#riley does nanowrimo

[icemavslastbraincell]

I'm attempting to do Nanowrimo this year, though it's definitely more than I've tried to do in a month before. Because of that, I'm not really focusing on word count for a single project, instead trying to spread it out over multiple projects.

So even though it's Day 2, I'm still gonna include my word count for yesterday as well as today.

Day 1 Icemav National Treasure AU Sequel: 975 words Unnamed Book WIP: 1965 words

Day 2 Icemav National Treasure AU Sequel: 310 words Unnamed Book WIP: 4938 words

Total progress: 8188 words/50000 words

I think I'm doing pretty good so far

#nanowrimo #riley does nanowrimo

[spnfanficpond]

Pond Diving - Queen-of-deans-booty

Welcome to today’s Pond Diving Spotlight! We hope that you enjoy this little insight to our members and perhaps even find some useful tips for your own writing. Happy reading!

Want to volunteer, send us an ask! We’re looking forward to learning more about all of you! Not sure what PD is, you can learn more here.

“Don’t Be Koi About It” - All About You

Name: Jordan

Age: 23

Location: Arizona, USA

URL: @queen-of-deans-booty 

Why did you choose your URL: Honestly, Dean is the first person I liked on SPN and his ass is so tight and I believe all women are queens so that’s why.

What inspired you to become a writer: I remember reading a book in middle school about vampires, and it’s the first book I remember reading that made me feel all sorts of emotions that books never used to do for me before then. It amazed me to feel these things from a book, and I realized that I wanted to do that for other people someday, thus, is why I became a writer.

How long have you been writing: Gosh, since 8th grade. Might have been a little bit before that, but I remember in 8th grade writing a full book at 20k words, which if I might say, is impressive for a thirteen-year-old.

What do you do when you are not writing i.e. Job/Hobbies etc? I actually am a security guard at a chemical plant. There is some down time to this job, and I try to spend it writing. I even gush to my boss about the stories I write and where I post, and he is all for supporting me about it. When I am not working or writing, then I am either watching Criminal Minds, Manifest, and movies while in my room. With this COVID thing going on right now, I barely leave my house as it is xD

How long have you been in the SPN Fandom? Since season 11 was on TV. It was actually after season 11 had ended and before season 12 had started, so in that four-month span, I managed to watch 11 seasons.

Are you in any other fandoms and do you write for them? Yes! I am in the Marvel and Criminal Minds fandom! I used to be in The Vampire Diaries fandom, but I lost my passion for it so I knew my writing was suffering, so I stopped it. I am doing series rewrites for all three of my fandoms along with one-shots and drabbles!

Do you do any writing outside of fanfiction? If so, tell us about it?  Yes, I try to. I took a NaNoWriMo class in college that made me write my first real book, so that is exciting. I also took fiction classes that made me write poems and short stories. I do want to get into writing more original fiction, but right now, I am focusing more on fanfiction.

Favorite published author: I love Riley Sager, B.A. Paris, James Patterson, Ruth Ware, and there are specific books I adore, but they aren’t from the authors I mentioned. I tend to like books rather than authors.

Have you ever read a book that made an impact on your life? Which one and why?: Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber. That's the book that I mentioned about inspiring me to write, and I dedicate my love for writing to her.

Favorite genre of fanfic (smut, angst, fluff, crack, rpf, etc):  I really enjoy reading fluff, but I enjoy writing angst because I feel I can have a lot more emotions and feels when I write angst.

Favorite piece of your own writing:  My SPN series rewrite. I am currently planning season 7, and I am in the process of releasing season 6. I have gotten so many good reviews of it, and that fuels my passion for it.

Most underrated fic you have written: I can’t think of any at the top of my head. I tend not to look back on my own writing too much. I’ll have an overwhelming need to rewrite it and fix it up, and I don’t need that right now xD

Story of yours that you’d most like to see turned into a movie/tv show: Is it bad to say my series rewrite? It’s already a show, but I’d like to see my version of the show. If I can’t pick that, then my original fiction novel that I wrote that has over 70k words. That would be pretty cool.

Favorite Tumblr Writer(s): @impala-dreamer, @torn-and-frayed, @crispychrissy, @kittenofdoomage, @acreativelydifferentlove, @saxxxology, and there are others, but those are some of the people that come to mind.

Favorite fic from another writer: Can I mention a few? Rock, Paper, Scissors by @impala-dreamer, The Curious Incident of Episode 14x09 by @luci-in-trenchcoats, On the Road by @notnaturalanahi, Cherry Surprise by @crispychrissy, A Change of Scenery by @cass-trash, and On the Case Files (Criminal Minds fandom) by @hotchnerfuckmeup​.

Favorite character to write: For Supernatural, it’ll have to be Dean Winchester. For Marvel, it’ll have to be either Loki or Bucky. For Criminal Minds, it’ll have to be Spencer Reid

Favorite Pairing to write: I only write reader-inserts so the characters don’t really matter as long as it’s x reader.

Least favorite character to write (and why): For Supernatural, it’s Crowley. I don’t know why, but I can never seem to get him right. He’s more sadistic and hardcore sometimes and I just can’t get that right.

Do you have anyone you consider a mentor?  I don’t really have anyone right now. It used to be my teachers/professors, but I graduated and I don’t see them anymore.

Do you have any aspirations involving your writing? I want to be a published author. That’s all I want. I want to see my books on the shelves, and I’d also love to be a fiction editor! I can’t do anything right now because of COVID, but hopefully one day!  

How many work-in-progress stories do you have: More than I can count right now. Like seriously, I probably have over 100. I have a bunch of bingo cards that I have ideas for, but I have so many that they all just pile on. There will come a time when I get through all of them, but I don’t know when.

What are you currently working on?  Right now? Some requests and my spn series rewrite.

“Pond Diving” - All About The Writing

What/who has had the biggest influence on your writing? Like I mentioned above, it’s Ellen Schreiber. She is the one person that made me want to become a writer. Also, all my followers on all of my blogs. They are the truest influencers because they are what gives me passion for my writing.

Best writing advice you've been given: Write as if you’re the only audience. I’ve learned that if you don’t like what you’re writing about, then your audience will certainly see it. You can’t please everyone, so please yourself. There will always be someone who loves your writing for what it is, so don’t go changing it to please others.

Biggest obstacle you’ve faced in your writing: Trying to pace myself. I’ve heard of people spending two or three days (or even longer) on a fic. It’s either all or nothing with me. I either spend two or three hours on a fic and complete it right there and then, or I don’t write it at all. Pacing is an issue for me, and I am always trying to spend longer on a fic. I guess I just type really fast, I don’t know.

