#why must the most lethal of beasts be the most adorable

[bearotonin-international]

Do you think it’s cruel that bears are literal killing apex predator machines but look so cute and fluffy.

the greatest tragedy and cruelty of the universe that this beast can look so snuggleable adorable sweet

and yet also be the most lethal beast you will ever encounter

while still looking adorable and snuggleable covered in blood

#the cruel cruel universe #why universe why #why must you have played this sick cosmic joke on us #why must the most lethal of beasts be the most adorable #why????? #universe explain #Responsible Bear Programming #ask

[philliamwrites]

La Belle Dame Sans Merci

Fandom: The Case Study of Vanitas (Mochizuki Jun)

Pairing: Noé/Vanitas

Tags: #vanitas pines for noé, #implied/referenced past rape/non-con, #implied/referenced past childe abuse, #blood and unjury, #angst and feels, #forehead kisses

Words: 3.7k

Summary: Vanitas can’t sleep so he does the only other thing he’s good at besides curing vampires from the curse: harass Noé. It escalates royally and doesn’t end good. No one is surprised.

La Belle Dame Sans Merci

   Moonlight casts slim, silver lines on Noé’s face.

  Sitting on the windowsill, Vanitas can see the slow and steady rise of Noé’s chest, a constant rhythm speaking of life. How he has survived until today is still a wonder to Vanitas. Only a few feet separate him from the sleeping, defenceless body—a body he knows all too well capable of pulling tense like a bowstring when ready to strike; an animal equipped with lethal tools to hunt and destroy. But Noé is a paradox of black and white, a pacifist at heart that opens up too easily, too quick. Why else would he be interested in someone like Vanitas?

    Their conversation at the top of the bell tower is still ringing all too clear in his head, a memory he’d rather strip from his mind and drop in the deepest part of a vicious, dark sea. Noé is dangerous, because unbeknown to himself, he has worked a strange magic on Vanitas, pulling at invisible chains curling around his neck however Noé pleases. If Vanitas didn’t know better, he’d call it Fate, but she has abandoned him long ago to suddenly return like a sullen lover and beg him for companionship.

    “Louis,” Noé murmurs, drawing back Vanitas’s attention, and no, he isn’t jealous, not in the slightest. He just wants to reach inside Noé’s mouth and rip that name out of him. He hates that even though Noé is easy to read like an open book, it turns out its pages are filled with enigmas Vanitas is unable to solve.

    A little huff escapes him as he slides down the windowsill, his feet landing eerily quiet on the floor. Watching Noé snore undisturbed, he’s quite sure he’s met what must be the worst vampire of his kind. What else explains his utter lack of awareness of danger? Vanitas imagines slipping right next to him and sliding a dagger across his throat or put the barrel right above his heart, pulling the trigger.

    He’s so easy, Vanitas thinks, barely holding back a scoff. In so many ways.

    Noé shifts, and Vanitas stops, only noticing then he’s already crossed the room and has almost reached Noé’s bedside. And that’s another thing he can’t stand about Noé: He makes Vanitas do things impulsively, barely spending another thought if what he’s about to do is beneficial or utterly disastrous—no matter that, in most cases he is already moving, already talking, and it’s so aggravating that 80 percent of what he’s saying in a sentence starts or ends with Noé’s name on his lips. Like a blessing, like a prayer. Vanitas doesn’t pray, not anymore. He’s stopped long ago, and no God, Saint or Martyr’s promise of benediction would be enough for a reward to make him resume.

    So they punish him, and surely Noé is just another part of what they hold in store for him. Another explanation isn’t possible, because why of all nights in which he has visited Noé, this time he wakes up, his warning only a little hum before Vanitas is met with a sleepy face and white hair adorably ruffled.

    No, not adorable, he tells himself. Terrible. Annoying.

    “Vanitas?” Noé’s voice is rough on the edges and thick with sleep. “You can’t sleep?”

    Vanitas feels challenged to say, “No, watching people sleep is one of my many exotic hobbies!” but he’s tired and sort of really desperate for some form of rest, so defeated, he admits, “No, I can’t.”

    Noé considers him with more regard, and Vanitas wonders what he thinks, watching him stand in his room, barefoot and with deep shadows under his eyes. Just the previous day, he'd commented that Vanitas wasn’t looking well at all, and he'd asked if they should rest for a while. Vanitas had pressed on even harder, refusing Noé another good look at his battered form.

    The silence stretches before them like a lazy beast, unmoving but still ready to pounce any second. Eventually, Noé offers with a carefully even voice, “Do you want to know what always helped me falling asleep when I was a child?”

    Vanitas scoffs. “No, I really don’t.”

    “Good,” Noé says, either not noticing or ignoring Vanitas rolling his eyes. “Whenever I couldn’t fall asleep, I’d go to Domi’s room and climb into her bed. Knowing someone was beside me helped, and I can sleep much better with someone warm next to me.”

    “My, do I look like a ten year old boy, barely able to fend for myself that I need to share my bed with someone?” Vanitas cocks his head to the side, squinting at Noé from under his black lashes. “And who would want to lie next to a rough sleeper like you, ending up as a body pillow for your serving!”

    Noé arches a slim, white eyebrow and lifts his blanket. Vanitas stares at him for a moment, then moves towards him like a moth to the flame and crawls under the sheets, settling right next to the other boy. “What a splendid idea!” no one says, because it isn’t.

    Noé is a furnace beside him. Whatever space Vanitas tries to bring between them, he immediately bridges, pressing his arm against Vanitas’s.

    “Dominique is going to kill me if she hears about this,” he murmurs into the darkness, ignoring how Noé’s calf feels against his bare ankle. “If you so much as mention it to her, I will haunt you down and slay you.”

    Noé hums as he turns around to face him, snuggling into the blanket. Vanitas tries to lie as still as possible. He imagines he is a rock at the bottom of a vast sea where he’s been for hundreds of years and will remain for another hundreds of years. It works until he feels Noé’s warm breath ghost over his cheek and in his imagination, Vanitas sees the rock carried away with the water current.

    “She won’t bother,” Noé says. “Like I said, we used to do that all the time as kids. Me, Domi and—” The sudden silence feels like the air sucked out of the room so no sound can travel. Vanitas can feel his shoulders tense, his breath caught somewhere on the way from his lungs to his mouth.

    Don’t say Louis, don’t say Louis, he thinks.

    “And Louis,” Noé finishes quietly, another breath on Vanitas’s skin.

    “Then we must be talking about a different Dominique,” Vanitas says, not indulging at all in the boy that’s written in blood on Noé’s tongue and hands. “But then again, you are her favourite thing, and she would do anything for you. Do me one favour, would you? Don’t invite me to your wedding.”

    Noé makes a strange, curious sound, and draws his knees up to his chest. Vanitas tries to accommodate by moving further towards the edge but half of his body is already hanging off, barely covered by the blanket. He shivers and turns to his side, now facing Noé and notices too late what a terrible idea that is with only a few inches separating their faces. His eyes shift from Noé’s ears to his cheekbones and focus on where his lashes throw dark shadows on his skin.

    “Wedding?” Noé blinks up at him. “Me and Domi? What makes you think that we would marry?”

    “What makes you think you won’t?”

    “Dominique is like a sister to me.” Noé hums another little, low note, leaning his head forward. Vanitas leans back. “No, she is the sister I always wished for. I love her as family.”

    “Why, go and break her heart like that.” Vanitas sighs, faking a concerned huff. Either the soft fabric just under the tip of his fingers is his own coat or Noé’s pyjama, and he doesn’t dare moving to find out. “Or maybe you’re actually naive enough to believe she feels the same way.”

    “Why wouldn’t she?” He can practically hear the other boy frowning. “I’m certain she too loves me as a brother. And should she ever decide to marry, I’ll surely be sad, but it doesn’t matter as long as she’s happy. I just know she’ll be a beautiful bride.”

    Vanitas rolls his eyes, unable to believe such gullibility and there’s nothing he wants to do more than claw his way into Noé’s heart and see what makes him tick like that, what mechanics work to produce such a strange specimen like him. But before he can give back a snark remark, Noé suddenly asks, “What about you?”

    “Oh, I would make a lovely bride, thank you for asking.”

    “No, I mean marriage,” Noé says after a poorly restrained chuckle. “Are you considering to marry Jeanne?”

    Vanitas’s mouth forms a little ‘o’ before he barks out a laugh. “What in Heaven’s sake makes you think that?” he says, pressing one hand against his forehead because surely whatever Noé comes up with now will give him the headache that’s asserted itself within him since their first encounter.

    Noé is quiet for a moment, then whispers, “Because you love her.”

    Vanitas stops laughing. The headache doesn’t come, it’s dulled by the strange tone in Noé’s voice, one he fails to identify. It’s like grabbing mist, the whitish mystery clearly visible but slipping through his fingers.

    “That is a very strong assumption,” he starts slowly, hearing the edge in his own voice. “But tell me, Noé, do you see me as someone who is capable of loving?” Noé’s breath hitches, his answer clear to Vanitas before even spoken, so quickly, and with a voice dark and hard, like late-winter ice, he adds, “A vampire of all things?”

    Noé’s breath hitches again, this time sounding like a knife stabbed into his side. It does something funny to Vanitas, makes his heart jump a little out of tact, and he feels a smile slowly forming his lips into a crooked line. His hand sneaks up from under the blanket and reaches to grab a white lock, playing a contrast of black and white between his gloved fingers.

    “I don’t love, Noé,” he whispers, pushing his cheek into the pillow that smells of Noé. “Not you, not Jeanne. Not humans, and certainly not vampires. I only consume those of value to my cause.” Like you. Like Jeanne and that boy she holds so dear.

    Noé seems to understand, but he doesn’t pull away from Vanitas’s touch, which speaks volumes of whatever this connection between them is. No, he slightly turns his head, nuzzling into Vanitas’s hand, and with a shudder Vanitas realises how vulnerable the inside of his wrist is just inches away from Noé’s mouth and those hidden teeth that can easily rip apart his skin.

    In this short moment he begs to whatever deities currently punishing him that he would bite him. Because then everything would easily fall into place, and he could kill Noé without second thought; without remorse.

    Silver lines return to Noé’s face, and Vanitas blinks up at the window, at the narrow slit showing the moon emerging behind thick clouds, making Noé look like a piece torn out of the night sky: silver and black.

