#I have read so many mediocre books this year

[consultingreaders]

My dearest, saltiest secret wish is to grab all the mediocre contemporary writers who hit the List this year, shove them in front of AO3, and make them read top fics until they can write a gd sentence.

#books #publishing #m rants #I have read so many mediocre books this year #why are you even here if you only know how to make overblown stakes #I have spent my 20s reading EGT Ariaste agp12 xiaq need i go on #truly an emperor has no clothes situation #I know good writing and y’all don’t have it

[plaguedocboi]

I can never find it but I think about that post a lot that basically explains that harry potter fans got “stuck” on the one book series instead of using it as a gateway to other, better fantasy books, and that’s why they can’t let it go because it’s the only book they’ve ever managed to connect with since they don’t read any others outside of like, required school reading.

Because I’ve been able to study a die-hard harry potter fangirl in close proximity for several years now and that’s literally exactly what it’s like. I’ve recommended so many books to her and she says she “doesn’t have time to read” but… she reads the entire 9-book (?) harry potter series at least once a year, sometimes more. She just. Reads the same books over and over and over again and refuses to read anything new.

It’s like some kind of fucking. Brain parasite. It has a mental hold on her and she doesn’t want to read anything else. For her this is the peak of literature and she refuses to see if there’s anything else out there worth reading, for fear that it might be too complicated to understand or too mentally challenging or just too different and I think that has to be the case with other harry potter fans, it’s just like some kind of addiction that they can’t break away from because….?

Because why? What allows these mediocre middle school wizard books to wrap their claws around so many people’s brain stems and convince them it’s the best they’re ever gonna get? There’s gotta be some reason and I want to get to the bottom of it. Is it purely nostalgia or is it something intrinsic to the books themselves? I watched this friend read these books every day for two years and begged her to try a different book and she staunchly refused. This is it for her, this is Her Book Series and that’s all there is to it. She’s an English teacher by the way.

#I love her as a friend but her taste in media is pure shit #I want to study this issue further

[gffa]

As someone who read DC comics from like 2000 to 2011, dropped them like a hot potato that year, and didn't come back until 2023, I've had a lot of thoughts about how comics feel different. I don't disagree that comics feel a lot softer these days in many ways, but I also have been finding them a lot easier to jump into and I think one thing that doesn't get talked about enough is the art. I kept at it in the old days, but a lot of the time the art was brutal. I had to be pre-invested in the characters (by inhaling a lot of B:TAS and JL:TAS and S:TAS) to actually want to stick around through a lot of art that was just not engaging and, yeah, the stories were good, but it's hard to stick around in such a visual medium when the art so often was mediocre to just bad. Coming back to comics now, it's shocking to me how easy it is to find not just good art, but often times genuinely beautiful art. I can pretty much throw a rock and hit a book that at least looks cool stylized if not outright gorgeous. It's not that it never happened before (I will die on the hill that Tim Sale's art was incredible), but it was never this frequent. It has been so much easier to pick up books and recommend them to people when I'm not internally wincing about how I'm going to have to ask them to look past the art. Art taste is subjective and dialogue taste is subjective, but having taken a lot of time off in between what comics used to be like and what they're like now, instead of getting used to a gradual change, I've noticed a stark difference and how much friendlier that's made it to get into and stay into comics.

#lumi.txt #dc #batfam

[satorugojjo]

I don’t think there’s a single book BookTok has promoted in the last couple years that’s turned out to be an actually good “you cannot miss this read” which now makes me and so many others I know avoid it as a whole.

A lot of BookTok books seem to be specific for very young or very new readers who haven’t cut their teeth on fanfic or haven’t been reading from a young age. The writing style is either a really profound Instagram metaphorical caption kinda overwrought and over flowery language, or it’s trying so hard to be edgy and sardonic and ends up being completely tell and almost zero show. This Is How You Lose The Time War is a PERFECT example of this - where the flowery and poetic language actually takes AWAY from a scene and distracts you from it rather than adding anything to it in the moment, and for those who do like poetic fiction this will be up their alley but if you don’t and you pick it up because of badly marketed hype when you normally wouldn’t, it’s gonna turn you off reading in general!

There’s nothing wrong with starter fiction to help get readers engaged and then find their way into actually good books, but my gripe is that it’s never ever marketed as that and as if it it’s just generically good fiction. Nothing Colleen Hoover has ever written is objectively good - the writing style is mediocre and she romanticises taboo topics which will seem spicy to the average population who doesn’t READ. And yet she takes up every bookshelf which I promise you will end up turning many readers who ARENT on booktok away from reading altogether.

YA is another genre that has declined a lot in recent years because it’s full of marketers trying to fit all the buzzword tropes into their books and getting young readers to buy it because it’s “enemies to lovers pirate cyberpunk found family” or whatever - and it feels more like focus group fiction rather than actual writing. I LOVE YA but nothing that’s been released post 2020 has had any depth, plot, character development or any style to it.

A great example is Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros - i tried reading 2 chapters as a sample and it was shocking to see how illogical, overdramatic, overedgy and exceptionally “this happened then this then this then that” it was. There was absolutely zero nuance and it felt so “I’m telling you all this but I’m not gonna prove any of it”. And yet it’s rated either 5 stars or 1 star. I’m sure it’s a great starter middle grade/teen book but it is definitely not deserving to be on the same pedestal as other YA books like Hunger Games or Six of Crows. I used to think that perhaps I’ve just outgrown YA but considering I can pick up YA from 2018 that I haven’t read before with no problems, it’s so specific to BOOKTOK YA.

It’s getting to the point that if I see a book that’s being overpromoted on tiktok, I’m more likely to believe the bad reviews because there hasn’t been a SINGLE book where I’ve disagreed with them, and then go find a different book in the same genre that hasn’t been on booktok - it’s getting hilarious actually that the books that are actually incredible get zero screen time and traction on booktok because they aren’t just cheap easy airport reads. Once again - nothing wrong with an easy airport CH book or YA book, but we aren’t going around parading a Lee Child book as peak literature no matter how enjoyable they are.

I don’t even have a conclusion to this entire rant - I’m sick of books like Babel getting steamrolled because it was “too sad or too hard” in favour of the latest SJM book, and getting even more sick of the decline of media literacy due to books getting easier and more spoonfeedy. When they aren’t? They mistake flowery metaphors for complexity and depth.

#booktok #books #bookblr #Rebecca yarros #fourth wing #colleen hoover #this is how you lose the time war #Babel #rf kuang

[measure-for-measure]

Maybe this is a really hot take, but if you write? Guess what? Youre a writer! You may not yet be a published best selling writer yet, or a critically acclaimed writer yet, but you write! Youre a writer!

It just means that, maybe, what you write isnt what people want to read right now, or know about yet, but some stuff i wrote years ago has suddenly skyrocketed in kudos and comments, when i barely had any hits then. Sure, many still barely have any hits, but the hits and kudos do grow, slowly, and youll never know when a renaissance will come to the genre, the au, the movie, the series, game, characters.

Maybe you wrote fanfiction for a little-known movie, maybe its a niche fantasy au you write, maybe you write poems about war, or lost lovers, and the want for it just hasnt come yet. Maybe you just posted at a bad time.

The movie could suddenly find a following online after 15 years, twenty years, thirty, or more, but you were there, and before anyone else writes any more, guess what people will be reading? Your work! A streamer might decide to play the game that inspired your fantasy au, and you will be there, waiting. Maybe a new video game could come out, about animals in war, and your poems would already be there!

Keep writing, practice, learn what you do well, improve on what you arent yet, hone your interests, or broaden your reach. Experiment. Try new things. But keep writing. Practice, and i promise you, you will get better. It gets better. Even if what you write is good, and youre losing hope, i promise, it does get better. I thought some of the stuff i wrote was so wonderful, but its mediocre compared to what i know i could do, if i hadnt given up, if i had kept working at it.

You dont have to write for hours every day. Not everyone can be a stephen king, can pump out a half dozen novels a year, a book in a week. Even if its just an hour a week, keep practicing.

Keep writing, just for fun. And i swear, keep what you produce, even if you dont like how it turns out. You could rewrite in in a couple years time, using the ideas, or just look back, and marvel at how far youve come.

But more than that, you write, you wrote. You are a writer.

#writing #writers #writers on tumblr #ao3 #ao3 author #ao3 writer #fanfiction #persephone help

[girlfriendsofthegalaxy]

tuesday again 4/23/22

three months unemployed YAY. also wherein i get SUPER pressed about star wars lore

listening

funeral by tele novella. popped open tiktok to see something my best friend sent me and this was there, the first thing on the for you page. let's yoink a description of their previous album from an interview i'm going to quote at length in a bit: "The result was “exactly what we wanted it to be,” a perfumed mist of jingling, jangling, lilting, off-center pop—a strange little snowglobe gathering dust at the back of the shelf."

the lyrics did hit me like a train bc i often find myself mourning places and situations that were not necessarily good for me but were familiar.

Oh, you're not tied up Here comes the train The tracks feel safe because you know 'em

if you had told me this was made in about 2007-2009ish i would have believed you. very spare production in the way folksier songs of the time were spare. a bit raspy and direct in her delivery. there's a bandcamp interview wherein i found out this is the side project of a vintage/antiques dealer and she has a fascinating perspective on her own music:

Her passion for the craft is evident—in our conversation as much as in listening to the band—but music, for her, is a means to an end, a way to transmit stories. “As a musician, I’m mediocre at best,” Ribbons says matter-of-factly. “I think that my talent lies in my storytelling ability. I think that I’m a good storyteller.” It’s something instilled in her by her grandparents, “voracious readers” who were always buying her books and secretly wanted Ribbons to be a writer, she suspects.

i really adored this whole album as a cohesive work. "vampire cowgirl" is another standout for obvious reasons.

You came barrelin' down Rabid with some talk Of a gal who rides at night Picking off the stock

remarkably good at reproducing the general vibe of the midcentury cowboy western album, when tv cowboys were sweeping the nation

-

reading

T. Kingfisher's Nettle & Bone. enjoyed it, but not quite as much as her other stuff. whereas her other series are almost always comical and often stray into farce, this one was a bit grim. even with the addition of a demonic chicken. had to stop and really think about if my own experience with funerals and funerary rites (too many, too often) was coloring this for me but i think it is simply not as funny or interested in being funny as her other works. not a ding against it, but not what i was really expecting or in the mood for. image from tor, let's yoink the description from macmillan

This isn't the kind of fairy tale where the princess marries a prince. It's the one where she kills him. Marra — a shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter — is relieved not to be married off for the sake of her parents’ throne. Her older sister wasn’t so fortunate though, and her royal husband is as abusive as he is powerful. From the safety of the convent, Marra wonders who will come to her sister’s rescue and put a stop to this. But after years of watching their families and kingdoms pretend all is well, Marra realizes if any hero is coming, it will have to be Marra herself. If Marra can complete three impossible tasks, a witch will grant her the tools she needs. But, as is the way in stories of princes and the impossible, these tasks are only the beginning of Marra’s strange and enchanting journey to save her sister and topple a throne.

paywalled article, sorry, but i personally have a bone to pick with fanduel due to [REDACTED INCIDENTS] from [PREVIOUS JOB] so it does not surprise me in the slightest that they don't really seem to be doing a single fucking thing about money-laundering. allegedly.

