#midnight library ref

[koshkamartell]

No One But Me

masterlist

previous chapter

next chapter

*chapter warnings* - noncon digital penetration, degradation, possessive Joel

Your home was one of the smaller houses in Jackson. A two bedroom weatherboard cottage that, despite desperately needing a new coat of paint, was quaint and perfectly suited to you. It's cosiness was comfortable and the unpretentious simplicity of its appearance felt safe. You had the comforts of a couch in your living room along with a small bookshelf full of books, a bed in your room complete with a dresser and mirror, and hot running water. Although you didn't have many furnishings and your most cherish possessions were sparse, you were proud to call the cottage your home, your sanctuary.

The morning daylight streamed through the lace curtains of your bedroom window, its warm touch rousing you from your slumber. You managed to find sleep sometime after midnight, after replaying the scene of the break up in your mind over and over, crying into your pillow until you were too exhausted to stay awake. This morning your head was aching and your eyes felt swollen. The memory of the previous night came flooding back to you and you groaned. You threw the blanket over your head and buried your face into your pillow, wishing you didn't have to work today.

Three days a week you worked as a teacher at the school and the other two days you were scheduled to cleaning work in the mess hall. You realised you had to talk to Maria about the possibility of switching jobs; if you remained working in the mess hall then you were bound to run into Joel, something you now wanted to avoid. Thankfully, today was a teaching shift and one you had been looking forward to - your class today was with the younger children and you had planned to teach them about the difference between insects with exoskeletons and endoskeletons.

Suddenly you remembered the library book you forgot to pick up last week, a children's science book with illustrations that you needed for today's lesson. Shit. Looking at your clock you saw that you had enough time to shower, have breakfast and quickly pop into the library before the start of your lesson.

Begrudgingly you hauled yourself out of bed and shuffled to the bathroom, stepping over the dress you wore last night that you had left discarded on the floor. You didn't want to see it. In the bathroom you turned on the shower then stood before the bathroom mirror and stripped off your sleep shorts and tank top. You sighed at the puffiness of your eyes and hoped the warm water of the shower would lessen the pink swelling. Your eyes wandered over your naked form and you spied the fading hickey Joel had given you on one of your hips last week.

He often marked you with bites and hickies as a way of claiming ownership of your body, hidden underneath your clothes for only you and him to see, your own personal reminder it was Joel that you belonged to. You had never denied him this liberty, only protesting when the drag of his teeth or his sucks became too painful. A memory flashed in your mind then to a night when Joel had been especially rough with you and had bitten the flesh of your ass too hard, causing you to squeal in pain. The bruise had lasted more than a week. You remembered the way he had massaged and kissed the area with a kind of gentle reverence, the touch of his large hands and the plush of his lips both soothing and arousing you at the same time.

The realisation that he would never mark you like this again made your heart sink, however, any sadness you felt disappeared when you saw the bruise on your upper arm from where he held you last night, the purple marks outlining the way his fingers wrapped around you. The sight conjured a different memory now; the way Joel's lips had curled into a cruel snarl as his words cut through you, the savage grip of his hand, the sheer contempt that had shone in his eyes. It sent a shiver down your spine and made you quickly turn away from your reflection and step into the shower.

******

You shut the front door of your cottage and began the walk to the town library a few streets away. The shower had refreshed you and after getting dressed and groomed, you were pleased at your reflection in the mirror; you had managed to look quite good. The morning sunshine warmed your skin as you strolled and you took a deep breath of fresh air. Today would be a new beginning. A fresh start. No more arranging your schedule around Joel's demands, no more sneaking around the backstreets of Jackson, no more being at his beck and call whenever he wanted you.

You had your day planned out. After your teaching shift you would spend some time preparing for tomorrow's lesson, then you would find Maria and talk to her about changing jobs. You knew you would still have to see Joel around town occasionally, but you wanted to limit the possibility of running into him or having any potential chance encounters. You needed the distance in order to heal and forget everything you had shared.

The town was already bustling with community members going about their daily business, children playing games in the street, men and women on their way to their jobs, shopkeepers opening their stores. As you walked through the town, people greeted you with friendly smiles and some of the children called out to you and waved. You felt grateful for their affection and the sense of community around you, and deep down you hoped that this comraderie and the sense of purpose your job gave you was enough to soothe the ache of your broken heart.

The library was a small building tucked away in a nook on the main street. It was a relatively small space comprised of several rows of neatly arranged shelves, two couches, and a very worn arm chair. Over the years the patrols had managed to collect an impressive catalogue of books from their raiding missions. Maude, the elderly librarian, managed the library three days a week and took her role quite seriously.

You had always loved to read, the appreciation for literature having been instilled in you at a young age by your parents. The library was a peaceful niche of Jackson that you enjoyed delving into, often curling up on one of the couches to read a novel in your spare time, Maude's quiet nature being the perfect company for your visits.

You entered the library and smiled at the little jingle of the bell that sits above the entrance. You expect to see Maude standing at her usual spot at the counter, writing something down while muttering to herself. But this morning she isn't there. Instead, there is a man.

The unexpected presence makes you freeze still by the door. At the sound of the chime he looks up from the book laid out infront of him on the counter. You recognised his face as someone you've seen around Jackson before, but have never spoken to. He is of average height and has short curly black hair. His short facial hair is thick, unlike Joel's patchy beard, you randomly think. His skin is very lightly tanned olive. The small round glasses he wears give him a studious quality, and his large dark brown eyes seem kind and welcoming. He is older than you but not as old as Joel. He wears a dark knitted sweater and his overall appearance is bookish, academic. He is gorgeous.

"Good morning," he greeted you, smiling softly.

"Good morning," you replied, a little stiff. You cautiously stepped up to the counter, uncertain if you should be suspicious of Maude's absence. He pushed the glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"How can I help you?"

"Oh," you frowned and shook your head slightly, as if trying to shake off the awkwardness you felt. "Uhm, there was a book that I was supposed to borrow the other day. Maude put it aside for me."

"Oh, yes," he clicked his fingers and nodded eagerly. "You're the teacher, right? Maude told me you'd be in. She put it under the counter. Something about bugs."

"Yes, that's right." You eyed him cautiously. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"

The man bent down behind the counter and retrieved a hardcover book with the title Kids Bug Science Volume II in large letters on the front, the one Maude had told you about last week. He put it on the counter and gave a small chuckle.

"I'm sorry, I should've introduced myself by now. I'm Oscar," he held out his hand to you. You accepted it in your own and gave it a light shake, giving him your own name. His hand was warm and soft but strong, masculine. You hadn't had another man touch you, even formally like this, since before you gave yourself to Joel. The contact made you blush and you averted your eyes to look down at the book instead of his gaze.

"Maude hasn't been feeling well, so Maria assigned me to help out in the library," Oscar explained as he braced himself against the counter, his tanned hands splaying on-top of the wood. "One of the patrols brought a load of books in just the other day, so there's some work to do."

"Oh," your eyes flickered back up to look at him, your interest piqued. "What do you usually do?"

"I work in the stables and sometimes on patrol," Oscar replied. "But I injured my ankle and I'm not really of any use at either job at the moment." He smiled ruefully. There is a benevolent air about him, a gentle humility that shines through as he speaks. You begin to relax, no longer wary of him.

"I'm sorry to hear about your injury," you said shyly, "but this job must be great. It's quiet, you don't have to talk to many people, you can read as much as you like..."

Oscar grinned at you and pushed himself away from the counter to stand up straight. "Yes, it's a nice change of pace," he agreed with a nod, "I like the peace, and reading, too. Do you like to read?"

"Yes, I do," you replied. You looked down and shifted on your feet awkwardly, inwardly hating the curse of your shyness.

"What do you like to read?" Oscar asked. "I can keep an eye out while I sort through the new books we got. So, if I find something I think you might like, I could keep it behind the counter for you."

His voice was gentle with sincerity but there was an edge of eagerness in his tone, as if he yearned for conversation, as if he needed to prove his usefulness. You realised that no one had shown interest in you like this for a very long time, if ever, and it made you feel nervous. You picked up the science book and hugged it to your chest, comforted by its weight against you.

"That would be really nice," you responded quietly. You gathered the courage to look up at Oscar and found his cheeks blushed pink, the corners of his mouth curled into a tender smile. You smiled back at him before your eye caught sight of the clock hanging on the wall behind him, making you gasp - your class was due to start in 5 minutes.

"It was really nice to meet you Oscar, but I've gotta go, my class is about to start." You smiled apologetically at him. "Thank you for the book."

"Oh, no problem," Oscar waved his hand. "How about you write down a list of any books you might be after?" He suggested, holding his hand out palm up. "I mean, whenever you're free, or if you even want to. No pressure." He stumbled over his words as if he were nervous and it made you giggle.

"That's a good idea, I'll do that. Thanks Oscar." You nodded toward him one last time before turning to walk out of the door.

"It was nice to meet you, too!" he called out to you as you passed through the threshold. You stepped back into the sunshine and smiled to yourself as you walked to the school. I can do this, you thought, there are other people in Jackson besides Joel, more friends to make. Life can be exciting without him, I can be happy without him.

You hoped that if you repeated these things inside your mind enough times that you would eventually believe it.

******

The next three days pass by uneventfully. You teach your class, make notes for the next lesson, have dinner in the cafeteria with your friends and spend some time hanging out with them, then go home for the evening. You know Joel's patrolling schedule like the back of your hand, so you're able to avoid the main street and the cafeteria hall and the local bar, The Tipsy Bison, when he's likely to be around.