    “Ah, but it seems there is someone else who adores you,” he says, his voice rising to a playful, ironic tint. He nods his chin towards the moon, and Noé turns around and away from Vanitas’s hand, blinking into the soft light. Just for a split second, his fingers twitch—toward Noé’s throat, his cheek, his lips?—but he already pulls it back under the blanket, still feeling exactly where Noé has touched him even through the thick fabric of his glove.

    “La lune?” Noé turns back to Vanitas, brows drawn together.

    “Yes, the very one. But I don’t recommend giving into it. You can only go so far on a roof after all before you reach the end.”

    “What are you talking about?”

    “You don’t know the story? About the man falling in love with the moon. He climbed up to a roof to reach her, but well. I think you can imagine the end of that.”

    “It sounds like the moon is a harsh mistress,” Noé says slowly, surprising Vanitas in joining his antics, even following his train of thought. “La belle dame sans merci,” he whispers. “Then you two aren’t so different.”

    Vanitas raises an eyebrow. “Beg your pardon?”

    “Just as distant,” he says, shifting away from Vanitas for the first time. Good, Vanitas should think. Stay away from me. But instead he goes rigid and demands, Don’t go. “Just as out of reach.”

    “Thank you, I try to keep things interesting,” Vanitas says, his voice hollow.

    Noé surprises him (there it is again, being surprised when Vanitas has sworn that he’ll never underestimate another person ever again) by giving a soft chuckle. “But that makes me want to get closer to you even more, Vanitas.”

    His mouth goes dry. His brain tries to follow up with whatever might rebuilt the wall between them, brick by brick, but instead his mind betrays him and takes over his mouth, babbling, “Did you know Alain Chartier wrote the poem about the merciless belle dame? It’s a little tacky to my taste, but then again, I wouldn’t beg anyone for their adoration. It’s a silly concept, the dialogue between the Lover and the Lady, I mean why would anyone ride out to enjoy a party, only to languish at the feet of—”

    Noé groans. He stops the onslaught of words by slapping a hand on Vanitas’s mouth. The sudden silence stretches into uncomfortable territory until Vanitas can’t bear it anymore. He stares at Noé out from the corner of his eyes, and parts his lips to drag his tongue over Noé’s fingers. Noé flinches, and looks back at him with wide eyes. What usually did the trick to gross people out (Dante for example was fairly familiar with this concept and never failed to meet Vanitas’s expectations to draw away quickly) doesn’t work on Noé. He remains transfixed on Vanitas’s face as if all secrets of the universe display on his features, and Vanitas starts to questions his action. Suddenly, Noé shifts. He props himself on one elbow and leans over him, casting a long shadow over his upper body.

    Just then, Vanitas realises what a dangerous situation he’s in. Up until this moment, he thought Noé to be shy, but that isn’t right at all. Noé is quiet resolve, and steadfast loyalty, he is the very silence ready to pounce and turn peace into havoc. It’s evident in how he watches Vanitas behind half closed eyes, those ruby mirrors considering him with an unreadable expression. His heart picks up, and before he can ascertain if this is a game he can win, he answers with sultry eyes himself, and mouths “Kiss me” against Noé’s skin.

    It’s just out of curiosity, he tells himself. He wants to rile Noé up a little, see how far he can go and where he draws the line. Maybe Noé won’t do a thing and play the blushing maiden Vanitas imagines him to be. They both know it’s a dare Noé will lose because he respects Vanitas’s boundaries too much, and that little victory satisfies him already enough to smile into Noé’s hand triumphantly.

    Noé considers him with a blank expression before his eyes slowly drift to his hand where it’s still secured over Vanitas’s mouth. Something changes in his eyes, they grow soft, and Vanitas immediately regrets what he’s done because he can’t bear the warmth in them, the unspoken promise of whatever Noé is willing to give him. He thinks about squirming out of the boy's touch, but he’s started moving his hand already, settling on Vanitas’s eyes. His heart stops. Rotten memories claw at the edge of his mind, hungry hyenas demanding blood and misery that this kind of darkness brings. Before he can lash out and push Noé away, soft moon light illuminates the darkness behind his closed eyes again, and he takes a deep, shaky breath, only now noticing that he’s stopped breathing. His eyes snap open, locking with Noé’s as he brushes black bangs out of Vanitas’s face. The moon shines a halo around Noé when he leans down and kisses his forehead.

    It’s perfect.

    Vanitas hates it.

    He doesn’t move.

    Noé’s lips are surprisingly soft. So is his smell, a faint fragrance of sandalwood with the sharp tint of clove and something coppery hidden under the layers, and there’s nothing better to describe it than home. The realisation cuts him in a sharp, painful flash, one that robs him of the air he’s only just now regained. Noé is careful that no other part of their bodies is touching, and it’s the last act of kindness that pushes something in him into a bottomless, black hole.

    His fingers splay on Noé’s chest as he pushes him away, staring up into a slightly flushed face. The blushing maiden. Despite everything, it makes Vanitas smile.

    “You live dangerous, my friend,” he murmurs, playing with a shirt button close to Noé’s collarbones. “But I will condone it this once. It seems I forgot one gets burned when playing with fire.”

    Noé leans back, one hand beside Vanitas’s head carrying his weight, contemplating. Vanitas already knows whatever he’s going to say, it won’t be good.

    “I never thought of you as someone who would yield to anything,” Noé says eventually. “Not even fire.” And quieter, he adds, “Ignis aurom probat.” Fire tests gold.

    A shudder ripples through Vanitas’s body, stealing his control and causing him to laugh involuntarily because he doesn’t see himself as pure as gold, and Noé is so much more than a simple fire. Noé is a searing blaze, devastating cities and forests and leaving ashes of their self, allowing them to rebuild and regrow and turn away from an unwanted past. Vanitas would gladly sell his soul for such an opportunity, but he’s shackled by the shadow of a little boy half his height with a sweet voice and eyes the fairest blue even the sky envies.

    “You’re quite the charmer, but you do know what they say about gold, don’t you?”

    Noé hesitates, shifting a little, and even Vanitas with the little imagination that he has, can quite clearly picture how the muscles must shift beneath Noé’s dark skin on his back. He closes his eyes and breathes through his mouth. “Gold gives to the ugliest thing a certain charming air, For that without it were else a miserable affair.”

    Noé pales. “I didn’t mean—”

    “Shhh.” Vanitas smiles a smile Lucifer must have worn just seconds before God banished him from Heaven. His eyes don’t leave Noé for a second when he lifts a finger and presses it against Noé’s lips.

    “I know, you didn’t mean to.” He rolls his eyes, voice in a mocking tone imitating what Noé was going to say because he’s easily predictable. “And you would never hurt me. But that makes us different. Because I will gladly hurt you if you let me.” He follows the soft curve of Noé’s lower lip with the tip of his finger until he reaches the corner of his mouth. There he curls his finger inside and pulls one side into a crooked smile. A sharp tooth grazes his skin, not quiet enough to break it, but a shiver travels down his back nonetheless.

    Noé pulls Vanitas’s hand away from his face, looking down at him like he’s a strange animal he’s never seen before. A dull sadness settles over his eyes, but it’s too quick for Vanitas to really acknowledge.

    “Not gold then,” Noé concludes with resolution in his voice. “But quicksilver.” And with that, he places Vanitas’s hand carefully back on his chest, and retreats to his side of the bed, laying down so Vanitas is faced with his broad back, his body completely turned towards the moon.

    Vanitas blinks, stretching out one hand to follow the curve of Noé’s spine in the air with a finger, imagining what it would feel like to curl against this strong body and hold onto something what won’t break under his touch. He stays like that until he hears calm, deep breathing. Only then he lifts that same finger that’s been inside Noé’s mouth to his lips and sucks slowly until his mind talks him into believing it’s actually Noé he tastes.

    I don’t love, he repeats over and over in his head until his eyes fall close and he drifts into a dreamless sleep.

    The next morning starts just like Vanitas has always feared a morning sleeping beside another body would go. Waking up slowly to a woman’s voice in the far distance, he’s still walking on this slim line between sleeping and waking, a coma really, when his conscience registers a heavy arm around his waist and warm breath in his neck. His body locks up into one painful, tense muscle; all desperate instinct and frightened awareness because No, I don’t want Doctor to touch me, and he starts frantically scrabbling for the dagger below his pillow only to find nothing. Vanitas feels punched back to when he’s eleven and caged under Moreau’s heavy, naked body, a choked whimper like a wounded animal leaving his mouth. The arm moves, allowing the tiniest leeway. Vanitas doesn’t think. He swings his arm as hard as he can and hears the satisfying crack of a bone breaking. The man beside him gives a surprised shout, and Vanitas jumps to his feet, ready to break more than bones as the door crashes open at the same time, a woman storming inside.

    “Noé?” Dominique cries, taking in how he's bent forward on the bed, holding his face. It doesn’t stop the blood dripping all over the white sheets, and Vanitas grows cold when her sharp eyes land on him, a furious hate boiling inside them. “What have you done, human?” she hisses, reaching Noé’s hunched form within few steps.

    Vanitas is lost for words, a quite frequent reaction whenever he’s in Noé’s proximity. But it isn’t like anything he’ll say can excuse or save him from Dominique’s wrath, so he just stands there, dumbfounded, and watches her valuate the graveness of Noé’s broken nose, wondering if the man who’s fallen off the roof in the pursuit of his love lost as much blood as Noé right now and if that was worthwhile, or if he’d have rather poisoned himself with quicksilver.

    Not that it matters.

    Both end in a painful, slow death.

I saw pale kings and princes too, Pale warriors, death-pale were they all; They cried—‘La Belle Dame sans Merci Thee hath in thrall!’

[John Keats]

#philliamwrites #ap3 #fanfiction #the case study of vanitas #vanitas no carte #vannoe #vanitas #noe

[devintrinidad]

I know I’ve been popping out CAW aus a lot (been inspired by all the CAW stuff). But here’s one that just came to me and I really like it.

Superhero au.

1146 and the rest of the Squad are superheroes. Their powers are pretty much similar canon abilities: Able to sense and pinpoint evil. Powerful blade attacks they can materialize out of the air (like Final fantasy characters can). Lot’s of superhuman physical power, agility and endurance. They can go unhinged and brutal to make themselves 100x more lethal. 

Their power is tied to their emotions. Sometimes the traits they repress get amplified. 1146 being so emotional and kids swinging means he almost has a completely different personality and even gets surprised by how he acted when he transforms back to normal.

They call themselves… A lot of names actually. None if them can agree on one name. It’s why the public calls the those psychos or berserker freaks (not even in a mean spirited away. They just honestly think that’s their name since no one corrected them. Even their enemies call them that). They call themselves the Squad bit still argue what would be the coolest team name. 