What aspects of writing do you find difficult when you write fanfiction? I find that trying to keep the character as canon as possible is most difficult. While it’s not always super hard, it does have its moments. All fanfiction are AUs, so it’s okay to change the characters to make them your own. While I don’t think one should make them the complete opposite if they are wanting to stay within canon, I do believe it’s okay to change a few things around.

Is there anything you want to write but are afraid to (and why): I want to write ships. Now that I think about it, I’m not quite sure why I don’t write them. Maybe it’s time that I start.

What inspires/motivates you to write: Feedback!!! Reader’s don’t always see it, but every piece of feedback I get makes me want to write. I do better knowing there are actual people out there that are looking forward to what I write. I do better knowing that real people are reading them and judging it. I do my best knowing that there is an audience. If I don’t get feedback, then that motivation just goes away.

How do you deal with self doubt: I’m not so sure I always do. There is always a voice in the back of my mind telling me that my stories are complete and utter shit, and I shouldn’t bother writing anything. It’s why I take a step back from writing so often. When I first started my blog, I came out with fics every single day. I was always writing new stories. Now, I may get a story out per week. Maybe two per week. I know when it’s time to take a break for a few days because it gives that voice time to calm down. My best advice for someone dealing with self doubt is to just take a break. Separate yourself from the thing that your mind is telling you that you suck at. Take care of you before jumping back into it. Trust me, it helps.

How do you deal with writer's block: Kind of the same thing as I mentioned above. I have suffered from writer’s block a lot more than in my earlier years. Sometimes, I just don’t have the motivation or the passion to write, and I just get so mad at myself for not doing it. One of the things that help me is writing down my ideas. Yeah, I get ideas that float in my head about stories I’d like to write, but actually writing them down makes them concrete. Then, I am able to make notes and side notes and notes of my notes about what I’d like to happen, and before I know it, I’m writing it.

Do you plan/outline your story before you start: ALWAYS! Always, always, always plan your writing, especially if you’re doing a series. It’s good to know what is going on in your story. You don’t always have to follow it to the exact detail (you’re allowed to make changes as you go), but having a plan makes it easier to get through your story. You’re able to look back at it and remind yourself why you're writing that exact scene or if something needs to be added or taken away from it. If you have a plan, then you’re less likely to lose that passion since you know what’s going to happen. You’re able to see the finish line well before you start.

Do you have any weird writing habits: This may be weird, but I like to listen to Got U On by Darci feat. Nessly, Highest in the Room by Travis Scott, some music by Juice WRLD, and other loud rap songs. Don’t ask me why, but I find the music soothing when I write. Those rap songs sound the same to me, and their voices just drown out so I’m just listening to the music. There are other kinds of music I listen to like piano instrumentals and rain/thunder sounds, but it’s really any song I can tune out.

Have you ever received hateful comments on your fic and how do you deal with it? I don’t want to sound arrogant or snobby, but I can honestly say I’ve never received one hateful comment on anything I’ve written (knock on wood xD). I’ve only received good things about my stories, and I think it has something to do with how much good energy I am putting into the world. I believe in karma, and I tend to be nice to everyone regardless of who they are, and I think it comes back to the kind of comments I receive. However, I always think about what I’d do or say if I’ve ever gotten a hate comment. I wouldn’t encourage them to send more hate, but I wouldn’t apologize either. I write the stories I write because it makes me happy. If they don’t like it, they can go somewhere else. Though, I know those hate comments can get to some people, and here is what I have to say about that: remind yourself of when you actually wrote the fic. If you were truly happy about it, then it shouldn’t matter what that person says. You love it, and that’s all that matters.

Conversely: what’s been some of your favorite feedback on your fanfic?  I have to pick a favorite? XD I have an album in my phone of screenshots I took of my favorite comments left by my followers. I’ve been compared to John Green, there have been comments that thank me for giving them an escape from their realities, people have told me they want to write just like me someday, people have told me that my work has made them smile and get chills, that my stories are the highlight of their week, and a bunch of other stuff. I am just shocked that there are people out there who think this. It means so much to me, and I get tears when I read them because this is literally my dream. I can’t thank my followers enough for the comments they leave, and this is exactly why it’s so important to leave feedback.  

If you could give one piece of advice to a new and/or struggling writer, what would it be? Write for you. I can’t stress this enough. I’ve mentioned it before, and I’m going to mention it again. If you’re not happy, it will show through your writing. Your audience will see it based on how you word things and your flow of ideas. On another note, please brush up on your grammar. I can’t tell you how many times I read such an interesting summary, and noticed the story was full of grammatical mistakes. It made me not want to read it anymore. I’m sure it was a great story, but I didn’t want to put myself through that just to read it.

#pond diving #spnfanficpond

[tilliwriteapine]

#NaNoWriMo: 53,308 out of 50,000.

Yup, blew past the monthly goal. Wrote 8k today! This story is gonna be a doozy of words, that's for sure! Below the read more is a short scene! The only one that doesn’t spoil anything, ha.

Okay, here, this is the first part of the first scene from my ever-wordy novel-fanfic. 

-- Burn the Ships (a MacGyver 2016 novel-length fanfic)

The mission had been successful. Ukrainian terrorists had been apprehended and the IED neutralized before it could harm innocent civilians. In the minds of the Phoenix Foundation, it was all in a day’s work.

The team assembled in the War Room to debrief, Matilda “Matty” Webber standing at the front with a serious look on her face. She looked from agent to agent, giving them a once-over after having been gone for the better part of ten days. They were her family – Wilt Bozer, Jack Dalton, Riley Davis, and Angus MacGyver. She was just glad they had returned home safe and sound. Especially after narrowly dying twice while battling fifteen angry Ukrainians and two rabid dogs. It was never a dull day or week around the Phoenix Foundation, that was for sure.

Bozer collapsed into the seat furthest from the front, his face a mixture of tired and relief. The trip home on the plane had been fitful sleep at best – too much going through his mind to even try to rest. They had completed the mission successfully, but there had been setbacks and pain. A lot of pain. The biggest pain had been watching Mac be a hostage for twelve hours and receive even more bruises on top of a multitude of old bruising. The one bruise that worried him the most was –

“Welcome back, team. Good work in Ukraine. Next time, don’t willingly walk into enemy hands, is that clear, Blondie?”

Before anyone could answer, Jack held up a hand. He stood to Bozer’s front right, his right splinted wrist resting on the back of a cushioned armchair. “I told him not to do it. Just so we understand.”

Matty scowled, rolling her eyes before turning away from the group. “I have the transcripts of that communication. You didn’t convince him very well.”

