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#I love how three of my top posts are commissions because I like to treat myself xD
klainelynch · 1 year
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I posted 12,080 times in 2022
97 posts created (1%)
11,983 posts reblogged (99%)
Blogs I reblogged the most:
@his-name-is-ed
@oohlookakitty
@musing-and-music
@jpierrepontcriss
@forpiratereasons
I tagged 11,986 of my posts in 2022
Only 1% of my posts had no tags
#fmab - 1,622 posts
#ofmd - 1,476 posts
#star wars - 1,137 posts
#riza hawkeye - 969 posts
#avatar verse - 942 posts
#roy mustang - 915 posts
#stede bonnet - 748 posts
#atla - 736 posts
#royai - 733 posts
#wwdits - 649 posts
Longest Tag: 96 characters
#🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃
My Top Posts in 2022:
#5
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Summary:
There was a legend as old as the Avatar itself that the face you wore in this life reflected the face of the person you loved the most in your previous life. It was something Ta Min had heard in her youth, something like an old wives’ tale that brought upon notions of splendor and fate. When she was a little girl, she often wondered if her face was of someone she had cared for that deeply so long ago.
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Or, three of the Avatar's loves wonder what the face of the next Avatar will be. Whose face will they see?
Written by @itsmoonpeaches
Listen on AO3 with music (15:03) or without music (14:24)
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[Image Description: The background is tan with two flowers. There are three screenshots from Avatar: Ta Min on her wedding day, Katara when she first meets Aang, and Asami smiling at Korra. There is a darker tan box in the bottom right corner with the podfic's information. "Making Faces" is written in a brown cursive font. "written by itsmoonpeaches" and "read by klainelynch" is written in a brown print font. End ID]
56 notes - Posted June 24, 2022
#4
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They didn’t eat steak on his last night on her boat. They ate pizza, simply because they already had all of the ingredients and it sounded good to him, and they sliced the tomatoes together, and Riza picked the first of the basil from the small herb garden she had started in the kitchen window, and Roy tossed flour in her hair as she rolled out the dough, and Roy ran as she swung the rolling pin at him, and he had never realized that cheese and tomato and crust could taste like everything he had ever worked for.
the sky is getting bright (somebody slow it down)
Thank you SO much @kangdae95draws​ for this absolutely incredible piece of art!! I am blown away by your talent and how quickly you brought this tender little scene to life 💖💖💖
If you want similar joy and light in your life, go commission her right now!!
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[Image Description: Riza Hawkeye and Roy Mustang are in a kitchen making pizza. Riza is wearing a purple short sleeved shirt and her hair is down. Roy is wearing a yellow button up shirt with his sleeves rolled up. They are both wearing red aprons. Riza is attempting to roll out dough, but is distracted by Roy tossing flour at her. Her expression is confused, while his is mischievous. End ID]
88 notes - Posted January 29, 2022
#3
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Thank you so much @ppurinpu for bringing this moment from fireworks to life! I was so happy that you had space open in your commissions, and the entire experience of working with you was so amazing y’all she interpreted my stick figure drawings to bring this beauty to life, she is AMAZING
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[Image Description: Alphonse Elric and May Chang from Fullmetal Achemist. The characters are in their late teens/early twenties. They are both wearing Xing clothing: Al’s dark green, and May’s is pink with white flowers. May is holding onto Al’s arm, and their fingers are interlaced. Both characters are lightly blushing with peaceful smiles. They are leaning against a brick wall. The sky is purple with twinkling stars. The lights from the fireworks are reflected along the edges of the artworks, as well as within both of their eyes. End ID]
106 notes - Posted April 17, 2022
#2
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Thank you AI for knowing exactly what I meant
[Image Description: Nine images generated by DALL-E mini with the prompt "Roy Mustang tiny miniskirts," all featuring a closeup of Roy's face or a wide shot of him wearing a miniskirt. End ID]
110 notes - Posted June 15, 2022
My #1 post of 2022
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I always need more Iroh in my life, and @terra-arts just blew me away with this quiet moment between a grandfather and his granddaughter. Every part of this, from the warm colors to the soft lines, just radiates the love and peace that this family has finally found. It’s the breaking of cycles of violence and trauma for meeeee 😭
Terra is a joy to work with, so if you ever have a chance to commission them, please do so!!
[Image Description: Iroh and Izumi are against an orange background. He is facing away from the viewer, but his head is facing us, showing his loving eyes and smile. His hair and beard are white, and he is wearing green robes. Izumi is a toddler. Her eyes are closed and she is clearly relaxed in his arms. She has a full head of dark hair, and is wearing red robes. End ID]
222 notes - Posted October 16, 2022
Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →
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rookrecurring · 6 months
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I don’t know where you’re at with this question or how often you’ve been asked it, but how are you doing these days? What have you been up to? I did a triple take when you started posting again and it’s good to see your art again! I hope you’ve been well.
—longtime RMR fan
Hi! This is such a kind message, I appreciate you checking in. I feel like I've been offline for so long that I'm always surprised to hear anyone remembers me or Red Moon Rising at all, haha. I've received a few emails here and there from former readers over the years which I've replied to, but I think it's probably time to say something more public in case anyone else has similar questions.
I tried and completely failed to keep this concise - sorry for rambling all over your relatively simple ask, but the long and short of it is: I'm doing pretty ok! Life is confusing and difficult! More under the cut!
In all honesty, I burned out very badly while working on Red Moon Rising. The tipping point unfortunately coincided with the Kickstarter for the print version (way back in 2017), but in retrospect it was a long time coming.
Shocking no-one, webcomics basically pay nothing and I was treating it as a job on top of the commission and freelance work I was paying the bills with, and in the end it just kind of crushed me. I became very overwhelmed with the work required to get the comic ready for print in the time that followed, so I never quite gave myself space to recover from the burnout because I felt such an obligation to fulfill the Kickstarter - people had paid good money for this and I wanted them to receive the books they had been promised.
The good news these days is that the Kickstarter is more or less all the way there. My publisher has been an absolute saint this entire time, checking in with me about the work without ever being demanding or pushy, and a few months ago a box arrived at my flat with all three volumes (consisting of the first 300-ish pages) of Red Moon Rising in print.
It's hard to be ecstatic after such a tiring journey to put it all together, but I'm proud of what we made. I can't overstate what a great job I think my publisher has done and how kind they've been to me - they received a lot of flak from people about the massive delays and never once threw me under the bus or pressured me to work harder or faster.
Regarding RMR's future: the website is currently down, but it shouldn't be for long. I've had some help from a friend recently (a recurring trend that I'm very grateful for) and the site should be back online soon more or less as it was. Pages, commentary, comments, everything.
However, the comic will remain on semi-permanent hiatus - never say never, but for the moment I've moved on.
I'm sure this isn't a surprise considering the last page was posted six years ago, but I hope it's not too disappointing for anyone. I always thought I would come back to it sooner or later, but I still feel like I need some space.
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On an even more personal note, it's been a crazy few years. I think everyone has had a difficult time recently what with the… well, everything. I've been through a lot of health problems, some very difficult housing and financial situations, and I also came out as gay and asexual to my friends and family, and now to anyone who happens to be reading this.
Fortunately I have no horror stories regarding this last point, everyone around me has been beyond supportive and kind. I think the main takeaway I have from this period of my life is how amazing my friends are. I could probably fill this post to the character limit talking about the lovely people in my life and the numerous kind things they've done for me. I'm in a very good place right now thanks to them.
So in a post-Kickstarter, post-RMR world I'm at a bit of crossroads these days. I feel like my burnout has finally more or less faded and I've quietly been up to all sorts of small things.
I spent a lot of this year learning Japanese to an intermediate level (mostly through watching hundreds of episodes of Super Sentai shows in pure Japanese), something that didn't occur to me I would ever be capable of until I started doing it
I've been composing more orchestral music and sending it to like two people
I did a game jam!
I picked up Python programming recently and am trying to create a program to act as a music composition aid
I speedran learning Blender last year for a job application and made exactly one (1) piece using it that went so well I'll probably never draw a building by hand ever again
I've been playing a lot of DnD and other tabletop RPGs and made quite a bit of art related to those that I never posted anywhere
My biggest freelance project of the year was doing all the art for a friend's board game project that I'm cautiously excited about - it should be seeing the light of day some time next year
Basically I'm approaching some sort of critical mass of "uhhh maybe someone on the internet might like to see what I'm up to if I actually posted it" and now I'm confronting the scary emotions of once again being visible online. Yet another friend has offered to help me set up some kind of art stream in the near future and I think I might actually work up the nerve to do it.
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Compared to 2017 the internet now is obviously a very different place and it's quite intimidating to step back into it if I'm being honest. It feels like there's much more pressure on Cultivating A Brand™ and I can already tell I'm going to be completely terrible at it because that pressure to be a consistent Content Creator™™™ totally smashed my brain in before and I'm not interested in going there again.
On the other hand, I appreciate that someone who is interested in seeing my handful of bird drawings one month might not also be interested in seeing my Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger fanart the next. I don't really know what to do about that except post these things anyway, because otherwise they're just piling up on my hard drive.
So that's it, really! My life is a lot more stable these days and I'm tentatively planning on posting more stuff here and possibly other places too. Thanks again for the ask, and sorry for the impromptu novel!
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heckosart · 8 months
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Heya
Fellow (albeit novice) fantasy cartographer here
How'd you get into making maps for people?
Hi!
I've liked drawing and making maps for a long time, and I used to make up maps for fun as a kid. The things that inspired me originally were mostly books, I read fantasy extensively and I've always loved following the characters around by referring to the map as I read. From that I started to draw maps of places in books as well ones I made up. I drew a lot of magical islands for a while.
I also got really inspired by the natural forces of geology/plate tectonics/weather/etc and how they impact the land. I use all of that interest to try and create fantasy maps that have a sense of grounded believability to them. I'm by no means an expert, but I'm always learning and trying to improve.
Obviously for most maps I do professionally there's already a general shape and layout my clients have in mind, but even then I often include small additional islands, give borders and coastlines extra wiggle and variation, and look for ways to incorporate natural and geographic barriers that would help inform political ones.
As art of my thesis at art school, I made a map for a personal fantasy project. I also made a simpler map for a friend, and with those examples I put maps into my commission info. Since that time (2020) I've probably only done about five maps for clients, so I don't usually get as many as these last two jobs back to back might imply. It is always fun to work on though, and I'm thinking about doing some new personal pieces soon since it's been almost four years from the last time I did one for me.
My best recommendation for getting into map commissions would be to get a couple nice samples completed (at least one of a budget option and one big fancy one) and to decide on a clear plan for base pricing. Currently, I have maps broken down into two categories of price.
Simple: $90 - Includes lines, one flat color for land and one for water, mountains and rivers, and typed labels.
Complex: $180 - Includes lines, terrain color variation, symbols/terrain textures/landmark drawings/mountains/rivers, and handwritten labels.
I can also add on sea creatures and monsters and custom compass roses for an extra charge.
My pricing is based on knowing how long it takes me to do the work, how much effort it takes, and the expectation that short deadlines not be imposed. Extra complex requests and tight deadlines (for maps I'd consider anything less than three weeks to be tight) are fully welcome, but will come with an added price to account for those requirements. I would also charge far more for a commercial client, all of my prices here and in my commission info are for personal use jobs only.
You probably know this already, but I always have to say it! Make sure, whatever you're charging, you're making above minimum wage. Ideally, you should make more than minimum because custom art is luxury service. Your skills are valuable, so treat them like it!
I also can't recommend making a TOS to protect both you and your clients' safety enough. Mine are very much not perfect, but I'm always happy to offer them as something for other artists to reference or even just copy when making their own.
Personal Use | Commercial Use
On top of all of that, I'm very persistent with my self-promotion. I used to only use Twitter for art, but post-Elon I've branched back out to Tumblr and made a Bluesky because suddenly it was really scary to notice that all my eggs (clients and followers) were in that one volatile basket. I'm not famous or wildly successful, but my followings on here and Bluesky are still a tiny fraction of on Twitter and that's scary. I try to reblog/retweet/etc my promotional posts once a day to keep eyes on them (but I forget pretty often too lol) and whenever I have a little drawing or something I post it. I'm not the most prolific artist, but I try not to worry about that too much.
Hopefully this isn't too much stuff you already know and hopefully some of it was helpful!
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kentos-filmcamera · 3 years
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10 times, 1 occasion - Inumaki Toge
4. Tending
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A/N: oop i'm on a roll rn with two chapters in two days in a row. the next one is probably going to take a while but seriously I'm so happy with all the support, it keeps me going. this is teeth rotting fluff, so enjoy! ~g
Previous Chapter | Next Chapter
No matter how many times he was reminded that you were okay, Toge would rather die before leaving your bedside. He watched over you, in his navy sweats and Jujutsu Tokyo Tech gray pullover sweatshirt, taking a few showers to change back into the same clothes. He cooked ramen and onigiri balls in the common kitchen down the hall. He only left for more than ten minutes to visit Fushiguro, who met the same fate as you, but left you with Maki or Panda, even Gojo if he was around and no one else was available.
The latter liked drawing things on your expensive drawing paper with the expensive ink you so hoarded from others and placing them on the board by your desk, next to Post-It notes wishing you well from fellow Tokyo Tech students, and Kyoto students alike. Kamo had wished you a speedy recovery and flattering words on your technique, Miwa left a well-wishes message with hearts drew on and Todo wrote that he lamented your injury because your taste in women was far beyond better than the rest of your fellow classmates, except for Itadori, and complimented your ‘Tina Snow’ Megan Thee Stallion poster.
Once again, while placing a damp, cold towel on your forehead, Toge sighed deeply, cleaning away the fever you were sweating. You breathed through your mouth, nose, cheeks, and lips settling in a darker red color by the heat you emanated. Shoko healed you and Megumi just perfect, but as a difference, your body wasn’t reacting well to the invasion. Still, Inumaki diligently took care of your every need while you slept for the past three days, fighting the urge to command for you to wake up, and watch those lively eyes flutter open while a smile blossoms on your cheeks. They were waiting for you to continue the goodwill event officially after the “minor” issue with the special grades.
It was late in the afternoon, the orange sun leaking through the blinds. Toge set his book down for a second and stared at you. You looked so serene, so calm and peaceful for the first time in the past few days, whereas you looked agitated and distressed in your slumber. He leaned down and kissed your forehead. You shuffled happily in your sleep and laid even deeper into your bedsheets.
“Wow! This room is so cool!” Itadori gasped as he passed the doorframe. Toge narrowed his eyes but still stood up to greet the first years. “How come my room doesn't look like this?!”
Your room was cozy. The color scheme was warm; your walls were a very light beige, your bed was composed of a terracotta-colored duvet, light pink bed sheets, and a white throw blanket. The nightstand was a yellow bookshelf with a lamp on top, a framed picture resting there, along with your phone. Your desk was yellow as well with a bulletin board on the wall in front of it. On the desk rested some plants, an assortment of drawing, painting, and coloring supplies, aside from a Bluetooth speaker that resembled an old radio. The wall behind your bed was full of posters of artists and movies, and artwork that either you painted or you commissioned. By the window, there was a light moss green couch with different pillows, and a lavender purple throw Inumaki used to wrap himself in when he napped. He sat next to your bed on a light pink office chair he positioned on the empty space between your closet and your bed. It was a colorful room, to say the least.
“Because you’re a man, Yuuji” Nobara rolled her eyes and walked towards your bed, combing her fingers through your hair to brush it slightly. She fluffed the pillows behind your head and fixed the collar of the silk pajamas you wore specifically made for when injured. Maki spoke so highly of you, Nobara wanted to treat you her best, because she knew you deserved it.
“How is she?” Megumi asked Inumaki. Nobara and Itadori were both snooping around the room. Yuuji browsed the bookshelf with a frown, while Kigusaki looked through your cosmetics bag before heading to the bathroom, which stood to the door on the left when one entered the room, talking about checking out your skincare routine.
“Tuna” He signaled his phone and got to typing. Soon, Megumi’s phone buzzed. Itadori rushed over to read the text over his shoulder, Kugisaki on her tippy toes to read from his other shoulder as well.
[ Inumaki Toge: they’re okay. shoko said they’ll wake up soon enough. probably just drained ]
“So you’ve been here with her all these past few days? All the time?” Kugisaki asked.
Toge nodded, shifting comfortably on the seat “Shake” He confirmed.
“Aww! I wish I had a partner like you!” Nobara sighed dreamily. Toge froze. His jaw clenched and his eyes widened to almost hit every corner of his face. As if it was even possible, he turned paler. He could feel his heartbeat drumming in his ears. Partner? Your partner? Why would anyone think that? You were just a friend… unless you didn’t want to be. A friend he had strong feelings for. A friend he had its own pet name for. A friend he loved. Oh my. His face went from paperwhite to a bright red, as he once again zipped up the collar of his shirt to cover his lower half.
“Look what you did, Nobara! You broke him!” Itadori shook her, while Inumaki stared blankly at the floor. Fushiguro realized Kugisaki had touched a nerve since the attraction between the two of you was so apparent, everyone had seen you two laugh together incessantly, hold hands, hug each other often, and damn, he even had a word in his vocabulary to refer to you specifically. He pointed with his head to the door and the three left silently for a second. Inumaki watched them leave and sighed into his hands. That was frustrating.
You shuffled in your sleep slightly, Toge’s attention turning to you quickly, standing upright from his chair to look as you fluttered your eyes to stare back at him. Just as he expected, a smile arose from your mouth as soon as you noticed him there, before you went into a coughing fit. He panicked and took a few steps towards your yellow mini-fridge, scouting for a bottle of water, which he found soon enough. He held the bottle for your mouth, with which you gladly took in and drank all the water in a matter of seconds. He cleaned your wet cheeks and sat at the foot of the bed carefully, as you tried to sit upright without disturbing your wound.
“Kelp” He greeted you, with his usual fondness towards you and a smile he tried to hide.
“Hello, Inumaki-kun” You rasped with a blush on your cheeks, coughing slightly before smiling at him. “Don’t worry, I’m here; I’m okay”
He sighed deeply and the weight on his shoulders he didn’t even realize he had lifted. He now knew that you were okay. His heart fluttered in his chest as you reached out your hand, urging him to get close to you. Once he did, you combed your hand through the gray strands, making him melt into your touch.
He leaned to lay down by your side. “How’s everyone? What time is it? How long have you been here?” You bombarded him with questions he was more than glad to answer.
Toge just looked at you briefly before grabbing his phone. He typed something and soon your phone vibrated next to you on your nightstand.