1146 is the only one who doesn’t have a superhero name. He can’t decide or be bothered by it. He only wants to save people not come up with names (nevermind the first few times he tried he got laughed at). 

As a civilian 1146 is a unsociable but good guy. His family owns a famous museum that he works at and is looking forward to inheriting someday as his own. He’s very knowledgable of history and ancient artifacts. A fact that helps him since he became a superhero from one of those artifacts and must keep evil from gathering more. The job is also flexible in allowing him to prioritize his superhero life and his family does know about his and his friends double lives.

Their are certain people in the world that are born possessing some kind of power/life energy that the evil beings they fight love to eat for power or use in other ways to further their world altering plan. Those people in this world are basically the RBCs (you since in canon RBCs are targeted by invaders so it’s the same here). 

Enter 3803 and her friends. They all have successful jobs and doing well. But 3803 is fresh out of college and working multiple jobs to pay off debts. She works as a part time pizza delivery woman and has just landed a job at 1146’s family museum as a Visitor Services Associate. Despite her troubles she brightens up 1146’s day and eventually over the months he comes to regard her as a good friend. After any hard nights of battling evil, her sunny disposition and cheerful smiles and chatter renew his spirit.

Which is a bit alarming because 3803 has the highest amount of RBC energy he’s seen and she’s a constant target. 3803 thinks she’s the unluckiest person alive because she keeps running into all these evil creatures while she delivers pizzas. But she also thinks she has some luck because she keeps walking out of it alive and able to deliver her pizza. What she doesn’t know is that 1146 follows her Every night to protect her. Which means he gets to observe her a lot in the moments she thinks no one is watching. He does come to appreciate her hot blooded determination to not lose her job (she keeps getting lost and if she’s late too much again she’ll be fired. Monsters or no monsters). As a civilian he tries to find ways to give her more money so she’ll quit her pizza delivery and work at just the museum. He doesn’t like how her other job puts her in so much danger from both monsters and your average thug. But 3803 is stubborn and refuses to abandon her job. She wants to become better and earn her money. Plus despite the danger she really does enjoy her pizza delivery job. 

She ends up meeting 1146’s superhero alter ego after he saves her from her closest call yet. Instead of running away or being too afraid, 3803 thanks him. He keeps his distance in fear she’ll some how recognize him but also isn’t too worried. His personality as a superhero is pretty different then his normal one (louder. Less guarded. More happy acting. More goofy. More violent. Goes on very lengthy poetic epic speeches and speaks in a flowery manner). 3803 comments she reads up on him and his friends and thanks him for saving her and everyone. She asks what to call him and when he says nothing. She coins him White Blood because his outfit is completely white and when he summons his blades it initially looks like blood. He instantly adopts the name. In gratitude he impulsively kisses her on the cheek and declares how amazing she is. Right when she processes what happened and she’s about to thank him. His senses go off and he declares in a very poetic and majestic way he must vanquish the insipid beasts that threaten the world he must never stop fighting for.

He kisses her on the mouth and calls her his fair red hot blooded maiden that makes his heart beat before running off to jump buildings.

The next day 1146 does not want to get up. 

He’s so embarrassed and appalled he did and said what he did that he can’t face the world anymore. He knew had had a bit of a attraction to 3803 but he didn’t know it was that bad. He’d never have talked to her as White Blood if he had known (even though she gave him a really cool name). His life is over….

He gets over it when the night calls and he goes on patrol to take his nervous restless energy out on bad guys. 

Of course his luck would have him rescuing 3803. This time he’s prepared and manages to give her a very long winded apology fur his uncouth behavior. But then he ends up giving another speech in the form of a poem about how amazing she us and how much he liked to kiss her and never stop-

She stops him there. She accepts the apology and gives him a even bigger shocker. She evades the common cliche of the love interest not figuring out the Superheroe’s identity as her friend. She points out his voice is kind of similar to 1146 and he’s the same height. 1146 is a very protective person who always offers to accompany her or anyone else in places that he seems dangerous alone. Despite how many times 1146 expressed not liking her night job, he never onced offered to drive her, check up on her or even call her on the phone to make sure she’s okay like he does when she goes to places in the day time that are unfamiliar to her. He’s never in the same place as White Blood. He has 4 friends. White Blood has 4 teammates. Both are protective justice freaks. 1146 has a book of poems and philosophies she accidently found when cleaning his desk and they sound very similar to White Bloods musings. 

And when he kissed her, he got close enough for her to smell his cologne which is the same as 1146’s.

He’s floored but otherwise shrugs it off and accepts the love of his life knows and he goes from chill to excitable over it.

The love is kind of one sided at first. He doesn’t mind. But he is sheepish he can’t help but flirt with her so much as White Blood. 3803 at most gets flustered and blush blush over it. But she rolls with it. 1146 and White Blood are the same person and She finds it fascinating how much she learns about him as White Blood (the poems about his love for her get to be a little much at times. She learns fast to never bring them up to 1146 put of uniform because he will turn redder then het hair and ditch life for a few days) She kind of becomes a bit of a sidekick to White Blood. Retrieving artifacts for him when he needs them and always calling his friends when he needs help. She ends up doing odd jobs all around the museum to make his life easier. 

