grumbleberrypie

[grumbleberrypie]

❤️❤️❤️

fic complete: terrible people (a drarry fic)

This fic is now complete! Thank you so much to everyone who has had a hand in helping me get this to the finish line, and especially to @getawayfox and @citrusses for all of your betaing and alphaing advice! And to everyone who has been reading along as we've been posting - we love you! It's been so exciting to see all of your comments in our inboxes these past few weeks.

Terrible People | Rated E | 52.8k words

Fic by @wolfpants | Art by @getawayfox

Draco finds it a little too easy then to slot himself in against Harry from behind. Their touches are turning more frequent, more thoughtless. A swipe of an arm here, a press of fingertips there. Brushing hair from eyes. Standing close. Resting chins against shoulders, palms against hips. They don’t kiss, or hold hands. Not outside of fucking. But all of these other touches, these little intimacies—it’s a harmful temptation, in all manners of meaning, but it’s a temptation Draco cannot, and will not, get enough of. Delicious little sips here and there of Harry. A fantasy that can live and die on holiday, as is the fate of most wonderful, disastrous, ill-judged things.

What happens when Harry and Draco end up on the same Muggle gay cruise? They certainly didn't plan for it to happen (but their friends might have). They're stuck with each other for a week, they might as well make the most of it, right? Featuring a holiday-long game of Truth or Dare, a very ill-judged FWB proposition, decades-long pining, lots of gin, and a small pair of green swimming trunks.

Tags: EWE, minor Harry/Charlie, past Draco/Zacharias, background relationships, romcom, meddling friends, beach holidays, cruises, clubbing and bars, truth or dare, Healer!Draco, sports media mogul!Harry, FWB, FWB to lovers, miscommunication, idiots in love, recreational drug use, drinking, smoking, a veritable cocktail of Muggle and Wixen tech, forced proximity, smut and smut tags in the work

🌊🕶🩳🍹

read terrible people on ao3

[grumbleberrypie]

Cut From the Sky (Drarry, E, 150k)

Read Cut from the Sky on AO3

Summary:

"I'm stuck in a time loop, reliving November 2nd. This is the 111th time I've lived through today."

Draco stilled. His moody eyes, the tension in his hands where he gripped onto his umbrella, the careful mask of blankness flickering over his face — everything about him was so difficult and so very dear to Harry.

"Ah," said Draco, "and?"

Tags:

Time Loop, Slow Burn, Falling in Love, Unusual Careers, Touch Starvation, Miniature Making, Department of Mysteries, Unspeakable Harry Potter, Tailor Draco Malfoy, Legilimency, Mind Healing, Memory Loss, Pining, Hurt/Comfort, Humour, Drarry Abroad

Art by: itsphantasmagoria

[grumbleberrypie]

My deodorant exploded on me when I opened it today, and I felt so betrayed.

#betrayal #Pit of despair

[grumbleberrypie]

😐

I have just learned that Mountain Goats are NOT, in fact, actual Goats.

[grumbleberrypie]

Then Comes a Mist and a Weeping Rain

Faith Wood (faithwood)

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter Characters: Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Gregory Goyle, Millicent Bulstrode, Ernie Macmillan, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley Additional Tags: Humor, Romance, Hogwarts Eighth Year, HP: EWE, Post - Deathly Hallows, Complete

Summary:

It always rains for Draco Malfoy. Metaphorically. And literally. Ever since he had accidentally Conjured a cloud. A cloud that’s ever so cross.

Excerpt:

“You know,” Potter said, hesitating, “Hermione has this theory. About you and your cloud. And …”

“Yes?” Draco prompted impatiently when Potter had stopped talking. If Granger had a theory, it would be stupid to ignore it.

Potter kicked the ground with his shoe. “She thinks I could help you.”

“Well that’s a stupid theory,” Draco said, disappointed.

“It is,” Potter agreed. “But … maybe I could try? Just in case?”

Potter looked distinctly uncomfortable; it made Draco uneasy. What on earth did Potter plan to do to him? Draco couldn’t see how Potter could help him when Pomfrey and Flitwick could not. And Pomfrey told him she had contacted some of the country’s greatest Healers and they had not thought of a cure yet, either. It seemed his case was quite unprecedented. Not that no one else had never botched an Atmospheric Charm before, but normally they were easily reversed.

But if they couldn’t do it, then what made Potter think he was so special?

