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yawnderu · 5 months

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Lorelei — Simon "Ghost" Riley x Reader | Part V

1 2 3 4 5 6

Synopsis: Aware of the way his lifestyle doesn't align with your dream life and unwilling to quit his life as a soldier, Simon breaks things off with you. It isn't until a year later that he sees you again, a tiny carbon copy of him held in your arms.

This chapter can be read as a one-shot without having to read the whole story! :)

"Are you staying for Christmas?" You ask casually, decorating the cookies you baked with Simon's help. Your daughter is sleeping peacefully in her crib, a small Santa Claus onesie on her, preparing her for the celebration even when there's still a few hours left.

"You want me to?" He asks with a raised eyebrow, brown eyes fully focused on decorating the head of one of the cookie figures, steady hand drawing a skull pattern with ease.

"It's her first Christmas, I think she'd like having her father around." I want you around as well. He's lucky you're focused on decorating your cookies, missing the way his face lights up with a proud smile. It's a lot of progress.

''Right. I got you both some presents in the car.'' He washes his hands on the sink, giving his daughter one last look before leaving the house, trying to gather as many of the gifts he bought as possible. ''Some presents'' was clearly an understatement— he has been building a pile of gifts for months, his car full of boxes and bags for both you and your little girl.

''Jesus Christ.'' You wash your hands and go help him as you see him struggling to carry the pile, taking some from him and putting them under the Christmas tree.

''There's more in the car.'' He seems almost sheepish as he confesses, giving him a small pat on the arm as you go outside to help him. You almost laugh as you look inside, the entire backseat full of presents. It's almost ridiculous, yet so charming how much he wants to make both of you happy, knowing how much it the holidays mean to you, especially now that you have a daughter.

''Isn't this... a bit overkill?'' You joke, earning you a playful pat on the ass now that your arms are busy. You miss the kick thrown his way, jogging after him with a smile when he playfully gets on the other side of the couch to avoid you getting revenge.

''I still got one more present coming, but that's for later.'' He walks back to the kitchen once he made sure you weren't going to kill him for patting your ass.

''I swear to God, Simon, if it's another d—'' He interrupts you by smearing frosting on your cheek, shooting you a cheeky smile that gets erased the moment you do it back— smearing way more than you should have all over his cheek.

''Bastard.''

Your baby was up by the time it was midnight, excited to see her mum and dad opening up presents and even joining in, tiny hands clearly struggling with the wrapping paper, yet somehow managing without help.

''Strong girl, like her mum.'' You smile softly at his words, looking at the way your daughter stares curiously at one of her last presents; a cactus activated by sound.

''Say 'hello'.'' Simon says, getting closer to the toy until it activates, dancing around and lighting up. Astrid looks confused as she looks at it, brown eyes looking up at you before looking back at the toy.

''Hello.'' He repeats, a warm smile on his lips when the toy starts dancing again, much to your daughter's confusion. She babbles at it, tiny hands reaching out to touch it once it starts moving and playing back her sounds, giggles escaping her lips as the toy imitates her laugh.

Simon's phone vibrates in his pocket, getting up from the couch before looking down at his phone with twinkling eyes.

''My mate's here, I'll be right back.'' He doesn't wait for you to reply, already out of the house before you can even say anything. Your focus is back to your daughter, happy that she enjoys playing with the toy rather than being scared of it like you've seen in videos online. Brave girl she is, not a single lick of fear in her.

Simon comes back a minute later, holding a big German Shepherd that can definitely walk on its own. You give him a questioning look as he sets it on the floor, holding his collar just in case.

''Absolutely not.'' You try to protest, yet your gaze softens when you see Astrid crawl to the dog.

''Wa-wa!'' She points out, tiny hands reaching up to pet the dog the same way you've taught her, gentle. The dog doesn't react much besides laying down on the floor for your daughter to pet it, making it much easier for her.

''His name's Riley, he's a retired K-9. Look, I'll pay for his food and even for someone to come take care of him when I'm not here, I just... want you to be safe.'' There's hints of pleading on his tone, eyebrows slightly furrowed as he looks at you.

''... I'll take care of him.'' You say with a small sigh, knowing Simon wants nothing else than for both of his girls to be safe, especially when he's deployed.

''We gave him extra training to deal with kids and emergencies. Big geezer's patient and good.'' He keeps trying to sell it as if you didn't say yes already, a small giggle escaping your lips before giving him a reassuring smile.

''We'll keep him, don't worry.'' You crouch down to pet the dog, who is clearly enjoying the attention from your daughter, allowing her to rest on his side while petting his head.

There's a smile on his face as he looks down at his family, hands fumbling with the small box in his pocket.

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iamnot-crazy · 5 months

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Stowaway Chapter 7

Trafalgar Law x Fem!Reader

Info: This is my first time posting a story on Tumblr and my first time writing an x reader.

Summary:

The reader is a slave to a nobleman due to her devil's fruit ability which allows her to control the emotions of the people around her. She flees to bump into Trafalgar Law and boards his ship.

This is a slow-burn-type story with a sad ending.

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11

It's been around 6 months since you left for Amazon Lily and the captain's mood sharply decreases. His only goal was to collect as many hearts of wanted pirates as possible and increase his training to become a warlord. If you wanted a warlord's protection then he will give you one.

The crew was saddened by your departure especially because you left without much of a goodbye or a reason. Everyone had their assumptions after witnessing the multiple bounty hunters claim to retrieve you for your master and the Amazon ship that was docked at the same island where you were last seen. Everyone assumed the story that you were a slave and your master found out you were with their crew so you went to Amazon Lily for your safety. They were correct in their theory but they would never get the confirmation as any time someone would mention you Law would become angry which would scare the crew.

The crew missed your presence though and when they visited any towns they couldn't help but pick up small items that reminded them of you. One of the towns they visited reminded everyone of you, it had all your favorite treats, and all your favorite activities, it even your favorite books in the bookshop. Ikkuka was the first to notice after whining over your memory to Shachi while Law who was holding a children's book written on this island that story was a story you would often mention in small jokes.

"Everything on this island reminds me of y/n." She whined to Shachi shoving a piece of your favorite treat into her mouth.

"It's almost a little too much like her," Shachi notes.

Law walked up to the two, "I think this is y/n home island." He said still holding the children's book. The two crew members looked at their captain in surprise. He has never mentioned you since you left unless it was to tell the crew to stop mopping about you.

Law looked up at the island and the happy villagers seeing their small mannerisms that you also presented. He walked away deeper into the village leaving the two crew members behind.

Ikkuka whined again, "I know y/n had to go to Amazon Lily but I still miss her." Shachi patted he back in comfort but easily snuck a treat out of Ikkuka's hands while she whined.

"Amazon Lily?"

***

"bada bada bada! Bada bada bada!"

The transponder snail rang in the bridge while no one was around ringing to alert no one.

The person on the other end gave up on reaching the Polar Tang.

***

The day has finally arrived Law had collected the hearts of 100 wanted pirates and was about to bring the hearts to the Marines to secure his position as a warlord but first, he needed to make a stop.

The Captain announced their destination and the crew was more than excited. It was time they returned to Amazon Lily and you get to return to their crew. It has been a whole year and a half since you left and even though you have been gone longer than you have been a part of their crew without your presence the heart pirates have not been the same.

The polar tang arrived at Amazon Lily and waited outside the large gate. Law was the only one who stood outside on the deck and began shouting at the gate, "It is Trafalgar Law! I am here for y/n!" however the gates remained shut. Law shouted out again hoping someone could hear him.

The cranky old lady that Law met last time he was on the island stepped outside on the watch tower. "Dr Law you may have been welcomed once to our land but never again!" She shouted.

"That is not a problem I am just here to retrieve y/n!" Law shouted in return.

The old lady's face fell at the sound of your name. "You must leave Dr Law!" she shouted before turning to the island.

Law's jaw snapped sensing something wrong. "Room!"

Law appeared in front of the old lady scaring her as he towered above her. "where is y/n." he growled.

The old lady began to push herself upwards, "Because y/n loved you I will inform you but then you will leave this island and not return." She grumbled. Law stood threateningly above her his eyes shining with anger which caused the older lady to flinch. "Around 8 months after y/n arrived Amazon Lily was attacked. The Amazons did well at fending off the attackers and they left after 2 days but after they left y/n was missing and her room was destroyed."

Law took angry steps forward, "that was almost a year ago." he growled his knuckles gripping his sword turned white, "y/n came to this island for her protection. Where is she now!"

The old lady stumbled back away from the angry doctor whose eyes seemed to glow red. "We tried to contact you and let you know when it happened but you never picked up." She pleaded with her excuse.

"That was not what I asked." Law hissed using his thumb to push his sword out of its holster.

"Doflamingo took her." She admitted hiding behind her staff.

Law hissed at the name before transporting himself back onto the polar tang immediately turning to the wall and punching a large dent into the metal wall. Bepo who was eagerly awaiting his captain's return with you but only witnessed the captain return empty-handed and crying into a dent he had made into the wall convinced him to quickly turn around. Bepo ran into the cafeteria and took apart the welcome-back celebration as fast as he could.

***

The crew remained on course to the marine fort to secure Law's role as warlord despite the captain locking himself in his room and destroying everything that reminded him of you. The crew pieced together that the lack of your return meant something bad had happened to you and began to be filled with sorrow.

Law stormed through the doors of the new marine admiral holding a sack full of hearts.

"Doflamingo has a member of my crew that I want to be returned!" Law demanded throwing the sack in front of the Admiral. "You said if I retrieved 100 hearts of pirates I would be granted warlord status and with that, I am granted favors from the government! Here is your heart now I want my crewmate back!" Law shouted at the Admiral.

The Admiral sighed, "I told you over the transponder sail that I can not help you retrieve someone from another warlord if she is even alive."

Law's eyes flashed red, "I don't give a damn about who has her she is being held as a slave! You as the government should be able to free her! If you need help identifying her she has a tattoo on her side that matches mine!"

"A heart tattoo right?" A voice laughed from the door to the office. Law yanked his head around to see the warlord Doflamingo causing Law's jaw to clench. He waltzes into the room assuring all eyes were on him. If Law was not in the room on the Marine admiral he would slice the flamingo down in an instant. His grip on his sword tightened prepared to attack as he glared at the man wearing a pink feather cape but forced the rest of his face to remain composed. "Law it's been a while." The man held out his arms with a giant smile. "I heard rumors of you attempting to become a warlord but I couldn't believe it till now!" He laughed.

"what do you want." Law snarled.

