobby is going to live with Bartlett. On the stand, Tragg testifies about a plaster cast of footprints found next to the body, which Diana's slippers fit perfectly. Burger chooses this moment to introduce the diary into evidence, though Mason states he accepts the diary only as evidence of Marian's handwriting.

Within moments, Burger tries to have Tragg read out the diary's entries, only for Mason to object on the basis of hearsay. The judge gives Burger some leeway, and Tragg reads the May 7th entry, which describes a fight between Marian and Diana. Before cross-examination, Mason insists he must read the diary to give context to that particular entry, and the judge compromises by offering Mason the recess period to look over the diary. As it turns out, this is more than enough for Mason to find something that incriminates someone else . . .

In Summation

Out of all the cases in Season One, this is the one about which I most want to talk about the ending -- I'm dying to talk about it, in fact. But as this is not a low-rated episode, doing so would needlessly spoil, and my abhorrence of doing that is the only thing keeping me from spilling the beans. But if you watch just one case from this season to its finale, this is the one I recommend, if only because it's one of the biggest swerves you'll see in any case. I can almost guarantee you won't figure it out unless you're paying very close attention.

What I will say about the ending is that it's bittersweet. While Marian was clearly no saint, the ending shows she was a woman who'd been imposed upon a lot in her life, and was killed the very first moment she showed signs of not putting up with it. And the murder has ripple effects -- both positive and negative -- on other characters' lives even after the murderer is revealed, though that's all I'll say on the subject.

To hew as closely as I can to the spoiler line without crossing it, this is another one of those cases where you think the motive is one thing -- in this instance, a connection between three separate characters -- but a whole secondary case involving completely different relationships is brewing under your nose. And once the murderer is revealed, while the motive is a bit obscure, you kinda wonder how anyone missed the obvious signs.

Poor Diana is another of Perry Mason's hard luck cases. Heck, I should probably just start referring to them as that regularly. She's someone who's getting battered by fate long before Tony Davis puts his hands on her, though it's not often anyone in this show goes so far as physical abuse. She somehow manages to be everyone's patsy, as she's framed first as a jealous friend by Tony, then as a thief by Tony and his mother, and then by Marian's actual murderer.

Speaking of the titular black eye, it sort of exposes the ineptitude of both Tony and his mother. Tony slugging Diana puts a hole in his story about being Marian's faithful boyfriend while Diana was the crazy, jealous friend. Ordinarily, I would call the episode out on the implication that a man doesn't need to defend himself from a physical attack by a woman, but I can't blame Perry for any tactic he uses to douse the prosecution's case -- that is his job.

That brings me to the whole storyline about Matthew Bartlett and little Bobby Carter. I'm not going to necessarily pass judgement on Bartlett wanting a relationship with his grandson, but I think (and Perry explicitly agrees with me) he goes about things in a high-handed fashion. And literally paying $100,000 to get the mother out of the picture is shockingly wrong no matter how well-intentioned, both on Bartlett's end for offering and Norma's for accepting.

I'm glad Bartlett has enough sense to acknowledge that trying to replace his dead son with Tony Davis shows poor judgement of character on his part. It begs the question, was that the only reason he married his second wife? Because she has an adult son (who's a whiny manchild whose mother literally marries a rich man so her son won't have to get a job)? That gives me reservations about his ability to raise Bobby properly -- you know aside from the fact that he literally buys the child.

As for our regulars, I always enjoy seeing when Paul and Della work in tandem, especially when it's to get up to some mischief. They work together to distract the deputy who's watching Diana's apartment long enough for Paul to check the diary's location. That said, while I know it's a ploy to get him to leave the room for a moment, I feel bad for the deputy's wife if he thinks 15 minutes is too long a time to pick out a dress. Wait until we get to the shoes, officer.

One final note: The boy who plays Bobby, Casey Peters, is just the most adorable little critter. You'll see as this show goes along that children on Perry Mason are often of the "extraordinarily intelligent and well-spoken" variety, so it's refreshing to see a little boy who acts like an actual five-year-old. I'm not sure I approve of Perry just walking up to the boy and picking him up to speak with him, but it's sweet watching Raymond Burr talk to the kid about his chickens.