-

watching

the bad batch, or the 13/16 episodes of the third and final season that are out. all these images are from comicbookreview bc i watched this on my actual television

one of the plots i hate most is the trying to get someone back plot. for example, i think finding nemo does this really well bc it's also a coming of age/parenting movie. i do not think the second finding nemo movie does this well bc as soon as one person is reunited with the group, through a wacky series of coincidences they lose another member. plus that movie is part of the downturn of modern pixar where they forgot how to tell interesting stories but that's neither here nor there. the bad batch falls into the finding nemo 2 category. it's simply frustrating to watch. it turns into a desperate floundering after whoever happens to be missing instead of using a The Searchers style plot to say something about the act of the search itself. i realize i am once again saying "what if star wars was good" but like. come on.

the bad batch s3 is surprisingly focused on retroactively filling in the backstory of how and why palpatine got cloned with his force powers intact, which is apparently a difficult technical problem. i would have cared about this if this show came out before the last movie and we had a cool breadcrumb style approach leading up to the movie. unfortunately that movie (and the sequel trilogy more broadly) killed a lot of my interest in modern star wars. anyway, this cloning problem leads to a lot of very technical conversations in a children's' show that are interesting to me, a grownup, bc no star wars media has ever successfully explained 1) what midichlorians actually are and 2) the biological processes by which they operate but refuse to be cloned? which is extremely funny to me bc midicholrians aren't supposed to be real. qui-gon has that whole little speech and blood test in the phantom menace but the series had So scrupulously stayed away from explaining how the force works before that. they still fail to explain it but they at least attempt to break two inches of new ground. side note this show gives us TWO canon trans girl clones and i really wish they were in a better show.

it's annoying that i'm annoyed about a children's show meant to sell toys. some fun things: the pyke syndicate shows up, a slew of my favorite bounty hunters show up, this show is much better at painterly backgrounds and has an overall more concept-art feel than the clone wars proper or rebels. i think it would be cool if they stopped whitewashing the clones. i'm going to finish out the season but i don't exactly have a lot going on in my life right now. i am not terribly sad that this is the final season but BOY do they have a lot of loose ends to wrap up in three episodes.

-

playing

new genshin update on uhhh thursday and it's kind of exciting bc i THINK it will finally fill in this hole on the map and the associated shorelines of three different countries!

i thought i had long since found all the chests in liyue (the second area released) but in the process of doing a recently released character quest set in liyue i found another chest. this game is very good at hidden objectives and little secrets but i wish it was better at letting you know when you have Actually cleared an area completely of all the little hidden stuff. anyway i have been holding back the last character hangout (ningguang, my best beloved ruthless girlboss business high femme) for a terrible day and that day came! unfortunately hanging out with the fake pretend video game lesbian did make me feel better!

also unfortunately i fucked up and cannot count so the gacha pity system (every 90 pulls you're guaranteed a 5-star character) gave me Neuvillette. who i don't hate but i wasn't really planning on pulling for. i do like his questline and his voice actor, he simply doesn't fit in super well with a mono-electro team bc i play this game like an insane woman.

the real bitch of the thing keeping me from upgrading him is going out in the overworld and collecting enough sea stars. why can't he need flowers or little gears or anything else i have a thousand of.

anyway this gal will be dropping sometime in the next six weeks and i AM extremely excited to pull for her. she has some cool abilities (GUN) and is part of a popular pair with the steampunk lolita character i love and leads my other main team. i hope their abilities play well off each other but she has such a cool storyline and design i don't super care if she fits in with my playstyle. i will adapt for her in a way i am not willing to do with neuvilette

-

making

i am once again obsessed with gallery walls, bc a friend has asked me to find the correct gigantic size frames to put some comics on his wall, and that has given me an excuse to go to thrift stores again.

unfortunately i have mostly found frames for me, and the projects i have been working on have kind of a long tail of when they will actually be on my walls. i picked up four 16x20 frames for $2.50 each (solid wood! remarkably detailed!) bc i eventually want to put up these fallout maps in the style of national parks maps up on the map wall in my office. i suppose this means i should join @ruffledringdove and actually play '76, bc that's the one modern game i haven't played. these are getting scuff sanded with 120 and painted with a eggshell paint sample in a bright white u all know the drill at this point. ive painted a lot of frames in the past few weeks.

left is one of the painted 16x20 map frames, right i have also finally sanded and painted both 12x16 deckle-edged wood frames i picked up off the side of the road in MA. and found glass + backs for them! eventually i will procure fancy mats and print + frame my grandmothers' portraits. they will eventually go on the living room wall, which is a neutrals and blue-greens wall of slightly disdainful women. this will help me swap the three maps in there to the office map wall.

i have also acquired this gigantic plaster-over-wood mirror for $15. i am using leftover rub n buff bc i don't have a great spot to spraypaint here without sheeting my entire front porch, and rub n buff is way less susceptible to 80% humidity than spray paint. also i would have to buy spray paint. i am looking up suspiciously bc i thought there was a bug. not sure what mackie was looking at.

#tuesday again #tuesday again no problem

[tyrantisterror]

Fantastic Rants and Where to Find Them

So, back when the Herbie Porber movies were still being made, Warner Brothers saw the cash cow on their hands and decided they had to lock that shit down as much as possible to make sure they could milk it until its teats were chafed and withered to nothing. To that end, they bought the rights to every book the Terf Queen had written by that point - which included all the Henry Pansley wizard school mystery books, but also two gag books set within the Henry Pansley world: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which was presented as an in-universe biology textbook for wizard children, and Quidditch Through the Ages, which was an in-universe book of trivia for a fake magical sport.

And at the time everyone with a brain who'd read those two books was shaking their head and thinking how dumb those corporate executives were to do that because, like, those aren't novels or novelas or short stories or narratives of any kind. They are, and I cannot stress this enough, a fake textbook and a fake trivia book about fake things written in a slapdash manner as a cheap gag. They existed for three reasons:

First, to sell something Herbie Porber related at a significantly lower price point than the actual novels so the Terf Queen could get more of that sweet, sweet Scholastic Book Fair money by having something poor kids could buy.

Second, to give a portion of the proceeds raised from that poor kid book fair money to charity so the Terf Queen could get some nice tax writeoffs.

And as a distant third, to expand the world-building of the Henry Pansley setting a teensie bit.

Now, as far as I'm aware, they succeeded at the first two well enough - tons of kids bought those cheap-ass thin as shit paperbacks when I was a kid, myself among them. Well, ok, I only bought Fantastic Beasts and skipped Quidditch because even during the height of my Herbie Porber fan days I thought the Terf Queen's imaginary sport was really fucking stupid and every time it popped up in the books I was bored as shit and tried to skim it as quickly as possible to get to the interesting stuff. I think I looked over the book once in a Barnes and Noble and thought, "Wow, I knew I thought real sports were boring as shit, but it turns out fake ones are even more so."

But back on track - goal number three was... kind of successful, I guess? Like, I don't know if you know this, but bestiaries of fictional animals are one of my big interests. I love a big book of made up creatures, and have collected many in my long life of thirty-four years. And as I said, I got a copy of Fantastic Beasts - technically several, because those cheap ass paperbacks disintegrated if you read them more than once, and I haven't met a bestiary that I haven't poured over several times, no matter how shitty. And despite how often I read it, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was, well... pretty mid, honestly. It's a book that's 99% world-building, and like all of the Terf Queen's world-building, it's overall mediocre and undercooked.

Like, in pure Herbie Porber style, it's mostly concepts that have been done in fantasy fiction and mythology dozens of times before with no real original spin on them whatsoever, often stripped down to their most recognizable elements alone. There are a smattering of original ideas that are actually interesting an novel, a few more original ideas that have potential but don't seem very well-thought out as is, and then some that are clearly just there to be a joke and are amusing for, like, a second, but also would quickly become annoying if they were given any focus.

I'll give a very me-specific example. As a fan of vaguely medieval european fantasy tropes, one of the metrics by which I judge a bestiary is "How does this handle dragons?" Because, like, I don't know if you know this, but I love dragons a lot, and the sheer variety of dragons in fiction is one of my favorite things in the world. There is a smorgasbord of different dragons a person can choose from just in folklore and mythology alone, and that variety is reflected in a given bestiary, the higher I think of it.

The Terf Queen's bestiary gives us ten dragon breeds... and they're all more or less the same except for scale color and minor variations in size. Oh, and their names, which are all based on different dog breeds because the Terf Queen thought that was funny. It's the worst of both worlds because it gets your dragon-loving hopes up that there'll be lots of unique dragons but no, they're just different colors, ho hum. Even the Chinese Dragon sticks to the same basic bitch wyvern body plan as the rest, when, you know, Chinese dragons have SUCH a different body plan than any of their European counterparts. It's downright insulting to the variety and creativity of this iconic folkloric archetype to reduce it to such a samey-set of monsters. Absolutely the most disappointing dragon entry in any bestiary I've ever read, just infuriating.

BUT, BACK ON THE INCREASINGLY DERAILED TRACK: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was never meant to be a "great" book. Remember goals one and two: it was a cheap cashgrab, a gimmick, a gag book. It was meant to be a disposable bit of fun - "Tee hee, here's a goofy textbook from this goofy wizard story that you kids will likely grow out of in a few years, you can read it in twenty minutes and not feel bad when you pitch it because there's very little substance to it, and it only costs three bucks."