When she does grow to fall in love with him and asks him to be her boyfriend, she gives him her promise ring her parents gave her to give to the love of her life. He wears it on a chain necklace around his neck next to his artifact so he never loses it or has to ever take it off. 

~~~

AHHHH, that was so adorable! I’m glad that you really gave 3803 some agency and the observational skills that really subverted the cliche. I’m glad that you did that, a lot of authors would have gone with the cliche route (even though it’s a trope that I like a little). It was really adorable and honestly, White Blood reminds me of Basophil... except for the fact that he’s more... loud and happy???

Hahaha! Great job!

This put a smile on my face! Thanks you for all your aus. It was truly a treat and I hope that you have a wonderful day! :D

#cells at work #hataraku saibou #caw anon #caw #anon ask #devintrinidad author #devintrinidad #devin trinidad author #devin trinidad #submission

[rallis-fatalis]

The Making of a Monster

The Battle of Dragons changed many things for Rallis. She was seen as a betrayer. She was hunted by bounty hunters and slayers alike. People across the world wanted her dead for one reason or another. She began to hate the world and everyone in it. But her real enemies weren't the people after her life or her newfound power. It was something much more wicked and inescapable, something that began to turn her into the monster the world wanted her to be.

Rallis held a hand out. "Watch your step."

Peg was glad to take it, stumbling down the rocky entrance to Taverley Dungeon. She tripped into Rallis as she hopped over piles of stones. Adam stumbled a bit more gracefully behind her.

As the three steadied themselves, Rallis smiled and held her arms out. "Welcome to my old home!"

Peg had been assigned to look into an issue regarding the hellhounds of Taverley Dungeon and Adam and Rallis tagged along at her request. Apparently the dogs were leaving their normal territory and growing far more aggressive. Someone needed to look into it and report back with findings and the girl was a bit too nervous to investigate the beasts on her own.

Peg rubbed her eyes and looked around. "It's pretty dark in here."

"Don't worry, it gets brighter deeper in. Humans hang up torches and other lights and there's lots of lava that keeps the caves warm and bright," Rallis informed.

Her eyes quickly began to adjust, raccoon-cursed eyesight kicking in. Sometimes her curse was a blessing in disguise, she supposed. Adam meanwhile was blind as a bat. He flicked out his lighter to light the way until they got farther in. Rallis eagerly pulled the girl deeper into the dungeon as Adam followed behind.

"So you've never been in here, right?" Rallis asked Peg. She didn't wait for her answer. "This place is great! There's so many friendly dragons and warm spots to sleep in and lots of small spaces to crawl through and explore! It's great! My momma and brothers live here too. I'm gonna visit them when we're done. Hey, do you guys wanna visit them too?! Momma Blue is the best, you'll love her!"

Rallis continued to gush and narrate as they went, neither of her companions ever able to get a word in. She had stories about everything they walked by, even for the smallest cracks in the stone walls.

"Don't get too distracted," Adam reminded her when she finally paused. "We're here to investigate the hellhounds, not explore your old home."

"I know, I know!" Rallis said with a pout. "But if we get this done fast then we can explore! We're almost in their territory anyway."

She motioned for them to listen and sure enough they could hear savage growling echoing off the cavern walls. The beasts were just up ahead. Peg bristled, Adam readied his shield just in case.

"Try not to start a fight with them," Rallis said. "They're one of the few animals I don't get along with. I won't be able to tell them to go away or that we're not bad."

Adam nodded and motioned to a large pile of rocks up ahead. "We should be able to safely hide behind those and watch the hounds. Keep low and quiet."

The three quietly snuck behind cover and looked into the pit that now stood before them. Their rocky barrier stood on the edge of a rather large ledge that descended into a wide pit full of hellhounds. Large holes dotted the cavern walls, presumably dens for the dogs. Laying around the pit were hellhounds of varying size, and they all looked dangerously underweight. One was so thin all its ribs poked through its short red fur and its skin sagged around its face. Others weren't nearly as bad but it was apparent the entire pack was weak and starved with hardly the energy to stand.

"They're not eating," Rallis whispered. "I've never seen them this weak before. They're normally strong enough to drive dragons out of their dens in a big enough pack!"

"Are they sick?" Adam wondered.

Peg hushed them quickly. "Something's coming! Be quiet!"

On the far side of the pit, three hellhounds growled as they dragged a corpse behind them. The rest of the pack perked up at the noise. The three dogs tossed their kill to the middle of the pit and the rest of the pack staggered over, drooling.

Rallis blinked in surprise. "They killed a human to eat? That's not normal. They should have plenty of food that's far less dangerous to kill."

The three watched as the hounds debated over who could eat. "Red robes," Adam pointed out. "A Zamorakian mage? That's ironic."

"Not a mage, a druid!" Rallis corrected. "The bad druids live all the way on the other end of the cave system. That's not a short trip by any means. Why would they hunt all the way over there?"

"You move to the food when there isn't any nearby," Peg said. "They look desperate enough to risk a fight." She knew she was growing up on the streets. The dogs were no different.

Three small hellhounds, hardly the size of a full grown cat, ran over to the dead man and began to eat. A tired adult dog trailed after them, weakly dragging its feet along the ground. The pack watched as the four of them ate their portion before jumping in to latch onto any scraps left.

"A mom and puppies!" Rallis exclaimed.

"They're adorable!" Peg couldn't help but blurt.

"And they're extra mouths to feed," Adam said. "But three puppies surely can't be enough to make an entire pack of hellhounds thin as sticks. What do they normally hunt, Rallis?"

"Overgrown spiders and the other big bugs and mammals that wander around, usually. They used to eat the lava fish too but the dragons have taken all those spots over since the humans drove the dragons back. Sometimes they'll hunt humans that wander by unprepared and on super rare occasions they'll try to hunt a dragon. I've only ever really seen them actively hunt in the bug and mammal dens though."

"It might be a good idea to investigate there then," Adam said. "Show us the way?"

"You got it! Let's go!"

Rallis continued to lead her companions through the winding tunnels of the dungeon. To Adam and Peg, this new section of tunnels hardly looked any different from the last, but to Rallis it was an entirely new neighborhood. "This is where most of the mammals gather," she said as she motioned to the wide cavern filled with den holes. "Lots of big rats and other huge rodents and the like." She sniffed the air and frowned. "Something isn't right though. Nothing is here and hasn't been for a while. The scents are stale."

"The dogs could have hunted enough to cause the animals to move, perhaps?" Adam suggested. "Or they ate them to extinction down here."

"Nature doesn't do that," Rallis said. "Animals know better and there's a balance that's maintained between all creatures. Which means this isn't caused by something in the natural food chain. It must be a hu--"

An ear splitting screech rattled the walls. The trio flinched and covered their ears as they waited for the sound to pass. Silence followed for a short moment only to be succeeded by ferocious roars.

"There's no doubt that's a dragon," Adam informed.

"And she's in trouble!" Rallis exclaimed. She ran off as fast as she could down the tunnels, leaving her companions trailing after her dust.

The dragon's roars grew louder with every twist and turn, until every growl and snap was punctuated by the sound of metal. 'A human!' Rallis thought with a snarl. She unfurled her whip and ran faster.

One final corner turn led her to a black dragon's nest. A mother was standing guard protecting her three children as a human geared in dragon hunting attire stood her down. One of the three babies had been stabbed by the hunter's lance but luckily it wasn't lethal. The poor thing was collapsed in the nest as its two siblings licked the wound in its leg. The mother had taken a beating as well, sporting stab wounds in her front legs and paws and a deep swipe across her face. Rallis screeched and dove at the attacker, wrapping her icy whip around his neck before he had a chance to react. He choked as he tried to pry it away, and the mother dragon took advantage of the situation. She let loose hellfire onto the hunter, but even under attack by a new enemy he didn't forget his basics. He threw up his shield and the flames bounced harmlessly to the side, nearly burning the two new arrivals on the scene. Adam turned away and covered Peg, protecting her from any stray flames and taking a nasty burn to the back. He winced and pulled her away from the fight, hiding her behind the rock piles of the nearby opening back into the tunnels. Neither of them were equipped to be near a wild dragon fight.

Rallis snarled and yanked on her whip harder. It came undone and lashed back to her side, but not before ripping a hole in the hunter's armor. His neck was exposed now and a prime target for Rallis' fangs. She lunged for the opening but it seemed the hunter was no pushover. He blocked her mid lunge and shoved her away with a bash of his shield. The dragon landed on all fours, snarling and practically foaming at the mouth.

Suddenly, Rallis' vision began to cloud with rage. A wicked voice in her head egged her on. The cries of the baby dragons, the pain caused by this foul hunter, the knowledge that it was people like this that were ruining the ecosystem here and causing the beasts to starve, it was fuel for the fire that voice was starting. She couldn't control herself, her mind went blank save for one simple thought: kill. Rallis shrieked and dashed at the hunter, mouth open wide. He caught her with the pole of his lance, her teeth scraping the metal and chomping down in hopes of breaking it. The hunter kicked her and sent her flying down the tunnel, passed Adam and Peg, out of the dragon's den, and into a clearing farther back. Rallis scrambled up with a snarl and her claws and eyes began to glow the faintest bit blue.

Adam realized what was about to happen and knew it needed to be stopped before it started. "You stay here!" he demanded from Peg and ran ahead with his shield at the ready.

The hunter strode closer to Rallis, cocky and far too confident. He knew she would lunge again, and sure enough she did. Just like before, he blocked her futile attempts to harm him, but this time one of her scratches burned. Her fresh claw marks across his shield had caught fire, blue flames eating away at the protectiveness of the shield. He shouted beneath his helm and dropped the shield before it erupted in a blaze of glory. Rallis struck again, and this time he blocked with his lance. Her teeth caught hold once more, but now the sound of bending metal pierced the hunter's ears. With a mighty crunch, Rallis snapped the lance in two. The hunter cried out and staggered back, staring aghast at the half a spear in his possession. The other half melted away in her mouth, molten goo trickling down her chin.

She smiled and chuckled savagely. "Stupid little human. Your life ends here for your crimes. Maybe I'll make those dogs happy and feed your corpse to them!"

The hunter cried out and threw his arms up in defence as Rallis lunged once more, only this time she didn't make contact. Adam had caught her on his shield and swiftly grabbed and pinned her before she could strike back. He turned to the terrified hunter and shouted. "Get out of here! Now!"

He didn't need to be told twice, running for his life and disappearing into the darkness of the cavernous dungeon. Rallis snarled and thrashed beneath her captor, snapping her fangs every which way in hopes of grabbing something to crush in her rage. He managed to grab her by the snout and hold it shut. "Rallis, you get ahold of yourself right now!" he commanded. He was furious, her rage-filled rampage endangering both him and Peg in what was supposed to be a simple scouting mission. The girl in question was still hiding, watching the scene unfold from a safe distance.

The blue glow left Rallis's eyes, but the fury stayed. "YOU LET HIM GET AWAY!" she snarled.

"Of course! I wasn't about to let you kill him!" he defended.

"Oh but it's fine that he tried to kill my friends?!" Rallis snapped. "And that it's his kind that's ruining the lives of everything here?!"

"No it's not but that doesn't give you the right to murder the man either!" Adam barked back.

"AND WHY NOT?!" Rallis roared, fury burning wilder in her eyes, and shoved her friend off her. "He is a slayer, a monster! He was made to murder and kill and destroy! He deserves nothing less than death!"

That was it. That sent Adam over the edge. He was shaking with a rage he couldn't hold back, a slew of scathing remarks just waiting to burst out. Endangering their lives, nearly murdering someone once more, and now this?! He had had enough of her growing mindless ferality as of late and couldn't stop what wanted to come out of his mouth. "Oh 'made,' huh? I'm sure you know all about that, don't you?" he started, borderline venom dripping from his voice. He was beyond incensed at her outburst. "Tell me Rallis, what were you made for?! And how is that going?! When will you realize you do not have the right to murder someone because of what they are?! PEOPLE CAN CHANGE!" His shouting echoed throughout the cavern, bouncing off the walls to taunt her again and again.