The Verdict

Judgement: ⚖⚖⚖⚖ (four scales out of four) The twist at the end of this case is one of the most well-concealed in the show's history, with a reasonable motive as a smokescreen. The case's suspects and victim follow a much different dynamic than they have in previous episodes.

[pebblesinyourshoe]

A tool box sits on the floor in my office.

It belongs to a young man whose parents brought it to school at my request when this youngster was in first grade. He’s now in fourth grade.

The young boy was born a tinkerer his mother told me the summer before he began kindergarten - always building, always tagging along behind his father who can fix most things and whose hands and mind make electricity flow in places we live and places we work.

The young man liked to be outside. He fishes, mushroom hunts, swings a golf club like a battle ax, and has a smile painted across his face most days.

The boy is gentle. His parents worried - how will a boy who can make a screwdriver sing survive with a pencil in his hands for over seven hours a day in school? Fair question. Honest worry. One never knows about our children when they leave our home and enter school.

This boy has done fine in the classroom with loving teachers who drink in his calmness and appreciate his quiet calm nature. He has surpassed all the typical academic milestones thus far placed in his path. But he has done so much more.

He has the toolbox in my office at my request for a reason. You see, this boy also provides a bit of security for me - a person who can make a pencil sing in the classroom but lacks the tools and skills to build and fix. When these moments demanding work with my hands arise, and they often do, a phone call is placed, “Can you send Jack to my office when it’s a good time?”

And Jack arrives with the smile painted permanently on his face and either grabs the toolbox like a man grabs his lunchbox on the way out the door to work or opens it in front of me to fix whatever is broken or whatever needs built and assembled.

He brings a focus to a problem that is both gentle and analytical. I have a stepson the same way - can just look at a problem and figure it out. Oh, to crawl inside his head to see how they both see the world in three dimensions while I struggle with two.

The task is always completed in the tidiest of fashions. The screws tightened or the parts emptied from the box, spread out on the floor then assembled into something that looks just like the picture on the outside of the box - all the pieces facing the right way the first time they are assembled and no extra pieces leftover to cause you to worry. I marveled at him in first grade when he could work his genius. He marvels me still to this day as he has grown.

He works cheap. A Coke or a candy bar. Always smiles when offered my gratitude and always answers with a humble, “You’re welcome.” He’s the kind of person you hope buys the house next door to you - you know - has all the tools and is happy to use them with you to solve a problem.

I stared at this toolbox yesterday and realized “Time is moving forward”. I have two more years of the security of his expertise and quiet nature before he ages out to middle school. I thought about that and was both happy and sad. Selfishly sad because I will miss him for who he is and what he offers but happy because he is growing and is becoming a young man who is successful both with a screwdriver in his hand and to the relief of his parents, with a pencil as well. The praise goes to his teachers and his family and some born-into genetics but also to the young man. Who, like my stepson, knows how to work and how to fix things and how to do a job well both with a screwdriver and a pencil clutched between his fingers. A true gift.

I am hoping the young man and his parents donate the toolbox to my office upon him aging out. This year I plan to ask one of my teachers who can do that voodoo with a Cricut to add “Jack’s Toolbox” as a label to that red container. It is his box and is a reminder to me that talent runs in many different directions in a human being and that we all have gifts that can be offered to help each other when called upon.

Jack always answers my call. He always helps. He always does it with a smile. And he is already a success in life but he makes me wonder, “What greatness awaits him as a human being, a partner, employee, neighbor, friend, and citizen?” I think it will be wonderful to see where life takes him. And we all need to appreciate those individuals in our world who can build, fix, and troubleshoot but are also great friends, loyal employees, hard workers, honest neighbors, and community-minded citizens. It’s amazing what a toolbox can do in the hands of the right person.