Doflamingo laughed, "I wanted to congratulate you on becoming one of the big dogs." He placed a hand on Law's shoulder which sent chills down his spine. "Aw Law don't be this way it's been so long since we last met. When I saw your name in the papers collecting heart I couldn't be prouder." he threw his arm over Law's shoulder pulling him into a side hug, "In fact, I even got you a gift!" He twiddled his fingers towards the door where a figure slowly walked through.

Law froze at the sight of who walked through the door, "When I saw you were trying to become a warlord I knew I had to get you the perfect gift, and when I saw this I knew it would you love it."

"that's the same mark on your chest right?"

As he watched you enter the room, Law started to drown the man out. You wore only a bra and shorts underneath a sheer dress showing the tattoo on your hip off. Your eyes lay on the floor glazed over as you obediently walked in with your hands held in front of you as you patiently awaited your orders.

Law and the Admiral looked at you in surprise and disgust but did not make any moves to reveal their feelings. "I will say giving her up is going to be extremely hard for me. After I fixed her she became the best slave I have ever seen and don't get me started on her powers I have never slept better in my life."

Flamingo moved his way over to you circling his prize, "Well Law aren't you going to say anything, like a thank you." flamingo placed his hands on your shoulder holding them tightly in mockery trying to force Law into a disruptive state. Law's jaw snatched close grinding his teeth together watching as the most evil man in his point of view laid his hand on you.

"oh honey I don't think he likes you very much." flamingo mocked before pushing you forward, "why don't you show Law how good of a slave you are."

You looked up at Law blankly, "Master Law I sense that you are feeling stressed would you like me to calm you." you reached your hands out shining a grey color while your eyes stayed white and glazed over. Law reached his hands out for yours eager to feel your touch but closed his eyes and let his hand fall. You blinked in surprise, "Master Law you feel sad would you like me to help you feel happy?" the colors on your finger shifted to blue.

Law shook his head, "I will be fine." he spoke to you softly before yanking his glare up to Flamingo, Law grabbed your arm avoiding your fingers which glowed grey again. He gently pulled you towards the door eager to leave but you suddenly stopped moving.

"I am sorry Master Law I can not leave a room without the young master's permission," you spoke as you froze unmovingly.

Law scowled looking over at Doflamingo, "Law you still haven't said thank you." The man laughed evilly.

Law snapped his jaw shut his eyes shaking while looking at you and your emotionless eyes. "thank you." He mumbled with a croak in his throat. His entire soul sank saying the words.

The giant pink man laughed taking what he could out of the boy, "You may go, my dear." he spoke to you but looked at Law with his evil grin. "Law will be your new master from this day forth. You will treat him with the same respect that I taught you."

You bowed your head toward Flamingo, "Yes young master." you turned back toward Law. "I will do my best to please you, Master Law." Law growls to himself in anger grabbing your arm again and pulling you far away from the evil man.

Once aboard the polar tang, the entire crew came running onto deck excited to hear any news related to your return. When they came out onto the deck they were thrilled to see your presence shouting your name with tears and saying how good it was to see you but you just stood there unchanging. "I will be glad to serve this ship." you bowed which silenced everyone and caused them to look at Law with questions.

Law grabbed your shoulder, "I'm going to transport you to my medical room don't be alarmed and stay there until I come and get you." he whispered calmly in your ear before you were transported into a white room covered in books and medical supplies. You remained seated on the metal table you were transported to awaiting your master.

Law looked over at his crew with sorrowful eyes as Bepo approached first, "What happened?" he asked nervously.

Law peaked over his shoulder to see DoFlamingo hovering in the doorway watching carefully. Law growled, "DoFlamingo." Law then pushed his way past the crew, "Get ready to set off!" He ordered before making his way to the medical room where you sat waiting.

Law opened the door remembering the first time he transported you into that room when you first met. That time you couldn't sit still then and were found in the corner of the room. Law couldn't help but be surprised to see you exactly where he transported you sitting on the medical table sitting as straight as you could with your hands in your lap. "y/n?" He asked calmly.

You turn your head toward the doctor, "Master Law." You bowed your head which caused Law to sigh.

"Please y/n don't do that it's just us. you are free." He begged pulling your head up to face him and reaching for your hand to hold the top of.

"I don't know what you mean Master Law. I am here to serve you." You spoke with an unchanging tone.

Law reached his hand to cup your face, "what did he do to you?" Law questions tears now flowing down his face.

"The young Master taught me how to be a good servant and to use my powers to benefit my master." You spoke with your eyes glazed over, "Master Law you are feeling sad would you like me to make you happy?" You brought your hand up as it glowed blue.

Law grabbed your hand and folded your outstretched fingers into your fist before laying a kiss on the back of your hand, "No y/n I'm not sad. I am so relieved that you are safe again." his tears fell onto your hand and rolled down your arm.

You looked at him questionably, "who is y/n?" you asked which sent chills down Law's spine.

"That's your name," he spoke looking through your eyes for some sort of recognition from you but your eyes remained empty. "Y/n y/l/n do you remember anything from before DoFlamingo took you?"

You shook your head, "I do not Master Law." Law immediately removed his hands from you if you don't remember anything then he wasn't your boyfriend holding you lovingly but a stranger touching you inappropriately.

Law stumbled to find his next words, "I am so sorry y/n." he stepped back hitting his back on his desk tears streamed down his face, "I'm so sorry." he didn't even know what he was apologizing for if it was for the fact he was just touching you without your permission, or was it because he had failed to protect you like he had promised. Guilt swam through his head as he looked at you obediently waiting. Unable to contain himself anymore he ran out of the medical room and immediately threw up right outside the door away from your view.

The crew who was hiding around the corner immediately disappeared upon seeing their captain in such a state.

***

Next Chapter

#one piece #one piece x reader #trafalgar d law x reader #trafalgar law #trafalgar d water law #fem!reader #writing #trafalgar one piece #Trafalger x reader

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cloverdaisies · 11 months

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CLOVERDAISIES’ WATTPAD ☆ BOOKS

hi deobis! ∩^ω^∩ here is a link and description of my books in case you were looking for a read ! <3 if i’m not active on here i’m usually posting updates over on wp so don’t hesitate to come say hi!

# TARGET: lover

member: juyeon

genre: mafia au

status: completed

description: “late at night, a wander down the streets of downtown is not the safest trip for a young girl approaching her mid twenties to endeavor on..

when yanked head first in to danger, y/n can choose one of two reckless fates... he's cold, twisted, murderous in intent, nothing but a facade of someone who's lost his way in such a dark world...

is it possible that someone so cruel, could ever find love in this dysfunctional world of money, drugs & murder?

mission accepted - welcome to TARGET: lover.. ”

a/n: listen this is the first book i’d ever wrote, i know she’s not everyone’s cup of tea but she means a lot to be so please be nice to her <3

☆*:.｡.

# JUVENILE

member: sunwoo

genre: bad boy cliché, college au

status: completed

description: “LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT: "the court hear by sentences that sunwoo kim, will face up to 6 months and 10 days in prison with no chances of parole on charges of vandalism and possession of Class A substances."

kim sunwoo returns to campus after being released from juvie but has the old him ever changed? still smoking, drinking and partying with his insane friend group. juvie didn't scare him one bit.

it's been 5 months since Y/N, introverted, clever and pretty, moved to LA. she's only heard rumors of sunwoo kim. the young criminal who no one wanted to get on the wrong side of, the news of him coming back was the buzz of the entire campus.

an unexpected encounter brings two opposite people.

a/n: probably one of my proudest works! juvenile is the most successful book of mine and to this day i still sm in love with the characters and universe i created in this lil world.

☆*:.｡.

# 1984

member: chanhee

genre: 80s, romance

status: completed

description: what happens when a present day girl gets sucked into the 80s - big hair, big stars, old cars and young hearts.. the year is 2021, full of social media absorbed teens using these little silver boxes called mobile phones... hopeless without today's unrealistic present... what happens when Y/N, your typical zombified teenager is warped into the past... does she come back with more than she bargained for ?...

a/n: probably the most detailed book i’ve ever written, 1984 depicts a whirlwind of a vintage romance that if you’re into the 80s vibes you’ll love.

☆*:.｡.

# ANGEL BOY

member: juyeon

genre: boarding school romance

status: ongoing almost complete

description: “when American dream girl Y/N finally pulls the last straw with her father, she gets shipped off to an all girls private school in England..

is there more to the school than lacrosse and rich girls?...

a Lee Juyeon fanfiction, based on and inspired by Wild Child”

a/n: i absolutely love the film wild child and became so inspired to write something like it, there’s a lot of characters to get to know who aren’t necessarily based on k-pop idols but i created them myself and i hope you could love and get to know them as much as i do

☆*:.｡.

# MENSWEAR

member: juyeon (sorry i’m in love with the man)

genre: angsty college au

status: ongoing

description: "i love you, i told you i do."

"i want to see sunshine, flowers, hold someone in the long grass on a summers day. i want to be in love like the poets write, the story the birds sing to. but i'll never be that guy. i'll never be your romantic shit show of a love story."

"but you are."

a lee juyeon fanfiction set in the same universe as juvenile, a kim sunwoo fanfiction. ”

a/n: right i absolutely loved juvenile so much that i had to write a spin off with juyeon’s character, yes it’s only at the beginning ! but summer awaits and i will be working hard to complete it ! <3

☆*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆ !

i know it’s a lot of juyeon but there is more to come ! i can’t wait to cherish the summer and give you more members books ! i hope that this rough index could lead you into my little romantic world and give you some laughs along the way

sending my love always,

clover <3

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thgfanfictionlibrary · 4 months

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Authors On THG Writing Hiatus Masterlist (10)

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9 /

***Active (on this blog) is defined as a blog/writer who has updated within the past year. Inactive (on this blog) is defined as a blog/writer that has not been updated at all in the past year+. On THG Writing Hiatus (on this blog) is a blog/writer who has updated within the past year but has not posted a fanfic in the fandom in the past year BUT they may return to writing in the future. Lists will be updated as needed based on activity. ***

Created: November 17th, 2023

Last Checked:----

SereneCalamity-ff.net

Popular Fic: Combining Fates They were from completely different worlds; he was an over-privileged playboy and she was an angry foster kid with a tendency to smoke too much. But there was something about her that made her stand out. Everlark.