Potter’s cloak helped you. Draco hastily pushed that thought back into his subconscious. It was a ridiculous notion, anyway. Good night’s sleep had helped him. Temporarily.

“Fine, if you think you’re so clever then try it,” he said nonetheless, outwardly feigning indifference and inwardly stupidly hoping Potter might do something spectacular after all. He was Harry Potter. It must have counted for something. And Draco couldn’t afford to be choosy. “What’s your price?” he asked.

Potter blanched. “Do I have to have one?”

“Yes,” Draco said firmly. “I don’t want any” — more — “favours from you.”

“Right. Okay.” Potter shrugged. “I’ll tell you what I want in return when I think of something. And if the theory’s true. Which it probably isn’t.”

“That’s not how things are done. Name your price now.”

“No.”

A muscle in Draco’s jaw tittered. “Then at least tell me Granger’s theory.”

“No.”

I should hex him, Draco thought. I should hex him and send him flying out of the courtyard and back to the common room. Granger probably didn’t have any useful theories and Potter was just having him on.

Curiosity was a bitch, though.

“Fine,” Draco said through his teeth. “Let’s see what you got.”

Potter nodded, looking grim and determined. He took two steps forward. Draco took two steps back.

“Do it from over there,” Draco warned.

“I can’t.” Potter was worrying his bottom lip. “Stay still.” Then, he took of his glasses and put them in his shirt’s pocket.

However odd that was, Potter walking up to him and grabbing Draco’s cloak was odder still. Rain hit Potter’s face, and he grimaced but didn’t pull away.

Draco expected Potter to pull out his wand, but Potter just stood there. His eyes were so very green.

Draco realised what Potter intended to do a mere second before it happened. Potter’s lips touched Draco’s and Draco couldn’t move. He couldn’t even breathe. Potter kissed him — kissed him — slowly, deliberately, his lips soft, their pressure firm. The scent of Potter’s hair filled Draco’s nostrils. It was pleasantly familiar; Draco had slept with it last night, his face hidden in the hood of Potter’s cloak.

Potter’s tongue grazed Draco’s bottom lip and then he pulled back abruptly.

Draco’s lips felt hot, tingling, and pulsing together with his heart.

Potter kissed him.

(*˘︶˘*).｡.:*♡

[grumbleberrypie]

Heal Thyself (HP, Harry/Draco)

Heal Thyself (46902 words) by astolat Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter Characters: Draco Malfoy, Narcissa Black Malfoy, Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood Additional Tags: Healer Draco Malfoy, St. Mungo’s, Medical School, Hospital, Medicine Series: Part 12 of Harry Potter works

Summary:

“Are you going for the course?” Lovegood asked. “You have the NEWTs.”

“What course?” Draco said, then, “No, don’t be ridiculous,” when he realized she meant the notice pinned up on the board he’d been staring at: Applicants To The Introductory Mediwizard Course For The Coming Term Shall Present Themselves In The Chief Mediwizard’s Office By August 24th.

“Oh, I thought you might,” she said. “Well, goodbye.” And off she wandered again in her addled way.

Read the story

[grumbleberrypie]

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Fic Claim: I could be wrong, I could be ready

Written as part of @hd-erised for @owlpostart

Pairing(s): Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy, background Hermione/Ron Weasley, Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley, & Neville Longbottom/Hannah Abbott Rating: Mature Word Count: ~57,400 Summary: At first Harry wonders if they’ve managed to destroy his vaults and are trying to tell him in the most oblique way possible. But when he turns the page he realises they’ve found a vault. A vault in the name of Lily and James Potter. The parchment trembles a little in Harry’s hand. He takes another gulp of wine. Harry Potter left Britain after the war and didn’t look back. Ten years later, when Gringotts discovers a vault containing his parents’ belongings—including their badly spell-damaged wedding rings—he’s forced to face up to friends and family who’ve grown in ways he could never imagine, a wizarding London rebuilt beyond his expectations, and the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s the entirely unforeseen problem of Draco Malfoy. Featuring pureblood wizarding traditions, ancestral magic, open mic nights, marriage equality, a diner in Brooklyn, and the return of Fleamont Potter.

Read on AO3

____________

With grateful thanks to @allegedlymags and @ellemem for the beta, britpicker @akashikadoesthings, my head cheerleader @inveigler81, and my alpha, beta and partner-in-crime from beginning to end @1degosuperego.

Thank you to the @hd-erised mods for running such an awesome fest, and to @owlpostart for the very best request—I’m so glad you liked it.