[workscounselingcenter]

Stepping Up: A Stepmother’s Journey

If someone had told me years ago that I would become a full-time stepmother, I would have laughed and been like “No way.” The very idea seemed so distant from my reality. I was living my life, navigating my career and graduate school, and enjoying my relationship, without any idea of the numerous changes that lay ahead. Yet, here I am, sharing my journey of abruptly stepping into the role of helping raise my boyfriend’s 9-year-old son full-time—a shift from the occasional visits that barely scratched the surface of parenting.

The transition was anything but gradual. One day, I was the girlfriend who saw her partner’s son on weekends; the next, I found myself in the whirlpool of full-time parenting. This change didn’t come with a manual, and it certainly didn’t come with a grace period for me to adjust. I went from planning dates and weekend getaways to managing sports events, homework, bedtime routines, etc.

Navigating the hardships of this role has been a complex and humbling experience. One of the first challenges I faced was the feeling of competition with the biological mother. It’s a delicate dance, trying to establish my own parenting style while respecting the boundaries and roles already in place. And I know I’m not the only one, but I like to have things done a certain way. I often found myself questioning whether I was overstepping or not doing enough. This insecurity was amplified by the fact that I don’t have any biological children of my own, leaving me to wonder if my instincts were correct or if I was missing something crucial. I have so much childhood experience and education to where I thought I knew what was best and thinking my way was right.

Adjusting to the reduction in personal freedom was another significant challenge. The spontaneous aspects of my previous life—like catching a movie on a whim or my boyfriend and I taking night drives came to a sudden stop because we had to be ready to get up early the next day. The dynamics between my partner and me evolved in many ways, testing our strength and adaptability. We are learning to navigate new responsibilities, shifting priorities, and the inevitable stress that comes with raising a child.

Every day presents a new set of uncertainties. There are moments when I doubt whether this path is truly meant for me. Am I capable? Is this what I want? Yet, there are also days when I feel incredibly strong—proud of myself for rising to the occasion and handling situations I never imagined I could. Balancing the emotional difficulties has been a journey, one that requires constant reflection and adaptation. I would’ve thought that being a therapist handling a child’s emotions would be a piece of cake, but it’s been harder than I thought. It’s so many emotions my stepson goes through, and I must understand that he doesn’t cope the way I do. That he’s been taught for the first 9 years of his life in a vastly different way that I was raised, so I must meet him where he’s at.

Despite these challenges, there are also rewards. Building a relationship with my stepson has been incredibly fulfilling. It’s not where I want it yet, but time will tell. Watching him grow, succeed, and knowing that I’ve contributed to his development brings me happiness. The moments when he seeks me out for advice, or just to share a laugh, make all the struggles worthwhile.

As I continue to navigate this path, I remain committed to making a positive difference in my stepson’s life. I won’t pretend that I have mastered this role. I’ve seen sides of myself that I’ve liked and haven’t liked, but I’m still adjusting, and observing myself in a new light. Acknowledging that perfection isn’t achievable, and that’s okay. I’ve made my share of mistakes, and as a perfectionist, it’s been tough to accept them. But these mistakes are part of the learning curve, part of what shapes me into a better guardian and partner. That I’ll love him and build a relationship with him that I didn’t birth is also a gift I’ll cherish forever.

Please get in touch. We will be happy to discuss how I may be able to help.

[agentcable]

Chicago Fire Season 2 Ep. 14 "Virgin Skin"

Severide searches for Katie, who was kidnapped by thugs who attacked him during the blackout. He asks the police for help. Casey bleeds in his ear and the doctor says it could end his career. Firehouse 51 gets a call about someone crushing a hand on a conveyor belt. Severide takes matters into his own hands to find Katie. Rafferty is sued by a victim who says his religious beliefs stop her from saving his life. Boden breaks up with Donna because he doesn't want his past mistakes to ruin his new relationship. Shay gets a tip from two hockey players. The men repay a young victim who supported them when 51 was nearly closed down.

If you want to watch the series for yourself, stop reading! This post contains spoilers to the storyline.

Severide finds Keeler, the main suspect in Katie's kidnapping, outside District 21. Detective Lindsay tries to calm him down by saying they've bugged Keeler. But Severide doesn't care and goes to two contacts to find out where Katie is.