The Terf Queen doesn't write textbooks, gag or otherwise, she writes novels, narratives, and in its original form Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was clearly just her fucking around with something whimsical and stupid for shits and giggles (and money, sweet sweet money). The original version of it was published with notes in the margin written by Henry Pansley and Donnie Stoat themselves, the two wizard hooligans writing little jokes and messages to each other with further references to other characters from the series, both to add more humor and because, again, the Terf Queen writes novels, and it was clear she couldn't commit to the "fake textbook" bit without working in some characters riffing it for her own sanity. And that makes it work as a gag book - you get a few laughs from the wizard hooligans playing MST3K with their shitty textbook, learn a little about the (undercooked and poorly thought out) ecosystem of the wizardy world, and then when you reach the back cover the spine of your cheap as shit pulp paperback book falls apart and, unless you've got a weird obsession with bestiaries, you throw the dying book in the garbage without a second thought. Three bucks spent well enough.

BUT, TO GET BACK ON THE INCREASINGLY DERAILED TRACK AGAIN: Warner Brothers bought the rights to this cheapo cashgrab gag textbook, and goddamn it, they were/are determined to squeeze Herby Porber's sore teats until every last drop of money milk spills from his chapped and bleeding nipples. They announced they were going to make a Fantastic Beasts movie towards the end of making the Herby Porber novels into films, and everyone with a brain sat there and thought, "Well, that's going to be a stupid cashgrab. Bet the Terf Queen's laughing her ass off at how dumb it'll be, too."

But the Terf Queen was not laughing, at least not for long, for once the Henry Pansley movies wrapped up, she was left with the horrifying knowledge that people didn't care for her non-wizard books all that much, certainly not enough to keep her rolling in sweet, sweet money. She needed that mega millionaire cash, and she needed it in abundance and she needed it quick. So when Warner Brothers asked her to write a movie based on her cheapo cashgrab gag textbook, she said, "Yeah, I can make a novel out of that! I - I'm a talented writer! People love my writing! They definitely love my writing and they'd love to pay money for things I wrote that don't directly feature Henry Pansley!"

So now she had to pretend that Fantastic Beasts, the cheapo cashgrab gag textbook about made up animals in a made up world, has a narrative. Not just any narrative, but a grand, sprawling narrative, one to rival, nay, SURPASS Herbie Porbie and the Seven Books of Wizard-Themed Coming of Age Nonsense. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, she assured us, was to be a magnificant tale, and one she planned all along, and CERTAINLY not a marriage of convenience to a completely stupid idea for a film that she was desperately sculpting into a narrative it had no ability to support for the sake of trying to recapture her already passed glory days as a writer.

And I think, in retrospect, this is a great illustration of the Terf Queen's great character flaw. She just can't fucking admit to a mistake, even when it's obvious to everyone that one was made. She will hop on board a sinking ship and keep doubling down on trying to get it to sail even as the water is up to her neck. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a serious narrative now, not a gag textbook written to wring a few more dollars from school children goddammit!

Recent editions of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them took out the Herbie and Donnie commentary, by the by. They also added many of the new half-baked monsters that were introduced in the movies, in a shoddy attempt to pretend this was the plan all along, and that Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was always meant to be the seed of something great.

But it wasn't, and no matter how hard the Terf Queen pretends otherwise, it's obvious it wasn't. It's a cheapo cashgrab gag textbook, and that's all it really had to be, until greed and ego demanded otherwise.

[ironstrange1991]

Anything For You

+18 Smut

Pairing: Sinister!Strange x Fem!Reader

Synopsis: Looking for something to distract herself, the reader finds a session in the library with quite interesting content. When she suggests to Stephen that they should try a different sex practice he doesn't seem very confident, but decides to do it to please her, after all it's Valentine's Day.

Word Count: 6k

Warnings: Slight male dominance, oral sex with male receiving, fingering, p in v, creampie, cock warming, choking, love bites, mentions of spanking and violent - consensual -sex.

A/N: This is the same pair from Make Love To Me.This fic was inspired by the two new pics Marvel released of Sinister Strange. Although it is mentioned, I don't consider it to be a Valentine's Day fic, but that's up to you. I really got carried away with this one and it ended up being a bit long, but I'm sure it's worth it.

You were bored. But other than that, you were super bored. Usually you could handle your reality trapped inside the Sanctum while the universe fell apart, but that day since you woke up you felt upset. It wasn't the world or the incursion that was slowly destroying everything around you, much less Stephen you were upset about, but you.

You were never happy, your life in your universe was mediocre and as strange as it may seem, being kidnapped to that universe by a sorcerer who swore that you two were soul mates and therefore should be together, was the most incredible thing that ever happened to you.

But why were you feeling so low? Of course it took you a while to accept your reality and you were afraid of Stephen for a while until you became friends and finally had your first night together, but Stephen showed you what love was, what it was like to be loved by someone, touched and - my god, Stephen touched you like no other ever did.

But if everything was fine and you loved Stephen as much as he loved you and cherished every second you spent with him, why were you feeling this way? Maybe it was just the boredom that was finally showing up after months of being there, but it was a not pleasant feeling from which you desperately wanted to escape.

The first few months you arrived you didn't have time to feel bored. There were so many feelings running over each other inside you, vying for which one to take over. Fear, disbelief, shyness, apprehension, interest, affection, passion. But now that you've been there for a year all the feelings have had enough time to be explored and finally you're getting your inescapable dose of boredom. Dreadful and merciless boredom.

Stephen was distracted in his office. Ever since you've gotten closer, so to speak, he's become obsessed with the idea that he needs to stop the incursion, so he's been reading, reading extensively. You could have sworn you've seen him read a gigantic volume in a single day. These readings usually left him annoyed because he couldn't seem to find anything that would solve the present situation and the only solution seemed to be the book he carefully put in a safe place promising you he would never touch it again.

You didn't understand anything about magic and spells, but if there was one thing you understood it was the existence of spells considered good and others bad. Stephen explained that the Darkhold was evil. He said that it was through him that he managed to bring you into his universe, but before that he caused the incursion looking for you in different realities. Anyway, you understood very well that using the book was bad for Stephen and you were grateful that he decided not to touch that thing anymore, but at the same time you feared that failing to find answers elsewhere he would resort to the Darkhold again.

You've already spoken to Stephen about how you've been feeling the last few days and he didn't seem to mind much suggesting that you find something to distract yourself with in the library. You were obviously irritated by his lack of consideration, but you soon understood that he was really just overly concerned about the present state of the universe and the fact that the incursion seemed to have accelerated in recent months. You were sure Stephen wasn't afraid to die, but he needed to protect you, that was his real concern.

You sighed, deciding to give in to his suggestion and look for something in the library that would make you forget your boredom and all your other worries.

When you entered the library you found it empty and dusty like everything else. You were busy keeping your bedroom, the main room, the kitchen and Stephen's office clean, but everything else was too much work for you. The Sanctum was so big and full of weird things you were scared to death of.

The library also smelled of mold and it didn't take long for you to find the reason: several walls had water infiltration. There were overturned shelves and books on the floor which made your little tour of the gigantic room more difficult than you imagined, but you soon became distracted by the variety of books that were there.

When Stephen suggested that you find something to read you turned your nose up at the idea thinking there would only be books of magic and such, but walking through the west wing of the library you noticed that the shelves were filled with novels. There was so much amazing stuff to read.

You didn't even notice the time passing while you were distracted choosing the books to take upstairs and when you finally decided on the ones you wanted, you noticed a small shelf further away with what looked like magazines.

As you approached, you couldn't contain the heat that rose to your face when you notice that that small wing of the library, nothing more than a set of shelves in the corner of the wall hidden by other larger shelves filled with suspense books, was devoted to erotic content. A variety not only of extremely explicit magazines, but books as well. One of them was called "Anatomy of Sex: Discovering the Paths to Pleasure."

You found yourself wondering why there was that kind of stuff in a library that should have  open access to anyone, but you couldn't deny that the curiosity to read some of those magazines and books totally disappeared with the boredom that was consuming you.

…

Stephen closed the book he finished reading and threw it on the desk abruptly. Another day passed and he didn't get the answers he needed. At the same time the universe seemed to consume itself faster and faster and he was trying to control himself not to give in to despair, but each day that passed seemed like one less day in the fight against fate. He needed to stop the incursion, he knew he had the power to do it, he just needed to know how.

He leaned back in his chair sighing heavily and pinching the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb. The Darkhold - closely guarded - seemed to sing to him, drawing him in like a siren draws a shipwrecked man to the depths of the ocean. He had resisted the cursed book for months because of you, but now he feared that for the same reason he would have to resort to it.

Stephen got up taking the stack of books from the desk and walked quickly to the library. There were thousands of books in there, one of them must have something written about incursions, and he wouldn't give up or succumb to the Darkhold unless all other options proved useless.

He returned the books he had read to the shelf and walked silently, hands in his back, through the halls looking for other options that looked promising. He barely realized you were there until he heard you laughing, completely distracted, lying on a divan in the farthest wing of the library. The sound as always made his heart skip a beat. It was undeniable that you brought life to that dying universe and obviously to his heart.

Stephen fought the urge to go to you and take you in his arms, but there was work to do, books to read, an incursion to stop and then, only then would he be free to enjoy every second of the day with you. Until then, he had to be content with the nights. God, the nights were ravishing.

He shook his head trying to control his thoughts and focus on the task at hand, but just the thought of you was enough to make his pants tighten around his hips. He sighed, walking away and finding three more promising books, he left the library, striding back to his office - before desire made him change his mind.

…

You totally lost track of time reading a magazine with very explicit photos, but what really mattered weren't the sex photos, but the surprisingly educational content you found there. In addition to tips on positions you would certainly like to try, there was a lot of information about intimate health and tips on how to spice up a relationship - not that you needed such a thing. Your sex drive was put in good use with Stephen and Stephen was insatiable.

You felt your face flushing the whole time like a teenager seeing that for the first time. Everything you read, every tip and different thing you discovered you wanted to try with Stephen.

In addition to the positions, you read about a very interesting practice that apparently came from tantric sex. It was something suggestively called Cock Warming and oh my god it made you blush. You wanted it, you needed to experience it with Stephen.

You finished reading the magazine and put it back where you found it, but you took the volume called Anatomy of Sex and hid it among the books you had already selected to take to your shared room. You climbed back up to your room realizing that the candles were lit and the day had quickly turned to night already. Although it was difficult to distinguish one from the other, practice and time living in that gloomy environment made you learn.

You placed the books carefully on the nightstand on your side of the bed and tucked the volume about sex into your lingerie drawer. Heat rose throughout your body and you noticed that there was a certain wetness between your legs that you hadn't realized that was there. Deciding to put your little plan for the night into action, you filled the bathtub and ran a bath with your favorite bath salts.

…

Stephen was fully absorbed in his reading when he heard a timid knock on the door. You never walked into his office without knocking. He sighed feeling mental fatigue and heavy eyes. "Come in"

He almost gasped in surprise when he saw you. You looked stunning dressed in a black silk nightgown, barefoot, your hair loose falling to your lower back. Your scent flooding the room. He couldn't contain the wide smile on his lips.

