#thomas blake imagine

[deerainy]

How I love being an English Literature student :3

I jumped when I saw this...

I'll definitely find a way to slide in a hannibal quote in my final exam tomorrow!!

[verdantflamingo]

When two mass murderers find inspiration in your art, you must be a hell of an artist!

[eatmacherries]

Becoming friends

[fuckyeahgoodomens]

The Good Omens Musical Masterpost🎵❤

How it started :)

Some time before 2013: Vicki Larnach, the australian composer and lyricist, read the Good Omens book, imagined figures dancing on stage with brilliant music and thought, ‘Ah, I’m gonna ask Terry Pratchet and Neil Gaiman if I can turn it into a musical.’ and sent an email to the publishers. The next day she got an email saying, ‘We don’t want a musical but Terry’s coming to Australia, so come and say hello and tell us what you got.’

Rob Wilkins came down to meet Vicki and Jim Hare - Vicki's husband and writer - and took them to meet Terry. They spent an hour and a half with them where Terry asked ‘piercing questions’, had tea with them and they showed Terry a song that Vicki wrote (about the Chattering Nuns). Terry said to Rob, ‘Rob, write and email to Neil, “Dear Neil, this is Terry. I’m sitting in front of two hippies from Sydney and they want to make a musical out of Good Omens and I’m tempted to let them do it.”’ which was the best email they ever heard and then Terry said, ‘Okay, you have me curious.’ - it was because of the Nuns song which sounded like the book. ‘I’m gonna give you six months, come back with a first draft libretto and five songs.’

They then sent it to Terry who sent it to Neil. Terry said, ‘I really like it, you’re moving story, you’re doing all the right things, but where’s showstopper, where’s the toe-tapper, you know I need people to go to intermission just snapping their fingers with the song they just can’t get out of their head, and I haven’t heard that.’ - and they realized that they were so busy serving the story they forgot to do the wow-factor, but found it very encouraging from Terry that he wanted to make it better.

They went through the whole book again to find a centrepiece - and they found it  when Warlock is growing up and Aziraphale and Crowley are with him, and spent months working just on that one thing and called ‘All Living Things’ [the song at the start of this post :)] which is a line from the book.*’ Terry gave that song to a person he knew and asked him to play it to his wife with no context and when the next day the person said that his wife woke up still singing the song Terry said to Vicki and Jim: ‘Well, that’s what I asked you to do.’ 

* [“This here’s Brother Slug,” the gardener would tell him, “and this tiny little critter is Sister Potato Weevil. Remember, Warlock, as you walk your way through the highways and byways of life’s rich and fulsome path, to have love and reverence for all living things.” “Nanny says that wivving fings is fit onwy to be gwound under my heels, Mr. Fwancis,” said little Warlock, stroking Brother Slug, and then wiping his hand conscientiously on his Kermit the Frog overall.]

Vicki and Jim got the permission to being adapting it as a musical in 2013.

Vicki and Jim on it a couple of years ‘fumbling about’, took it as far as they could and decided to bring another person into it: Jay-James Moody

In 2015, Jay James-Moody joined the collaboration initially as a dramaturge and directorial eye, eventually evolving into co-book writer. Vicki, James and Jay have continued to evolve through countless more revisions and a number of private development readings with the support, time and talent of numerous wonderful Australian performers testing the material.

In November 2017, the musical was presented in its then-current form and entirety for the first time before an audience of over 500 eager attendees. The cast included Luke Joslin, Lachlan O’Brien, Nancye Hayes, Barry Quin, Brett O’Neill, Lauren McKenna, Nicholas Craddock, Paul Capsis, Rob Johnson, Amy Lehpamer, Debora Krizak, Blake Erickson, Nat Jobe, Ana Maria Belo, Jordan Hare, Bella Thomas, Anthony Abrakmanov and Samson Hyland.

Following a rapturous response to this reading it continued to be refined and developed.

In 2019, ten days before the show came out they did their last presentation, since then they’ve been to London and shown a videotape of that workshop to Neil and Rob which was ‘a pretty heartstopping experience’ but both Neil and Rob were ‘so lovely and very generous with their time’ and they were showing it to them and in the intermission Neil said ‘I wish Terry could have seen this.’ (see here :))

Differences between the musical and the book

The ending of the musical is a bit different, they were worried about it but Neil said, ‘I totally understand, the ending of the TV series is different, because I had something that was book-shaped and I needed to make it TV-shaped. And you had something that was book-shaped and you needed to make it stage-shaped.’

It opens with the burning of Agnes Nutter and Aziraphale and Crowley are introduced there. 

Act One ends with them ‘essentially breaking up’ because of a huge argument and they dissolve their friendship, Act Two starts with the first time they meet.

The Future?

What is the future for the musical: in 2021 they said that they need to work on some things and then they hope to do another run, initially in Australia.

There will be a CD of the soundtrack available when the show is produced in it’s full version.

Videos

Vicki, Jim and Jay talking 46min about the musical (this video was shown at the Ineffable Con 3 in 2021 :))

Sizzle Reel 6min

Anathema singing The Perfect Place

Crowley calling Dagon to check on the hellhound

Shadwell and Newt

Aziraphale vanishing Hastur 👀

Links

Webpage

Instagram - a lot of more bts videos and pics :)

How to support?

Subsribe to the instagram page and like and comment that you want the musical on posts :)❤. If you want to be a sponsor or donor, there is contact on their webpage.

[alyssajennwrites]

So I’m rewatching some MCU movies and I just thought of something that could be pretty freaking cool to write.

Imagine this convo:

“The cell was just in case-“

“In case you needed to kill me. By you can’t. I know, I tried.”

With any the reaction of the following characters in an x reader:

1. Thomas (maze runner)

2. Newt (maze runner)

3. Gally (maze runner)

4. Minho (maze runner)

5. Basically any MCU character

6. Spencer Reid

7. Bellamy Blake

8. Jake Dawkins

9. Steve Harrington

10. Finnick Odair

11. Damon Salvatore

12. Klaus

There are many more characters that would fit a plot where the reader says Hulk’s line and the character reacts to it. I just can’t think of all of them, so please tell me your thoughts and if you think of anymore characters.

I would so read this story, but I can’t find any with this plot and I’ve hit my lazy writing arc 😭

[honeydais]

Hey friends! I returned a month later and brought for you a list of songs with which I associate the characters.

And with it you can determine my favorite characters :)

Jeff Woods ( Jeff the killer)— Psychosocial (Slipknot)

Americano ( Lady Gaga)

Lights out ( MSI )

Enemy ( Imagine dragons)

Liu Woods - Hayloft II (Mother Mother);

GOSSIP ( Måneskin )

Replay ( Lady Gaga )

Two birds (Regina Spector)

Lira Rogers - Looking at me ( Sabrina Carpenter )

Jane Richardson ( Jane the killer )- Telephone (Lady Gaga)

Bloody Mary ( Lady Gaga)

Bad girls ( M. I. A. )

She wants me dead ( Cazzette i AronChupa )

Jane Arkensaw - Genesis (Grimes)

The mess you made ( AJA )

Nina Hopkins ( Nina the killer ) - Mamma Mia (HUGEL)

Vicious ( Bohnes )

Criminal ( Britney Spears )

Take your shirt off ( Millionaires )

Toxic ( Britney Spears)

Nina Hopkins(new) - Toy ( Netta Barzilai )

Slumber party ( Ashnikko )

Troublemaker ( Olly Murs )

Jack Nairas ( Eyeless Jack)- HURT ( 1 800 PAIN )

Ate my heart (Lady Gaga)

Valentino ( Olly Alexander )

Devil town ( Cavetown ) 

Mama ( My Chemical Romance)

Benjamin Lauman ( Ben drowned )- That That ( PSY )

Don't try sucide ( QUEEN ) 

Tobias Rogers ( Ticci Toby )- My alcoholic friends ( The Dresden Dolls )

Teenagers (My Chemical Romance)

Mama's boy (Dominic Fike)

Blow ( Kesha )

Natalie Ouellet ( Clockwork )- People I don't like (Upsahl)

NO ( Meghan Trainor )