A snicker came from the corner of the room near the door, which made Matty throw her hands up in frustration. Riley had a look of pure satisfaction on her face. She had been privy to that conversation, and Mac had adamantly rebelled against Jack’s insistence that it should have been Jack, not Mac who got caught by the Ukrainians. Mac and Jack hadn’t realized Riley was listening let alone recording every word they said. Granted, she had just been found out, but the look on their faces was priceless at that moment.

Jack just groaned. Mac was frowning from where he sat across from Jack, eyes narrowed.

“I think we’ve established that I know how to get myself out of a bad situation because I improvise. Jack would have killed the terrorists before we could gain any information on where the IED was going to be detonated. I got out. End of story.”

Jack blinked, mouth gaping open. “You got out? Yeah, after a beating and what? Did you see that bruise on your wrist? That moron almost broke your wrist by the looks of that handprint. How does that even happen? I bet if we used Riley’s computer skills, we could identify the guy who created that bruise just by –“

“ENOUGH!” Matty yelled, glaring at her brute force agent. “The guy who probably did that bruise is in custody, and we have a debrief to complete. Stop. Arguing.”

#macgyver #fanfiction #my work #my fanfiction #fanfic #MacGyver 2016 #Burn the Ships #NaNoWriMo #a scene #What I've been working on for a better part of this month #So out of character #whoops #Mac and Jack banter

[hellospunkiebrewster]

Flight Risk - Part VIII

Author’s note: Part VIII is here! I’m so behind on reading fics and getting back to you all with responses to all of your beautiful support even if I haven’t responded to you directly. I’ll get to it I promise. I also understand I’m woefully behind on prompts, that I promise to get caught up with once July comes around and I’m done with this and working on my first crossover (OMG seriously guys) for Camp NaNoWriMo! Catch up here if you’re just finding Flight Risk or if Tumblr decided it didn’t care about tagging you for previous parts.

Prologue - Part I - Part II - Part III - Part IV - Part V - Part VI - Part VII

Summary: Cordonia gets news of Riley’s statement and the continued fallout of Liam’s departure is a mess that perhaps even his return can’t clean up.

Perma-tags: @madaraism, @mfackenthal, @blackcatkita, @darley1101, @pbchoicesobsessed, @never-ending-choices, @flyawayblue56

Tags for Flight Risk: @theroyalweisme, @viktoriapetit, @hopefulmoonobject, @shirtlessbenpark, @captain-kingliamsqueen, @syltti78, @queencatherynerhys, @jamielea81, @bobasheebaby, @ranishajay, @jlouise88, @choiceswreckedme, @hamulau, @umccall71, @gardeningourmet, @ayo-minty-jess, @drakelover78, @jayjay879, @ehkw1989, @barbaravalentino, @speedyoperarascalparty, @lynn1214, @starstruckzonkoperatorbat, @choicesfanatic86, @mrsdrakewalkerblog

“Are you ready?”

She nods and fidgets with her hands. Her face is set, serious, and she takes a deep breath. Being this nervous was so unlike her and she almost felt like it was unbecoming of someone who was to become Queen.

She looks down at her hands in her lap and closes her eyes for a moment.

“Your story, your opinion, you deserve to be heard by the people of Cordonia.”

She nods again and her green eyes meet his and look around at the newsdesk around her. The lights, the cameras, the sheer number of people in the studio. It all started to close in around her. She supposed it didn’t matter if she was nervous visibly on camera, she would never be Queen now.

She’d always been told it was warm in television studios, under all the lights, but she didn’t know it would be stifling. The air is thick and hot as the lights shine down on her and the others at the desk. The thick layer of makeup they’d put on her for the cameras felt less like a part of her and more like a mask, threatening to slip off of her face under the blazing lights. She presses her lips together as the countdown begins to when they’d be live.

“4… 3…,” Madeleine’s red lips fix themselves into a tiny smile, only allowing her cheeks to perk up slightly. “2,” the producer mouths one then zero and steps back, to the side of the camera man.

“Good Afternoon, Cordonia. Today we have a very special guest to help us with deciphering the latest messages from King Liam, Countess Madeleine of Fydelia. We hope she can provide a unique perspective on what exactly occurred in the lead up to His Majesty’s coronation and subsequent engagement tour.”

“Your Grace, you were chosen by Prince Liam at the end of the social season before his Coronation. If we’re to believe His Majesty’s statements, this was all part of a plot against Lady Riley. What can you say to this?”

Madeleine takes a deep breath and squares up with the host. “At the time, I was unaware.” She pauses, gathering her thoughts. “Yes, the circumstances under which I was brought into the competition for Prince Liam’s hand were unusual. The royal family, the prince or princess’s own parents do not sponsor a suitor but there I was. It was suspicious from the beginning.”

“So you’re saying the King and Queen sponsored you themselves? Not your own family Duke Karlington and Duchess Krona?”

“Yes, my parents did not want to see me go through what I went through with the former Crown Prince again. My family opted out of sending a suitor at all. Not that they didn’t have faith in Liam, but that the competition in itself is quite rigorous and can be more damaging to one’s reputation than helpful.”

“But still you agreed to join it once again.”

“When Queen Regina came to me personally, she asked me where I saw myself. I told her on the throne. I know how that sounds, very manipulative and like I’m prepared to stab someone in the back.”

“It’s almost like something out of The Crown and The Flame,” the host laughs.

“I suppose so. But in reality, I only want what is best for Cordonia. I love this country so much. The lands, the ruby, and especially the people. After years of training in diplomacy, world politics, courtly etiquette, traditions, and customs, I thought I was best suited for the station of Queen next to Liam- His Majesty,” she quickly corrects herself. “I thought love could come later, or if it never did, that duty would supersede it. I hadn’t thought it possible that the king could be so irreversibly in love with someone else when Regina invited me to join the competition at Applewood.”

“Looking back on it all, being named Queen-to-be, the worldwide Engagement Tour, the subsequent cancellation of all those plans, do you regret anything?”

Her phone buzzes next to her on the desk, a message from Regina.

‘How could you.’

Madeleine glances down briefly and the message does little more than spur her on even more. She needed to set the record straight. She had done horrible things to the competition and to Lady Riley, but if she was going to come out of this unharmed and in a position to work on improving the country she so loved, she had to be honest.

“I should have not underestimated Lady Riley or even His Majesty. I thought I had it figured out on the Engagement Tour. They could carry out a secret relationship and be happy. I was blind to what was brewing right under my nose. King Liam’s love for Lady Riley outweighed anything I had to offer. You can teach her to be Queen and she’ll be a fantastic Queen, but you can’t teach him to love another-” Madeleine wants to continue, but is cut short by the host interrupting her.