You talked to Maria about switching jobs and she said she needed to check the rosters to see what was available, but ultimately she granted you the relief of no longer working in the mess hall. When Maria questioned your decision to quit, you gave a mumbled, noncommittal response about needing a change. She didn't need to know your real reason, although the answer you offered wasn't necessarily a lie; you truly were determined to rebuild yourself, to start living your life how you wanted, and you really did need a change.

Tonight you sat with three of your friends at a table in the hall to eat dinner. You ate dinner together most evenings, catching up on gossip and discussing the events of the day, the plans for the next town event, what men your friends had their eye on. You were fortunate enough to have some friends the same age as you in Jackson and over the years your small circle of girlfriends had proved to be one of the main sources of happiness and comfort in life.

Kate, your closest friend, sat beside you at the table, scraping her spoon around her tray as she listened to the conversation happening infront of you. Your friends Jess and Rhi sat opposite you, engaged in a debate about some subject you weren't paying attention to. You were deep in thought about your lesson plan and what research you needed to finish before next week's class.

"Are we going to the Bison tonight?" Kate interjected.

"Yes!" Jess cheered, immediately abandoning the argument. "After the week I had, I need a drink."

"Ugh, same," Rhi groaned. "Let's get drunk and dance "

They all looked at you expectantly for confirmation but you were quiet, lost in your thoughts. Kate nudged you out of your trance.

"Hmm?" You hummed, head snapping up to look around the table."What?"

"The Bison tonight, you coming?" Jess asked eagerly.

It was the last place you wanted to be tonight. You had always enjoyed the occasional nights spent at the bar dancing and drinking with your friends. You would laugh with them as you danced and drank beer and tried to play darts, all the while secretly being watched by Joel across the bar, both of you pretending to ignore each other until the end of the night when you would rendezvous somewhere and Joel would fuck you senseless. It had always been so fun and exciting. But now, the thought of the mere probability of seeing Joel at his favourite hang out caused a knot of dread in your stomach.

"I'm pretty tired." You mumbled. ""Just going to have a quiet night at home."

"Boring!" Rhi declared. "Come on, we haven't been out in forever!"

"The barn dance was just a few nights ago," Kate laughed.

"But we didn't get drunk," Rhi corrected her. "And I didn't go home with the blonde ranger, either. So that doesn't count."

Your group continued talking about the plans for the night and what everyone was going to wear when you felt a hand on your shoulder. You turned to see Maria standing beside you.

"Hey Maria." You greeted her.

"Hey. Just letting you know that I took a look at the job rosters and all I've really got are patrol shifts."

"Oh," you mumbled, deflated. "Sorry Maria, I don't think I'd be very good at patrolling. I can't even shoot a tin can to save my life."

Maria laughed a little, nodding in agreement. "I know. Well, the only other option is the library. Maude isn't sure she will be up to working anytime soon, and Oscar might need some help. He was talking about doing some painting in the interior. Is that something you'd be willing to do?"

You couldn't help the broad smile of relief that broke out on your face. "That would be perfect, actually. Yes please, Maria."

"All sorted then," she nodded. "You can start tomorrow."

"Whose Oscar?" Jess asked in a whisper as Maria left the table. The girls look at you with raised eyebrows.

"Oh, he's looking after the library while Maude is sick," you picked up the bread roll on your tray. "He used to do patrolling and some other stuff, but he got hurt."

"Ooooh, I know him," Kate chirped. "He sometimes patrolled with Matt." Matt was Kate's older brother. "Kinda nerdy but cute, right?"

You pursed your lips together bashfully, unsure what to say in response. Oscar certainly was cute, infact he was quite attractive, but you didn't want to admit that to anyone. To your relief, Rhi suddenly squealed and leaned against the table to hiss excitedly about the blonde ranger who just strolled into the hall. Kate rolled her eyes.

"Could you be any more obvious?" Jess chuckled.

"By the way, I have a great idea for Cassie's wedding gift," Kate leaned against you affectionately. "You're gonna love it."

"Fantastic," you smiled. "I'll walk with you when we're done, and you can tell me all about it."

******

After dinner Rhi and Jess went back to the house they shared to get ready for drinks at the bar. You walked Kate across town to the house she lived in with her brother and his wife, chatting along the way. The sun had already set and the sky had faded into twilight. The streetlights would alight soon. Not many people lingered on the streets of Jackson at this time; they were either eating a late dinner in the mess hall, or already settled into their homes for the night, or at the bar. A few teenagers stalked around the streets in small groups, presumably on the hunt for mischief.

"Are you sure you won't come out tonight?" Kate asked you gently as you both approached her house. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," you flashed her a small smile. "I'm fine. Just tired. You guys go have a good time."

"Okay, well, get some rest." She embraced you and you hugged her back. "Let's do some more gift planning tomorrow, yeah?"

You agreed to meet Kate after your first shift at the library, then said goodnight and turned to walk in the direction of your own home. You leisurely strolled through one of the residential streets with your hands in your jeans pockets, marvelling at the first twinkle of stars appearing in the black night sky above you. You turned a corner into another quiet street and continued walking, occupied by your thoughts as you sifted through the events of the day in your mind. You were enthusiastic at the prospect of starting work at the library, although you felt bad that Maude was so unwell; you made a mental note to visit her sometime in the next few days to check in on her health. You decided you would try your best to gather a small arrangement of flowers to give her, thinking that it may help to cheer her up a bit.

Halfway down the street you diverted from the sidewalk to cut through a bunch of shrubs inbetween two houses, taking a short cut to lead into your own street. You were only a few houses away from your home when suddenly a hand clamped down over your mouth and nose, stifling your shocked squeal. An arm snaked around your waist and hauled you into the dark shadows between the neighbouring houses. The air left your lungs as you were shoved hard against the side of one of the buildings. You recognised the scent of Joel's skin and the callous palm of his hand straight away but the rush of fear continued to course through your whole body.

He had your back against the wall, his hand still covering your mouth and his arm around your waist, his body pressed flush against yours. Your eyes widened at how close he was, his warm breath fanning against your cheeks, his belly and hips digging against your lower half. The clear discrepancy between your height and size made you feel like trapped prey, helpless and weak in his grasp with no hope of escape. You felt suffocated and frightened.

"Where you been, kitten?" Joel murmured. He nuzzled his nose against your cheek and inhaled your smell. "Waited for you to come 'round last night."

He removed his hand from your mouth and you immediately sucked in a deep breath of air that made you cough. Joel's hand then wrapped around your throat lightly, causing you to whimper in fear.

"Well, where were you?" Joel growled impatiently. The disorientating fog of shock had momentarily slowed your thought process but you were still able to register the feeling of his erection pressing into your thigh. In that instant you knew that Joel wasn't going to be gentle with you.

"W-w-we aren't together, Joel." You gasped. Your hands reached up in a pathetic attempt to prise his grip off of your neck. "I'm not...I won't be doing that with you anymore."

"Don't be fuckin' stupid," he muttered scornfully.

"I-I'm not," you stammered. You tried to remain composed and assertive but the unsteady tone of your voice betrayed you. Your heart pounded in your chest and your mouth felt dry. "We...we're over."

Joel tilted his head back and barked a sardonic laugh. "Is that so?"

His broad hand squeezed your throat hard, choking you. Your eyes widened in panic and you tried desperately to claw at his hand. Joel studied your face intently as you struggled, unfazed by your movements. A wicked smirk formed on his lips. "That ain't your choice to make, sugar. You are mine. We ain't over til I fuckin' say we are."

He kept you pinned against the wall as his other arm uncoiled itself from your waist. You felt his hand roam over your stomach and down to your jeans. Humiliation washed over you as he began to unbutton your jeans, his breathing now becoming ragged. Joel's hold on your neck had robbed you of the ability to protest and tears pooled in your eyes and threatened to spill any moment.

"Little bitch," Joel snarled.

His hand dipped into your underwear and he pushed two of his thick fingers directly onto your clit. Your mouth fell open in a silent gasp. He began to rub light circles over your clit, forcing your eyes to roll back in pleasure. You felt the strength drain from your body as the lightheaded sensation consumed you. Your hands dropped down to your sides while your shoulders slumped, your legs close to buckling underneath you. Your vision was rapidly becoming dark and fuzzy.

"Your pussy belongs to me." Joel whispered huskily. "Feel that, baby? Yeah, you fuckin' love it. 'Soon as I touch ya, you turn into a whore."

Joel lessened his hold on the column of your neck just enough for you to breathe again. A strangled cough burned your throat as you inhaled. Your glassy eyes recentered on Joel's face and the tears began to stream down your cheeks. He continued massaging the pads of his fingers on your clit and leaned in to press a soft kiss against your lips. You sobbed helplessly, hating yourself for the wetness that was gathering in your panties despite the depravity of what was happening to you, despising the fact that Joel knew your body so intimately and was so adept at making you come undone. His fingers inched further to brush over the entrance of your pussy and instantly became coated in your slick.

"See?" He purred, his Southern accent rich with his own desire.

He pulled his head back to look into your eyes and you saw there was now a kind of solemn tenderness in his dark brown orbs.

"No one knows you better than I do, babydoll." Joel slowly pushed his two fingers inside you, your wetness allowing his thick digits to stretch you open in a way that was exhilarating.