Haunted house ( neoni )

Seventeen ( Marina and the diamonds) 

Tim Wright - GRRRLS (Aviva)

Older ( Isabel Larosa )

House of memories ( Panic! at the disco)

Brian Thomas - Guys don't like me ( It Boys )

Don't trust me ( 3OH!3 )

Kate Millens (Haze) - She homeless (Creep - P)

Helen Otis ( Bloody painter)- dump dump (mazie)

yes & no ( Paige Duddy )

She likes a boy ( Nxdia )

Dina Angela Clark ( Judge Angel )- Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land ( Marina )

Mary on a cross ( Ghost)

Bloody Mary ( Lady Gaga)

Jonathan Blake ( The Puppeteer)- Drunk-Dazed ( ENHYPEN )

Lost in the fire ( Gesaffelstein )

Look what you made me do (Taylor Swift)

EYES ON ME ( asteria)

Ann Luzen Mia ( Nurse Ann ) - Take a hint (Elizabeth Gillies and Victoria Justice)

Sweet dreams ( Eurythmics)

Primadonna ( Marina )

Emra Amelia Aldridge - Dance to forget (TryHardNinja)

Cake ( Melanie Martinez )

Oh no! ( Marina and the diamonds)

Material girl ( Madonna)

Zero - Hole-Dwelling

Hermit the frog ( Marina and the diamonds)

Jason Meyer ( Jason the toymaker )- DARKSIDE ( neoni )

Super Psycho Love ( Simon Curtis)

Sexy dr_g ( Falling in Reverse)

Jealously, jealously ( Olivia Rodrigo)

Louis Vuitton Body Bag ( Jeffree Star ) 

Laughing Jack - Lonely (Palaye Royale)

Happy face (Jagwar Twin)

Backstabber ( Kesha )

Bad feeling ( Jagwar Twin )

Laughing Jill - Lone Digger (Caravan palace)

What are you watching for?  (Gwen Stefani)

Applause ( Lady Gaga)

Maniac ( Michael Sembello ) 

Shoot him down! ( Alice Francis)

Candy Pop - HIP ( mamamoo )

Nathan Nobody - Gladiator ( Jann )

Beautiful is boring ( BONES UK )

Mammamia ( maneskin )

Sally Williams - Who is she?  (I Monster)

Dollhouse ( Melanie Martinez)

Tag, You're it (Melanie Martinez)

Lazari Natalie Svong - I hate my mom ( GRLwood )

Lucille Tiffany Greatfield( Lulu ) - Tag, You're it (Melanie Martinez)

How do you sleep? ( AJA )

Slenderman - I didn't find the right song 

[hirundo-demersalis]

Unironically my favorite thing about the Hannibal universe is that the original watercolor of The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed with the Sun by William Blake is torn up and eaten by a psychotic serial killer obsessed with it. Which means that painting is now considered lost or destroyed in-universe. Imagine being an art historian in the Hannibal canon and trying to keep a straight face while you write about how a 200 year old William Blake painting is gone for all time because some guy in the 1980s fucking ate it and then died shortly after.

Absolutely insane shit, Thomas Harris you madman of an author I love your mind!

[anticbrvtalist]

La mort de John Balance

« Le pouvoir occulte et magnétique de l’Angleterre » ! Où donc ai-je lu ces mots ? » (Léon Bloy)[1]

Nous ne croyons pas à la mort accidentelle de John Balance ; nous pensons seulement qu’il sut prendre congé à temps. Sans doute était-il fatigué de tituber dans un monde qui meurt. Dès la fin du siècle dernier, Londres n’était plus la capitale du Royaume-Uni, mais un cratère foré par l’économie monde, plongeant à pic dans le tiède enfer du non-lieu global. Même Ian Sinclair se lassera – certes, quinze ans plus tard – de longer la M25, le London Overground, d’invoquer les esprits de son occulte psycho géographie, d’exposer aux non-initiés ses cartes imaginaires dont la topographie n’évoquera bientôt plus rien à personne. Nous fûmes victimes d’une illusion d’optique : le capitalisme ne sévit pas à l’état liquide mais gazeux : tout ce dont il a épuisé la valeur d’échange s’évapore, disparaît. Même les ruines.

            John Balance le savait : ce Londres occulte, dont il partageait la fascination avec quelques grand initiés, Allan Moore par exemple, le Londres de Jacques l’éventreur, d’Austin Osman Spare, de William Blake, d’Arthur Machen, de la Golden Dawn, de Thomas de Quincey et sa chère Ann, ce Londres s’était tout entier évanoui ; et bientôt, ferait défaut jusqu’à l’humanité encore accessible à de tels souvenirs. Il aura vu le dôme du « Millenium » émerger, les quais de la Tamise se border de buildings en verre, leur enfilade de docks, de hangars désaffectés, se muer en malls, en galeries polaires, en lofts pour yuppies. Sans doute s’effrayait-il d’y voir son avenir, d’imaginer Coil diffusé dans une quelconque annexe de la Tate Gallery, distraitement écouté par des hordes de touristes asiatiques ou de jeunes cadres apatrides de la City, sujets au burn-out, rompus au binge drinking, tous d’une désespérante tolérance. Il le devinait : jamais plus Londres ne serait « la cité des résurrections »[2]. Cette ville lui était à ce point devenue étrangère qu’il ne pouvait plus suivre à l’instinct les affluents de la Tamise, ces méandres aux propriétés magiques jadis cartographiées par John Dee : la Fleet, la Tyburn, les rivières de Stamford brook et de Walbrook. Désormais incapable de soulever les strates de l’histoire immédiate, mais toujours possédé par son Londres mythique et souterrain, John Balance se sera, à quarante ans, enterré vivant. 

L’un des derniers albums de Coil, Times machines, fut la première tentative musicale de dissoudre le cours du temps. Peut-être Balance avait-il le pressentiment d’une prochaine catastrophe dont il désirait, de toutes ses forces, différer l’avènement. Peut-être devinait-il que Londres, puis l’Angleterre tout entière, allait devenir telle qu’elle figure dans la série Black mirror : le cadre d’un nouveau cauchemar dystopique sur le point d’envahir le globe. D’instinct, en bon britannique, et donc un peu chauvin, il savait que l’Angleterre, depuis le XVIIè, énonce l’ordre du monde, Rule the world. La mission historique d’Albion s’achève, mais reste son imagination, suffisamment fertile pour nourrir les cauchemars du monde entier : « England has a black earth ».[3]

             « Les poètes sont toujours les premiers à s’en aller » remarquait Ian Sinclair. John Balance fut un précurseur : aujourd’hui, c’est le peuple britannique tout entier qui tâtonne vers la sortie, cherche machinalement son âme comme on s’assure de la présence d’un membre fantôme. Le Brexit, bien sûr, ne résoudra rien. Le Royaume-Uni, hier galion corsaire cinglant à l’avant-garde, aujourd’hui vieux rafiot à la remorque des États-Unis, tourné vers l’ailleurs, le grand large, l’Océan Pacifique peut-être, pour une dernière aventure.   

NO SOCIETY 

             John Balance, c’est avant tout l’homme en marge. Il n’eut pas assez de sa courte vie pour apprendre à se défaire du monde. Très jeune, il comprit qu’il est vain de pester contre le « système », de fantasmer un grand soir, aussi n’ayons pas le ridicule d’en faire un nouveau « suicidé de la société » : cette dernière, il sut la tenir à distance, cultivant l’art de la clandestinité, luttant constamment contre toute forme imposée ; et cette lutte lui fut source de bonheur – « Disobediance is the key of joy ». Dans la lignée d’un Pasolini ou d’un Genet, Balance vécut son homosexualité comme une malédiction, un défi, trop orgueilleux qu’il était pour quémander la reconnaissance des foules, de l’État. Pourquoi briguer une impossible normalisation, source certaine d’un supplément de souffrances ? Inutile de se rassembler, d’exiger de nouveaux droits : aujourd’hui comme hier, toute singularité draine la vindicte. Le seul acte militant de Coil, la reprise de Tainted Love assortie d’un clip horrifique, suffit, dès 1984, à écarter tout malentendu : les niais partisans de la cause arc-en-ciel, glacés, passèrent leur chemin.