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Popular Fic: Extra Credit Professor Mellark teaches art history at Panem State University. Katniss is a student in over her head in a class she doesn't need to take. When Katniss gets a poor grade on a paper she turns to Professor Mellark for some extra credit only to find her attraction to him overtakes her good senses and her extra credit turns into something more.

sohypothetically-ao3, ff.net, tumblr

Popular Fic: Girls Night Out Present day A/U. Johanna Mason copes with a breakup the only way she knows how: going on a man-hunt. She brings her roommate Katniss Everdeen with her and the rest is frat party history. Rated M for explicit language, sexual innuendo, and general snarkiness. Written for Prompts in Panem Places Challenge, Prompt: Frat House. (Ships: Jo/other, Everlark, Gadge, Odesta -- also, major death is not any of the main THG characters)

the-true-mockingjay-ff.net, tumblr

Popular Fic: Baby Bliss Katniss finds out she's pregnant, how will Peeta take the news? A story of Katniss and Peeta's lives through their first pregnancy. 2 years post-mockingjay. R&R. Boy or Girl? Everlark fluff.

TheMaryScribbler-ao3, tumblr

Popular Fic: Forsaken Panem Fleet's annual raid is coming up and Katniss Everdeen will do whatever she can to keep her sister from being discovered and deserted... Even if it means volunteering to become one of the Forsaken. From her home on Station 12 to being deposited on a possibly hostile planet Katniss was ready for anything. Except perhaps her companion. The boy with the bread who was a hidden illegal just like her sister. Will his utter fascination in all the things he has never seen drag her into dangers she could have never imagined? Probably.

TheWeekendSinner-ao3, ff.net, tumblr

Popular Fic: The Song Before Dawn Katniss Everdeen doesn’t believe in fairytales. That is, until she meets the strange and hauntingly beautiful creature of the sea, Peeta Mellark. AU. Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid.”

WildcatPAcer-ao3

Popular Fic: 1 Moment Can Last Forever ""Hey." It takes me a minute to realize that the greeting actually came from me. That I've stopped right behind him, my books hugged to my chest." What if Katniss let go of her pride and thanked Peeta for the bread right off? Barely even friends, then somebody bends, unexpectedly… Friends-to-lovers, over years. A no-arena Everlark slow burn to end all slow burns!.

wollaston-ao3, ff.net, tumblr

Popular Fic: Alone in a Crowded Room After suffering a serious injury at the hands of his mother, Peeta begins treatment with Mrs. Everdeen. When Katniss is asked to help with his treatment things take an unexpected turn.

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Popular Fic: Into the Woods This was written ages ago for Everlark Birthday Gifts. I can't remember the prompt/ request but they asked for smut and so smut I gave.

#masterlist #everlark fanfiction #thg fanfiction #everlark #thg #writing-hiatus authors #writing-hiatus #writing-hiatus authors masterlist

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loiladadiani · 10 months

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Photographs: 1. The exterior of the Mariinsky as it looks today; 2. A view of the facade; 3. The lobby; 4. A view of the orchestra and of the "Royal Box" which was in fact used by the Tsar only when there was visiting Royalty from other countries, etc. in attendance; 5. The "Royal Box" as seen from the stage; 6. The stage as seen from the "Royal Box" (notice the decorated ceiling and lamp); 7. Another view of the stage. 8. Notice the box next to the stage; that was the Tsar's real box - that was where he sat when he attended a performance with his family; 9. Another view of the Tsar's box next to the stage

"The Season" at Saint Petersburg, the Tsars and the Mariinsky Theater

Those interested in Romanov history and how the members of the dynasty lived know that "The Season," the ballet, opera, balls, etc., were an important part of their personal and political lives. So important, that one of the many factors contributing to the fall of Nicholas II might have been his withdrawal from the social activities "The Season" entailed.

"The Season" in St. Petersburg began in the last two weeks of September. The nobility returned from their vacation in their country dachas at the end of October, at the same time as the Tsar and his family. The most brilliant part of the Season took place during this time, and long-term visitors reported the city looked most brilliant and glorious during this exciting time of gala court balls, festivals, and masquerades.

All of this revolved around the person on the Tsar, who was the most important host, guest, and critic. Nicholas I attended the theater almost every day during the Season. This pattern continued until the reign of Alexander III, when he began to cut back his attendance. His son Nicholas loved the theater (he wrote in his diary that nothing moved him more than music), and as Tsarevich, he attended operas, ballets, plays, and concerts as often as he could. After he married, his wife's frequent pregnancies and illnesses increasingly cut into his attendance. In 1900 the Imperial couple was still attending concerts and performances in the city. Still, they were becoming fewer and fewer each year.

At the center of much of Saint Petersburg's entertainment life was the famous Mariinsky Theatre. Today, it still plays a significant role in Russia's cultural life. The Mariinsky underwent several rebuildings over the years. The luxurious building went up in 1860. In 1883 it was extensively remodeled, and more decoration was added to the facade. The Mariinsky was the center of the famous Imperial Ballet and Opera, home to many of the most famous performing artists of the last 100 years.

Many of the names of these stars are legendary - Nijinsky, Karsavina, Pavlova, Kschessinska, Chaliapin, Petipa, and many others. The artists of the Imperial theatre and the upkeep of its facilities were the responsibility of the Tsar, and all of these costs came out of the annual revenues of the Imperial estates.

Tickets to the Mariinsky were hard to get. Most of them were pre-assigned to subscribers who held their seats for life; when Prince Felix Yussupov married the Tsar's niece, Irina, the Tsar asked him what he wanted as a wedding present. Yussupov, a fan of the performing arts, asked for the right to use the Tsar's box at the theater when he was away - which was a gift beyond price. His request surprised and amused the Tsar, who granted it. The Tsar's private box was on the left-hand side of the Mariinsky stage. It had an incredibly intimate view of the stage, a dining room, and its own elegant bathroom. It also had a private entrance to the building and a staircase.

The Mariinsky Theatre invariably began the Season with A Life for the Tsar, a patriotic opera. The ballet opened on the first Sunday of September, the company having assembled two weeks before.

The competition for seats and the right to subscribe proved the interest it aroused. A petition to the Chancery of the Imperial Theatres had to be filed to obtain a seat; the chance of success was so small that advertisements constantly offered big premiums to the original holders of the stalls. Fathers handed their seats down to their sons. There may have been personal motives in the attachment of some to the ballet, but the cult of this delicate art was always uppermost. (gcl)

#russian history #romanov dynasty #Nicholas II #mariinsky theatre #historical places

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sleepy-writer84 · 4 days

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Could I Be a Hero?

Chapter 2

Next Chapter: link

Eventual OC x Bakugou

Summary: Nanashi has been training with All Might and the green-haired boy for a couple months now and does some self-reflecting.

Words: 587

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been a couple months. Nanashi and the green-haired boy have been working hard with All Might to grow stronger. Nanashi has learned the boy's name is Izuku Midoriya. That's all she has afforded herself to learn about him though.

She doesn't know how to make friends. She's only ever had one, and he's no longer a part of her life. Communication doesn't come easy for her. After being saved, for a whole year she didn't even talk. She couldn't talk. The opportunity to have friends never presented itself. Hiroshi took her in, but since he was an active hero that meant a lot of moving around.

So as she sits in this diner with him, she wonders what would happen if she just opened up to him. Would she scare him? Would he look down at her and call her a monster? She thought she was a monster.

"Your quirk is really cool" Izuku mumbles through a mouth full of food.

Cool. Not scary, not villainous, but cool. If only she could tell him that it was a product of her damned father. If only she could tell him the truth. The quirk she was training with was a lie. She told him it was a form of telekinesis. That the blue chains she could create, the shields she could create, the way she could hold objects with her mind, it was all one quirk.

If she told him the truth, he would call her an abomination.

People weren't normally born with multiple quirks. If they were, their bodies usually became pretty unstable, the energy and pure power in the individual's body becoming too much to handle. However, there were exceptions. For example, Nanashi was the first person to be born the way she was in over 50 years.

If her quirk had to be narrowed down to one, it would be identified as energy. The energy in her body is what fueled her powers. Using too much of her quirk exhausted her. It could put her in a coma or physically hurt her body. It was the result of the quirks her father had used when he was with her mother. She was born with a mutation, a very rare one. It didn't kill her miraculously, but sometimes she wished it did.

Broken into subcategories, she had technically 4 quirks. She had her shield quirk. This quirk allowed her to put up a shield around her body or somebody else's. It was the quirk she was born with. As long as she either touched that person or had a piece of their DNA, she could make the shield. It always fully encased the person like a bubble and put a blue orb around them. Her second quirk that she got at the age of 3 was blue chain. She could create a blue chain that would come out of the ground or a wall to wrap around someone and pull them back or keep them in place. When she turned 5, she gained the quirk telekinesis. She had discovered this quirk when she was 6 and had awoken from a nightmare. The last quirk she had was something she wasn't proud of. Something that connected her to her father.

To Izuku, all he knew was her first three quirks were something she categorized as a type of telekinesis. An evolution of that original quirk. She would never tell him the truth, she was sure of this. Because for once, having somebody beside her was nice.

#mha #mha oc #my hero academia #my hero academia oc #platonic deku x oc #oc #oc x character #bakugou x oc #bakugou katsuki #bhna #bhna imagine #mha fanfiction #izuku midoriya #all might #bhna x oc

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djemsostylist · 3 months

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The End and the Death: Part 3

The story begins 6 years ago when I was bothering my little brother one night. I had spent the night at my parents’ house over the summer (he was home from college) and he was just trying to get some play time in Warframe. In an effort to get rid of me, and he told me to read Horus Rising, and to only come back if I got bored.

I did not. In fact, that night I read the entirety of the first book and spent the next morning begging for the next. I’ve written extensively over the years about my experience with Warhammer (if you click the tag “Djem reads Warhammer” you can track my rollercoaster over the years) but the thing that I have been waiting for since I first started was the end. The End - and the Death.

You see, I am a unicorn. I have, despite my years both on the internet and in nerd fandom, not actually ever encountered details of 40k. Part of this is because Games Workshop, and Black Library by extension, are both utterly terrible at marketing. They seem to approach Warhammer with a “if you know, you know, if you don’t, may God be with you” approach that means that unless you actively go hunting for information (and if you are careful to avoid fandom circles and not read the afterwords of novels) it’s actually remarkably easy to spend the last 6 or so years having absolutely no clue what the hell happened at the Siege of Terra—or after it. (For context, I have both played the Space Marine game and owned the Roboute Returned model for basically the past 6 years and I neither knew Roboute was dead or that he had come back, because neither mentions either. Yeah, I know.)