"Fuck," you moaned, your mouth falling open and your eyebrows knitting together from the pleasure. Joel began to fuck you with his fingers, pumping in and out at a steady pace. Without thinking, you instinctively parted your legs and grabbed onto his shoulders to steady yourself. He relinquished his hold on your neck and moved his hand up to loosely cup your chin, and stroked his thumb along your jaw. You shut your eyes and allowed yourself to be consumed by his touch.

"That's it, babydoll," Joel drawled. His fingers sheathed all the way inside you and expertly curled against your g-spot. You bit your lip in an effort to suppress your moans and dug your fingers into the rounded muscles of his shoulders. Your legs trembled and your head began to swim as the familiar intoxicating swirl of ecstasy coiled in your belly.

"Joel," you whimpered.

With his fingers deep inside you stimulating the spongy ridge of your sweet spot, Joel started to rub your clit with his thumb. The intense pleasure he was giving you was starting to break your resolve, tempting you to forgive him and succumb once more to his control. His eyes were focused on your features, darting over your mouth and eyes, drinking in every mirco expression that passed over your face.

"My little slut," he groaned.

Your eyes flickered open to see the warmth had left his eyes. It had been replaced with a fiery glare that you knew well, a dangerous look that made you anxious with the apprehension of what he would do next. The recognition of the shift in his demeanour snapped you out of the haze of euphoria and engulfed you with panic.

"Stop," you whined. You pushed your palms flat against his chest and tried to shove him back, even though you knew it was pointless. "I said stop, Joel."

"Ain't goin' anywhere," Joel grunted. "Needa reminder of who owns you, girl."

His thumb continued circling your clit as his fingers resumed pushing in and out of your wetness. You randomly contemplated screaming for help, to slap him, kick him, to fight back somehow, but realistically you knew it would only enrage Joel and make things a whole lot worse for you.

Without warning, the loud sounds of glass shattering and nearby teenage voices laughing rang through the quiet street. Both your heads whipped around towards the direction the noise had come from. He clapped his palm over your mouth and stopped fucking you with his fingers, poised to see if anyone was approaching. The voices grew louder and you guessed there were atleast three teenagers close by. When Ellie's distinct voice sang out to tease one of her friends, Joel quickly slid his hand out from your underwear and stepped back from you to adjust his hard cock in his pants. You hurriedly buttoned up your jeans and glanced at Joel. He was already staring at you, scowling, his eyes dark with warning.

"I meant what I said. Ain't over til I say it is." He said bitterly.

The voices were closer now, Ellie's lilt loud and unmistakable in the chorus. You knew the possibility of Ellie discovering you and Joel in such a compromising situation would force him to abandon his pursuit of you. Without saying another word, Joel turned his back on you and stalked away, the leaves and gravel crunching underneath his heavy work boots.

You stayed in the shadows as you raced home to your cottage. You were in desperate need of the quiet haven of solitude that your cottage was. Once inside the cottage you curled up under your blanket on your bed and cried. You wept at the overwhelming mixture of disgust and sadness that twisted in your gut. However, perhaps the most painful thing of all was the self hatred you felt at the way your body still ached for Joel.

next chapter

#joel miller dark #joel miller x reader #dark! joel miller #joel miller dark fic

[sleepless-crows]

I don't know how I will survive season 2.

I mean earlier this afternoon I was watching the first 7 mins while on a quick break in the middle of my uni library and I almost had a mental breakdown at the fact that pekka got the crow club, the project Kaz built by himself from the ground up with his own tears, sweat and blood, thinking of young Kaz fighting for every scrape of everything he ever had, and building his home and making a safe place for the dregs but mostly the crows, and pekka stealing everything again, all his achievements he built brick by brick toward his vengeance but also and most importantly his home, his safety but also the crows' home and safety too, his family even though he doesn't really want to admit it yet, he got swindled by pekka like Jordie did but he's much older than Jordie ever was, and this time he's the big brother figure as the leader, he was supposed to protect them, they were supposed to protect each others !!! Plus seeing Kaz's face at this realisation just made me go feral, I was literally crying, screaming and throwing up inside, and I wanted to hit my head on the table, honestly if I was home at that moment, you know I would have closed my computer and paced my room back and forth while throwing myself on the floor... I couldn't stop thinking about all of these implications but I tried to stay focused because I know that I'll have at least 10 hours of college classes as soon as the season will drop at 8 am and I'll have to wait to be able to watch it, so I got most of my work done to have my evening free tomorrow and not stay still the uni library closing time at midnight like I usually do almost every day... but you don't understand, I'm so emotionally attached to the crows and especially Kaz so how am I going to survive seeing his backstory on screen, plus kanej, Inej fighting for her own storyline, Jesper's backstory, Wylan's introduction, Nina's interactions with the other crows plus Matthias in hellgate, plus everything that will happen with the shadow and bone characters, like pls help...

I also think about the show only watchers, happily and lightheartedly starting s2 not ready to be hit by the traumatic backstory of the century, I mean even if some books fan don't know about jordie's and young kaz's casting, as soon as they will saw them on screen they will know it's over. I mean I was already spiralling from the 1s shot of kaz in the water from the trailer

Also the ref to six of crows when they said that no one was waiting to murder them when they came back while in Crooked kingdom they had the whole city against them awww...

Anyways, I'm so sorry for having a mental breakdown in questionable english in your ask box but I needed to share my feelings haha, I'll stop now don't worry ! Have fun watching the show, I hope you'll enjoy it !

oh bestie having to wait sucks. and yeah this season will emotionally destroy so many of us. at least we're all suffering together here :) and not gonna lie you made me tear up a bit about that analysis since i really did not want to dwell on anything before the show but ouch bestie, hope you enjoy it once you get the chance to watch it !!!

#anonymous #i want to ask you to dance right there*

[twiwoncrackpopcorn]

Hello! May I ask where to read the episode of heartslabyul/twst manga raws? Like, do you have a link for it? Thank you very much :D!

Hi hi :3

You can purchase the Kindle version of G.Fantasy (the official monthly magazine publishing the raws of twst manga) on Amazon.jp > here is the link to the latest July version for info https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/%E3%82%B9%E3%82%AF%E3%82%A6%E3%82%A7%E3%82%A2%E3%83%BB%E3%82%A8%E3%83%8B%E3%83%83%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B9-ebook/dp/B0B18HBS72/ref=sr_1_1 & kindle has an online reader so you can read directly in your computer / iPad browser https://read.amazon.co.jp/kindle-library

N.B. here is what you can copy-paste in the search box of Amazon to find the next one "月刊Gファンタジー 2022年7月号" (replacing number 7 by the number of the month you want). You can pre-order them and they are officially released at midnight JPT every month between the 15~18th.

I think someone in a post last year shared how to create a JP kindle account easily, perhaps Google can help as well xD You do not need a JP credit card for it, so it should be fairly easy as long as you put the info in the correct boxes ~

#answered

[unfoldingmoments]

Walking in Circles

If one advances confidently,’ Thoreau had written in Walden, ‘in the direction of his dreams, and endeavours to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.’ He’d also observed that part of this success was the product of being alone. ‘I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude.

The lonely mind in the busy city yearns for connection because it thinks human-to-human connection is the point of everything. But amid pure nature (or the ‘tonic of wildness’ as Thoreau called it) solitude took on a different character. It became in itself a kind of connection. A connection between herself and the world. And between her and herself.

He believed that the more people were connected on social media, the lonelier society became. ‘That’s why everyone hates each other nowadays,’ he reckoned. ‘Because they are overloaded with non-friend friends. Ever heard about Dunbar’s number?”

And then he had told her about a man called Roger Dunbar at Oxford University, who had discovered that human beings were wired to know only a hundred and fifty people, as that was the average size of hunter-gatherer communities. ‘And the Domesday Book,’ Ash had told her, under the stark lighting of the hospital canteen, ‘if you look at the Domesday Book, the average size of an English community at that time was a hundred and fifty people. Except in Kent. Where it was a hundred people. I’m from Kent. We have anti-social DNA.’ I’ve been to Kent,’ Nora had countered. ‘I noticed that. But I like that theory. I can meet that many people on Instagram in an hour.’ ‘Exactly. Not healthy! Our brains can’t handle it. Which is why we crave face-to-face communication more than ever. And . . . which is why I would never buy my Simon & Garfunkel guitar chord songbooks online!” The quiet made her realise how much noise there was elsewhere in the world. Here, noise had meaning. You heard something and you had to pay attention. Ref: Matt Haig. “The Midnight Library.” ---

Dunbar’s Number

In a 1993 study, Robin Dunbar, a British anthropologist, theorized that humans could have no more than about 150 meaningful relationships, a measure that became known as Dunbar's number

The most intimate circle is just five loved ones, reaching a maximum of 1500 people you can recognise.

Even online, it’s easier to have stronger relationships when you have fewer of them.

Ref: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20191001-dunbars-number-why-we-can-only-maintain-150-relationships

Domesday Book by Britain Express There were only 18 towns of over 2,000 inhabitants in the Domesday England of 1086. Of these towns, the two largest, London and Winchester, were left out of the Domesday Book entirely.

The population of the entire country was probably between 1.2 and 1.5 million, most of them in the south and east, as you can plainly see by the distribution of major towns.

It is interesting that several of the Domesday towns, like Oxford and York, continued to grow during the medieval period, while others like Wallingford, Thetford, and Dunwich became quiet backwaters. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domesday_Book

#matt haig #themidnightlibrary #book #quotes #dunbarnumber #walden #solitude #socialmedia

[filamentcolors]

I found this under the bed! FilaMatrix's Midnight Blue Tough PLA can be found in the library!