[grumbleberrypie]

The Stardew Valley fic that I didn’t know I needed. Beautifully written. It’s got romance, humour, mystery, action, tragedy, grief, and most of all it’s a story of hope.

Elliott and Sebastian were an unexpected pairing to me, but now it feels just right. Very much recommend for anyone looking for a lovely fic to read❤️

This is it, you guys! Chapter 45, the final chapter, of “Fire Walk with Me,” is now up! It’s been a year to get to this point, and my heart is full to overflowing to share this with you now. Come join Sebastian and Elliott as they begin to celebrate their lives together. <3

#stardew valley #fic rec #stardew sebastian #stardew elliott #slow burn

[grumbleberrypie]

welcome!!!!!! this is long overdue. i’ve been promising myself i’d made this forever. so here it is - the ultimate masterpost of wlw (women loving women) books. not all characters are lesbians, some are bi or pan, though all books feature f/f relationships and/or themes. there are 150+ recommendations, so enjoy!

YOUNG ADULT CONTEMPORARY:

the miseducation of cameron post by emily m. danforth

keeping you a secret by julie anne peters

grl2grl by julie anne peters

lies my girlfriend told me by julie anne peters

far from xanadu by julie anne peters

rubyfruit jungle by rita mae brown

annie on my mind by nancy garden

kissing kate by lauren myracle

everything leads to you by nina lacour

dare truth or promise by paula boock

gravel queen by tea benduhn

her name in the sky by kelly quindlen

tell me again how a crush should feel by sara farizan

no one needs to know by amanda grace

my best friend, maybe by caela carter

dirty london by kelley york

ask the passengers by a.s. king

empress of the world by sara ryan

pages for you by sylvia brownrigg

waiting in the wings by melissa brayden

breathing underwater by lu vickers

hood by emma donoghue

between you & me by marisa calin

starting from here by lisa jenn bigelow

about a girl by sarah mccarry

the flywheel by erin gough

the necessary hunger by nina revoyr

the house you pass on the way by jacqueline woodson

about a girl by joanne horniman

gravity by leanne lieberman

another life altogether by elaine beale

great by sara benincasa

the gravity between us by kristen zimmer

taking flight by siera maley

the road to her by k.e. payne

the summer i wasn’t me by jessica verdi

unspeakabe by abbie rushton

beauty of the broken by tawni waters

read me like a book by liz kessler

starring kitty by keris stainton

holding back by mila kerr

cam girl by leah raeder

not otherwise specified by hannah moskowitz

an unstill life by kate larkindale

look both ways by alison cherry

a story of now by emily o’beirne

my summer of love by helen cross

marionette by t.b. markinson

the difference between you and me by madeleine george

the bermudez triangle by maureen johnson

girl walking backwards by bett williams

FANTASY/PARANORMAL/SCIENCE FICTION:

the dark wife by sarah diemer

twixt by sarah diemer

the witch sea by sarah diemer

sugar moon by sarah diemer

far by sarah diemer

carmilla by joseph sheridan le fanu

ash by malinda lo

huntress by malinda lo

adaption by malinda lo

the traitor baru cormorant by seth dickinson

karen memory by elizabeth bear

bleeding earth by kaitlin ward

lady knight by l.j. baker

the second sister by rae d. magdon

wild by meghan o’brien

santa olivia by jacqueline carey

everafter by nell stark

iron & velvet by alexis hall

silver kiss by naomi clark

with her body by nicola griffith

ammonite by nicole griffith

the windup girl by paolo bacigalupi

a harvest of ripe figs by shira glassman

seven by jennifer diemer

braided by elora bishop

crumbs by elora bishop

labyrinth by pearl north

the drowning girl by caitlin r. kiernan

the red tree by caitlin r. kiernan

the big lie by julie mayhew

the first twenty by jennifer lavoie

the girl in the road by monica byrne

every dark desire by fiona zedde

CRIME/MYSTERY/THRILLER:

black iris by leah raeder

dangerous girls by abigail haas

far from you by tess sharpe

slow river by nicola griffith

the blue place by nicola griffith

stay by nicola griffith

vanished by e.e. cooper

keepers of the cave by gerri hill

hunter’s way by gerri hill

child of doors by j.s. little

scars by cheryl rainfield

trust me, i’m trouble by mary elizabeth summer

out of order by casey lawrence

reconstructing amelia by kimberly mccreight

vicious little darlings by katherine easer

HISTORICAL:

the paying guests by sarah waters

tipping the velvet by sarah waters

affinity by sarah waters

the night watch by sarah waters

fingersmith by sarah waters

the price of salt by patricia highsmith (also known as carol)

wildthorn by jane eagland

silhouette of a sparrow by molly beth griffin

lies we tell ourselves by robin talley

patience & sarah by isabel miller

the hours by michael cunningham

the well of loneliness by radclyffe hall

mrs dalloway by virginia woolf

the world unseen by shamam sarif

map of ireland by stephanie grant

hild by nicole griffith

honey girl by lisa freeman

letters never sent by sandra moran

fall on your knees by ann-marie macdonald

the last nude by ellis avery

the teahouse fire by ellis avery

olivia by dorothy strachey

the friendly young ladies by mary renault

moon at nine by deborah ellis

the marriage recital by katharine grant

the crimson ribbon by katherine clements

the other typist by suzanne rindell

days of grace by catherine hall

desert of the heart by jane rule

ADULT FICTION:

sing you home by jodi picoult

and playing the role of herself by k.e. lane

i can’t think straight by shamim sarif

stone butch blues by leslie feinberg

curious wine by katherine v. forrest

the color purple by alice walker

jericho by ann mcman

oranges are not the only fruit by jeanette winterson

gut symmetries by jeanette winterson

why be happy when you could be normal? by jeanette winterson

written on the body by jeanette winterson

where we belong by catherine ryan hyde

at the water’s edge by harper bliss

behind the green curtain by riley lashea

96 hours by georgia beers

all that matters by susan x. meagher

give me a reason by lyn gardner

ice by lyn gardner

my last season with you by s.v.c. ricketts

taking the long way by lily r. mason

nightwood by djuna barnes

living at night by mariana romo-carmona

choices by nancy toder

cassandra at the wedding by dorothy baker

landing by emma donoghue

stir-fry by emma donoghue

pitifully ugly by robin alexander

COMICS BOOKS/GRAPHIC NOVELS:

blue is the warmest colour by julie maroh

fun home by alison bechdel

dykes to watch out for by alison bechdel

honor girl by maggie trash

skim by mariko tamaki

potential by ariel shrag

strangers in paradise by terry moore

NON-FICTION:

odd girls and twilight lovers by lillian faderman

surpassing the love of men by lillian faderman

chloe plus olivia by lillian faderman

to believe in women by lillian faderman

sapphistries by leila j. rupp

inseparable by emma donoghue

passions between women by emma donoghue

dear john, i love jane by candace walsh

a woman like that by joan larkin

aimee & jaguar by erica fischer

the femme mystique by leslea newman

boots of leather, slippers of gold by elizabeth lapovsky kennedy

different daughters by marcia m. gallo

between women by sharon marcus

charity and sylvia by rachel hope cleves

lesbian culture: an anthology by julia penelope

alice + freda forever by alexis coe

behind the mask by matthew dennison

[grumbleberrypie]

Three Little Words

Author: @annabellelux​

Artist: @temporary-teddycup​

Warnings: None

Tags: Canon Divergence, Watford Sixth Year, Angst, Humor, First Kiss, voice recorder, Magic Mishap, truth spell, Love Confessions, Penny’s galaxy brain, lots of bickering, Romantic tension off the charts, Gay Panic! At the Catacombs

Summary: When Simon finds the cursed voice recorder while snooping through Baz’s stuff and accidentally sets it off, Baz is left voiceless and magicless. He’s desperate to get his magic back—but when he finds out the solution, he reckons the cure might be worse than the condition.

Wordcount: 10311 words

Art:

[grumbleberrypie]

how come i can keep a poker face on when reading aggressive f-cking but i end up a gooey mess when there are cute nose boops and shy kisses and shit

[grumbleberrypie]

Here’s Handle With Care: my giveaway fic for @pipsqueakparker 💖

Summary: Simon and Baz have a self-care day: complete with a pixie pub, Queer Eye, face masks, and their first time.

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 6976

Preview:

Simon

We lather ourselves in the face mask, and then turn to face one another. I have to resist the urge to bust up laughing.

“Oh, my god,” I say, my voice wavering with mirth. “You look just like a goblin.”

“Look who’s talking,” Baz shoots back.

“Don’t be tetchy,” I reply. “Goblins are well fit.”

READ HERE ON AO3

[grumbleberrypie]

When the Tides Held the Moon

Chapter 11: “One Breath”

Once, as he was barely clinging to life, Baz asked me how our story ends. The answer is: it doesn’t.