“-Countess, I must apologize, but we have to cut this interview short. I do hope you’ll stick around as His Majesty has just released another statement and it features Lady Riley.”

Madeleine feels the blood fall from her face. She inhales deeply. She could do this, she could keep herself from completely losing it on live television.

“We’d love your reaction. And now, the statement and a quick break after which we’ll return to you with reactions from our analysts and if her schedule permits, Countess Madeleine.”

She was the master of the spin, she had to do this. Madeleine’s mind begins working over the possibilities in her mind. The gears spin and click into place as she feels her life shifting into the place it was meant to be all her life. If she could keep this together, perhaps she wasn’t meant to help Cordonia from the throne. Perhaps she was meant to be in politics. In parliament. The minister of the state department. The prime minister. Her red lips fix into a small smile as she nods to the host and the producer waiting beside the desk as the statement airs.

Madeleine flips her phone so the screen faces down into the desk.

—

"Lovely, inspiring. All the film people in the world if they had scoured the globe could not have found anyone so suited to the part."

-Sir Winston Churchill, on Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

--

“Scandal, it bears repeating, undermines monarchies, but rarely ends them.”

-David Cannadine, History in our Time

--

Regina paces the common room in the suite her and Constantine shared. Over the past days, Constantine had grown increasingly distant and withdrawn, only taking time to speak on his son’s departure when Bastien came with the daily report. He’d fallen from the calculated and intense king she’d known to a shell of a man, bitter and angry at the betrayal of his only sons. She’d presented him with the idea of calling his cousin sooner. To talk to him about bringing his eldest son on board. He was next in line of course. But time and time again, Constantine had refused. He insisted that it was his own blood that would continue the monarchy, not some cousin with Nevrakis ties.

“They’re related to traitors, ones I had to extinguish myself and if I had half a mind then I would’ve imprisoned the lot.” He told her over and over when she’d bring it up.

This state of limbo, however, was not healthy for the country. The people were lining up ready for their king to return and they were entirely swept up in the love story they were watching play out. Even despite all the optimism, they were still reeling from the attack on he palace; one of the journalists was still hospitalized. They needed the voice from the head of state. They needed a guiding hand. Liam, despite how well loved he was, couldn’t do that from a run down apartment in New York. If Madeleine hadn’t been so meddlesome and even advocating for Liam on his absence, Regina could’ve gotten her hastily engaged to the eldest son and insisted Constantine have the two of them crowned as soon as possible. Madeleine could’ve handled whatever rebellious and harsh Nevrakis spirit lay dormant in the next in line to the throne. This absent king situation had the potential to be a crisis.

Regina paces and decides to broach the subject with Constantine again.

“Constantine, Liam might be thinking of coming back, but when? The people need a king. And if he does return, what does that mean for us?”

He turns to her, his eyes narrow in anger, he had made it quite clear that the subject was closed for discussion.

“Do you want to be thrown out of the palace? Banished like some sort of criminals? Exiled from our home? That’s where this is going if we give Liam the chance.”

Constantine turned back to his book. If he was going to try and ignore her this time, she would continue talking and make it impossible to.

“Bring Roger to the palace. You know he’s waiting for the call.”

She moves beside his leather arm chair. “He’s severe but smart. They need a king. I understand you want it to be your own blood to continue the line but that doesn’t seem to be in the cards.”

“He could be crowned in a matter of a day. All this would end, and we would know where we stand.”

“Is that all you care about now? Where we stand? I never allow for someone with even a drop of Nevrakis blood to sit on the throne. They’re traitors, the lot of them. You can call Roger over my cold, dead body.”

Regina was taken aback at his harshness. Constantine rarely spoke to her like this, often turning to her as an equal in times like this. This was not the man she married. The illness had taken ahold of his soul and torn him apart, the departure of his son had broken him. She looks him over and thinks on her next plea.

“So that’s it then? We wait for Liam to come and throw us out, perhaps put us on trial?”

“What do I care, I’m dying anyway.”

“So you’re ready to just let Cordonia burn, the moment you die, you don’t care any longer.”

“I thought I had my legacy planned out, a son on the throne with a capable queen by his side. I thought I had orchestrated it perfectly. When Liam returns, it’s what is best for the country.”

“When?” Regina scoffs. “He’s taking his sweet time. If he’s so meant to be king, why isn’t he here with his people when they need him?”

—

Roger was tired of being toyed with. The press had been camped outside of his estate the moment they’d learned of Liam’s unofficial abdication. It was unconventional to say the least the way he left the country hanging. Then the attack happened and still the people were stuck, pining for a king who didn’t care. When Liam started releasing statements Roger forced himself to stay at his estate when what he wanted most of all was to barge into the palace and take what was rightfully his. He was the next in line after all.

Roger was an imposing man, tall and broad. His features were dark and severe. His hair was a deep walnut color. His eyes so brown they were nearly black. He had warm olive skin. Many compared him to Diavolos Nevrakis in his looks. He saw the resemblance in the portraits that hung around his old estate. They didn’t realize just how much he was the absolute opposite of him in his personality. He was bold like him yes, but he could be cruel and vengeful.

He bides his time at his estate until the whole thing reaches a fever pitch with Riley’s statement. He hears the tail end of it playing over the television in the servant’s quarters for the third time since it was released.

“King Liam’s father made it seem like he was supportive of his sons desires on the exterior. But behind the curtains he attempted to blackmail myself and other ladies of the court when it came time for Liam to choose. He involved members of the guard and others in his plot to keep Liam from following his heart. He’s destroyed many lives. I believe it’s no coincidence that some members have not returned to court after the scandal broke.

“I love your king and I love your country. I only wish you can see past my lack of experience and see to my qualifications. I want with every beat of my heart to help bring Cordonia past the recent tragedies of the attack on the palace and the natural disaster in Portavira.” Riley pauses and looks stoically at the camera, she might not have experience, but she was good.

“The people of Cordonia deserve an honest king for once. I think my husband has proven that he will stop at nothing to be open with his people. The people of Cordonia deserve a Queen who was more than born and bred for the role, but one who has the heart and compassion to change the country for the better.”

He could never allow a foreigner, a commoner, to take up the place of Queen. It was unspeakable.

It is at this moment that Roger decides he is done with this waiting game, he is going to the palace to take what is his.

—

“Liam and Riley are headed to the airport in New York. My agents report that they should be arriving late tomorrow morning,” Bastien reports to mainly Constantine and Regina and not to the third man in the room.