#3d printing #3d print #project #projects #colors #color inspo #maker #making

[pinkhairedlily]

Chiyo greets her as she comes to in the middle of a medical ward filled to the brim with shelves of patient charts. Sakura is sure she injected herself with a rare poison for an immediate death.

“I’m in limbo,” she tells Chiyo who died five years ago.

“Ever so intelligent Sakura. Even in death you are sensible.” She looks like Chiyo but not Chiyo at the same time. Maybe she’s just a manifestation of an otherworldly sentient figure. “These patient charts are your multiple lives, endless possibilities, alternatives to the root life you’ve been living. You can tell me one scenario, a one what-if, and I will pull out your next reality.”

Sakura couldn’t absorb the simple string of words which somehow created a complexity. “I want not to exist.”

“That you could do and this would all crumble. But what’s stopping you in becoming someone else? A hokage, a rouge ninja, a civilian doctor, to live in another village, to have another specialty, to fall in love with someone – “

The thought comes to her as it should have minutes earlier. “A life without Uchiha Sasuke.”

Chiyo is silent for a few seconds. “My lovely girl, Sakura, I’m afraid there is no reality where Sasuke is not in your life.”

#sssnippetaday #sasusaku #uchiha sasuke #haruno sakura #sasuke #sakura #midnight library ref

[parkerlyn]

Play the Game | Bonus Stories | Patreon | Ko-fi

Last updated 28 March 2022

Next Public Update: TBD

Current Demo Words: 270k with code Currently: Writing Chapter 4 Part 2

The Nameless is a fantasy interactive fiction WIP that is character and romance driven, with your MC loosely based on the fey and other myths, in a dying, drained world. This work is intended to stay free/donation-based. If you enjoy, please consider joining the Patreon, or donating via the Ko-fi or itch.io page!

Warnings: The Nameless is currently rated 18+, and contains depictions of violence and light gore, strong language, and will eventually have optional sexual content. The Discord server is also 18+ and everyone must mark if they are 18+ on joining.

Tags: #tnif, #the nameless

Legend goes when the world was formed, the mortal races, mortalis, were created with the gift of magic. But as time passed their hubris grew, and the sheevra were created to curb their pride.

When it comes to these chaotic and malevolent beings, the lands are full of cautionary tales. Though some would tell you that the stories are just that. To them, names have no power. There are no mysterious deals to fear, and the figure who seduces you into an alley at midnight is certainly no malicious spirit.

Which luckily for you means easy prey.

Since you’ve gained consciousness, you’ve known the mortalis are responsible for draining the world of its magic and creating the Arids, the wastelands that have overtaken the continent. And the deals you lure them into are the only way the sheevra can slowly restore the world’s more balanced state.

After all, knowing someone’s true name is the most intimate secret a person can offer.

You never imagined fearful weaklings like these would be any threat to you. But when an entire sheevra clan disappears seemingly overnight from one of the four cities left in the world, you’re sent across the continent and far from your home to investigate. And you quickly find - through sources both sheevra and mortalis - that the truth is never simple.

Will you find out what happened before it comes for you?

Customizable MC with different appearances in your sheevra form and glamoured mortalis form (nb inclusive, gender and pronoun selection separate)

Play as a dryad, unseelie, or leanhaun with different features, appearances, and magic bonuses

Personality stats, including how you view the mortalis

Magic vs Might preference, with bonuses depending on your sheevra type to one of the following magic schools: Elemental, Illusion, or Pathos

Sentiments: Vials of memories you’ve collected with different effects depending on who ingests them. The player starts out with one of each, and they come in pairs, totaling six : Delight & Despair | Devotion & Repulsion | Fury & Fright

Art: Skin Tone Ref | Codex Images

Nonbinary person [he/they]

Oisein: A fellow sheevra you’ve scouted cities with before, who defaults to sarcastic & flippant, though they seem to have a soft spot…

Asks complaining about nb!Oisein or asking for them to be gender selectable will be blocked.

Selectable - [he/him][she/her]

The Healer: Open and friendly, keeps a pulse on the city and its people and has knowledge of some more…unorthodox medicine.

Selectable - [he/him][she/her]

The Magesmith: A prickly artificer and smith. Rarely opens up, and don’t ask about the arm if you’re expecting a straight answer.

Selectable - [he/him][she/her]

The Sage: Devoted to the Archival Library and keeping peace in the city. They may be calm in demeanor, but are unmatched in elemental magic.

Reblogs appreciated and thank you so much for reading!! ❤️

Play the Game | Bonus Stories | Patreon | Ko-fi

#the nameless #tnif #interactive fiction #if game #interactive fiction game #game WIP #WIP #fey #fae #fantasy #writing #fantasy writing #fantasy game #twine #twine game #itch.io #interactive novel #romance

[gwynrielsupremacy]

One single thread of gold tied me to you

ALSO KNOWN AS: AZRIEL SURPRISES GWYN FOR HER BIRTHDAY PART 4!

Hey you guys guess what... IT'S GWYN'S POV! Also this was supposed to be the last part of this HC/fic/idk what to call it but now... should there be a part 5?

(and yes this title is exactly what it sounds like: INVISIBLE STRING BY QUEEN TAYLOR SWIFT ref!)

CHECK OUT Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3!!!!!!

GWYN:

Almost immediately, Gwyn heard something inside of her click. She felt as she could see it, too: a faint golden light heating up her chest, glowing. She couldn’t, wouldn’t look at the male beside her. She felt as if she did, he would see right through her. Did Azriel know? Did he make this amazing, magnificent surprise just so he could show her what he already saw?

But Diane, that wise and ancient female, was sitting right in front of her, still smiling, as if her words didn’t just reveal something Gwyn herself didn’t realize was inside of her. It was enough to make her come back to her senses. She would deal with that later, and all it entailed. For now, she would enjoy Diane’s precious company; she was so lucky to be spending time with someone like her, full of stories and creativity and knowledge. It was all Gwyn aspired to be.

Finally, about two hours after that silent revelation, Diane nodded to no one in particular and got to her feet, saying it was time for her to go. They hugged, and Gwyn held her tears: she felt such a calming, warm feeling on her heart. It felt like being embraced by her mother’s love. It was like that female could read her, and understand her. All of it, flaws and mistakes and all.

During their dinner, they shared so much about each other’s lives. Well, mostly Diane, but Gwyn talked about some feelings and things she hadn’t told anyone but her sister. Catrin would be so happy for her, she thought. She wished her sister was there so they could share this whole experience. But she felt so blessed and grateful anyway, just being able to live that. She could live that for Catrin as well, and that was enough for her.

“Oh, I almost forgot” Diane said before reaching out to Azriel so he could winnow her back to Velaris “Here, this is for you, child.”

It was Gwyn’s favorite book by Diane, “And So the Story Goes.” Inside, a handwritten note in a beautiful calligraphy:

For Gwyn,

I hope you find out what you knew all along.

DG.

She covered her grin with a trembling hand. It was too much, she felt like she could burst. It felt like happiness, but even more, it felt like hope. Reading those words, from someone whom she thought so highly of, it was the encouragement Gwyn needed to keep on going. She felt like she really was doing something right.

“Thank you”

Diane offered her a knowing smile before accepting Azriel’s extended hand, and the Priestess watched as they both vanished into the night, turning her look again to the dedication. She was re-reading it for maybe the 20th time when Az winnowed back, an unreadable expression at his face.

Gwyn felt her knees wobble all of a sudden as she put the book down to face him. Could he see it too? That faint light she now saw when looking at him? She didn’t know, and wasn’t ready to find out just yet.

“How…” She swallowed and he stood still, a few feet away from her. Bracing himself for her reaction, now that they were alone. “How did you… What…”

“It was Nesta and Emerie’s idea.” He said in answer, a soft smile in his beautiful, full lips. His hazel eyes were assessing her, brows slightly furrowed, as if trying to predict what she was thinking, what were she trying to say. In the moonlight, his tall, slender figure seemed to shine like a star, his strong arms and muscles showing themselves behind his slim shirt- Oh no, what was going on with her?

Get your shit together, Gwyneth.

“So, did you like it?”

His question pulled her away from her insistent thoughts, and she managed to look him straight in the eye before answering.

“Yes… Yes. I loved it.” When she smiled back, she saw his own broaden into a grin.

And at that sight, she beamed. He took a step at her direction, and Gwyn swore his shadows seemed to dance between them, swifting from their master to her in anticipation.

Before Gwyn’s brain could process what she was doing, she launched towards Azriel, covering their distance with quick steps and embracing him tight. She burrowed her head on the crook of his neck and felt his stiffened posture almost instantly relax, as he wrapped his steady arms around her. She felt everything: how warm his touch was, how soft the skin where her hands rested upon, how his breath on her ear and neck gave her goosebumps.

“This was the best birthday I ever had.” She ignored all of that, speaking quietly, her words muffled for she didn’t move her head from his shoulder.

She never thought she would feel comfortable hugging a male like that, but, for some reason, with Azriel she felt like she could stay there forever. No, not just for some reason. For a very specific one Gwyn had just find out, and it was still quite hard to believe. And that thought, that thought alone, was what made the reckless, carefree side of her lift her head and kiss him on the cheek softly, just once. “Thank you, Az.”