[ Inumaki Toge: everyone is ok. ]
[ fushiguro had the same cursed buds as you in his stomach, he’s fine now and i think in the hallway. ]
[ it’s 5:30 PM. i’ve been here the last 3 days you’ve been unconscious ]
You stared at the messages in shock “You’ve been here three days? You seriously didn’t have to, I was asleep”
“Okaka'' Toge shook his head with a frown. He typed something else. [ Inumaki Toge: i was worried about you. besides, you kept sweating, i had to level your temperature often because of the fevers ]
Your eyes watered as Toge’s widened. He panicked. Had he said something wrong? Did you get the wrong undertone from his texts? If that was it, should he start to use tone indicators? “Thank you” You sniffled “You didn’t really have to take care of me”
Right now, he really wished to speak to you clearly, so you really knew what he meant. “Tuna Mayo” He was only able to mutter before reaching to caress your back as quiet tears flowed down your cheeks. Soon enough, your phone vibrated.
[ Inumaki Toge: i got you your favorite tea :)) chai with a touch of nutmeg and lavender ]
“Aw…” You smiled “Thank you” You sighed deeply, the usual warmth spreading across your chest. The one that came whenever he bought you something or gave you a hug, or a brief touch.
[ i’ll go heat it up, okay? stay put ]
He removed his arm from your healthy side, and slipped out of the bed comfortably, removing the collar of his neck to kiss your forehead. I love you.
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twoflipstwotwists · 3 years
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Becky Downie has missed out on an Olympics before. In a 13-year gymnastics career, which has seen her win 14 major medals, she felt the heartbreak of watching a home Games from the sidelines in 2012. But this time is different, she says.
On Monday, her shock omission from the Tokyo 2020 team was announced, and she now says she can “never forget” the turmoil she endured from British Gymnastics during the selection process.  She also hints that her treatment was influenced by her decision to speak out at the culture of abuse within gymnastics, suggesting she was “made to feel not welcome” at the sport’s training hub at Lilleshall after going public.
In an exclusive interview with Telegraph Sport, Downie describes the last few weeks as "the hardest of her life". She had thought things could not get worse than 2020: Olympic postponement, the fallout after she joined whistleblowers to speak publicly about what she described as "normalised" abusive training environments, and her father's time in intensive care battling Covid-19.
But last month tragedy struck when her brother Josh, 24, died suddenly from an undiagnosed heart condition while playing cricket. It was news Downie says "you never imagine receiving". To make things worse, she received the devastating call on the eve of the final Olympic team trial, while apart from her family at a hotel in Cardiff.
"I got a knock on the door after midnight, and my first thought was it must be drug testers," Downie says of that night. "I was half asleep, completely dazed. The coaches came in and when they told me [that Josh had died], I thought, am I actually dreaming this? There are really no words to really describe it. There were a lot of tears. It was the longest journey of my life, getting back to be with my family in Nottingham."
Sat in her living room in Nottingham now, Downie still has a look of disbelief on her face as she describes the events of the last few weeks. Condolence cards are placed around the room to mark how raw and recent her family's grief remains. Mounting more pain on top of that seems unimaginable, but the blows have kept coming.
Just two months ago, she was on top of the world after executing what she believes is a world leading uneven bars routine. At 29, she felt in the form of her life. When she posted a video of her routine online, major champions were applauding her in the comments, even the legendary Nadia Comaneci. Downie believes the routine put her in contention for a gold medal.
But last Friday her appeal was denied, and British Gymnastics confirmed she would not go to Tokyo. It is less than two years since she won a stunning silver medal at the World Championships - a competition that counted as a trial for the Olympic squad - but somehow she has failed to make even the three reserve spots for Tokyo. Though Downie has wished all of the gymnasts selected the best, she remains baffled by her exclusion - especially because she “met all the criteria” and her trials scores put her top of the rankings in bars.
British Gymnastics have defended the decision, saying they are focusing on medals in the team event, and that Downie's specialism in bars posed a "risk" to this strategy. But it has caused uproar, with a petition calling for an independent review of the selection process receiving 25,000 signatures in the last five days. Beyond selection though, Downie says what hurts the most is the way she believes the decision was made and how she was treated in the process.
After missing the final trial due to bereavement, Downie and sister Ellie were given another opportunity by British Gymnastics to compete for their spot on the team 10 days later. Though Ellie elected not to do so, Downie made the brave decision to take up the offer.
"I know that Josh would want me to, he wouldn't want me not to try," she says. What followed though, was a process where she alleges British Gymnastics lacked "any element of compassion".
They did not allow her to compete at her home gym in Nottingham or at the national centre at Lilleshall. British Gymnastics then rejected a venue she and her coach proposed and instead suggested she return to Cardiff - a six-hour round trip from her home and the very place she had learned of her brother's passing.
"That's the part that hurt me most. I refused. Why would I want to go back there? I don’t think that should have been asked of me at all."
Another venue was confirmed instead, and though British Gymnastics emphasised their intention to replicate as closely as possible the environment that the other gymnasts had competed in in Cardiff - for the benefit of fairness - Downie says it was her that was put at the disadvantage.
New obstacles included British Gymnastics failing to book her training slot at the chosen venue - a basic thing that all of the athletes had for their trial - which saw her make a 90-minute trip and have to plead with the Leisure Centre to remain open. She also had an existing dispute with the governing body because they refused to allow her to use equipment at the trial which more closely resembled that being used in Tokyo. As a bars specialist, this meant she couldn't perform her highest difficulty routine. "It's like telling Lewis Hamilton to get in a Ferrari and drive - in a sport of small margins, and high performance, equipment is always a factor."
Actually competing in the trial, while still reeling from the death of her brother, was "the hardest thing I ever had to do", and she describes national coaches walking past her wordlessly while she “sobbed uncontrollably”. But afterwards, she and Ellie walked out of the gym with "not a doubt in our mind" that she had done enough.
"If I can perform in that environment, which was harder than any Olympic final would ever be, I’m really proud," she says.
But, according to British Gymnastics, it was not enough. Knowing now that the team event was the priority in selection, she believes her exclusion from the team was already a foregone conclusion before her trial.
British Gymnastics "categorically" denies the suggestion that the trial was a "tick box" exercise, and say they trust that selection was decided purely on merit, but Downie is unconvinced. To add insult to injury, she was given a 48-hour deadline to appeal the decision, falling on the day of her brother's funeral.
"It makes me feel sick that they treated me like that," she says. "It hurts me to know the things I had to miss. Picking the flowers for the funeral whilst I was away trialling, a tribute for my brother at his cricket club, which happened when I wasn’t even given a proper training slot. I missed that, for what? There’s so much that was hurtful.
"I'll never forget that. And no amount of apologies will ever make that okay."
Downie and her sister were two of the only current British gymnasts to speak out about abuse in the sport last year, which triggered an independent review commissioned by UK Sport and Sport England. When she was left out of the squad on Monday, lobbying group Gymnasts for Change called it a "sinister warning" being sent by British Gymnastics to whistleblowers.
Does Downie think this outcome is a result of her speaking out? "It's very hard to say... But I definitely know that there has been a big behavioural shift towards me and Ellie, since that point, from certain individuals, decision makers. We’ve gone down to Lilleshall and been made to feel not welcome.
"I have been told by a person of significant importance - in the national team environment - that a lot of coaches do not agree with what we've done. Maybe I did open my mouth a year too soon, I'm not sure. If this is the sacrifice [an Olympics] then this is the sacrifice, change needs to happen. I’m proud of what I did and I don’t regret it."
Tokyo was meant to be her final bow, but now Downie has spent her first week in months out of the gym.
Downie is adamant though that she is not done with gymnastics. Despite the heartache and hurt caused, her love for the sport remains strong.
"It’s hard for me to think, can I be selected for a team ever again? I do know I want to carry on, because I want to show that routine. I haven’t done two years of work to sit on the sofa. There’s a World Championships this year. They certainly don’t have control over my final chapter. I know I want to compete again on my terms."
But the dream of Olympic gold is gone: "I genuinely believe that we could have done it. I think I had a shot at being the first female Olympic champion Britain has had in gymnastics."
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foodieforthoughts · 3 years
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Sand and Stars - Chapter Eight
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Series Summary: After the water pump being blown up, the insurgents in Baqubah are taking a hold of the food supply to the village. Camp Warhorse is in dire need of reinforcements. It has been eight months of submitting countless requests when the High Command commissions Sergeant Olivia Ross to take her group of men and women and help Captain Syverson and his team to restore a semblance of normalcy. But with the war raging, does it get two hearts closer too?
Pairing: Captain Syverson x OFC x OMC
Word Count: 4.1k
Warnings: 18+, smut, fingering, oral (female receiving), sexual intercourse, unprotected sex, foul language, mentions of war, military technicalities (thread with caution)
A/N: Dum, Dum, DUM!!! We are finally here! The smutty part of the series is here and also an added twist in the end. I hope you guys like it because we are almost reaching the end. And as always a massive thank you to the wonderful beta @thelastsock who's been a huge help. Also, thank you to @cheyentjj​ for suggesting an appropriate face claim for Liv, Julianne Hough is the only one I’ll see as Liv now.  
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<Chapter Seven
Title: Chapter Eight
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Sy grumbled as he stared at himself in the mirror. His buzz cut was growing out and his beard was becoming scrawnier. He turned his head to the side, grazing his finger over the cut he had over his cheekbone. He had no idea how he had even gotten bruised like that. He wasn’t one to have an opinion on how he looked, but now that he had a woman in his life, he was suddenly more mindful.
Shrugging his shoulders, Sy turned around to grab his t-shirt from the back of the chair. His eye caught the silver chain lying on the table. He grabbed it in his hand, turning the medal in his palm. Liv always wore it but somehow, she had forgotten about it today. Sy was not religious or superstitious but he liked the idea that Liv’s friend cared about her enough to gift her something to keep her safe all the time.
Placing the chain back on the table, Sy couldn't help but think about what he had going on with Liv since the night she had spent in his room. He felt their relationship had evolved; she was opening up to him, telling him about her life, letting him in. Although, his heart had ached when she had told him about her family.
Sy had his arm draped over Liv, his fingers entwined with hers. Her back against his chest, her head resting on his extended arm. It was the third night in a row when Liv had come knocking on his door. He didn’t question her, only embraced her and cuddled her to sleep.
“Are you still awake?” He had whispered that night, not wanting to disturb the silence.
“Yeah.”
“Can I ask you something?” When she nodded, he continued. “What did you mean by ‘no one’s waiting for you back home’?”
Sy stared at the back of her head. He had been meaning to ask her about it for a while, but the moment never seemed right. He was almost certain she wasn’t going to answer when Liv sighed.
“My dad always wanted a son.” She adjusted against him, pulling his arm tighter around her. “He’s a real estate broker and has made a fortune out of it. He always had the idea that a son would be the one he would pass the mantle to.”
Sy scoffed. “That’s misogynistic.”
“Yeah, that’s my dad.” Liv sighed. “After I was born, he was clearly disappointed. He took his frustration out on mom, he treated her very badly. In turn, she took it out on me. So, I never really spent time with them as much. When my brother was born, my father was overjoyed and showered my mother with all his love, and she decided to dedicate her life to my brother’s upbringing. When my grandma asked me if I wanted to move in with her, I didn’t even put up a fight, and neither did they.”
“Baby,” Sy turned her in his arms to face him. Liv’s eyes held sorrow but there were no tears. Sy wondered if she had grown so accustomed to being neglected by her parents, she didn’t even feel anything more than disappointment. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be. If they wouldn’t have treated me the way they did, I wouldn’t have become the person I am today. I probably wouldn’t have even joined the army.” She placed her hand on his cheek, smiling weakly. “How would I have met you?”
 Sy smiled to himself. He had kissed her after that, feeling immensely happy for having her in his life. He would have never imagined meeting an incredible woman like Liv while being out in the desert. Sometimes he wondered if he was falling for her.
“Hey!” Liv announced, opening the door wide. She had a huge smile on her face, her skin slick with sweat and her eyes blown wide with exhilaration. “Pepps’s going to tell you everything, but I was so excited to tell you first.”
Sy raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. He could see Liv practically bouncing on her toes as she rubbed her hands together. He watched as she closed the door and walked up to him to give a chaste kiss on his lips.
“You know we’ve been trying to get more people on our side,” she pulled her jacket off, draping it neatly over the chair. She plopped down on the bed, crossing her legs and smiling widely up at Sy. “We just got someone on the inside.”
“What do you mean?”
“You told me we have intel that there’s a new leader for the militants, I suggested we should try someone to infiltrate the group. Mahmoud fixed us with a young man who is on our side but will provide us information about the militant activities.”
Sy was impressed. He had approved Pepps for trying to recruit Mahmoud’s man, but Liv had no knowledge about it. He wanted to see how much effort Liv was ready to put into getting the job done. He felt even prouder and in awe of his woman every time he saw her in action.
“Also,” She straightened her leg and fished out a trimmer from her pocket. “I managed to get it from a barber shop at the village.”
Sy smirked with a naughty thought entering his mind. “Want a trim? Maybe I could help.”
Liv rolled her eyes at him and started detangling the wires from the trimmer. “Just FYI, I got everything laser removed. So, it’s smooth like butter down there.”
Sy felt his mouth go dry with the new revelation. He couldn’t help but let his imagination run wild, thinking exactly about having his mouth on the aforementioned part of Liv's body. Explicit was often where his thoughts went when he had her in his arms lately. Her body fit wonderfully in his, arranged in his arms like a perfectly matched puzzle piece. Each night he fought the urge to wake her and make love to her then and there.
“Okay, soldier. I can practically hear your thoughts.” She snickered, pointing at his crotch. He grumbled adjusting his pants that had tightened under the inevitable effect of his filthy ideas. “And this for you. I see how you keep looking at your hair and your beard. I could give you a buzz.”
Sy scoffed, grabbing his gun from the table and putting it in his thigh holster. “I’ll get it done from someone else.”
“Sy, I’m tired and I have only three hours until I have to go to my post. So please, get your ass here.” She bent down to wave her hand over the floor. She plugged in the trimmer on the socket above the bed. She looked at him expectantly, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.
“If anything goes wrong, we’ll just shave it all.” Sy muttered and sat down on the floor, resting his back against the metal frame of his bed. He grimaced as the familiar buzzing of the trimmer started behind him. With the touch of the old blades of the device, Sy winced involuntarily.
“Stop it.” Liv warned, holding onto his shoulder and running the trimmer along his neck. “I know what I’m doing, Captain J.A. Syverson.”
Sy groaned on hearing his full name. Liv staying in his room meant she noticed personal things about him. She had looked through his trunk for a spare t-shirt and casually asked him about his initials written on the metal box. He knew at some point she ought to know about his first name, but he was perfectly fine with being known by his last name for the time being.
“I figured it out by the way.” He could hear the glee in her voice over the buzzing of the machine. “Why did you never tell me your name's John Andrew?” She giggled, brushing the hairs out of his t-shirt.
“I was getting to it.” He mumbled bringing his legs up and resting his arms on them. “Who told you?”
“I’m not going to rat out my informant.” Liv tapped him on his shoulder and indicated him to look up. She trimmed the hair on the top of his head with her tongue sticking out the corner of her mouth in concentration. Sy smiled at her adorable face, his fingers itched to touch her. She kissed the top of his head when she noticed his smile, moving onto his side burns next.
He tried to look at her from the corner of his eyes while she trimmed his hair. Everything about this situation felt so domestic. He had no clue he had yearned for something like this, only feeling it now he was experiencing it. It felt blissful and satisfying. Sy also felt delighted about Liv’s cheerful attitude and watching her be her previous self was like a breath of freshness in the stale air of grief that surrounded her.
“All done.” Liv announced. She dusted off the hair, turning his head from side to side to check her work. “Part-time at the local salon has finally paid off.”
Sy was about to stand up to look in the mirror when a knock sounded on the door. Pats, from his men, pushed open the door. A cigarette hung from his mouth, his dark beard scraggly and long. Sy jutted his chin for him to speak, looking himself in the mirror and being content with the way Liv had trimmed his hair.
“Call from the base.” Pats informed, throwing a casual wave towards Liv before heading out into the corridor.
“Duty calls, Captain.” Liv yawned, sniffling and settling down on his bed. “Wake me up when you come back?” She yawned again as she pulled the blanket over her body.
“You’re going to sleep here?” Sy questioned as he walked back to Liv. He smiled as Liv nodded, pulling the blanket up to her nose. Sy looked down at her, smiling as he observed her bundled up on his bed. For the first time in his entire military career, he wanted to neglect his job and just curl up next to Liv. “How do I thank you for a job well done?”
Sy noted how Liv bit her lip between her teeth, looking up at him with mischief dancing in her eyes. She closed her eyes and brought her arm to rest on her forehead. “I’m sure you can come up with something.” She whispered sensuously, peeking at him from underneath her arm.
Sy felt his throat go dry again as several ideas popped up in his head. He cleared his throat and leaned down to place a kiss on her lips. “Will do, ma’am.” He said, stealing another kiss and walking out the room. He looked down at his wrist watch, anticipation already brewing for when he could get back to her.
***
Liv groaned as the voices of men from the other room disturbed her sleep once again. It was a hefty price to pay for being a light-sleeper and living around men who could be boisterous when need be. She turned around to face the wall and pulled Sy’s blanket closer to her face. She breathed in the faint smell of his musk, imagining him to be lying next to her. Habituation was a bitch because she couldn’t get a good sleep until she had Sy’s arms around her.
The door to his room creaked open, alerting her of another presence. She half turned her body to look behind as she heard the door lock and found Sy in the process of removing his holster.
“Back already?” She looked at her wrist watch and noted she still had plenty of time until she had to go to her post. “What did base want-” Her question was cut short as Sy kneeled down next to the bed and captured her lips for a heated kiss. She gasped as he pulled the blanket off her body and threw it unceremoniously on the floor. Without breaking the contact between their lips, Sy climbed on the bed over Liv, capturing her between his limbs.
When they broke away to take a breath, Liv placed her hands on his chest. “What was that?”
“I’m thankin’ ya.” His accent came out prominent and his voice grew huskier. Liv noted how far his pupils were blown as lust overtook his darkening orbs. Running his tongue over his lower lip, Sy leaned down again to kiss her while pulling at her t-shirt tucked in her pants.
Liv’s heart skipped a beat when Sy’s warm calloused hand touched her bare stomach. She arched her back to let Sy pull the t-shirt off her head. She moaned as Sy let his lips travel down the side of her neck, pausing to suck at an erogenous zone which made her toes curl. She grabbed at his t-shirt, tugged at it and helped Sy discard it, adding to the pile of clothes on the floor. She took a moment to marvel at his furry chest, raking her nails over his torso and down to his belly. Her core quivered as she eyed the hairy line that travelled down the middle of his stomach, disappearing beneath his belt.