                  Bien plus qu’un simple pas de côté, la vie de John Balance fut esquive, dérobade radicale. De la société, il se retrancha, mais de biais, faisant sien l’enseignement d’Austin Osman Spare : le monde ne se comprend qu’appréhendé latéralement, surtout les êtres humains, dont on ne peut saisir quelques parcelles d’âme que lorsqu’ils ne vous voient plus, vous ont oublié. Cette approche oblique strictement observée, la politique et le social ne survivent qu’à l’état de souvenir, de vague rumeur ; une rumeur, c’est-à-dire un bruit, un son, que l’on peut prélever, domestiquer, puis torturer à loisir avant de le restituer, méconnaissable, à la société épouvantée.

À force de pratiquer « l’usage agressif de la fantaisie »[4], Coil avait acquis dans certains milieux londoniens une étrange réputation qu’ils cultivaient avec malice. Christopherson, alias « Sleazy », faisait parade d’un sadisme bonhomme et discret, évoquant à mots couverts auprès d’un auditoire choisi certaines chambres de sa maison de Chipswick, une notamment, entièrement peinte en noir, les murs tapissés d’images des 120 jours de Sodome, une autre encore, où il enfermait de jeunes hommes pour les piquer d’aiguilles. Ces étranges inclinations vinrent aux oreilles du cinéaste Clive Barker qui leur offrit de composer la bande-son de son film Hellraiser avant de se rétracter, effrayé. Pourtant, à les voir, rien ne laissait deviner de telles dispositions : quelques photos nous les présentent de noir vêtus, cheveux ras, encapuchonnés dans d’informes sweat shirts, soit la défroque ordinaire de la tourbe des « teufeurs » de l’époque. C’est qu’ils étaient passés maîtres dans l’art de l’infiltration, pour preuve, dès 1991, ils avaient déjà, par les albums Love is a secret domain et The snow, corrompu la techno. Le dancefloor, par eux investi, devint expérience claustrophobique, se changea en caisse à stridences psychiatriques, infernale chambre d’échos balayée de part en part d’un souffle d’outre-tombe.

Un député tory, bien sous tous rapports, les traita de « naufrageurs de la civilisation ». « Les gens comme il faut » sont tels car inaptes à l’introspection ; n’examinant jamais leurs pensées, ils sont bien incapables d’identifier la racine d’une dé-civilisation dont ils déplorent incessamment les effets : cette passion maniaque de l’homogénéité qu’ils possèdent tous en propre. Les membres du Temple of the psychic youth, en dépit d’un mode de vie suicidaire, jalonné d’expérimentations sordides et dangereuses, eurent d’emblée le pressentiment de l’avènement d’un monde unidimensionnel, hostile à toute intériorité. « Nos ennemis sont plats » scandait P-Orridge, faisant inconsciemment écho aux paroles d’un Barrès, qui, à l’apogée de son « culte du moi », au début du XXè  siècle, déclarait : « Les barbares veulent nous fondre en série ».

MAGICK

          Coil, en anglais, signifie rouleau, spirale, nom à la fois banal et le plus occulte qui soit : la spirale est lieu de réversion, premier point d’attache des cycles qui se fondent un instant pour nier le temps ; son centre est aussi point d’infini qui abolit l’espace. Coil fut la quête de ce vide qui est puissance absolue mais aussi sens premier, originel. Effet du hasard ? le symbole de la spirale ornait déjà les couvertures de la revue Le Grand jeu, soixante-dix ans plus tôt. L’histoire révèle à périodes régulières quelques jeunes gens suffisamment mécontents pour oser, par leurs propres moyens, forcer le monde invisible à rendre son secret. John Balance s’identifiait à René Crevel mais ce serait plutôt à Roger Gilbert Lecomte qu’il faudrait le comparer, Gilbert Lecomte, comme lui poète égaré dans son inlassable quête d’« états de stupeur fixe ». (...)

[noodleswithsoba-blog]

My Invincible OC: Jason Blake.

So... my Viltrumite Swap AU, or Thragg n' Nolan switch roles and the butterfly effect causes massive changes, namely... just who is Jason Blake, otherwise known as Invincible?

Quick Facts.

Name: Jason Cassius Blake.

Birthday: 11/2.

Favorite color: Blue.

Named after the Greek Hero, Jason.

Backstory.

"So wait... you're an alien, which means I'M an alien?"

"Is that concerning to you, son?"

"No! It's cool!"- Jason's reaction to being told the Viltrumite story.

Jason was born a while after Thragg arrived to Earth and took the name Thomas Blake. His wife, Reyna, was already a heroine and impressed him with her strength. Reyna's looks prevailed over Thragg's in Jason's case, giving him golden eyes and golden hair.

The circumstances of Jason's birth actually made Thragg a little nervous, unsure if his wife's great strength would allow for their continued survival.

Little did Thragg know that his choice of wife combined with his already buffed Viltrumite strength would give Jason an edge over most enemies.

Throughout Jason's early days, Reyna and Thragg would swap taking care of him. Reyna saw it as bonding between father and son. She was right, of course...

Unfortunately, like the mainline universe, Life has a way of making tragedy happen to the main character no matter what. Turns out Reyna's mutation was rebelling against her body, with symptoms reminding Thragg of the Scourge Virus.

She made him swear to raise Jason to be kind, to fight for his home, because the baton is passed to him now.

Having also become a Guardian of the Globe, Jason grew up with the other guardians being a sort of fictive aunts and uncles. So he wasn't without love or care, just that Thragg tried his best to put walls between him and his son so he couldn't feel too much.

But Thragg had to become both Mother and Father to his son, and this is where he begins to change.

Personality.

So, Jason was raised by Thragg, which made him put aside a lot of his feelings to accomplish his goals. He also inherited his mother's hotbloodedness and some optimism from her too. It borders on being naive, which is what kills Thragg the most.

Jason's also kind of a fighter, having a scrappy style that's dirtier than most. He tends to get snappy with Rex and butts heads with Robot because he hates how logical he is.

He may be the smartest thing in the room, but Jason doesn't like the ideas Robot has. While they're right, he leans more towards his father's stories of conquerors and how they ended horribly.

He was encouraged to be part of the Teen Team as a way to get friends 'like him' that way he wouldn't feel alone... but he's oil and water with the guys.

Eventually, Rex and him get along.

But he's nice to Eve and Kate (and Amanda eventually.). Even with the Teen Team and going to school, Jason's still pretty lonely. His first power was super strength, then flight, then durability.

He's a very solemn kid sometimes. Even though the Guardians and his Dad are around, he feels like he's out of place. Unanchored, like any minute he's going to drift away.

Thragg did his best to raise his son as humanly as possible, but there's always this secretiveness between them. But he always seems to know if his son's in trouble.

Also imagine Thragg being involved in the parent's side of things when Jason was in Elementary School. Gossiping with the moms and chatting with the dads, because he sees it as coming across as more human.

Jason does okay in school, his father tried to push him to be in more programs and expand his horizons. Jason's pretty good at writing stories and really wanted to become a comic book writer so his dad's stories could somehow be kept up with.

In most encounters, Jason covers up his fear with confidence and is a little quippy. Until the absolute SLAUGHTER that is his father's 'education'.

Jason gets traumatized, Thragg flies away, after saying... "When you get stronger, come find me, son."

Not even an apology, not even a sort of way to put a bandaid on a bullet wound, just another goal. (Thragg's breaking too, which is why he leaves. he loves his son, and would do anything to not give him the same fate as his brethren, but here it is.)

Needless to say after the beatdown, Jason's angry. His anger is turned on any villains he encounters. Cecil's trying to rein him in but how can you calm a kid who lost the only parent he has?

The fact that Immortal lashes out at him is even tougher. He has no one, but he still helps. Why?

Because it makes him happy to see people live their lives, to just be. So Cecil uses that for structure, gives the kid some kind of peace. All he has to do is work for him.

Surprisingly, Allen and Jason get along famously. Two sorta himbos who just wanna life their lives and well, make silly mistakes sometimes get along.