He beats one guy and finds the address to a warehouse. He and Lindsay find Katie beaten, bruised and terrified but alive. Katie says she saw Keeler's face when he was raping her.

Dawson fails to finish the obstacle course in time to graduate. She is even more frustrated at her fellow trainee's success. Jones easily passes the trials. When the final trial arrives, Dawson pushes herself hard but hurts her ankle and finishes late. She fails.

But Dawson isn't the only one being tested. Casey's medical exam is bad. The doctor says that any more injuries to his broken skull could be dangerous. This makes him tell Dawson the truth. She forgives him and he promises to tell her the truth.

With tensions high at the fire station over Katie's abduction, Boden agrees to a welcome dinner with Donna and some of her friends. His past comes up and he talks about his two divorces and estranged stepson, Jimmy. This makes him think about his relationships. Boden and Donna break up. She understands, but is sad.

After saving a man's life, the man complains. Rafferty is suspended. The two EMTs, who used to be enemies, share a tender moment. They've come a long way. But there's a good thing about Rafferty leaving suddenly - she suggests Dawson as her replacement.

Later, Lindsay contacts Severide to help her and Antonio arrest Keeler. Severide joins Katie in the hospital after Keeler's capture. He apologizes to her mother, who apologizes to him. He then reveals the news. Kelly goes to see Katie and she'll be discharged the next day. She tells him she's moving to Colorado. Severide agrees it's best for her to leave after the kidnapping. The siblings share a happy moment.

After Katie is rescued, Dawson fails her test and Boden breaks up with Donna, everyone at 51 is happy about the new library for Nathan, the kid who helped raise money for the firehouse during its near-closure. The firefighters celebrate at Molly's, where Shay auctions off Blackhawks tickets from Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith.

Herrmann announces he passed the lieutenant's test. But the good news turns bad for Dawson when Jones introduces herself as the new candidate on Truck 81. She's joining the firehouse.

Severide is missing from all this. He was called to District 21 by Lindsay. Keeler has contacts in high places and the police have to let him go. Severide is furious, but Lindsay can't do anything.

[blonkk]

i get so emotionally turbulent in the airport. maybe it’s because i’m always going off 2 hours of sleep and it takes me 2 hours to drive to the airport and i always book 6am flights and i always drink the night before. anyways i read this reddit post where this kids stepdad always financially provides fairly for him and his bio kids but excludes the stepson from special trips etc. he told the stepson it’s bc those are his bio kids and he wants to spend time with them and show them they mean more to him by virtue of being blood etc. he raised the stepson since he was one and shows preferential treatment to his bio kids, one of whom is the stepsons half sister. so the stepson responded by calling him by his first name rather than “dad” and stepdad got upset and hurt…anyways that story made me cry. idk i guess maybe it’s “natural” to other a kid who’s not “yours” biologically but jesus christ. you can’t treat a kid that way, exclude them, let them know they are less loved….irresponsible and cruel imo, no matter how you truly feel….

so there’s that. and then i saw this old dude handing presumably his wife a box of timbits and i got all gushy. and this older couple across from me is so cute the lady is just resting on her man’s chest and he’s just sitting there doing his thang. idk man i’m probably pmsing. i also have been reflecting on my loneliness and it’s imminent return LOL all my friends are leaving where i live soon and i’ll be alone..but i guess that’s my lot in life? that’s the way it is. there’s a lot of people i really love and appreciate even if they’re not the ideal friends/what have you. one being my roommate, a 50yo dude who does nothing but drink beer and smoke weed and talks about missing his daughter who he goes to see like once a year. i don’t agree with that aspect of his life (go see your KID instead of buying a new dirt bike !!) but man i have a lot of affection for him. he’s very generous and caring and kind and he channels his misplaced fatherly energy towards myself and the other younger workers on the mountain. i genuinely get along with him, and when he was with his daughter over the weekend i missed him…like i would get home and be like damn drew’s not here :/ and literally all we do is yap after-work style and sometimes watch shows. but idk he’s my favourite roommate this far which is crazy. idk it’s weird you never know who the people who actually make a difference in your life will be; it would have been so easy to write him off had i not bothered getting to know him. he’s a redneck, a sort of absent dad (he pays child support and knows everything ab her and supports her hobbies . he loves his daughter but. he’s gotta try harder to see her despite her living a few hours away) , he smokes cigs like a fiend, drinks beer like water, he passes out on the couch every single night of his life to dirt bike videos/sasquatch stories/random singing shows, is a typical tradesman. like it would be natural for me to judge his character based on those things. he’s actually one of the people who consistently takes my side when feminism comes up and always tells the other dudes “she’s right” etc. idk i just really am thankful to live somewhere where i’m comfortable with someone lol