“I want you so badly right now.” Sy breathed, resuming his work on Liv’s neck, his beard leaving a tingling sensation as it grazed her skin. She reached between their bodies and worked at his belt with an unrestrained urgency. His erection was already beginning to strain against the fabric of his pants, rubbing on her lower abdomen as he moved down to her chest. “I want to fuck you so hard.” He growled against her chest, pulling her bra down to expose her hardened nipples.
Liv gasped as Sy latched onto her nub, sucking at it and grabbing at her other breast. She closed her eyes, drowning herself in pleasure as Sy lavished attention on her tits, sucking and groping each in turn. She palmed Sy through his pants, getting a groan in response that vibrated against her chest. He bucked his hip down, rubbing his crotch against her hand which jostled against her own groin, sending a jolt of excitement throughout her body.
With sweaty hands, she tugged at his pants and pulled them down his hips. Sy shimmed himself out of them and kicked it down to join the discarded clothes. Liv licked her lips, grabbing at Sy’s hardening length which pulled a throaty moan from him. She gulped as she stroked his cock, her fingers unable to fist it entirely in her hand. Sy travelled down her chest leaving kisses along the trail. Her body shivered with what was to come as Sy hurriedly bared her to his gaze.
Lying under Sy’s lascivious stare, Liv’s core throbbed, her stomach fluttered as she felt exposed and vulnerable. She clenched her thighs together as the warmth from her cheeks travelled down to her chest. Sy licked his lips with desire blazing in his eyes. He leaned down again to kiss along her thigh, tickling her with his scruff and nudging her legs apart with his hands. She watched with baited breath, craning her neck to look between her thighs as Sy kissed his path to her mound. Her thighs shuddered as his warm breath washed over her drenched hole. She clutched at the sheets with the anticipation of feeling his mouth on her.
“Get to it already.” Liv pleaded. She could feel Sy smirking against her for which she wanted to just shove his face on her need when suddenly he ran his tongue over her slit. “Fuck.” She rasped as an exquisite pleasure consumed her body. She couldn’t help but moan as Sy pulled her tender folds apart with his fingers, opening her up to him as he lapped at her with voracious hunger.
“You taste delicious, Liv.” He cooed while stopping to pepper kisses on her inner thigh, his finger rimming her clenching pussy. Liv was aware of the many men littered around the compound, some even in the adjacent room. She bit her lip from stopping herself to cry out like a wanton whore as Sy thrusted a thick digit inside her. She grabbed at his shoulder, digging her nails in his skin as he returned to flick his tongue over her clit.
Liv was a squirming mess as Sy worked around her cunt, devouring her with a carnal need and thrusting his finger inside her with fervor. She brought her other hand to her exposed breast, pinching her nipples between her fingers. It wasn’t like Liv was a virgin, but she had to admit she had never felt so overwhelmed by a man eating her out. A strained moan escaped her lips as Sy added another finger and pumped them together, curling them inside her to rub against her swollen bundle of nerves. She could briefly feel his mouth sucking at her sensitive nub, nibbling at it momentarily before licking it.
“Sy.” She groaned. The knot in her belly was tense with her impending orgasm that Sy was trying to draw out from her. She gasped with widened eyes when a third finger entered her tight hole, Sy scissoring them while plunging them in and out of her. It was too much for her to take and with an unrestrained groan she came against his fingers, her body trembling under the intensity of her orgasm.
She laid spent on the bed, sweat covering her skin as ripples of aftershock travelled down her body. Sy licked her clean, placing a gentle kiss on her clit and climbing up to her face. She looked at him with a weak smile, noticing the grin on his lips under his wet whiskers.
“Fuck me, Sy.” She instructed raggedly. Sy leaned down to take her lips in his, her taste lingering on his lips and tongue. She took a shuddering breath as he lined his throbbing cock against her dripping entrance. In one swift move Sy entered her with a grunt, splitting her with his girth and drawing out a sinful moan from the pair. The tip of his cock rubbed against the apex of her womb, teasing it as he moved his hips to pull himself out before plunging inside her again.
“God, you feel so good.” Sy groaned as he began pounding into her with vigor. “I won’t last long.” He warned, laying over her body and bringing his arms underneath her back. He circled her lithe waist with his strong, wide arms as he mercilessly thrusted into her every time reaching up to the hilt, the metal frame of their bed rattling with Sy's thrusts. The sounds outside had faded into nothing, only the wet sound of skin on skin and rhythmic moans reached their ears.
Liv wound her arms around his neck kissing him deeply with a ravenous need to feel every inch of his body. “Cum inside me.” She breathed against his mouth, looking into his eyes with fervent desire. She could feel the unmistakable coiling in her lower belly as Sy’s pelvis ground against her sensitive clit. She knew Sy was close as his thrusts became frantic and his grunts became louder, chasing his release.
Liv dug her face in his neck as another wave of euphoria washed over her making her cry out in ecstasy. Her walls clenched around his pulsating cock and with a guttural, animalistic groan, Sy jerked his hips one last time as he finally reached his release. She felt his release painting her walls, milking him for every drop. The warmth pooling inside her mirroring the warmth pooling in her chest as she regarded Sy above her.
Sy lay over her, careful not to crush Liv with his weight. As he caught his breath, he made to move away but Liv placed her hands on his taut buttocks. halting his movement.
“Stay inside me.” She pleaded with him. Tears pricked at her eyes, her senses overwhelmed with the profound,  all consuming passion she had experienced moments ago. Sy looked up at her, his sweat slicked skin sliding against hers. A soft smile lifted the corners of his lips as his eyes focused on hers.
“I’ve never fallen for someone so hard and so fast.”
Liv stared at him, astonished at his words. She blinked, trying to understand if she was hearing him right. She was at a loss of words, confused and consumed with the fluttering in her chest. She could hear the rapid beating of her heart in her ears as the moments ticked by.
Sy reached up to cup her cheek, sympathy shining in his eyes at the overwhelmed woman in front of him. “You don’t have to say it back, but I think I love you.” He grazed his lips gently over hers, the carnal desire from before replaced with delicate emotion. The silent kiss they shared was soft and placid, enveloping Liv in an unknown tranquillity. “And to answer your question from earlier, base is sending more people here.” he added, with a cheeky smile.
***
Liv gazed at Sy while being seated from across him in his office. He was looking over the papers about the new team arriving later in the day. He wasn’t thrilled about accommodating more people, grumbling about how they worked better in a small unit. She bit her lip as the memories of their frenzied lovemaking from only a few hours earlier came to her mind. There was a huge hickey on her chest which tingled with her heating cheeks.
“Stop staring, Liv.” He mumbled, not even glancing up at her and reaching out to his cup of coffee.
“I’m not staring. I’m admiring.” She teased. She stood up, grabbing her gun from his table and slinging the strap over her shoulder. “Stop stressing about the new people.” She walked up to him and placed a kiss on top of his head. “I’m going to head out.”
“Stay safe.” He called out, shuffling the papers around.
“Be nice.” She winked at him when he looked up.
Liv walked out into the compound with a bounce in her step. Ever since Sy had told her he loved her, she felt elated. She knew she felt something for him but was confused if she liked him or was it love. She didn’t want to mislead him with false promises, waiting to make sure what she felt for him was indeed ‘love’. She'd made that mistake before.
Pepps greeted her near their Humvee. She had grown accustomed to the man’s company and respected him for his skills as a soldier and a negotiator. He tipped his cap at her, pulling his gun up from the hood of the vehicle. “It’s going to be a good day.” He commented before rounding out to the other side and getting into the car.
After an entire day of talking to various men and women who supported their help, Liv was content with their progress in increasing local assistance. One lady had offered her home-made lunch which had smelled delicious but owing to protocols, she had to decline. She had been ecstatic with the new information they had gathered from the informant about the militant leader which was apparent by the bouncing of her leg with impatience.
When they arrived at the camp, Liv noticed the new Humvees parked out front with new faces greeting them at the gate.
“Guess they are here.” Pepps announced, driving their car to an empty spot.
Liv noticed Sloan jogging up to her hurriedly. She alighted the car but was quickly held by the shoulders by the blonde. “You are not prepared for this.” She warned, turning her head to look behind her.
“What-?” Liv questioned but was rendered speechless as her eyes followed Sloan’s line of sight.
It was like the air from her lungs had been punched out. She felt her limbs become cold as a bead of chilling sweat dribbled down her forehead. She gulped as with pressed lips she stared at the one person she did not expect to see, not until she was on leave again. It was like god was laughing at her and plotting to twist her life as she watched both Sy and Alex walk towards her. 
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stillness-in-green · 3 years
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I felt like the plf war was rushed
1.Plf advisors getting hype but no payoff
2.Only miruko, Momo, and Kirishma got time to shine
3.Machia got defeated to easily
4.The war felt more like a raid
I don't know if I feel like it was rushed, per se--it's by far the longest arc in the story so far by number of chapters, and would be even if you cut off the Tartarus jailbreak and the entirety of the hospital aftermath. What it absolutely does feel like to me is unbalanced.
You note that the "war" feels more like a raid, and you're right. As a caveat, it's worth keeping in mind that "Paranormal Liberation War" as a name for the arc in question is entirely an invention of the fanbase. To the best of my knowledge, the reasoning for the name was that big action shonen series like BNHA (Naruto, Bleach, Hunter x Hunter, etc) always have a war arc, so what we were seeing in the lengthy, mass combat confrontation with the PLF had to be HeroAca's equivalent. It's not a term that's in the manga itself, however, not called as such by the characters, not referred to as such by Horikoshi or his editors, not even namedropped in chapter or volume titles. If it feels like a raid, that's probably because that's what it was intended to be.
And that's the problem, really. This arc shouldn't have been about a couple of raids; it should have been about a war.
(Below the cut: a bunch of fired-up complaining. Uses some harsh language, and talks about both injuries and deaths we did see and some we logically should have.)
From the outset, we were told that the resources Shigaraki had amassed were "on par with, or even stronger than" the resources of the hero-saturated society. Yet, we're expected to believe that a force that strong is so easily taken down by a single coordinated set of raids? Yes, the heroes had the benefit of surprise, but there's just so much that doesn't work for me.
First off, and to get this out of the way, it's ridiculous that the heroes even had the benefit of surprise. The MLA had an unknown number of hero double agents. They had people in the government; they had people in the infrastructure. This is an organization that had been living undercover completely unsuspected for multiple generations--how did the HPSC ever manage to carry out a massive, country-wide investigation on such a secretive group and coordinate multiple simultaneous, comprehensive raids without a single person finding out and alerting the higher-ups over a period of only three and a half months?
When exactly did Hawks have time to go and revive Best Jeanist--which he tells us he did personally--such that none of the bugs and micro-cameras he was covered with picked up on it, and both he and BJ could be back in the positions they needed to be in for the raid to begin?
How did Skeptic find out about the raid such that he only discovered it at the last possible second and not minutes, even hours, before it kicked off? How did hundreds of heroes (and even "hundreds" is being conservative, given the fact that they had seventeen thousand people to detain) close in on the villa without anyone from the PLF noticing, either Skeptic with his information network or mundane precautions like people on watch?
Even granting the heroes their surprise advantage--which I don't want to--if the advisors were all supposedly "stronger than the average hero," why didn't we see any of them winning? Okay, yes, Hose Face beat Midnight, but he had every possible advantage in that "fight"; I hardly count it as some big impressive defeat that shows us that the villains were holding their own.
Here's another thing: the MLA styled themselves as an army--they were demonstrably trained in troop tactics. When we saw them in Deika, even their nameless on-the-ground people were capable of coordinating with each other on the fly in response to the movements of the enemy, as we saw come up repeatedly:
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Yeah, they were off-guard at first, but as soon as the advisors made the front line (which, you'll note, was immediately), that disadvantage really should have begun eroding. Certainly once Geten--Geten! The number one MLA member most willing to disregard collateral damage! And there he was being a proper leader!--got to the front and started yelling orders, we should have seen the PLF rallying, and I can't imagine any sensible justification for the tides not turning when a) Re-Destro showed up to occupy the highest-ranked hero on the field, b) a bunch of heroes peeled off to try to stop Machia only to get trampled for their efforts, and c) Trumpet got dug out.
You know who don't style themselves as an army, though? Heroes. Oh, they get some basic lessons in cooperation as students, but the extent of such lessons we see is stuff like "why it's important for heroes to have signature moves"--so that on group missions, their reputations will precede them and fellow heroes will already know their shtick. U.A. teaches the odd lesson plan that involves the kids fighting in groups, but there's a huge difference between you and 3 to 6 of your buddies fighting a similarly-sized group in a practice fight, or a handful of heroes teaming up to take down some criminal low-lives, and the mass combat scenario that was the raid. For heaven's sake, look at our closest other equivalent: the raid on the Hassaikai base. At every turn in that encounter, the heroes let themselves get split up and picked off, winnowing down their numbers. It's even explicit in the narrative that hero team-ups were, in the age of All Might, uncommon, and heroes are only just beginning to adjust to fighting in teams. The erstwhile MLA should have had the advantage there.
As to Machia's defeat, I think the big problem with it is not how it happened, per se, but the timescale involved. The plan itself was sound enough, and even with all the kids' efforts, it still took Machia reaching Shigaraki and not getting any new orders to follow to really do him in. Given what we can extrapolate about his movement speed, though, I just don't think the kids should have had time to set all those traps, especially given how much of that equipment would have had to be fabricated by Momo on the fly. I know she's gotten stronger and all, and good for her, but you're telling me that in the four months between Joint Training and the raid, she went from passing out because she created a bag of goodies and one (1) cannon to being totally fine and still able to coordinate her fellow students while cranking out 23 jars of sedative, dozens of feet of rope/cable, multiple fire-resistant coats, explosives they somehow had time to bury, and three cannons?
For fuck's sake, Jirou gave Machia's ETA as under ten seconds. Yeah, Mount Lady slowed him down, but "only a little"--how much time could she possibly have bought them, that the kids were able to to coordinate and enact everything that plan involved?
You guys, go read this post by @codenamesazanka. Machia is so fast. So unbelievably, incredibly fast. "Twice as fast as the fastest train in the world" fast. "Horikoshi clearly did not stop to think about the distances involved here" fast. Three miles in ten seconds fast. It would have been hard enough to square with the needs of the plot that the kids were sufficiently far from the villa to have the kind of time they needed to swing Momo's plan at all, but Horikoshi explicitly letting Machia get right on top of them before the kids even start just makes it completely impossible for me to credit. Machia clearly being slower aboveground than he is when burrowing does not make that much difference to my suspension of disbelief.
My other big complaint? More people should have died, for real. The PLF warriors would not have been holding back. They were ready and willing to kill anyone they came up against. The heroes did have to hold back, because heroes, as we're told over and over again, are not supposed to kill, no matter how dire the circumstances. That difference in ability to exercise force should have been yet another significant advantage for the PLF. I could write an entire list of characters that I think could have reasonably been killed during the raids. That wouldn't be to say that I think any individual, specific character on that list should have died, just that, based on the parameters as they were presented to audience, some number of them should have.
I mean, honestly. How did Horikoshi wanna show us Gang Orca's unmoving claw in the wake of Machia's passage and not have Gang Orca on the list of the dead? How did Fat Gun run right into a mass melee and still have enough fat left over afterward to survive getting trampled by a walking mountain? How did Thirteen survive not getting pulled out of the hospital basement when Shigaraki's Decay hit? How did Trumpet survive getting a staircase dropped on top of him? How did Gran Torino survive a fist through his tiny old man chest cavity?
I could go on and on, but it's not just about the deaths, either. I'm not saying that Kamui Woods necessarily should have died by swinging himself face-first into a blast of blue fire, but I am saying that he should have been out of commission for longer than three goddamn days. You bet your ass I'm saying that after telling us that Hawks' weak point is fire, making us watch him spend at a solid minute or more with his wings wholly enveloped in Dabi's 2000 degree flames, and having Dark Shadow exclaim that his back is completely burned away, Hawks should never have grown his wings back, much less so quickly that they were already visible under his shirt a single day later.
More deaths, more maiming--heck, even more retirements. I'm not saying I love that kind of thing in my fiction--I don't, actually. I think an overreliance on it is a sign of edgelordy nonsense. But the scenario that we had demanded to be treated with the kind of gravity that would have led to such an outcome. To set up a conflict like the raid and have the villains only barely be able to scrape a partial escape, to try to tell us that Shigaraki's victory in Deika granted him such a terrifyingly powerful force only to have them lose every battle they got into, to tell us this was a blow that shook Hero Society to its core, only to be so unwilling to kill or retire any heroes the audience cares about that Midnight is literally the only significant loss… It doesn't work. None of it works.
I don't have much to say on which characters did or didn't get a highlight. I think there were a few more people than you listed that got some good scenes--Tokoyami and Uraraka both got material I liked quite a bit; Dabi famously out-trended the U.S. presidential election on Twitter when he (literally) came clean, and Mr. Compress gave us some wonderfully interesting and characteristically opaque material to chew on. On the whole, though, adding more character moments would only have been dragging out the problem: the scale of the PLF's threat and the HPSC's chosen method of dealing with it are simply incompatible with the feeble "neither side truly won or lost" resolution we got.
And that's my rant on that--thanks for the ask!
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(art commission by the lovely and talented @curious-menace)
It is a time where I would like to see what my followers think about various concepts I have in mind pertaining to alternate versions of one my fics. It may take some time to write out any alternate versions since I've been busy and stressed out so much lately, but I am very curious as to what others would find intriguing to read.
But first, some backstory so be patient. We'll get to the voting at the end of this post.
I've been having a lot of bad days lately, and my mood has plummeted to a major low. This includes my self-esteem, which has always been in the dumps but is now basically a dumpster fire.
However, I don't want to be entirely cruel to myself. I deserve some sort of happiness, some sort of reprieve, and writing can be a good coping mechanism. I put a lot of my own thoughts, emotions, struggles, opinions, etc. into my works, as they serve as a way for me to get things off my chest. Sometimes, it's just cute and funny stuff, other times angsty but eventually fluffy stuff, and other times it's quite depressing and dark.
One fic, in particular, stands out, and that is the Mortal Kombat/Batman Arkhamverse crossover, "Volunteer," (trigger warnings: mentions psychological torture and suicide...more about this fic in a bit for those who would rather not read it because of those triggers) which features Arkham Knight Edward Nigma and Jonathan Crane, as well as a lady friend for Edward named Sara. It also features Erron Black and Cassie Cage from Mortal Kombat (Cassie is only mentioned in the story a few times).