Before 3 days ago, I knew the following information only:

1. The Imperium survived

2. The Emperor, if not alive, was at least known and venerated as a god

3. Space Marines were still a thing, albeit organized differently

4. The Primarchs, at least the loyal ones, were known in the future (if not still physically present)

5. Xenos and man still fought

6. Chaos still had a grip on the galaxy

7. Horus lost

And that was about it. I didn’t know what happened to the primarchs after Horus was defeated (who survived, who died etc). I didn’t know what happened to the Emperor. I didn’t know how the Imperium came to be reorganized (although I did possess enough ability to discern, via context clues, that Roboute was at least responsible for the Codex and probably the reorganization of Legions into Chapters). I didn’t know what happened to many of the characters I had come to love and hate after the war was over. I knew virtually nothing. I didn’t even know if certain dead characters were actually dead.

As of 3:00 pm on Saturday, following the completion of EaTD3, I knew the following:

1. The Imperium survived

2. The Emperor “lived” to be venerated as a god

3. Space Marines were still a thing, albeit organized differently

4. The Primarchs, at least the loyal ones, were known in the future (if not still physically present)

5. Xenos and man still fought

6. Chaos still had a grip on the galaxy

7. Horus lost

If you are noticing a particular sameness to the lists, it’s because End and the Death volume 3 told us nothing. In fact, it told us less than nothing, because at least nothing would be something. But EaTD3 was 400 pages of walking and a fight, and it ended so abruptly I didn’t even have time to realize it was over.

I realize, to many, that because, other than lore implications, EaTD3 had to only serve to answer canon questions which have been evolving for the past 30 years, the novel simply ending when Horus died is hardly an issue. Most people know what happens next, they’ve been immersed in the lore, they may have even already read what happens to most of the characters. I realize that I am a unicorn. But regardless of knowing or not knowing, this book was a book. It wasn’t a lore guide or a codex. It was a novel, and it was a novel that was the capstone of, if not the entire Heresy, then at the very least the Siege. The fact that it was written by the man who started the series, the man who made me fall in love with Warhammer, meant that, perhaps, I expected something more. I expected a novel, an ending to the characters and stories that I had loved for the past 6 years, not an abrupt closing to a story that remains unfinished. This is the end of the Heresy, and while for most characters the story doesn’t end here, we needed closure. Catharsis. We needed a denouement.

The fundamental approach I think was flawed. The story should have been written as though no one knew what was happening, as the ending of a story, not a list of lore points that wrap up one era to introduce a new one. We needed to look at characters that mattered, if not in the Heresy as a whole, at least in the Siege, and we needed to end their stories. We needed to look at characters who have been important since the beginning, and make sure that their stories continued to matter until the end.

EaTD3 gave us none of that. Oh, it was beautifully written of course. Dan Abnett is nothing if not a wordsmith, and as usual his books are a pleasure to read. His grasp of language and his ability to turn a phrase or coin a term are second to none, but this book, for perhaps the first time, left me wanting more.

EaTD2 was an emotional rollercoaster. I think I cried at least every two chapters—even recounting certain moments later had me tearing up with the grief and loss and sacrifice and heroism. But it ended as abruptly as this one dead—Sanguinius dead on the floor.

I think that is what got me most about this book—the lack of feeling. For a man who can make me tear up over the emergence of a tank from the mists on Calth, I was expecting a deep wellspring of emotion regarding, well, almost everything, but instead, I was left feeling hollow. Dorn retrieves the skull of Ferrus Manus, and we don’t even see it. He just pops it into a grocery bag and hands it off to a random Blood Angel and that’s it. The Emperor’s near death is mostly ignored, with the focus less on the man himself and more on figuring out how to rig up a makeshift pallet. Sanguinius’ body is an afterthought left to his sons, and Garviel Loken is killed in a GOT style death that makes you wonder if Abnett had simply run out of steam. This novel was, in short, a couple of fun easter eggs on a series of lore points long known and oft debated, and was, in the end, nothing more.

What follows is a list of my particular issues, not in any particular order: (hyperlinked bc tumblr gets mad at me when I write too much)

Sanguinius

Right Scene, Wrong Person

Waste of Time or Too New?

Needed More (+ weird things)

Garviel Loken

#warhammer 30k #the horus heresy #warhammer 40k #horus lupercal #sanguinius #djem reads warhammer #i am at LONG LAST #free to follow all the warhammer blogs #bc nothing is a secret anymore!#so yay me

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pyroanime2k16 · 6 months

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Transformers and GI Joe story idea.

Heyo.

So, given Skybound's current Transformers and GI Joe comics are out now...and to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Transformers, I figured I'd share my idea for a Transformers Legacy and GI Joe Classified story.

I should point out that, while not important, Rom and the Micronauts do exist in this story.

This initial post is for Transformers. GI Joe will be in the reblog.

Okay. So some build up.

1: This is set in the present day.

2: Optimus Prime (a fusion of the Peter Cullen Primes (G1/G2, movie, and Aligned), thus sharing their forms and abilities through the Reconfiguration Matrix) is retired from active service. Most of the 1984-86 cast are retired, actually. Optimus is done. He can’t take the constant pressure of the war and the guilt it gives him. Instead, he does his own justice.

3: The war was thought to be over, however, that hasn't stopped some from trying to start it again. That said, some characters, like Soundwave (heavily inspired by his IDW counterpart), are helping with making sure the conflict is minimal. Most of the Decepticon cast don't want another war, actually.

4. Characters who gained more prominence in the later shows, like the Unicron Trilogy, Super-God Masterforce, and Victory characters for example, are here too (though some have to be renamed to not make things confusing). This includes the humans.

5. Garry Chalk Optimus Prime, who still leads his respective Autobots, is reimagined as this universe’s Primus (the Transformers creator). The David Cage Megatron is reimagined as Unicron.

6. The Primus of this Legacy-inspired story will be based on certain forms of UT Optimus. Unicron is a mix of Armada Megs and Unicron. I know it's probably lame in comparison to Primus, but Armada Megatron had the best design.

7: Car Robots Optimus and Magnus is here, but as an original character named in their Japanese names. BOTH are female, inspired by the only canonical female Optimus that was sadly only a recolor of Car Robots Optimus..and not an original design.

8: EACH iteration of Transformers occurs as if it happened on the day of its release. For example, the 1986 film occurs in 1986, not the year 2005 as stated in the film. Of course, certain things are changed in order to not make this a mess.

9: Optimus Prime is a character who dares to challenge and surpass fate and destiny at any opportunity he gets. For example, he survives his 1986 encounter with Megatron...and uses the Matrix to resurrect everyone who died in the event.

Main Story

Part 0: So, this whole thing started as a mix of the cartoons, while slowly became more IDW and movie-verse like, much to the dismay of Optimus and some of the Autobots. During an All Hail Megatron-inspired event, Thundercracker leaves and berates Soundwave before doign so, leaving the communications officer stunned by the seeker's courage.

Soundwave then goes through every event that's been cataloged in the base's files, before realizing just how far the Decepticon dream has fallen. He usurps Megatron shortly after and brings him to the Autobots, taking command of the Decepticons after a brutal fight with Starscream.

Megatron is found to be suffering from extreme insanity, which is treated during his prison sentence. With that, in the year of 2014 (30 years after the Transformers' initial arrival on Earth), the war is officially brought to an end.

Then in 2019, a new generation of Decepticons emerge (lead by Starscream), before forced to retreat after the arrest of their leader. And with that, most of the 1980s cast chose to retire after Optimus and Rodimus step down as Autobot commanders. The war remains ongoing, but on a smaller scale.

Part 1: The plot surrounds the Autobots (ALL of them) as they attempt to repel the new wave of Decepticons (should point out that some former members have either changed sides, become unaffiliated, or (like Optimus Prime) retired. Frank Welker Megatron is an example of the last one). Not sure what reasons this new generation of Decepticons will have, other than that they're more aligned with Unicron.

A few major members escape. Others surrender. Unicron begins to manipulate the future to further his schemes, as he's realizing who and what he and Primus truly are. Primus knows who he is and what he must do, but the Matrix is sacrificed to give the god his answers.

Part 2: The Maximals and Predacons arrive to present day from the future. The Predacons wish to change their future, while the Maximals wish to preserve it. Unlike most retellings of the Beast Wars, both sides are fighting a just cause, but for different reasons, which causes friction. The Autobots and Decepticons are in the background this time, working to rebuild after the short-lived second Great War, but a few provide major supporting roles (like Primus and Peter Cullen Optimus).

Primus manages to diffuse tensions, successfully getting the Maximals and Predacons to work together and change their future for the best. He and Unicron are seriously injured, nearly causing a paradox. Primus is upgraded to the form I described, before traveling back in time (with an imprisoned Unicron) to meet The One (the creator of the TF multiverse and Primus and Unicron) and restore history as a result.

Part 3: 11 of the original Transformers (the 13 Primes) come back to life and attempt to bring back the Golden Age. However, their views are significantly warped after what lead to their downfall. The Autobots, Decepticons, and their descendants unite to stop them, no matter the cost. Optimus also restores the Matrix in response to this plight, becoming its bearer once more and reborn into his former glory. Five members of the 13 also join, realizing how misguided they've become.

They are Nexus, Vector, Alpha Trion, Alchemist, and Micronus. Speaking of the OG Primes, the four Guiding Hand members (excluding Primus obviously) and Logos Prime are instead treated as students/successors to the 13. The Last Autobot is instead the codename for Teletraan 1's Ark robot mode.

Optimus and Megatron are revealed to be the Thirteenth and Megatronus respectively, having been reincarnated, thus retaining NO memories of their past. Optimus meets Nova Prime (his father in this story) and Sentinel Prime after a near-death experience, both encouraging him to continue living and fighting for what he believes is right.

Part 4: Unicron (in his present day form) arrives to Earth, while Primus returns from present day Cybertron to protect his home and family. This final battle between the gods is played like a tribute to every final battle in the franchise, as well as a tribute to the mecha genre (as Mazinger Z and Great, the old and new Getter teams, the two first titular Gundams, and Brave Exkaiser and Gaogaigar join in), with Primus as the victor. BOTH die, which gives the Transformers a chance to live without having to worry about the gods' feud.

The escaped Decepticons, still loyal to Unicron, attempt to use the Nemesis to destroy the Autobots. Primus lends Optimus his power, allowing him the strength to destroy the Nemesis by using the Ark. With all threats gone, Optimus dies peacefully. The Matrix is passed to Optimus Primal and the Maximals and Predacons head back to their now-changed time period.

Might give this Optimus Prime an epilogue/retirement story where he travels the multiverse and meets other Optimus Primes, as well as make the whole Thirteenth Prime connection even stronger, besides the simple reincarnation.