& the other people i’ve met within the last year of my life have made me a better person and a happier person. somehow i really recovered a lot in the shithole where i live. dead end job, unfamiliar types of people , weird isolation. a lot of the shame i’ve carried my whole life has dissipated. i’ve been more myself than any other time in my life; and i don’t fear people’s rejection if i say what i truly believe or feel. sometimes there’s disagreements and some arguing, but it never ends badly, and weirdly i know i have peoples respect, even if they don’t agree with me or understand me. that’s what the key is i think — all my life with my family i’ve feared their rejection, their scrutiny, and their wrath. i’ve been scared to lose their love and respect because i was constantly threatened with it, and i experienced it countless times. the things the members of my immediate family have said to me, the things they’ve called me, the ways they’ve rejected me and punished me for being who i am has really damaged me and i always lived with it, bringing it into other relationships and friendships, not understanding that it was impacting literally every aspect of my life; how i interact with people being the main thing. it’s impacted my self esteem to such a degree with i could never make genuine friends and connections because i always went along with what other people said so they wouldn’t punish me. i let people treat me like dogshit because it’s what i was used to and what i thought love/acceptance costed. it even affected how i performed at work and what type of work i’ve tried to succeed at as an adult. it’s why i’m so lost and messed up and rootless. it’s why i have no idea what i want, and why for so many years i had no idea who i was.

for the first time in my life i feel accepted , if not loved. it’s enough to make me extremely emotional. it’s enough to make me happy because i could literally never imagine feeling so safe in my life. i love my parents and family but my god. what they’ve done to me can’t be reversed, though some things are beginning to repair

also i’m listening to the divorced dad playlist on spotify and it’s hitting. live laugh love!!!!

[tehuti88-art]

2/9/24: r/SketchDaily theme, "Free Draw Friday." This week's character from my anthro WWII storyline is Christof Dannecker. He's the son of Else Dannecker, younger brother of Margarethe, and stepson of Ernst. He's the only one of Gret's family who stands by her after her involvement in Ernst Dannecker's death, and he helps her whenever he can after she flees home. There'll be more about him later in my art Tumblr and Toyhou.se, though there's already some about him in Else's entry.

Regarding his design, he's a Pomeranian.

TUMBLR EDIT: Christof, brother of Margarethe, Tanja, and Bernhard, has already appeared in Else's entry. He's not a major character, and isn't that old (he's the second Dannecker sibling, maybe a couple of years younger than Gret), so I haven't much history for him, and much of it applies to the rest of his family as well. Same as with Gret and the other two, he loses his father, a soldier in the Heer, in combat, and the family struggles to get by on what Else earns alone. She runs into Ernst Dannecker, commandant of the local labor camp, while on a grocery outing with her kids; not long after he wheedles his way back into her life and soon sweeps her off her feet, quickly convincing her to marry him and move her family in with him, making them dependent on him. You've seen already that Dannecker's plans are actually for the teenaged Gret, and not Else; as such, he makes sure to spoil the children, the better to win them over. He fawns over Gret especially, though of course, if grooming her doesn't work, there's always coercion. The main thing is to convince her own family to believe him over her, and sadly, for the most part, it works.