All grew quiet. Adam calmed himself with a huff, Peg stared at the scene in silence, and Rallis stepped back, ears starting to droop and eyes wide. What emotion was that splashed across her face? Anger? Shock? Heartbreak? For a moment, she looked broken, the weight of her friend's words forcing countless emotions to storm inside her. But she caught herself enough to fight back. "You think... I don't know that?" she replied, much quieter than either of their previous yelling. Her fury was gone, replaced by a scared and quiet sadness. "I'm friends with you, aren't I, 'Bull'?" She emphasized the last word with a hiss. Adam's breath hitched in his throat at the title. She turned away from him, couldn't bear to look at him any longer. "Some people can change, I know. But most never will... Not even..."

What sounded like 'me' caught in her throat, trapped by the sound of a cracking voice and the beginning of tears. Without another word, Rallis ran off, leaving Adam and Peg far behind.

__________________________________________________

Adam was about to finish his third beer that night at the Rising Sun Inn. He intended to drink until the rising sun, just like the name said. He even let Peg get a drink of her own, a definitive sign something was wrong and it was time to worry. He slammed the dregs of his drink back and lifted his empty mug to the barmaid. "Wontchu be a dear and hand me another one, Emily?"

The woman thought about saying no, but at the end of the day she needed money and was running low. She slid him another as he dropped more gold onto the counter. He immediately started to drink.

Peg sighed. On a normal day she would be ecstatic to break the "no alcohol" rule. But as she watched Adam drown himself in the golden ale, she just felt sad.

Adam noticed her sad stares after another long swig. "What's got you down? We finished the job! Those mutts had their food supply scared off by hunters and now they're dying. Now we report back and life is peachy. Easy job!"

The girl grumbled. It was most certainly not the stupid job that was weighing her down. "I can't believe I'm about to be the responsible one and tell you to stop drinking and go find Rallis. It's been hours."

Adam sighed through his nose. "She'll know where we are. I'm sure the last thing she wants to be around right now are humans." He said the word in an almost mocking tone but he didn't really mean it. Even he was a bit upset human intervention had begun to ruin an entire ecosystem, even if it was for monsters.

"You should still go find her. You really messed her up."

Adam looked ashamedly into the mug and took another small sip. "I suppose I did."

"What did you say even mean?" the girl asked. "What were you made for, or something? Really freaked her out."

He hummed thoughtfully. "I suppose I never did tell you. I found out a good while after we joined the Myths' Guild, after she came back, so it wouldn't have come up during our trek back to the Guild." He took another sip of beer. "You understand she's an experiment, right? Made by some dragonkin from fuck knows how long ago."

Peg nodded. It wasn't something she actively thought about, but she knew. To her Rallis was just Rallis, her friendly dragon partner. But she supposed when you got down to the facts, it was true; Rallis wasn't a natural being.

"Well, what you wouldn't know is what she was made for," Adam continued. He paused, thinking over whether he should say it or not. He hushed his voice so only Peg could hear. "She's a bioweapon, and a dangerous one."

Peg sputtered. "What?! That's not--! That can't be--! There's no way that's true!"

"Lower your voice," he scolded. "There's a lot of evidence that points to it, a lot of which I've seen firsthand. It's safe to assume that Rallis was created with the purpose of destruction." He stopped Peg from interrupting him. "But that doesn't mean she has to be that way. That's what I believe anyway. Don't you agree?"

"Hell yeah I agree!" she exclaimed. "She's no weapon! She's just... Rallis! She's our friend!" She thought back to what Adam had said during their argument in the caves and realization dawned. "Oh so that's why what you said freaked her out. Don't you think that was kinda low?"

"It did come off that way didn't it?" he asked with a grimace. "I was just so frustrated. She needs to realize that people can change, no matter who or what they are, and that killing them because you don't agree with them isn't acceptable. And she needs to realize that she can change too. No one is 'made' for anything. They choose what they are, and they can always change."

"You should tell her that," Peg encouraged. "I don't think I've ever seen her run off like that before. You really hurt her, you dumbass, and you should apologize."

Adam smiled and finished off his last beer. "How funny to hear you being the responsible one for once! I like it! But you're right. I need to find her. I'll be back in a bit."

______________________________________________________

Adam had been looking for Rallis for what felt like hours, scouring every inch of Taverley and the open area west of Falador. He was regretting drinking so much before going back on a trek in the black of night. He was tripping over everything and his head had begun to ache. He really hoped she wasn't somewhere in the dungeon. If that were true he'd never find her. Luckily a druid by the river managed to point him in the right direction, toward the end of the river as it poured out into the ocean. Sure enough, there she was, sitting in the sandy dirt beside the water as she solemnly watched the waves come and go. She hugged her legs to her chest and rest her head atop them, making her seem even smaller than usual. Adam quietly stepped closer.

"Rallis..." he whispered, sound nearly vanishing on the slow crash of the waves. Rallis jolted to attention, not expecting Adam of all people to visit, but also not willing to turn around and face him.

She sniffled and wiped her face with her arm. "Go away, Adam," she cried, voice hoarse and raw. "Leave me alone."

He deflated. Hearing her of all people choke out through tears that she wanted him gone, it cut deep. He tried to think of what to say, how to even begin repairing the damage done. "... I'm sorry," he started honestly. "I really am. What I said, it wasn't right of me."

Rallis sniffled again, lowering her head back onto her knees. She didn't know if she accepted that apology just yet. She thought for a moment in the silence. "...Tell me," she asked the crashing waves. "What were you made for?"

Adam furrowed his brow in confusion. "Huh?"

"What were you made for?" she asked again. "Your purpose in life, what is it?"

"I... Well, I've never really found an answer to that that I've been satisfied with. Redemption, perhaps. I suppose I don't truly know yet."

Rallis scrunched even farther in on herself. "You don't know because you weren't made. You were born, as all humans are. You're all born, given the ability to do whatever you want in life with no force telling you what to do. You make your own decisions, your own goals, your own path. You live free, without something commanding you behind the scenes, without being a puppet. You have choices, you can change, you have no force pulling you back onto some predestined path, and you can find your own purpose. All because you were born instead of made." Her voice lowered, the sound of the waves swallowing it up. "I'm not like that..."

Adam stepped closer until he was only a few paces away. "How do you figure you're not like that too?"

Rallis growled, more at herself than anyone, and spun to face her friend. Her eyes were red and her face stained with tears. "Because there's a voice in my head that constantly reminds me I was made to kill. It tells me to kill and I have to listen to it. It makes my heart burn with the desire for murder and destruction, like I was meant to feel that way. I feel like I have no choice of my own anymore! I was created to kill and I can't go against what I was made for!" Her voice raised to a shout as she spoke, until she was all but screaming at her friend. "You couldn't possibly know what that feels like! Not someone like you with the privilege of being born!"

Her face looking up at him, lost and confused and scared. It truly hurt. He had never seen her so helpless before and it broke his heart. He sat down next to her. "Oh Rallis... I probably know better than anyone." Her face begged for an answer at that. "Maybe I wasn't some science experiment made in a lab," he continued, "but I still know how you feel. There are times when it feels like I've got a voice in my head too. Sometimes it shows up and tells me I need to kill again, that I need to go back to my old ways and run wild with murderous rage. To let fury and chaos run wild and remind the world who I used to be. But I don't let it control me. I fight back. And I know you can fight back too."

Rallis turned to face the crashing waves once more. "It feels like I can't... It feels like I don't have a choice anymore." Her lips began to tremble and tears began to well up once again. "I feel like I'm going to turn into a monster one day and hurt everyone I love and there's nothing I can do to stop it." The end of her sentence broke down into sobs. She bawled into her hands and howled.

Never in their years as partners had he seen her so distraught over something. This issue ran deeper than he thought and her tormented sobs were heartbreaking. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, less awkwardly than usual. He was finally beginning to get used to this whole comforting thing.

"You'll never turn into a monster like that. You're far too good to be something so cruel. And even if you do slip up for a moment, you've got friends to smack some sense into you just like before. Like I said, people can change, and that includes you." He sat with her and let her cry until her tears ran dry. Her howls turned to sobs and those turned to whimpers then eventually sniffles. Her head fell onto his shoulder and her eyes began to fall shut. The excitement from the day topped with all her crying left her exhausted. Adam nudged her to ensure she didn't fall asleep. "Come on. It's cold out here. Let's go back to Falador and get some rest. Peg is worried about you too."

Rallis chirped in agreement and let Adam help her up. They quietly strolled back to the Rising Sun, dragon holding her friend's arm tight the whole way. She had more she wanted to say, how she was sorry for earlier, how she hoped he would stay with her even though she felt she was slowly going mad, how she wanted to ask for his help to keep her from becoming the destroyer she was meant to be. But no words came. Instead she thanked him with a purr and looked forward to putting an end to this horrid day with a restful sleep with her invaluable friends.

#oc tag #my writes #osrs #runescape

[fencer-x]

Hello! I’ve been looking for some good books to read and was wondering if you had any recommendations? I seem to just wander around the bookstore not knowing where to start.

I confess I’ve been reading nothing but fics on fics on fics (Drarry exclusively lol) for a good year now, so I haven’t touched original works in ages, though I have several of the latest installments of my favorite series waiting until I run out of good Drarry fic... (please...god...free me from this hell........)

I’ve made several recommendations for excellent M/M original works (you can always check out my reccs tag for any recommendations as well, though it includes original novels as well as manga and fic). I pretty much only read M/M fantasy (with the very VERY occasional M/M scifi or supernatural book thrown in), so I hope that’s what you’re looking for XD

Here’s a “””””””brief””””””” recap of series I particularly enjoy and go back to reread often, along with details on who might like these books and why. They’re all available via Amazon (most as Kindle reads, but some as paperbacks; some are also available from other sources as well in other formats if you prefer, for example, epub) and at reasonable prices (all but one series are under $10 per book, some under $5).

It is entirely possible you’ve read all of these, since I’ve gushed about them many a time before, and if that’s the case, I apologize I can’t rec you anything new! But maybe it’s been a while if you’ve read these before and it’s time for a reread!

The Lord of the White Hell series, by Ginn Hale - [GOODREADS BLURB: "Kiram Kir-Zaki may be considered a mechanist prodigy among his own people, but when he becomes the first Haldiim ever admitted to the prestigious Sagrada Academy, he is thrown into a world where power, superstition and swordplay outweigh even the most scholarly of achievements. But when the intimidation from his Cadeleonian classmates turns bloody, Kiram unexpectedly finds himself befriended by Javier Tornesal, the leader of a group of cardsharps, duelists and lotharios who call themselves Hellions. However Javier is a dangerous friend to have. Wielder of the White Hell and sole heir of a dukedom, he is surrounded by rumors of forbidden seductions, murder and damnation. His enemies are many and any one of his secrets could not only end his life but Kiram’s as well."] 

