#time for frolicking in the woods together

[marlynnofmany]

(Manual reblog; apparently the OP was getting too many notes or something.)

Anyways, I wanna see more love stories where the human gradually grows more monstrous, and that is 100% the happy ending. We all deserve it.

[adventuresofalgy]

It was the morning of St. Patrick's Day, and Algy was resting quietly on a wee log beside the daffodils, when all of a sudden a rather unusual visitor appeared…☘️

Some of Algy's more longstanding tumblr friends will recall that Algy's hair always turns green on St. Patrick's Day… but they never knew how it was done. Now, perhaps, they have a clue…☘️

The wee fellow cavorted around Algy with boundless energy, leaping and laughing until Algy was quite dizzy, and as it capered and frolicked about, it chanted an old poem with great glee…

Algy wishes a very Happy St. Patrick's Day to all of his friends in Ireland or with Irish heritage ☘️

Little Cowboy, what have you heard, Up on the lonely rath's green mound? Only the plaintive yellow bird Sighing in sultry fields around, Chary, chary, chary, chee-ee!— Only the grasshopper and the bee?— 'Tip-tap, rip-rap, Tick-a-tack-too! Scarlet leather, sewn together, This will make a shoe. Left, right, pull it tight; Summer days are warm; Underground in winter, Laughing at the storm!' Lay your ear close to the hill. Do you not catch the tiny clamour, Busy click of an elfin hammer, Voice of the Leprachaun singing shrill As he merrily plies his trade? He's a span And a quarter in height. Get him in sight, hold him tight, And you're a made Man! You watch your cattle the summer day, Sup on potatoes, sleep in the hay; How would you like to roll in your carriage, Look for a duchess's daughter in marriage? Seize the Shoemaker—then you may! 'Big boots a-hunting, Sandals in the hall, White for a wedding-feast, Pink for a ball. This way, that way, So we make a shoe; Getting rich every stitch, Tick-tack-too!‘ Nine-and-ninety treasure-crocks This keen miser-fairy hath, Hid in mountains, woods, and rocks, Ruin and round-tow'r, cave and rath, And where the cormorants build; From times of old Guarded by him; Each of them fill'd Full to the brim With gold! I caught him at work one day, myself, In the castle-ditch where foxglove grows,— A wrinkled, wizen'd, and bearded Elf, Spectacles stuck on his pointed nose, Silver buckles to his hose, Leather apron—shoe in his lap— 'Rip-rap, tip-tap, Tick-tack-too! (A grasshopper on my cap! Away the moth flew!) Buskins for a fairy prince, Brogues for his son,— Pay me well, pay me well, When the job is done!' The rogue was mine, beyond a doubt. I stared at him; he stared at me; 'Servant, Sir!' 'Humph!' says he, And pull'd a snuff-box out. He took a long pinch, look'd better pleased, The queer little Leprachaun; Offer'd the box with a whimsical grace,— Pouf! he flung the dust in my face, And while I sneezed, Was gone!

[The Leprachaun is chanting the poem The Leprachaun by the 19th century Irish poet William Allingham.]

[mochifromthemoon]

mootie games <3

let the games begin

@leoluvsbilkyjo runs into the woods, behind him is @kikidabest and @trulytrulygreg who plans on forming team with them

@iiiidiotnathanieliii goes to the river where he meets @serpentine-starlight

@ch4rl13th3dvmb4ss runs into the cornucopia and teams up with @styro--boy bc they are both emo and have a death wish

@yourglobalsun tried to run after @kikidabest but got knocked out (by kiki) and now @m0m-wantz-m3-d3ad has found them ( @yourglobalsun ) and is dragging them to a secret hide out bc they dont know what to do with them and feel sorry for they're poor soul

@the-meadow-pack is frolicking in the grass and @genderlesgremlin joins them

@dolly4stxr 's motto is YOLO so he's being emo and fucking @st4rboyloser bc he dosent wanna die a virgin

day 1 is done

deaths: 0

@leoluvsbilkyjo , @kikidabest and @trulytrulygreg have formed a alliance. they are planning to try and get @iiiidiotnathanieliii and @serpentine-starlight to join but first they need to find them.

@ch4rl13th3dvmb4ss and @styro--boy have pretty much all the weapons and are kinda just waiting for someone to take them on (ps they both like each other)

@yourglobalsun wakes up tied to a tree and @m0m-wantz-m3-d3ad has gone missing

@the-meadow-pack and @genderlesgremlin found @yourglobalsun alone and killed him

@dolly4stxr and @st4rboyloser hear a cannon go off and freak out

day 2 is done

deaths: 1 - @yourglobalsun

@leoluvsbilkyjo , @kikidabest and @trulytrulygreg find the river and @iiiidiotnathanieliii recognises leo and team up with them ( as well as @serpentine-starlight )

@ch4rl13th3dvmb4ss and @styro--boy get together and have a awesome time receiving many donations from the capital

@m0m-wantz-m3-d3ad is stalking @leoluvsbilkyjo , @kikidabest , @trulytrulygreg , @iiiidiotnathanieliii and @serpentine-starlight to see what there plan is

@the-meadow-pack and @genderlesgremlin run into @dolly4stxr and @st4rboyloser. they ask them to join the team and when they said no, ray and starboy crashed out and killed them.

day 3 is done

deaths: 1 - @the-meadow-pack , 2 - @genderlesgremlin

part 2 later :)

[simplysparrow14]

I'm sorry but the fact that this is the first time since their sundering that Kamort and Raushan have been together is so fucking sad and sweet at the same time.

and what do Ashton and Fearne, their new vessels, do with that information?

They go on a private date frolicking through the woods, laughing like children all the while holding hands, hugging and having the most awkward, adorable flirtations I have seen between two characters in years.

[ravenwind-75]

The boy who became Indigo

Word count: about 1468 idk

Characters: Sebastian Sallow

Warnings: Angst

a/n: No beta (wrote late at night) and unedited. You can thank all the tiktok edits of Sebastian to this song lately. And @heylorrain who introduced me to this song.

tagging @butternutt613 who wanted to see this.