#transformers #optimus prime #megatron #primus #unicron #maccadam #gi joe #cobra commander #brave exkaiser #gaogaigar #mazinger z #great mazinger #getter robo #mobile suit gundam

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reasonsilovemywife · 1 year

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Mental Health - Break the Stigma

My beautiful bride posted this on “The Facebooks” and it’s important and she gave me permission to share it here, word for word: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Recently, I was struggling with depression, and I may be still, but it wasn't until this year that our insurance covered mental health services. I wasn't aware I was depressed until it started to get a bit better. That doesn't mean the depression magically left, it means there was enough of a break in the clouds that I could see the sky again. Two things happened that caused me to notice.

One, at least a small part of my depression was hormonal. I was prescribed some estradiol 0.01% estrogen cream by my urologist because it could help with my interstitial cystitis. I'm perimenopausal, so my estrogen is dropping and it caused a hormonal depression. What caused me to realize this was happening was after I used the estradiol and it was like I had just mainlined some espresso! For the first time in a long time, I felt so good! I had more energy and I was raring to get some things done!

Before I had used estradiol, a friend had told me of her hormonal depression and how hormone therapy helped her. I didn't think I was depressed. I had just been through a world fracturing loss immediately followed by several other losses, so it made sense I was down. I was grieving, but I didn't know it was depression and that my hormones had hopped on for the ride. As I examined my physiological response to the medicine, I began to connect the dots, and that's when I could see the depression for what it was. It was like coming out of a haze. This is what spurred the second thing to happen. I began to look at how I was feeling and my responses more closely. Overthinking came in handy at this part as I turned everything over and examined it more closely. I could see that over the last 2-3 years my communication with friends and acquaintances had dropped off dramatically. Only the very closest people to me were getting some kind of regular communication, even though that was a struggle sometimes. It wasn't that I didn't care or didn't want to know how others were doing, and if someone had reached out to me for help I would've done my best to help them, but I couldn't reach out for myself because I didn't know I needed help. That realization lifted a significant chunk of the haze for me. You may wonder why Mike didn't notice this, it's because he was suffering the same losses. The person closest to me was also in a depression in struggling, and for those 2-3 years we just survived. The first 6 months or so were the adjustment to the quarantine and life in a Covid-19 world. Then I got certified as a medical transcriptionist. Addison got Felix, and Mike took them to the park and to Stone Mountain to hike while I did my course. And then there wasn't enough to keep busy. Whether other activities slowed down, or the depression strengthened, maybe both, I can't say. We survived the through losses, through the pandemic, through life by hiding in our escapes of books, movies, tv shows, and video games. But that's what it was, surviving, not really living. We were there for each other as much as we could be, but when getting out of bed is one of your biggest struggles, and how you start each day, it can be incredibly difficult to be present in life let alone be there to support someone else. So when that's all we could do, we would just be present for each other. We were fortunate with that, and it may have made a bigger difference than we'll ever know.

This depression started with the loss of my Dad in December 2019, followed by one of Mike's brothers 6 weeks after that, followed by losing Joey Good Boy, followed by 5 more losses in the year and a half since that December. Because of the pandemic, I couldn't go back to MD to see my mom and sister regularly, something that helped me deal with everything. Grief so great that it nearly blotted out everything else. Grief so great that it's a mental health concern. Grief so great that it shut everything else out and consuming depression moved in.

Mike and I do regular check-ins with each other about once a week or so about how we're doing individually and how we feel about how our relationship is going. We used to do monthly relationship check-ins to make sure we maintained a healthy relationship, but that was before we were surviving. Little things, things that would go unnoticed could uncharacteristically become a big deal, but they weren't being addressed because it was just one more thing to deal with and it was just one more thing I simply could not handle because I was surviving. I got out of bed most mornings, because there was a point I just gave in, and that took all the effort I could muster.

My depression. I had never before been depressed like this. It was new and terrible. It was stubborn and difficult to get to leave, and sometimes it keeps trying to slip back in like an unwanted visitor. I know its tricks now. I know the signs when it wants to ramp up again because I'm still not 100% but now I know. I know how and when I need to communicate that I need something. I focus on rebuilding communications and relationships that suffered, and that's hard sometimes because it can still be hard to talk about being depressed, not because I'm embarrassed but because it's a lot to deal with, but facing it is how I, personally, work through it.

Not everyone is that fortunate, that's right, fortunate in depression. I was raised in a home where we were taught to be compassionate about the struggles of mental health. Mental health, the health of the mind, a legitimate illness that needs the care of a good doctor. My depression snuck up on me, and then I accidentally found something that helped me. Not everyone is that fortunate. Check-in on your friends. Let them know you care.

#wife #love #i love my wife #mental health #break the stigma

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ectonurites · 2 years

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I'm not against Kon and Steph getting along. But last time I remember, Kon hated and treated Steph poorly. I might be wrong, since I've never really followed his comic after that. Not sure if there is still some grudge between them.

I really hated that Fritzman only use Setph only for supporting plot, without context. They broke up off panel, Steph and Kon become friend off panel.. like, really? It was all too sudden, and doesn't make sense at all (continuity wise)

So there was one issue/instance of Kon treating Steph poorly- back when Steph had become Robin and he couldn’t find Tim:

(Teen Titans Vol. 3 #13)

Now, it definitely sucks that he was a jerk to her and he was being unreasonable, but it was an isolated incident. Before this they’d been in the same space (like during some YJ 98 stuff and a few other big group cameos in assorted books) and while they hadn’t really directly talked, they seemed to interact fine.

And like, after the Steph as Robin incident like once he’d actually talked to Tim there… he definitely did not seem to be holding any sort of grudge. He was mad at the situation (could not find Tim, and this girl was saying she’s Robin when as far as he knew Tim should be Robin) more than her, Stephanie Brown, as a person. She could have been anyone there and he’d likely have reacted the same (in fact, many years later when Damian is Robin instead of Tim, Kon thinks/acts similarly- just a bit more calmly because at that point he’d grown up a bit).

But like, even just later in pre-reboot continuity we got this line, during Steph’s time as Batgirl, definitely implying any anger towards her is gone:

(Teen Titans Vol. 3 #92)

Then in terms of post-New 52, important to remember/acknowledge that our current Kon is theoretically the same Kon as pre-reboot… so his feelings really wouldn’t have changed. And if there’s anyone to point a finger at for deciding ‘Steph & Kon are friends now’ off-panel it’d be Bendis during YJ 2019 not Fitzmartin:

(Young Justice (2019) #10)

(Young Justice (2019) #18)

So continuity-wise there, picking up after Young Justice 2019 stuff, having present day Steph reach out to Kon when she’s worried about Tim and the two of them continuing to talk after that feels like it makes total sense to me.

In terms of the breakup happening off-panel, I agree that’s frustrating (that’s definitely been one of my biggest criticisms of the story since Batman: Urban Legends #4 dropped). But I don’t agree that Steph’s use in the story was ‘without context’ unless you are looking at #4 & #5 without #6.

The last issue of the story gives us the context of why they broke up- that Tim broke up with her for ‘no reason’ (implied by the conversation with Detective Williams that he panicked because of this internal conflict about fitting to an idea of who he thinks he needs to be/this sexuality stuff that he didn’t know how to articulate and just ended things suddenly. Which, i’ve said before but will say again, feels reminiscent to me of when he broke up with Zo suddenly over the phone with no context given to her back at the end of Robin because he thought he might die the next day- Tim not communicating what he’s going through to a partner has been seen in most of his relationships, and him suddenly ending a relationship because of it isn’t unprecedented) leaving her confused (and as we know from #5 concerned) about it:

(Batman: Urban Legends #6)

In an interview (on the Gotham Outsiders Podcast) Fitzmartin had talked about some of the reasoning for choices with Steph having a small role/why the breakup wasn’t shown that made me a bit more at peace with it (basically two main things: page space because each installment was only 10 pages, and wanting to actively avoid Steph acting as an explainer for Tim- a role she has filled in his books before- during this whole thing. Basically to let the story’s focus be on Tim’s internal thoughts as he has to start figuring things out, rather than having someone like her who knows him super well reading him like a book. Having Detective Williams in a sort of guidance role instead worked because he is an outside person that barely knows Tim, a new character, and also is relating his own experiences with this sort of thing to Tim).

Considering the fact that we’ll now be getting Tim & Steph finally talking about some of this stuff, I think it’ll overall feel better once we’ve seen this next part of the story. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if we get a flashback to the breakup while they talk about it or something tbh.

But also genuinely, Tim had been having internal crises of a sort for a whole long while (I’d go as far as to say ever since Lonely Place of Living during Detective Comics- having future Tim around caused a whole lot of internal conflict for him then and later in that run too, then finding all the missing memories, then the whole ‘trying to be Drake’ thing, etc) before Urban Legends, and wasn’t always open about them with Steph! (Like the whole ‘he decided he wasn’t going to go to college and then Did Not Tell Her for a while’ conflict once he came back from LPoL that did kinda lead to a temporary breakup with them during ‘tec, for example). So him continuing to have internal crises (now this sexuality stuff) and not communicating it to Steph (thus deciding to cut things off) makes perfect sense to me in context of all of that- he’s struggled to figure out who he is and how he fits into things (and how to articulate what he’s going through during this struggle) for years at this point, and this is all just a continuation of that.

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mejomonster · 1 year

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Silent Reading. Chapter 60. Sp much I love about all this. 1. Lang Qiaos pov and thinking fei du will eat Luo wenzhou alive (sexily), 2. Luo wenzhous "type" But Not fei du because he's manipulative and one constantly has to have their nerves alert - which honestly I wonder if that's how Luo wenzhou felt raising him? Like he had to be constantly vigilant to temper fei dus darker impulses and crime leaning thoughts and keep him in line, retort his arguments, keep an eye on him. It's not a totally wrong interpretation, he's right fei du is like that. But also luo wenzhou... of all the people in the world? You've already decided to put in that effort for YEARS to know him in the first place. It'll he fascinating to see that opinion possibly shift. Or mesh with a deeper relationship than just the sort of caretaker/kid one they had into something on more equal footing. 3. awww Luo wenzhou kept a constant eye on him growing up again trying to be so involved, until fei du became a partying playboy lmao. (I wonder if Luo wenzhou - and Tao ran - since they influenced fei du in many ways, figured he'd be a good young man... then he started clubbing and partying and flirting around and they were like ???? Why??? Is our boy like this??? I do wonder if partly it's why Luo wenzhous as bitter about it mentally as he is. He thought he raised fei du better than this lmao). 4. Fei du is working for bureau and hasn't told him yet lol fei du LOVES playing with his food 5. The clothing changeeee. 6. Fei dus secret look at him that lang qiao caught last chapter.... fei du are you seriously... by chance pursuing Luo wenzhou now or soon? I know you're thinking he had a point career wise, clean up wise, hence you are at least on some level doing those things and on some level hoping he'll admit he's impressed/happy to see it. 7. The bit about being too close to fei du is like having too many eyes all on you was described so vividly. 8. Fei du is SO smooth trying to transition to getting that man in his car lol. 9. As a lover of slow burns I love Luo wenzhou feeling it'd been ages since he saw him, missing him more than he used To. How subtly they're both crushing more and both hardly acknowledging it.