Read the rest of Chapter 11 on AO3.

Read from the beginning 🧜‍♂️

THIS FIC IS NOW COMPLETE!

Notes: Infinite thanks to my betas, Mr. VKelleyart, @carryonsimoncarryonbaz, @penpanoply, @fight-surrender and S.E. Bouvier for sticking with me through this project. All my gratitude to everyone who followed, liked, commented, kudo-ed, and bookmarked this story as well. (There will be some behind-the-scenes content and an alternate ending coming soon.) I can’t describe how incredibly fun it was to write and illustrate WTTHTM, and I hope it’s a fic you’ll enjoy re-reading whenever you want an ocean escape. <3

[grumbleberrypie]

Carry On Remix - masterlist

All the works are here - but for convenience, here’s what happened:

(All works are in alphabetical order by AO3 author name - which is not always the same as what i’ve put here, but go with it. Apologies as always if Tumblr hasn’t linked people’s names right.)

A Collaboration by @angelsfalling16​ is a remix of Like & Subscribe by @pipsqueakparker​

Baz Pitch, Nandos, and a Way Out by @angelsfalling16​ is a remix of London Calling by @manicmagicat​

Sweet Nothings by @annabellelux​ is a remix of If you don’t have anything nice to say by @sharkmartini​

Don’t Run and Hide (The ‘Where Words Fail’ Remix) by @captain-aralias is a remix of If I Fell In Love With You by @bazzybelle​

origin of love [lust royale remix] by @basic-banshee​ is a remix of Lust Royale by @lovelessinmanhattan​

The Best Game You Can Name (An Ode-to-Hockey Remix of “The Pitch” series) by @bazzybelle​ is a remix of The Pitch series by @basic-banshee​

It’s Only Just Out of Reach by @briefly-be is a remix of On Love’s Light Wings by @carryonvisinata​

lovedrunk (the ‘Sozzled’ remix) by @motherscarf​ is a remix of Sozzled by @sbazzing​

When In Doubt by @f-ing-ruthless-baz​ is a remix of The Creature Within by @thecluelessphilosopher

Every Picture Tells A Story (the 'Ceci n'est pas un breve’ remix) by @krisrix​ is a remix of Painted Blind by @xivz​

It’s Not Fine, But It Will Be by @lovelessinmanhattan​ is a remix of It’s Fine by @sourcherrymagiks​

Baz: Cat Edition by @manicmagicat​ is a remix of Baz is a cat by @sharing-a-room-with-an-open-fire​

Take 7 (The Lights, Camera, Action Remix) by @ninemagicks​ is a remix of Chance Encounters by TheSmallTownGirl

3 times baz didn’t mean to use his thrall + 1 time he did (a butter & jam remix) by @pipsqueakparker​ is a remix of Butter & Jam by @warriorbeeofthesea​

Three to Four (The 1861 Remix) by @sbazzing​ is a remix of Witching Hour by @thehoneyedhufflepuff​

Liquid Fire (Sex and Blood Remix) by @sharing-a-room-with-an-open-fire​ is a remix of Sex and Blood by captain-aralias

Call Off the Search for Your Soul (Remix) by @sharkmartini​ is a remix of Call Off the Search for Your Soul by @briefly-be

Can’t fight the moonlight by @sourcherrymagiks​ is a remix of Always the Sun by @carryonsimoncarryonbaz​

Erasing the Line (a Crossing the Line remix fic) by @carryonsimoncarryonbaz​ is a remix of Crossing The Line by @f-ing-ruthless-baz​

Hot as Blood by @thehoneyedhufflepuff​ is a remix of Kiss It Better by @krisrix​

once upon (a 'time’ remix) by @thecluelessphilosopher is a remix of  Time by @motherscarf​

Five Times They Wanted To and One Time They Did by TheSmallTownGirl is a remix of Love from Beyond the Veil by @messofthejess​

2-Down (A 15-Across remix) by @carryonvisinata​ is a remix of 15-Across by @ninemagicks​

Home is Wherever I’m with You by @warriorbeeofthesea​ is a remix of There’s No Place Like Home by @annabellelux​

Marigolds by @xivz​ is a remix of Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down by @angelsfalling16​

[grumbleberrypie]

Afterhours

Summary: Simon Snow and Baz Pitch are notoriously the worst uni roommates that have ever roomed together. Luckily, they’ve nearly survived sharing a room, if only they can get through one last night… which would be easy enough, if they didn’t happen to be hanging out at the same club. 