"Too busy?" You asked uncertainly still standing in the doorway.

He gestured with his hand for you to come in and pushed his chair farther away from the desk so that you could fit there facing him. "I'm never too busy for you kitten, especially when you dress like this for me."

You smiled walking around his desk and approaching "I needed to find a way to get your attention, it's been hard to keep up with your readings."

He sighed closing his eyes and nodded in agreement "I know. I know I've been busy, but only because I care about you." He wrapped his arms around your waist and rested his head on your belly sighing heavily "I love you so much, kitten. You are everything to me, you know that, right?"

You agreed wrapping your arms around his neck and stroking his hair gently "I know. I love you too, Stephen, but I need some attention right now. You can leave the books for tomorrow, can't you?"

He nodded in agreement "When you ask like that" He said inhaling deeply "God, you smell so good."

You grinned pondering how to approach the subject and reveal what you wanted.

"I was in the library this afternoon and found some pretty interesting stuff on a shelf in the west wing." You said it as naturally as possible.

Stephen hummed backing away and leaning back in his chair. There was an interested look in his eyes, "There are many interesting things in this Sanctum's library, my love. You'll have to be more specific."

You sat in the desk in front of him and couldn't help but notice how his eyes seemed to never leave you.

"Porn, Stephen. A lot of books and magazines. Some very interesting ones."

He chuckled "Oh, that stuff." He spoke naturally, but you noticed his eyes darkened with lust.

"I'm no prude. As long as it's not an addiction I have nothing against porn. I am just curious. Of all the things I thought I'd find in that library... porn?!" You whispered the word on purpose.

"It's safe to say that the Sanctum’s library holds every type of literature ever produced by mankind. Many years ago it was fervently curated." He smiles at you "It's just files kitten. To be honest I've never read any of that stuff. If you want to know I didn’t even remember those things were there."

You bit your bottom lip hesitantly, but Stephen was looking at you intently.

"What's up princess? Don't say you're jealous of those silly things."

You shook your head "I was reading one of the magazines...well you know I'm curious and once I was there I couldn't help but look through it and although there was a lot of explicit stuff what really interested me was this article about tantric sex and some practices..."

You realized that you were looking anywhere but at Stephen and when you finally forced yourself to look at him there was a mischievous smile on his lips, a cocky sideways smile.

"Tell me all about it, love."

You felt your face heating up, but continued "It's a sex practice called Cock Warming... well the name is not discreet at all and you can guess what it is." You were losing your courage with every word that came out of your mouth "Anyway, I don't know why I'm talking about this, I just found it... interesting."

Stephen dragged himself to the edge of the chair to get closer to you and without warning he spread your legs and untied the knot of your night gown moving it out of the way. "You can tell me anything, kitten. There's no need to be shy, you know that." He brought his lips down to your belly and kissed there, the contact of his goatee making your skin prickle. He continued down until his face was between your legs and placed a chaste kiss on your black lace covered slit.

You couldn't contain the soft moan that escaped your lips.

He sighed heavily taking a small bite there and then used his hands to pull your panties to the side and penetrated you with one finger. He moved his finger in and out a few times and then took it out and brought it to his mouth. "Fuck kitten, whatever it is that you read made you this wet?"

You shook your head trying to clear your thoughts "Actually it was you Stephen. I was thinking of doing that with you"

He smiled confidently getting up and positioning himself between your legs. He cupped your face with two scarred and trembling hands and kissed you. Wet, rough, passionately. You moaned into his lips and he wasted no time, he supported your waist with one hand lifting you off the desk and with the other he took off your panties passing them by your feet and throwing them on the floor. You struggled against his robes, finding it difficult to unbuckle all those belts, but he moved his fingers quickly to undo his clothes and one second later he was  gloriously bare for you.

He unfastened your bra and cupped one breast squeezing it as his lips trailed your collarbone in search of your other breast. He licked your nipple, circling it with the tip of his tongue and then took it in his mouth, sucking it as his fingers teased the other one.

You leaned on the desk with one hand to keep your balance, the other hand was in his hair, gripping it tightly while moans escape your lips. When he was finally sated he allowed himself to pull away from your breasts, but not before giving one of your nipples a light bite making you hiss.

He held his cock in his hand giving it a couple of jerks and then rubbed the tip on your slit collecting your arousal. You moaned even before he entered you "Stephen..."

He spat on his cock spreading the saliva with his fingers and then he positioned it at your entrance and he penetrated you with a single thrust and you gripped the desk to stay in place. "Oh my god, Stephen... you feel so good..."

He interrupted what you were saying by placing a wet and deep kiss on your lips. His tongue penetrating your mouth and completely dominating you as he thrust mercilessly against you.

Sex with Stephen was usually rough in the first round, after he got his first release he'd calm down and fuck you slower, but no less intense. That was just the way he was and you loved that about him.

You knew what you wanted seemed to go against all of his instincts, but you were obsessed with the idea, you had to try. You were jolted out of your fast reverie by a thrust that hit exactly that special place inside you that Stephen always found so quickly. "Oh my... right there Stephen, right there."

He grabbed your waist with both hands and increased the intensity of his thrusts, each one hitting your g-spot and making you see stars.

"You feel so good, kitten. You're going to tell me everything about what you read in that magazine, aren't you? Such a dirty girl reading porn like that. You liked it? All those pictures? Did you imagined it was me doing all that to you?"

His moans grew louder and louder, your walls fluttering around him with every word that came out of his mouth.

"Answer me, princess" He demanded.

"Yes" You said whimpering. The pleasure so strong it was hard to think. "Yes Stephen, I want to do that with you. Please tell me you gonna make that with me."

He chuckled amidst his moans and groans that grew louder and more animalistic "I don't even know what that is, kitten, but you know I'd do anything for you."

He kissed you feeling your walls contracting and squeezing his cock so hard inside you.

"Fuck, kitten, your pussy is so tight right now" You moaned with him, the room flooded with the obscene sound of your lovemaking and your breathing and your groans and grunts. "Stephen, I'm gonna cum"

He bit your bottom lip in response "Already? Okay, princess, you can cum, but you know I'm just getting started, right? We've got the whole night ahead of us."

You nodded in agreement. Stephen had a lot of stamina, his sex drive was absurd and not a day went by without you having sex, three, four rounds a night. "Yes, please, I need to cum now, fuck me harder. Make me cum."

Stephen grinned, pleased to see you fully surrendered to him. There was nothing that turned him on more than seeing you with that cock drunk face, mouth agape, eyes closed as he fucked your brains out. He tightened the grip of his hand on your waist even more and the other hand he brought to your throat choking you not so hard, but enough to draw a surprised moan from your lips.

You were so compliant, Stephen loved how you gave yourself to him and let him do whatever he wanted to you. He in turn loved torturing you by biting, choking, slapping your ass so hard you got marks for days.

You were his and you loved every second of it.

As if possible Stephen increased the speed and intensity of his thrusts even more and quickly you felt your orgasm building in the pit of your stomach. He must have felt it too because he grinned devilishly at you and grabbed your chin making you look him straight in the eyes "Gonna cum for me princess? Tell me how amazing my cock is making you feel right now"

"It feels good Stephen, so good, please don’t stop, make me cum, I'll be good to you, I promise."

He grinned releasing your chin and putting his hand between you, his long fingers reaching your clit and circling it and making you groan obscenely "Good girl, let go, kitten, don’t hold back, cum for me, do it now"

You moaned loudly in compliance and your entire body convulsed with your orgasm and the whole time he kept thrusting, prolonging the sensation as you creamed him with your cum and at the same time seeking his, thrusting so hard against you that he made the desk creak beneath you.  "Fuck princess, you are so wet right now, so fucking tight..." He hissed "I'm gonna cum so fucking hard inside you. Tell me you want it, I need to hear how much you want my cum"

He grabbed your throat again and it was hard to talk with the grip of his hand choking you like that, but you loved every second of it "Please... I want your cum... so fucking bad. Please cum for me... please"

He kept his pace hard and rough pounding you until he stopped completely and groaned outrageously loud, his load spurting inside you. He buried his face in the crook of your neck, his ragged breath in your ear.

You were silent as your breathing returned to normal, Stephen remained hard inside you, pulsing violently. He wasn't sated and neither were you.

"Did you know today is Valentine’s Day?" He said kissing you. You looked at him in surprise. You didn't even know what day it was, it's been a long time since you gave importance to days. "I didn't know that" You replied pulling him back to your lips.

"I should have made something special for you, instead I spent all day reading... I'm sorry"

You shushed him "It's okay. I don’t mind. For us, every day is Valentine’s Day, right?"

He gave a small laugh stroking your face affectionately. Like you said, Stephen used to be more affectionate with you after you made him cum.

"You are right, princess, but I want to please you anyway. Tell me, what do you want me to do to celebrate the special date?"

You smiled openly "Lets go to bed" You asked and he agreed kissing you softly and a moment later you were in his room. You still weren't used to his magic, but you were certainly grateful for the comfort it brought you both.

There was cum running down your thighs and Stephen loved it. He had a fixation on seeing his cum on you, marking you as his. He conjured a tissue and cleaned you gently and you barely waited for him to get rid of the dirty tissue to throw yourself into his arms again.

Stephen hold you in a tight hug and pulled you onto his lap, your legs wrapping around his waist, your arms around his neck pulling him back to his lips and kissing him so passionately. He laid you down on the bed, the weight of his body making your legs open for him, but he didn't enter you, instead he settled down leaning on one arm and caressing your face with the back of his hand.

"You are so beautiful. I never get tired of saying this." He watched the skin on your face turn slightly pink and then decided to get back to the subject you started in his office "So, are you going to tell me about what you read? I confess I'm curious to know more."

You bit your lower lip and Stephen felt provoked every time you did that, it made him completely crazy to kiss you. He waited for you to respond, but he could see you were too embarrassed to say it, so he came back to reassure you "Kitten, no need to be shy, the most important part you already told me."

You looked at him blankly and he grinned biting your bottom lip gently "You just told me you were reading porn magazines and you got so fucking horny you were dripping wet. Whatever it is that you read its just a detail."

You nodded in agreement.

"It’s not very inventive actually, I... you'll probably hate it..." You took a deep breath and exhaled slowly "... You just have to stay inside me. No moving, just... it seems nice, I don't know."

He raised an eyebrow "And how do you expect me to stay inside you without moving? Princess, I don’t know if I can do that!"