Gret is suspicious from the start and her suspicions are well founded. Unknown to her, Christof is uncertain as well, though he isn't sure why and can't explain it, so he says nothing. Dannecker is kind to him, buys him toys and clothes and books like the family could never afford before, pays to send him to a good school, fencing lessons, etc., so he tries to be grateful. He finally figures out what's going on when he wakes up late one night, he's not sure why, and gets up to leave his and Bernhard's room. On his way through the hall to get a drink of water he thinks he hears a noise from Gret's room, and pauses to peer inside. He sees something so inexplicable and horrifying that he quickly backs away and hurries back to his room, forgetting all about his drink. He never tells anyone about what he saw...until the alarm goes off at the camp one day, they're notified that there's been a prisoner escape, Dannecker is dead, and Gret is involved and is missing, and then Gret shows up on their doorstep late one night. Christof wakes in time to hear his mother berating Gret for Dannecker's death and calling her a liar when she accuses him of things no stepfather should ever do; he finally dares to speak up, to confirm that Gret is telling the truth, he knows because he saw. And he's sorry he kept silent for so long.

He's shocked when his words have the opposite effect than intended. Else still sides with Dannecker--now claiming that Gret must have seduced him. When she starts screaming for her to get out, Christof is the one to help her hastily pack up some clothes and goods and head out the back. There, he's nearly shot in the head by Josef Diamant, one of Dannecker's former prisoners and the ringleader of the escape, the guy who actually did kill Dannecker (with Gret's help); Gret intervenes, and brother and sister tearfully part ways, but not before Christof promises Gret that he'll help her any time he can, all she has to do is ask. He returns to the house, where his mother forbids him from ever mentioning Gret again or else she'll disown him, too. Reasoning that he can be more helpful to Gret from home, Christof obeys, although it breaks his heart to see his two younger siblings buy the story their mother tells them that Dannecker was a good man, and essentially "forget" that their oldest sibling ever existed.

It isn't that long before Christof notices a strange man standing near the corner of a building, during a family visit to a market, furtively gesturing at him; he's nervous until the man seems to grow a bit frustrated, then pulls something out and quickly flashes it at him. It's a jack of diamonds playing card. Christof makes an excuse to briefly part ways with his mother and hurries across the street and around the corner, where he promptly asks the man if Gret is all right. The man--thin, dark skinned, with odd brown-and-blue eyes, and huddled in an oversized coat with his cap pulled low to shield his face--seems perplexed but assures him she's fine. He says Gret is the reason he's there, and explains something they need Christof to do, involving dropping something off at a certain time and location. Christof says he'll have to come up with an excuse to keep his mother in the dark, but he'll do his best; he only asks the man to pass along to Gret the message that he loves her. While the drop is needed, it's also intended as a test, set up by Diamant to determine how trustworthy and reliable Christof really is. And Christof passes the test, following through on his promise. Gret is disgruntled to learn of the test, and grouses at Diamant, "I told you he meant it."

Christof continues helping Gret--by informally aiding the Diamond Network, the resistance organization that springs into existence in the wake of Diamant's escape--throughout the remainder of the war. After the war's end, although Else never stops blaming Gret for the loss of her husband, and Tanja and Bernhard pretty much stand by her (they really don't know any other way to think), Christof still stands by her; brother and sister reunite, hugging each other hard, tears in their eyes. (By now Christof is grown and doesn't depend on Else anymore, so she has no real threat to dangle over him, and grudgingly drops her vow to disown him; still, she refuses to listen to anything he says regarding Gret, so he stops trying.) Christof again apologizes for not speaking up sooner about Dannecker's abuse; Gret says she doesn't forgive him, as there's nothing to forgive--she blames Christof for nothing. He offers to let her live with him and to take care of her if she needs it, yet Gret says she may have something else lined up, and she'll let him know soon if it goes through. They promise to keep in touch.