She saw his eyes widen just slightly, but before he could say anything, Gwyn parted their embrace and walked away without looking back. She could still feel his eyes on her long after she left the dining room, as though he was also thinking about the moment they both shared.

********

“So… What did you think about your birthday gift?” Nesta looked at her with a smirk. “Aren’t you proud of our idea?”

It was passed midnight now, and Emerie, Nesta and Gwyn were comfortably seated on the soft couches at the House’s private library, duvets and soft lighting making the space even cozier. They were sharing a gigantic chocolate cake, also gift of the House, and Gwyn took another sip at her sparkling wine, appreciating the heat burning down her throat.

“Oh, you outdid yourselves. She was amazing and so kind, and…”

“Wait” Emerie cut in, brows furrowed in confusion “She who?”

“Well, Diane.” As Nesta and Emerie exchanged glances, Gwyn felt the need to complement “Diane Gadot, my favorite author. I met her.”

Nesta squealed, eyes wide, and Emerie threw a cushion at Gwyn’s face in response.

“He did that?”

“Who, Azriel? Wasn’t that the gift?”

Emerie was laughing hysterically now, and Nesta shook her head, smirking in disbelief.

“I can’t believe this.”

“What? He told me you gave him the idea.”

“Well, yeah. It just wasn’t this one.” Nesta continued, as Emerie finally seemed to be calming down.

“Didn’t he give you the book? The autographed one?”

“Yes, she did. But it was after we dined and spent hours talking- well, I talked - to Diane.”

“I can’t believe this.” Nesta repeated, but she was smiling from ear to ear, and her tone was warm when she spoke “That Ilyrian bastard.”

“He was only supposed to give you the book. Both me and Nesta found it to be a real challenge considering how famous Diane was, but it seems we seriously underestimated Azriel.” Emerie chipped in, a smile still on her face as she looked to her Valkyrie sister.

Gwyn was also surprised, and couldn’t contain her grin as it grew wider. The fact that he would go to such lengths only to give her a birthday gift… And that the gift would turn out to be this amazing, magical thing… She suddenly felt the urge to leave her friends behind and go after him. She wondered what he was doing, how he felt when she kissed his cheek. If he felt anything close to what she did.

She shook that thought out of her mind as she continued the story, detailing almost everything that happened to Emerie and Nesta. She debated telling them about that invisible string she felt, the secret realization she had, but decided not to. Azriel needed to find out first; that was between them, and only them, even if he didn’t yet know. Even if Gwyn herself didn’t know what to do next. For some reason, the fact that there might be a “they” now brought Gwyn a quiet, glowing joy.

That day was the happier Gwyn had in a long, long while. And she was completely content with that.

#this is part 4 now ok #gwynriel #azriel and gwyn #azriel x gwyn #post acosf #gwynriel supremacy #did someone ask for gwynriel moments #im so happy writing this #pls just be together #pls SJM make this canon #gwynriel headcanon #gwyns birthday #i live for gwynriel #so many tags #aaaaah i love this #hope you like this!

[themeowsticvigilante]

A Reader's Respite

<Library Sleepover Event Intro>

"Finally we’re here! It's a good thing the ship was running smoothly on the way here~"

An Espeon exclaimed, with a duffel bag in tow, as she and another pokemon had arrived at the Anvilletown Garden Library as the starry night sky loomed over the horizon. The other ‘mon, a Midnight Lycanroc, was barely catching up as he only had a backpack with him and huffs a bit to catch his breath.

"Do we really have to travel this far, Spica … ? I thought Castor said we were taking a short break …" He mumbled a bit, still out of breath as he adjusted his horn-rimmed glasses.

"We are taking a short break, Pollux. Don't worry, I'm sure he will be fine. Besides, you deserve a few days off from all the work you've been doing~" Spica responded, putting a hand on his shoulder and giving him a reassuring smirk.

"I understand your concerns but … I'm not really good at talking to other people." He looked around the place, a bit nervous about this whole ordeal.

"You'll be fine, dear! Besides, this is a library we're talking about. Wouldn't you like that, hanging out with other book lovers?"

"I guess you're right … It does feel relaxing here so I'll try my best to socialize. But I can’t guarantee your level of charisma though." Pollux chuckled, feeling a bit relieved as they both went to set up camp in the designated area.

[Pollux and Spica have now arrived in the event and are now available for asks and interactions]

Refs:

https://toyhou.se/12115906.pollux

https://toyhou.se/12116417.spica

@pokeask-sleepover

#pokeasksleepover #event intro #event post #let's goooo! #pollux midnight lycanroc #spica espeon

[queenofmiscellany]

And I’ll Always Be Yours...Sugawara x Reader | Haikyuu

And I’ll Always Be Yours... Sugawara x Reader | Haikyuu | FF

Sugawara x GenderNeutral! Reader

Genderneutral reader

Kissing included

//TW: Anxiety, 

Palms sweating, eyes looking everywhere, you were ready. This was it. This. The end. Of all. Of everything. Well, actually, the end of this years' matches but same thing. Sugawara glanced at you and smiled softly. You felt your cheeks heat up and smiled quickly, then looked away, pretending to be thirsty and gulping down a lot of water. You weren't sure if it was your water bottle, either.

3...

2...

1...!

BANG! BAM!

The game had started. You saw the opposite team serving and the ball moving back and forth...back and forth...you yourself felt dizzy...must be the stress...

FLASHBACK:

'Okay...new school...big day...new people...anxiety...new...new..new whats? New...new...cats? No...no...new...new...people! PEOPLE! Oh...anxiety...kicking...in...' you thought to yourself clutching your bag tightly.

You looked down and walked forward, your dirty black Converse trudging on the floor, your midnight blue backpack not on your back but grabbed by your shivering hands...deep breaths...that was all...wasn't it? She said it would be okay, your shrink, it would all be fine...

All be...all be...all be fine. Just fine. Just fiiiiiiine and dandy. Juuuuuuuust fine. Just fine. J-just fine. And dandy.

'Heya! How are you doing? Are you the new student? Do you need help around the school? Do you need me to carry your bag? Do you know where your class is?' asked someone.

You didn't dare to look up as it would require making eye contact, but you managed to mumble out, 'N-n-n-no thank you-u.'

'A-are you sure? I can help it's no problem!' said the voice again.

You subconsciously looked up and saw a silver-haired boy smiling at you. Your cheeks immediately flushed and you grabbed your backpack tighter, stressed as to what he might think of you. After analyzing the situation, you thought it would be a good idea to accept the help offered by the boy and said.

'O-ok...Uh...do you know where class 3-A would be? And uh...where the library is? I heard they have some really good mangas here,' you said, gaining speed in your voice as you got more and more excited about the library.

You didn't notice, but Sugawara blushed and looked deeply into your eyes as you looked around, well observing the whole school, returning your eyes back to Sugawara, you caught him looking at you and he looked away.

It was silent for a few seconds.

'Uh...what's your name?' he asked.

'Y/n...' you mumbled, trying to build up courage to say, 'and yours?'

(PS to all you newbie fanfic readers, y/n means 'your name')

Luckily for you, he did just that.

'I'm Suga. Sugawara. Koushi. You can call me Suga, by the way.' (a/n: as much as I simp for BTS Suga it is not him :p)

BACK TO THE PRESENT:

-----------------END OF FLASHBACK----------------------

'23 for Karasuno, so far! AAaaaaaaaaaand 12 for Aoba Johsai! Damn Oikawa the girls are LEEEEEEEEEEAAAVING!!!!' screamed the announcer (upcoming...A Silent Voice ref...) adding in her usually tendency to speak blunt truth without a hint of sugar. You chuckled, this made you feel better. Your stress, that was for Suga, you had enough stress that Suga himself didn't have to worry at all.

Your stomach stopped churning. Karasuno was winning, and Oikawa, the guy who had tried moves on you was getting killed by the announcer...aka Yuzuru Nishimiya, who had come from another school to announce, well, originally she was supposed to take pictures but she tried announcing just for fun and they liked it, and thus here she was! (She's still allowed to take pictures, though!)

:D

A few minutes passed, you weren't focusing on the game, but on everything that was going wrong. Suga always said you were 'so analytical, like Tsukki, always analyzing everything like the intelligent person that you are' whilst ruffling your hair.

'AND TIIIIIIIIIIIIIME IS UP FOR THIS MATCH THING!' exclaimed Yuzuru, not knowing much about volleyball.

Suga ran to you, sweating and smiling. Although everyone was looking as your romance was the most interesting and probably one of the only in the whole Karasuno school, Suga cupped your face with his hand and kissed you deeply, you closed your eyes and cupped his face with both of your hands. After a while, he chuckled and nuzzled his head into your neck.

'You'll always be mine Y/n...And I'll always be yours...'

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

THE END

A/N (author's note): Hello everyone :p This is my first ever fluff, let alone Haikyuu oneshot so I hope you enjoyed it! I have trouble updating since I have a lot of homework and all but I try my best to do so :p 

If you wanna chat with me here’s my discord: pixel / listen boi#5388

You can ask me for updates or just chat with me there :p

Anyways, have a good day! Also feel free to chat in the comments about Haikyuu or Suga or anything! Also if you have questions feel free to ask in the comments or pm me! I almost always reply :D unless it's you know rude or something! Anyways i've been rambling on and on so adios!

Hope you enjoyed it and feel free to like/reblog!

