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dear-mrs-otome · 1 year

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WIP Wednesday 💕

In Bocca al Lupo

~~~~~~~~~~

“I was going to buy it.” The admission slipped free before she had time to snatch it back.

“You? You were going to buy the shop?"

Her cheeks stung pink at the slap of his incredulous laugh. “Yes, me.”

“You wouldn’t know the first thing about running a business like this,” he scoffed.

She shook her head fiercely. “No, you wouldn’t know the first thing about running a business like this. Could you recognize an incunable if you saw one? Do you have the faintest idea what an octavo is? Or who Madame Rochefort’s favorite author is? What genre you can sell Monsieur Martin on without fail when he comes by every Tuesday afternoon? All you see is coin to be made. Numbers in a ledger. Not people. And certainly not their stories.”

“This ain’t a library, lady. It’s right there in the name - bookstore.” He paused, as if considering something. “Although, if you’re so eager to make sure things are done in a certain way, I suppose I could let you keep your job.”

“Let me…” A logjam of words crowded her throat for a moment, indignities all clamoring for space at once until one finally jostled free. “You want me to work for you?”

A petty smile slanted his lips. “Ask me nicely and I’ll consider it.”

That expression of his was like a door being thrown open on a smoldering fire. Rage exploded through her in a backdraft, a mindless wave of fire and fury that vaporized the calm logic she prided herself on. “Listen to me, you tacky, tasteless, tawdry, tinsel-clad affront to the eyes. I wouldn’t work for you if you were the last thing standing between me and utter destitution.”

Answering sparks turned his blue gaze flinty, as the blood drained from his face. “That could be arranged. One word from me, and I could make it so that you never work in this city again.”

Her mouth fell open, eyes stinging slightly from the salt he had just rubbed into every last one of her open wounds. “And now you think you can threaten me into keeping the job that I already have? All while you buy the shop I already planned to?”

“Oh, I don’t think I can.” His grin was more a macabre baring of teeth than any thing of mirth. The triumphant snarl of a hound treeing its quarry. “I know I can.”

“Forget it. You can own this shop, you can own this city. You can own this whole damn country, which I suppose you kind of do. But you will never, ever own me.” The world had gone strange around her, red and wavering, like water spilled through wet paint. It took her three tries to see through it well enough to snatch up her book of poems from the top of the nearest pile. “I quit.”

It occurred to her, as she took her first wobbly step towards the door, that it might have hurt less to have simply driven her paper-knife into her own heart.

#my writing #actual progress!#i swear i can and do write #look ma #ikepri silvio #the haughty puppy #wip

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scruffandyarn · 2 years

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Take My Hand, I'll Start My Journey (6)

Fandom: The Mummy and The Mummy Returns Pairing: Ardeth Bay x f!reader Warnings: Reader's backstory, recounting of her father's and sister's death, recounting the injury that makes her unable to bear children, none of which is super in-depth.

We're starting to get to some feelings here, folks!

Take My Hand Masterlist

Part 6:

“Where did ______ go?” Evelyn had seen your hasty departure down below, and felt a pang of guilt. “Is she alright?”

“I…” Ardeth had upset you, he knew. What he wasn’t aware of was what he’d said to do that. “I do not know. We were merely talking about whether she’d be starting a family and--”

“Oh. Oh no.” She covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh, Ardeth, you didn’t know.”

“Know what?” He needed to apologize to you and he needed to know what he was apologizing for so he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. “If it is about your son, we are doing everything we can to--”

Evelyn shook her head. “It is Alex, but it isn’t.” She sighed. “It’s not my story to tell, but I made the same mistake, broaching the subject of family with her. It’s…it’s a hard subject for her, but please do not take it personally.”

“It is difficult not to when almost every conversation we’ve ever had results in her not wishing to speak with me.”

“She’s…you know she was a nurse before she became Alex’s governess, right?”