Some time later, Christof receives a letter: Gret has moved into a mountain town some distance from the city, and has taken a job as a clerk in a jewelry store--Diamant's jewelry store. She has her own room located over the shop; it's small, but it's home. She and Christof write frequently, but don't get to visit much due to distances; still, they at last get the chance to have lunch together in the city. Gret arrives with a familiar face: the strange man who'd met with Christof to set up his initial task so long ago, the one with the odd mismatched eyes. He seems nervous as Gret introduces him as Lukas Mettbach, a Sinto and former prisoner like Diamant. Although he distrusted and despised Gret early on--frequently calling her "Nazi b*tch" for her relation to Dannecker--over time he slowly grew to respect her, and they recently got back in touch when he started to work as an informal courier for Diamant. Turns out the two of them have developed romantic feelings for each other. As a member of one of the same groups Gret's people had persecuted and considered "subhuman" during the war, Lukas still has a lot of misgivings considering a relationship; yet Christof welcomes and accepts him immediately, clasping his hands in his own (startling Lukas, who has some aversions to being touched) and smiling at him. The way he sees it, if Gret is happy with Lukas, then Lukas is family.

It's not quite the family Gret and Christof grew up with...but in many ways, it's much better.

[Christof Dannecker 2024 [‎Friday, ‎February ‎9, ‎2024, ‏‎12:00:14 AM]]

[messers-moony]

Divorce 2 | J.P

Paring: James Potter X Slytherin!Reader

Summary: Reader goes through divorce with her arranged husband but sees her Hogwarts crush almost two years later at her Potions shop in Diagon Alley

Prompt: Holding hands while driving

After that moment in the Potions store, James came around a lot more, much to Leo’s excitement. It became customary for James to restock items or help brew potions despite his lower levels. Leo was ecstatic to have him around. The mischievous and playful James Potter always kept Leo excited.

James spent lots of time with both of them. Making sure they were both taken care of and loved unconditionally. Frequently James would stop by to make dinner for them while Y/n worked late shifts or take Leo out of the shop to give him an adventure. A year had passed, and James had a crucial question for her. The shop was empty, and Leo was upstairs - ecstatic for his new Hogwarts adventure.

“Love?” James called as Y/n stepped down from the ladder, “Yes?”

“Can you- Can you come here a moment?” James ran a hand through his hair as she walked in front of him, “What's on your mind?” Y/n questioned softly.

James was hesitant, “Move in with me.”

“What?”

“Move in with me, please?”

Y/n chuckled, flabbergasted, “James, that’s a big step.”

“I know, but I- I really want to be with you, all the time. I want to wake up to you every morning. I want to make you and Leo breakfast. I want to see you in a dreary state after a long day at work. I want to take care of you when you’re sick. I want to take Leo to Platform Nine and Three Quarters.” James swallowed, “I- I want to be the father Leo never got….” He murmured.

Y/n’s eyes turned soft at his muttered confession, “You- You mean it?” James nodded, “You want to be Leo’s father?” He nodded.

“I want to hug him before he leaves to Hogwarts all seven years. I want him to jump into my arms after his terms at Hogwarts. I want to watch him cause mischief and get those owls home. I want to write him letters to remind him that I’m here if he needs anything.” James’ eyes welled with tears, “I- I want to be there for everything.”

“I may not be his father biologically, but he is the closest thing I have to a son, and I’ll be damned if I don’t treat him like my own.”

Y/n wiped the stray tears away, “James, you need to understand that this is a big responsibility you’re taking on. You know there’s no one in this world I’d rather than you to be a true father to Leo, but I want to make sure this is truly what you want.”

“I’d want nothing more.” James swore, and Y/n smiled softly, “Then yes, we’ll move in with you.”

That night James, Y/n, and Leo were eating at the dinner table when James finally decided to speak up, “Leo?”

“Yes?”

“How- How would you feel about leaving this place?” James asked carefully.

Leo’s face contorted to one of confusion, “Leave? Why?”

“Leo…” Y/n began with a smile, “James wants to know if you want to move in with him.”

“Both of us?” Leo queried, looking at his mom and gaining a nod, “James wants us to live with him!?”

James’ features softened at the boy's excitement, “Only if you want to.”

“Of course I want to!” Leo exclaimed with a bright smile.

Leo jumped up from his seat and hugged James tightly, “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

James chuckled and ruffled the boy's hair, “You’re welcome.”

Lots of packing came with moving. It was a lot of cardboard boxes. James insisted they do it the muggle way, wanting Leo to experience new things after growing up being a pureblood. James saw how sheltered Sirius was and didn’t want Leo to be the same. It was also the reason they took a car to James’ house. Leo was fascinated when he entered the back seat.