If you read the blog intro/self-introduction post pinned at the top of my Tumblr, you know very well how I feel about Cassie Cage (particularly in MK11) and the Erron Black x Cassie Cage (BlackCage) pairing. Those negative feelings are mostly due to a very bad experience with a pushy BlackCage fan who just wouldn't relent one bit on their stance and it was emotionally and mentally draining to try and talk to them, including providing counter-arguments.
I've come up with alternate versions for "Volunteer" recently due to the spike in stress, depression, anxiety, and insecurities I've been dealing with as of late. This is where my followers come in!
I would like people to vote on which alternate take on "Volunteer" they would be interested in reading. Now, I can't guarantee when I'd get to it because, as I mentioned already, I've got a lot going on. However, I really want to try and write at least one alternate version of that fic, just to get some insecurities and negative thoughts off my chest.
Now, for those who are wary of reading "Volunteer" because of the trigger warnings, here's my advice: Just read the first chapter, if you want to. Chapter 2 deals directly with the sensitive subject matter, although, you can probably guess what happens anyway just by reading Chapter 1 and if you know anything about Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow...well, he likes to mess with people...mentally. To put it very mildly.
Now it's time for the voting. I have three different scenarios I've come up with that are variations/alternate versions of the current "Volunteer" fic's concept/storyline. I'd like followers to select 1 (one) alternate telling of the fic. I will open anonymous asks again, so if you are shy or just want your vote to remain a secret for some other reason, then that's fine by me. Otherwise, you can reply to this post with your choice.
Edit: if you are turned off by the idea of a Mortal Kombat/Batman Arkhamverse crossover, I get it. I don't read crossover fics myself, and that's usually because the crossovers either make no sense or do make sense but the ideas are poorly executed.
This crossover I'm talking about, though, isn't a full-on crossover of MK and Batman. There's no world-building, no larger plot, and no other characters in MK even appear or are mentioned except Erron Black and Cassie Cage.
If anything, it's more of a Batman Arkhamverse standard AU with Riddler and a female oc, and Erron and Cassie are the only concrete elements of MK brought in. I mean, yes, the other MK characters exist, I guess, but they have no purpose in this crossover I've written, and won't make any appearances.
So, if you had any concerns about the crossover aspect, I hope this clears things up
Choices below the cut!
A) "Don't You Wish"
This version is inspired by a song from Pink, called, "There You Go." In this alternate telling, Erron manages to survive Scarecrow's fear toxin, and escape (most likely because Erron is out of his mind and panicking, thus not a threat, and he has no one to help him, so Scarecrow doesn't give a damn what happens to the dude). The first thing Erron does is go to Sara's place, having already broken up with Cassie after realizing dating her was a mistake, and Sara means more to him than he thought.
Well, it's been several months since Sara basically pushed Erron out of her life for his poor choice in women, and (Arkham Knight) Edward Nigma has proven to be a much better (and, wiser and more sensible -- yes, I know, but he's not a skirt chaser, Guys) friend to Sara. While Erron ran off with a blonde selfie princess, Edward offered genuine comfort and companionship, and now Sara has been in the process of moving on from Erron even further.
Sara humors Erron and lets him tell her -- while sounding terrified, confused, and conflicted beyond belief thanks to the fear toxin -- what happened to him. Now, Sara doesn't know Edward asked Scarecrow to take care of Erron as a means of getting revenge for her. Doesn't matter anyway. She's unsympathetic towards Erron's plight, feeling as if he didn't even give her a chance to confess her feelings towards him, nor did he even seem to notice how she felt; it was like he was too busy with thinking with his privates to realize he had someone in front of him who would have treated him better.
Sara tells Erron -- in a flat, disinterested tone -- that his situation is tragic and all but wtf is she supposed to do? Why not go to his dumb blonde gf? Oh, they broke up? Well, how predictable. And Crane is also a (sort of) friend to Sara, which shocks Erron and leaves him feeling worse than before.
Sara sends Erron on his way, and he wanders off in a daze, unsure of what to do with his life now.
Sara and Edward meet the next day, and they have a pleasant time, obviously moving towards becoming a couple. She chooses not to mention Erron as she is completely severing the cowboy from her life.
B) "I Don't Even Miss You"
This alternate telling is similar to the previous one, but this time it's inspired by a Miley Cyrus song, "WTF Do I Know" (Hey, her Plastic Hearts album is actually fantastic!), and Edward is with Sara when Erron arrives at her place in a distressed state. At first, Sara deals with Erron in the hall of her apartment building, unsympathetic to his plight and basically telling him, "I told you so," and "too bad." Erron is getting more and more upset, even angry at Sara's callous tone, and starts to raise his voice, demanding to know why she is being so cold at a time like this?
Edward overhears Erron raising his voice to Sara, giving her a difficult time, and he gets pissed. Edward steps out into the hall and not only mocks Erron in various ways, but demands that he leave immediately, or what Scarecrow did will seem like a trip to Disney Land. Erron has caused Sara -- who is currently moving on and growing closer to Edward -- enough problems and heartache.
Edward reveals he set up Erron, and while Sara is stunned to find this out, she handles it better than expected. Edward said it was his way of getting revenge for her, and he'd do it again if need be. Erron is sent away feeling so much worse, feeling lost, hopeless, and betrayed.
Sara and Edward talk and she admits she's upset that he did something like this without speaking about it to her first. However, he explains that he genuinely did it for her and he doesn't want her to feel pain at the hands of some "idiotic cowman," who doesn't consider the feelings of others and who behaves like a greedy, violent Neanderthal. (And yes, Edward does care for Sara, and he didn't send Scarecrow after Erron out of jealousy -- maybe a little jealousy but it was mostly rage over Erron causing Sara so much emotional pain)
Sara means more to Edward than he can express, and he may not be the best when it comes to emotions, but he does care about her and wants her to be safe.
Sara forgives Edward, understanding that, through his heartfelt but very nervous and shy confession that he is sincere about his feelings for her, and they make amends. She of course tells him to never do something so extreme without consulting her first, though, because what happened to Erron -- while she doesn't care what happens to him in the slightest -- was a bit too much.
C) "Listen When the Devil's Calling"
Another title inspired by a Miley Cyrus song, "Night Crawling," and this alternate telling involves Telltale Riddler and no Scarecrow. Almost a year has passed since Erron went with Cassie and Sara, out of bitterness and heartache, refused to speak or see him. This didn't sit well with him as she was his only friend, and his relationship with Cassie dies within a few months.
He goes looking for Sara, realizing she has moved out of her apartment. It doesn't take him long to find out where she is, and she's with The Riddler, a notorious criminal genius and one of Gotham's elite villains. Erron is worried for Sara and seeks her out.
Turns out, Sara's just fine. This isn't one of those scenarios where the girl is with a guy who just using her and taking advantage of her vulnerability. No, Edward does actually love her and takes good care of her. He finds people like reckless, selfish, and ignorant people like Erron to be a disgrace but also amusing because of how pathetically primitive they are.
Edward also doesn't appreciate how Erron pushed aside a good thing in Sara to pursue a girl who is a social media brat and has more selfies on her phone than brain cells in her, well, brain. It defies all logic to Edward, but he's also not surprised because of how much of a disappointment Erron is as a human being (hey, this is Riddler we're talking about, and he's not one to be sweet and gentle to those he can't stand). Edward doesn't say these things out loud, though, as it's a bit too vulnerable and personal for him to do such a thing with someone he doesn't know or trust.
Sara is upset that Erron has resurfaced and she remembers how heartbroken she was when he went after Cassie Cage. She wants Erron to leave her alone like she asked, so she can move on. She can't trust him anymore, because he's just a skirt chaser in her eyes.
Erron tries to plead his case, tries to apologize to Sara, and expresses how he really feels, but this just distresses her further. Edward steps in and tells Erron he's done enough to Sara, she clearly doesn't want to see him, and he needs to take his leave.
This isn't a request.
Edward pulls Erron aside, telling the cowboy that the only reason he's going to walk away from this alive is that Sara hasn't asked for him to be killed. Should she tell Edward to take care of Erron, well, you all know what Telltale Riddler is like.
And those are the three variations on "Volunteer."
If you could be so kind as to:
leave a comment with your choice or
send an ask (even an anon ask) with your choice or
suggest your take on this story.
I'd appreciate it immensely!
Thank you all so much for supporting me and my writing and being patient with my sluggish publishing schedule!
23 notes · View notes
winchest09 · 4 years
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The Bunker Party - Sept Debrief
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Hey my darlings! 
We promised you a bunker edition of our Bunker Party and man...we were not lying. We have SO much stuff to share with you, my little excited fingers cannot type fast enough. 
September’s Bunker Party was just amazing. It was so lovely to see so many new faces! My cheeks still ache from the laughs and it was so lovely to see so many of you sharing your love for all things Supernatural. Seriously, SPN does have THEE best fandom and I’m so glad to be a part of it.
6 and a half hours we were hanging out for…SIX AND A HALF! To see so many beautiful faces, hear so many lovely voices and to spend time with new people was just a dream! The support from you guys for each other, the love in this fandom; I can’t express how much I adore it.
Me and @katehuntington​​ love holding these events and we are already planning the next live stream (date to be announced) but it will be in October and my even hold a spooky theme...
So…to the debrief!
Below you will find: 
Everyone who joined - their tags, what’s coming up fic wise and their masterlist.
Announcements, News and links to Patreons!
Challenges to join - we have five! 
Blogs who want to help with your writing
Graphics and Icons
Fic & blog recs
So without further ado… *cracks fingers*
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You are the guys that make it the live stream what it is, and we can never thank you enough. So below is a list of everyone who was on the chat yesterday accompanied by their masterlist and a little blurb of what they have coming up soon! For your reading pleasure and in no particular order… 
@katehuntington​​: The new chapter of Ride with Me is out NOW and she is currently working on the next instalment. The Sullivan Series is now scheduled to be posted every FRIDAY and if she can, she’s posting twice a week! So keep your eyes peeled for that and she is going to be finishing All I Want soon too!
She is also hosting a challenge that you can find out about below!
Her masterlist can be found HERE
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@talesmaniac89​​:  This beaut has been working a lot on editing images lately, making aesthetics and dividers for everyone to use! More on that further down. Besides that, she has a new chapter of The Man in Apartment 43 coming out. The next chapter of Missing in Action as well as the next one of Lost.
She also is working on another two AU series that are top secret at the moment...watch this space ;)
Check her out guys, her masterlist is HERE
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@waywardbeanie​​: Shelli has come so far in the matter of a few months. From being a reader to now a series writer! This absolute gem of a woman is working on her very first fanfiction called “A Man Of Letters” and it’s an absolute DIAMOND. Dean. Letters. Fluff. Smut. It’s gonna tick all them boxes and it’s a must read!
She is now ALSO working on her second series, Life on Tour, an RPF Jensen x reader going live on October 1st! Find the announcement and her AMAZING tour video...HERE
Call my a fangirl, cause I am THERE. 
You can find her masterlist HERE
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@smol-and-grumpy​​: Nat has such a juicy masterlist. She is a few chapters away from finishing Euphoria and has already announced her next series Golden Cage! 
She is also hosting a challenge at the moment that you can find out about below. 
You can find her masterlist HERE
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@atc74​​: We were thrilled to see Ang on our livestream. She has just celebrated four years on tumblr and she has such an extensive masterlist of goodies!
As you may have seen, she’s currently rewriting Souls to Souls as well as a new idea that she’s cooking up. Watch this space! 
She is also hosting a challenge at the moment that you can find out about below.
Her masterlist can be found HERE
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@whatareyousearchingfordean​​: Alex is nailing it at the moment with her fictions. She’s currently posting Happiness Continued (the sequel to Happiness Begins) and she’s posted some delicious new oneshots since we last saw her. She also has other idea’s that she is working on so keep your eye on her blog if you’re not already ;) 
Her masterlist can be found HERE
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@flamencodiva​​: Vanessa is currently reposting her works back onto a new blog that she has created. She is posting Getting Back to You at the moment, as well as some of her old oneshots. I also know, thanks to some little birds, that she has some AMAZING new series just waiting to see the light of tumblr...you’re not gonna be disappointed. 
Check out her masterlist HERE
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@superfanficnatural​​:  Mert has took some time away from the writing world but nothing could keep him from showing his fantastic self on our livestream. He’s slowly getting back into his writing thanks to much encouragement ;) and is chipping away at the next add for his series The Choice. 
He has some other series in the works, a couple of collaborations that he’s got under his belt too...
We’re living for it!
Go and give him some love, his masterlist can be found HERE
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@deanwanddamons​​: Sian is an absolute sweetheart and is working on a few things at the moment. She recently completed her reblog challenge for August where you can find a DELIGHTFUL masterlist HERE. 
Aside from that, she’s got three WIPS and I know of some oneshots AND a new series she’s cooking up. OH, I am excited!  
Her masterlist can be found HERE
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@jensengirl83​​: Brandy is an absolute doll and we adore her. She is still relatively new to SPN fanfic but that doesn’t stop her from dominating it! She has over twenty oneshots under her belt already!  
Not ONLY that, she is now over twenty chapters deep into her FIRST SPN Dean fanfiction, Regret and Redemption. Although, only seven chapters have graced your dashboard ;) 
She has more up her southern sleeve though so watch this space! 
You can find her masterlist HERE
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@malfoysqueen14​​: Angel is still new to the supernatural fandom but that doesn’t stop her putting her hand to fanfic and being the sweetheart that she is! 
Her first fic, White Flag, is being reworked into a reader insert and she is also working on another Dean x reader series. Beginning of the End! 
She also writes for other fandoms. 
You can find her masterlist HERE
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@soaringeag1e​​: We adore Meg and her extensive list of spn fanfiction! There is so much for you to feast your eyeballs on. 
She is currently working on her series Escape and we have been treated to hearing about her new series, Behind Closed Doors. 
It’ll be an AU. There will be crossed universes and it has a twist that’s super juicy. Get yourself signed up if you’re not already! 
You can find her masterlist HERE
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@alleiradayne​​: Jeanna is such a sweetheart and we absolutely adored having her on our livestream! As we mentioned last time, she had been commissioned to write a SPN fanfic piece for a charity auction (details below) and she told us all about it on the stream! 
If you like destiel, she is writing a Destiel fanfiction called Long Jacket which has a take that we’ve not heard of before. 
She is also writing a new series which is going to be quote long apparently! Like 60 chapters! But we are SO there for it.
You can find her masterlist HERE:
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@emoryhemsworth​​: This beaut has broken her lil hiatus and posted the sequel to Because of You. Piece by Piece is amazing and if you haven’t read it yet, i suggest you check it out. She’s also writing her first chapter of her series called “Losing Sleep” as well as a TWD crossover fic!
She also has got ideas for a sequel to her fic Wonder Woman and a oneshot based on “Raining on Sunday” by Keith Urban.
Check our her masterlist HERE:
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@manawhaat​​: This babe joined us once again and we loved having her, even if it wasn’t for long. Below you can find her humongous masterlist of goodies for your reading pleasure. 
You can find her masterlist HERE
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@anathewierdo​​: Ana is such a darling and we always love having her on the streams. She’s currently reposting her fic Call of the Ocean which is a collaboration with Flamencodiva. Not only that, she’s also working on a Princess Diaries AU, a Serial Killer AU and many more!
You can find her masterlist HERE
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@deanmonandnegansbitch​​: Yas was new to our stream this time around and we ADORED having her. She has quite a bit on her masterlist already and she is currently working on her current series, Tuyo! 
Check it out and give her some love. 
You can find her masterlist HERE
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@impala-1979​​: Lauren was another newbie for our stream this time and again, we loved having her on here! At the moment, she has a Sam series in the works which is an Insane Asylum!AU as well as an RPF called Nymphomania. 
She is also in the middle of a pornstar A/B/O AU with JDM! 
She also has many, many more goodies on offer! 
You can find her masterlist HERE
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@defenderrosetyler​​: Ali was new to our stream and we were so glad she chose to spend some time with us. She currently has a couple of oneshots available on her masterlist for both Sam and Dean! 
Judging from some of our topics of conversation last night, she also has some amazing idea’s coming your way soon. Definitely one to keep an eye out for! She’s a total sweetheart too! 
You can find her masterlist HERE
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@thinkinghardhardlythinking​​: Saira was also new this time to our stream and we were so excited to meet her. She’s a new writer and is new to tumblr but she’s already written a couple of pieces to share with everyone! 
She’s such a sweetheart. She’s wrote two oneshots to cheer up the fans who are struggling with the show ending...you can find the Dean one HERE and the Sam oneshot HERE. 
Also, upon hearing that a fellow member of the SPN fandom was in hospital, she wrote this piece HERE. 
Please show her some love and support <3
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@that-one-gay-girl​​: This was the first time we met Sydney and she’s such a lovely person. We’re so grateful she joined us and talked to us about all things Supernatural. She’s a fairly new writer and has yet to create a masterlist but that hasn’t stopped her from writing her series “Gone��
It’s dean x reader and definitely one to keep your eye on! 
You can find Chapter One HERE
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Me: The latest chapter of Life for Rent is out NOW and I’m currently working on the next one, which i’m half way through. Only four more before that series is completed.  I’m also working on Man’s Best Friend as well as a brand NEW series which will be posted once one series is finished. I also have a couple of Dean oneshots I’m working on right now.
My masterlist can be found HERE:
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To the upcoming writers & readers…
@leissa1287​​, @winchesterxfamilybusiness​​, @dawnie1988​​, @jules-1999​​, @adoptdontshoppets​​, @gothicwombat42​​ & the few nonnies we had!
We were treated to hear about some of your upcoming plans for fictions. 
Dawnie: Signing up for Sabrina’s challenge and taking that leap to write. If you need us, you know where we are for idea bouncing and everything else. 
Sabrina: Again, we’re here for you hun. Your series idea sounds wonderful and if you need help, you know where we are. 
Jules: Same goes for you hun, your series idea is one we’ve not heard of before and we were all hooked once you explained it. Reach out if you need us, we’ll do whatever we can to help. 
Also, to upcoming writers and readers, we want to thank you for your constant support, your feedback, your words, your reactions to what we write. Your likes, your reblogs, your asks. We appreciate every single thing you do. So thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We love you.
Also, remember guys - we’re all here to love and support you! My inbox is always open if you want to talk about anything and everything. Even if you wish to start writing…give any of us a shout. We’re here to help!
Thank you for joining the chat and we hope you had an amazing time <3
Please spread the love and show your support to all of these amazing people, go follow and give them some love!
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We’ve got quite a few goodies this time! 