Maybe a liberal amount of alcohol, an eventful Uber trip, and some light breaking and entering will be enough to fix their strained relationship (or, at the very least, give Baz the chance to see Simon shirtless).

Rating: Teens and Up

Chapter 1 Preview:

Baz

There’s nothing in the world like watching Simon Snow dance. 

You would think he’d be awful at it—he’s a clumsy fuck. In our bedroom, he’s always bumping into every surface and knocking over everything that’s not nailed down, waking me up at ungodly hours. At the welcome mixer at the beginning of the year, he tripped and spilled red wine all down the front of Agatha Wellbelove’s white dress. (It was hilarious, but God only knows why she agreed to date him afterwards.) (Okay. His face might have a thing or two to do with that.) 

Bottom line, he’s a total mess. 

But not when he’s dancing.

READ MORE ON AO3

[grumbleberrypie]

Sixty-One New Messages

Summary: It’s the summer before eighth year and Simon Snow is terribly bored. That is, until he finds his old Black Berry buried at the bottom of his backpack. And sure, Baz Pitch’s might be the only saved number he can message… but then again, why not check in on him? Just to make sure he’s not plotting. And maybe to ask his opinion on how mermaids pee.

Sworn enemies can text, right?

Rating: Explicit

Chapter 1 Preview:

Simon

I’m staring at the ceiling of my bedroom at this summer’s home, watching a moth fly repeatedly to the lightbulb on the ceiling. It keeps getting burned. There’s a wicked hissing noise every time it touches it—emphasizing the fact that the action is clearly painful. But it won’t fucking stop. The thing is relentlessly drawn to the light, no matter how bad it is for it, no matter how dangerous it is, no matter the fact it never wins.  

I can’t stop thinking that I am just like that bloody moth.

I feel my magic bubbling under my skin, threatening to spill over the edge, and I keep wondering to myself—how many times will I burn before I go up in flames?

I can’t stop the thoughts this summer. Not the ones of the Humdrum, or my destiny, or Baz.

Baz fucking Pitch.

I’m usually very good at forgetting all things magic over the summer holidays. I learned back when I was twelve that it’s easier that way. Less painful. If I focus too much on my real home, I’ll think myself in circles. If I spend two months counting all the ways the Normal world pales in comparison to the Magickal world, I’ll go mad. Instead, I put it in a “Do Not Touch” box in my brain, and unpack it all come late August, letting myself pine for the entirety of the train ride to Watford.

But Baz has always been a completely different story. There’s not a box in the world that could fit him.

The nuns take us to the park around the corner to kick the football around and I think of Baz’s skill on the pitch. I watch the care home bully mock a younger boy and I think of Baz’s sneering face. I see a rat crawl into a hole in the floorboard and I think, hey, Baz’s dinner.  

There’s no escape from Basilton Pitch, no matter how hard I try.

Most of all, I think of the last expression I saw on his face when Penny and I stumbled into Watford (crying and covered in blood, respectively). I’ve spent six years cataloguing all of his expressions. He’s only got four: pissed off, sadistically amused, plotting, and disgusted.

Well, five now. Those four, and whichever one I elicited out of him that day.

All day I think of his stupid face. But I suppose it’s better than my nights; I spend that time thinking about the Humdrum. About how, at any moment, he could snatch me from my bed. About how powerful he is. About how he’s wearing my face. About how I’m the only one who can stop him.

I already knew that—every Mage in the UK knows I’m the Chosen One. But there’s a difference between knowing something and—well— knowing it. Believing it. Internalizing it.

I’m the only one who can stop him, but I haven’t got a bloody idea how I’m supposed to do that.

I don’t know how to reckon with the fact that I’m not the brave hero I’m supposed to be—that, really, I’m just scared shitless.

It doesn’t even really matter, though. I’m going to keep trying. What other choice do I have?

I’m the moth. My destiny’s the flame.

And I’ve got no choice but to burn.

READ MORE OF CHAPTER 1 ON AO3

[grumbleberrypie]

THERE IS A LIGHT FAQ

Friends! I am so excited to announce that my second book, THERE IS A LIGHT, will be available for purchase on April 26, 2020. In the coming weeks I’ll be sharing a lot of fun content: snippets, playlists, mood boards, TIAL-tagged-like-an-AO3-fic, and even a giveaway! In the meantime, though, I’ve put together an FAQ to give you the run down on what you need to know!

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