You nodded "But would you try?" You glared at him with puppy eyes "There's something about this that makes me really want to try it. Please?"

Stephen kissed you lightly and then rolled onto his side on the bed reaching out for you to snuggle close to him. He stared at the ceiling in silence for a second and could feel your eyes on him the entire time always afraid he would be mad at you for whatever reason, never understanding that there was nothing in the world you could do that make him mad at you.

Stephen loved you, he destroyed the entire universe for you, he would do anything for you.

"I can try…" He said finally and you smiled "...After all it's Valentine's day and I owe you a present, don't you?"

You agreed pulling him to your lips and he kissed you now ardently which made his cock throb demandingly "But first you're going to make me cum one more time, kitten, because I swear to you that I won't stand to stay inside you without moving when all I want is to fuck you."

You agreed. You also doubted you could handle it when your body was crying out for him so desperately. "Okay"

He smiled widely and you kissed him, taking one of your hands to his cock, stroking it slowly, but with enough force to bring a moan from the back of his throat. "Do you remember the first time we made love?" You asked looking at him, you had the sweet voice of an angel, but your hand was skilled and was stroking him with such malice. He squeezed you in his arms and gripped the sheet with his other hand so hard his knuckles turned white. "How could I forget? You ran into my bed looking like a scared kitten."

You hummed "And you took care of me so well." You said propping yourself up on your elbow so you could better look at the work you were doing. Stephen's dick was wet with precum already and the sound of your hand stroking him was so arousing.

"You were so irresistible that night. I couldn't help myself"

You smiled kissing him and he moaned when you increased the rhythm of your hand "Fuck, it feels so good but I want your mouth, please, kitten, give me your mouth."

You nodded, happy to please him and quickly positioned yourself kneeling on the bed. First you spat on his dick and then you spread the spit all the way down his length and taking so much time before putting it in your mouth, but when you did you were merciless. Stephen loved the way you sucked on him. No shame, just lust and love. He loved the way you sucked on the head as you continued to stroke him with your hand, but he lost control of his own body when you took him whole inside your mouth like that, forcing yourself to swallow until the tip of it was against the back of your throat. "Oh fuck, just like that, you always suck my cock so good, princess, I love it"

You moaned satisfied with the praise, the vibration making him see stars. You took it out of your mouth to breathe, but then you swallowed it whole again and started taking turns between putting it all the way to the back of your throat and sucking only the tip.

Stephen brought his hand to your hair, gripping it tightly as he lost himself in his own pleasure, his roughness showing again as he neared his release. He started to thrust up which made you gag around his cock. He let go of your hair and you took him from your mouth, saliva running down your chin, your eyes filling with tears. He caressed your face "I'm sorry kitten, you just feel so good swallowing my cock like that."

You smiled reassuringly, but instead of going back to sucking him, you wrapped one of your legs around his hip. He grinned satisfied. "You gonna ride me, princess?"

You shook your head directing his cock at your entrance and lowering it slowly. Stephen was so big, it always amazed you how his cock make you feel so full. "Fuck, you feel so tight, so good"

You leaned into his chest and began to move up and down, back and forth, riding him fast and hard.

He groaned gripping your hips, his eyes fixed where you met.

You kept your pace chasing your high with a voracity that surprised even yourself "Oh my god Stephen, it feels so good, I wanna cum, please..."

He grinned "Cum for me, my sweet girl, show me how good I make you feel."

You curved your body forward, your hands reaching for his hands and pinning them around his head on the pillow, your fingers intertwining with his, your face now just inches from his as you continued to move on his cock.

Stephen noticed you were tired and took over thrusting up and in that position he hit you sweet spot with absurd precision making you gasp and search for his lips. You kissed him desperately, a big, wet, desire-filled kiss that brought a moan from the deep in his throat. The sound going straight to your core.

Stephen could feel that you were on the verge of orgasm and he kept the pace never stopping until he felt your walls clenching around him. "That’s right kitten, cum for me, I am right after you."

You moaned loudly tightening your fingers around his fingers, searching for his lips. Your entire body trembling as your orgasm enveloped you.

Stephen kept thrusting, riding you through your high "That’s it, princess, you did it so well." He grabbed your hips turning you around and placing you underneath him on your back on the mattress, with one hand he guided his cock back inside you and he thrusted again, hard, fast, mercilessly as he sought his own high.

You wrapped your legs around his hips making him moan loudly, the position making his cock go even deeper and pulling a surprised gasp from your throat as you felt another orgasm building in the pit of your stomach.

Stephen felt your walls fluttering around him "Gonna cum for me again, kitten? I am almost there, you feel so good."

You wrapped your arms around his shoulders kissing him "Yes Stephen, please cum for me, fill me with your cum, I want it so badly."

He kept his pace violently rough and then suddenly stopped groaning and you felt his hot load spurting inside you and pulling you towards your third orgasm.

"Yes, yes, Stephen... please..."

He grabbed your chin and kissed you hard and then pulled out rolling over onto his side on the bed breathing heavily. You crawled into his arms resting your head on his shoulder and touching his face, making him look at you and then kissing him softly. You were silent for a minute, your hand stroking his goatee, his hand tracing circles on your back. The silence of the room broken only by your breathing that slowly returned to normal and the external noises of the ongoing incursion.

"Do you remember the day you got here?" Stephen asked, his voice a bit rusky. "Uh hm"

He sighed heavily "You asked how I could live in this universe and not be afraid..." He was silent and you stared at him.

"The truth is, I was never afraid before you arrived, but now... I'm afraid of losing you."

You looked at him surprised, but he needed to be honest with you. He needed you to understand why it was so important to stop the incursion.

"I've been trying to find a way to fix this..." He pointed to the window from which you could see the terrible vortex that seemed to swallow everything outside "I won't stop until I get it. I can't, I need to keep you safe ."

You cupped his face and made him look at you "I know. I understand what you're doing and why you're doing it, but Stephen... I accepted our fate here a long time ago." He looked at you confused. "I just want you to know that I'd rather spend the days I have left here with you by my side than watching you despair to find a solution that maybe doesn't exist."

He shook his head in disagreement "I cannot accept this. The Darkhold may have..."

"Stephen, no. The Darkhold has already taken too much out of you. Let's enjoy the time we have left together just like this. This is what I want."

He squeezed you in his arms. Stephen couldn't be further from agreeing to surrender, but he understood your point of view and couldn't say you were wrong. He sighed, deciding to leave that subject for another time. "You're right, princess."

You smiled "Of course I am" He hummed as you moved your hand down to his chest and held it directing it to his hip where his cock waited relaxed but not fully flaccid. Stephen couldn't complain about his stamina, despite being twice your age, he always lasted three, four rounds with ease.

However, he didn't want to get too carried away. He just wanted to get hard enough to fulfill the promise he made to you. He definitely wasn't sure about that, but frankly there was nothing you could ask him that he wouldn't do for you.

You stroke his cock slowly up and down and buried your head into the crook of his neck inhaling deeply "You smell so good" You whispered and he couldn't help but smile. He loved how affectionate you were with him, even if he was rough with you sometimes, you were still extremely sweet, always clinging to him. "Fuck, kitten, look what you do to me, I'm already completely hard for you again."

You pulled him to your lips and then turned your back so he could spoon you. He brushed your hair away from your face and neck, his hand guiding his cock to your entrance, sliding his cock easily into your pussy completed soaked with his cum. You curved your hips back so he could go as deep as possible and you both sighed heavily at the sensation.

Stephen had to restrain himself so not to thrust, instead he put one arm under your head making you better settle next to him and the other he rested on your waist keeping your bodies glued to each other.

He was pulsing violently inside you and your walls were clenching around him, yet you remained still and somehow Stephen understood the meaning of it. There was something extremely intimate and rewarding about being inside you that way. You were so warm and tight. It felt amazing.

"You feel so good, Stephen." You whispered and then gave a long yawn and he kissed your neck in response "Does it feel good for you too?"

He hummed "It feels amazing, princess. Happy Valentine’s Day”

You hummed satisfied and little by little Stephen felt your body relaxing, your breathing becoming more steady and he knew you had fallen asleep. He moved his fingers in a quick gesture and the candles went out, with another gesture he conjured a heavy blanket that enveloped your naked bodies. Another move of his fingers and the fireplace was lit.  It was always so cold in that broken universe.

Stephen contemplated how lucky he was, even if the world outside was falling apart, he had you and you were the only thing that mattered to him.

When he finally allowed himself to relax he felt sleep approaching and even though his cock was throbbing inside you, he remained still, surrendering to the possibility of finally getting a good night of sleep. Stephen hadn't slept well in years, he usually left you asleep and went back to his reading and always went back to bed before you woke up so you wouldn't notice. That night however he fell into a deep sleep without disturbing dreams, he slept as well as he could not remember sleeping before.

Reblog please! Leave a comment if you liked it. Interact! I will love to read all of your comments and opinions. It inspires me to keep writing ;)

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[seas-storyarchive]

Cain's Fable - au

Thank you, @mabeljonesrock, for this idea. Wrote it while waiting for my doctor's appointment.

[[MORE]]

Alastor is Cain. The first murderer.

He killed Abel.

Got exiled, built a city, had a son. His star, Enoch.

Went to Hell when he died. Signed an agreement with Lucifer that once every hundred years, he could escape to the surface world for a year. Why? Because Lucifer and him were drunk and a deal was proposed.

After his father Adam and grandfather God chose Abel (and apparently this Seth) as the favorite son/grandson, all Alastor had was Uncle Lucifer.

Why the name Alastor? Well.. he shook the hand of a mediocre radio host with that same name who wanted more fame and money but didn't have the balls to obtain any himself. He just.. took his memories, name and face for a.. long "trial period" or spin if you prefer (slaughtering many in the New Orleans population of the 1930's, but that's not new. Last murder spree he committed was as a woman under the name Chloe -no last name given- in 1801.).

Anyways.. to today.

Alastor was listening to the battle plan, told by Uncle Lucifer to unleash a heavenly hell if he wanted, spoken through his microphone by Charlie. Why he let her borrow his things? He didn't know.

His microphone returned to him, ah the speech was over. Just in time too.

Adam and the Exorcists were descending. Many were stopped by his shield- truly pathetic really.

And then, what broke the barrier was Adam and - Abel, oh.. Oh this just got interesting!

"Adam! First man, next to die!" He was being genuine. "Oh, and you brought a friend!"

"Who the fuck are you?" Adam snapped, glaring at Alastor. Abel had the same expression. Ever daddy's favorite, gross.

"Sure you'd recognize me, Father, dear Brother?"