“Should I make sure there is a car there to collect them?” Bastien asks, exhausted but grateful this was finally starting to come to an end. With Liam returning, he could finally breathe and resume his normal duties instead of coordinating an entire department of secret espionage. Keeping track of Liam and Riley on another continent, seven hours ahead of theirs, while also heading up security at the palace was exhausting. He couldn’t remember if he’d slept last night or the night before.

“You and a couple members of the royal guard will be going there to collect him,” Roger says from his spot at the far end of the common room in Constantine and Regina’s suite. “You’ll bring him and his little wife back here, in cuffs.”

“I am not sure I follow Your Grace.” Bastien turns to Roger for the first time since arriving.

“A country cannot have two kings,” he says cooly. “Anyone who comes to this country claiming to be king is a traitor to the crown and will be treated as such. And tomorrow, it’ll behoove you to call me Your Majesty.”

“Yes sir.”

Bastien sighs. He hadn’t prepared for this, but Roger was exercising his right as the next in line to force himself to be crowned. Liam had been gone too long with no official explanation, it created a constitutional crisis to not have a monarch for this long. He’d miss the deadline by mere hours to return before his crown would be up for grabs by the next in line, Roger.

He should’ve seen it coming the moment Roger walked in and did everything in his power to keep him from taking up residence in the palace.

Rules were rules and now that Roger was here, there was little Bastien could do to stop it. It would take a vote from the parliament to stop it and they were never quick on anything. Bastien decides to reach out to Madeleine the moment he leaves this room to get her on the case, she had many connections and was better at talking to politicians than he was.

Bastien looks at Regina then Constantine. The former king appears to be livid, it was a face Bastien was familiar with, but after all the years serving in his guard he had seen it in only on rare occasions. When Liam’s mother was killed, the assassination attempt on Liam himself, and the coup attempt by the Nevrakis family so many years ago.

He’d been the one who received the orders to dispose of the Duke and Duchess of Lythikos once their involvement in the coup had been revealed.

“You are dismissed Bastien,” Constantine says.

Roger follows him from the room. When he clears his throat, Bastien turns to him. “Could you make sure the maids prepare the Royal Suite for me tomorrow.”

“My apologies Your Grace, but that isn’t part of my job description,” he says before turning on his heel and walking down the hall. The moment he turns the corner despite his exhaustion from being overworked and sleep deprived, he breaks into a run back to this office. There had to be a way to stop this.

#playchoices #play choices #the royal romance #trr #choices fanfiction #trr fanfic #trr au #flight risk #liam x mc #long live king liam #madeleine #queen mother regina #king father constatine #bastien #long post

[chaptersonetoinfinity]

NaNoWriMo 2018: DAY TWO

Tracking: #sas does nanowrimo again, #sense8 hogwarts au

Date: Friday, November 2nd. (HAPPY FRIDAY WHOO!)

Daily Word Count: 1,585

Total Word Count: 2,974

Stuff that Happened: Not much more sleep than last night. Mostly uneventful Friday, but Friday in itself is a happy day. Trying to see how the hell I can get to the write-in tomorrow without a car. Found a sensitivity reader to help me with my Nomi sections, since this fic will feature her pre-transition.

Strategy: Cold Turkey Writer again, but this time I set it so that it could only close after I’d written at least 1,500 words. Which got me to do it, except it also took me 2 hours instead of 1 yesterday. I’ve concluded that time crunches are better for action-y scenes, but for today’s scene, this way probably worked better. Riley was sad, and I needed the time to work myself up to be just as sad to write about her. Poor baby.

Goal: Saturday catch-up (it’s also double-up day, isn’t it?) and a better solution to this whole “writing” thing that won’t let me write till 10:30 pm at night. On weekday nights, I know I’d hate myself for it the next morning. Because I waste way too much time after writing before actually going to bed.

Draft Sneak Peek: Chapter 1, Section 2, Riley’s POV

TW for mentions of self-harm. CW for depression.

Riley heard her papa wonder if she was okay, and she put on her best interpretation of a reassuring smile to tell him that she was. His smile was just as strained, though he wished her a happy birthday and didn’t say anything else. He wanted Riley to be the one to break the silence if—when—she was ever ready. Sometimes, he could read her thoughts as well as she could read his. 

She closed her eyes in case tears decided to fall, even though she hadn’t been able to cry in months. Papa deserved better than to see her so sad. He had sacrificed everything for her. They had moved from Reykjavik last November after he had found her hurting herself, and he had told her moving here was the right decision because it helped her stop, even if he had to give up his hard-earned seat in the orchestra. His dream. 

He was happy as long as she was happy, he’d told her. She didn’t need to check his mind to know he was telling the truth. But she hated herself for it. She hated herself for running away from her past, because doing it didn’t make her happy. Nothing ever would.

Riley closed her eyes, blew the candles out, and wished everything would stop. She wished there was no curses. No way things could have gone wrong in so many ways in so little time. 

No magic.

Riley hated herself for being so entangled with the one ability so many children would dreamed to have. She was a witch, and her magic was inevitable, especially as she was born with the unfortunate ability to read minds. But she had stopped believing in magic at eight years old, when she realized it could not bring her mother back. And a year later, she had concluded magic was only in her life to bring her pain when her best friend had died, and she nearly had, too. 

By some cruel twist of fate, Riley’s magic had decided to spare only her, when all she wanted was to die with Magnus.

#tw: mentions of self-harm #cw: depression #sas does nanowrimo again #sense8 hogwarts au #day two

[deputyysoandso]

Nanowrimo Preparation

OK so this has nothing to do with IT, but as some of you any know, Nanowrimo is coming up next month and for the thousandth time I'm gonna try and do it. The question now become, what do I write? I'm torn between two stories. If you wouldn't mind, please reply to this post or reblog it and let me know which one sounds more interesting/less dumb to you. Story One: Simple Hexes for Everyday Affairs Genre: YA Supernatural Summary: Upon returning to her childhood home town for the funeral of her childhood best friend, Riley Sloane discovers DARK FORCES at work. Caught up in a world of witchcraft and sacrificial magic, Riley finds herself on an Important Quest, which she did not ask for and Does Not Want. Story Two: The Dark World Genre: YA Sci-Fi Summary: Jess Cheung is a normal, average everyday kind of human girl, living a normal average human girl kind of life, right up until the day she gets sucked through a tear in the universe and finds herself in an alternate dimension, full of dark energy, demons, mutants and Evil Sci-Fi corporations. Her only allies are the hapless scientist who got her into this mess, and his neighbour, a fierce warrior (read: in training). As Jess fights to find a way home, she discovers that maybe home was really the friends she made along the way (but she also still wants to like, be back on her own planet. That too). Both stories will contain drama and humour, as well as LGBT+ main characters and main characters of colour. Please let me know what you think, as I am torn between wanting to write both stories and could use some help.