#sugawara x reader #sugawara fluff #haikyuu #sugawara x y/n #ff #lime #haikyuuxreader #oneshot #anime #anime oneshot #haikyuu x reader #suga #sugawara koushi #fanfic #fanfiction #sugawara #koushi

[notfromcold]

Safe Friends

Books are cold, but safe friends. 

- Victor Hugo, Les Miserables.

After the Tour des Minimes, Lymond counts out the days of his recovery in books he’s read. And he makes a friend.

CHAPTER ONE 

Because this has somehow morphed into a whole … thing.

CW under the cut.

CW for emetophobia (really), poison, injury recovery, illness, nightmares, difficulties with food, and some implied medical trauma.

They got him to Sevigny.

Though Lymond wasn’t aware of this triumph till some hours after it happened, having fainted halfway through the journey. By the time he learned of it, his arrival was old news and the household was asleep.

He woke in the dark with the wind sighing in the trees outside. He froze, breathing slow, unsure of where he was. Then, in the halflight from under the door, he recognized the room, the bed. He closed his eyes, letting relief wash over him in waves, as exhausted as if he’d made the entire journey on foot.

He stayed awake long enough to find the glass of water by the bed and drink (he examined the water carefully first - far more carefully than he might have done three months before). He even set the glass down again before he fell asleep. He felt vaguely proud of that as he drifted off.

Archie arrived in the morning, announcing himself with a knock at the door. A knock meant choice - the choice to say “come in” or, temptingly, “go away.”

Francis Crawford hadn’t had a lot of choice lately. But that was over. He wasn’t going to dwell on it.

“Come in,” Lymond said.

Archie opened the door, smiling hugely, and Lymond had a flash of memory - Archie’s cool, roughened palm gentle on his forehead as the stress of the journey to Sevigny became too much, the world dissolving into black and a series of disjointed images then nothing.

“Alright, lad, I imagine you want a wash and the like?”

Lymond really, really did.

He wanted a wash. And then he wanted to lie in the sun with his nose in a book and no one and nothing depending upon him. Maybe he wanted to try eating something.

Well. That last was a lie; his insides were already threatening rebellion. But he knew he needed to try.

Florisando

He managed the wash. And he managed to stay awake long enough afterwards to eat three bites of porridge and read a paragraph of Florisando. When he nodded off and fell forward it was onto the book and not into the porridge. Small favors.

The next day he read Florisando and ate more porridge and slept.

He dreamt that he was singing Aucassin et Nicolette to men chained to their oars, sweating and bleeding in the sea-dark. He woke gasping, his heart hammering. Somehow he kept the porridge down.

He finished Florisando. He would have to read it again at some point. He hardly remembered the plot.

He was trying not to notice the pain. He was trying to focus on the pain in a way that stopped it from existing - to make a home inside of it. A castle’s defenses weren’t arrayed against the ones within. And if you stared at a white wall long enough it would blur into nothing.

God, but it was ceaseless. (Relax, relax - it’s been ceaseless before).

Perhaps it would be better to read an old favorite.

The Iliad

He wasn’t falling asleep in the middle of tasks anymore. But sometimes it was hard to sleep at night. Aegri somnia. Sick people dream too much. Lymond read Homer by candlelight…

and dreamed he was playing the lute for a faceless crowd, the strings cutting his fingers to ribbons. He could taste the nightshade at the bottom of his glass. What had he done wrong?

He woke with his chest heaving. He started being sick almost before he was fully conscious.

It seemed as though the entire household fussed over him afterwards - a blur of hands and faces. He sent them away as soon as he could and finished The Iliad that same night. Sleep had become deeply unappealing.

Healing felt like the siege of Troy, he thought. Sweat and dirt and the taste of iron and too many hands touching him. Then he thought, “How trite.”

The Odyssey

Obviously, the next reasonable choice.

Opera Nova dell'Arte delle Armi

He was walking. He was walking around the grounds of Sevigny.

The progress was awkward. His right arm was still bandaged; his left hand was white knuckled on the handle of his cane. Soon his left wrist joined his right in aching. It seemed they took turns, bouncing the ache back and forth between them like a game of catch.

Nonetheless, he was walking. Everything else was by the way.

Caetera desunt.

He walked to the library to read Marozzo in an armchair by the fire. A change of scenery - he was becoming well traveled! But the fire was warm and, ensconced in the chair, he fell asleep.

He woke to a soft weight on his knee and looked down to find a huge mongrel snoring with its head in his lap. It appeared to be part wolfhound and a diverse variety of other dogs, most of them bred to guard livestock. He shifted and it woke, looking up at him with friendly yellow eyes.

Lymond felt his mouth twitch into a lopsided smile. “Hullo, chimera. Did you come here to read? You’re doing a bad job of it. You seem to have fallen asleep.”

The dog nosed at his palm, successfully levering his hand out of his lap and immediately inserting its head beneath his fingers to be petted.

Laughing, Lymond relented and scratched it behind one shaggy ear.

“Alright. You’ve proved me wrong. I see you’ve been reading Pythagoras while I’ve been napping.”

It tried to follow him back to his room. He almost let it in.

He woke after midnight because something was whining at his door. He sighed, got up, and let the dog in. “Good evening, Melusine. Welcome. I’d nearly take you for an Erskine given recent events. Can I assist you with something?” The dog huffed in response and settled itself next to the fire. Good, because he wasn’t going to let it sleep in his bed.

Lymond woke in the morning to a cold nose on his pillow. He addressed the owner of the nose seriously. “So much for vigilance. I suppose you snuck beneath the quilt to protect me from wolves? I should send you away for insubordination.” Then, overcome by the unlookedfor comfort, he pressed his face into the soft fur of its chest. The dog sighed contentedly and dropped its chin to his close-cropped hair.

They stayed like that for fifteen minutes.

REFS:

Florisando was an (unauthorized) sequel to Don Quixote’s favorite book. Unlike its predecessor, it was universally panned. You can get it for free on Google Books. Jus’ sayin.

Aegri somnia trans: sick man’s dreams. According to my trusted friend Wikipedia. Sure hope that’s right….

Opera Nova dell'Arte delle Armi was a treatise on fencing. Back to work for Lymond. He has plans.

Caetera desunt trans: the rest is missing. Again, according to my friend Wikipedia. Lymond’s making a terrible bilingual pun. The rest is missing. In that … he’s walking around and not resting. Look, I didn’t say it was funny.

Pythagoras because levers and stuff. I know a doggo who does this and it’s the cutest.

Melusine is a tragic, legendary figure who it is said can be heard crying around the walls of castles.

#lymond fanfic #lymond whump #lymond #lymond chronicals #the fic with the books and the doggo #queens' play #injury cw #emetophobia #poison cw #trauma cw #nightmares cw

[thelittlestcheshire]

Hello! I’m Katie, and this is my muse Ches. If any of you were in Luxor over the summer, you know this pain in the ass so I’m probably gonna do a quick “here’s where this brat was” recap at the bottom, along with anything I’ve changed between that Ches and this Ches! I’m really excited to be back, and I’m really looking forward to roleplaying with everyone.

I also have the habit of writing crazy long bios when I do bother to write them so there’s a tl;dr for that, also some wanted connections at the bottom. I love plotting so if you ever have any ideas, feel free to come excited scream with me here or on Discord! So without further ado ♥

TWs:  Gun Violence / Murder / Death (not by Ches), Blood, Abuse (Relationship), Cheating, Mental Illnesses, Drugs/Alcohol, Overdoses (also not by Ches / did not result in death)

Is that HAILEY CHESHIRE “CHES” ELSWOOD? Wow, they do look a lot like KATHERINE MCNAMARA. I hear SHE is a SEVENTEEN EIGHTEEN year old SENIOR who originally attended CARNIFEX Academy. Word is they are an ARISTOCRAT student. You should watch out because they can be IMPULSIVE and STUBBORN, but on the bright side they can also be ENERGENIC and LOYAL. Ultimately, you’ll get to see it all for yourself. [KATIE, 23, EST, SHE/HERS]

Last Edit: 8/26/2020

♥ basics; Full Name: Hailey Cheshire “Ches” Elswood Preferred Name: Ches Elswood Age: 18 Birthday: July 19th, 2002 at 03:22 am Sexual Orientation: Biromantic bisexual Relationship Status: It’s complicated ( @ Elliot ) Occupation: Student Nationality: American [with French dual citizenship] Ches’s Car

♥ classes;

Anthropology

Shakespearean Studies

Linguistics

Latin

Music

Advanced Sociology

Advanced Psychology

World History

♥ extracurriculars;

National Honor Society

Theater Club (Actor)

Concert Band (Piano)

♥ background; Place of Birth: Paris, France Hometown: Manhattan, New York, New York Health Issues: Borderline Personality Disorder and PTSD, not that she likes to admit to it, however. She’s also highly allergic to the Perciformes family of fish (tuna, mackrel, perch , and bass). While she’s okay with the  salmoniformes (Salmon and Trout), she really doesn’t touch fish outside of... literally salmon she makes herself since that’s all she trusts ok. ((Shellfish is fine though) Traumas: Watching her mother die (mugging gone wrong/shot to death)

♥ physical; Face Claim: Katherine McNamara Eye Color: Green Hair Color: Red Height: 5′3 ½” (not at fc height quick side note) Weight: 115 lbs Tattoos, Birthmarks, Scars, etc: Mole above her belly button, a few moles on her thighs, freckles and face moles. (Face Ref 1, Face Ref 2,  Body Ref 1, Body Ref 2) . She also has a tattoo now.