He's extremely self-sacrificial, and refuses to be selfish, it doesn't contribute to his own code of survival. Sends him clashing against Viltrumite Prince Mark.

The Suit.

Art made Jason a suit, and instead of being similar to his father's, Jason got a cool yellow and blue suit with a bright blue cape and boots, but no pads. So it's similar to Mark's Blue and Black suit. Jason doesn't have the goggles because they'd break anyway.

Later on, the cape goes away and becomes the kilt-like form that Thragg has. This comes in Post Season-2, when Jason's more alone than ever and it's more of a comfort move for him.

Romance?

I honestly have no idea. I like him and Eve, but at the same time it'd take a little longer than Mark and Eve in canon, mostly because our boy is a little more closed off than Mark is. So yeah, if I ever get a solid way of putting them together, I will. Same counts for anybody else.

If any of you have ideas, please feel free to share them!

[zablife]

Hey hun! Super congrats on the 600 🥳 I saw this gif and thought maybe it could be a combo of your ☎️ and 🗣 because it gives me such professor!Cillian Murphy vibes with his cosy sweater and jazzy glasses 🥰 And who doesn’t love a bit of smutty Cillian in a position of authority, eh? 😉

I love your work so much - you give such vibrancy to your characters, esp your OCs. It feels like they jump off the page (well, screen) in 3D, which is such an amazing skill to have. Thank you for being such a great writer and for sharing it so generously with us all here, xx

Hi darl, tysm for this amazing request! I LOVE the gif inspo as well😍I had a lot of fun with this even if it did turn a bit angsty. I drew inspiration for the last lines from Bob Dylan's song "Just Like a Woman," which is one of my favorite songs. I included a bit of smut as well, which I hope you like!

Professor of English literature, Thomas Shelby

*Professor Shelby is always calling on you in class, asking difficult questions and pressing you for your opinion, but you can tell there’s an attraction there. However, your papers are returned with challenging remarks and lower than average grades.

*When you ask for tutoring after class he puts you off at first saying he’s too busy, but you persist. When he agrees to meet with you the only time available is late in the evening after his colleagues have gone home. 

*He sips whisky in the dim lamplight of his office as he has you recite Chaucer from memory. When you flub the lines due to your exhaustion, he sighs with annoyance and makes you start again. Your hands tremble, not wanting to disappoint him.

*When you inevitably cry from frustration, he stands and takes you by the shoulders, “Told you you should have been studying,” he tsks, wiping the tears away.

*”I have,” you assert firmly, “but I’ve also had work and my other classes, Professor Shelby. Please, I’ll do anything,” you plead, sliding a hand down the front of his trousers.

*He pulls away with an amused smirk, scoffing, “I can get a fuck whenever I want, love. Why would I want to bed a university girl?” 

*You felt incredibly foolish as he turned you away, but you wondered what his intentions were as he kept bumping into you all over campus. How did he always know where you would be? He would show up during your shift at the cafe, walk by during your study group at the library and drive past as you finished your workout at the gym. Was he following you?

*Everyone said he was sleeping with Professor Stark in Linguistics. She was tall, dark and elegant. Rumor had it she spoke seven languages and had lived all over the world. How could you possibly compete with someone so worldly and elegant?

*One day in class Professor Shelby stood reciting Blake’s Poison Tree. As he recited the lines about the grudge held against a foe:

“And I sunned it with smiles, 

And with soft deceitful wiles” 

You swore he looked straight at you, his sapphire eyes burning a hole into your core with lustful desire. It wasn’t your imagination, he wanted to consume you, but the source of his lust was odd as though he hadn’t made up his mind if it was love or hatred that drew him to you. 

*After class you waited for everyone to file from the classroom and you rushed to confront him. “Why have you been following me, professor?” you hissed in a voice just above a whisper. 

*Professor Shelby grabbed your chin harshly and said, “Because you’re the most brilliant student I’ve ever met. Your mind intrigues me and now I have to have your body.” He wasted no time pushing his tongue into your mouth and you crashed into him with reckless abandon. Without care for who could find you in the empty classroom, you made love on the floor by his desk, a desperate attempt to gain dominance over one another, although you allowed him one final act of control when he seated himself deep within in you riding out the waves of his pleasure.

*Catching your breath in the rays of the afternoon light, you buttoned your blouse and fixed your hair. You gathered your satchel and fled from the room, afraid of what the day’s affair would mean to your grades and your reputation. 

*Over the course of the next few weeks, you and Tommy had sex in his office, his car and his flat. He couldn’t seem to get enough of you and you wondered if this would become serious. Then one day, it stopped as suddenly as it began. 

*You found yourself watching him in class, licking your lips as you watched him recite poetry from the front of the lecture hall, but he never returned your gaze. You caught yourself looking up from your books during study sessions waiting for him to pass by your table, but he never came. 

*One night you decided to visit him in his office for a tutoring session and heard the unmistakable moans of a woman in the throes of passion and you turned on your heel, knowing he’d moved on from you. 

*When you confronted him about it, he took your hands and held them out from his body as though you were no longer permitted such familiarity, “We have to stop.” When you looked hurt and began to cry, he rolled his eyes and scoffed coldly, “You’re just like all the rest. You make love like a woman, but you break just like a little girl.”

*Before you left you had to tell him how you felt. You knew this would end eventually, but the way he was doing it was so cruel. “Tommy, do me a favor. One day when I’m a famous author and we’re introduced again. Don’t let on that you knew me when I was hungry and it was your world. Everyone will hate you,” you said with as much confidence as you could muster. 

*Holding fast to the idea you would one day reclaim your dignity was all you could do to maintain some level of control despite the spiral of fear and shame you felt in that moment.

@shelbydelrey

[bitletsanddrabbles]

Shipping Challenges

Are you getting a bit tired of the same old pairings? Would you like to see something new and different? Do you want to see how many people you can piss off, freak out, or have proclaim you their new best friend?

May I make some suggestions*:

1. Thomas Barrow x Jack Courtnay

Yes, everyone knows what a crush Thomas had on our dear blind soldier boy, but have you ever considered the irony that maybe Edward was the straight one in the family? That maybe Thomas would have even more in common with Edward’s hated little brother? What’s Jack really like, anyway? Mary and Edith would probably have said similar things about each other, but their fans - and neutral parties - agree they’re pretty decent people...or at least one of them is. What’s going on there anyway?

2. Thomas Barrow x Richard Clarkson

Yeah, okay, you may have run across this one. I have, but is it just me or is it nearly always toxic? Generally comes with a non-con tag, which is fine in and of itself, but there’s so much more you can do here! Lady Edith was ready to marry a man her father’s age, and in the queer community age differences were pretty common. Why not explore what, exactly, makes the good doctor so sympathetic to ‘that sort’? I have seen one (1) person try this in a healthy manner! I challenge everyone else to try it!

3. Guy Dexter x Chris Webster

C’mon, you know you want to!

4. Guy Dexter x Richard Ellis

Because there are only about a million fifty ways you can do this! Prequels! Sequels! Straight up AUs! And only about three quarters of them will get you banned from the fandom! LIVE DANGEROUSLY! Odds are good you will win the Fandom Love Of Your Life and a Fandom Arch Nemesis all in one go!

5. Thomas Barrow x Charles Blake

Is there a single thing about this pairing to hang your hat on? Near as I can remember, no! Not a damn thing! That means there’s nothing stopping you! Imagine all of the fun that the working-class-bloke-who-wants-to-be-a-toff and the toff-who-wants-to-be-a-working-class-bloke could have together!

-

And I think that will do me for now. Knowing me, I’ll probably be back at some later date with more later**.

* Before everyone asks why, if I want to see these so badly, I don’t write them myself. Have you seen my WIP folder? I’ve actually started some of these - multiple times! - but they are buried under.......everything else. If we have to wait for me to do it, it’ll never happen.

** No, I have not had too much sugar, why do you ask such a silly question? This is definitely not me crashing from a sugar high.