—————————————

There used to be a boy who shone so brightly. A boy full of curiosity and joy. Laughing and frolicking with his sister on summer days, his best friend with a beaming grin beside him. Days at school spent pulling elaborate pranks, studying together long into the night. All Sebastian wanted to do was live, to live as fully as he could. To learn, explore, to see the world in its fullest. Sebastian had dark days, but that was before magic came into his life. He was too young to help his parents, too young to learn something that could have saved them. His uncle was old. He only knew the old ways. Sebastian was sure that there was something that he missed. His parents had always told him that books held the answers. And his uncle didn’t read.

When magic came into his life the world opened up so much more to him. He could create things at the flick of his fingertips. He could do the impossible. There were endless possibilities and he wanted to do them all. He loved the thrill that came with dueling, with controlling an element as powerful as fire with a thrilling whoosh of a simple piece of wood infused with magic. Magic that came from inside of him. His mother had called him her golden boy. And the magic he felt inside him, the magic others saw, was just as warm. Ominis had told him that one time.

“You’re like the sun, Sebastian. You’re warm and gentle, but fiery and explosive at times. But it compliments you. It fits you. You just have this essence, that’s pure, positive, and dependable. Bright. And you’re valuable to me, my most prized, only friendship. You have a heart of gold.”

Sebastian had ruffled his hair, and laughed it off, not knowing what to do with the praise. “You’re one to talk Mr. Golden hair himself. You’re more perfect than me. My uncle seems to think so.”

“You’re blinding, that's why. If I was any metal I’d be silver. Cold, pure, and reflective. Of you.”

~~

The first scratch, the first flaw to cut into that heart of gold was a large one. A long big chunk out of the middle. The piece that belonged to his sister. When she was cursed so was he, each scream scraping along that heart of gold and chipping away. But even flawed gold can shine. It can shine in a flashing grin when it sees something brighter than itself. Something that sparkles with brilliance. The girl who knocked him down.

Sebastian was always there for her. First to jump in to take her to Hogsmeade, fight beside her in crossed wands, carry her books between classes, and help her find a lost book.

Ominis noticed that Sebastian shone again for her.

The gold had been fading away as he pined for his sister, little impurities sneaking in and there, impacting his quality of life as he spent many nights poring over magic of all types, selling himself for answers, filling the holes with everything else.

As the sun shone brighter again, it cast rainbows through the diamond, which reflected on the silver. All was well...

Yes, they ignored how the laser-like curse cut through Sebastian with the guilt he felt. How when the relic made one fade it made the other who reflected fade too. And how when the diamond dimmed in the shadows, she never lost her clarity of it all. Of what he was becoming.

Oh, the golden-hearted boy- how he faded. He was barely gold anymore. He was imperfect and flawed. He lacked depth and was cold and detached. He was prone to fully breaking. He was a purple gold now, fragile, hard, and brittle. Subject to crack at sudden impact.

~~

Sebastian’s heart was fracturing, the cracks spreading wide enough to slowly change him. Growing larger every day. Sebastian had been cold for a while now- cold with the guilt, the absence of his sister's once radiant presence.

The boy who once lived fully, loved fiercely, shining like the sun now looked at the world through a dull reflective sheen like aluminum. A distorted image of himself and others. His magic, once pure and warm, felt as hollow as his dark eyes. The heart of gold was becoming something- it had become something less. Less brilliant, less luminous, a mere shadow of itself-himself.

When he was alone he felt it the most. That all that was left of him was a ghost, his former self gasping for air as it faded every day, away forever. Each piece fell away as he cracked. Mostly it was his uncle. The man who had never believed in him, never even his childhood dreams. The man who told him to give up on saving all he had left of his family. He never saw past the old traditions, he was convinced it was futile. “It’s impossible”! He always said.

Sebastian even when he was shining wasn’t good enough. Always inadequate. Every time he looked at him with disdain, dismissed him, and crushed his hopes in front of Sebastian’s eyes, the cracks got deeper. The pressure built. The weight of his failure, his guilt, the fear of losing Anne - became unbearable.

His diamond girl, her sharp true words cut through him the most, cutting deep into his melancholy purple-gold soul. Even pure gold can be cut by one. And he was even more fragile than that.

The breaking point came- the final snap.

When his uncle stood before him, lecturing him about dark magic and threatening his diamond girl. When he snatched all Sebastian had poured himself into out of his hand and destroyed his hopes once and for all. Taking the hope of being with Anne again away forever.

At last the cracks split through.

The words echoed in his mind, “You are not enough."

In a flash, in a flare of hot rage and despair, he uttered the words summoned from the darkest depths of his soul. A curse he had never dared use. One he didn’t even know would work but the hatred, the suppressed emotions all exploded from him in a violent surge of green crackling energy.

He watched with horror as his uncle fell to the cold floor, the light going from his eyes as he was wrapped in death’s embrace. Sebastian stood frozen and numb as his wand tumbled from his hand with a small echoing clatter.

~~

The next few hours passed in a blurry haze of numbing tears. Anne no longer wanted to see him. Ominis wanted to turn him in and she was bruised by her conflicted feelings. He knew it was his fault- that he had gone too far. He had murdered his family. He was fully and completely broken, irreversibly.

“The thing is I think I’ve lost my sister, my twin. Forever. She refuses to even see me. I can’t blame her. I couldn’t really blame any of you if you gave up on me entirely.”

Sebastian’s tears mixed with the girl he loved, the weight hanging over him still even as she pulled him closer. He realized he was no longer the boy she fell in love with, the boy anyone loved. He was no longer that golden boy with a heart that shone brighter than the sun. Sebastian was now broken and darkened, full of regret and guilt. His soul was now a mixture of something still faintly, tragically beautiful that only she could see. The red mixed with the blue of his sorrow, indigo. A beautiful melancholy color of quiet aching for healing.