“It is how she was able to help Faraj with her injury, yes.” He already knew you had knowledge of western medicine.

“It didn’t…all I can tell you is it didn’t end well for her. I’m sure there are parts she hasn’t told me, but what she has, it was not good.”

Ardeth felt his heart break, knowing you’d experienced something that had caused you great pain. While he could not reverse time, he wished you would allow him to help you carry such a burden.

“You love her, don’t you?” Evelyn’s smile was soft and knowing.

“I…I care a great deal for her. I could not tell you if it is deep enough to call it love, but I feel it could easily grow to become that.”

“When you first met her--”

He couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from rising, even if he’d tried. “When she told me I was ‘pretty.’ Though, I’m not sure I could ever come close to her beauty.” He scratched Horus absentmindedly. “And before you ask, I would never hold against her what took place after she’d finished Faraj’s drink. I have felt its effects before and my behavior was much worse.” His smile dropped. “But she did not even speak to me or Faraj once she was no longer affected by it.”

“She was embarrassed. She was sure she had committed some sort of offense to your position as the leader of your people. As soon as we returned to London after that dig, she immediately began researching the Medjai as best she could, trying to find a way to properly apologize.”

“Oh, sweet girl.” Ardeth sighed, realizing that must have been when you’d learned about the twelve tribes.

“Look, she’s already quitting, so it won’t make the situation any worse if I tell you--she feels the same way about you.”

“She has told you this?” Ardeth couldn’t help the skepticism in his voice.

Evelyn merely shrugged. “When you’re the only two women for miles, days and weeks on end, you need someone to talk to.” Truth be told, she honestly considered you closer than any employee could ever be, and the whole situation of you quitting weighed on her. “Please don’t tell her I told you any of this. She is already upset with Rick and me.”

“Why?”

“Well…we haven’t really gone out of our way to push the two of you together, but we haven’t exactly tried not to.”

“Oh. She is embarrassed.” He paused. “Of how she feels about me?”

Evelyn was quick to shake her head. “Not at all. She’s convinced that you would never feel the same way about her.”

“Sweet, naive girl.”

It was only about an hour before you had to make your way back up. Traveling was fine, as long as you could see where you were going. The darkness below had left you only able to feel the rocking of the vessel and only able to think of the conversation you’d abruptly deserted, both of which had increased the queasiness of your stomach.

As soon as your feet hit the deck, a small bundle of feathers flew at you, perching on your shoulder. “Nice to see you again, too, Horus.” You scanned the boat until you spotted Ardeth, who was sitting next to Jonathan in front of the helm.

Right next to your duffle.

No way to avoid him now.

Sighing, you made your way over to him and sat down next to your bag. Thankfully, Jonathan seemed to have passed out in the midday sun. You weren’t sure you could deal with both men at the moment. “You have a very interesting friend here.” Recalling the way Ardeth had held Horus, you offered up your hand as a perch.

“Hold on.” Ardeth looked up from his pack, which he’d opened, revealing the blades encased inside, and immediately began to tug at his leather glove. “It is not his intention, but his talons will hurt if he grasps your bare skin.” Once he had the glove off, he took your hand and began sliding it on you. “There.” He smiled as soon as it was in place. “Now try.”

You had to close your eyes to refocus yourself, that damn smile of his getting to you. “Alright.”

Horus immediately hopped to your hand as soon as you held it up again.

“Oh!” He puffed out his feathers, causing you to grin. “Yes, you’re very lovely.” You reached up with your bare hand to lightly rub down his back. He chirped, his whole body moving with your hand. “You’re quite like a cat, aren’t you?”

As if he could understand what you were saying, he immediately snapped his beak in your direction.

“Horus--”

You ignored Ardeth’s scolding tone. “Apologies, Horus. You are better than any cat could ever be.” He chirped again. “I’d say better than any other bird, as well. My sister had these canaries and all they could do was scream and make a mess.”