#about me #nanowrimo

[mbilmey]

mcubed35 made this for #spontaneouswriteblr!

Fun Basics Preferred Writing Type (i.e. fanfiction, short stories, non-fiction, novels, scripts): 

Novels, although I do try my hand an short stories for contests.

Favorite Genre(s) to Write: Fiction....particularly the history of my little non-magical fictional world...fantasy maybe? Also, fairytale. Favorite Genre(s) to Read: Either classic like Scott (mostly historical, 1700s) or like childrens and fairytales Favorite Standalone Book(s): Ella Enchanted, Rob Roy, Kidnapped, The Scarlet Pimpernel Favorite Book Series: Half Upon a Time for now, by james riley Favorite Movie(s): Ever After, Narnia Favorite TV Show(s): Doctor Who, Robin Hood, Avatar Other Fandoms You’re Interested In:  Zodiac Sign: Capricorn —Does it match your personality? Idk MBTI Type: INTJ —Does it match your personality well? Yeah, but it varies Introvert or Extrovert? Introvert Favorite Season: It’s a constant toss up between fall and spring, both are dramatic Spirit animal: Fox?  Their just really cool.  Hobbies/interests other than writing:  ?????  Well, I do like to draw...very ill...

Cat person, dog person or both? I used to prefer dogs, but then I had a sleep over with this nasty one, so now I’m more of a cat person

Writing Style Nitty-Gritty Number/Names of WIPs:

Hahahahahahahahahaha. Okay, on my mind right now out of many are:

1. Activity

2. Felix

3. Android Spider Man 

(none of these are real titles, Andriod spider man is just the dream I had about an idea)

Favorite book about writing: ......I kinda liked a styled guide from my major, but I just don’t have the patience to read these kind of things Planner, Pantser or Plantser? Pantser, although I’m thinking up scenes in my head all the time Favorite Outlining Method: I only do this for nano or at the end of a novel and it works like a box plot going  Thing -> Thing->Thing->End Types of blogs you followed for reference:  Reference topics you would like blog suggestions for:  Do you write on a schedule or sporadically? sporaically.  inspiration hits when it does and school takes up a lot of time Any creativity rituals that you use: ? As in Digging out my old laptop for word ‘97, narnia sountrack on repeat,  homemade hot cocoa?

Your Writing Community Current writing/creative communities you participate in: NaNo and @heretherebewriters  (site) - It’s fantastic Are you part of any critique groups (local or online)? Nah, not unless you count Htbw.  I took a creative writing class and just was like, meh. Would you like to find online critique partners/groups? Depends.  It would be helpful. Would you like to be a beta-reader if someone needs one? If only I had time :( How long have you been on Tumblr? Too long. I’m FINALLY trying to do more writerly stuff with it. Would you like to be tagged in any writing games/questionnaires? Sure.Though I am pretty busy.  How do you feel about being messaged and/or tagged to discuss writing? That could be super fun.   Are you following #365k365day or #spontaneouswriteblr? I don’t even remeber right now.

Your Online Community Info NaNoWriMo Community Name (if applicable): mbilemy Wattpad Community Name (if applicable):  fanfiction.net or AO3 Community Name (if applicable): mbilmey (I’m kid of embarrassed to admit I have a fanfic account, but sometimes I need to get some rabble out of my system when I’m stumped so the writing is....not good.) DeviantArt Community Name (if applicable): Patreon Community Name (if applicable):

Everything else too.  Basically, anything online that has mbilmey in it probably has something to do with me.

[cvengers]

WHY DID I JUST SIGN UP FOR NANOWRIMO KILL ME NOW I HAVE A FEELING THAT I WILL REGRET THIS

#riley rants #riley does nanowrimo

[chaptersonetoinfinity]

NaNoWriMo 2018: DAY EIGHT

Tracking: #sas does nanowrimo again, #sense8 hogwarts au

Date: Thursday, November 8th.

Daily Word Count: 1,999

Total Word Count: 13,657

Stuff that Happened: Snuck in a 20-minute writing sesh at work and somehow ended up with like 400 words. Got home and did all kinds of distracting things and then somehow, after my shower, sat down and wrote another 1500.

Strategy: More rambling. Some guilt-tripping over leaving Will in the blue while I finished everyone else’s sections already. Thus, now I have finished his.

Goal: Write the four sorting scenes this weekend. May take a mini break tomorrow and not go for the full 1,667, since I can double up on Saturday anyway. MAYBE.

Rough Draft Sneak Peek: Chapter 2, Section 3, Will’s POV

(The rest of it, anyway. That one I had two days ago was too short.)

“You’re a Legilimens,” he realized. 

Riley nodded. She didn’t look up at him, and he got the feeling she expected him to be mad. “I can’t help it, sometimes,” she confessed. “Hearing people’s thoughts. I try to block them out, I really, really do. But the most emotional ones always find a way to slip through.”

That was the danger of legilimency—those who didn’t have the talent desired it; those who were born it suffered from it. Dad had told him there was a Legilimens named Kareem in the Auror Department who helped with interrogations, not because he was passionate about detective work, but because he felt an obligation. Like Will’s father, Kareem had been injured in the war. Unlike his father, it was his mind that the Death Eaters broke, not his body. They had torn up every memory inside him until there was no Kareem left. 

When the other Aurors tried to use the legilimency spell and see what remained in Kareem’s mind, they could only find two memories looping back and forth like an endless sequence: one where he was a child, kayaking with his brother Ismael in the Nile; one where he was older, and he’d rowed through the waters alone, scattering his brother’s ashes into the river they once loved.

“I believe you,” Will told her. He offered her a smile, a sign that he would never turn her away. “I won’t tell.”

Riley met his eyes, but couldn’t smile back. He wondered if she’d seen what just crossed his mind. If she’d seen what some people in this world were willing to do to people like her.

If she did, she decided not to bring it up.

“Not even to Diego?”

Will smiled. It seemed like it wasn’t only his bad memories that slipped through. Riley had seen the good parts, too. “Not until you’re ready,” he told her.

#sas does nanowrimo again #sense8 hogwarts au #day eight

[chaptersonetoinfinity]

NaNoWriMo 2018: DAY TWENTY-THREE

Tracking: #sas does nanowrimo again, #sense8 hogwarts au

Date: Friday, November 23rd.