[ryderdiedaily]

RYDERDIE PLAYLISTS.

i would walk through fire. 

featuring. saving grace - kodaline / train wreck - james arthur / love brought weight - old sea brigade / you got me - dylan scott / us - james bay / river - leon bridges + listen / post

right to the end. 

featuring. make you feel my love - jj heller / only you - the platters / donn't give up on me - andy grammer / ain't no mountain high enough - marvin gaye / glad you exist - dan + shay / whirlwind - sam ryder + listen / post

you changed my life. 

featuring. one call away - charlie pluth / state of grace - taylor swift / what you do to me - dan + shay / what your fathers says - the vamps / good as you - kane brown / god gave me you - blake shelton + listen / post

judd & grace ryder.

featuring. collide - rachel platten / where'd all the time go - dr.dog / heart like yours - willamette stone / brand new - ben rector / golden dandelions - barns courtney / next to me - imagine dragons + listen

grudd. 

featuring. prayed for you - matt stell / she's everything - brad paisley / forever after all - luke combs / speechless - dan + shay / masterpiece - thompson square / you're the only reason - gabby barrett + listen 

ryderdie, we're not gonna fall.

featuring. anything but mine - kenny chesney / when i said i do - clink black & lisa hartman black / hesitate - jonas brothers / baptized - daughtry / somewhere with you - kenny chesney / hey girl - billy currington + listen 

judson ryder, my love. 

featuring. would you go with me - josh turner / heroes - mika / how to save a life - the fray / stubborn love - the lumineers / hold my girl - george ezra / blessed - thomas rhett + listen 

what's playing in judd ryder's truck.

featuring. loud and heavy - cody jinks / sinners like me - erich church / holds you up - shane harper / letter to me - brad paisley / never grow up - taylor swift / sun to me - zach bryan + listen

judd ryder, kick the dust up.

featuring. kick the dust up - luke bryan / deep end - daughtry / one man band - old dominion / dirt on my boots - jon pardi / the sound of silence - disturbed / back when i knew it all - montgomery gentry + listen

grace ryder, "who say i can't make a difference right there." 

featuring. jesus take the wheel - carrie underwood / i hurt too - katie herzig / the thing about love - alicia keys / i shall not fear - jon bryant / bridge over toubled water - jj heller / salute - little mix + listen / post

[movies-to-add-to-your-tbw]

Title: Rise of the Guardians

Rating: PG

Director: Peter Ramsey

Cast: Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, Isla Fisher, Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Isabella Blake-Thomas, Jacob Bertrand, Khamani Griffin, Kamil McFadden, Georgie Grieve, Emily Nordwind, Olivia Mattingly, Dominique Grund

Release year: 2012

Genres: action, family, fantasy, adventure

Blurb: When an evil spirit known as Pitch Black lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs, and imagination of children all over the world.

[awalkthroughstellis]

Playing The Part (II)

Warnings: Spoilers for Luke’s SSR card “Dark Swirl”, mentions of blood and violence, sexual tension and spicy moments, implied adult activities (SFW)

Rated 17+ - heavy sexual tension and implied adult activities

Summary (Part Two): Things get more dangerous when Luke and Robin end up at Bright Paddon’s personal villa. Not only is Robin’s commitment to her man tested, but her love for him could come at the cost of her life…

I didn’t think things could get any more stressful, but now that we were at Bright Paddon’s personal villa, I realize things could get more stressful. Not only were we in his home, but his home was located in the remote outskirts of Stellis, hidden within tall mountains and a pain to reach due to questionable road safety.

I paced back and forth across the guest room, arms folded over my chest and the clicks of my wedges against the floorboards the only sound. Raven and I were taken right to this room upon arrival so I had no idea what the layout of the place is like, meaning if I had to get out in case of an emergency I’d have no idea where to go. The only peace of mind I had was the small pager Raven left me, which was tucked safely in the pocket of my coat. I cracked the window a little, that way if anyone came in and questioned why I was wearing my coat indoors, I could explain that I needed a little fresh air. As for Raven’s whereabouts, he said he was going to the conference room to talk to Bright and try and squash any remaining doubts he might have.

“If something happens while I’m gone, just push the button. I’ll come running as soon as I get the signal. Don’t be afraid, okay?”

I took in a deep breath and sat on the leather couch. Just as I was collecting myself, there was a knock at the door. My head snapped up and an icy cold shiver ran up my spine, shoulders immediately growing tense. Raven wouldn’t knock first, would he?

“Who is it?” I called out, wrapping my coat around myself a little tighter.

The voice that responded wasn’t one I recognized. “Pardon the interruption, Miss. I’m one of Mr. Bright’s men. I have an urgent matter to discuss with you. May I come in?”

I stood up and approached the door, but I had no intention of opening it. “I don’t make a habit of inviting strange men into private rooms. We can discuss this through the door.”

“If that is what you wish, we can, but you, me, and Mr. Raven will suffer if this gets back to Mr. Bright.”

‘Suffer?’

The word made my stomach turn, and after careful deliberation, I opened the door and stepped aside to let the man in. Worst case scenario, I press the pager and hope my protector makes it in time.

The man was young, a little taller then me, had dark curly hair and dark eyes. He entered and made his way to the middle of the room, then stopped and turned to me with a toothy grin. “Thank you for meeting with me, Miss. My name is Blake Thomas. I work for Bright Paddon and have been for a while now. I’ll make this quick, but I’ve come to propose an offer.”

“What kind of offer?” I asked, still holding onto the doorknob just in case I needed to make an escape.

“Cooperation. Since Mr. Raven has brought you here with him, you must be quite close. I can get my hands on some special information involving Mr. Bright. If you and I work together, we can snatch those goods and split it fifty-fifty after we escape. We won’t have to work another day again for the rest of our lives.”

What he was really asking dawned on me rather quickly. The thought of it made me sick. “You’re asking me to betray Raven.”

Blake chuckled and scratched the back of his neck. “I can only imagine how hard it must be to please a master like Mr. Raven. Think about how many people you’ll be able to play with once your pockets are loaded. The world is full of men for you to enjoy.”

Now I really felt like I was gonna puke. Did everyone in Bright’s circle see people as nothing but mere toys for gratification? And was nothing kept private? Blake had to know about what went down between Raven and I in the hotel earlier, that’s why he’s using this angle to try and convince me to go along with his plan.

I didn’t even try to hide my glare. “I think it would be best if you left now.”

A panic look crossed his face. “H-Hold on, Miss! Please take a look at this before you make any rash decisions.”

He fiddled with the tablet tucked beneath his arm for a minute, then turned the screen around. The tablet was displaying what seemed to be camera footage of a room I didn’t recognize, but two people in the frame I did: Bright and Raven. Their voices starting coming out through the speaker before I could ask anything. It sounded like they were talking business, but Bright mentioned an address that caught my attention.

“7-Crossing Warehouse in North Stellis…” I repeated in a whisper.

I wasn’t familiar with North Stellis. The crime rate there was higher then I was comfortable with and Luke would never let me go there alone. The few times I have gone, he stuck as close to my side as possible. ‘Would he really hide such valuable goods in such an obvious place?’

This entire situation was bothering me. Blake seemed a little too eager to make this deal, and on top of that, we’ve never met before. Regardless of what rumours he’s heard, surely he can’t be so certain that my relationship with Raven is thin enough to be broken by money. Isn’t he worried that I’m gonna report all of this to Raven?

Something Bright said suddenly came through the audio port of the tablet, something that caught me completely off guard. “Alas, what happened with your father was very unfortunate. Who knows who tipped off his opponents.”

My heart stopped for a minute. Heart condition considered, I tried not to use that expression but there was no other phrase to describe what I felt. Bright Paddon knew Raven’s… Luke’s, father? Is this why Luke took this case in the first place? I thought the death of his parents was accidental, but could there be more to it? Did Luke discover something that died Bright to his parents deaths?

I watched as Raven turned to look out the window. “One day, they’ll all pay the price. I’ll make sure of it.”

Bright sighed and put down his cigar. “I heard you’ve been doing well overseas. If it weren’t for your father’s early passing, you wouldn’t have had to come back to Stellis so soon. I remember you being such a cheerful boy, but now I can’t see past the hate in your eyes. What a pity.”