We want to bring to everyone’s attention once again, the wonderful organisation that is Ficfasers, an international fundraising group of authors and artists who love Supernatural. They offer thank yous to people who agree to donate to Random Acts by creating stories/art, crafts, and more for winning bidders and ticket buyers!
Again, this is amazing and it’s something that so many of us can get involved in. We’ve been told an event is coming up around the holiday period so watch this space! 
Want to write for Charity?
Check out their tumblr HERE
and their website HERE
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Follower achievements!
Join me in congratulating these amazing blogs as they have surpassed or are close to a follower milestone!
First of all, we have two Blogiversary’s! 
@smol-and-grumpy​​ has just celebrated an anniversary on tumblr, you may have entered her challenge, check her out if you haven’t already!
@atc74​​ is celebrating FOUR years on tumblr! How amazing is that?! If you’re not following, check her out! 
Next up...
@atc74​​ has hit 4500 followers!  @waywardbeanie​​ has just passed 250 followers!     
@whatareyousearchingfordean​​ has hit 1300!
@superfanficnatural​​ has passed 600 followers!
@malfoysqueen14​​ has passed 200!
@janicho88​​ has passed her first 100!
@soaringeag1e​​ has passed 6000 followers!
@jensengirl83​​ has hit 550 and is now on her way to 600! 
Congratulations guys!
If you’re not following them already, head on over and show them your support!
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Want to be the first to read new chapters of your favourite fics?
Some of our fabulous livestream participants have Patreon!
For a small fee a month, you get personalised drabbles, oneshots and MORE as well as first dibs on new chapters before ANYONE else! Please consider giving them your support.
The links for each authors Patreon is below:
@smol-and-grumpy​​ - Find hers HERE
@flamencodiva​ - Find hers HERE
@soaringeag1e​​ - Find hers HERE
@impala-1979​ - Find hers HERE
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Oh, IT’S CHALLENGE TIME. This month, we have FIVE challenges for you to get involved in!
First of all, we have our FIRST Christmas themed challenge! Yes, the holiday season is fast approaching so to celebrate 100 followers @janicho88​​ is hosting a Christmas Song challenge!
Check it out, HERE
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Secondly, we have @smol-and-grumpy​​‘s  SUPERFRIENDS Title Challenge! She loves Friends, she loves Supernatural so why not combine both?  Nat has given you fic titles inspired by both SPN and Friends - you just write the one shot that goes with it!
The One Where You Enter The Challenge...HERE  
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Thirdly, we have @katehuntington​​‘s Going Dutch challenge. Aside from horses and writing, her other passion is music! So she’s gathered Dutch Artists and all you need to do is write a fic/request a fic tied with a song! This is open till February so you have plenty of time. 
Check it out, HERE
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Fourthly, we have @atc74​​‘s blog celebratory challenge which is so unique and wonderful for you guys! 
You can win a chance to collab with seasoned writers, included Ang herself and all you have to do, is to enter and write your fic! There are 30 prompts available, write your oneshot to a prompt which will then be judged by impartial judges.
3 - 5 readers will win a chapter in the collaboration series!
Runners up will win a beta to a oneshot. 
Take a look and enter the challenge, HERE
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Last, but certainly not least, we have @winchesterxfamilybusiness​​‘s Make Me Swoon Challenge!
It’s exactly what it says on the tin, make Sabrina swoon! She has listed what she likes paired with a long list of prompts for you to choose from. There is still spots open. 
Check it out, HERE
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We’ve got you covered for numerous things if you need help with your fictions! 
Need a graphic? Header, banner, divider? 
Our gorgeous @talesmaniac89​​ is available to create whatever you would like! She’s the creator behind our banners for this post and numerous other masterlist across the board. Give her a message! 
 WWII and horse Knowledge?
@katehuntington​​ is your girl! She’s a little history buff and as you will know, thanks to Ride with Me, she ADORES her horses. Give her a message, she’ll be happy to help! 
Struggling with some smut?
@superfanficnatural​​ has offered his services to be the person you can go to if you need to hash out certain words, feelings and perspective. He is the perfect person to give you an insight to the male POV when it comes to sex so if you’re writing Destiel or a chapter from the guys POV, Mert is there to help!
Need help finding that one gif?
@emoryhemsworth​​ is your go to girl! Seriously, you tell her you want a gif of Dean in a specific place, wearing a certain outfit, she will find it for you in no time at all. She’s a diamond as she’ll also credit the creators! 
Struggling to find that one word? Or even a title?
@atc74​​ is your guru! She is perfect for getting you unstuck and if you’re struggling with a title, she can also help on this front! I always struggle with a title, and a summary so I know i’ll definitely be hitting Ang up if i get stuck!
Theme? Plotting? Symbolism? Dialogue?
@alleiradayne​​ is your babe! She has a passion for writing, for plot and for making fictions be like no other. She loves dialogue, and from what i’ve heard, she loves a good twist too! I know she’ll be there to support you so send her a message if you need help!
Lost a fic? Need help to find it again?
@spnfic-search-blog​​ is the blog to go too! Send an ask and they will dedicate their time to try and find it for you! 
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Need a new aesthetic? Line divider? We got you! Our fabulously talented @talesmaniac89​​ has drawn up so MANY supernatural themed line breakers, headers and more for your free usage!
Just look at some of these!
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She has a few posts full already!
We’re talking dividers, headers, banners, gifs and icons! 
Check them out HERE!
Give them a like, a reblog and please THANK HER if you use her work. She’s the most kind hearted, loving soul and a few words go a long way <3
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Blog Recs!
@just-a-touch-of-sass-and-fandoms​​​: Ana is an amazingly talented writer and has always been willing to listen when others need an ear. She’s extremely supportive, has an extensive masterlist and is a mental health warrior!  Since she hasn't been around for a couple years, she will have "fresh content" for new readers looking for good fics. 
@spnfic-search-blog​​: As mentioned before, this is the blog to follow and go to if you’re in need of a certain fic. It’s also a good place to find new ones and share the love! 
@heloisedaphnebrightmore​​:  She doesn’t fear stepping out of spn tropes and it is something that she does so well. There isn’t much on her masterlist but we love every piece of it.
@fictionalabyss​: This blog was mentioned on our livestream yesterday as they have an array of Supernatural fanfiction! Take a look at her masterlist and see for yourself! Be warned, you’ll be there for ages as she has that much stuff!
Fic Recs!
I Hurt Too by @jawritter​​
Pairing: Dean Winchester x Reader
Summary:  (Request) I have seen loads of fics and one shots where Dean is sleeping around/having a one night stand and the reader gets jealous and upset, but I was wondering if I could request one with the other way around? or maybe one where they sleep around equally? as smutty, fluffy, or angst as you want!!
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Missing Pieces by @supernatural-fangirl1967​​
Pairing: Nurse!Deanx Reader
Summary: (Request)  Could you maybe do some nurse Dean with some angsty hurt/comfort with a fluffy ending?
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Upon a hill by @roonyxx​​
Pairing: Teen!Dean x Plus!sized Reader
Summary:  What happens when the new hot guy, Dean Winchester, show interest in you?
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Twenty Minutes by @chocolateheart​​
Pairing:  Professor!Dean x Reader
Summary: Online school sucks but your professor is worth the torture.
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Stranger by @msmarvelouswinchester​​
Pairing: Dean Winchester x Reader
Summary:  Not all decisions a person takes proves to be alright. Some have grave consequences. Dean had taken a decision at the heat of the moment which he thought would prove to be alright, but what happens when he has to bear the brunt of his stupid decision?
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Love in Sin by @msmarvelouswinchester​
Pairing: AU Detective!Dean Winchester x Reader
Summary:   Special Agent Winchester is forced to go undercover with his frenemy Special Agent L/N when they try to track down a notorious drug dealer. How will Y/N and Dean complete their task? Will their relationship worsen or will new feelings emerge between them?
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When the lights go out by @jawritter​​
Pairing: Mobster!Dean Winchester x Virgin! Reader
Summary:  Life hasn’t been your best friend lately, you lost your job, and are on the verge of losing your apartment. Who knew when you decided to join a Sugar Daddy app that your best friend suggested in a last-ditch effort to save your apartment, and not end up on the street, your first and only client would turn your whole world upside down.
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Tic Tac Toe by @percywinchester27​​
Pairing:  Sam X Reader
Summary:  The reader shifts into a new city after being offered a dream job by a big firm. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect after an ugly break-up with a douche-bag Ex. But things turn out not as dreamy as she’d want them to be and the only thing that keeps her smiling is a totally coincidental game of Tic Tac Toe.
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The Queens Court by @waywardnerd67​​
Pairing:  Dean x Reader / Sam x Reader / Castiel x Reader
Summary:  She met them under unusual circumstances and offered them the only thing she could. Building relationships with three men was nothing new but then again they were no ordinary men. (Y/N) finds herself at a crossroads between the safety of her business and her heart. Will she be able to keep the life she has built for herself or leap into the unknown following her heart’s true desire.
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Stroke of luck by @percywinchester27​​
Pairing:  Dean X Reader
Summary:  Dark highway, middle of the night, a bad boy driving an Impala, and a Damsel in distress. Too cliche? Think again.
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A lot like us by @percywinchester27​​
Pairing: Lawyer!Professor!Sam X Reader AU
Summary: Y/N Y/L/N is eager and honestly, still in awe that she managed to get herself an acceptance from Stanford Law School. On the face of it, her life seems as put together, mysterious and independent as one might hope for. On the insides, she carries the burden of past that haunts her till date. Seemingly, she’d left it all behind; that is until she sets foot in the class of the Law School’s youngest, most promising professor.
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About a boy by @percywinchester27​​
Pairing: N/A
Summary:  Dean Winchester has a secret. A secret that could really land him in trouble. He never expected to connect with anyone when he walked into the ‘Blue Stone Orphanage for Boys,’ but even then, the walls he had put up are slowly coming down. Now, a series of strange events are threatening to expose him. When everything starts falling apart around him, will he still be able to save the one person that matters the most?
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Erós by @our-jensen-ackles-love​​
Pairing: Professor!Dean x Reader
Summary:  An accidental text to your Professor got you into this mess. Now you just had to decide if you wanted to stick along for the ride or go on pretending like it never happened. But why does he have to look at you like that?
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Diamonds & Shutters by @jayankles​
Pairing: Jensen x reader
Summary:  College!AU. Jensen is a baseball player and (Y/N) is a photographer, they are best friends and roommates until someone in Jensen’s life leaves him disconsolate and anguished but (Y/N)’s secret stops her from immediately mending Jensen’s broken heart.
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Out of the park by @iwantthedean​
Pairing: Jensen x reader
Summary:  Can you take a chance and make a lifetime dream come true? Can Jensen stop fighting against the path his life is taking? Will leaning on each other lead to relationship neither of you wanted or planned on?
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Bad Days by @peridottea91​
Pairing:  DeanxUnnamed!female, Sam mentioned
Summary:  Sam and Dean return from a hunt gone wrong. Sometimes it’s okay to let someone see you hurt.
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Coming Home by @soaringeag1e​
Pairing:  Jensen x Reader
Summary: (Request)  Hiya, I’m in love with your blog, and if you are taking requests I was wondering if you could do a Jensen X reader where reader is Jareds big sister but also in the military and surprises the boys at a con
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If it was to work by @deangirl93​
Pairing: Dean X Reader
Summary:  Dean gave Sam some great advice. Sam just wishes he’d take his own advice sometimes.They had a lot on their plate with their Chuck situation, but that doesn’t mean they can’t take on an old-fashion, black and white case. That also doesn’t mean they can’t go out and celebrate a job well done afterwards.Walking into that bar and seeing you was the last thing Dean thought was going to happen.Maybe Sam’s right. Maybe he should listen to his own advice.
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Cabin Fever by @slytherkins​
Pairing:  Dean x OFC
Summary:  After a hunting accident takes Dean out of the hunting game for good, he retires to a cottage in the woods with his one true love, but it’s not exactly a fairy tale ending. Pain and disability chip away at his Happily Ever After–and his sanity. After he fails to protect Chloe from a monster out of the woods, Dean falls prey to the monsters in his own head, and she and Sam must come to his rescue.
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Coming of Age by @poisongirl18​
Pairing:  Dean X Stripper!Reader
Summary:  You, Bobby Singer’s daughter, met the Winchester boys at age 8. They always adored you and treated you like the baby sister they always wanted, but you always wanted more from the oldest Winchester brother. Now that you were of age, you thought now was the time to take what you wanted.
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Let Me Go To The Show by @poisongirl18​
Pairing:  Step-Dad!Dean X Reader
Summary:  The reader wants nothing more than to see her favorite band, but her mother won’t let her go. What happens when Dean steps in and persuades the reader’s mother into letting you go. What do you have to give in return?
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Trust you with my heart by @deanwinchesterswitch​
Pairing:  Dean x Fem!Reader insert
Summary: Can Y/N finally let go of the past and entrust her heart to Dean?
Other fandom Recs!
Red Queen Chronicles by @crashdevlin​​
Pairing:  Phil Coulson x OFC (Past), Loki x OFC (Non-con), Clint Barton x OFC, Steve Rogers x OFC
Summary:  Cassie Campbell is Red Skull’s daughter, created in a lab. She’s also a Stark Tech lab assistance, a college student, a superhuman, an Avenger and a devout Christian. That’s enough to juggle, even without the ever-looming influence of Loki’s dark interest in her.
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I think that’s it!
Thank you so much once again to everyone who joined the chat, we had 6 and a half hours of laughs and i cannot wait to do it again. I’d appreciate it if you could share this to spread the love of the fics and authors on here!
Keep an eye out for the next date for our next livestream! It will be in October. If you guys have any idea’s or want something included, let us know. If you want to be tagged when we announce, let us know!
See you next time!
xox
116 notes · View notes
txtniipped · 3 years
Text
ode to flower and cloud
genshin impact -- childe/zhongli, childe & venti, venti & traveler, traveler & paimon, paimon & venti
(2680 words)
ao3 version
With the Windblume Festival in full swing, love is in the air. Who better to teach the art of waxing poetry than the Windborne Bard and his two faithful assistants?
Though… tutoring the Fatui’s Eleventh Harbinger on such a topic was not something the three of them were expecting to be doing.
“Well, now that all that’s settled, we have some time to waste until their two hours are up,” Venti says as he turns towards the Traveler and Paimon, a grin blooming across his face. “Let’s go get a drink, shall we?”
The Traveler smiles awkwardly at the bard as they begin their march from under the city’s Barbatos statue to Angel’s Share, Paimon huffing indignantly as she floats along. “You know they don’t drink, bard! You only suggested it because you don’t know how to do anything else!”
Venti laughs, jovial and completely lacking any shame, which only further riles up Paimon. “So? A good drink always tastes better in good company! You can get grape juice or something.” The bard hops down the steps, two at a time, the traveler following in suit as to not be left behind. “Besides—” Venti pauses near the bottom of the staircase, turning himself back towards his companions, gazing cheekily up at them— “what else are you going to do while we wait to check up on our students? Those commissions no one has posted since the festival began?”
Paimon’s cheeks puff, her little hands balling into fists. “You—!!”
“Ahaha, there you are! Figures I’d find you two mixed up in the sprite’s shenanigans.”
Venti’s cheekiness drops the moment he hears that laugh, a thin smile taking its place as he turns to the presence at the bottom of the staircase. The Traveler’s attention snaps to the Harbinger below just as quickly as Paimon’s, who gasps loud enough for them both. “Childe?!”
“Hey!” The Harbinger greets the three of them with a wave, his smile genuine as far as any of them can tell.
“I thought the shame of losing our little contest would have driven you back home by now!” Venti lilts, bounding down the rest of the steps to land in Childe’s space, that forced smile still plastered on his face.
“Ahh, no, see—” Childe grins at Venti, a little too toothy, this smile much more fitting with the dangerous man the Traveler and Paimon now know him as— “a loss leads to more practice, and more practice leads to more polish, and more polish always warrants another go.”
Venti levels the Snezhnayan with an unimpressed stare. “So you’re here for a rematch,” he states.
Childe laughs, pleasant and warm, the epitome of friendliness. It’s so easy to be drawn into that sound if you know little of the man.
“Not yet! Rather, I heard you’re offering the masses lessons in poetry?”
The question catches both the Traveler and Paimon off guard, and if the silence between the four of them singing louder than any cricket is capable of is anything to go by, it’s surprised Venti too.
“You actually, uh...” Paimon starts after a beat, fidgeting her hands as she speaks, “just missed—.“ 
The sudden clap of Venti’s hands coming together cuts the fairy-creature off, his tone much more amicable than it just was. “I am! And these two are my assistants!” Venti gestures over to the Traveler and Paimon, who have now finally joined the other two at the bottom of the stairs. “You did actually just miss our assignment period though,” the bard stresses, offering a pitying expression that clearly irks the Harbinger. Paimon saw his fist curl.
Childe laughs mutedly, lifting said fist to his torso, casually smoothing it out over the front of his uniform. “That’s... unfortunate.”
“But!” Venti chimes, switching his demeanor in a heartbeat, leaning forward enough to force Childe back a step. “I’d be willing to let you join late, as long as you’re willing to pay the fee!”
The laugh that falls from Childe’s mouth this time is much fuller than his previous one, amusement dancing across his face. “Sure, sure. How much is it?”
“Welllll~” Venti’s index finger comes to rest on his chin as he turns his head conspiringly towards his two assistants, the corners of his mouth curled up in such a way that it practically screams mischief. 
“Since you missed the beginning of the class,” Venti begins as he turns a more scholarly expression towards Childe, his index finger tapping against his chin, “we’ll have to catch you up one-on-one. On top of that, you’re cutting into our break time, which we were really looking forward to after all our hard work with our other students...”
Paimon suddenly seems to brighten up in her spot next to the Traveler, catching onto the scheme the bard is putting forth. The Traveler can practically see her vibrating with her habit of greed. “Seriously! Paimon had to explain the ins and outs of poetry so much, Paimon’s jaw hurts!”
Childe’s eyebrows raise as he appraises the bard and the fairy, and when he glances to the Traveler, they can tell he’s not convinced. However...
“Well, why don’t I just owe you double and we move on?” the Harbinger suggests, his attention returning to Venti.
Venti laughs, delight ringing through the air. “Sounds good to me!”
The trio filled Childe in on what information he missed from their earlier class within a few minutes, despite how long both Paimon and Venti alluded to it taking beforehand. Childe didn’t seem bothered over paying double for something that hardly took five minutes, but knowing his spending habits after witnessing everything in Liyue, the Traveler wasn’t surprised.
By the end of it, they assigned Childe a poem to be read and critiqued by the bard as they did the others, and soon enough, the four of them parted ways with an agreement to meet at the Goth Grand Hotel later in the day.