Read this if you like... magic and science working together, religion-borne racism and the difficulties of interracial as well as interreligious relationships, snarky aristocrats and a good mystery. And read the second book in the series definitely if you liked Yokozawa Takafumi no Baai or Sore Nari ni Shinken nan desu (I've found I really like stories where the rejected third-party from the main series gets his own happy ending, and Book 2 of this series is one such, building an entire new couple with the midway-through-the-story return of Book 1 couple so you get the best of both worlds.)

The Magpie Lord series by K.J.Charles - [GOODREADS BLURB: "Exiled to China for twenty years, Lucien Vaudrey never planned to return to England. But with the mysterious deaths of his father and brother, it seems the new Lord Crane has inherited an earldom. He’s also inherited his family’s enemies. He needs magical assistance, fast. He doesn’t expect it to turn up angry. Magician Stephen Day has good reason to hate Crane’s family. Unfortunately, it’s his job to deal with supernatural threats. Besides, the earl is unlike any aristocrat he’s ever met, with the tattoos, the attitude… and the way Crane seems determined to get him into bed. That’s definitely unusual. Soon Stephen is falling hard for the worst possible man, at the worst possible time. But Crane’s dangerous appeal isn’t the only thing rendering Stephen powerless. Evil pervades the house, a web of plots is closing round Crane, and if Stephen can’t find a way through it—they’re both going to die."] 

Read this if you like...magic and 19th century UK settings and snarky aristocrats who guard their hearts fiercely. The dynamic is fantastic, and the writing itself is gorgeous.

Whyborn & Griffin series, by Jordan Hawk - [GOODREADS BLURB: (Summary of Book 1) “Love is dangerous. Ever since the tragic death of the friend he adored, Percival Endicott Whyborne has ruthlessly suppressed any desire for another man. Instead, he spends his days studying dead languages at the museum where he works. So when handsome ex-Pinkerton Griffin Flaherty approaches him to translate a mysterious book, Whyborne wants to finish the job and get rid of the detective as quickly as possible. Griffin left the Pinkertons after the death of his partner. Now in business for himself, he must investigate the murder of a wealthy young man. His only clue: an encrypted book that once belonged to the victim. As the investigation draws them closer, Griffin’s rakish charm threatens to shatter Whyborne’s iron control. But when they uncover evidence of a powerful cult determined to rule the world, Whyborne must choose: to remain safely alone, or to risk everything for the man he loves.”] 

Read if you like... magic and the supernatural and 19th century US settings and Eldritch monsters and mystery and intrigue and adventure and era-appropriate treatment of homosexual relationships but with happy endings (and also couples of all types).

The Nightrunner series, by Lynn Flewelling - [GOODREADS BLURB: "When young Alec of Kerry is taken prisoner for a crime he didn’t commit, he is certain that his life is at an end. But one thing he never expected was his cellmate. Spy, rogue, thief, and noble, Seregil of Rhiminee is many things--none of them predictable. And when he offers to take on Alec as his apprentice, things may never be the same for either of them. Soon Alec is traveling roads he never knew existed, toward a war he never suspected was brewing. Before long he and Seregil are embroiled in a sinister plot that runs deeper than either can imagine, and that may cost them far more than their lives if they fail. But fortune is as unpredictable as Alec’s new mentor, and this time there just might be…Luck in the Shadows."] 

Read this if you like... magic, spies, fantastic female characters, adventure, and intrigue. Read also if you love looooong series, as it's complete at 7 books!

Scarlet and the White Wolf series, by Kirby Crow - [GOODREADS BLURB: "Scarlet of Lysia is an honest pedlar, a young merchant traveling the wild, undefended roads to support his aging parents. Liall, called the Wolf of Omara, is the handsome, world-weary chieftain of a tribe of bandits blocking a mountain road that Scarlet needs to cross. When Liall jokingly demands a carnal toll for the privilege, Scarlet refuses and an inventive battle of wills ensues, with disastrous results. Scarlet is convinced that Liall is a worthless, immoral rogue, but when the hostile countryside explodes into violence and Liall unexpectedly fights to save the lives of Scarlet's family, Scarlet is forced to admit that the Wolf is not the worst ally he could have, but what price will proud Scarlet ultimately have to pay for Liall's friendship?"] 

Read this if you like... weird twists on old fairy tales with amazing world-building, provided you're willing to put up with a little bit of a slog until the couple really gets on the same page.

Captive Prince, by C.S.Pacat - [GOODREADS BLURB: "Damen is a warrior hero to his people, and the rightful heir to the throne of Akielos, but when his half brother seizes power, Damen is captured, stripped of his identity, and sent to serve the prince of an enemy nation as a pleasure slave. Beautiful, manipulative and deadly, his new master Prince Laurent epitomizes the worst of the court at Vere. But in the lethal political web of the Veretian court, nothing is as it seems, and when Damen finds himself caught up in a play for the throne, he must work together with Laurent to survive and save his country. For Damen, there is just one rule: never, ever reveal his true identity. Because the one man Damen needs is the one man who has more reason to hate him than anyone else..."] 

Read this if you like... phenomenal skill with the written word (I mean REALLY TOP NOTCH), fantastic characters with real evolution in relationships, amazingly intricate political intrigue (guaranteed to keep you guessing the whole way), enemies-to-friends-to-"I think if I gave you my heart, you would treat it tenderly"-to-...well, I won't spoil things 8D Please note the 'slavery' aspect that is heavily featured in Book 1. There is NO RAPE between the main characters, but there are forced sexual scenes between Damen and another minor character (n.b. minor as in not major, not minor as in a kid), and well, Laurent just isn't a very kind 'master', nor does he pretend to be. This is not your typical 'omg the slave falls in love with the master and vice versa!!' dreck, but do be aware that the first book deals intimately with those themes as Damen must play his part.

Wytch Kings series, by Jaye McKenna - [GOODREADS BLURB: (Summary of Book 1) "Prince Garrik is the Heir Presumptive of Altan, next in line to be crowned Wytch King. There’s only one problem: in order for Garrik to be crowned, he must possess Wytch power of his own, and thus far, whatever power Garrik might possess has shown no sign of awakening. As things stand, it is Garrik’s younger brother, Jaire — a dreamer completely unsuited to wear the crown — who will take the throne after their father. Concerned about the future of his kingdom, the Wytch King demands that Garrik’s power be forcibly awakened. Hoping to protect his brother from the burden of rule, Garrik allows the attempt — with disastrous results. Now, Garrik must learn to control the fiery dragon that rages within him before he destroys everything he loves. Wytch Master Ilya has been alone for years. Learning to control the icy beast slumbering within him has already cost him his family and his lover, and Ilya will never open himself up to that kind of pain again. Summoned to Altan to avert disaster if he can, Ilya has no intention of allowing anyone to thaw the ice in his heart. When he meets Prince Garrik, sparks fly, and Ilya finds himself fighting feelings he thought he'd buried, long ago. Can Garrik’s fire melt Ilya’s icy heart? Or will Ilya be forced to use his ice to quench the flames that burn within Garrik once and for all?"] 

Read if you like... DRAGON SHIFTERS. There's really not much more I can say to encourage you to read this series (there are five so far!) other than to say HERE THERE BE DRAGONS, AND LOTS OF THEM, AND HOT GUYS WHO TRANSFORM INTO THEM. The plots are interwoven, with side characters from previous books showing up as MCs in subsequent ones, so you get to see major characters fleshed out, even if not right away.

Mermen of Ea series, by Shira Anthony - [GOODREADS BLURB: (Summary of Book 1) "Taren Laxley has never known anything but life as a slave. When a lusty pirate kidnaps him and holds him prisoner on his ship, Taren embraces the chance to realize his dream of a seagoing life. Not only does the pirate captain offer him freedom in exchange for three years of labor and sexual servitude, but the pleasures Taren finds when he joins the captain and first mate in bed far surpass his greatest fantasies. Then, during a storm, Taren dives overboard to save another sailor and is lost at sea. He’s rescued by Ian Dunaidh, the enigmatic and seemingly ageless captain of a rival ship, the Phantom, and Taren feels an overwhelming attraction to Ian that Ian appears to share. Soon Taren learns a secret that will change his life forever: Ian and his people are Ea, shape-shifting merfolk… and Taren is one of them too. Bound to each other by a fierce passion neither can explain or deny, Taren and Ian are soon embroiled in a war and forced to fight for a future—not only for themselves but for all their kind."] 

Read if you like... MERMEN SEX. Again, not much more I can say to encourage you to read this XD There's mermen having sex in mer form, there's mermen having sex in human form, there's just lots of mermen and rather a lot of sex too. But there's also interesting plot! Though lbr if you're going to read this, it's for the mermen XD

#gay fantasy #reccs

[fanfictrashdump]

Queening a Pawn, 18

If you're new: this is my procrastination fic. It is what I drabble around with when I'm being my worst self, and ignoring all my other WIPs and responsibilities! Enjoy!

X

Summary: During the Time Heist, Loki stole the Tesseract and escaped. He did not expect, however, to be pulled through a Time Loop that delivered him to a Midgard more than a decade older, wiser, and bitterer. Having just lived through his unsuccessful attack in New York, Loki must learn to live in Midgard after the defeat of Thanos (post-Endgame). The question is, who is Loki without a quest for a throne or total domination?

Pairings: Loki x OC

=

Loki was lounging in the plush armchair in his living room, legs thrown over the armrests as he leafed through a chemistry book. In his lap, the tufted ball of fluff that was Einherjar lay on his back, showing the dark-haired Prince his belly for the occasional scratch. The kitten chirruped, protesting the lack of attention. Loki lifted the book to look down at his lap with a smirk.

"When I said you could come over, it wasn't for you to monopolize my time, you tiny brat."

The cat made a noise of protest before flipping just enough to butt his head against Loki's hand. He acquiesced, rubbing the kitten under the chin before the beast hopped off and stood before the bedroom door, tapping his soft paw against the door.

"She needs to rest–"

He stopped himself when the cat just started to scratch at the door with a vengeance. Loki rolled his eyes, swinging his legs onto the floor and abandoning the book onto the coffee table before stopping by the bedroom.

He had barely twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open before the kitten had slipped inside with his tail straight up and alert. With a grin, he followed the feline with his eyes as the kitten made its way up the tall bedposts and the twisted black bedlinens. Among a thick cocoon of sheets, Delilah lay rolled up into a ball, breathing evenly in peaceful slumber. His lover had fallen a little under the weather, and while every other being tended to avoid her like the plague, Loki knew he was at no risk of contracting any disease. After much protest, he had slung her over his shoulder and deposited her in his bed. Three days later, and she had pretty much remained unmoved.

Einherjar burrowed his furry body under the crook of her arm, settling against her warmth and purring so loudly Loki could hear it plainly from the doorway. "Ein, baby. Give me five minutes," she rasped weakly, barely able to pet the kitten.

"He just wants to curl up with you. No need to wake."

His voice made Delilah rouse. She blinked sleepily at the man with an odd look on her face. "When did you get here?"

"Well, I do happen to live here," he replied, clearly amused.

She stared around the room with a frown. "This isn't my room."

He suppressed a snort. "Well spotted, love."

"I'm icky."

"That is patently untrue." A few steps had him climbing up on the bed with a smile, pressing a kiss to her temple, despite her vehement protests. "You are burning again, sweetheart."

"My eyes are achy."

"Perhaps," he started, flexing his fingers before placing his palm onto her forehead. Delilah watched in fascination as his skin slowly turned blue, from the tips of his fingers and disappeared into the sleeves of his jumper. "Alright?" She nodded quietly, leaning into the soothing cool of his skin before her fingers began to trace his markings.

"Frosty, the snowman–" Lilah started singing, but Einherjar mewled as if he was protesting on the frost giant's behalf. "I'm kidding, Ein. He knows that. Don't you, gorgeous?"

"Are you always this flirty when you're ill or do I simply bring it out in you?" Delilah smirked impishly, and Loki rolled his eyes. "Never mind, you flirt." Another kiss peppered her forehead. "Let me bring you some broth," he murmured, slipping off the bed and reluctantly parting with her.

Delilah surprised him by wolf-whistling after him after giggling. "Do you have any fries for that shake?"

His darkened gaze cut over his shoulder. "Don't tempt me, pixie. I'll give you much more than a shake."