He however only saw destruction. Not a single good thing left in him. There was no trace of the light from before. No sense of beauty.

He saw his hands stained with his own blood, the boy he had been. The boy who lived with hope and light. All that was left was a cold, broken reflection of someone who tried to fix something, not his to fix. Something already fractured beyond repair. The golden boy was gone, he’d also murdered himself.

~~

In the cold silence of Azkaban's cell, he hoped she would forgive him for turning himself in. That she would understand the one thing that he did, that everyone else did. His heart would never be gold again. He had shattered that part of himself forever. He’d completely lost himself.

Impure gold loses its value, its purity. And its color dims.

No one wants something that is less.

No one would want him.

Sebastian closed his eyes as they came for him. Knowing they would drain away every happy moment of his existence.

But it was okay.

He was dead anyway.

~~

“And I used to shine bright like gold,

Now I’m all indigo.

My colors are darker and cold.

I think it’s time that I went home.

And I don’t understand why I always feel

Dead and alone….”

[thepastisalreadywritten]

The Princess of Wales’s intensely personal video message is packed with symbolism and carefully chosen imagery.

The three-minute video, shot by Will Warr, the couple’s favoured film-maker, in Norfolk last month, focuses heavily on the importance of nature and family.

It depicts the Prince and Princess, tactile and intimate; their three children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six, at the centre of their world.

The positive tone, the laughter and playful scenes, demonstrate that the Princess is looking to the future, hopeful that her darkest days are behind her.

The footage is framed around the theme of nature.

Since her cancer diagnosis in January, the Princess has found sanctuary in the natural world and is keen to reflect its importance.

She has previously spoken of “the power of nature” in maintaining both physical and mental health and the imagery reflects this.

The footage shows the Princess leaning against a tree, eyes closed as she looks to the skies, touching the bark of a tree as she gazes upwards.

In other scenes, she is walking through a field of wheat, caressing the sheaves with her hand, beaming as she holds a yellow butterfly before it flutters into the distance.

Nature was a key theme in June, when the Princess delivered an update on her health, revealing that she had “good days and bad days,” but was “not out of the woods yet.”

Her statement was accompanied by the image of her leaning on a weeping willow on the Windsor estate, again, taking strength and comfort in nature.

The joy and vitality conveyed in the latest footage is a far cry from the video message released by the Princess in March, when, seated on a bench alone looking pale and thin, she revealed that she was undergoing treatment for cancer.

The film shows the Prince and Princess interacting in a way never seen before.

The couple, usually intensely guarded in public, offer a rare glimpse into their private world as they lean on each other, kiss and clasp hands.

In various scenes, the Princess leans her head on her husband’s shoulder, they lie together on their backs, arms wrapped around each other laughing, and the Prince affectionately plants a kiss on his wife’s cheek.

In the video the Princess recorded in March, when she revealed she was being treated for cancer, she said that having the Prince by her side was “a great source of comfort and reassurance.”

She mentions him twice in her latest statement as she shows how much she values his strength and support.

Their decision to let the world in on such personal moments might also reflect the “new perspective” they say they have each gained from their cancer journey, perhaps now recognising that others relate to such private experiences and vulnerability.

The Prince and Princess have always made clear that family comes first.

Family life is at the heart of this video as the couple spend quality time with their three children as well as the Princess’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton.

There are delightful shots of the family, arms wrapped around each other and laughing at the camera.

The children wield cricket bats, climb trees and run through the waves in the sea. They are shown playing cards outside and enjoying a picnic.

The images reflect the Princess’s recognition of the “simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted. Of simply loving and being loved.”

It is significant that the Middletons appear in one scene, playing a classic card game with the family around a dining room table.

The Princess is extremely close to her parents and they have rallied round in recent months to provide invaluable support.

Their inclusion in the video is a means of public recognition, a thank you for being there.

As an unprecedented glimpse into an idyllic family life, the footage is similar to that released by the couple in April 2021 to mark their 10th wedding anniversary.

That film, also shot by Mr Warr, showed the family in Norfolk, frolicking in sand dunes, chasing each other through trees, and collapsing on the grass in giggles.

Much of the footage is shot in an old-fashioned grainy style, which harks back to royal videos of old.

The late Queen and Prince Philip often captured family moments on camera or cine film, and the style chosen by Mr Warr is reminiscent of that footage from Royal family holidays at Balmoral or on the Royal Yacht Britannia.

The brief footage of the Princess driving a Land Rover through the Sandringham estate demonstrates that she is well enough to be back at the wheel and in control of her life.

It is also reminiscent of the late Queen and Prince Philip, who were often seen driving themselves around the royal estates.

The late Queen relished such independence, particularly in her later years.

A close-up of the Princess’s left hand on the gear stick shows she is not wearing her famous sapphire engagement ring.

[fredlikesrats]

LOTR for the ask game

okie dokie!

my favorite thing about the fandom is how willing to be silly it is. (obviously this isnt everyone but yknow)

my favorite fic... hard to choose, but maybe... A Spark of Life? it's very good, aragorn brings boromir back to life and they do the Came Back Wrong thing

my favorite fic that i wrote myself is either down in arizona you either try or you die (chatfic) or ummm oh baby gotta put me back together (merry/boromir)

my favorite fanart from the fandom? impossible. i refuse to pick one

and im not gonna find one i drew myself because aint nobody got time for that

my favorite character is boromir!

least favorite character is maybe umm. i do not like saruman i guess. just kidding i truly truly do not like movie legolas

anything i wish more people would write about... idk i wish boromir wouldn't be written off as just some token straight guy just because people don't seem to like him all that much but that's just me

i wish the fandom talked about fredegar more but i dont expect them to any time soon

mak... the fic i want to read real soon is... the borogorn orchestra au...