The trio’s idle time passed by swiftly, mostly due to the hilichurl camps nearby the city they decided to clear instead of day drinking. The walk back into town and to the Fatui delegation’s temporary place of residence ate up their remaining time, and though they were clearly invited to the building by the Harbinger earlier, the guard at the door seems unconvinced.
“‘Poetry lessons’ hardly seem in the realm of the Lord Harbinger’s interests,” the doorguard, Luke, states in response to the explanation he’s been given regarding the trio’s presence.
“Well, what else do you expect him to be doing during the Windblume Festival?” Venti asks as he tilts his head curiously, a teasing smile on his face.
Luke scoffs, haughtily turning his head to the side. “The matters of the Lord Harbinger’s love life aren’t mine to divulge. Besides—“ the Traveler raises a hand to cover their sudden smile as Luke continues on, amused over the guard’s predictability. Always a talker, this one. “—last I heard, his partner is in Liyue anyway. What use would he have for the festivities of a Mondstadt festival?”
The mention of a partner has Venti perking up like a dog offered a treat, Paimon now joining the Traveler on covering a smile of her own. “Ohhh, his lover is in Liyue, huh~?” Venti sing-songs. “He must be wanting to send them an authentic piece of his time in another country! How romantic!”
The Traveler and Paimon are both left giggling behind the bard as an embarrassed flush blooms over what’s visible of Luke’s face, the Fatui man clearly only now realizing he’s once again shared too much. “Shut it, you twerp,” Luke spits, trying to reign the conversation in his favor, “unless you want the Lord Harbinger shutting you up himself!”
“Must you threaten my guests, Luke?”
Four heads turn towards the amused voice of said Lord Harbinger, who currently has his upper body partially leaning out a window of what can only be assumed is the foyer. His head is propped up on one of his hands, leaving him looking picturesque under the warm sun and soft breeze.
Venti cackles unabashedly as Luke stammers out an apology in Childe’s direction, Childe’s amused smile pulling into a grin.
“Let them in before you spill more of my secrets,” Childe waves as he pulls himself back into the building, tone light. Luke mumbles an affirmative to the no-longer-present Harbinger and opens the doors of the hotel for the three guests, Venti happily making his way inside with the Traveler and Paimon close behind, the doors softly thudding closed once they’re through.
The foyer of the Goth Grand Hotel hosts two sets of socializing spaces to the left and right of the rug running through the room, decorated with high quality rococo couches, loveseats, and chairs. At the back of the room is the counter, most likely vacant of staff due to the occupation of only Fatui here. On either side of that, stairs leading up, the space required for that leaving the room quite open.
Childe is seated in the room alone, in a chair to the left of the entrance, watching his guests with thinly-veiled amusement. He’s perched so one elbow rests against the armrest of the chair, that hand providing support for his head. He’s leaning heavily to the right, his left leg crossed over the thigh of his right, left hand loose and casual in his lap.
“Someone looks comfortable,” Venti comments good-naturedly as he makes his way over to the couch angled perpendicular to the armchair, the Traveler and Paimon following his lead.
“I am!” Childe laughs as he lifts his head from his hand, regarding the three of them with a bright smile. “Mondstadt is just so lovely right now, what with all the vitriol your people have for us Fatui.”
Paimon huffs, crossing her own legs in the air as she mimics Childe’s positioning, only a lot more balled up. “Well, can you blame them? You guys are always up to something!”
“Ahaha, a fair assessment,” Childe muses as he unfolds himself, planting both feet on the floor as he leans towards the coffee table in front of him. There, he snatches the top paper from a stack of several and offers it in Venti’s direction. “Well, shall we? You’ve more students to see, after all.”
“That we do,” Venti hums, taking the paper from the Harbinger. He sits up properly in his seat then and turns his eyes to the paper only briefly, quickly returning them to Childe. “Would it bother you if I read this aloud?”
Childe grins and waves a hand through the air, casually dismissing the need for permission. “By all means.”
The bard smiles and nods, then once again settles his gaze to the paper, clearing his throat before beginning.
“‘Words come easy to me,’” Venti begins, voice light and pleasant. “‘Over dinner, drinks, the shore. But there are some far more challenging, said aloud than written down.’”
The room is quiet save for Venti’s soft countenance. Childe’s gaze has drifted down to the rest of the pages on the table, where the Traveler can clearly see scribbles and scratches of other versions of the poem Venti’s currently reading.
“‘Surely you know by now, how irreplaceable your presence is, to a man so solitary.’”
Paimon looks to the Traveler then, head tilted in a silent question of who the Harbinger could possibly be talking about—at least until—.
“‘How every word that falls, from your lips and graces my ears, is a sweet treasure, more decadent, than any wine or dessert.’”
Paimon’s eyes widen, and she starts rapidly smacking her hand against the Traveler’s shoulder, pieces being put together. She’s excited, despite how hostile she may or may not be towards the Harbinger. The Traveler can’t help but laugh silently at her antics.
“‘Mondstadt prides itself on freedom, but the freedom you’ve given me, will forever be the envy, of the City of Wind.’”
Venti pauses here, though with a brief glance, the Traveler can see another verse written, just two lines. The script is just messy enough to keep them from making out the words before Venti’s laughing stiltedly, catching the attention of all those in the room. Childe’s eyebrows raise in a silent question, and after a beat passes without an answer, he lifts his upper body to sit up straight.
“What?” Childe laughs, the lightest dusting of color painting his cheeks as he leans back into the chair, the iron grip he’s taken up on the armrest betraying his calm. “Don’t want to finish it, little sprite?”
Venti huffs out a laugh of his own and tosses the paper back in Childe’s direction, who catches it out of the air like it’s a precious thing. Which, honestly...
“To be honest, I was expecting the same sort of mess as your form with a bow, but that was actually well done!”
Childe’s smile turns tight, mirrored perfectly back at him by Venti. The tension is palpable. Concerned, the Traveler turns their attention to Paimon, who meets their gaze with a mildly alarmed look of confusion.
The moment passes as Childe breaks eye contact with the bard, folding the paper in his hands. “Well, as unhelpful as you were, I do owe you,” Childe says as he places the piece of paper on the coffee table. He reaches under the jacket of his uniform after, pulling out a hefty pouch of mora and tossing it carelessly into Venti’s lap. It doesn’t take much thought to how much is in there when the Traveler can practically see Venti’s eyes sparkling—most likely, it’s much more than their efforts today are worth.
“Now,” Childe hums, regarding the three of them with a pleasant smile, “get out.”
Luke was more than happy to doubly unwelcome them as the trio stepped out from the hotel with a shout of scram! for good measure, since he apparently decided his Lord Harbinger’s icy dismissal wasn’t enough.
Venti pockets the pouch of mora with a guilt-free grin despite their initial critiquing session lasting a grand total of five minutes max, turning his attention to the Traveler and Paimon.
“Well! Next stop is the Knights of Favonius’s headquarters!” Venti announces with a clap of his hands.
The nighttime scene during the Windblume Festival mostly seems to consist of lovers holding hands, playing music, feeding one another food, or in that unlucky instance where the Traveler picked the wrong side path, being tangled together.
The PDA is near unbearable, but Paimon’s never ending hunger has driven them out in search of festival food. Admittedly, everything they’ve tried so far has been mouthwatering, and almost makes up for the trauma both the Traveler and Paimon now have with that one path. Luckily, they’ve wandered into a quieter section of the city, most of the festivities contained to the main street and surrounding areas.
“‘...is a sweet treasure, more decadent, than any wine or dessert.’”
The words coming from somewhere above the duo are immediately recognizable as the work of one Eleventh Harbinger they had already heard earlier in the day. The Traveler and Paimon share a startled look as the voice continues—one they just as easily recognize as Childe himself.
“‘Mondstadt prides itself on freedom, but the freedom you’ve given me, will forever be the envy, of the City of Wind,’” Childe recites, to the sky or to another, they can’t tell. Then...
“‘I love you, dear consultant.’”
A low, rumbling laugh floats down upon the duo then, and the Traveler and Paimon both freeze up.
“I never quite took you as the ‘waxing poetic’ type, Ajax,” Zhongli comments, voice something too tender for these two intruders to be hearing.
“When in Mondstadt,” ‘Ajax’ replies, his tone fond.
“Indeed.”
There’s a quiet moment that neither the Traveler or Paimon are quite sure what to do in, until they hear a deep purr of Childe’s given name. That scares them away immediately, the sound of the Traveler’s footsteps rushing back down towards the main street. 
Another beat of silence, and then Childe’s warm laughter rings out from where he and Zhongli are seated against the railing of an upper layer of the city, as innocent as ever. “I cannot believe you,” he says to the consultant through his laughter. Zhongli offers his partner an amused smile in return, his eyes crinkling in delight.
13 notes · View notes
pain-somnia · 4 years
Text
tread over the contours of you and me
fandom: naruto pairing: sasusaku rating: M (here is your nsfr warning as it contains smut. the first part of this is safe but letting you all know now so that you may remain halal; i’m posting this during a time for me it would be but i know some people are not able to) Day’s notes: hello! this fic was written for a giveaway winner that is also a patron of mine. the giveaway was for non patrons to be able to win a chance to receive some exclusive PDFs or a patron to select a prompt. it’s been a really long time since i received the prompt but i wasn’t in the right health and only recently was able to give it proper attention. the winner has encouraged me to share this with everyone so here it is a couple of weeks after patrons received their early access to it. It falls into my blank period au series of fics. you can find some of them in this link. it contains one of the oneshots and also links to other one shots. another one-shot that fits with this one is my fic It Started With Rain which actually happened to be commissioned like a year ago by the winner and can be found in all of my fic sites. I hope you enjoy 😊
tread over the contours of you and me
Sakura sighed and rolled her neck. She cupped her shoulders at the base of her nape and pulsed a bit of healing chakra.
She was spending too many evenings at her desk looking over the data for the children in the institute. The caregivers were very thorough with their reports and while that relieved her it was also more work for her to get through every day.
It was only a year and a half since she had opened up the institute and while she was no longer in the experimental stage of the program, everything could still be hectic. The hardest part had been finding the caregivers and doctors for the children—people that understood that they weren’t treating soldiers.
The research and paperwork that she had poured over had been atrociously lacking, not only for children but adults as well. It was disgustingly obvious that the only insight to mental health that Konoha had was in the use of torture and interrogation. With Ino’s help, the two of them picked apart all of the data until they could find anything useful.
Luck was on Sakura’s side that the Yamanaka clan already had an understanding of how the mind operated. Due to the nature of their family jutsu and the young age of which their shinobi clansmen trained, there was a foundation she had to work with.
Speaking of the Yamanaka family jutsu, Ino was insistently sending her messages to go home. Her voice wheedled in Sakura’s mind and nagged at her.
A hot bath, warm food, and her bed sounded lovely. She knew that all she needed was to head home and her mom would have all three ready for her.
Locking the stacks of unfinished documents into a cabinet, Sakura began her nightly clean up routine. For the past year she used to stay holed up in her office until everything was completed but due to the person sleeping on her office’s couch at the moment, Sakura had stopped working overnight.
Stifling a giggle, Sakura crouched down on her toes and brushed Sasuke’s hair out of his face. He had grown out his forelocks into bangs that fell over his rinnegan and while the look suited him, sometimes she missed seeing his face in full.
Sasuke had taken to sleeping in her office, complaining that there was always some sort of disturbance at his apartment. She had teased him about it, stating that he just missed her. He hadn’t replied to her verbally, but chose to show her how much he missed her once they got back to his apartment.
Blinking his eyes, Sasuke woke up the second time Sakura ran her fingers through his hair. The corners of his mouth twitched upwards and he sat up, pulling his legs back from over the arm of the loveseat.
“Are you going to walk me home, Sasuke-kun?” Sakura asked, continuing to run her fingers along his hair, scratching lightly at his scalp.
Sitting up, Sasuke stretched his arm over his head. “You’re not coming over?”
Heat traveled up the back of her neck and she cleared her throat in discomfort. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. It’s late and I’m still in trouble with Mama from last time I accidentally slept over. You know how she is about premarital relations━don’t you laugh at me!”
Sasuke turned his head away from her but his shoulders slightly shook, giving himself away. He had walked her home and sat with her as her mother lectured her and Sakura insisted that she had fallen asleep while working on paperwork. Haruno Mebuki hadn’t bought the story.
“Come here,” Sasuke asked softly, patting the space between his legs. Sakura shrugged off her lab coat and let it fall to the floor before settling on the couch between his legs. She laid back so her back was against his chest and her legs laid across the cushions. Sasuke’s leg closest to the edge slipped off the couch to accommodate her.
“Kakashi sent a scroll for you,” Sakura told him as he settled his chin on her shoulder and wrapped his arm around her waist. “He figured out your hiding spot.”
“Not really a hiding spot. Where else would I be?”
“Right…” Her voice trailed softly as her cheeks bloomed with heat.
Sasuke had been back home for months and Sakura still wasn’t used to him speaking to her or of her in such a way. It was one thing for her to just know that he enjoyed her presence and took comfort in it by his actions, it was another when he voiced it out loud and confirmed it.
The words were never direct but her heart translated them into a different phrase.
Taking her right wrist, Sasuke rolled it in a circular fashion, stretching the joint and pressing his thumb along the inside, massaging the flesh there.
“You wrote a lot today.” His voice was low against her ear, his breath warm and causing her to shiver. Sakura hummed and nodded, not trusting her words, as he continued to trail his fingers up her arm.
Sasuke stroked at her skin until he reached the back of her nape and he cupped Sakura’s neck and massaged it with his strong fingers. He rolled the base of her neck in his hand and Sakura felt the warm sensation of chakra pulsing from his hand and soothing out the knots as he continued to add pressure with his thumb and fingers down her shoulders.
“You’re getting better at that,” Sakura moaned in relief. “You’ve been studying.”
“Just a bit.”
Sakura didn’t need to see his face to know there was a smirk on it; she could hear the smug undertones in his voice. It filled her with joy when pieces of the young Sasuke revealed themselves in this older version of him.
“Turn around.” The order was whispered but it beat loudly in Sakura’s chest right next to her heart.
Sex still felt new, despite the two of them getting into it whenever the opportunity presented itself. Sasuke’s voice, husky and desperate in her ear, caused her as much nerves as it thrilled her. They were still learning what made the other tick, what touches were more desired.
She decided that she liked the way she felt in Sasuke’s hand. His skin was deliciously warm and the friction from calluses and scars from the nicks from holding shuriken created a pleasant sensation when his hands roved over her soft skin.
He pushed into the flesh of her back, soothing her muscles with his thumb and kneading with his fingers.
“That would be easier if my shirt was off.” Sakura licked her lips and hoped Sasuke took the hint. “And much easier if I was lying on my stomach.”
“Since when have I ever done things the easy way?”
Sakura whimpered when he removed his hand from under her sleeveless top, missing the heat that radiated from his palm. Sasuke took hold of her chin with his thumb and index finger and tilted her face up so he could press an open mouthed kiss to her lips. When he tried to pull away Sakura pressed forward, straddling his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck.
Her skirt bunched up around her hips and Sasuke’s hand went to her left thigh and caressed the flesh there. Sakura hummed in delight as the soreness from standing all day for observations drifted away with his soothing touch.
She yelped when his hand slid between her legs and he began to massage a new ache. Her hands tightened their grip on his hair and she rocked her hips against his hand.
They had never done something like this anywhere outside of his apartment. Their intimate moments were limited to the walls of Sasuke’s new home and that had been just fine with them until an annoyance kept ringing at the door.
Naruto had been late in discovering their relationship. He had whined because he felt that they had owed it to him to let him know when they had finally gotten together because he was their best friend. He had not been happy to find out that Sai and Ino had known before him.
“I told you first about Hinata!” He had whined to Sakura and Sakura didn’t have the heart to tell him that it didn’t count because if he hadn’t shared his feelings with her then he probably wouldn’t have gotten a chance to be married.
It wasn’t the same for her and Sasuke. Naruto’s interference was likely to impede any progress in their relationship. He would have kept trying to get involved and would have interfered with their alone time.
“What are you doing?” Sasuke asked as she dipped her hands inside his waistband. He quirked an eyebrow up in amusement as she began to stroke him.
“Doing some massaging of my own.”
Sasuke groaned in distaste, sliding down the couch so that he was lying on his back. “That was really bad.”
“And yet you’re still hard,” Sakura snapped, tugging down his pants to free his member.
“Your cheesiness has no effect on what your hands are doing.” Sasuke’s lips curled upward as Sakura increased the tightness of her hold and the speed of her strokes. “You’re getting better at that. Have you been studying?”
“Shut up!” Sakura burst into a peal of laughter at his teasing. “Are we really doing this in my office?”
“Say the word, I’ll do just about anything to you on this couch.” Sasuke gritted his teeth, stopping a moan from escaping. “Especially if you keep that up.”
“Give you a handjob and you lose all sense of shame, huh?” Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her as he reached between her legs again and then pinched her clit. Sakura jumped a little, squeaking from the shock.
“I’m not the one getting wet from giving a handjob.”
“Oh, that has nothing to do with this.” Sakura dropped her hold on him and tugged her top over her head and off. Reaching behind her, she unhooked her bra. “You’re the one that was using a medical technique to try and seduce me.”
Sasuke shrugged but the smirk remained on his face as Sakura shimmied out of her panties. Without bothering to take off her skirt she straddled his hips again, settling his cock between her folds. She rolled her hips, sliding over him in just the right way that it hit her clit as she grinded against him.
Usually Sasuke was enough stimulation for her, but there was something about pressing him into the couch of her office that had her blood pumping faster. Perhaps it was the thought that he couldn’t wait to touch her and to be touched in return that he didn’t care that they were on a cramped sofa.
Leaning closer so that her chest was flush against his, Sakura licked up the line of Sasuke’s throat before sucking his lower lip into her mouth. She felt him shiver under her hands as her tongue stroked the space behind his teeth.
“I love you, Sasuke-kun,” Sakura murmured, smiling softly as Sasuke’s cheeks were dusted pink in his flustered state.
Sakura felt a pull around her navel and then found herself flat on her back, Sasuke looming over her. He had switched their places without warning.
“Sasuke-kun!” She scolded him for his use of his Rinnegan during foreplay, but he ignored her in favor of pressing kisses to her sternum and laving at her small, pert breasts as he slid off her skirt. Rolling her eyes, Sakura pulled at the hem of his shirt and tugged it off of his body.
Sasuke took her hand in his and pressed it flat over the breast he wasn’t attending to with his affections. He molded his hand over hers to stimulate her hand into moving, silently asking her to massage her own breast. Once Sakura got the hint, Sasuke dipped his hand between their bodies and slipped his fingers between her thighs once again.