Quote:

She rolled her eyes and straightened out her heel with difficulty, firmly biting back the warning she’d been about to give him. She thought, Well, it’s his funeral.

Formerly, Fei Du had worked during the day and fooled around at night. He’d come to harass Tao Ran from time to time, but mostly only to present some new toy as a gift. He hadn’t reported to the public security bureau every day for no reason. Luo Wenzhou had frequently worried about him before, although that had been while he’d still been little; since Fei Du had grown into a 360 degree scoundrel without a blindspot, there’d been nothing worth worrying about.

The city was always active, and everyone was running around toiling; there was also the rush of traffic and the sea of people to separate them. It wasn’t unusual for ordinary friends not to see each other for a few months.

But not much more than a month after the last time President Fei had come running to the City Bureau to “send some comfort,” Luo Wenzhou suddenly had a strange feeling, as if he hadn’t seen him in a very long time.

Fei Du’s car was as flashy as before, but he himself seemed much more in line with conventional norms.

He wasn’t wearing glasses. There was an earpiece hanging loosely from one of his ears. His cotton shirt had for once been buttoned up to just below the top collar button, and, in an extremely rare occurrence, he was wearing jeans. His hair had been casually pushed back, displaying his clear, handsome brow. It was as if something had washed his whole soul clean. All traces of that air of the scum of the literati were gone. At a glance, he looked like a slightly rebellious but not over-the-line arts student.

Hands in his pockets, Luo Wenzhou strolled over in front of Fei Du, internally cursing in spite of himself—

There were innumerable types of male beauty in the world, and Luo Wenzhou was interested in a fairly broad range of them. He could appreciate the Western aesthetic, full to bursting with masculine hormones and brimming with force; he could also appreciate the traditional aesthetic, clear as the moon, gentle as jade…as long as they didn’t display Fei Du’s revolting behavior, he wouldn’t turn any of them down.

President Fei was of the type he found most unendurable, simply a cobra in human shape. He was immaculately groomed; it was impossible to tell whether he was telling the truth or shamming; he had so many eyes trained on the world that getting close to him could make you feel a touch of trypophobia. There was a sharp and intense feeling of invasiveness about him; if you didn’t want to be manipulated by him, you would have to keep your nerves subconsciously strained. Never mind appreciation, Luo Wenzhou’s head hurt at the thought of him.

But the style he was attracted to at first sight was a clean and straightforward, somewhat distinctive one; add in some good looks, and it basically hit him dead-center in his most vulnerable point—for example, the way Fei Du looked right now.

Fei Du was young, after all. When he retracted his venomous fangs, he could conjure up a look of brimming youthfulness, mixing the true with the false.

Luo Wenzhou waved a hand, dismissing the little traffic cop from the department next door. He patted the roof of Fei Du’s car and pointed to the commercial building across the street. “Turn right and there’s a shopping center, didn’t you see? That’s where the nearest parking lot is. Outside of special circumstances, the public’s cars can’t randomly park at a public security bureau’s gates. You need a parking permit.”

Fei Du gave him a wholly unclouded smile. “How do I get a parking permit?”

“We don’t sell long-term parking permits wholesale or retail. First, you have to be City Bureau personnel. If you can’t manage that, you have to be the family member of City Bureau personnel.” Luo Wenzhou, not turning a hair, lowered his eyes, giving his stimulated eyeballs a break. “You want a parking permit just for opening your mouth. Do you have the status, President Fei? A few days after getting your cast taken off, you’re driving around raising hell all over the place—what are you doing here now?”

Without answering, Fei Du asked, “You didn’t drive today?”

“I lent my car to a colleague to use to go on a date,” said Luo Wenzhou.

Fei Du narrowed his eyes and opened the car door. “Perfect. Do you want to get in?”

Luo Wenzhou: “…”

This movement of Fei Du’s stirred up a light wind. Luo Wenzhou found to his surprise that he hadn’t sprayed on any cologne today; the smell that came from him was a mixture of the detergent from his shirt and some shaving lotion. It was clear and clean, like an autumn breeze washed by cool rain.

This joker had to be doing it on purpose.

Luo Wenzhou’s mind was alert, but his limbs rebelled against his brain, taking the initiative to get into the car.

#silent reading #lb

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that-ineffable-devil · 1 year

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Rainbow in the Dark | Chapter 6

Follow on AO3

Author's Note: The last two weeks have been hellish, but I think we're over the worst of it now--at least for the moment. I can't attest to the quality of this chapter--transitioning from Child!Eddie to Teenager!Eddie has been a CHALLENGE. Still, I hope you enjoy it as we get a little more into his motivations during S4.

CONTENT WARNING: This chapter references the effects of abuse and also describes how Eddie becomes a drug dealer. There's no explicit abuse, violence, or drug use--I just decided to err on the side of caution.

Chapter 6: Can’t They See It’s Why My Brain Says Rage?

The day he’d brought Eddie home from the hospital with him, he’d made sure that Eddie’s “welcome home and happy belated birthday” present was perched carefully against the sofa, a giant red bow tied gently around its body.

Even though he was still in pain and using mobility aids, Eddie had stopped in the open doorway and gasped loudly, his entire body rigid. Slowly, he’d turned his questioning eyes toward Wayne, who smiled and nodded in response. Eddie had approached the guitar slowly, with such care and reverence that Wayne wondered if the boy was afraid it might disappear if he startled it.

When he finally reached it, he gently ran his fingers across its strings, emitting the slightest of hums.

“Uncle Wayne…I…she’s beautiful…” his voice was soft but tight—almost fearful. “But…”

Wayne waited patiently for Eddie to finish his sentence, but soon realized Eddie had gone completely rigid again.

“But what, son?” he’d asked gently.

Eddie had jumped a little at his voice but kept his eyes on the guitar.

“I don’t know how to play…”

“Is that all? Don’t you worry, boy, I’ll teach you what I know—I bet in a year or two you’ll be out-playing my rusty skills with ease.”

Eddie had finally looked up at him then, his expression at first only shock, but it quickly morphed into the widest dimple grin Wayne had ever seen. He couldn’t help but grin back, knowing full well that this boy was now his whole heart.

Eddie never found out what happened to his father after that terrible night. He’d had his guesses, but he never asked—Wayne didn’t seem open to discussing it. As far as Wayne was concerned Eddie was his kid, and God have mercy on any soul who even considered hurting his boy.

Truthfully, Eddie was content to live in that reality, too. His memory of the time before Hawkins was a murky shadowland, full of all manner of unholy beasts waiting to consume him whole. So, he actively ignored anything his brain had been unable to repress—all but the Party and Luke. Eddie tried every day for a month to get Wayne’s permission to call them—he wanted to tell them he was OK. That he hadn’t abandoned them.

“You don’t understand,” Eddie had pleaded, “They…they’re family—they kept me alive!”

“Maybe so, but they didn’t keep you out of that hospital,” Wayne had replied, his gruff southern accent remarkably soft—a stark contrast to the Warden.

“No contact,” he continued as he removed the phone from the wall after Eddie had tried to sneak in a call while Wayne was out working on his truck. “That was the condition for the police releasing you to come home with me.”

It was half-true. It was a condition of his custody arrangement—just not the only one. Eddie hadn’t known that while he was still in and out of consciousness in the hospital, Wayne had arranged to move his entire life back to Indiana—the one place he knew his brother would never come back to. The court order was very clear that he and Eddie couldn’t stay at his last known address. When the judge asked why he’d chosen Indiana, he’d leveled them with a stare that could make a lion cower.

“There’s no safer place for him,” he’d said firmly, staring them down.

Nothing ever happened in Hawkins, Indiana.

Despite his baptism by fire, Eddie proved to be a gentle, funny, thoughtful boy with far too much kindness for a world that was all too unkind to him. Wayne could hardly believe his brother had even been partially responsible for creating this boy.

Sure, he was rough around the edges, a little prickly maybe, but he was never cruel. When faced with the choice, Eddie’d always choose kindness. Of course, Eddie didn’t like to show that part of himself. He’d rant and rave and bluster his way through each day, loudly expressing his anger at an unjust world.

Eddie had never been able to tolerate injustice, and there was just so much of it in the world. All evidence to the contrary, the boy had a strong sense of right and wrong—his right just didn’t always align with what society considered “right”…or lawful.

Sometimes, Wayne wished Eddie cared a little less—just to make his own life easier. But when Eddie appeared on his doorstep in handcuffs after being caught stealing a bike back from some bully that had taken it from another kid, Wayne loved him all the more. Wayne often felt like he was raising a superhero—his kid was going to change the world.

This was utterly different from Eddie’s opinion of himself. He was no hero—nor even particularly kind or thoughtful. If he had to describe himself in one word, he’d choose “terrified.” He saw the world as it was—unjust, unfair, and unkind to those who deviated from that very narrow scope of “societally appropriate.” And Eddie—well, Eddie was definitely a deviant.

Wayne had been the first adult to just let Eddie be—to express himself how he wanted, to speak freely, to make noise and trouble. To laugh. But the Warden’s lessons remained etched deep in his brain, as though he were branded with them. No matter the circumstance, no matter how frightened or upset he felt, he never cried—not even around Wayne, who had proven to be safe.

And love? Well, Eddie loved Wayne of course, but he never forgot that love was pain, and pain was love. Suffering was how you proved your love—but Wayne never made Eddie suffer. He never raised a finger in anger at Eddie—hell, not even his voice. So, Eddie had to find creative ways to show he was willing to endure anything so Wayne knew he loved him.

Wayne worked himself to the bone at the plant to make sure they had enough to put food on the table, but he wouldn’t let Eddie get a job in the afternoons or on weekends.

“Your job is to be a kid, son—and school. That’s it. You’ll have plenty of time to earn money in a few years, and we’re doin’ alright,” Wayne had argued, shaking his head at Eddie.

“But you work so…”

“No’s no, Eddie. Don’t make me call the businesses around here an’ tell ‘em what I think of you getting’ a job.”