♥ zodiac;

Tropical

Sun: Cancer Moon: Scorpio Mercury: Cancer Venus: Virgo Mars: Leo Jupiter: Cancer Saturn: Gemini Uranus:  Aquarius Neptune: Aquarius Pluto: Sagittarius Lilith: Aries N Node: Gemini

Placidus Orb

I ASC: Gemini II: Cancer III: Cancer IV: Leo V: Virgo VI: Libra VII: Sagittarius VIII:  Capricorn IX: Capricorn X MC: Aquarius XI: Pisces XII: Aries

♥ relatives;

Father’s Full Name: Edward Valentine Elswood Father’s Status: Alive Father’s Occupation: CEO/Owner of a multi-billion dollar luxury goods conglomerate  (net worth of 50+ Billion in fact - in turn, Elswood kids do NOT bat an eyelash at prices) Mother’s Full Name: Julia Andrieux Elswood Mother’s Status: Deceased [shot by a mugger on the twin’s 8th birthday] Future Step-Mother: Rebekah Carroll (soon to be Elswood, watch this space lol) Step-Mother’s Occupation:  Siblings: 6 brothers and sisters (family page here) Elswood-Carroll Children Oldest to Youngest:

Logan Elswood (24)

Jamie Elswood (22)

Emmett Elswood (19)

Cade Carroll (19)

Jonah / Ches Elswood (TWINS)

Flynn Carroll (16)

Effie Elswood (14)

Ella Elswood (10)

She also has a niece named Isabella (Belle) who’s now almost 8 months (DOB: 07/10/2019). Belle belongs to her oldest brother, Logan (and Belle’s mother isn’t in the picture).

This is a link to the Elswood family page if you’d like to know more about her family.

♥ relationships; Ex-Significant Other(s): Probably a handful of people tbh, hit me up if you want this as a WC Reason for Separation: Stuff not working out, Ches getting bored before she got attached, so on - she’s a flirt tbh, it takes her wanting to get invested for her to stay Current Significant Other: N/A

♥ misc;

Hobbies and Talents: Ches’s main hobbies are playing piano and archery (she forever misses her bow and arrow while she’s at school), as these are also the two things that are best at calming her down. She has an intense love for acting, so it’s not uncommon for her to be one of the first people to sign up for auditions, and she tends to sing a lot so musicals are truly her shit. It’s not uncommon to see her in the library, reading a book late a night.

However, a talent she doesn’t exactly own up to often is her talent for forgeries and lockpicking. While she doesn’t use these skills as they’re intended for often, she does tend to practice them a lot, so she’s not rusty for when they are actually useful.

Pinterest Section // Musings Tag // Playlist (it’s an in general Ches playlist tho)

Ches speaks English and French fluently, her mother was born and raised in Paris so she learnt them both at the same time

DO NOT CALL HER HAILEY unless you really want to end up on her shit list, it’s her biggest pet peeve, she will glare at you for hours.

She’s the mom friend if your mom friend also goes “I HAVE THE BEST IDEA” and drags you into trouble. Literally, the one who frets over you and proceeds to get you into trouble.

This muse does what she wants, I just write it down I apologize always for her

Doesn’t really... seriously date too much because of past situations (Her older brother slept with the first person she truly loved) and she tries to avoid falling in love

That being said platonic I love yous are her shit, she loves her friends a LOT

Ches is very serious about her studying (and wanting to be among the best of the best because - this girl has Ivy league college dreams and she has no intents on fucking those up), so like expect her to do shit like read an entire textbook at the start of school and study at midnight when her insomnia is kicking her ass.

She’s a bit of a closet nerd - if you look under her bed she has a chest of comic books, she’ll just lie if you ask her about them

Ches left Luxor due to a family emergency in October, it was a really hard decision (and it was a really hard decision to come back). She is just now coming back to school.

She got her tattoo while she was away from school, using a forged note of parental consent in New Jersey.

♥ bio;

TWs: Gun Violence, Murder, Death, Blood, Abuse (Relationship), Cheating, Mental Illnesses

Growing up as an Elswood means two things, you have a lot of siblings and a lot of money. Her parents had decided to raise their children in Manhattan, New York, where they could keep a close eye on their multi-billion dollar conglomerate. Her mother, Julia, would take them on trips constantly too - when she wanted to get the children away from the hustle and bustle of the city they’d go to their vacation home upstate, or their private island, or even to visit their family in Paris. At that point in life, Ches was happy. She had a solid group of friends, she had the best friend she could ever imagine having in the form of her twin brother, she had a loving and warm family, and she had a parent who would tell her no.

When she thinks back to her life before the incident, it feels like a completely different story. A fairytale even, perfect and happy in every way compared to her life now. However, it wouldn’t last, after all, fairy tales didn’t exist and reality was a much crueler mistress. One could say Lin-Manuel Miranda described it best; “life doesn't discriminate between the sinners and the saints. It takes and it takes and it takes.”

Everything changed on her eighth birthday when her mother took her out shopping to get a present for twin brother Jonah at Palisades Mall. A man came up with a gun while they were in the parking lot and asked for all of their money. Julia Elswood compiled but she made one mistake, the simple utterance of “Cours, Ches” as she gave the man her purse.

Ches might have gotten out of the event alive, but not she was not unscathed. Julia Elswood was pronounced dead when medics finally arrived on the scene, her blood coating her daughter’s hands and clothing from Ches’s attempts to stop the bleeding. She might have survived the event without physical harm but she was never the same child she was before after that.

One day she had an intact family, the next day the Elswoods were in ruin. Her father completely shut himself out from the family, only coming out for birthdays and holidays. Her oldest brother stepped up as their parental figure, first starting out with homeschooling before he eventually dropped out to ensure his siblings were getting as much of his time as they possibly could. He tried his hardest to make the loss of their mother easier on the younger girls especially, given how young they were at the time. She helped him with the girls as much as she could (and overtime she slowly started filling the role as their second parent). Because of how busy the younger Elswood children kept him, sometimes Logan didn’t have the time to comfort Ches when she woke up in the middle of the night, haunted by their mother.

That was when Emmett stepped in. It wasn’t uncommon for him to sleep on her floor so he’d be there when she woke up terrified out of her mind, and he was there when she just eventually stopped sleeping like people tended to. Over time she realized that Jonah and her weren’t truly two peas in a pod the way they used to be, that Emmett was the only Elswood who truly got her. He wasn’t perfectly normal either, his thoughts and feelings were flawed like hers.

In a family that made her feel so broken at times, Emmett was a saving grace - a reminder she wasn’t alone.

Going to school in Carnifex was an easy decision when you felt so alone at home, at school she found a close group of people she loved and cared about - she felt less alone and less like her family were judging her, and when the feeling came up - she could always toss herself back into her schoolwork and pretend that maybe, just maybe, she was just a normal kid living a normal boring life. Family issues easily bred vulnerability though, and it was that vulnerability that was exploited not long before she was set to start Carnifex.

Long-distance relationships weren't’ supposed to be easy, but when she fell in love for the first time. At the time, she had thought she was as fucked up as she could ever be, that at this point she was just focused on healing the wounds her mother’s death had left in therapy and after that, everything would be fine. James Ruth quickly showed her how mistaken she had been, even now she doesn’t like thinking about everything he had done to her. She doesn’t discuss everything he had put her through in the time they were together nor does she have any intentions on truly discussing the worst of the abuse she endured while dating him and she was home - even in therapy. It did, however, have an effect on her, it made her terrified of truly falling in love with somebody again.  (Note: James is also a massive reason why she doesn't get along with her brother Jamie, the two Elswood siblings never recovered from Jamie sleeping with Ches’s boyfriend. It causes a good deal of tension in the Elswood home but Ches can’t just forgive him, her brother never even apologized for his actions, she wasn’t going to pretend he didn’t hurt her because her father wanted them to get along for his own sake. They were on the rocks before this and afterward, the tension just got a whole lot worse.)

Going back to Carnifex her sophomore year was a key factor in helping Ches get away from her relationship, and it became as much of a home for her than her actual home was the longer she attended. Sure, she still misses her younger sisters, she misses Emmett and Camellia, and she misses her friends in the city. She also dislikes just how restricted she truly is when it comes to Instagram and trying to grow her influence while she attends Carnifex. Networking had to wait until she was home and sometimes she questions why she decided boarding school was a good idea. And then Ches looks at her friends, at the education she’s receiving, and all the fond memories she’s developing. Carnifex, and now Luxor, was well worth the fear of missing out she feels. 

If you had asked her at the start of this school year, she would have told you nothing could have gotten her to leave school for any amount of time her senior year, she had spent the whole summer at Luxor (even after hearing about her baby niece, that meant a lot) - she finally settled in, she couldn’t imagine anything happening that would cause her to leave the academy. And then, on October 16th at two am in the morning, she got a phone call from Ella. Their oldest brother, Logan, had overdosed. While his drug addiction had never been a secret to the family, his relapse had been a surprise to Ches. Her brother had sworn up and down he was fine, that everything at home was okay. Going back to New York was a no brainer, her family needed her - and she needed them.

Logan, who’d been the closest thing to a parent she had since her mother died, almost died - she almost lost all the parental figures she ever knew. It was hard, getting adjusted back to New York City, she threw herself into her school work and did her best to fill the shoes Logan left open as he went through rehab, and then, adjusted back to being home. While she stayed in touch with the people she had at Luxor, she wouldn’t come back until her brother way okay - until she felt safe about leaving him with his daughter and their siblings without her as a backup. Coming back to school this time was really hard on her, the homesickness is worse than ever and she’s constantly trying to check in on her siblings (because mom!Ches is truly in full force and she’s trying to get it back down) but she’s glad to be back. She’s missed being at Luxor, a lot, so she’s glad to be back.