Now I felt like someone punched me in the gut. Luke’s known Bright since he was a child? Does Rosa have any recollection of this man? Did Luke and Bright lost contact after Luke was adopted? I suddenly had so many questions I was losing track of the most important ones.

“There’s nothing to pity me for. It’s fate. But if it can be twisted, it can be rewritten, right?” Raven asked, the chill in his voice so intense I had to look away.

“I’m done watching this. Please turn it off.” I said.

The screen went black and Blake tucked the tablet under his arm again. “So? Have you made your decision? I mean, come on. You saw how cruel that guy’s smile is, didn’t you? You really wanna be stuck with that for the rest of your life?”

“Look, Mr. Thomas, I’m not in the mood. You have severely underestimated the relationship between Raven and I, and quite frankly, the thought of a betrayal makes me sick. You need to leave. Now.”

“Alright, how about I sweeten the deal?” Blake suddenly stepped forward and slung his arm around my shoulders. The weight of his limb, the feeling of him against me, all felt so wrong. “How about sixty-forty, leaning your way? Or seventy-thirty? Thirty is more then enough for me to live out the rest of my life in luxury.”

I could hear my heart calling out for Luke, wanting nothing more then for him to come save me from this nightmare. I reached into my pocket and grabbed the pager, slamming my thumb down on the button. To keep Bright’s suspicions low, since he wouldn’t be able to hear the pager, I let out the most high-pitched scream I could muster.

“Get off me!” I screeched, shoving Blake off and taking several steps back.

The door burst open in no time at all. Raven rushed in with Bright on his heels, but he stopped suddenly and looked back and forth between Blake and I with distrusting eyes. “What’s going on here?”

Seeing him standing there, recalling the sense of safety that always came with his embrace, now knowing that I was safe from any and all harm, my vision started to blur with real tears. “Raven! He just made a move on me!”

I rushed to him, throwing myself into his arms and burying my head in his chest. I was so overwhelmed by the experience that I could feel my body trembling a little. It wasn’t necessarily fear getting to me, but Blake’s touch left me feeling dirty. All night, the men other then Raven have looked at me as nothing more then an accessory or a tool to get what they were after. I understood it’s the part I have to play to get Raven and I through this safely, but it’s starting to take a toll. All I want to do now is to hide in Raven’s arms until the sun comes up.

Slowly, hesitantly, Raven wrapped an arm around my waist. He asked a question, and it was impossible to miss the danger laced in his voice. “Did he touch you?”

I nodded against his chest, digging my nails into the fabric of his suit jacket. I felt his arm tighten around me, pressing me against him even further. The temperature in the room seemed to drop as he lowered his head a little and spoke a little quieter.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” He asked.

I shook my head. I didn’t need to be looking at Raven’s face to know he was glaring. I could feel it in the tense atmosphere, could feel the nervous waves rolling off Blake and hitting my back. Raven grabbed my hands and pulled them from his chest, then moved me aside and, without warning, kicked Blake in the stomach. Blake dropped to his knees and was subjected to another kick, this time in the back. The man fell onto his chest and Raven planted his foot on Blake’s shoulder blade, keeping him pinned and flailing beneath him in a panic.

“Mr. Bright!” Blake choked out. “Mr. Bright! Help me!”

Bright seemed to be in a bit of a panic. “Raven, that’s enough. Blake did what he did for a reason.”

“It better be a good reason.” Raven snapped, turning his glare to Bright. “What happened at the show earlier, I can let go for you, Bright, but this time is different.”

Bright sighed. “Allow me to explain. I’m the one who asked Blake to do this.”

I couldn’t keep my eyes from widening as they turned towards him. ‘This son of a…’

Raven was practically seething now. Without taking his foot off Blake’s shoulder, he sat on the couch and beckoned me over with a single wave his fingers, then tapped his thigh. I approached him, sliding my coat off my arms and draping it over a nearby chair before taking my place in his lap. I sat on him sideways, one leg crossed over the other so that I wouldn’t be too close to Blake’s figure on the floor. I placed one hand on Raven’s chest and slid the other around his shoulders, then joined my lover in glaring Bright down as he delivered his explanation.

A business man makes many mistakes in his lifetime. This was Bright Paddon’s biggest mistake. At first, he thought of the woman on Raven’s arm as nothing more then an accessory, a rich and beautiful piece of jewellery. Oh, how wrong he was. Now, as he fell beneath a heat hotter then hell, he realized that Raven’s woman wasn’t a mere item. She was the other half of him, and the power they held together was so great he couldn’t help but feel as small as the cells in one’s blood.

Bright’s explanation was simple enough; he was suspicious of me and sent Blake over to figure my intentions out. One part of me wanted to laugh, another part was glad his suspicion has finally shifted off of Raven, but the biggest part of me was livid.

“There’s nothing wrong with having doubts. I fully understand what you were thinking.” Raven said, adjusting his position a little. A look of relief crossed Bright’s face, but Raven didn’t let it last long. He put more pressure on his foot, making Blake wail. “I have my own doubts. Doubts that someone wants to play games more then they want to settle a business transaction.”

Beads of sweat were rolling down Bright’s forehead. “No, that’s not what this is. I just want to look out for you, Raven. I promised your father I would if anything happened to him.” His eyes turned to me and he bowed his head apologetically. “Please, forgive me, Miss. I see now that you fully intend to stand by Raven.”

I turned to my man. “Should I? He asked another man to touch what’s yours.”

Blake started trashing again. Raven must be dishing out another harmless punishment. “I’ll let you decide this time. Choose wisely.”

I pretended to think about it, then turned to Bright. He looked more like a nervous wreck then a powerful business man. “For the sake of this deal, I’ll forgive you.”

All the tension in Bright’s body seemed to evaporate at once. “Thank you, Miss. I assure you, you won’t be disrespected again.”

“You’re lucky she’s so forgiving.” Raven chimed in, the corner of his mouth curling into a smirk. “Otherwise, we might have to rethink this deal.”

“Yes, of course.”

Bright’s phone suddenly started ringing. The stress in his voice was evident as he spoke to whoever was on the other line. “Keep an eye on them. Call me right away if anything happens.”

Raven finally gave up on torturing Blake. The poor man crawled away frantically, practically cowering behind Bright. “Did the police find the goods?”

“No, don’t worry. 7-Crossing Warehouse was just a decoy. They won’t find the real stuff, trust me on that.”

Raven chuckled. “So, you were testing me with the address earlier? Careful~” He practically sang the word. “Your caution will one day cost you more then you’ll gain. You’re so concerned about outsiders, yet the possibility of one of your own men leaning information eludes you. Your time is best spent watching your own men then scouting us out.”

Bright was sweating buckets by now. “Yes, of course. You’re right.”

“Get going, Bright. If anything goes wrong again, don’t ever think about getting another penny out of me.”

“I’ll get right on it, just give me a little more time.”

With that, Bright and Blake rush out of the room, taking the tension with them. I released a breath and felt my shoulders drop. For the first time since bumping into everyone tonight, I let my guard drop fully. I rolled my shoulders and neck and looked at Raven, blinking in surprise. There were no traces of the dark expression he was wearing seconds ago. All that reminded now was the gentle smile and kind eyes I was most familiar with.

“Ah, there you are.” I said, giggling a little as I kissed his nose. “I’ve missed you.”

Luke grinned and brushed a stray hair from my cheek. “I was stalling for time so that he would be forced to take the call right in front of us. In a couple more hours, this will be over.” His smile dropped to a frown. “Where did he touch you?”

I shuttered just thinking about it. “My neck and shoulders. I had my coat on, but it didn’t do much… I feel like he’s still here.”

Luke lifted me off his lap and set me back on the couch, then headed into the bathroom, closing the open window as he passed it. The guest room, for whatever reason, didn’t have a door diving the bathroom from the rest. I heard water running, and when it finally stopped, Luke returned with damp towel that had a light steam rising from it.

He sat next to me and, being so gentle it made my heart hurt, started massaging the top of my chest, neck, and shoulders with it. The warmth made my eyelids suddenly feel heavy, a blissful sigh slipping past my lips at the sensation.