Daily Word Count: 1,633

Total Word Count: 38,177

Stuff that Happened: Worked from home today because I volunteered because I’m nice like that (heh), took many power naps including the one I took right after I logged off from my work stuff that ended up being 5 hours instead of the planned 15 minutes. Oops?

Strategy: I actually woke up kind of refreshed, despite the bad timing, so I was able to get this in an hour with no need for cold turkey writer. My brain was cooperative atm. Yay?

Goal: Gonna have to double up again this weekend. RIP.

Rough Draft Sneak Peek: Chapter 11?, Kala’s POV 

(Yep, same section. Now I finished it.)

But Wolfgang, apparently, was defending her. He didn’t have to; Kala had never put anyone in the position to stand up for her, and it wasn’t like Steiner was saying it to her face. Although… the last time Steiner did, Wolfgang had tried to jump into her defense, too. And he had apologized on behalf of his cousin, even though he hadn’t said anything himself.

“Why does he do that?” Kala asked, even though she knew Riley couldn’t read Wolfgang’s mind. “Why does he still defend me when he clearly doesn’t feel uncomfortable being my friend?”

“I think he very much wants to be your friend, Kala,” Riley said. “I think he’s just scared.”

“Of me?”

Kala remembered the way Wolfgang had flinched when her flames had jumped too high, causing the potion to splash. He had quickly found his composure when he’d caught her looking at him and kept quiet for the whole lesson afterwards. She’d assumed it meant he didn’t want her to snap and do it again.

Riley shook her head. “I think he feels less scared when you’re around. I can’t read his mind, but when I see you two together, it’s like… the pain that I feel when my mind brushes against his? It’s a lot less intense. Almost like your presence is soothing him over.”

“So he’s not scared of me.”

“No.” Riley looked over at Wolfgang, who was chasing Felix across the field with a palmful of snow. “I think he’s scared of himself.”

Kala wanted to tell Wolfgang he didn’t have to be. What little Kala had seen of him was enough to show her he wasn’t the kind of person everyone assumed him to be. He hadn’t said anything to rectify people’s perceptions of him, but he didn’t have to. His actions spoke for themselves. He had been nothing but kind to her, and always there to listen when she’d get herself started on something interesting about Potions and go on a tangent. 

Others might believe Wolfgang was his father’s son; Kala knew he was anything but.

#sas does nanowrimo again #sense8 hogwarts au #day twenty-three

[chaptersonetoinfinity]

NaNoWriMo 2018: DAY TEN

Tracking: #sas does nanowrimo again, #sense8 hogwarts au

Date: Saturday, November 10th.

Daily Word Count: 2,933

Total Word Count: 17,744

Stuff that Happened: Slept for way too long and thus wasted all morning and a bit of my afternoon (oops!), but was I Inspired to finish Wolfgang’s section and start Riley’s. I have been sitting on these scenes for WAY too long. I have IDEAS. And apparently way too many feels.

Strategy: Cold Turkey Writer, tried just going for 15 minutes because starting is always the hardest part. Next thing I know, hyperfocus kicked in, and now I have... all of THIS. Whoo!

Goal: Double-up tomorrow to finish the other two sorting scenes (Nomi’s and Lito’s). Shouldn’t be as long as these two, since we have to follow Wolfgang from the Hogsmeade Station allllll the way to his sorting, and Nomi and Lito would just be picking up wherever we left off with Riles.

Rough Draft Sneak Peek: Chapter 3, Sections 1 and 2, Wolfgang’s POV and Riley’s POV

“Oh my Ganesha!” Kala turned back with a look of marvel on her face. “This is incredible!”

Steiner scoffed and looked at Wolfgang, probably expecting him to roll his eyes in agreement. Wolfgang remained stone-faced. “Never seen anything so grande, have you?” Steiner asked snidely. “Not where you’re from.”

Wolfgang considered saying something to Kala’s defense, silence be damned, but she shot Steiner a hard glare that made the words die in his throat. “I’d tell you about where I’m from, but I don’t see the need to explain myself to someone who can’t see past their own prejudice. So you can make assumptions about my past all you want. I’m going to shut you out and enjoy the view of the castle.”

Wolfgang recovered from his shock long enough to give Kala a look of apology. She nodded before turning back to look at the castle again. If no other boats were around, Wolfgang might have shoved Steiner into the lake and let him take his chances with the Giant Squid. The last thing Wolfgang wanted to do was be seen hanging around Steiner, but living in his uncle’s house for the past year had made him unwittingly associated with the Bogdanows, even as he tried his best to avoid that name.

I would like to be in Hufflepuff, if that’s okay, she thought.

It is always okay to have a choice, Riley.

Then… can I?

You would do well in Hufflepuff, yes, the hat confirmed. 

Riley would have cried right then and there if she still could. Thank you.

It is not me you should thank. You are the one who became the Riley you are today, the one befitting the Hufflepuff name.

She was glad the hat considered her a good fit for the house. Mama would be proud of her.

She would, the hat told her. But it is more important for you to make yourself proud. And I am certain you are capable of that.

Riley squirmed in her seat. She didn’t know how. 

It is like you said, the hat reminded her. The best part about being a Hufflepuff is the house’s acceptance of all students. But acceptance does not stop at how you perceive others. Accepting yourself is just as important.

Maybe I shouldn’t be a Hufflepuff, Riley thought. She didn’t think she could ever accept what she did on the day Magnus died, and what she didn’t do.

#sas does nanowrimo again #sense8 hogwarts au #day ten

[chaptersonetoinfinity]

NaNoWriMo 2018: DAY TWENTY-TWO

Tracking: #sas does nanowrimo again, #sense8 hogwarts au

Date: Thursday, November 22nd.

Daily Word Count: 1,051

Total Word Count: 36,544

Stuff that Happened: Spending time outside home for Thanksgiving is nice in terms of food but exhausting in terms of social interactions. Heh. So there’s that. I also saw a movie today and my hyperfixated ass decided to make me dwell on it so my executive dysfunction had not been my friend.

Strategy: A bit more writing sprints but tbh I’m also just EXHAUSTED in general so I think I just let myself go after a little while. I know where the convo is going, tho. I may finish it tomorrow, or maybe after NaNo, when things calm the fuck down a bit. I know what other sections I wanna work on tomorrow though, and I’m working from home, so guess who will be distracted? 

Goal: Probably more writing sprints just to get the word count up? IDK

Rough Draft Sneak Peek: Chapter 11?, Kala’s POV

Riley’s eyes widened, and she stared at the ball of fire in Kala’s hands, watching the snowflakes disappear upon touching the tips of the flames. “How do you do this?” she asked. “Magic. With just your hands.”