first thing that comes to mind about the fandom is amon hen actually but the second is sam's weeping face on mount doom and/or osgiliath

i've been in the fandom since i first watched the movie, which was uhhh 4-5 years ago

the fandom seemed to be way too out of my league at first because everybody knew stuff and i'm what we in the business call a moron

my current impression of the fandom is there is an us vs them but the us part is actually so much bigger than i initially thought and the them is people who get angry when you don't know everything they know, and then spew hate at you via anon

me when i think it would be interesting to see more visual analysis (fanart) of all the different relationships grima has beyond eowyn (with eomer, theoden, saruman, gandalf, etc)

favorite inside joke... maybe the vil you vear vigs but that's not really an inside joke that's more like an outside joke that people forgot the history of

fandom take i heart the most is the idea that legolas is not white. white legolas scares me. i dont like orlando bloom is it obvious

fandom take i don't really vibe with is the one where people forget that regular hobbits live in actual houses and that only the really wealthy or really impoverished live in holes in the ground

favorite headcanon that's not really a headcanon is that when frodo and co are frolicking in the woods and getting up to mischief as they so often do, sam is not with them, and fredegar is instead, because sam is a working class hobbit with a full time gig and the bolgers are another wealthy family so he has time to kill. also maybe estella went with them and that's why merry likes her, idk

least favorite headcanon is um actually nothing comes to mind at the moment

i dont have a good memory, i dont remember any of this

i would describe the fandom as very loving of its source material

[writtenbyshama]

Promise Of The Meadow (Part IV)

A Sylus x Reader birthday fan fiction

Author's note: I made this as a video style fanfic and uploaded it on Instagram as my entry to a fan contest hosted by the game developers. If you liked what you read and want to support me in the contest, please like the Instagram post which will be linked down below.

Synopsis: This is your first time celebrating the birthday of Sylus. You plot with the twins, Luke and Kieran, and decide to make the entire month of April special. Sylus is very precious to you after all, and he deserves the absolute best. 

Notice: This fanfic has been divided into three posts because of the length. However, there is only one video.

IV — Meadow's Kiss

I had run out of material gifts as the month ended. After my final material gift which consisted of a wristwatch whose dial was encrusted with rubies that were identical to Sylus’s eyes, I started purchasing tickets to make memories together. We attended a live concert of classical music followed by a relaxing couple’s massage at a world-class resort. I took him to a large amusement park where we hopped on every ride, took photos at the photo booth (Sylus had to duck low in order to fit inside the tiny box of a room), and competed against each other at the arcade and bowling alley (He let me win most of the time). 

I had planned to end the month with a bang, so for the last day, I was navigating my motorcycle up the winding road of one of the mountains that surrounded Linkon. Sylus was perched behind me, his fingers drumming a rhythmic beat on the tops of my thighs as I circled a hair pin bend with a bit of effort. I could hear him humming through the mic in my helmet. 

I had to give him credit, he was the most patient man on this planet. If the roles had been reversed, I’d have gone insane trying to figure out where we were going. He was curious, but he kept it in check and just made me breathe heavier by running his hands over the places of my body he could reach.

It was late evening, about an hour left for the sun to dip down behind the mountains. Our destination was not at the top, but a place near the middle of the mountain, overlooking the vast sea on one side and the city on the other. After another bend, we left the main road and took a muddy path right into the woods. 

Sylus helped me balance the bike as I rode down the dirt path until we came to the edge of the woods which opened into a gentle slope. I parked the bike under the shade of a nearby tree and took off my helmet. “What do you think?” 

He took off his own helmet and climbed down. The stunned look in his eyes was a sight to behold. 

The last rays of the sun bathed the slope in a golden glow. It was a meadow of wildflowers, and it was similar to the one we had shared in a dream during our past life. I didn’t have much memories of that life we had shared, but I remembered this meadow perfectly. We had shared a dream when I was apparently locked up for trial, frolicking in the meadow and sharing kisses. 

“How did you find it?” He asked, and now I could see that the shine in his eyes were from unshed tears. 

“By accident. We were completing a mission nearby.” I reached up on my tip toes and kissed his eyelids. “Don’t be sad, my love. This is real. And nothing is going to separate us now.”

The fireworks lit up the night sky.

I sat in between Sylus’s knees, his arms around me as we watched the riot of colours twittering and exploding. There was some minor sea festival going on and I had timed our visit so we could catch the fireworks show. His coat was draped over both of us to ward off the lingering chill. 

As the bursts of colour died down, I felt him move and kiss my cheek. “I love you.”

I nuzzled my cheek against his palm and closed my eyes, my face beaming in happiness. “I love you. I’m going to be by your side for the rest of my life, Sylus.”

“We’ve defied fate to have this moment together. We’ve earned it.” His arms tightened a notch around me. “And if fate tries to interfere again, I will strangle it with its own strings and wrench myself free just so I can crawl to you.”

“You don’t have to. It’s done. It’s over. Neither of us are going anywhere.”

The last of the fireworks illuminated Sylus in a reddish glow as he lifted my chin to kiss me, sealing the promise. 

****

Part II and III

Here's the video version if you're interested :)

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[mac-lilly]

"I don't really know how to dance..." || "It's never too late to learn" for Juke please.

Ha! It's been months, but I finally managed to finish this prompt.

It's a snippet from a future chapter of my arranged marriage Juke AU which I'll probably won't finish. But I wanted to get this scene done, and the prompt worked perfectly for it.

Happy Juke Jeudi!!!

“May I have this dance, Princess?”

Julie blinks hard. Surely, she misheard him. Surely, he didn’t ask her to …

But Luke’s hand is outstretched. He’s smiling at her. An unspoken invite.

Julie hesitates.

They have danced before. Of course, they have. They are married. It’s protocol. But their marriage is just a façade. It’s an agreement to maintain the truce between their countries. It’s not about love. It’s not even about friendship.

And yet …

It’s almost funny how being stranded in the middle of nowhere, chased by assassins, changes one’s perspective.

“Why?” Julie blurts out. Her hands twist the skirts of her dress. Suddenly, she’s feeling nervous. 

Luke shrugs. “Because we’re the only ones who aren’t dancing. People are watching.”