"C- Cain?" Oh, is itty bitty Abel shaking? Delightful!

"Oh, this'll be sweet!" Ah! So daddy did share something with Alastor after all.

Needless to say, Alastor got his ass kicked in a 2 v 1 (oh no, he had no trouble again Abel, again, but his dad? nope). Look, he had the chance to call his Uncle, but he was too focused on kicking Abel's ass for a second time and then getting the snot kicked out of him by his dad to bother focusing on that.

--

So, yeah. Now he was recovering in the newly built hotel, Rosie having just finished stitching and bandaging him up, deciding to stay and watch (this was news to her as well) as everyone trickled in.

"So, you're.." Charlie was hesitant to say anything. Alastor was her family, well technically. But that was neither here nor there.

"Cain, the first murderer." Alastor said, extending a hand and then regretting that action, his true name sounding.. it sounded strange on his lips.

Vaggie spoke up. "Seriously!? You are ROYALTY in heaven and-"

"Well, darling Vagatha - daddy and grandfather didn't think so." Alastor's red eye pierced into Vaggie's one eye. "They always liked Abel more. Abel this, Abel that. Why can't you be like Abel, Cain? Pfft! Acting like farming isn't integral to feeding people and those stupid sheep!"

He looked at the others, who were all just staring back at him with blank expressions - save for Uncle Lucifer, he was the only one with an understanding gaze.

"Kid. Cain." Began Lucifer, looking for words to say.

"If you are going to apologize, Uncle. Don't." Alastor glared at the man as he pushed forwards on the bed. "And it's Alastor. Alastor the Radio Demon! Cain, first born son of Adam, stain on his legacy of humainty - is dead!"

"Al, you're tearin' your stitches." Rosie sais gently.

"Hm." Alastor glared, settling back down, ignoring the burning from the wound.

"So.. Adam is you pops?" Angel asked, after a few moments, breaking the silence.

Alastor resisted the urge to tell Angel to read the fucking book, taking a break.

"Yes. I take it some of you are familiar with my son, Enoch?"

"You have a son, Mr. Alastor?" Niffty asked, scrambling up the bedsheet to sit beside him.

"Yes dear." Alastor smiled fondly. "My only son, up there." He looked at the ceiling, but everyone knew where he meant. "Where I can never go. I.." his breath hitched. "I miss him.. my sweet boy.."

Lucifer put a hand on his leg, Rosie put a hand on his shoulder, and when he bowed his head to cry, Niffty patted his tears away.

--

How they accomplished a Reunion Day? Alastor will never know.

He was getting his bandages changed by Rosie, the only one who he let near him in this state (he almost bit the hands off the royal doctor when he visited). The lecture from Charlie was worth the fear in the man's eyes.

"Al! They're here!" Charlie's voice came over the intercom in his room, excited.

After a nod from Rosie, it was show time. He pushed the red button to talk back. "Be right there, Charlotte."

They took the elevator to the second floor, because it's them, why not? And walked down the one flight of stairs, to see everyone was talking to a loved one. Apart from one man who stood off to the side, watching them with his hands clasped in front of him.

"Enoch?" Alastor asked, as he and Rosie walked down the last few steps. He felt Rosie let go of his arm and move a little bit off to the side, smoothing her dress skirt.

"Father?" Enoch looked at the man, taking in his appearance now - he'd heard about it from Uncle Abel, but this.. it was.. "Father!"

The man rushed at Alastor and hugged him, they all heard a popping noise from the thin demon, starting to cry.

"Enoch, my boy." Alastor hugged his son, careful of his claws as to not hurt his precious boy.

It was weird, for everyone. Seeing Alastor with any emotion apart from rage and vitrial. Off to the side, Rosie wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and waved her hat on her face to not ruin her mascara.

When the men broke apart, Enoch turned to look at Rosie, and then glanced at Alastor.

"Oh! Where are my manners? Son, let me introduce you to my dear friend." Alastor said as Rosie stopped fanning her face. "The most darling, dangerous, overlord in her pocket of the pentagram, Rosie."

Rosie gave a courtesy. "A pleasure. Simply a pleasure."

Enoch, being Alastor's son, wasn't immune to his large smile. "The pleasure is all mine, ma'am. Thank you, for looking after Father." He then loudly whispered, "head strong" as he pointed to Alastor.

Rosie laughed, "oh! You are adorable!" She hugged the young man, before letting go and grabbing his cheeks. "Simply adorable! Oh, I could eat you up!"

"R̸̤̘͆͠ó̸͎͊s̸̡̛̬ï̵̦̯͘é̶̢̼." Alastor said in warning, his antlers growing.

"Oh come now, Al. Ah was just kidding. You know I wouldn't hurt a fly." Rosie said, letting go of Enoch's face. "Especially not this cutie pie! Oh, he has your dimples!"

"Rosie.." Alastor tried to get her to stop.

"Father, when willl I expect an invitation to your wedding with this lovely lady?"

"Go to your room."

"No."

"Grandfather dammit, Enoch! Go to your room!"

Angel burst out into laughter. "Oh, oh my goodness!"

"Stay out of this, sonny. Or else I'll show you why I'm down here!"

This only everyone laugh harder, and even Alastor eventually caved to the laughter around him.

#hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel au #alastor is cain au #hazbin alastor

[soft-for-them]

Chapstick - Eddie Munson x plus size reader

Summary: Everyone around you can tell by Eddie's longing stares that he likes you and you like him too but you're too focused on not flunking school and not repeating another year to notice.

A part of my 800 follower celebration, based off Chapstick by Coin.

Comments and reblogs are much appreciated and help more people read my works.

A/N: Never listed to this song before writing this fic, it's very funky and I like it. Written very late last night so not proof read...

Always dressed nicely in crisp white blouses with all the wrinkles ironed out and high waisted bell bottom jeans faded blue but not scruffy from all the years of use, most people who saw you would consider you a goody two shoes.

But that’s the thing, most people don’t look your way, you’re just another face in the crowd. If they looked for longer they would see that you’re something more, not just that fat kid who’s easily forgettable.

Looking closer one could see that you are as sweet as an apple pie for you always help others out even if it means you get in trouble and you’re always smiling.

Bell bottoms and shiny school shoes cover the funky patterned socks that are different every day and many don’t notice your backpack full with animal shaped pins, home-made badges and band patches.

Despite you sweet round face that is always wearing a proud and kind smile you can run your mouth, if anyone offends the people you love you’re the person who’d defend them with you witty retorts and strong threats.

Eddie always says to you that you’d be a great lawyer with the way you talk, he calls you a real sharp shooter because your words hit fast and hard like bullets from a rifle. You tell him to stop using that analogy for you’d want people to thing you use guns, so as of late he’s been calling you his live wire for your voice is often electric with words unpredictable but so right.

One wouldn’t think that you’ve been held back a year because of poor grades rather that running your mouth but most people look at all the now twenty year olds who’ve been held back as juvenile delinquents and burnouts who deserve to be held back instead of adults with undeveloped brains in need of guidance and probably an adhd diagnosis.

You can’t be held back another year, it would be embarrassing to be twenty one and still stuck in high school just because your find maths and English hard and that you panic during exams so much so that you have to leave half way through them just so you can breathe.

This year you’ve been studying you ass off, spending all your spare time with a textbook or filled binder in sight. Even now as you saddle up to a full cafeteria table that holds the Hellfire club and basically the whole of your friendship group you have the biggest mathematics textbook there is slammed in front of your eyes, the mediocre school meal is pushed to the side as your try to remember how to do algebra.

“Hola, mi amigos.” Your soft but sweet voice calls out as your eyes still scan pages of numbers and letters whilst your other hand goes to pick up the carton of fruit juice on your tray.

Rings for ‘hellos’ and ‘holas’ call out as a hand with many silver rings and a square black watch pushes your text book down.

“Buenos dias Eddie.” You murmur are your much softer hand pries away the long guitar string scared fingers away from you book.

“Buenos dias to you my mi chacho.” He says back in high energetic voice, the Spanish words elongated and slightly mispronounced.

Your eyes flicker up to his smiling face, your fingers still connected to his hand that still hovers over your book.

“You know ‘mi chacho’ means my boy, right? You literally just said ‘my my boy’ Eddie.”

Spanish is an easy grade for you, even if you still get nervous in the exams. It may be an easy grade but you’d rather have an easy ‘A’ on your college applications than lots of just there ‘C’ grades.

Eddie on the other hand doesn’t find Spanish that easy even though he chose to take it as a class. So despite your head boggling with maths you always try to get his to speak some Spanish just so he doesn’t get kicked out of the class into the hallways to ‘think on his actions’ whilst the principle is called. Spanish class would be hella boring for you if Eddie wasn’t sat behind you making jokes and taking peaks at your work sheets.

“It’s like when I call you dude.” He grins.

Your eyes fully focused on him, book down but hand separated, you begin to talk.

“You wouldn’t say ‘my mi chacho’ you would say ‘mi-“ you urge him to finish the phrase.

Eddie leans back his ringed fingers touching his chin in an over comical thinking motion, his head slightly leaned back so his mop of brown hair sways down the back of the seat’s back. His eyes that are so deep and warm stare into your soul making your heart beat just a tiny bit faster.

“Mi-“ you repeat his face blooming into an even wider grin, if that could be possible, as he gets the answer.

“Mi bonita (y/n)!”

Your face erupts into to a warm flush, if it was a cartoon you’d be completely red with little heart eyes all big and doe like as you heart beats out your chest.

“I-well- “ your words jumble, “CLOSE ENOUGHT!”

Everyone on your table turns to look at you, some laugh others ask ‘what happened?’ with confused expressions.

Eddie goes to talk some more but you duck down, your eyes looking downward as you rummage through your backpack that lies by your feet.

It’s merely a distraction it is, you’re not quite sure what you’re rummaging around for but it has gotten your sights off Eddie, even though you’d love to stare at Eddie for the rest of the day he knows you best and you’d rather not try and avoid explaining why you’ve gone all shy all the sudden.

Your hands brush past grit and crumpled up receipts, fingers coming to finally touch a small cyclical piece of plastic. You try one or two times to grasp the object before pulling it out the bag your body straitening back up as a brightly coloured lip balm sees the light of day.

Eddie still is looking at you, he’s always looking at you really, but now the table has gone back to normally chatting away so watching you take the lid off the lip balm and screw it a few times until the chap stick comes up he awaits what’s to come without your eyes looking at him but his firmly on yours.

You busy yourself with applying a coat of lip balm on your drying lips, your eyes and face slightly down but the growing fire in your face still keeping you warm.