"Tease!"

He ignored the claim, pouring the broth he had carefully tended to all day, into a colorful mug for her to sip. The warmth scalded his blue fingers, but he made no complaint as he dutifully carried it back into the bedroom and waited for Lilah to sit up. She mumbled a complaint as her sore body stretched and burrowed into his side. She jumped when her outer thighs came into contact with his cold corporation.

"Why am I not wearing pajama pants?"

Loki chuckled. "Terribly sorry. I have a strict no pajama bottoms rule in effect. No exceptions."

She closed her hands around the mug, absorbing its warmth. She raised an eyebrow at him. "The lace underwear?"

"That was purely for my benefit, I admit." He nudged her gently on the side. "Illness is not an excuse to forego a bath."

"I've been sleeping," she retorted, deadpan.

"And I've yet to disturb your rest. You're welcome," he sassed back with a half grin, making a bundle of her and dragging her warm body into his lap, careful not to spill her broth. Delilah shuddered against the chill of his skin but settled against his chest, regardless. Her interest piqued as she sipped on the warm, savory liquid as Loki was now humming some unknown tune under his breath. He pointedly ignored her curious expression as his voice reverberated through his ribcage and hers, still humming. The forest cat completed their odd nesting doll positions by curling up in his mistress' lap, purring loudly.

"You're happy." The phrase wasn't so much an accusation as it was an intrigued declaration.

Loki tutted, forcing a frown on his face. "Slander."

"No, you are. Why are you so giddy?"

His fingers worried at a loose thread at the hem of her shirt and he made a mental note to have it replaced. He shrugged. "You never seem to need help and… it's nothing."

"Loki…"

"You fell asleep before I could even assure you that you'd be fine…"

"Oh, my heart," she gushed, staring up at him with an expression of pure adoration that seemed very out of place directed at him. "I trust you with my life, Lo."

"I know that. I just didn't know you were comfortable with me."

Lilah sighed, still smiling. She leaned away just long enough to place the mug on the bedside table. "I know that it's hard for you to believe, but I don't mind you around even when I'm sick and vulnerable and icky. In fact, I kind of prefer it."

"You prefer m-me around?" Despite the question, he was lighting up from within with giddy expectation.

"Everything is better with you around."

"I feel the same." His cheeks turned lavender over his Jotunn form. "I've waited a thousand years for you."

"God of Mischief and Lies? God of Soft Feelings and Ardent Domesticity!"

He smirked. "Easy. If rumors get out no one will ever respect me again."

"Or they'll respect you even more. Because how in the world can you turn from a sweet creature fishing for hugs and kisses to a lethal animal with deadly precision? How does that not inspire awe?" Loki's cheeks burned further, eyes dead set onto his hands on her lap, curled in Einherjar's fur.

"That sounds awful."

"It sounds like everything I want to come home to," she whispered before pressing her lips to his. "Or maybe that's the fever talking," Lilah joked, trying to break the tension and make him chuckle.

"Lilah?"

"Yeah?"

His back tensed and he drew a breath to steel his resolve. "Would you– would you want to come home to me?

She raised an eyebrow. "Don't I already?"

"And there you go, answering a question with a question again," he huffed, shifting uncomfortably beneath her. "I'm asking you to wed me."

Delilah giggled pecking the frown out of his lips. "I know."

"So, it's a "no", I assume?"

An eyebrow raised expectantly. "Why would you say that?"

Loki cut his eyes at her with an unsure expression. "Because you… I…don't…. know…"

"Silvertongue, indeed, I see," she teased. Loki supposed there was no way he could blush any harder. His heart was thudding in his ears and threatening to burst through his chest cavity, sad and defeated, but also thoroughly and entirely enamored of this ethereal creature. "You'd really be stuck with me for however long I live?"

His mouth tenderly trailed down her jaw. "I could ask you the same."

"Stop making dumb decisions and you'll happily arrive at my funeral looking like a snack," she joked, only to have him pinch her side with a frown.

"You're not dying before me," he groused. "Do you think I would ever offer you marriage without guaranteeing you'd outlive me?" Delilah rolled her eyes, but offered no complaint, choosing instead to cuddle him, all the while sandwiching Einherjar. The kitten purred contentedly and burrowed further between them. She could tell there was still more on his mind and she waited patiently for his bravery to agree with him. "I'm aware that I'm not the safest option. I'm also aware that I am not the most suitable mate– Thor is–"

"I don't want Thor. I love him, but he's kind of a narcissistic brat with a hero complex."

"In fairness, he is a hero."

She cupped her hands around his face, watching how his skin pinked at the warmed contact and his features fell into his Asgardian form. "So are you–the person I actually want. Who is already entirely mine and I intend to keep, forever." Her finger ran the length of the creases that formed whenever he smiled. "If you want to put a ring on it, be my guest. I wasn't planning on letting you go, either way."

"And how did you know I'd be amenable to this plan to hoard me away?" He caught her left index finger between his teeth and gnawed gently.

She grinned. "In the last four days, I've been feverish, throwing up and looking like a trash monster and you've been anxiously hovering for the entirety of it. You've basically hoarded yourself into my life." The kitten, who had scaled the front of her shirt, fishing for attention, mewled in what sounded like annoyance. "Our life. Terribly sorry, Ein." They shared a glance and Delilah rolled her eyes dramatically. "You sure you want all this?"

"Most definitely. Say "yes", darling." She gave a giggle and peppered his face in a trail of warm kisses.

"Yes, darling."

"Smart ass," he muttered, though his face lit up in a disbelieving smirk.

"Learned from the very best, love of mine." Delilah caught the corner of his mouth and Loki bit back a growl before recapturing her lips. "Husband of mine."

This time the growl was not subdued. His kisses were effervescent but short-lived. With a wide smile, he leaned over opposite her, digging into the drawer of his own bedside table. When he righted, he was fisting something tightly in his left hand, a slight tremble barely noticeable in his limbs.

"What are you–?" Delilah could not finish the questions before Loki opened his hand. Laying in the center of his palm was a delicate silver band woven in threads like vines. Details of tiny flowers and leaves threaded through the fibers.

The Asgardian looked rather sheepish as he waited for a reaction –any reaction– from his lover. "On Asgard we trade weapons, but I've read that rings are the traditional exchange of the realm here. Though I do have a beautiful Uru dagger that I've been meaning to give you. Is it weird that I want to give you a weapon? I just worry–"

"You're rambling." Her tone was playful and loving. "You're rambling when you should be making me yours," she added as she offered her left hand to him, "but god, I love it when you do."

Despite the flush, Loki eagerly slipped the ring from his palm onto her finger, enjoying the crackle of electricity that formed once the band magically adjusted on it. There was a tug in his soul calling him to her, one that he was sure she felt, too, if the curious tilt of her head was any indication. It was an intimate, yet effortless, connection–souls finding their match and twisting together. The new sensation was comfortable and soothed his anxious, frayed nerves. She was his balm.

Delilah looked down at her hand in his. She turned it over, palm up, casually running her thumb over the band in an attempt to perceive the intricate designs with her digits, but coming up surprisingly empty. Beside her, Loki gave a shudder, gasping lightly, and her mind flashed with a million images of herself, many in an array of compromising positions. She had never had a god in her head before, but she decided she was going to like this.

#Loki #Loki MCU #Loki fanfic #MCU #MCU fanfic #MCU fanfiction #Loki x oc #Loki x ofc #alternate timeline #time heist #fix it #Queening a Pawn

[bellabooks]

Celeste Castro, Genevieve Fortin and two dog tales

By Genevieve Fortin and Celeste Castro   What do you get when two Bella Books authors start chatting about their books and the dogs that inspired them? Well, you get lots of questions (some quite personal), the beginning of a friendship, and a fascinating collaboration! Here is the open and fun conversation between Celeste Castro (Homecoming and Lex Files) and Genevieve Fortin (First Fall, Two kinds of Elizabeth, Water’s Edge and Dingo’s Recovery).   Celeste: Not going to lie, I opened the book and right on the first page, had to consult the internet, as I had never heard of a Basenji (beautiful beast!) Why did you select that type of dog for your story? Have you owned this particular dog breed?     Genevieve: I never owned a Basenji before but I came across that breed when researching dog breeds that are good for people suffering from allergies (like me!). I really fell for their wrinkled forehead and was intrigued by the fact they can’t bark.  They also reminded me of a small dingo so when I had to choose a breed for Joyce, the character I created who shares my fascination with everything Australian, the Basenji made sense.  I must say I was intrigued by the breed you chose as well for Lex Files. I had never heard of the Karelian Bear dog and I know a lot of breeds. I watched the Dogs 101 bit about the Karelian and it makes sense to use it in your story as partner of a Wildlife enforcement officer, but tell me a little more about why you chose that breed.   Celeste: I can’t take credit for choosing this breed of dog. I modeled everything on a real program at the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW). It’s called the Karelian Bear Dog Program (KBD). A few years ago I heard Officer Richards and Mishka (the bear dog) speak, and I was captivated by their work. Both Officer Richards and Mishka have since retired and the program has grown significantly. When I met them they were the first of this kind. That’s where I wanted my story to start at the beginning, with a single officer and her dog, a one of a kind team, a rare commodity and a strange case.   Source: Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife   First thing you need to know is that these dogs are total bad asses. There is no other dog in the world suited to this type of work that requires tracking large game. In the words of the WDFW, “bear dogs are trained to help officers resolve instances of conflict between humans and wildlife (in a non-lethal manner.)” What does that mean? Great question. When a wild animal ventures into a populated area, people try to take matters into their own hands. Animals tend to get killed when that happens. When the KBD gets involved, the animal is captured and wildlife are conditioned to be scared of city noises like horns, gun shots, fireworks, cars, and dogs. When they are later released, the chances that the bear comes wondering back into the city again are low and more wildlife live longer! Why did you choose to write a May-December age-gap romance (had to look that reference up too) for this story? Is that something you set out to do or something that evolved through your writing?   Genevieve: I’ve always wanted to write a May-December romance. I’ve been in a few May-December relationships myself, including my current relationship. I love reading about them too. Dingo’s Recovery started out as an idea about two women falling in love during the time it takes for a dog to recover before anything else, but then when I started to add layers to those characters, age gap immediately came to mind. I started thinking about how two women could be in a very similar state of mind and learn from each other despite their age difference and Joyce and Amanda went from being simple characters to multi-dimensional people. My question to you is how you got the idea to write about a Wildlife Enforcement Officer. There are plenty of lesbian novels with women who have a military or law enforcement background. We all know lesbians love women in uniforms (haha) but this wildlife enforcement twist is new to me and I found it very intriguing.   Celeste: When I met Officer Richards and Mishka, me being the impressionable person that I am, proclaimed to my wife that I was going to apply at the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife. My goal was to work as an enforcement officer and then work my way into handling bear dogs. I did all the research, interviewed officers, read some books, but things didn’t turn out. (Too many things popped-up in my background check wink-wink.) So I did the next best thing, worked this career aspiration into a story. Your characters had insecurities which made them unique. Looking at the older character Joyce, what was your process for getting into her headspace? How were you able to imagine what an older woman’s insecurities were? How were you able to image what her loss was like?   Genevieve: I think what I enjoy most about writing is putting myself in my character’s shoes to try to experience something as they would, based on the traits I gave them. It gives me such a thrill. I do base my characters on people around me in part but mostly I build them from the inside out.  