Thus, Eddie found himself in the presence of “Reefer Rick” Lipton, the local drug dealer. The man oozed the personality of someone stuck in the 70s. His greasy, wavy mop of blonde hair was parted down the middle. His flowery green button-up shirt hung open, revealing his lithe form and ridiculously untamed jungle of chest hair. Though his pale blue jeans were tattered and stained, they were still evidently bell-bottoms hanging widely over his bare feet. And his enormous blue-ombre sunglasses with thin metal frames perfectly accented his gloriously bushy blonde brows and mustache.

Eddie could tell by the way Rick sized him up that he was younger than his usual…entrepreneurs, and he wasn’t convinced.

“I’m young, I know, but that could really work to your benefit, you know…” Eddie started, eyebrows raised.

“Uh huh, how’s that?”

Eddie flashed his dimples and lowered his eyebrows, leaning in conspiratorially.

“Well, based on the way you’re eyeing me with the suspicion of a cop being handed an unmarked brown package, I’m assuming you’ve got no sales reps in or around the schools, yeah?”

Rick’s eyebrows shot up as he nodded, also leaning in with interest now.

“I’d be your in. And a lot of those suburbs kids have money to burn—literally. Not only that, I’d be taking some heat off you since you won’t be at risk of being caught selling to minors. The only minor you’ll be ‘selling’ to is me.”

His arms crossed in front of him, Rick tapped a finger against one arm. His eyes were glassy, yet he seemed to be considering Eddie’s pitch.

“And I can read people, man. I can identify risks and match the products to the right users. I’m an enormous ass…et,” he added with a wink.

Rick doubled over, snorting with uncontrolled laughter. Eddie just grinned.

As Rick regained control, he smiled at the mop-headed runt in front of him. He pulled a joint from his shirt pocket and lit it, taking a long drag before offering Eddie a hit. Eddie breathed in as Rick released the smoke from his lungs in a slow exhale, aiming it away from the kid’s face.

“Well, I’ll be honest with you kid,” Rick said while taking back the joint, his glassy eyes meeting Eddie’s and a frown suddenly overtaking his face.

Eddie knew Rick was trying to play him, trying to make him think he wasn’t willing to work with him. But like he told Rick, he could read people. He could see the bright excitement behind the hazy glaze of the pot, the way the corners of Rick’s mouth twitched to fight off a smile, the way he leaned toward Eddie with interest.

“I know, I know,” Eddie said in mock disappointment. “I’m hired.”

“Ha! I got you kid! You thought I was gon…wait, what?”

“You liked my pitch. You want me to sell for you, and you’re giving me the job.”

“Well fuck man, you’re gonna be hard to fuck with…”

“You have no idea.”

Eddie found he was as good a dealer as he’d told Rick—hell, even better. He know how to identify potential whales—rich clients who were willing to pay a premium for lower quality products because they didn’t know any better. He could discern the reason behind a purchase and adjust products accordingly. He could even spot a set-up long before he’d put himself at any risk, much to the chagrin and frustration of Hawkins PD.

Though it put an even bigger target on his back from the sheriff and his goons, Eddie couldn’t deny the benefits significantly outweighed the risks. The rich punks at school still treated him like shit, but he was no longer a target for violence—nobody wanted to be responsible for removing the school’s source of “party supplies.”

And he’d been able to bring in enough money to afford some new musical equipment and band merchandise—he even bought himself a leather jacket—though he refused to replace the jean Dio jacket Wayne had given him for his birthday one year, so he ripped the already-tattered sleeves off and wore it over the leather.

He’d even earned enough to help cover his portion of household costs. Wayne had sacrificed so much to raise him, and Eddie thanked his unlucky stars every day that he’d been a good man, unlike the Warden. Eddie knew he was a lowlife and Wayne deserved better, so he did everything he could to avoid dragging the man into hell with him. Wayne never asked him where the money came from, but Eddie felt he knew. Maybe he thought Eddie had it rough enough without taking away what little protection he had. Maybe he just didn’t care.

Regardless, Wayne would smile softly at him when Eddie handed him a portion of his earnings every month, squeeze his shoulder gently, and tell him he was a good boy. Eddie’s eyes would flood with unshed tears so that he had to cough and rush away, his body viscerally reacting to the memory of the Warden’s reaction to his tears. Wayne didn’t get mad when Eddie cried, but it didn’t stop the pit in his stomach that opened like an abyss of emptiness every time tears threatened to spill.

If the Warden had ever taught him anything, it was vigilance. Eddie likened it to Spider-Man’s “spider sense.” While he’d struggled to understand unspoken languages in his youth, he’d developed this ability to read people like books. Though he couldn’t explain how, he could sense the biggest threat in any room as soon as he entered. He could feel when someone’s mood shifted and adjust his personality accordingly.

Whether he’d intended to or not, the Warden had taught him how to survive—Eddie just wished he could turn it off sometimes. It was exhausting, feeling the emotions of the people around him. So, like any wild animal when threatened, Eddie made himself big and loud—bolder than life itself. If he could appear more threatening than his predators and adapt himself to those closest to him, he could bluff his way out of anything.

It was how he’d convinced a group of absolute chuckle-fucks to come together and start a metal band—Corroded Coffin—after only 5 minutes of observing them individually. It was also how he’d convinced those same chuckle-fucks to play D&D for the first time, and how he got them irrevocably hooked after only one session.

It was what made him such an adept dungeon master during their D&D campaigns. He’d always been a natural at the game, but he’d honed the skills required of a good DM over the years. His strategies and puzzles were unparalleled, and where those failed him his improvisation skills rose to the occasion. It was rare for a party member to surprise him, and he’d never let them know if they did. The man was a master of “yes, and” and it showed in every moment of his games.

Being the “friendly neighborhood drug dealer” and the loud, brash leader of Corroded Coffin didn’t protect him from the rumors and hateful words bandied about as though he couldn’t hear them. According to various groups within Hawkins High—from the teachers down to the lowly AV club—he was a fag who murdered his father when he caught Eddie “in the company of” another man, a masochistic dope-fiend, and his favorite: the sadistic son of Satan himself. No one knew the real reason he’d transferred to Hawkins, and he wasn’t inclined to clarify.

He'd learned that there was a certain safety in being feared, and if you could build a group of like-minded, loyal individuals, like Luke had done…

Ah. Eddie didn’t like it when his mind wandered to Luke and his old Party. His heart ached painfully when he remembered what he’d lost, and that he’d never been able to say goodbye. But at least he had made some friends here…

You see, it wasn’t that Eddie didn’t like people. He did—in theory. The problem was that people didn’t seem to like Eddie, no matter what he did or how he changed. In his younger years, he’d tried so hard to fit in with anyone who was nice to him. But kids are cruel, and many of them were only nice so they could turn on him a week later—always a prank or a joke. After being stung again and again by the scorpions in Hawkins’ schools, he finally decided to lean into their worst ideas about him.

If they wanted him to play the part of town freak, he would be the greatest damn freak these small-minded bigots would ever experience. He’d begun dressing in baggy and black clothing; adorning himself with skulls, chains, and other “demonic” symbology; even allowing his curly brown hair to grow to what many considered an “unkempt” length.

While he hadn’t chosen the role, he decided to revel in this new character—Eddie the Freak. He rejected the status symbols and styles of the masses, denigrated their music, and preached the evils of the oppressive System. Eddie the Freak simply oozed superiority and self-ordained authority. If he played the part long enough, he might even begin to believe this was who he really was.

Eddie the Freak came with other perks, too. With the adoption of this confident hellspawn persona, he drew in other freaks. He remembered the kindness and solidarity he’d found with the Old Party, and decided this was his opportunity to build a new party—a Guild, even.

So, with the help of his band buddies—Gareth, Jeff, and Ben—he spent the later years of his school career identifying and gathering the other downtrodden, bullied, and freaky little lambs of Hawkins High into his “flock” so that he could shepherd the next generation of freaks into a better future. They created the Hellfire Club—a nod to his status as devil-spawn—to lend the Guild a sense of permanency and fraternity.

Hellfire gathered weekly to adventure through one of Eddie’s masterful campaigns. If he wasn’t welcome anywhere else, then he would create a niche no one else would fill. He leapt at any opportunity to share his disgust with conformity and normative society, and rarely would anyone stop him. No one wanted to challenge a group with Lucifer as its leader. This would be his legacy.

But not every lamb invited in wanted the permanency of being labeled a “freak.” Some, perhaps, were wolves in sheep’s clothing, hoping to learn just enough about his group to add fuel to the fire and gain ammo for the weaponized language of teenage cliques. Each wolf that defected broke off a piece of Eddie’s heart and took it with them, though he’d never show it.

So, he became guarded and more selective, protecting his group with a ferocity—one that may have become even bit too rigid—all in service to his desire to keep Hellfire together. To keep his friends near him. Because while they could survive without him, without them, he was just a lonely little freak too afraid to become a part of the larger world. A world full of people who leave like his mother and punish like his father. Hellfire had to survive, no matter what—because without Hellfire, Eddie would lose his friends and his legacy in one fell swoop, erasing any evidence that anyone other than Wayne had ever cared to know him.

Post Notes: In order to keep the story going, I rushed a bit past Eddie's adjustment period with Wayne--I feel like that could be a story all on its own. Still, I hope the shift wasn't too abrupt and the "why's" behind his actions in S4 are coming more into focus. Our next Eddie chapter will cover the lunch room scene, but will include far more detail about what was going through his mind and why he was so "revved up" to begin with.

Chapter 7 Preview: [In development--I'd originally planned to only write from Eddie's POV so I have several nearly-completed Eddie chapters but no Steve chapters to go between. Like Eddie, it will likely speed through some of his experiences and personal development (like seasons 1-3) so we can keep the story moving; I could fully do a fic entirely on Steve, given the time, but that's not what this story is about.]

Thank you to all readers who have made it this far! Likes, comments, and shares are deeply appreciated! I, like Steve, am heavily motivated by praise.

Credits

Bat dividers courtesy of StrayWords.

Fic title courtesy of Rainbow in the Dark by Dio.

Chapter title courtesy of Welcome Home (Sanitarium) by Metallica.

#eddie munson #eddie stranger things #stranger things #future steddie #eddie munson backstory #uncle wayne #wayne munson #gay eddie munson #fic: rainbow in the dark #fanfic #ao3 fanfic #read on a03

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apple-grass-and-smiles · 1 year

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Hello! The ever-sweet and wonderful @marthaskane tagged me to share eight shows that define me/help you get to know me. Without further ado, the shows!

Alias (2001-2006)

Alias has taught me the value of old LiveJournal pages and the Wayback Machine more than any other show I've ever loved. I discovered this show in 2013 when it was on Netflix and then I spent a few months in Germany, where I spent too much money buying almost the entire show on iTunes because I could not comprehend going more than a day without Sydney Bristow with me.