“I didn’t realize you have a sister.”

Your face dropped. “Had.”

“I am sorry, ______.” Ardeth made to reach for your hand, but wound up hovering when he realized both of your hands were occupied. Instead, his hand simply dropped to the space between you.

Not thinking of anything other than the dejected look on his face, you placed your ungloved hand on top of his. “You didn’t know.” Seeing his gaze drop to where your hands were had you yanking yours back, suddenly needing to go back to petting the bird you were holding. “I’m sorry.”

“Please don’t apologize for me bringing up what is clearly still a painful memory.”

You nodded, both of you staring at your own hands.

Several minutes ticked by before either of you spoke again. “You do not have to answer if you do not wish to, but could I inquire about your sister?”

“Um…” you kept your eyes glued to your hands as you spoke. “Her name was Faith,” you paused, willing your voice not to break. “We were both nurses--our mother served as a nurse during the Great War and I guess we were both in love with the stories she told us of her time there. Our father had actually been drafted to fight, and when she learned of his death, she decided to do what she could to prevent any more families from losing husbands and fathers.”

“She sounds very brave.”

“She was. Left Faith and me in the care of her sister and went to help.” You smiled a little when Horus nuzzled against your fingers. “She came back…different. Less affectionate than she had been, but I suppose anyone would, after what she’d seen and gone through.” You glanced over at Ardeth, only to come face-to-face with that intense stare he’d given you back when you’d been bleeding out in front of him. Immediately, you diverted your focus back to Horus. “She hadn’t wanted us to go into nursing, but then she passed, and Faith and I decided to uphold her memory and follow in her footsteps.”

“Did you also go to aid--”

You nodded. “Nothing as big as the war mom survived. Except, when we were overrun, we weren’t as lucky as she had been. My sister was wounded and…and she died before the doctors could save her.” You knew, if you closed your eyes, you’d be back in that ramshackled medical tent, holding her hand, feeling it go cold in your own, so you forced yourself to keep them open. “I tried to keep going, to carry on in their honor, but I messed up.” You took a deep breath--you’d come this far in telling him--might as well go all the way. “The next time I assisted in surgery, I panicked. All I could see was my sister, lying there on the table.” Another deep breath. “I’m not proud of it, but I ran. Right out of the operating room. Ended up…ended up costing the soldier his life.” You hung your head in shame. “I was sent home after that. Although, by that time, I didn’t have a home. Not really. Everything reminded me of them. So I sold what I could, and…I guess I kept running. I ended up going to many different places, but I couldn’t run fast enough to escape my mind.”

“Memories are hard to outrun.”

You nodded, feeling exhausted from everything you’d just shared. You wanted to curl up and sleep for a year, but there was still something that you needed to explain. “I’m sorry for leaving earlier, when you were talking about starting a family. I--” you hesitated. “It’ll make this long story even longer.”

“I do not mind hearing you speak,” he paused, before hastily adding, “but only if you’d like to.”

“Alright,” you sighed. “It actually wasn’t long after my sister and I were assigned to our medical unit. We had gone to the closest town to trade supplies for food. Every soldier we treated needed food to eat and we were quickly running low. On our way back, we were robbed. A couple of scared kids with a pocketknife. And Faith, she had quite the mouth on her.” You smiled at the memory of her scolding the two young boys who clearly had no idea what she was saying. “The problem was, they didn’t understand English, and our grasp on the local language was not very good.”

You looked up at Ardeth again, and instead of the intense stare you were expecting, a look of fondness had taken over his features.

“Eventually, we just decided to give them a loaf of bread, but we didn’t know how to tell them our plan. When we pulled a loaf from our bags, they must have thought we were pulling out a weapon because the next thing I knew, one of them started swinging the knife. I’m still not entirely sure how he ended up hitting me in my pelvis, but they took off as soon as they realized they’d gotten me. Faith threw the bread at them, then had to help me limp back to the hospital, all while trying to keep from dropping the rest of the food along the way.” You sighed. “The doctors fixed the wound, but they weren’t able to fix all the damage it caused. Although, according to Faith, at least I did get a souvenir from the encounter.” You patted the pocket you kept your knife in with your free hand.