Julie looks around. Luke’s partially right. They are indeed the only ones who aren’t participating. It’s the day of the spring equinox, and the festivities are in full swing. They reached the settlement this morning and, after being generous with silverlings, they’ve been welcomed to join tonight’s spectacle.

The whole village has gathered in the central square. It’s a flurry of excitement. There’s music, and drinks, and frolicking. And in the middle of it sits a bonfire. The fire crackles, its sparks flying through the air like fireflies.

But Luke’s also wrong.

Nobody is paying them any attention. True, they’ve been invited to the celebration. But in the end, they’re strangers. Nobody cares about them.

Julie decides to humor him anyway.

“I don’t really know how to dance …”

Luke raises a doubtful brow. Touché.

Of course, Julie knows how to dance. But she doesn’t …

Julie swallows and looks around, observing the crowd. This is not like the balls she used to attend. The music is lively, the atmosphere jubilant, and the dances so very different from those court dances that were drilled into her all her life. 

“I don’t really know how to dance like this.” She used to. But that was a long time ago.

“It’s never too late to learn.“

Luke’s hand is still there. Julie hesitates once more. She really shouldn’t …

Uncertain, her eyes flicker to Luke’s. She’s greeted by nothing but warmth. The shine of the bonfire reflects on his eyes, and there’s no trace of forethought or malice. He’s genuine. Of course, he is. 

Julie trusts Luke. She has no reason not to. He could have abandoned her in the middle of the woods days ago. There is, of course, this nagging voice in her head, reminding her that he could still do exactly that. He could betray her. He could betray her the same way Trevor betrayed her. He could betray her the same way Bobby betrayed Luke.

It’s another thing that ties them together.

But all these thoughts are hypothetical. She won’t know for sure unless she tries.  

She takes a deep, shaky breath … and then places her hand in his.

For a moment, Julie marvels at the feel. The sensation of his calloused fingers pressing against her palm as he grips her hand. It makes her heart beat faster. Then she’s yanked forward. Julie lets out a surprised yelp that quickly becomes a giggle as Luke spins her around.

Luke leads, and Julie follows.

It’s different, and yet it’s easy. It’s exhilarating. It’s liberating.

She moves, and she skips.

She laughs, and she gasps.

She twirls, and she spins until her vision blurs. Until the world becomes a whirlwind of color. The crackling fire and the starry, midnight-blue sky and the cheering crowd – they’re just distorted blobs of color. Only Luke’s smile remains bright and clear and extremely captivating. And his lips.

She wonders …

Julie stills abruptly, and Luke, surprised, stumbles. On instinct, his arms fly around her body, gripping her waist to steady himself. Julie can’t say she minds.

“Something wrong?” he asks, slightly out of breath.

Julie doesn’t reply. Too enamored, she can’t take her eyes off his slightly parted lips. What if …

And then, her curiosity gets the better of her. She lifts a hand and raises it to his face until she can feel his breath against her skin. It hitches when her thumb brushes against the corner of his mouth. His fingers on her waist flex, then they gently dig into her flesh, urging her closer. Julie complies happily. Her heart is racing in her chest.

Julie stares.

Luke stares back.

And then his eyes flit to her lips, and Julie’s breathing quickens

And then he dips his head, and Julie’s heart leaps into her throat.

And then … he pauses! Julie almost groans in frustration.

Slowly, she rises on her toes. Her nose gently nudges his, encouraging him. 

He chuckles. “Bossy,” he says before he captures her lips with his.

Julie simply smiles into their kiss. 

[thebigstar-abouttofall]

Keep Climbing Into My Head Without Knockin' (Chapter 5, Like Past Visions of Osiris)

Wolfstar. Ch: 5/14. Explicit. Slow burn.

This is an unrelenting portrayal of post-Azkaban Wolfstar, from July 1995 to June 1996. A story about grappling with what you once loved, when you’ve both lost so much to the ravages of time. And the attempts, slowly but surely, to put the pieces back together.

Tensions are high as Sirius and Remus make plans to mark the anniversary of James and Lily's death with one of their favourite hikes.

When they've both made it up to Greville Point, Padfoot transforms back into Sirius. They're both panting slightly from the strain of the incline. They'd taken the path that winds its way around the lake - which had shimmered blindingly in the mid-afternoon late-October sun - before ushering them into them into the dense woodland. The wood is populated by coniferous cedar trees, their thin trunks stretching endlessly in the sky, their vibrant boughs cresting somewhere above. With the aroma of oozing sap and the knotted roots underfoot, if Remus squinted he could pretend that they were frolicking in the Forbidden Forest. But they were here. Bathed in this shaded quiet. It was penitential. With each step, Remus sent up silent apologies into the air. Hoping that they'd telepathically find their way to Padfoot, who was snuffling at the entrance to a rabbit's warren.

[cleolinda]

Weekend links, April 21, 2024

My posts

Initially I wrote, “I ran my mouth about the Watcher streaming/paywall situation because I make bad decisions,” but I think the post has actually gone over well? In short, I want to see them succeed but I am also deeply fuckin’ baffled. I so desperately want the tea about what was really going on behind all this, and how the guys are reacting to it now, and I really hope they can turn this around somehow. 

Side note, Friday was CHAOTIC. 

Reblogs of interest

The Hot Vintage Lady Polls are escalating in round four. We got to a point where I posted propaganda for Ava Gardner AND Dorothy Dandridge in their matchup. Probably the biggest scandal of round three was Vivien Leigh getting knocked out, but she’s now High Chancellor of the Shadow Realm. The most contentious matchup this time seems to be Judy Garland vs Natalie Wood, which is nearly 50/50 as of this writing. But keep your eye on Hedy Lamarr, who may have Mifune Sweep energy. 

(I think I love these brackets for the same reason I love Dracula Daily: it’s delightful that thousands of people on Tumblr actually have deeply-held opinions about things from many decades ago, and if they didn’t before, they do now.)

(“I’m Katharine Hepburn, and this is Jackass!”)

--

Happy Bread Day (Observed)!