I think I’m a person with great empathy and I always try to put myself in someone else’s shoes before I judge them, try to imagine how I would react if I were them. I think that’s part of being a writer and it’s a part I really enjoy. So no, I’m not 56, I’m not retired, and I haven’t lost a wife, but I think I can imagine what it would feel like based on other painful experiences I’ve lived or people around me have lived.  And when it comes to insecurities, I think we all have them and although they might be different from one person to the next, the feelings they stir are similar. Whether you feel insecure about your weight or about your flabby skin, you simply feel shitty about it and when you compare yourself to someone who doesn’t have the same problem, it’s easy to feel inferior until you realize that person has her own insecurities to deal with. To me, that’s easier than trying to imagine what it would be like to be an FBI officer or a Wildlife Enforcement Officer, which is what you did. Do you have experience in either of those fields or did you build your characters based solely on research? And if you relied on research, do you feel as insecure as I feel about covering everything? I almost go crazy trying to cover every possible gap in my research.   Celeste: Great answer. I did research for both roles. More so with the wildlife officer’s role (because I had an actual person with stories and examples that I could model). For the FBI agent role, I leaned on my robust understanding of shows like Unsolved Mysteries and the X-Files. Once I get the details ironed out, the vernacular etc., my focus is developing the characters, developing their voices, things that make them unique, relying less on what they do for a living and more about their beliefs, what makes them who they are. I have to know, is Joyce’s sister Barbara based off a real person, a real sister, because she was a real tool (great job creating her!)   Genevieve: Barbara is not based on my sister, thank god, but I’ve known many Barbara’s in my life. I’ve read reviews from people who really didn’t like her, thought she drank too much, or was too much of a bitch. I’m glad about that in a way because she was the antagonist in the story. The reader was not supposed to like her. That said, I like her. She’s controlling, unhappy, and drinks too much, like many women we all know, but if she were my sister I would still laugh at her sarcasm and love her despite her faults. That brings me to a question for you. Your characters really do not like each other at the beginning of your novel. Were you scared one might appear as too much of a bitch and might turn off the readers? How did you find the balance between your characters being antagonistic to each other but still likeable to the reader?   Celeste: You are correct, the two characters do not like each other at the beginning. I have one woman, the FBI agent, Winifred Ford, weeks away from a three month extended leave to some place sunny. Her boss dumps one more case in her lap, a case that is strikingly similar to the case that defined her checkered career in the FBI. Needless to say, she doesn’t want anything to do with it because of memories, feelings, you know, all of that. To further complicate, the townspeople where the story is set, have perpetuated over the top, fantastical eye-witnesses of what they think is terrorizing their wildlife preserve. She plain doesn’t have the energy or desire to chase up on local incompences. Her M.O. for solving this case? Roller skate through everything, use her badge and be a bully to get what she wants. Add her abrasive personality and she isn’t going to be winning any Miss Congeniality awards in the near future. When she arrives onto the scene and meets my enforcement officer, Daya Soto, she quickly learns that her approach won’t work. Little does she know that Officer Soto is a skilled wild animal whisperer. I hope you enjoy reading about all the tactics Officer Soto uses to tame and subdue the wild creature of a woman, who says things that everyone else is thinking and isn’t shy about vocalizing her beliefs and sailor-like swearing along the way.     I loved the part in your story when you describe the love of a pet. “Animals didn’t have complicated personalities. They didn’t have secrets. They didn’t lie. Their needs were clear as water. They ate when they were hungry, slept when they were tired, and when they showed affection you didn’t have to wonder if they really loved you or how long it would last. Their love was pure and endless.” First reaction, have you ever owned a cat? Kidding. This was one of my favorite passages in Dingo’s Recovery. I adored how you used the concept of the love of an animal, as the type of love that the younger character, Dr. Carter, compared ultimate love to. Fitting. I’m not going to spoil the ending, so instead will ask this: What concept would Joyce use to describe finding love again?   Genevieve: I tried so long to have a cat but my allergies simply won’t let me. I thought for a long time I couldn’t have a pet at all but I learned I could find dogs that would let me breathe! Hahaha What about you? Do you have a cat, or a dog, or both? You have a house full or animals, just admit it. I liked that part of the book too. Amanda is a person whose past doesn’t let her trust other people. She prefers animals. I think she’s right in many ways. And I think Joyce is at a point in her life where she also has a hard time trusting people. Her late wife, her sister, and her former friends embody everything that’s wrong with humans. They’re fake, play mind games, pay too much attention to appearances, and can be plain cruel at times. Joyce wants to get away from that and I think that’s what attracts her to Amanda so much. Amanda is honest, easy going, kind, everything Joyce’s late wife, sister, and former friends are not and everything Joyce needs. I hope this answers your question. J Lexy plays a big role in your novel, so I am guessing animals are also important to you. Dingo was kind of an unknowing Cupid in my book. What role does Lexy play in making your characters evolve in Lex Files?   Celeste: Lexy is a professional at the top of her game. She has a track record of solving her fair share of odd cases. However, we don’t get to see her in action until later. In the meantime, Lexy does what other perceptive animals do when they sense tense people in tense situations. She breaks down their defenses with gentle kisses and shakes of her booty. But I do want to say, let it be known, I’m not a dog person. I think it has something to do with when my sister and her husband took our parents on a wedding anniversary trip. I had to babysit their collective pack of three pups. They were so bossy, ordered me around and wouldn’t eat unless I hand-fed them, wouldn’t sleep unless they were touching me. God! And they woke up at the crack of dawn. (Cats on the other hand, pretty much do it all themselves and I appreciate that). Two of these dogs were my sister’s and one of the two was Lexy, a great little lady, a two pound Yorkshire Terrier. (If you saw the size of my sister, it would make a lot of sense. Two pound dogs are about what she can handle). Lexy left this world a few years ago when she had an accident. She never recovered. It was heart breaking, especially to see my sister work through her pain at the loss of her friend of ten years. Lexy had a whole lot of life left in her. I wanted Lexy to be my headliner in this book and for her heart and spirit to endure through this big tough bear dog. There is a lot of Lexy within the pages, how she was and the ways she connected with people. Lex Files is a story about a lot of things, like learning to trust in an age where science and facts rule, but first and foremost, it is a story written for my sister staring her dog’s spirit.   Lexy (the one with the long silver hair) and her sister Mercedes   I loved the truffle scene. Pretty hot! (Runs to Costco for a bulk-sized box of truffles). In your dedication, you mentioned the truffles that you shared with Denise. What other parts of your story have scenes based on real life? I’m wondering if you like to paint or hike or if you have a gambling addiction (kidding) but really, what’s the biggest jackpot you’ve ever won?   Genevieve: Hey now, how did you know that? Hahaha .The truffle does come from reality (blushing). So does the casino. But like Joyce, I’m not addicted. We go once in a while. I won $1000 once. That was a thrill! Other than that, the age gap of course is real, although the age difference between me and Denise is not as big as the age difference between Joyce and Amanda. I would tell you, but Denise might kill me. And of course the whole accident and recovery is based on our own little dog’s accident and recovery, although no one fell in love with the vet.     Being that Lex Files is a mystery dealing with spirits among other things it’s hard to imagine that it might have been inspired by real events but I’m sure some parts of your life are hiding in there. Can you share some?   Celeste: A thousand dollars wow. (Hey, can I borrow a hundred bucks?) My wife said she’d be down for reenacting the truffle scene with me, if I had Skippy Smooth on my lips. Ahem. The current theme that runs through all of my stories is the need to elevate voices that aren’t as loud as others, have been kept silent, or have been lost all together. Homecoming, my first work, was a romance, about a woman who found her platform for elevating an issue that was close to her heart (which is also close to mine), a 1979 Supreme Court ruling that prevents the Tribes from prosecuting crimes committed on their own land by non-native people. It has had a horrendous aftermath and has perpetuated a cycle of abuses on Reservations, especially against women. I wanted to tell that story and it happened through a lesbian romance. Whether elevating those voices through romance is an effective outlet for me or not, I don’t know, but it will be the backbone of everything I write. Lex Files is no different, there are voices in there I wanted to rise from the shadows. Other parts of me (and people that I love) are embedded in there as well, like my love of the physical beauty of my hometown. Memories of my childhood and growing up. Cowboy boots and hats and saddles with horns. The feeling that I get when I smell fields of mint and alfalfa lingering in the air after a good watering on a hot day with the remnants of the setting sun pushing against a rising moon fighting for the horizon. In your acknowledgment you talked about how your story came to be, the play time accident at your house (poor puppy). It’s always interesting to hear how other writers find their inspiration. What is the next project that you are working on and how did you find the inspiration?   Genevieve: My next project started with finding a conflict. I’d attended a really interesting conference on conflicts at GCLS and I wanted a real strong conflict before anything else. I also wanted my characters to dislike each other at the beginning, an enemy to lover kind of scenario. And finally I wanted it to take place by the sea close to my home town. I thought about all the ingredients for a long time before I finally came up with climate changes and rising sea levels and imagined the following scenario: what if a scientist specializing in climate changes tried to convince a woman who’d lived by the sea all of her life that the only solution to fight against rising sea levels is to relocate away from the sea? I really liked the idea and started doing tons of research and I’ve learned so much. I honestly think this research is going to change the way I live my life. I’m in the middle of making serious life changes I would never have done without this book. Crazy, huh? Sometimes our lives inspire our stories but in this case I think this book is inspiring my life.  The novel is called White Sheep Inn and it will come out in January 2019.  And yes, there’s a dog in it.     But enough about my next project. I want to hear about yours. What is it and what inspired it?   Celeste: Sounds like you are well on your way to another fabulous story. I’m stuck between another story set in Idaho, and which will likely be my last one set in my hometown. It’s called Clown and Gown. It’s about a rodeo queen and a rodeo clown on a summer circuit that team up to solve a mystery. What inspired it? Someone said something like frown and down, and it hit me! I always start with the title and go from there. The other one under development is the opposite of anything I’ve ever written. It’s called The Taking. It is set in a land where Fae and other creatures reside and powerful amulets rule…I’ve already said too much. I’m half way between the two and not quite skilled enough to keep it up and so am doing what any normal writer would do in this situation, working on something else. Poetry is what I am up to at the moment, they keep coming to me, these rhymes, they won’t quit! I’m compiling a manuscript of poetry for a submission opportunity this fall. When that is done, will resume one of those two other projects, probably Clown and Gown, or maybe The Taking. I don’t know yet. I trust that I’ll know when I know.   Genevieve I sincerely enjoyed Dingo’s Recovery, and I enjoyed getting to know you and partnering on this post. I believe that voices are stronger together and appreciate you joining with me. Lex Files, is a paranormal romance and it comes out October 15, 2018, just in time for Halloween! I look forward to reading White Sheep Inn, coming out January 15, 2019.  Check out all of our Bella Books sister’s new releases here. Thank you for reading and thank you to Bella Books for creating a wonderful community of readers and to Dana Piccoli for inspiring this idea. http://dlvr.it/QdTX7t

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