It made Y/n and James laugh at how the boy was so quickly excited. Leo always had a lot of energy and not many ways to exert it, but with James around, that energy never went to waste. James and Leo would spend hours walking around Diagon Alley or flying on broomsticks together away from the muggles. Leo would enter the shop breathless and hair in disarray. James not too far behind. It warmed Y/n’s heart to see her son so happy.

While riding in the car, James gently took her hand in his. It was a small gesture, but it made her blush. Leo stared out the window of the vehicle the entire time while James played music from the radio. It took about an hour, but eventually, they got to Godric’s Hollow. James parked the car outside - upon hours later, he confessed it was Remus’ car - and began putting the boxes in the house. It was about midnight when all the boxes were on the bottom floor.

Leo busied himself with an old spell book James gave him while the other two unpacked. Y/n was opening a cardboard box when two arms wrapped around her waist. Y/n rested her hands on his and leaned back into his embrace. James left a kiss on her cheek, relishing at the moment. His girlfriend in his arms and her - their - child on the couch.

It took a month to get everything in place. James and Y/n had settled in their room together. Leo had found sanctuary in his bedroom that they painted a deep blue color. Leo was always obsessed with the stars and constellations. Perhaps a gift he collected from his biological father. Zenix always had a way with the stars Y/n didn’t quite comprehend. James was always willing to listen to Leo talk about them, though.

Only days until Leo was due to leave for his first year at Hogwarts and Y/n, was wishing for more time with him before she had to send him off. She was well aware that he’d be fine, but it was still her baby. More often than not, she was still selling Potions at her potions store. James stayed home with Leo and took him out on adventures. But the week before Leo was supposed to leave, Y/n took off of work.

The following week was filled with school shopping, getting ice cream, exploring the muggle world, riding broomsticks, and playing board games. It was possibly the best time Y/n had ever had since before getting married to Zenix. Although marrying Zenix was something she never wanted, she did get something amazing out of it - Leo.

He was her pride and joy, so when they - James and Y/n - stood on the platform, Y/n felt like sobbing, but she didn’t. Instead, James was the one crying. Leo held his mom extremely tight out of nervousness and anxiety. Leo reeled back to meet his mom’s bright e/c eyes.

“You’ll be fine, honey. You’ll make plenty of friends.” Y/n assured, and Leo’s eyes welled with tears, “I’ll miss you.” He whimpered.

“I’ll miss you too, my love.”

Leo hugged her again. Y/n chuckled and wrapped her arms around him again. James stood beside him, quietly crying. Here he was - James Potter - crying over his stepson leaving for Hogwarts. He wasn’t expecting it, but Leo wrapped his arms around him too. He was quietly sobbing into James’ shirt. Y/n stood back and watched with a bright smile.

They pulled apart, and Leo’s eyes looked like an ocean with the glossy texture, “You’ll be okay kiddo. Raise holy hell for me, okay?” James chuckled tearfully, kneeling to Leo’s height.

The boy nodded and wrapped his arms around James' shoulders, “I love you, dad.”

Y/n was barely able to withhold a gasp, and James was sobbing, “I love you too, kiddo.”

The raven-haired boy pulled away and took one last look at his parents. Leo jumped on the train and quickly pulled down the window as the train began to move, “I love you, mom! I love you, dad!”

“We love you too, sweetheart!” Y/n exclaimed, and James wrapped his arm around her waist.

The adult male was crying with a smile on his face facing his girlfriend, “He called me dad!”

Y/n laughed, “I can’t believe it! He called me dad!”

“I’ve dreamt about this moment for months!” James laughed, “Is it everything you dreamed of?”

“It’s so much better.” James replied, kissing her lips sweetly.

Not every story starts great. Maybe you’re loved one rejects you. Perhaps you start a commitment with someone you never loved or fell out of love with. Maybe not every story starts excellent. But who’s to say you can’t change the end? The beginning of your account is just that - the beginning. James and Y/n’s start was dreadful, but they were determined to change the ending.