Hozier Watch 2024: “Why Would You Be Loved” has arrived on the Wasteland, Baby! special edition. I like this post about how that song is in conversation with “No Plan,” one of my favorites. (I wrote about “Movement” a while ago, but I could have fully inflicted an essay on you about how “No Plan” pulled me out of my six years of hiding from the internet. Anyway, it’s a great album from a few years ago, check it out if you haven’t.) 

Generally I keep my mouth shut about Taylor Swift, but the new songs sure have some lyrics. I love Florence Welch, but I’m scared.

You’ve heard of spoon theory, now check out spell slot theory

“You’re either frolicking in this field with me, or...” is funny, but then you get to the reblog.

What if we lay in this field together and held feet

A deep breach of etiquette with a little dog named Gucio

A story about statue vandalism with a delightful twist

You gotta fight mint with mint (like I can bring in my lemon balm, but at what cost?) 

I saw this post about feeding wild skeletons on Pinterest and I loved it so much that I tracked down the original. 

Once again, Holy Shit, Two Cakes theory

Remember the haunted house I grew up in? Yeah, it had a carpeted bathroom like this.

“gonna start formatting my posts like fics on ff.net circa 2008” will do you exactly the psychic damage you’re imagining 

The Round Table attempts to use Zoom

Video

Lil Nas X covers “Jolene,” Dolly Parton loves it, and @oscar-wet-and-wilde has further Black Country recs

A big loud steppy

“He’s retrieving”

Crispy meows

Watching this angel of a Doberman get a full spa treatment is also self care

AND YOU DARE SAY NO MORE TREATS??!?

The sacred texts

I don’t like thing, now with artist credit 

Personal tags of the week

I love when I can use a really niche, specific tag, and this week, it’s mouth perfect size for meme, with a little shaped on the side.

[lunabo17]

Together, Now and Forever

Chapter 8 Slowly Back Forward

Gale and Astarion take time off from everything.

Part of the "Pieces of a Broken Heart" series.

Warnings: talk of Gale' s distorted thinking and discussions of cutting, self-harm, and how little Gale thinks of himself at the start. It gets lighter by the end.

Canon and DnD divergence; you'll see.

Read from start of fic, and Mind The Tags:

Gale expected disappointment from everyone, for once more finding himself weighed down by thoughts of his incompetence. He expected anger as well, because he had failed once more, failed to talk about his spiraling thoughts, failed to properly explain himself...

Fail, fail, fail.

Instead, there was compassion. He didn't know what to do.

"So my belief," said Shadowheart as she calmly sewed the deeper wounds shut, "is you need to step back for a few days, and then we begin lessons on taking things slowly."

For a moment, he said nothing, watching her wrap his arm in clean, soft linen. Astarion sat silently beside him, holding his hand. "I'm sorry."

"There isn't anything to be sorry about, Gale. You've gone through several, horrible events in your life, and you've pushed yourself hard lately."

"I can't keep breaking down each time life gets a little hard!" He hadn't meant to yell, but he had.

"Can I be a little honest with you, Gale?"

Ah, this is what he expected, and he gave a nod, his throat tight.

"I don't think I've met someone quite as caring as you, though Karlach might be fairly close."

That was not what he expected, and he felt his eyes water. "But...but if I can't work..."

"Gale, if you stopped working and simply frolicked through the woods, you could still say you've done more than many," Astarion interrupted.

He couldn't help giving a small laugh. "Really? Frolick?"

"With your clothes off."

Shadowheart rolled her eyes. "Yes, thank you for that. But truly, Gale. I think with all the kindness you've showed others, isn't it time you gave yourself some kindness, too?" She pat his hands. "Think about it."

He sat staring at his hands, even as they were left alone. It was only when Astarion ran his fingers through his hair did he jump just a little.

"Apologies. Did you want to cuddle in bed?"

He gave a small nod, and they went to their bedroom. He closed his eyes as he settled against Astarion's chest. "I'm sorry for failing again. I understand if you want it leave."

The elf gave a sigh. "Trying to get rid of me already, my sweet? I don't think it will be so easy," he teased. Then more seriously, "You scared me, carving your arm as if it were wood. I was terrified we were going to the hospital again, though that is still an option if you spiral more."

"I upset you beforehand."

"Arguing is a part of any relationship. Remember when we argued on the road, too? Quite a bit, if I recalled. If we want to play the blaming game, then I should have recognized you were pushing yourself too much. You can't do everything, love. It's all right to ask for help."

"But I don't want to be a burden, even if I certainly am one now."

"You're not. We just need to find that happy center for you, so you don't collapse."

For a few days, they both did very little, except lay in bed, or on the couch. Astarion read most of the time, while Gale dozed, or sometimes stared in the distance, mind swirling a little. The vampire was patient with him, gently steering him to eat and bathe.

Then, one morning, Astarion told him they were going out. He watched, perplexed, as his husband packed Gale' s notebook, a light novel, and then grabbed a traveling bag. Gale put on a simple tunic that tied on the sides as tight as one wished, clinching at the waist.

When they exited their abode, he was startled to see a creature he didn't recognize, calmly waiting for them. It appeared like a horse, but the coat almost appeared like stone, with areas like amethyst, her mane and tail also purple.

"What in the world...?"

"We were rather hoping you would answer the mystery," Astarion said.

"Well, I certainly haven't enchanted anything." He hesitated, and touched the muzzle. To his surprise, he felt warmth, almost like a surface horse, despite the coloring. "My goodness! An underground horse? I'm not sure if I've heard of such things."

"Dalyria said the herd appeared around the time we came down here, so I imagine they're attracted to your magic. One of the idiot spawn thought they would be tasty and learned that their hide is hard as stone."

The strange creature pushed against Gale's hand, demanding he continue to stroke her muzzle. He wasn't actually sure if she were female, but it felt right. Why would his magic attract such beings now? He didn't recall them when they were in the Underdark during the Absolute crisis.

Well, he supposed there was another mystery for him to explore. If his magic had indeed attracted this herd, would more malicious beings also appear?