That’s how it was with him. He barely spoke aloud the words that would express his feelings, but he spoke it with his actions and hid it in other statements.
Younger Sakura would have demanded a clear proclamation of his love, for him to declare it in a way the world would know of it. Nineteen year old Sakura though, had twenty year old Sasuke desperate and determined to have her climbing the highest peaks of pleasure he could give her, displaying a vulnerability she was the only person privy to.
“No.” Sakura shook her head, her voice trembling, and pulled Sasuke’s face away from the hip he was sucking on. “Not today. I want you closer. Now.”
Close. No matter how flush against each other they were, it never felt close enough. Unlike Sasuke, Sakura didn’t have Sharingan in order to always carry perfect memories of him with her.
She needed him to burn the memory of him on her skin with his hot fingers. Needed to feel him hot and slick against her, speaking a language only known to two of them. Needed to tattoo his love for her with every scorching touch of his.
As amazing as it was to watch him from above, all flustered and bothered and eyes pleading for her to relieve him of his want, Sakura prefered him like this. Sasuke would angle their hips, lifting her bottom to meet his thrusts and then loom over her, caging her head in between his forearm and the remainder of his left arm. Pushing her down, his body was a comforting and welcome weight.
Her fingers splayed against his shoulder blades, Sakura felt him move above her, thrusting and muscles flexing. Her finger pads felt the coarse lines of scars littered on his skin. She traced them as Sasuke pounded her into her office’s couch and she cried out incoherent words of gratitude that none of the old wounds kept them from having their current moment.
Sasuke exhaled a laugh against the crook of her neck as she came down from her high. “Did you just thank me for your orgasm?”
“No!” Sakura’s face grew even hotter and she slapped Sasuke against his chest. He just continued to laugh silently as his hips moved against hers.
“Just a bit more and I’ll be thanking you too,” he teased her, gripping her hip tightly as he grinded deep within her.
Sakura covered her face with her hands, trying to hide from the embarrassment. The action had Sasuke stilling his hips and moving her hands away from her face. He interlocked his fingers with her left hand and pressed his forehead to hers.
“Don’t hide from me,” he muttered, red eyes boring into hers. His tomo swirled as a particularly rough thrust in the new angle had Sakura tensing and crying out for more. Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close for a kiss, swallowing his moan as he spilled inside of her.
Sasuke collapsed against her and Sakura’s left leg dropped so that it was dangling off of the couch. Sakura’s fingers sank into his thick hair and she massaged his scalp, her nails drawing curlicues.
“How did I end up being the only one that actually got fully naked again?” Sakura grumbled as Sasuke tucked himself back into his pants, barely moving his body away from her. “How do you keep doing that?”
Sasuke simply shrugged and nuzzled closer to her, crushing her chest to his. They lay like that, listening to the way the clock on the office wall clicked the seconds in tandem with their heartbeats. Sakura knew she had already pushed past the acceptable time to return home without her mother assuming she and Sasuke were playing house.
“I want to wake up with you again.” Sasuke’s voice was low but his breath fanned against Sakura’s neck and shoulder.
“Yeah?” Sakura breathed out the question, feeling the way Sasuke nodded his head against her shoulder. “I love you too, Sasuke-kun.”
He didn’t protest the way she had stated her love as if it was a response to his own. Sakura’s chest grew warm at the way Sasuke wrapped his arm around her and held her closer.
Someday, Sakura thought as she pressed a kiss to Sasuke’s temple. Someday I’ll have all the mornings with you.
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brynnmck · 4 years
Text
It’s @agirlnamedkeith‘s birthday today! And since I could not get my shit together enough to write anything for her, I thought that--at the risk of making her feel weird--I would talk a little bit about her writing instead.
“I’ll talk about three fics I love of hers,” I thought, and then went to her AO3 profile and realized it would be impossible to narrow it down to three. So. Five fics of Hannah’s that I love, in no particular order, and obviously not a remotely comprehensive list, also I am skipping We Make the Rules because everyone knows it’s amazing but let me be clear that it is fucking amazing and I think about it like once a week, and anyway:
with a hint of sin (Jaime/Addam/Brienne, rated E, 5851 words) - LOVE ME SOME J/A/B, Y’ALL. Back when I first discovered Hannah’s fic and I was looking through her back catalog, I saw her J/A/B fics and went “...huh” and then I read them and went “yessssssss.” This canonverse-ish fic involves several extremely sexy scenarios and also the warmth and connection between the three of them is so palpable and swoony. Addam’s description of Brienne that’s used in the summary makes me a little teary (and, okay, also thirsty) every time, and I love how Brienne is inexperienced in this but still enthusiastic, and the hot and affectionate history between Jaime and Addam, and just generally the thought of the three of them having this little sexy sweet cocoon in the middle of everything that’s raging around them. I just adore it.
i’ll unfold before you (WIP, J/B, rated E, 9258 words so far) - PAINTER!JAIME. QUASI-REGENCY PAINTER JAIME. This one holds a special place in my heart because, well, painter!Jaime and a fiercely stubborn pugilistic Brienne, but also because I answered Hannah’s open request for a backup beta one night in an attempt to aggressively make her my friend and it totally worked. MUAHAHA. Anyway, the premise of this is genius--Brienne’s unwanted betrothed Connington has commissioned starving-artist-because-of-reasons Jaime Hill to paint a portrait of her, and she asks Jaime to make her look as unappealing as possible in it, and that works out pretty much as well as you would expect. Jaime and Brienne truly seeing each other is something I never get tired of, and the way Jaime, with his artistic eye, sees Brienne in this fic is just devastating on every level. Brienne also finds it very inspirational, and the results are extremely hot and extremely romantic. This is a WIP but I also have it on good authority that we have divan shenanigans and possibly some under-Brienne’s-dress action in our future, so best to get caught up now and then attempt to prepare yourself for what’s coming next (j/k you can’t).
because i know no other way (J/B, rated T, 1454 words) - A short and sweet high school AU Valentine’s Day fic where Jaime works adorably hard to express his affection for his girlfriend Brienne in the ways he thinks she’d most like it expressed. Characters making the effort to speak each other’s love languages is one of my bulletproof kinks, and this is just so fucking delightful and hilarious and also includes Jaime informing her that he’s “almost problematically hard ninety percent of the time,” which is an amazing line. SO ADORABLE, just a quick little shot of endorphins, like a really good piece of chocolate.
my heart is holding on to you (WIP, J/B, rated T, 21830 words so far) - This is also a WIP and I love it so much. A post-canon setup where Brienne and Jaime have gone their separate ways and then he comes back to visit her on Tarth after she’s been married, had children, and been widowed. I absolutely adore the delicate way this is handled, the way we get both the echo of their former intimacy and the awareness that they’re not the same people now that they were then. They have to reckon with their old hurts and mistakes and get to know each other again, and re-learn how to be friends (and, of course, hopefully lovers too) while still discovering new things about themselves, too. It’s all very achy and sweet and deft and romantic as fuck, and their sloooooow (perfectly, thoughtfully slow) progression back toward each other is just a;lskdjfa;lsgjka;slgja PUT YOUR MOUTHS ON EACH OTHER’S MOUTHS BUT ALSO I’M LOVING THIS JOURNEY FOR BOTH OF YOU. I also really love how they’re both such individuals in this; they’re perfectly capable of going on without each other, they’re just slowly realizing that they really don’t want to, which is another one of my bulletproof kinks, and re-reading this to write up this rec has me all in my feelings again. JUST READ IT IT’S VERY GOOD.
a helping hand (J/B, rated M, 2011 words) and make me wanna drop (J/A/B, rated E, 1804 words) - BROJOBS. I LOVE THIS ‘VERSE SO MUCH. Jaime is such a hot bisexual disaster in this, and I love a Brienne who knows what she likes even if she’s still a little uncertain about doing it with a friend, and the juxtaposition of casual(-yet-also-not) and scorching hot here is just... WHEW. The first fic involves Jaime and Brienne watching each other jerk off (ALWAYS GOOD) and then the second one involves Jaime and Addam competing to see which of them is better at eating Brienne out (ALSO EXTREMELY GOOD). It also includes this immortal observation: If Jaime is a human golden retriever (over the top, enthusiastic and eager to please), then Addam is a cat (cool, calm, and exceedingly disinterested in anyone’s approval). I CANNOT GET OVER HOW MUCH I LOVE THAT DESCRIPTION, and it’s in my mind every time I read a J/A/B fic. Sooooooo fucking good. There’s also a J/A/B tender spitroast that may or may not be in the same ‘verse, I don’t know for sure, but either way it’s lovely and hot as fuck and you should read it. 
So those are my Hannah’s Birthday Recs! As I said, not remotely a comprehensive list; what a gift to have her talents in this fandom. I could also say things about how she is hilarious and charming and kind and smart and sharp and excellently bitey in the service of good causes, but I don’t want to embarrass her, so I will just say: happy birthday, Hannah! I love you, you asshole, and I’m so glad we’re friends, and I sincerely hope this year treats you infinitely better than the last one did. (And if at any point you want a fic from me, consider this an IOU.) ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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Note
About the frozen fandom ask :
🎨, ✍️, and 👗
P.s remember to get enough sleep~
@like-redhead-probably I got enough sleep I swear ;-; actually I overslept TBH
🎨- Favorite fanart(s)/ artist(s)?
I’m gonna limit my answers to those who are currently active in the fandom otherwise we will be here all day xD. Anyone who has seen my tags knows this  to be true. My favorite fan artists are:
@giuliaciulia89 - because asdfghjklssh have you SEEN her line art?? And her expressions?? And how she does shading and color (with markers!! Traditional Art YO!!) literally is just... takes my breath away. Her recent Hogwarts Elsanna commission was absolutely delightful, but I am always delighted to see her original content as well such as her 101 Dalmatians au and her All For One And All For Love Three Musketeers au. It has so many mysteries, I’m very intrigued. Watching her process is very relaxing as well, like *sketch, sketch, sketch* and suddenly WHOA, there’s like, a whole concept outlines in no time at all. Incredible
@zero-kiba - because while much more active on Deviantart, I am ALWAYS extremely gay for Copper! That’s been going on 5 WHOLE YEARS Y’ALL! I stayed up until the sun started creeping through my windows catching up on every single page that I’d missed out after about 2017 when I started working full time. Zero-kiba’s work is BOMBASTICALLY expressive and really hits that mark between UTTERLY badass and heart-meltingly soft. Also do yourselves a favor and read their other works too! Tip of the Iceberg is Copper characters in a comedy setting, The Realm is 65 pounds of concentrated whoop-ass, and The Whole Shebang?? Gay has hell. Really gay. I cannot stress that enough (also it’s a little self plug - I help make that one alongside Zero-Kiba, daughterofhel and giuliaciulia89)
@ice-bjorn - because like.... do I even need to....expand?? Y’all have seen my tags. Ice-bjorn’s got the kind of content that just pulls you up short. Doing something? Concentrating? Not anymore you’re not! Ice-bjorn posted new art and you’re gonna FEEL ABOUT IT for the current conceivable future! Unbelievably emotive, you can see all the hard work that goes into each piece (including writing!!). I’ve gone OFF in my tags so many times about their stuff and I aLWAYS anticipate doing it again XD I can’t possibly pick a favorite piece, but this one gives me the warm fuzzies (Edit: although I did link another further down)
@jabs-wocks - because they constantly surprise me. One day ADORABLE! Next day ANGSTY. Next time? New style?? New type of coloring?? Always has a great sense of humor and unique ideas. Also, such an enabler xD Always makes me want to make something in turn <3 Like, remember when I went OFF with that angsty piece of Anna drowning after the dam collapses? Or when I nearly ditched my (already very long) project to idea bomb on about their Skadi!Elsa piece? Yeah, I love their work very much
 @gracepago0314 - because I’m a long time fan from when they had a different username! Great style, strong short comics, and WOW have they come a long way! They already had such a strong aesthetic, but seeing their work at the top of 2020 was such a treat because it was SUCH a change! I loved seeing what I recognized about their unique style and getting to see all the ways they’ve improved and expanded! Also that reincarnation au goes straight for the heart ;-;
✍️- Favorite fanfic(s)/ author(s)?
Limiting my answer to the same for the same reasons. Many of my favorite authors are no longer active, but my heart is very big, and I am always making room for new stories and writers to love!
@fruipit - because every time I get an email from ao3 that they’ve updated I go ballistic. Every story I have ever read (or reread... many times) by them is just SO INCREDIBLE. Their writing makes me make bad decisions: like fighting sleep to make it through one last chapter xD Their work makes me ask questions, their stories flows like a needle and thread, their diction makes me believe. I have nothing but the highest praise for Fruipit’s work, they’ve been writing for years and continue to pick at that gentle thing called wonder. Choosing a favorite work of theirs is GENUINELY DIFFICULT, but I love Risky Business, Koselig, and When Spring Comes very much. Tiny Hearts is a riot tho xD Oh wait and Who Dares Wins! .....Look just... go read Fruipit, you won’t regret it xD
@arendellesfirstwinter - because after years and years they just bang out one badass story after another. Their most recent (and with the dawn, what comes then?) has reduced me to tears twice. No. Three times, I reread a chapter. Their writing is exceptionally raw and pointed, but they are never angsty for angst sake. Their prose has the kind of weight one gets from having a huge amount of intent and care for what they create, and the characters they foster along the way <3
@daughterofhel - because I enjoy the simple pleasures of comedy. Literally just makes me laugh. Her dialogue SLAPS. Her world building is effortless (well, it’s not, she works very hard but it FEELS effortless, which is quite the trick xD). Her stories just WORK, her scenes are so alive and colorful and I adore how she makes characters interact even under the most RIDICULOUS prompts xD Exceptionally creative and silly, I guarantee she will surprise you for the better
@themountainsays - because every story idea is completely fascinating. Even if it’s not like, written yet? Just idea bombing or musing? Totally cool, I love reading them because you can feel the excitement behind them. Or the spite xD. Ara’s writing is also almost lyrical, it’s lovely to read, and honestly? Read out loud too! I’m a huge fan of spoken poetry/spoken stories and Ara’s always gives me that vibe. I’m behind (orz) on Creatures of the Arctic, but it’s SO FUN, I’m always keen on updates :D
@theseerasures - because I adore their frohana stuff. So freaking much. Kristanna + Icebros with so much tenderness that I just stare at my screen and go “holy hell someone MADE that.” Reading their work is like... being given a soft blanket to wrap yourself in, receiving a mug of hot chocolate, and then being told “Okay, now here’s a story that’s going to make you feel feelings really hard,” and you kind of nod back like, “Okay, seems fair.” Idk man they just get me real good, every time. For years.
👗- Favorite outfit? One you’d like to see?
Picking a favorite is hard! But please for the love of god: bring Anna’s military-esque jacket/dress to the silver screen. Holy hell. I’m such a sucker for how absolutely DASHING Elsa and Anna look in masculine/military dress. @giuliaciulia89 and @ice-bjorn both here and here get me xD But I also love their highly feminine outfits? Anna’s coronation dress in F1 is a fav and of course Elsa’s ice-dress is iconic, but my absolute favorites? I don’t know, they’re all so beautiful...
Oh! You know what else I’d want? Casual wear. They’re always dressed up for adventure! Or a fancy party! Let the crew relax more! More day-to-day, more cozy pjs! Kristoff in a big oversized shirt, Elsa in Fifth-Spirit inspired sleepwear, Anna in clothes made by their new Northudran family - complete with little hexagons but like, lined with soft reindeer fur <3. I’d love to see them when the world isn’t falling down around their ears, for more than 5 minutes, please ;-;
Thanks again for asking!! I know this is a few days late but I hope my jabbering made up for it ^_^
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bush-viper-cutie · 4 years
Text
Love Me Roughly: Risking It All
Pairing: Snape x fem!reader
Word Count: 2,080
Rating: M for Mature
Plot:  Severus must come clean and risk everything he has with the woman he loves. He tells her every horrifying and awful event from his past, expecting her to leave him and hate him forever.
A/N: This is part 6 of 7 for the Schedule 1 week 1: Snape Lives AU for Snape Appreciation Month 2020!  @snapeloveposts​
DISCLAIMER: I have edited (drawn over the original) the artwork (taken from a 80′s bodice ripper novel) for the purpose of this short series and will post more information about the original work here.
Posted: 6/6/20
               Chapter List
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Severus was out of the cabin, walking Jiggy in his white shirt and thinking through a great many things. First, he needed to tell her everything about himself. He couldn’t bare losing her, but he couldn’t take the guilt of knowing he was keeping everything from her.
She had been asking him questions about his life and he had told her basically nothing because he had been dancing around the fact he served a vile and hideous master for years and on two occasions, and that he had been working at Hogwarts for all of his adult life and technically murdered his employer.
By some miracle the more she has gotten to know him the more in love she has fallen, which was perfect considering he was as much in love with her. Too much actually. His heart ached for her and the guilt made it so much worse.
Second… He was growing sadder at the realization he had lost all his friends… well colleagues are what he would have called them then, but now he sees they were indeed his friends. He missed talking to Minerva every morning before breakfast, drinking coffee and complaining mostly.
He missed hearing the baffling stories Poppy would tell him every month about what annoying injuries students were coming to her with. Pomona was the only one who knew all the gossip and rumors going around school and Hagrid always offered to have him over for tea, though he refused every time.
If Hogwarts hadn’t been invaded, attacked, and burned, students would be packing their things and getting ready to get on the Hogwarts Express back to London by now. He sighed and shook his head, forcing all his memories out of his head. They were useless now.
Jiggy came running up to him indicating it was time to head inside for breakfast.
“How was the walk?” she hugged him tight, waiting for an answer.
He gave a weak smile and nodded, “As expected.”
The kitchen now looked like one that was in constant use. She had given him many of her pans and pots, ladles and spoons, jars and bottles which now filled the cabinets and counter. The table had placemats and a nice center candle that matched the color of the cushions on the chairs.
She had brought over her plants and flowers to fill the living room with life – though she claimed it was so she wouldn’t worry about watering them. There was also a rug and another reading chair in the living room with small bookshelves behind it. This was now a room where they both enjoyed sitting and reading together instead of an awkward empty place for Jiggy to lick his privates in.
They finished their breakfast and Severus headed upstairs to finish thinking through his decision. He came back down and cleared his throat. She looked up from Love Me Roughly – she had started reading it now after him – and closed it.
“Yes?”
Severus crossed the room and sat in his chair next to hers and closed his eyes shut, “I need to tell you about my life.”
He heard her shift in her seat, “I’m all ears.”