The chap stick is old, not so old that your lips would puff up all red and swollen, but the stick has been long forgotten in your bag. It’s the type of lip balm that seems of fake cherry and sugar, the actually balm an unnatural bubble gum pink. It feel just fine though so you carry on swiping the product across your lips not quite realising that the eyes of Eddie Munson as following the chap stick glide across your lips like it’s a tennis match.

Pausing the applying you finally look, hoping that the growing feeling of eyes on you has gone, only to find Eddie wide eyed and pink cheeked looking directly at your lips.

His eyes flick up and a nervous grin sets on his face.

“What?” you say with equal parts embarrassment and curiosity, “Want some?”

Before he can splutter a word out his eyes flick up pointing away from you. You turn around to see the cute face of Dustin Henderson holding a full try of food and a big smile on his face.

“HENDERSON!” both you and Eddie call together you voices joining to create a booming echo across the cafeteria.

The young man somehow smiles even bigger as you turn around to make room for him next to you.

Eddie somehow looks even redder, his eyes back firmly on you.

#not proofread #eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x plus size reader #stranger things x reader #stranger things x plus size reader #stranger things #x plus size reader #plus size reader #x chubby reader #chubby reader

[im-secretly-a-frog]

So I started a commonplace book recently. For those of you who don't know what that is, as I did not until quite recently, a commonplace book is a collection of sorts, but rather than things, such as stamps or rocks, it is words, ideas, and quotes.

In looking for such things I have begun to read, though not in order but in any way I please, A Writer's Commonplace Book by Rosemary Freidman.

I have found it quite entertaining, but not for the reasons it was intended to be. It is mixed with a number of lovely quotes that I quite agree with, examples of these being:

"You write in order to say the things you can't say. It's a cry, or a scream or a song." -Samuel Beckett

"...writers are supposed to make you laugh and cry. That's what mankind is looking for." Saul Bellow

These quotes prove to be quite intelligent and well-picked, but as you read you find that quotes such as these are rare. In a book consisting of two hundred and fifty pages one should expect to find some mediocre or nonsensical quotes, but what one finds within these pages is quite strange. There are many quotes that directly contradict each other and some that seem to be picked at random and solely for the name attached with none of the ideals of the writer reflected within and for a book published in the modern year of 2007 it seems to have some outdated ideals. Examples include:

"No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." -Samuel Johnson

"I worked with a pencil and what I wrote my wife copied afterward." -Anthony Trollope

"There are too many books published. It is one of the evils of democracy." -T. S. Eliot

These quotes may mean other things within their context, but it is out of context that they are taken and set into a book which claims to uphold literature. Is it not strange that such a book, written by a scholarly woman, would hold such views?

#books #bookblr #booklr #book quotes #books & libraries #reading #books and reading #commonplace book #commonplace journal #Wait did I do it again? #oops I think I wrote this like a letter from an eighteenth-century scholar #just don't pay that any mind #I was listening to classical music #and thinking about classical literature #so I slipped into the headspace #and it affected how I write #quotes #words #literature #english literature

[cto10121]

Stupid piece of shit, Twilight literally caused so many myths & misconceptions about Native & Quileute people that the Quileute tribe had to put up an entire site dispelling the shit Stephanie Meyer caused. I literally cannot begin to explain how insanely racist Twilight is as a series with the number of bullshit that happens to not just the Native characters, but other characters of color (but Stephanie Meyer targeted Native Americans specifically). Twilight is an incredibly mediocre and poorly written series created by a fucking Mormon, go read Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, or Dracula.

You mean that same Quileute people that has come out with their support for the series, talking about how the series garnered tourism, attention, and economic wealth to their reservation? The same Quileute tribe who credited Twilight for their success in moving their reservation to higher ground and even getting that northern boundary approved after 50 years of no progress?

You literally cannot explain how racist Twilight is a series for a reason, anon. Because if all of it boils down to Meyer changing their legends for a whole-ass fantasy AU, then that’s not good enough, anon. Hell, it provided a great opportunity for the Quileutes to educate tourists on their real-life legends, so it’s a win-win for them.

And of course they aren’t offended by the series’ portrayal of them either. The Quileutes have it good in these books overall: They have wolf superpowers but with none of the downsides of actual bloodlust, need to kill, or sociopathy. In fact, they are framed as protectors in the narrative and their power is deeply rooted in their communal blood ties and their positive relationship with nature. In the books the Quileute legends have them be spirit warriors who had a wolf consent to share his body with one of them. And of course all the bad guys, save a typical internecine power grab, are the pale, evil, sociopathic bloodsuckers.

And that’s not counting the fact that a Native male character—drawn complementary with the male hero—is the secondary love interest of the romantic heroine, and so strong a contender he even has passionate fans arguing for his ship to this very day. And that’s not counting the fact that the author personally loves that character, to the point where she could not bear to end the series with him not getting a love interest/happy ending.

Also, I’m literally an English major a hairsbreadth shy of becoming an actual English teacher at some point. And if you think the likes of Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and freakin’ Dracula don’t have very similar themes or even their own issues even on the writing level, then I’m not the one who must read them, anon. I think a re-reading is in order.

#i come anon #twilight #twilight meta #it’s ‘listen to POC’ until they react in a way that goes against the established narrative #for my part idgaf about what anyone other than what the quileutes think about the portrayal of the native characters in this series #their opinion is the only thing that matters regarding their portrayal #and if they dngaf neither do i #twilight clownery #twilight renaissance

[ofbreathandflame]

At some point, we've got to hang up the idea that the 'Grisha are an oppressed group comparable to real life, and the Darkling is a misunderstood hero of the story." The allegory is always going to fall apart before it can hit the ground running. It's a very unserious argument. What are we even arguing at this point? The person with very spooky, unlimited power, who is immortal, and can very well live a normal life if they wanted to is comparable to being discriminated against for very real, very obvious things such as skin color, features, gender and sex. Like if someone wanted to kill me for being black or being gay, or anything of the matter-- the fear is not founded in anything tangible. It is just a justification for violence which I am powerless to stop.

Being afraid of an immortal, shadow dude with the ability to live beyond normal years, can kill me in an instant, can create shadow creatures are a valid fear??? Being afraid of someone with natural superhuman abilities is a...valid fear.

The allegory is going to always fall apart, same with properties like X-Men (to an extent: I do think Magneto is well-written allegory at points in his run) . It doesn't work so please stop trying to make it work. Darkling is a good character in an otherwise mediocre world, its totally fine to like him without having to play the mind games here.

But also--I think this is why a character who represents a true villainous revolutionary will always be Erik Killmonger, my beloved. There are so many layers to his ideologies, that even the muted nature of Disney does not smear it. A revolutionary for the people can still be an agent of oppression. I found myself agreeing with Killmonger all the way throughout the movie, on an ideological level. I empathized and understood his visceral rage, I felt that. But I also think that at a personal level, he (1) wasn't the person fit to lead that change (2) he had a power problem. On the surface level, it's very obvious that Erik feels the plight of his people, that is a very real emotion. On a deeper level, we can argue that he has an ego problem and he doesn't see his own people as well...people (see: his casual disposal of his loyal girlfriend, his killing of his personal guard, admitting that he's killed even his own people--the people he supposedly wants to free). I think many WOC can attest to the intricacies of oppression within our communities - especially where the cis men in our communities lie. (also see: the intricacies within Black Panther Party; Ron Karenga torturing black women; many more black men-led revolutionaries throwing black women and black lgbtq+ under the bus in these movements, etcs)

Anywho - I suggest you guys read Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison if you are interested in such complexities. It is one of my favorite books ever and I think it deals with oppression within oppression very well.

#pls leave it at the DOOR #he's a good character with nuanced motivations #for sure #but he's every bit the villain of the story #we should not be taking that plot point in the books that seriously #it is written unserious we should keep it that way. #alina shadow and bone #the darkling #aleksander morovoza #this is not a hate post #so block at your leisure #queued #the grisha trilogy #grishaverse #shadow and bone

[veliseraptor]

Hello ! I've read a lot of the posts you shared or wrote about horror, especially in reaction to "pearl-clutching" discourse against the whole genre.

It was very though provoking (thanks!) but I was wondering if/how you draw the distinction between that and, well, honest and "legitimate" bad review / negative analysis of some individual stories who happen to be horror ?

Oh, for sure. Of course there's legitimate criticisms to be made about individual horror works, or even about horror as a genre on the whole. I'm never going to claim that there isn't. While I do feel like there's a place for the "let people have fun" school of thought around media criticism, I don't think it should be a blanket smothering of all criticism - mostly, as with so many things, it is worth considering your time, place, and audience. For your own sake as well, I find.

I do think that sometimes the language of "criticizing" or "being critical" has become a handy mask for people to say whatever they want in some of the same (though less pernicious) way that people use "I'm just asking questions" to shut down discussion of misinformation and conspiracy theories. Again, #notallcriticism, much of it is good and beneficial and keeps things fresh (and me thinking), even the criticism I ultimately might end up disagreeing with. And at the same time, I do see the tendency popping up sometimes to use the idea of "legitimate criticism" as a way to shield a person from disagreement (the somewhat infamous "think critically about x" translating to "and you'll agree with me" comes to mind.)

As far as the how, well, it's certainly a little your mileage may vary - what I might read as an unfair review of a book I liked, for instance, someone else might read as a well-deserved ripping to shreds of a mediocre work, and it's certainly possible for neither of us to be "right" about which it is. Some of this - maybe even a lot of it - is a matter of perspective.

I guess I would think of two things that shape my perception of how someone is talking about a work or a genre, in general and in particular with horror:

1. Is the writer familiar with the genre? Do they have at least a passing familiarity with the conventions, tropes, and other narrative tics that tend to crop up? If not, are the criticisms they are making marked by that lack of knowledge (ime some of the discourse about the A Song of Ice and Fire falls victim to this, sometimes). I'm not saying that criticism is invalid coming from someone without genre knowledge, but I am saying that I'm more inclined to be skeptical of criticism that comes from someone who clearly dislikes the specific genre they're discussing, because it sometimes feels like a willful lack of curiosity and unwillingness to engage with a text/genre on its own terms.

> Addendum to this: is the writer familiar with the genre as it stands recently? Horror now looks rather different than horror fifty years ago, just for instance.

2. Is the argument or point they're making actually coherent? Is the analysis solid and grounded in at least some kind of evidence or source? (Is the author using screenshots of tweets in lieu of actually writing about the phenomenon they're discussing?) I can't always but I'd say I can usually at least recognize, even if I disagree, when someone is actually taking what they're engaging with seriously and when they're not (in terms of the work put in to convince me what they're saying is true, relevant, and important), and if they're not taking it seriously then why should I?