“It was the only way I knew for eleven years,” Kala said. “I love being at Hogwarts. I love learning about wands, and spells, and this whole new discipline at magic. But this?” She lifted the ball of flames slowly and let it rise until it was the height of her chest, far enough for them not to be burned, but close enough that Riley could feel the heat. “This feels like me. It feels like home.”

Maybe one day, her wand would learn to accept this other side of Kala’s magic. Sycamore wands were experimental, Ollivander had said, but Kala had a feeling this wand was jealous because she could do so much more magic without it. She hoped to find a way to make her wand work for her. But she refused to compromise one side of her for another.

“It’s warm,” Riley said. “Feels like I’m back in the common room.”

“What was keeping you from going back?” Kala asked.

Riley was looking at the Great Lake again. The ice had completely frozen over, encasing the water in a dense layer of frost. Students were shuffling around the ice with their feet, giggling as they realized how ridiculous their stance must have looked. A few were sitting on the surface, practicing spells that reflected in the ice in its own blurred way. Two muggle-born Gryffindors had brought out actual ice-skates, and were having the time of their lives trying to show their half-blood friend how it all worked so he wouldn’t slip and fall on his back.

Kala turned back to Riley. “Do you want to go out there, too?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

#sas does nanowrimo again #sense8 hogwarts au #day twenty-two

[chaptersonetoinfinity]

NaNoWriMo 2018: DAY EIGHTEEN

Tracking: #sas does nanowrimo again, #sense8 hogwarts au

Date: Sunday, November 18th.

Daily Word Count: 2,130

Total Word Count: 30,165

Stuff that Happened: Just stayed at home today, mostly. Lots of distractions today, lots of “GAH I CAN’T GET MYSELF TO WRITE”. But I’ve come to know that the only way to shut up that voice is to bullshit as many words as one can.

Strategy: Tried to shove my doubts away and just complete the section as I saw it in my mind. Nothing in particular. Just did a whole bunch of timed writing sessions (I think it ended up as about one hour total) in the middle of all the chores I decided to do around the house. And somehow got... this.

Goal: Write as I normally would tomorrow, I suppose? Tis the first time I’ve been back on track since Friday, and tis a weird feeling XP

Rough Draft Sneak Peek: Chapter 5, Sections ???, Dani’s POV

Note: Oreo is a black-and-white kitten gifted to Amanita by her dads, named after her favorite muggle dessert. He’s six months old and very much likes to play, and he’s the biggest cuddlebug ever.

“You haven’t said anything that sounded… well, bad.” Riley was looking intensely at Dani. It was getting easier to tell when Riley was reading someone, and Dani had given Riley permission to read her when the conversation called for it. It was good, sometimes, to have a friend who could understand what you meant when you couldn’t find the right words.

“Maybe Lito’s mad at me,” Dani said. 

“For what?” Amanita asked, reaching forward to grab Oreo before he could pounce off her four-poster bed, into the dark, and ram into the corner of someone’s trunk. “You haven’t done anything. He just chose to be an ass—Oreo. Oreo. C’mere!”

Amanita snuggled her cat close, and Oreo protested again. This time it came out as a pained whine. Snowball looked at the younger kitten in concern, and inched over to cuddle up next to him. Since day one, Snowball had assumed an almost maternal role when it came to Oreo. Everyone in their room found it adorable.

Dani looked at the cat, concerned. “What’s wrong with him?”

“I think he’s just trying to get the other Slytherins to like him,” Riley said.

“I meant with Oreo, not Lito,” Dani told her. “But I think you might be onto something, Riles. I don’t think Joaquín had anything nice to say about Hufflepuff, and they all listen to him like he’s the king or something.”

“Please.” Amanita rolled her eyes. “He’s just bitter. I think all of ‘em are over in Slytherin. Must feel pretty lousy to have the whole school against you—I mean it wasn’t their fault for being sorted there, but it’s not like we can all just forget how many Death Eaters came from Slytherin. We judge them, so they judge us right back.”

#sas does nanowrimo again #sense8 hogwarts au #day eighteen

[chaptersonetoinfinity]

NaNoWriMo 2018: DAY TWENTY-ONE

Tracking: #sas does nanowrimo again, #sense8 hogwarts au

Date: Wednesday, November 21st.

Daily Word Count: 1,487

Total Word Count: 35,493

Stuff that Happened: More sleep last night than before, which was a yay. Busy day was a nay. Rain was necessary but biking home was no fun, although I did appreciate being shooed out of the workplace way earlier. I also did some coloring and a LOT of talking with tech support because there was a remote access issue with my work laptop...

Strategy: ANYWAY. My brain was not cooperating again until I just MADE myself start another writing sprint. I managed to write bits and pieces of a conversation that will take place in around the middle of the book that I think is very important, so I’m letting myself not force a full draft of it. It’s far from finished, but it’s a decent start, all things considered.

Goal: Honestly I’ll be out most of the day tomorrow so we’ll see. 

Rough Draft Sneak Peek: Chapter 8?, Riley’s POV

Note: In which Riley sees too much of Capheus’ memories, and they have a heart-to-heart.

Capheus was eight when his father died. Eight when his baby sister was born, and had to be given away. Riley was eight when her curse started working its way towards her mother until it finally killed her. Three years was a long time to be hurting. Riley had stopped hurting a long time ago.

The fact that Capheus could still feel his pain, still see that things were unfair, meant it wasn’t too late to bring him out. And Riley wasn’t about to watch him go down the same path as she did.

“No one is supposed to live like this, Capheus,” she said. “You were a child. You are a child. It feels like the world just keeps taking and taking, doesn’t it? It doesn’t stop when you tell it to. It doesn’t stop when it gets too much.” 

He swallowed hard, forcing his tears back. When he spoke, his voice shook. “That’s exactly how I feel.”

“You deserved better,” she said softly, “and I’m sorry.”

“You know, you’re the first person who said this to me. My mother’s way is to just focus on what we do have. Count our blessings. Face the problem head-on. And I admire her for that,” he confessed. “But I can’t get myself to do the same. Not yet, at least.”

“It’s okay that you can’t. You’re not her.”

Being a Legilimens meant that Riley could see how different ways worked for different people. Seeing from people’s own perspectives meant that she could appreciate people for who they were, not who others expected of them. Capheus was bitter, and he had every right to be.

“Thank you,” Capheus said. “It’s… it’s good to hear all this.”

“I said it because it’s true. Things aren’t fair. And I hope one day, it gets better.”

#sas does nanowrimo again #sense8 hogwarts au #day twenty-one