“I don’t think I under--”

“I can’t have children of my own.” You blurted out, suddenly wanting to get this conversation over with as soon as possible. You didn't want to see the pity in his eyes that you'd felt from everyone else who knew. “The damage from my wound made that an impossibility.”

He stared at you for a moment. “I’m still not sure I understand why that means you cannot start a family.”

Before you could respond to Ardeth, Horus made a sound that you took as agitation. “I’m sorry, love. You do deserve my full attention,” you cooed, happy to have a distraction from your darker thoughts and memories. As soon as you started scratching, he nuzzled once more into your hand. “Anyway, after a while, I needed employment to continue to keep food in my belly. I happened to be in London when I read an advertisement for a governess for ‘a bright young child eager to learn about the world around him.’” You remembered the line because it had come as a very welcome surprise to find that you’d actually be joining in on the expeditions taking him ‘around the world.’

“That’s what led you to the O’Connells.”

You were grateful that he followed your change in the subject. “Correct.”

“And once the creature has been stopped and Alex has been rescued, you’ll continue running?”

His tone wasn’t accusatory, merely inquisitive. Still, it unsettled something inside you. “I…I suppose I will. I’m not really sure how to do anything else.”

“Even the falcon tires and must eventually nest.” He reached out and stroked his fingers along Horus’s spine. “I hope you, too, will find a place to rest someday.”

“I--thank--er--thanks?”

He just smiled like he knew something you didn’t.

#the mummy #the mummy returns #fanfic #ardeth bay fanfic #ardeth bay x reader #ardeth bay #scruff's stuff #look ma #two parts in one day!

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pallas-cat · 4 months

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ngl i respect green day's commitment to occasionally release a song that's literally just "lmao im braindead"

#LOOK MA #I AINT GOT NO BRAINS is Brain Stew on uppers #green day

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lemurs-lionsmanes · 2 years

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Eye of patient affected by venereal disease

Illustration from 'Atlas of Syphilis and the Venereal Diseases' by Frank Mracek and Lemuel Bolton Bangs(1898)

#art #anatomy #atlas of syphilis and venereal diseases #medical illustration #sketch #eye #illustration #frank mracek #lemuel bolton bangs #red eye #look ma

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jimothy-g-brooks · 5 months

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Blakoat, the Dark Cloak Pokémon

Fakémon based on Harry Dresden from The Dresden Files

Dark / Fire

HP: 40 Attack: 100 Defense: 45 Sp Attack: 120 Sp Defense: 65 Speed: 90 (It's a glass cannon) Total: 460 (same as Mr. Mime)

A tall (6'7), dark and mysterious Pokémon wrapped in a tattered cloak that offers little protection but manages to cover its body in obscuring shadows, only arms, eyes and feet can be clearly seen. Protrusions underneath, believed to be horns, give the top of the cloak around the head the vague shape of a hat. It carries occult imagery about it and appears to be a master of the mystic arts. Blakoat's magical powers allow it wield many different elemental special attacks of Fire, Ice, Lightning, Flying and Steel-type. While its Dark-typing was always obvious, it does not naturally learn Dark-type special attacks but relies on underhanded physical moves of that type.

Also, researchers didn't pick up on the Fire-typing for a very long time until many clues began to pile up. In particular, all Blakoats have a particular fear of being submerged into the earth or in running water or being buried under rocks, as these things seem to rob them of their powers. Still water doesn't appear to have the same effect, however, and they're able to deal with that just fine. Furthermore, Ice-types like Frosslass tend to feel antipathy for Blakoats and Steel-types like Magnemite feel nervous and unfocused around these creatures.