And one more, I guess, which feels obvious but sometimes on the internet isn't, because people love to have opinions (I get it! so do I!):

3. Has the writer actually read (or watched/played/whatever) what they're talking about? This ties in a little with point one but is slightly divergent, because someone can to an extent be familiar with a genre without having read it. But someone talking authoritatively about the problems with something they haven't actually had direct contact with, based purely on a set of cultural osmosis and related assumptions, is frustratingly common, and people will assume that they know what they're talking about from that alone and are qualified to make a sweeping judgment from that position. And I'm just not going to take criticism made from that perspective very seriously.

That's how I'd draw my lines, anyway. I don't claim to be an authority, certainly; I'm a gal on the internet with a big mouth and a lot of opinions. I think the important things here though are a. I certainly don't think that there's no such thing as legitimate criticism (in the negative sense) of horror works or horror as a genre, and b. I have particular standards for how I judge that criticism based on content and context.

I guess it's also worth noting, with this particular example, that the other question is "how much does this feel like it aligns with the present moral panic around dark or disturbing content in fiction?" and if the answer is "a lot" then I'm significantly more likely to dismiss it.

#conversating #social justice fire mage #actual english major lise #lise has opinions #look an actual post that required brainpower ma #i still have that i guess! #now i'm going to sleep yikes i'm tired

[thephantomcasebook]

As much as I find A+C=D interesting I don't know how they would fit Daeron's story into the series. He couldn't have a dragon. The same thing with Helaena and Aemond, I believe the series is creating "something" with them, but in the book there is Alys Rivers who is an important character and lover of Aemond. I know the series has changes and like it, but I wonder how far these changes are beneficial to the plot of fire and blood...

No, I see what you're saying.

But the one thing you need to understand is that "Fire & Blood" is not a real history book, or actual view of events. It is hear-say from different sources. A Green Maester and a Perverted Dwarf's account of events from over 100 years ago that is compiled by a Maester who is terrified of the Mad King Aerys who is breathing down his neck while he's writing it for baby Viserys and Dany.

It is completely biased toward the Blacks, because, if it wasn't then Aerys would roast him alive with wildfire.

To understand the book, you have to read between the lines.

Two examples.

1.) After King's Landing falls to the Blacks, Daeron marshals one of the finest armies that Westros has ever seen. In the book, most of the accounts say that Daeron is leading the army, that he is whipping the Blacks asses up and down the south on his way to rescue Alicent and Helaena, Meanwhile Aemond and Alys are a two team wrecking crew that is setting the Riverlands aflame so no reinforcements can come to aid Rhaeynra in King's Landing.

There is proven accounts that two of Rhaenyra's best Dragon Seed Riders turn cloak on the Blacks because they were absolutely petrified of having to fight Daeron and Tessarion. Which tracks, because, the Dragon Seed Riders nearly pissed themselves after capturing King's Landing when Rhaenyra informed them that their service to her wasn't done till they fought and killed Aemond and Daeron.

Which none of them signed up for.

But the main author of the book continuously assures the readers - aka Aerys - that it's not Daeron leading the army that it is Ormund Hightower. He was the real power and leader of the Green's main army after Criston's death.

However, that conflicts with what is said about Ormund Hightower earlier which was that the man was a terrible leader and battle commander that needed Daeron's last minute arrival to turn the tide of a battle in which he outnumbered his enemies.

So, as a reader, you're supposed to understand that the Maester is purposefully trying to cut out the narrative that Daeron was a hero and champion. That he is constantly placating to Aerys that he was nothing but a green mama's boy and only ever won battles out of being lucky - despite every account saying otherwise.

Then, later on, the Maester says that Daeron was killed in a passive and mediocre manner - his pavilion fell on him or that some random soldier smashed his face in with a morning star, not knowing who he killed.

Right?

However, in that same battle, Tessarion - and Tessarion alone - starts fighting Seasmoke and Adam Hull on it's own ... without a rider. That Tessarion starts doing all these amazing and complicated moves in the battle ... without a rider. That later when Vermethor breaks loose and starts killing everyone - both Greens and Blacks alike - that Tessarion altruistically steps in to fight to the death "The Bronze Terror" to stop him from killing everyone ... without a rider.

So, either this Tessarion motherfucker is the most honorable and sentient dragon there ever was ...

Or, Daeron didn't die like a bitch and fought the - then - largest and most vicious Dragon in the world to save the lives of both his men and his enemies when it went wild.

Then, for fifty years both Rhaenyra and Daemon's descendants and the Stark regents feared Daeron's return, many - including the common people - believing that he was not dead and that he would have his revenge for "The Brothel Queens" and for Helaena's children.

Why would they think that if there was confirmation that some random ass Riverland soldier smashed his face in?

Cause he didn't die that night nor any afterward.

2.) In the book it is explicitly theorized that the split between Rhaenyra and Alicent came in maidenhood and had everything to do with Criston Cole.

It is pointed out that Alicent had been in love with Criston from the beginning. That she grew angry and Jealous when Rhaenyra picked him to be her Sworn Shield, and that their falling out had more to do with Criston rejecting Rhaenyra ... which is why she moved on to Harwin Strong.

Point of fact!

For the next sixteen years, Ser Criston Cole wore Alicent's favor in every tourney and battle, was her sworn shield, that he was named Lord Commander by Alicent herself despite Rhaenyra trying to stop it. That Criston was extremely loyal to Alicent to the very end, never wavering once on being by her side.

Then, this joke ass crack head Maester actually spends time trying to question what exactly motivates him to be loyal to Alicent. Then, Maester Dipshit settles on that it was resentment against Rhaenyra.

No, dumbass!

It's cause he's been in love with Alicent since they were teenagers!

I wasn't even shipping them when I read the text and it was fucking obvious to me.

That's the problem with sticking to the source material. The writers of the show took that note literally and then made Criston's character be some one-note spurned lover till almost to the end of the season. But if you simply read between the lines, it's right there!

Criston was in love with Alicent, not Rhaenyra, the entire time.

By the time the writers figured that shit out, or George e-mailed them with the note, they had already ruined Criston's character by making him pine for Rhaenyra when all sources, except for the one bias one toward Rhaenyra, said that Criston said 'Begone Thot!' to her advances.

I'm not making a run at you, nonny. But what I'm trying to say is that you can't rely on the source material for anything but a guide line to events. When it comes to interpersonal relationship and quiet moments with characters, the book can't be trusted. It's like trying figure out what George and Martha Washington's marriage was like based on reading a High School History text book.

The stuff between Aemond and Helaena is probably coming straight from Martin himself. It fits with the rhyming history of Westeros of the unrequited or secret lovers between Targaryen Siblings. And more to the point, Targaryen brothers and sisters who are meant to be together often times share a psychic connection of some sort.

Alys Rivers comes after "Blood & Cheese" when Helaena loses her mind to the world ...

However, on the same day that Aemond dies, Helaena commits suicide that very night.

It's all there, nonny ... it's all there.

#House of the Dragon #Alicent Hightower #Criston Cole #Daeron Targaryen #Aemond Targaryen #Helaena Targaryen #alicent x criston #aemond x helaena #Helaemond #alicole

[lucid-ao3]

2024

Hello! I haven't updated tumblr in a while soooo decided to make a (long) post about what I'm currently working on and what I've posted recently:

MLB Writing Updates

1. In December I posted A Holiday Wish. It's a fun little few-shot where Adrien gets a gift from Plagg and sees what life is like if Ladybug loved him back. Shenanigans ensue. I really had fun with it. It's a companion piece to my story 'A Birthday Wish', wherein Marinette gets a similar birthday gift from Tikki. I always had the idea of "hmmm what if this was Adrien and Plagg, instead?"

2. I also wrote, in December, a fic for a gift exchange where the duo visits the Shadyverse. It's holiday themed, and I reallyyyyy enjoyed writing the piece. I was able to dive into Shadybug's life and paint a picture of what that universe may be like for her. I may expand on the universe simply because it's SO unexplored and interesting to write/create. I can really do anything with it! Some minor head canons were: Marinette's parents are divorced, Marinette lives alone, her still lives in Paris but is distant, her mother lives in China (estranged), Ladybug and Adrien are together, GabeDad is kind and loving, Marinette's second home is the Gabriel Mansion, Marinette lives alone, the bakery is a chain that churns out mediocre sweets.

I LOVE LOVE writing Adrien Angst - as many of you know - and the Shadyverse lets me flip that into Marinette angst in a similarly delicious way.

3. My Antidote story is 10k words and complete in my eyes but... it's also not complete. I want to post it but it ends abruptly and I don't want to disappoint readers. I'm uninspired to write a big final battle. TBD - may post before the end of the month.

Harry Potter Writing Updates

1. I posted my first ever triad smutfic. It's raunchy and *ahem* well I like it lol! Dreomione anyone? Check it out! Rated Explicit! Title: Disobedient

2. My Veela!Draco 8th Year story is coming along. I've recently been struck with inspiration. At the moment I have 28k words written. I'm thinking it will be around 45k by the time I'm done. It's spicy, but I'm also trying to do a solid "Draco is a new man" characterization that is believable, so the love story doesn't fall flat among the smut. I hope to start posting before May (fingers crossed!!)

3. I think I'm going to finally cross-post my old, old, first ever fanfiction, 'A Tale of Cinderella' to ao3. I've edited that thing about 100 times and it's evolved into something post-able. I'll post it all at once. Maybe tomorrow. Dramione/Rated G/Fifth Year Cinderella-esque romance

Zutara Writing Update

1. I'm not sure if I ever mentioned I have a Zutara story in the works, but I do. It'll be rated PG. I wanted to post it before the Live Action came out buuuuut not all things work out. Still, I have a lot of fun writing it and hope to post it by the end of the summer. Summary: "What if Katara healed Zuko's scar in Ba Sing Se, and Aang fully unblocked his final Chakra, releasing all worldly tethers (and Katara) and allowing him to master the Avatar state? Zutara book 2/3 divergence." What do you all think? Does it sound interesting? I'm shaping it around the cartoon so some chapters include things like [watch book 2 episode 20], etc. I want it to be as canon as possible - but Zutara!

WOW THIS WAS A LONG POST. I didn't realize how much I've been doing writing-wise. I'm happy I spent the time to type this all out even if no one reads it :)

Thanks all xo

#mlb fanfiction #fanfiction #dreomione #smut fic #dramione #current wip #shadybug #adrinette