“This is nice.” Said, peeling my eyes open just a little so I could look at Luke.

“They say warm towels can relieve fatigue and stress. Is it working?”

I hummed, letting my eyes close again. “Stress? Gone. Fatigue? It’s making me sleepy.”

“You can rest for a bit of you want. I’ll watch over you.”

I shook my head, trying to fight back the drowsiness. “No, we should both be on alert.” I had to find something to talk about to keep myself awake. “Blake showed me surveillance footage. He said he knew your dad… and you in your childhood.”

Luke was quiet for a little while, either gathering his thoughts or too focused on his task to respond right away. “Half-truths often make for the best lies.”

“Half-truths?”

He nodded. “The story about that “father” is real, but he was actually a senior of mine. He didn’t have any family, so he volunteered to go undercover and get as close to Bright Paddon as possible. He worked for him for many years before…” Luke shook his head and switched the towel to the other side of my neck. “To complete his identity, he needed a “son” that was being raised in a foreign country. I had just joined the NSB, I was the right age, so I asked my adoptive parents to send me a childhood photo for my senior to keep with him. Bright’s probably seen that photo many times.”

My brows furrowed. “When you say you were the right age… was plans for today already being made back then?”

“Considering where we are now, it seems like it. I have to finish what he started.” Finished with the massage, Luke wrapped up the towel and stood up. I grabbed his hand without meaning too, stopping him from going too far. He looked surprised, but sat back down regardless. “What is it?”

“Your senior… he died on this mission, didn’t he?” I stated right into his eyes, trying to peer into his soul. “I’m scared for you, Luke. Aren’t you afraid for yourself?”

He looked pained as he caught a tear in the corner of my eye. “Of course, I’m afraid. My fear isn’t a bad thing, Songbird. It’s actually a very important lesson I learned in my training.”

I titled my head in confusion. “How so?”

Luke licked his lips, then launched into a story of a time in his life I didn’t hear about too often. “When I first started training, I pushed myself too far too often. A senior pulled me aside one day and told me that if I only trained out if regret for not having enough strength, it would come back to bite me later. Strength has no upper limit. I’ll never reach the end and I’ll never feel satisfied with my progress. So, instead, he told me to let fear drive me. It took me a long time to understand what he meant, and I only ended up taking on more aggressive training. Then, one day, I visited a comrade in the hospital. He had a bruise on him, similar to one I had at the time. That’s when I finally understood what my senior was trying to tell me.”

“I’m… not following.”

He smiled a little, but there was sadness in it. “The comrade had passed away from an accident on a mission.” I gasped, but Luke continued. “The bruise I saw was one he had obtained from a training session prior to his final mission. That light wound that would heal easily would be branded on his body forever. That was… the first time I knew what true fear felt like. I started to fear failure. I feared that Rosa and my adoptive parents would be sad if something happened to me. The fears just kept piling. Ever since then, escaping fear has become my driving force. It’s made me learn to act with caution. But, over time, the fear got so intense it affected my own mental state.”

I was about to ask what he meant by that, but I heard a ping. Luke pulled a phone I didn’t recognize from his pocket, checked whatever notification he received, then relaxed again. “Bright’s is starting to get things ready. He’ll probably be able to get the goods over before dawn. I told him not to bother us until then.”

Luke stood, then suddenly, the phone in his hand fell as he wavered, his balance suddenly lost. I jumped to my feet and reached out to hell a balance him. His name was about to roll off my tongue like a speeding train but I managed to clamp my mouth shut at the last second. We weren’t out of the woods yet, I couldn’t just be freely screaming his name.

“Are you okay? What’s wrong?” I asked, my voice shaking with panic as I cupped his face in my hands.

“It’s just a side effect of the drugs, that’s all.” He rubbed his temples. “You know I’m not much of a heavy drinker. A couple drinks is enough to get me wasted and talking like a blabber mouth. So, on missions like this, I take a few pills before hand to keep me from getting drunk. They’re safe. The NSB made them, but after five hours, headaches become a problem. I just need a shower and some rest and I’ll be okay.”

Nodding, I headed into the bathroom and turned the faucet to the bath on. I balanced one hand on the edge of the tub and stuck the other under the water, testing them temperature. I wanted it hot, but not scalding.

Luke came up behind me. “What are you doing?”

“Running you a bath, obviously. Dawn is still many hours away, and you need to take every minute you can to rest. This can’t end without you.”

“You realize there’s no door, right?”

I stood up straight and dried my hand on a dry towel. “It’s nothing I haven’t seen before. Do you not want me to see you?”

“I don’t have an issue with you watching me, Robin. It’s just a reminder.”

After not hearing it for so long, my name sounded like heaven when it rolled off his tongue. Luke undid his tie and I started popping the buttons of his jacket and shirt out of place, doing my best to ignore my urges as his skin came into view. My hands were burning, wanting to run along his bare chest and abdomen but I kept them to myself. As Luke climbed into the bath, I laid his suit out on the bed so it wouldn’t wrinkle, then I returned and sat on the stool behind him. Placing a hand on each shoulder, I started massaging the knots and tension out.

Luke sighed and relaxed. “Your hands feel so good.”

My face and neck grew hot. “Let me know if I’m using too much pressure.”

Time slipped away as I worked on his neck and shoulders. Once I was sure all the knots were out -and my hands were getting sore- I stopped and leaned forward to press a kiss against his neck. He shuddered beneath my touch. The hot water must have made him more sensitive the usual.

“Sorry.” I said, breathing a laugh as I stood up. “I’ll leave you be.”

“Robin.” He called out to me just as I reached the arch. “There’s room in here for one more.”

I looked over my shoulder at him. He looked so tempting, and the way his eyes were travelling the length of my body again was making my heart race and ignited a flame in the pit of my stomach. It was so much stronger now then it was back at the hotel. If Luke wasn’t so sure it would be safe to do this here, he wouldn’t have suggested it. I trust him enough to be a little reckless.

Approaching the sink, I picked up a claw clip and gathered my hair, pinning my curls up so they wouldn’t get ruined by the water. I caught a glimpse of Luke watching me in the reflection of the glass, and my god I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look more like… well, a god. The water dripping off his hair and onto his skin, the firm expanse of his chest rising and falling, the muscles in his arms as he rested them on the sides of the tub…

“You realize there’s no door, right?” Holding his gaze in the mirror, I repeated his words to him as I started slipping out of my dress.

He repeated mine. “It’s nothing I haven’t seen before. Do you not want me to watch you?”

“It’s just a reminder.”

My dress pooled at my feet but it was nothing more then a clump of fabric to me now. I took my time approaching the tub, stepping into the hot water and lowering myself into it. I sat with my back towards Luke, who was more then willing to greet me with his hands as I leaned back against his chest.

“Hi, beautiful.” He whispered, pressing a gentle kiss against my jawbone, right below my ear. I hummed and let my eyes fall shut, relishing the feeling of the light callouses on his palms gliding across my skin. My back arched a little as he ran his fingers down my stomach. “Will you sing for me, Songbird?”

~~~~~~~~~~

The bliss from a few hours ago felt like a lifetime ago. My uninterrupted time with Luke was the calm before the storm, a storm that none of us were expecting to hit this hard. The storm Bright Paddon was threatening us with didn’t have thunder or lighting. It had bombs.

The world seemed to freeze as my heartbeat grew louder in my ears. Naturally, my eyes found Luke amidst the chaos and things fell back into motion as I dashed towards him. Something scraped my arm as I ran past a bookshelf, leaving a stinging sensation behind but I didn’t have time to dwell on it or even feel the pain. Luke met me half way, gathering me in his arms and holding me tightly, tucking my head safely into his chest. It was like he was trying to wrap himself around me completely, trying to shield me with his body from the impending blast. I wanted to do the same for him, but I barely had room to wiggle within his embrace. All I could do was clutch his jacket and pray to whatever higher power was listening that he would be saved. Take my life if they must, but they have to save Luke.

Bright, who was standing between two NSB officers with his hands in cuffs, suddenly broke into hysterical laughter. “You fools! No one cares about life more then me. I’d never do something so reckless. How you all acted just now, though, believing your lives to be at its end, was the best show I’ve seen in a long time.” He turned to Luke and glared. “You screwed me over, Raven, but whatever is going on between you and that woman is real. She’s your weakness, isn’t she?”

Luke slowly let go of me and took my arm in gentle hands, his eyes locked on the wound. Whatever cut me had ripped the sleeve of my dress and the surrounding fabric was already soaked. I couldn’t see what the injury looked like beneath all the blood, but it was bleeding pretty decently and left stains on his suit. The scariest part, though, was the look on his face. Even when posing as Raven, I’ve never seen such a dark, lethal expression on him before.

Luke was trembling with anger as he stepped away and turned towards Bright. “With all you’ve done, you don’t seem to cherish your life at all.”

The NSB officers were shouting discouraging words but it didn’t stop him. In the blink of an eye, Luke kicked Bright in the stomach so hard he doubled over, then swung his fist until it collided with the man’s cheek. The officers reached Luke at this point, pulling him away before he could pummel Bright into the ground.

“Get him out if here.” Luke said, waving at Bright dismissively before returning to me. “I’m taking you to the hospital.”

Shrugging off his jacket, he draped it over my shoulders and led me out of the villa, keeping his arm around my waist the entire time. I glanced at Bright as we passed, and although it wasn’t necessarily his fault I got injured, I didn’t feel the slightest bit sorry for him.