“No, you don’t understand… It’ll change the way you view me,” he sighed heavily and paused for a minute to center himself, “I need to tell you because there are things I’m feeling for you and I can’t allow this to go on without knowing that you understand exactly who I am.”
“Severus, I know who you are. I may not know your past but it’s not like you’re pretending to be someone you’re not…”
Severus nodded, “But there are some things I’ve done that you might not forgive me for…” He opened his eyes and turned to her. “If you’re going to hate me I’d rather it happened now than – ” his words caught on his throat and he swallowed his emotions down, “So let me explain myself.”
He stood up and placed his hands behind his back. He started pacing and began the story of his years after losing his best friend, joining the Death Eaters, and handing the Dark Lord the prophecy that would ruin his life and the lives of others.
He watched her eyes carefully, going from amusement to shock to anger, tears rolling down her cheeks, but she said nothing and made no motion to leave. He felt her hatred for him as he went on about finding out his oldest and only true friend he ever had was being targeted, and about how it was his fault she died.
He held back tears and kept his emotions in check as he went on about caring for the boy of his childhood bully, about being sent back to serve his old Master, and about murdering the only person who knew who he really was, good or bad.
She sat back in her chair, crossing her arms and wiping away tears as he spoke. He couldn’t bare to look at her as he continued with all he had to do among the Death Eaters, even sitting there to watch as a colleague died before his eyes.
He sat back down on his chair and wiped a single tear as he explained his appointment as Headmaster and all that went on at Hogwarts, and the battle between Minerva and himself before he ran from the castle. He ended the story by recounting the events of the battle at Hogwarts and how he was attacked by the Dark Lord’s snake and how after curing himself and realizing it was all over, he had ran away and left the world behind.
“By now I’m sure they suspect I am alive or that one of the Death Eaters took my dead body. Though I don’t think anyone cares and would prefer it if I were dead,” Severus finally looked over at her.
She was wiping her tears and sniffling but did not meet his eyes, instead focusing on the book she held in her hands. She nodded and he took that as a que to leave the room to let her process all he had said. He headed upstairs and lay in bed where he let all his feelings come forward. He wept silently until his eyelids became too heavy to keep open.
. . .
Severus opened his eyes and squinted, unable to see in the darkness. He sat up and felt a hand slide down his chest and onto the bed. She had crawled into bed at some point and wrapped her arms over him. He turned and swept hair from her face.
Her eyes fluttered open and she sat up as well, “Severus… I’m sorry you went through all that.”
She pulled him into her and held him tight, stroking his hair and hugging him as close to herself as possible. He started sobbing quietly, relieved that she was still treating him with love and care. He was sure that when he woke, she would be gone for good out of his life.
“They’ll never forgive me for what I’ve done,” he choked, “I’ll be hated ‘till the day I die.”
She pressed her lips to the top of his head and sniffed, “You can explain everything to them as you did me – ”
“And risk them hating me even more for not staying dead? No. Never,” he pushed away from her, “(Y/n)… You don’t understand. They will NEVER accept me back. When I-I started teaching there, I was so young and they forgave my mistake. Minerva took a while to come around but they accepted I had changed and learned from it… How could they possibly excuse my actions as an adult?” He started sobbing into his hands and was pulled back into her arms.
“You said he forced you, commanded you, to do all those things. They knew you were a spy – you can tell her – ”
“My only proof was murdered by my hand and they’ll accuse me of falsifying my memories…”
“What about the boy? Ha – ”
“Don’t. Speak his name.” Severus didn’t want to be reminded of him. He didn’t want to be reminded about anything to do with him. He knew he could never apologize for the things he had done, to his mother, to him… The boy knew everything now and all he could hope was for him to understand why things had happened the way they did… and how very sorry he was.
“I’m sorry, Severus… The reason I was in London was because of the battle. I was taking care of my nephew while his mother did her Auror duties for the Ministry… Not at the school but I still heard about how awful it had all been… I’m so sorry. So, so sorry.”
After several more minutes of crying, Severus was helped to his feet and out of his day clothes. She pulled his nightshirt down as he dropped his head on her shoulders and hugged her tight, unable to focus on anything. She pushed him into the bed and hugged him tight for hours until he fell asleep once more.
. . .
After hours of sleeping Severus was able to push everything back once more, using the rhythm of the warm water in the shower and the soft humming he heard coming from downstairs. He dressed and headed down, expecting a small breakfast but instead receiving what looked like a feast.
There were plates of bacon, sausages, eggs, pancakes, and waffles. There was a glass pitcher of orange juice and one of milk out on the table. He sat down and laughed.
“You realize I barely eat what you serve me normally, right?”
She laughed, “What you don’t eat put in the fridge because I won’t be here for three days, I’ve been called in to relocate another Wizard at five today,” she sat down and started filling her plate.
He arched an eye, “For a second I thought you had quit… You haven’t done that since… well me.”
She smiled and nodded, “Well I’ve been turning them down but I know this one will be a big commission so I feel I must take it.”
“Was it written in your tea yesterday?” he smirked, knowing she hated how he teased her about being a seer.
“As a matter of fact,” she took the last waffle from under his fork, “It was.”
He reached for the last sausage quickly and poured out juice, “Are you taking Jiggy?”
She hid her face behind her hands.
Severus put down his fork and sighed, “Must he always jump on my legs with dirty paws? How can I walk him when he finds me more interesting than the bushes and trees outside?”
“It’s only for three days, and if you put the leash on he can go by himself. He hates it and comes right back demanding for it to be taken off, happy?”
“Well I’m not pleased.” Severus took the empty plates and charmed them into washing themselves. “I need to get started on some potions anyways, so I suppose it’s best. They’re rather fowl smelling.”
“Please keep the windows open then,” she headed upstairs and left him to clean up the rest of the things.
Severus smiled. He was glad to have gotten everything off his chest yesterday. Nothing could possibly upset him after learning that such a unique and amazing woman could look passed all his flaws and accept it all willingly.
He wiped powder off the counter and placed everything in a jar and in the fridge for breakfast the next day. He cleared the table of the candle and pulled the chairs up against the back wall readying the space for his potion. He set out his jars and cauldron on the table and personally washed his stirring rod, making sure not a single smudge of anything was left on.
She came back downstairs with packed luggage, “I’m heading out now. My portkey leaves at four, but I need to go over some things at the office.”
Severus kissed her goodbye and stood back as she apparated out of his house. In the back of his head he heard a voice tell him she’d just left and would never be back, but the loud bark of her dog told him otherwise.
He chuckled, wondering if that was why she had left him. To keep him company and to assure him of her return.
~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~
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alo-piss-trancy · 4 years
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(credit to a/o3commentoftheday for this)
Make a post recommending a someone else’s fic that you love. Whether it was posted this week or whether it’s been in progress for a while and is currently updating, tell everyone you know that they should check it out.
Reblog artwork and gifsets from other fan creators. Recommend someone you think others should follow - and why. Share the love for your fellow fans, creators and consumers alike. Be the Will Smith meme for your fandom.
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I haven't done one of these in a while but I remembered for once and dug through my fat stack of bookmarks! :D I could rec SO MANY things tbh but I'll save some for next week or this post'd be a mile long lol
I remembered before midnight so this still counts, posting just takes time lol
Fic Recs:
Indulge Me by slippery_soak is a FANTASTIC piece of T/ony St/ark omo. Like I'm not even that much of a Ma/rvel fan and even less of an A/vengers one, but this fic is so well-written and the kinks included are Top Tier. It's very sexy and I highly recommend reading it yourself instead of me spoiling it all in a review ;)
Flushed Pink by @narupuff Listen everything she writes is so adorable and fluffy and also absolutely delicious humiliating, detailed omo c': I'd seriously rec all of her fics even if you're not into b/nha because they're just that good and she does a great job worldbuilding and giving the reader some unique traits/personality in each one! But THIS ONE SPECIFICALLY is absolute God-Tier content because it has MINA!!! And FE/MSLASH!!! It's really just lovely and a blast to read, I've read it so many times and certain lines still get me! 💖💖💖
Pull Over by PxachyBxtch ( aka @omopeach on here 💖) is an AU D/R fic with not one, not two, but THREE desperate boys!!! :0 What a treat! Seriously I've read this fic like 4 times and it's amazing every single time (but I am just now realizing I forgot to comment on it so I shall do that ahhhh)! The desperation and descriptions are so well-done, I love the varied interactions between the characters, and of course, who doesn't love the pure evil that is car omo scenarios? >;3€ I love that you need absolutely zero knowledge of the franchise to read this fic, and yet everyone is delightfully in character!
Artwork:
@omo-mad does a ton of great omo artwork from a variety of fandoms! I love how they have their own unique style but can also match certain series styles really well (like in their F/rozen, R/&M, and Tel/ltale!Bat/man pieces!) They've got a patreon open if you'd like to support them!
Also @nsfwitchy2 has A+ artwork! I love her style and the variety of things and characters she can draw! :0 She's done some omo pieces for T/UA and G/ood Omens, as well as other kinks! She takes commissions and I believe she also has a patreon, so hit her up for those (on the blog, not ao3)!
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toushindai · 4 years
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again to fly away
Post-epilogue, 1.9k. Even the summary is a bit spoilery, so that’s below the cut.
[ Read on AO3 ]
Nyx gives Persephone a gift before she returns to her mother.
(“Well, with your family, one learns to take precautions.”)
x
Persephone is dressed not in her regalia but in a simpler gown when she pokes her head around Nyx’s corner.
“I’m going to spend a little time in the garden, Nyx. Would you care to join me?”
Nyx looks down at her own midnight robes. “Should I change first?” she asks, sincerely unsure.
“No need! I just wanted to look over everything before I prepare to leave.”
That does not seem to be the entire purpose behind her invitation; usually, she tends to the garden on her own, or with Hades’ help, and Nyx notices that she offered her invitation only minutes after Zagreus’s latest departure. But, if there is something her Queen wishes to discuss in private, then Nyx will gladly oblige. And besides, any time spent with Persephone is a treasure.
So she follows Persephone outside, floating effortlessly behind her as the younger goddess waters the hedges. “Those flowers you keep in your little corner,” Persephone says, “Hades tells me they were a gift from Zagreus?”
“They were.” Nyx smiles, a bit wistfully. “He commissioned them without warning, one night when I was attending to other business, and they startled me when I returned, but they made me think of you. They have brought me more joy than I foresaw.”
“They’re beautiful.”
“They are.”
“You’ve raised him to be so thoughtful, Nyx. I can’t thank you enough.”
“Mm.” Nyx thinks of the young prince. “I do not believe that I am solely to thank for his upbringing. Achilles has shaped him as well, and his father, in his own way. And while I may take some credit for his thoughtfulness, that cannot be fully conflated with his kindness.” She averts her gaze, cupping a pomegranate blossom in her hand. “You know well that I have struggled, in the past, to demonstrate such kindness; to empathize before I think of practical matters. In this regard, I have tried to learn from you, and to treat both the prince and others under my care with tenderness when it is appropriate. But I am not sure that I am the reason that Zagreus learned such an instinctive kindness as he shows to all those he meets.”
“Nyx.” Persephone draws near and takes Nyx by the elbow, looking up into her face. “You have always been so kind to me.”
“Not always,” Nyx disagrees. When the Fates first brought Hades to this realm, her realm; when Zeus, shortly thereafter, deposited Persephone here and the tendrils of light and life that the younger woman inevitably carried with her infiltrated Nyx’s carefully cultivated darkness, upsetting the balance that she had been fighting so hard to maintain—Nyx had been curt, then, and unwelcoming, injured by the implication that her control (already costing her everything) was not enough. If Hades had not been so gruffly dutiful and Persephone so patient and willing to listen, there might have been a clash that tore the Underworld in two. But Nyx is at least observant, and unlike Chaos at their distant remove she has learned to respond to the world around her. Hades and Persephone had helped to shape the Underworld into something that could be controlled. And from the two of them, Nyx learned a little more about interaction, about the subtle skill it takes for a being to exist alongside another being.
Now, tenderly, she touches Persephone’s face. “I know that I was part of what made your adjustment to the Underworld so difficult the first time, my Persephone. I only hope that this time, I have not repeated my old mistakes.”
But Persephone cups her hand over Nyx’s, smiling ruefully. “You haven’t, Nyx, not at all! You’ve been more welcoming than I can say, and you know that I missed you. Our early difficulties, you had already made up for a thousand times by the time I left.”
The Queen’s eyes are honest. Nyx lets herself trust them. “Then, good.”
“Then, good, indeed!” Persephone gives her hand a little squeeze. “Don’t worry so much about ancient history, all right, Nyx? We’ve all changed. I’m not that impulsive young woman anymore, either.”
“No, you aren’t,” Nyx agrees.
“Exactly.” Persephone turns back to her flowers, but he does not release Nyx’s hand; Nyx trails obligingly after her to observe what Persephone is observing. She half-expects the Queen to explain some detail of care for the plants, some task she would like Nyx to perform in her absence. But, instead, a hint of seriousness comes into her voice. “Speaking of impulsivity…. Well, perhaps that isn’t a fair transition. Nyx, I wanted to ask you, what was Zagreus like as a child?”
Nyx looks at her in confusion. “Zagreus, as a child?”
“Yes.” Persephone’s face is as serious as her voice. “I will confess, I am asking with an ulterior motive. Supposing Mother should inquire about her grandson, I don’t want her to catch on that I wasn’t around for his upbringing.”
Nyx feels a pulse of fear, and conceals it. “Ah. You are clever to think ahead of such a possibility,” she says, and Persephone winces in answer. “Do you think that Goddess Demeter would try deliberately to entrap you thus?”
Persephone gives a wry smile. “She may. She used to do so when I was young, catching me in little lies about whether I had spent the night obediently in my bed or gone out running through the fields. Maybe it’s silly, to worry about such things like I’m still a child, but…”
“You know your mother best, my Queen. If this is a concern you have, then I will do all I can to alleviate it. Including telling you stories of Zagreus’s younger days.”
“Thank you, Nyx.”
Nyx hesitates, though, because telling stories cannot be all that she can do. She enfolds Persephone’s hand between both of her own and looks seriously at the goddess of verdure. “To tell the truth, I would prefer not to have to send you back to your mother.”
Persephone looks back solemnly. “I know,” she says. “Hades has said the same, and I know Zagreus is thinking it, too. And I… I don’t mind the idea of reconciling to Mother, but I wish I felt that I had a little more choice in the matter. If she were not holding the mortal world hostage, if Hades didn’t fear that she would start a war over me… well, it’s funny, but I think I’d be more willing to visit her, if that were the case. But I must go. This all started because I seized an opportunity to run away from my problems, and it’s spun out of control for long enough.”
“I understand.” She does not like it, but she understands. “Will you forgive me if I send something along with you, to keep you company and keep you safe?”
A smile comes back to Persephone’s face. “There would be nothing to forgive, Nyx! I would treasure something to remember you by. As for keeping me safe, well… I know what my family is like. We can’t be too careful.”
“Then give me three nights before you depart, and I shall have something for you. But for now…” She draws Persephone over to the bench at the edge of the garden, and they sit down together. “Let me tell you of your son’s youth. There is much to tell, for Prince Zagreus was not always as well-behaved as he is nowadays…”
*
Busy though the Underworld is, it does not take Nyx the full three nights she requested to fashion her gift for Persephone. She lets the time pass, anyway; darkness seeps into the gift, strengthening its power and Nyx’s connection to it. But she cannot force Persephone to tarry for too long. When the fourth day dawns—after Persephone has said her good-byes to her son and seen him off on another escape attempt—Nyx pulls her aside and places the newest Chthonic Companion into her outstretched hands.
Surprise crosses Persephone’s face as she sees what it is. “A Chthonic Companion, for me? Don’t you think I’m a little old for this?” For a moment, there is severity in her face, and Nyx wonders if she has misstepped, making a stuffed animal for the woman who rejected the name maiden. But then Persephone breaks out into a warm smile. “I’m only joking. It’s adorable, Nyx. It’s a swallow, isn’t it?”
“It is.” A bird whose arrival in the land of Greece above foretells spring. The Companion is made in a red and black that recalls the Queen’s regalia, with a pale wheat-colored belly that matches her hair. Nyx selected the emeralds carefully to reflect Persephone’s beautiful green eyes.
Persephone cups the swallow in her hand, turning it this way and that to admire it. “I always loved swallows. Mother taught me to watch for them when the winter grew too long to bear. I love it, Nyx, thank you. Does she have a name yet? A fable?”
“Not yet.”
“Is it all right if I come up with all of that?”
Nyx smiles. “I would be honored.”
“Then when I am lonely for the Underworld and missing you, I will tell myself stories of how Mother Night fits into this little one’s life.” She presses the Companion to her chest and then tucks it into the top of her bag.
Nyx takes her hands and draws her closer to the wall, speaking quietly. “It is not only a keepsake to remind you of me, my Queen. Should you ever feel that you are in danger there on Olympus—”
“I know,” Persephone says. “Zagreus has told me all about how they work when he carries them through his father’s realm. Are you promising to burst into the light in my defense, should my mother and all the rest not treat me with all the respect I deserve?”
“Yes, I am.”
Persephone speaks lightly, but Nyx does not. She did not realize it until the Queen returned to the Underworld, but the truth is that Night Incarnate would gladly start a new war and end it in the same moment if that was what it took to keep Persephone safe.
Seeing the sincerity in Nyx’s eyes, Persephone falters for a moment. Then she squeezes Nyx’s hands tightly. “Let us hope that things do not come to that,” she says.
“I will always hope the same, Persephone.”
And then Persephone releases her hands in order to throw her arms around Nyx. Nyx is startled for a moment—she fears for the propriety of such an embrace here in the formality of the House—but when Persephone does not release her, she returns the gesture, holding Persephone’s head close to her breast. “I will miss you,” she confesses.
“I’ll miss you too, Nyx. You’ll write, won’t you? All the time?”
“Of course I will.”
“I will, too. We’ll give Hermes quite a workout, ferrying our letters back and forth.”
“I am sure he will appreciate the opportunity.”
They stay like that a moment longer, until some deep part of Nyx feels something slip ever so slightly out of balance. “You must not keep Charon waiting any longer, my Queen,” she says.
Persephone sighs. “You’re right, of course. Then I’ll go. But I’ll be back this time, Nyx. I swear it.”
“We will all look forward to your return.”
“I will as well. Farewell, Nyx. None of you may forget how much I love you all, you understand? I forbid it.”
Nyx answers with a half-bow, and Persephone leaves through the garden, turning once to make her swallow’s wing wave one last good-bye. And then, as Charon ferries her away, Nyx watches the golden thread of her existence wind its way all the way up to the surface and into the blinding light.
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