"If they do, I imagine a colony of hungry spawn will be quite a challenge," Astarion responded, and Gale startled, unsure if he had spoken the question.

Undeterred, the vampire helped him onto the mount, who remained docile, before he pulled himself to sit behind Gale.

"Where are we going?" Gale asked, as Astarion urged their mount to move; she seemed just like any horse.

"You'll see."

It wasn't long until he suspected their destination: the giant sussur tree. It was a beautiful thing, glowing a gentle blue. He had discussed several times going back to study it, but had yet to follow through, so focused on a myriad of other things. As they approached, he could feel his magic dulling, but not fully silenced.

Astarion helped him down, before setting up a small picnic area, and he smiled. He never imagined having a picnic in the Underdark, but his husband did have a tendency to surprise him. They weren't quite under the sussur tree, but close. He looked up, small petals occasionally falling down.

"Gale?" Astarion called as he wandered a little closer.

"Just a moment," he said, touching the closest root, feeling his magic further dulled at the contact, but still not gone. He took a breath, and released it, before he closed his eyes, and leaned his head against the root. "Thank you," he said softly, for the help it had given them before.

He felt his body relax with each breath he took, and as his mind calmed, he heard what seemed like whispers, soothing, like a gentle stream, wrapping him in warmth. Then, just as gently, he felt a hand on his lower back. He turned to Astarion, wrapping his arms around the vampire, giving a happy sigh as he was pulled tight against his husband.

"All right?"

"Yes," he said simply.

And truly, in this moment, he was.

[cxrveaux]

Because my dumb bitch ass binge watched CBS ghosts and ended up getting so into it, I made an ENTIRE SELF INSERT OC. (help me.) but now that I’m here on tumblr I might as well rant about said character to anyone interested 💔

His name is Elijah Anderson and he’s some 14 year old from 1999 who had been living in the Bronx before being abandoned on the property by his parents and dying of hypothermia 15 hours later. He’s elusive and has trust issues due to being abandoned by his parents and spent 25 years in the forest around the mansion hence why nobody is really aware of his presence except for Flower who has seen him a couple of times? But she’s kind of ditsy and not entirely there so she doesn’t really bring up/remember to mention him. The way the others probably find out about his presence is due to the fact that Flower was rambling and randomly mentioned “the kid in the woods.”

At first the other ghosts + Sam thought he was a human kid due to his lack of response to Flower’s presence (which wasn’t true, Flower would typically approach Elijah but he’d end up talking her out of being near him because of her short term memory)

But when it became apparent that Jay couldn’t perceive him, the others decided that this definitely was some ghost kid who had been on the property without the others knowing. So, the other ghosts would probably try some wild ass confrontation tactics on him which would probably just drive him away further from them (since he’s already very untrusting)

Eventually they were like “Pete getcho ass out there, you actually worked with children at some point” and even though Elijah was initially weary of him, Pete managed to get some sort of explanation (ex. Him hiding in the forest for so long) and long story short just came back to the mansion. (Got a bit lazy on this part, but it’s 2 am and I’m a sleep deprived 13 year old who doesn’t know how to write, bite me)

BUT…I did end up writing every single one of his relationships with the other characters so we’re gonna put that on here too 💔

Alberta: She’s surprisingly protective and almost motherly towards Elijah. She’s entertained by him poking fun at people (bonus points if directed at Isaac), and takes pride in his enjoyment of jazz music.

Pete: He’s probably the nicest to Elijah out of everyone. He’s very understanding of his trauma and helped him get more comfortable interacting with the others.

Trevor: They have a fairly strong bond with each other. Elijah is a bit disinterested in his whole “omg women” shtick, but they definitely pull pranks on the others together.

Hetty: She thinks Elijah is a bit abrasive and tries to avoid him mostly, which gave him the idea that she flat out doesn’t like him. This also makes her fall victim to a lot of his and Trevor’s antics.

Isaac: He’s an easy target to Elijah, and probably nothing more (because he’s gay and smelly 💔). However, I did think of an idea of Elijah being a closeted bisexual and turning to Isaac for advice.

Flower: Flower is pretty oblivious to his presence for the most part, even though she was the one who found him while she was frolicking outside. However, I don’t feel like Elijah would pick on her as much? Mainly since he thinks she’s really nice and doesn’t want to deal with Thor.

Thor: He’s definitely the most annoyed by this bitch ass child and would not think TWICE about throwing Elijah out the window. No silver lining, he’s just annoyed by this kid. He consistently also does this thing where he puts him on top of the fridge so he can’t get down unless he jumps off. The only thing I can see those two getting along about is watching bugs.

Sasappis: They probably just tolerate eachother. Sas occasionally will also partake in Trevor and Elijah’s pranks? But Elijah has too much damn respect for him to throw daggers at Sas (also because he knows that Sas knows how to insult people back and doesn’t want to risk that because he’s emotionally unstable)

Nigel: They’re cool with eachother? Like they both enjoy watching bugs (and they both like Spice Girls) but he also probably looks to Nigel for advice.

Nancy: Elijah is TERRIFIED of Nancy along with the other cholera ghosts. If homeboy had the choice between reliving freezing to death and going down into the boiler room, he’d choose death.

and to conclude here’s some extra headcanons about him because I have NOTHING but time.

-He’s constantly trembling uncontrollably as a side effect of being out in the cold for so long.

-His breath fogs up everywhere he goes

-Regardless of whether someone’s a ghost or not, just him being present is like “ayo did it get colder in here?”

-Any living that passes through him becomes inexplicably cold for a short period of time.

-He tends to communicate through ASL because he’s semiverbal anyways and his voice is permanently nasally.

-He is autistic and dyspraxic.

-He REALLY likes Garfield. Like he has encyclopedic knowledge on that damn cat.