2. The Clone Wars (2008-2013, 2014, 2020)

I remember when this show first aired and my siblings and I had a square dance at our school (very American, I know) so we had to DVR it. The next morning we snuck down early to watch it with the volume super low so we wouldn't wake up our parents. Few shows have continuously come back into my life the way this one has. I can track a lot of how I've changed as a fan through the different ways I've viewed this show over the last 15 years.

3. Fringe (2008-2013)

I've been rewatching this show since January of this year and can confirm: it is still a nearly perfect 100 episodes of TV. Fringe manages to perfect a lot of the plot lines and dynamics that appear in Alias (both are J.J. Abrams/his collaborators projects). It manages to walk the line between a procedural and a mythology-driven show beautifully and so clearly knows what message and themes it wants to share from the very first shot. If you like exploring messy family dynamics, action, and the X-Files, Fringe is a good option for you.

4. Gotham (2014-2019)

I historically have no cared much at all about Batman. He struck me as pretty boring in comparison to every other person he interacted with. Gotham change that for me (turns out he just needed to be put next to any even more boring guy, but I digress...). Loving this show is a lesson in looking past weird choices, wacky inconsistencies, and learning to just trust that writers will give you a fun ride, even if you understand less that 15% of it. It helped me remember that the sentence "I love this show" does not always mean "here is a perfect example of perfect storytelling" and just how freeing that can be. It also gave me a beautiful little group of friends who continue to make me smile on a regular basis.

5. Blindspot (2015-2020)

While this show may not be one I post about often, it was foundational for how I interact in fandom now. It was one of the first times I was active in a fandom from the start of the show. It was the first time I was in a fandom group chat and my Tumblr friends broke containment into being people I followed on Instagram and texted. I organized a Secret Santa. It was the first time I remember actively freaking out of promo photos (1x09 IYKYK) and synopses. Almost all the confidence I have when interacting in fandoms is from these experiences. And the plot is stellar.

6. Iron Fist (2017-2018)

I can't tell you how I ended up watching this. I do not know what prompted me to turn it on but I'm really glad I did. This show has so many amazing nuggets of amazingness and its shortcomings brought me together with two of my favorite people as we tried to understand what had gone wrong and where. (This is not a good ad for the show.) I love getting to play with stories and characters that have seemingly infinite potential and getting to do it with other people who are just as committed to the story as I was meant the world.

7. The Rookie (2018-present)

I fought against this one so hard. I did not want to get into it, but as my dash filled with those gifs of Lucy in the green dress and I had my wonderful friend pitching the show to me over and over, I caved. And I'm really glad I did. The experience of watching a long season over months, one week and one episode at a time, is so different than streaming or rewatching shows and I'd forgotten how much I missed it until I got to do it again for this show. My Tuesday livestreams with my lovely friend single-handedly pulled me through so many rough spots over the last year. For a procedural dramedy, The Rookie continues to serve up some of the best characters on TV right now and consistently delivers some of the best cold opens.

8. Prodigal Son (2019-I'm in denial)

The show that owns my heart and soul. The show I'd sell my organs to get new episodes of. Returning to this show, whether I'm writing fic, doing a TED Talk in my head about the psychology in the show, or actually watching an episode, consistently feels like coming home. I did not know it was possible for someone to stick their hand in your head and pull out a show custom-made for you, but that's what this is. The characters are all so perfectly imperfect and desperate to be better. The plots are just the perfect amount of bonkers. The show being a drama pretending to be a procedural is beautiful. If you'd told me in 2019 that a show about a profiler whose dad is a serial killer and they solve crimes together would be the show that would leave an indelible mark on my life, I would have rolled my eyes because that's so cliche. 2019!me had no idea what she was on about. But I'm glad she figured it out and randomly put on this little show one night that had continued to pull me through good days and bad days and everything in between.

As for tagging other people, anyone is welcome to join but I’ll specifically tag some people I know who haven't been tagged (I think): @electricbluebutterflies, @chenlucys, @shinythinx, @rojaswarren, @meandmyechoes, @padme-deserved-better, @whitesunlars, @harrows-bones, @bpdanakins, and @violetsandmagpies.

#emily does stuff (shocker)#I feel like it's been a while since I've done a tag #which is an entirely self-inflicted state #due to not doing much stuff that isn't work or sleeping #as I tagged people I had the beautiful experience of continuing to see people that I wanted to tag #because they're great! and I love hearing from them! and I am so glad I know them the way I do!#but I didn't want to have 47 people tagged because that's just too long #and yes if you think this is about you it 110% is and I love you!#I'll chill out now #sorry but also a little not sorry for writing novels here #I don't know what anyone else could have expected though

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thgfanfictionlibrary · 4 months

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Authors On THG Writing Hiatus Masterlist (7)

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 /

Created: November 17th, 2023

Last Checked:----

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Popular Fic: Gale’s Hunger Games By Alan Gilfoy in the world of Suzanne Collins. Rory gets reaped and Gale volunteers, as well as Katniss going in for Prim. On the train, Gale and Katniss (admit they've) fall(en) in love. First-person present-tense Gale POV. The sequel is Fanning The Flames. NOT EVERLARK

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Popular Fic: Never Had Katniss and Peeta at their Ten Years High School Reunion Inspired by the movie "Ten Years"+

#masterlist #everlark fanfiction #thg fanfiction #everlark #thg #writing-hiatus authors #writing-hiatus #writing-hiatus authors masterlist

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happymeishappylife · 1 year

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Books I’ve Read in 2022 - Part 1

I’m going to do this a literally differently this year. I didn’t do long reviews of each of the books I’ve read and so instead I’m going to be doing just short blurbs and thoughts from everything I read as a way to still document them. Enjoy!

1. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

Dickens has always been one of my favorite authors but this is definitely one of my favorite novels from him because it was so rich with such great characters and it really chrono called the life of a man who ultimately did good or always approached situations with good intentions. I thought all the side characters were equally as rich even if some of them were hard to like and unlike some of Dickens other characters like in Great Expectations, the bad influences didn’t feel so desperate or petty, it was just the difference between social classes.

2. Golem in the Gears by Piers Anthony (Book #9 of Xanth Novels)

Grundy isn’t my favorite character in this series and having a novel that made him the main focus was a little hard, but also helped in fleshing out his character so by the end of it I didn’t disklike him as much. Just in general I think Piers is pretty misogynistic and sexist and that only gets tames by writing either kids or female characters, but Grundy always with his snark and jokes made that more of a present feeling. Hooking him up with Rapunzel is a little weird and annoying but at least this usually writes off characters as we move forward in the Xanth timelines.

3. Luka and the Fire of Life by Salman Rushdie

Such a fun and meaningful story bringing to life the world of imagination through family tall tales and a mix of video game atmosphere. I had a lot of fun reading this novel and experiencing not only the imagination of this boy, but the rich influences of middle eastern culture because you don’t get a whole lot of that anymore. Plus it had its truly tender moments since the whole story revolves around Luka’s journey to try and save his dad. I think that’s beautiful and well done.

4. A Hard Day’s Knight by Simon R. Green (Book #11 of The Nightside Novels)

This was a reread for me. In fact this book was the first Nightside novel I ever read and got me hooked in the series. Going back and reading all the stories that led up to this one though, made the sort of wild claims and fantasies more grounded and make more sense. Plus as the second to last book in the series, I could understand the build up to the final novel better so it was nice to reread it.

5. Prodigal Son by Dean Koontz (Book #1 in the Frankenstein Novels)

What if Victor Frankenstein never died and for over 200 years was actively working on making more “creatures” who were meant to replace human beings and become the supreme beings of the world? Honestly its a fascinating exploration and I had absolute trust that Dean Koontz could kill it and he did. He creates the perfect gothic supernatural horror setting that many of his books are based in but also perfectly balances the perspectives of these people both helping and trying to stop Frankenstein. Set in New Orleans too, we get a create backdrop as a race to understand and stop Victor becomes the priorities of two cops and Frankenstein’s original creature.

6. A Time of Omens by Katherine Kerr (Book # 6 of the Deverry Cycle Novels)

Now that we’ve moved past a lot of the problematic issues in the first couple novels, I’ve really grown to like the current stories and premises of the Deverry Novels. Plus now that Nevvyn has died, we get to see how well prepared Jill is and also now have a different focus as Jill and Rhodry know much more than everyone else. Though the mystery and struggles of Evandar’s world and Dallandra’s exploration of it is a little chilling and is going to be a prominent place of conflict in the novels to come and I can’t wait to see where it goes. My only complaint is that Rhodry really needs to stop sleeping with everyone. I’ll never understand allosexuals....

7. The Wild Places by Robert MacFarlane

So when my last company fell apart and I was the only one left, I took these book my former boss left in the office and thought I would check them out. And while this was nonfiction, I actually found that I really appreciate reading about peoples exploration of natural world, introducing me to wonders in places I didn’t know existed and expressing the reasons why we must cherish and hold onto them. While I may never climb a snowy mountain and sleep overnight, I do appreciate people who feel the calling and the need to connect to nature in these ways to write so expressively about it and its why I enjoyed this book.

8. Turn Coat by Jim Butcher (Book #11 of the Dresden Files)

This was a fascinating spin in the series and the first time we’ve had a long break between the events of the novels. Set nearly a year after the previous story, Dresden is confronted with a challenge as the Wizard Morgan shows up wounded and on the run from the White Council seeking Harry’s help which is ironic given that Morgan wanted to execute Harry and has always had a bad relationship with him. To me that made the novel interesting and showed how much Harry has grown in order to be willing to help. Plus it actively showed that his suspicions of a Black Council is probably correct, leading for suspense in the upcoming novels.

9. Give and Take by Adam Grant

This was one of the other books I took from my previous job and in all honesty not my usual go to genre. I wasn’t a big fan of it too because essentially its message was maybe you don’t play the part of “I always get may” in order to succeed.... Duh? A lot of the skills he was introducing were not new to me and I have a hard time understanding who needs to hear these things as they seem like simple empathetic and and compassionate things to do.

10. Odd Apocalypse by Dean Koontz (Book #6 of the Odd Thomas Series)

I was very hesitant about jumping back into the adventures of Odd after his decision to actually kill people in the novel because I wasn’t sure where that would take him. And while his character has changed a lot because of that, I honestly felt he got pushed aside in this novel for the more interesting and bizarre events happening in this estate where there were too many other ‘odd’ characters running around and dealing with past and future timelines all converging together with various threats to end the world.

#2022 rewind #books i've read in 2022 #part 1 of idk how many

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