TLDR / quick important notes bio recap for rereads:

Ches’s mother was murdered on her 8th birthday in front of her

She was raised by her oldest brother, Logan, and is NOT close to her father really. She also helped raise her younger sisters and is very protective of them.

The Elswood she is closest to is Emmett, Jonah and her grew apart after her mother’s death.

Ches’s first real love was James (an NPC), they dated (entire)Freshman-(mid)Sophomore years, it was abusive (much more than Ches will ever discuss unless she gets majorly close to someone and they HAVE to know (cough still hasn’t happened though cough)) and Ches is now terrified of falling in love again. Her messy as fuck relationships & exes all start after this point.

Ches’s history at Luxor is pretty much in-tact, changes will be below in another section!

Ches left Luxor because of her oldest brother, Logan, overdosing. He is alive but she stayed in NYC until he was out of rehab / stabilized in order to take care of her younger siblings and her niece, Belle.

Notable Luxor Notes:

Anything relating to Thomas (for those of you who know what I mean) really hasn’t occurred, so if you mention it she’ll just be like “who?” This seems like the easiest course of action given how things were left off

Other muses of note I’m not going to account for are: Asher (more will be added as needed).

Ches isn’t a member of the Churchill Circle (I’m leaning towards was never one either just because the reasons she joined are no longer a factor so... she probably wouldn’t have ever joined)

If anyone wants to change history and/or keep it intact, feel free to dm me to let me know and I’ll update this accordingly. 

Wanted Connections:

Exes (when Ches dates it’s not for long, but she’s definitely the type to be like “I’ll go out with you” if asked and then... dump you if she thinks she’s getting too attached. So her exes are either on good terms, neutral terms, or they probably dislike her a lot)

Former friends with benefits - while Ches is no longer taking on new ones because of Elliot (and is starting to wean off her current ones), I’m always willing to headcanon past things!

FRIENDSHIPS  (I am weak af for a good friendship plot, never be afraid to be like “hey can our muses be friends” the answer is legit always yes)

Enemies (Ches can... be a lot so it’s not unlikely she’s pissed people off ok)

#luxorintro #so yeah pretty much have a Ches and I am SO FREAKING EXCITED TO BE BACK OK #sorry this is so freaking long too ♥ #also I was excited I revamped the bio and drafted it #it's about my bedtime right now though so not sure how far I'll get with replies I'm gonna try but it's legit the time I pass out right now

[awkwardnoob]

MORE Pokemon au stuff

The gym leaders have multiple teams tailored to a trainer’s badge level. They also aren’t tied to their type specialty outside of gym battles. If you were to challenge them like regular trainers, they’d have more varied teams depending on the person.

Lexaeus is a ground type specialist now for sure.

Zexion’s gym is in Radiant Garden. It’s a library, and he loves to send challengers on a wild goose chase thru the gym. “I can’t battle you without my pokemon partner, so go find them for me.” This is a lie. His Zoroark is draped over his lap the whole time, being pet. There is an illusion that Zexion is reading a book. He has multiple gym trainers to run down your team, and if you leave to heal, you forfeit your challenge. He won’t even tell you what his pokemon partner is. If you manage to beat all his gym trainers, they’ll reveal the trick and battle you. If you manage to figure out the trick yourself, they’ll battle you without having to beat all the trainers. Zexion’s gym is considered one of the harder gyms in the region, simply because he pulls bullshit like this. A fan of status effects. His Zoroark is female. All of his pokemon are in luxury balls, since he’s the son of a rich professor, and since he caught the Zoroark in one, he has to catch them all in one to make sure the illusion works. (Ienzo’s pokemon are also all in luxury balls.)

Saix’s gym is located... somewhere. He only takes challengers at night, and his gym has no roof, so the moon is always shining down on the field. His partner is a midnight form Lycanrock, but his gym specialty is actually fighting types, so he doesn’t use it in challenges. People think he’s scary. Likes to up his Mon’s attack, then go fucking wild. The Lycanrock is male. He has no gym puzzle or mandatory trainers. Just you and him, and a wild brawl under the moonlight. Isa sometimes refs his matches. Both boys have all their pokemon in moon balls.

Axel’s gym is also... somewhere. His partner is a male pyroar. He flies to Twilight Town at the end of the day to enjoy ice cream with Roxas and Xion. Naturally uses the burn status effect, but he likes to set up sunny day. Refuses to take challengers at night. His gym challenge requires lighting fires. Like Saix and Isa, Lea sometimes refs Axel’s matches.

Demyx’s gym is located on Destiny Islands. Sora had no idea Demyx was a gym leader. He possibly managed to miss the fact that Demyx existed in the first place, or that the Destiny Islands even had a gym. The other two of the trio did their home work tho. Demyx is still lazy, and his gym is closed 3 days out of the week. People often have to find him first even if it’s open. He never leaves the island when the gym is open tho, so he’s not impossible to find. His Primarina is male. He has an eevee that knows bouncy bubble. “I’m totally gonna evolve him into vaporion... Eventually” He just doesn’t have a stone right now guys, really. Big Stars like his pokemon need to make an entrance, so he uses ball seals. Most often bubbles.

Luxord is somewhere. Specializes in ghost types, and likes the move destiny bond. His gym is a casino, and he takes most challengers at night. Getting to fight him is a gamble, literally, and if you’re unlucky you’ll have to marathon a swarm of gym trainers first. Partner is either a Nidoqueen or Nidoking, and knows horn drill. Naturally, as this doesn’t match his specialty, he won’t use them in challenges.

Marluxia is located somewhere (probably gonna make Corona a town), and oversees a very large public garden there that is also his gym. Like Axel, he won’t accept challengers during the night. His partner is a (female) Lurantis. Absolutely uses ball seals with flower petals on them.

Larxene is somewhere (probably gonna make Arendelle a town). She has a female Vikavolt as her partner. Bug Squad. “Why do you live in such a cold town with a bug type?” "She likes to play in the snow.” And the vikavolt does. You’ll often see it try to roll up snow into balls. The Vikavolt is nicer than her trainer. Her gym has an electricity current puzzle.

Roxas and Xion’s gym is in Twilight Town, in the old mansion. Said old mansion is also a lab belonging to Ansem. Roxas partner is a male Mimikyu, while Xion’s partner is a female Mimikyu. Xion’s is in a friend ball.

Ansem of course has Corviknight, but he also has a ditto. He owns two pokemon that are considered legends. A Megearna, which he created himself based on old texts about the pokemon, and a mewtwo, which he also created while studying stuff about mew and the rocket created mewtwo. (He never got his hands on either of those specific pokemon tho.) After creating life twice Ansem decided he probably shouldn’t fuck around with this stuff anymore, and more or less shut down the Twilight Town lab, where both were created. Since Ansem isn’t a fucking monster like team rocket, Mewtwo is an emotionally stable, beloved pokemon who guards his main lab in Radiant Garden. Ansem has retired from battling, but he was pretty strong when he was younger. all of his pokemon are in luxury balls.

#Kingdom Hearts #Some stuff about gym leader organization members #And Ansem got into some shit when he was younger

[uniquelymore]

Crochet Pattern Release Sale! Unicorn Chicken Hat.

Save 50% No coupon code is needed, the discount has already been applied. Sale goes until midnight mountain time on 1/9/22

There are 3 sizes, Banty, Full Sized Chicken/Duck, and Turkey/Goose. There are over 30 pictures to help you along the way.

The pattern is available in both my Etsy and Ravelry shops.

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1156332335/crochet-pattern-unicorn-chicken-hat-diy?click_key=6f6dda2d37feb0a886633d24978c70adf7603b41%3A1156332335&click_sum=f35cbd95&ref=shop_home_active_1

Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/unicorn-chicken-hat

[zhanqe]

[an-aspiring-librarian-blog]

Greetings Fellow Kids

01/11/21

During my course Literature for Youth, we had to do quite a lot of work focused around online programming and interacting with younger library users online. At first, I really did feel like that older person trying to recapture their youth by engaging with the younger generation. 

However, as the semester progressed I got more comfortable and after talking to kids that come to the library that I work at, most kids just want to be spoken to like your peer. They get spoken down to by teachers, parents, older siblings, and pretty much every other adult in their lives. As a librarian it isn’t your job to talk down to them. It’s your job to talk to them, which can be a hard distinction to make. These kids don’t really need someone else to supervise what they do, they need someone who will encourage all their interests. 

You want to read the same short paperbacks about fairies for the fifth time? Absolutely, let me show you where they are. Which kind of fairy would you want to be? I found out what kind of fairy I am based on my name and I’m the Midnight Fairy.

You like comic books? Cool! Me too? What kind do you like? Have you seen this one yet? It’s new, and it’s by the same author who wrote that other comic you like.

You like books about sharks and you want to read some today? Ok, I think we can handle that. Do you like stories about sharks or facts about sharks?

It’s hard to put these kinds of interactions online, and it is a struggle to find ways to engage with kids online when there is already so much that they see and do online today. I have a lot of respect for the librarians who are online every day trying new things to connect with their younger library users.

"Kids Books" by urbanworkbench is marked with CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd-nc/2.0/jp/?ref=openverse