[moonchild-in-blue]

i’m here now m’lady

(i was watching adventure time)

M'lord 💙🩵💚

You habe oange for me??? 😭🥺

What if I cry uh? What if I disintegrate into salty tears and slide into the ocean and swim my way to you and turn into tap water and when you brush your teeth I will come out and materialise in your bathroom and pull you in for a sweet hug and bite your cheekies off and then you will be left with no skin but that's okay because I can glue you back together with playdough and we can go frolick in the woods and snow and be happy forever?? What then ?

(adventure time is actually my fav cartoon i am on season 5 of my yearly re-watch rn hehehehe)

[pokemontrainerolivia]

Meet the trainer

Hi rotomblr I’m a Pokémon trainer born and still living in sinnoh where I mainly hang out with my lovely Michelle. I set out for my adventure about 2 years ago (barely seen my parents since but I’ve heard that’s quite common)

I spend my time going on little adventures around sinnoh. (at the time of writing I’m thinking about going into this abandoned mansion in one of the woods near my town I’ve heard rumours about) im also always entering my beautiful Michelle into as many super contests as she’s allowed (turns out that’s a lot I’m definitely a frequent there).

Meet the team

Michele (gastrodon)

During a day trip to Floaroma town when I was a child I wondered of to the valley wind works when a drifloon swept down to try and pick me up before I could run over to see the cute floating balloon this adorable shelos came out of the foliage gushed out a water gun making the drifloon float away. Ever since me and Michele have been best buds growing up along side each other

Michele is my companion and friend and we have been happily adventuring together for most our lives she may not physically be able to understand what I’m saying but I always get the feeling that she can tell what I’m going through and comfort me accordingly.

Woopi (wooper)

I had set off for the safari park, before long I was enjoying seeing all of the beautiful wildlife frolicking around all the tangela chatting to one another and the tropius all grazing by the ponds. After changing into swimwear I had set off into one of the many body’s of water. I felt a slight feeling on my back it had turned out a pink wooper had made its way onto my back and had proceeded to ride my like a boat jumping up and down in glee batting its tail to signify that it wanted to go faster. Upon noticing this I decided to please it’s desire and went in laps around the pond until I eventually became tired and slowly stood off, at which point the wooper happily slid of my back like it was a slide. the wooper chirped happily before bobbing underwater. when he returned to the surface he was balancing a safari ball on his head looking up at it with his eyes.

Woopi is my big dummie, he’s blissfully unaware of any danger and will often distract munch his best friend by blowing raspberries and making faces this makes munch let out the cutest laugh (that is audible from miles away).

Red (frosslass)

When exploring around route 217 I got caught in a snow storm. whilst trying to escape the snow the ground beneath me began to cave in I tried to run but couldn’t get away and everything went black. When I awoke I was Amidst the rubble in a sheltered ice cave on one hand I was safe and sheltered from the snow storm but on the other I was stuck in a cave with little to no way of escaping, it was just a few seconds later that I realised there was in-fact a third hand. Turning around I came to see a huge frosslass encased in ice a faint red light emanated from its closed eyes. Shrapnel from the now caved in roof of the cave had lodged itself into the ice wall keeping the frosslass inside, a crack had begun to form its root being the rock. Within seconds another large crash occurred followed suddenly by a loud ominous shriek, the blast nocked me on the floor my vision was blurry but I could make out a large figure looming over me when I regained my sight fully I realised it was the frosslass looking on concernedly at my state.

Red is the mum of the group and she’ll always make sure to snatch up any poffins that I may have unfairly given to certain team members and hand them to who needs it most. She also will put herself in between the rest of us and the danger. I certainly would have been fatally injured many times if it weren’t for her.

Clove (liligant)

Whilst on a family trip to Unova I made friends with a local who was out and about, she claimed I was weak mocking my shelos Michele who appropriately splashed her in the face. since that point I came down to her route where she would train daily, I would watch her beat up the local mons. The one time I tried to join in i saw a small petilil, instantly I fell in love with her adorableness, seeing this val threw a pokeball at the petilil I was shocked, my possible future companion had been taken from me by my friend. The rest of the holiday val would tease me often taking the petilil out just to complement her and talk about how happy she was to have her (clearly to spite me), val would play games with me claiming that “if you win I’ll give you petilil back” I definitely enjoyed these games and we would spend hours playing an elaborate game of follow the leader all in the hopes of petilil being in my grasp. I never did win but on the last day I had in unova, val with a shrug gave me petilil. Instantly i gave val a big hug (one she definitely did not like).

Since first meeting Clove and @val-victory I have made two friends (one less mean than the other). Clove has been an amazing companion she doesn’t enjoy poffins that much but instead enjoys how happy everyone else is when eating.

Munch (snorlax)

When I heard that people had been finding interesting bugs from trees that they had slathered with honey I knew I had to try it (after all I’ve always wanted to get a cute little bug type on my team) after a while of sitting by the tree waiting for things to happen (aka baking poffins and eating them) a cute little munchlax wondered over to the tree looking around confused before eventually gobbling the all of the hobey left on the tree, he was just about to turn away and go find more food when I hurled a pokeball at him (Sure he wasn’t a bug type but he was definitely cute and that was what I was really looking for).

Munch is now a lot larger than when I caught him but he still acts as though he’s just as small as he was when he hatched from his egg often trying to fit through little gaps that are less than a quarter of his size I think he’s fooled woopi too as he’ll often try to help get munch through said gap or look confused when it isn’t working.

Thanks to @rp-rs for helping fix any mistakes on the first draft.

[katareyoudrilling]

Okay, get ready for an emotional dump, sister!

🌿 but you know that !! 😉

☕ 🧁 together!! Yummy friend times!!

🥣 pfft, of course!

🌷 don't forget frolicking in the meadow like a couple of tipsy wood nymphs!

☀️ always

🍬 but you know that too 😘

I added this little twist to this ask because you are our Year of Asks Lady, helping bring more connection and engagement to our community 💚💚💚

Hazel you absolute sweetheart 🥹

There is no one I would rather frolic in a meadow with. I’m not sure frolicking comes naturally to me so you’ll have to show me how ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Emoji ask game