~~~~~~~~~~

Two days later, life returned to the one I knew best. Luke was finally home and, hopefully, wouldn’t be called away again for a good while. The wound on my arm was the worst to come out of that night. The nail, or shard of metal, or whatever it was that cut me did so in a jagged line near my elbow and needed stitches to close it up. I was also given a tetanus shot and antibiotics to prevent an infection. The doctor said it should heal just fine, though.

“And just what do you think you’re doing?” Luke asked, plucking the plates from my hands. “You heard what the doctor said. No physical labour until that heals.”

“Physical labour- I’m setting the table, Luke.” I said, watching in astonishment as he set both plates in front of the chairs.

Luke, my handsome, wonderful, cinnamon roll has turned into a mother hen since we got back. He hasn’t let me cook, clean, work in the shop downstairs, nothing. The second I went to grab something that required both hands, he was right there lifting it for me with a smile. I couldn’t find it within me to be mad at him, though.

“Let me help somehow.” I said, stepping on front of him and playing with the key that hung from his neck. “You made dinner. At least let me set the table. I’ll bring everything over one at a time so I won’t have to use my bad arm.”

“No.” He refused with a smile, carefully lifting my arm so he could gently kiss the bandage. “Rest.”

I pouted, but he simply kissed my nose and moved around me to get to the kitchen. I huffed and plopped down into a chair, waiting for him to return. Peanut flew over and landed on the edge of the table.

“What do you think, Peanut? Is he going a little overboard?” I asked, to which the bird chirped.

“I can hear you.” Luke called, making me smile and shake my head.

Even though I felt useless just sitting here, I was very excited to eat what he made. Luke… isn’t the most skilled in the kitchen, but it didn’t matter. He made it with love for me in his heart, and that’s a flavour that overpowers any other.

Luke returned to place a pitcher of lemonade on the table, and I grabbed his hand before he could leave again. “Wait.”

Concern flashed across his face as he crouched in front of me, taking my hand between both of his. “What’s wrong? Is your arm bothering you? What about your heart?”

I smiled and shook my head. “It’s not that. Both are fine, I just… Back in Bright’s villa, when he threatened to set bombs off…” Luke squeezed my hand, making my smile grow until I was smiling with my soul. “When I thought my life was about to end, all I could think about was you, and how much I wanted you to live. How much I wanted to protect you…”

Reaching out with my other hand, I pressed my palm against his heart. His heartbeat has always been so strong, as if it were beating to make up for the weakness in mine.

“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: If I was born with a weaker heart so you could have a stronger one, then I’m glad I was. I love you, Luke.”

He looked like he was on the verge of tears. “I love you, too. For the rest of my life, I’ll only ever love you.”

Water was starting to form in my own eyes. “Okay.”

Luke leaned his forehead against mine and rubbed the tip of my nose with his in a butterfly kiss. As frightening as the the experience with Bright Paddon was, I’m grateful we came out of it with an even stronger bond between us.

[anoseforrottenapples]

😮 ( For Mary? // sharp-teeth-and-wide-grins )

Elizabeth Hillington, formerly Blake, is Mary’s oldest sister, and one of her last living relatives. The two sisters have never gotten along very well, and it has only gotten worse since they got married. Initially, when they were both slated to marry soldiers, Elizabeth resented that their father found Mary a better-connected man then he found for her. Then, after Thomas was killed, and Mary wound up marrying Abraham, Elizabeth began crowing about having a soldier while Mary ended up with a cabbage farmer. As can be imagined, this did not endear Elizabeth to Mary. Currently, Elizabeth and her husband live in York City. They occasionally send a tepid offer for Mary to visit with them, but Mary never accepts these invitations. She suspects they are glorified attempts to make her housekeep for them, since the Hillingtons’ poor attitudes, and rather small domestic budget make it difficult for them to keep decent help around the house.

[angelkait]

I see people doing this everywhere so I did it!

I went ahead and made all the redacted characters some kids may have forgotten a couple idk lemme know if i did but im going all in babes!!!

David/Angel - Chloe and Gabriel [1 boy 1 girl] (In honor of Gabe Creds to @starlitangels)

Asher/Babe - [ 2 boys] Thomas and Chase (both the spitting images of ash!)

Milo/Sweetheart - [2 girls 1 boy] Analyse , Josie and Carlos (Carlos is a stealth and Analyse is a fire elemental and Josie is a wolf)

Sam/Darlin - [1 boy] Ryder (Darlin named him this cause Sams a cowboy!)

Vincent/Lovely - [ 2 girls] Manal and Hala (means moon halo in Arabic)

Adam/Bloodbag - [1 girl] Alice (aka Ally)

Alexis/Quinn - [1 girl 1 boy] Victoria (means Victory) Vendetta (means blood feud) Ironic I know I'm really thinking about these.

Gavin/Freelancer - [1 boy] Raylen (yes he is obviously an incubus like gav!)

Damien/Huxley - [Twin boys] Carmen and Noelle (such beautiful names!!!)

Lasko/Partner - [1 girl] Lily-Joyce (yes it's all her first name)

Kody/Raincloud - [1 boy] River (Kody isn't as creative as you might imagine)

Vega/Pet - [1 boy and 1 girl] Kailow and Eden

Camelopardalis/partner - [ 2 girl] Evania (means peace 🙃) Winnie (means gentle) Put em together and you get gentle peace!

Elliot/sunshine - [3 girls] Charlie, Shiloh and Nova

Blake/Bestie - [2 boys & 1 girl] Liam, Lucas and Lyla (yes there all triplets)

Ivan/Baby - [1 boy & 1 girl] Henry and Hazel (not twins but I feel like baby thought it was cute to have their names start with the same letter)

Geordi/Cutie - [3 girls & 1 boy] Autumn, Skylar, Hailey and Mason

Ollie/Baby - [1 boy] Caleb-John (yes again all first name)

Aaron/Smarties - [2 girls] Lexi and Parker

Guy/Honey - [4 boys & 1 girl] Landon, Ryan, Wesley, Austin and Taylor (I can imagine poor Taylor being left out cause she is the only girl so Guys plays dress up with her!) ❤

Avior/Starlight - [1 girl] Aubrey ( I feel like she is definitely like her father)

Marcus/Love - No Bitches = No babies (SORRY NOT SORRY)

James/Friend - [2 boys] Saylis and Evan

Anton/Partner - [1 boy] Giovanni (YES YES CHEFS KISS IK IK)

SORRY GUYS FOR NOT POSTING CAELUM BUT HE IS A LITERAL CHILD AND OUT OF MY OWN OPINION WE SHOULD NOT BE ROMANTICIZING MINORS/CHILDREN CHARACTERS THANK YOU LOVE AND KISSES TO ALL MY DEAR STAY SAFE AND HEALTHY EVERYONE LOVE YOU ALL!!!