Blakoats have a deep distrust of Fairy-types and a disdain for Psychic and Ghost-types, though it will use many Psychic status moves. They consider themselves defenders against those kinds of creatures and more, with varying results. Individuals will claim a swathe of territory, in cities or in the wild, and declare themselves the protectors of all who live there against evil. The all-male species are particularly, paternalistically and patronizingly, protective of women, children and humans. The more of those categories any creature falls under, the more protective a Blakoat will be of the individual but also the more withdrawn and uncooperative it will be as well. They are attracted to female trainers, moreso than males at least, especially those involved in the occult or with a strong sense of justice, but many of those become frustrated with the Blakoat's aloof attitude on their team.

And a Blakoat's protection can sometimes be as dangerous as their scorn. Bearing a dark and fiery temper, a few are infamous for burning down sections of their own territory in an effort to drive out intruders. That said, they are especially nervous about hurting humans, even criminals, considering it a taboo. Those who commit this forbidden act run the risk of becoming addicted to the heady feeling of power over the helpless and weak. This is the dark urge inside every Blakoat that they try so hard to fight. Others of their kind make special care to neutralize individuals that have fallen to such practices.

#pokemon #fakemon #art #look ma #the dresden files #harry dresden #blakoat #gonna have to keep drawing this until i'm happy with the results

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spottyissleepwalking · 2 years

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Oooo spotty can I see my lovely Ferncloud? Or Snowfur whatever one you’d like to do! They are little babies that circle around my brain at all times, they won’t leave. They just do circles around and around-

MOMCLOUD MY BELOVED!!

I’ll draw up Snowfur soon! <3

Design notes:

FLUFFY!! MAXIMUM FLOOF!!! If you pet her, your hand would disappear in her fluff

As this blog is for canon characters, that unfortunately includes canon genetics… So that makes her Snowfur’s granddaughter!! I kept this in mind specifically while designing her, actually - lots of round, soft shapes to compliment her fluff

Her eyes are described as “leaf green” on the wiki (which is where I’m getting most of my physical descriptions from to base my designs off of), but I wanted them to be Bright! I wanted them to really stand out against her darker pelt, and as an additional pop of color, I added some actual fern fronds behind her ears! I imagine she let the kittens under her care play with them a lot during her time as the senior nursery queen

I like to imagine that she got her color not only from her dame-mom, but also her other mom, Willowpelt! ^^ Whitestorm provided the baby batter but his kids got like. Zero genes from him

Not a design note, but more of a personal squick: what the hell were the Erins thinking, killing her off like that?? WHAT WAS THAT REASONING??? She deserved so much better :/

LGBT+ Headcanon: She’s aromantic! Dustpelt is her sire for her first two litters (Spider + Shrew, and Birch + Holly + Larch!), but they’re not romantically involved in any way. She’s also a cis woman who uses she/her, and is heterosexual!

[Image ID: A digital drawing of a right-facing, standing, slightly arching Ferncloud against a translucent background. She is a small, rounded, stocky, soft-furred mostly light-gray cat with rounded, darker markings along her spine and tail, and with darker speckles scattered around her face and sides; her paws, nose, and ears are mostly dark, and her mane, belly, and tail-tip are very pale gray; her eyes are a brilliant, pale green, and her expression is gentle and lax; her ears are small and rounded, with two dark green twin fronds of ferns placed behind each one, and a fluffy tail. Her entire image is outlined in white. Beneath her chest is her color palette: four shades of lavender-based gray that make up her pelt [D1CBD3, 8D848B, 6B636A, 4E4750], a pretty pale pink that makes up her inner-ears and nose [D5A4A3] next to the green of her ferns [4E6450], alongside the five shades of mostly-lime and minty green that make up her eyes [C5E370, AED746, 93DC61, 6DA535, 90FC6A]. Above her back is the word “FERNCLOUD” written in white, all-caps. Across her forepaws and tail is the stylized artist signature of “spottyissleepwalking” written in faded lavender. /. End ID.]

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