#//can you teach me how to format it correctly please

[tepkunset]

I'm actually pretty annoyed that a website that supposedly prides itself on inclusivity won't let you enter custom pronouns following its own language formatting. Pronouns.page has a mission statement that says "everyone can use for themselves whatever pronouns they feel describe them best." Am I just missing something? If so, someone please help me figure out how to use it correctly, then...

Cause like. If people started using 'nekm' for me more often I think that'd feel really validating. I like it because it encompass 'he', 'she', and 'neutral' all at the same time, and acknowledges that I am L'nu.

EDIT: Okay yay, I figured out how to teach the page how to use custom-entered pronouns! I'm gonna add them. :)

[kagedbird]

Ao3 20 questions!

Tagged by: @azures-grace I tag: @bamsara @argisthebulwark and anyone else! (I can't remember who writes solely on Tumblr or not, sorry for not tagging you if you do write on Ao3 as well!!)

1 – How many works do you have on AO3?

-Currently 16.

2 – What's your total AO3 word count?

-Currently 800,424. (Will change for sure on the 15th haha.)

3 – What fandoms do you write for?

-Skyrim, Five Nights at Freddy's / Security Breach, Undertale, Divinity Original Sin 2, and Baldur's Gate 3.

4 – What are your top five fics by kudos?

-Precious People, Four Makes a Family, That Little Thread, My Neighbor Mr. Roboto, and Forgive Me, for I Have Sinned. (Greatest to least in the top five.)

5 – Do you respond to comments?

-I try to respond to every comment I can, but some I just don't know how to respond to! I'm mentally kissing every commenter on the head though. Mwah.

6 – What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

-Angstiest ending? I don't know if I've ended anything super angsty, despite my love for the genre. I prefer hurt/comfort. Can't say I can answer this one.

7 – What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

-Oh, That Little Thread for sure. But only because TESSDE isn't remotely finished haha. But I'm still very proud of how TLT came out. :)

8 – Do you get hate on fics?

-I have had a stray hate comment here and there, but I just meme and dab on the haters until they die from their own cringeness. #HatersLoveMe

9 – Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

-...The smut kind? I'm not sure I understand. Read 'You're a Feisty One, Aren't You? I Like That', if you need specifics, I guess. (Only if you are above age obviously.)

10 – Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

-Oh my god I used to on FFNET. I don't think it's crazy, but even before I discovered FFNET, my friend got me into writing crossovers, and it was a massive Inuyasha, Fruits Basket, Code Geass, and Death Note combination with self inserts. I miss it, it was a good stupid time, haha.

11 – Have you ever had a fic stolen?

-I've had people try to tell me they can't get writing down correctly, and oh, would you mind helping me write this out? What about this? Until slowly I'm literally writing their story and they're POSTING IT ONLINE. ON Ao3/FFNET. LIKE. A PARAGRAPH AT A TIME.

INSANITY.

But also I was one of the first few people who had the Ao3 scalpers target their fics, but I have no idea if someone is out there on Wattpad or something using my shit. I don't self search, so I do not know.

12 – Have you ever had a fic translated?

-Nope!

13 – Have you ever co-written a fic?

-Yes! Not on Ao3 though. (Ah good old days of middle school and writing dumb things with friends.)

14 – What's your all-time favorite ship?

-I'm a self shipper by trade, I'll admit it. But I was a very big Sesshoumaru / Kagome shipper in my baby years. Now I lean more towards Loid / Yor. Love those idiots.

15 – What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

-TOO MAN TO NAME. I REGRET LEAVING ANY FIC UNDONE, BUT I'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO GO BACK. The past is in the past and it's time is over, unfortunately.

16 – What are your writing strengths?

-Focusing on characterizations and researching accuracies for making things logical not only in the fantasy realm but also reality. I love combining the two and giving people a little educational lesson along side their story time. It pleases me to teach others new things and myself. I also think my pacing has gotten a lot better over the years.

17 – What are your writing weaknesses?

-I tend to structure things differently than most people, and genuine writing formats— even using em dashes, I never learned until this year the difference between it and a hyphen— so it comes across as lesser than other people's writing, I think. Less polished. I like bouncing things around textually, having breaks in spots to let the mind "breathe" in between words or phrases to try and give it a bigger impact, but it weakens actual structures sometimes.

That and word choices. I'll be stuck for ages on what word to use. I hate repeating words or phrases, so it'll take me longer than necessary to just choose a damn word.

18 – Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

-I've done it many times and think it's fine! I use translators because I am unfortunately only educated in English (and my brain has difficulties learning other languages), but I try my best and do ask around friends if things are accurate if they speak the language.

If you're not sure what it says, just translate it through a friend or Google. Or, read the bottom AN to see if the author translated it for you. I grew up with American's using broken Japanese in their fanfics, you think I'd see dual languages any different? Lol.

19 – First fandom you wrote for?

-Inuyasha? Naruto? Crossover? I don't remember!

20 – Favorite fic you've written?

-Biased. 'The Elder Scrolls Skyrim: DragonBard Edition', otherwise known as TESSDE. It's my bread and butter, my longest length story, and one I would die to complete. We're technically half way there in terms of arcs, but definitely not in chapters, haha. I look forward to the day it's complete, and I hope others enjoy it too.

-

Below are the questions to copy and paste for yourself!

1 – How many works do you have on AO3?

2 – What's your total AO3 word count?

3 – What fandoms do you write for?

4 – What are your top five fics by kudos?

5 – Do you respond to comments?

6 – What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

7 – What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

8 – Do you get hate on fics?

9 – Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

10 – Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

11 – Have you ever had a fic stolen?

12 – Have you ever had a fic translated?

13 – Have you ever co-written a fic?

14 – What's your all-time favorite ship?

15 – What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

16 – What are your writing strengths?

17 – What are your writing weaknesses?

18 – Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

19 – First fandom you wrote for?

20 – Favorite fic you've written?

[formigabionica]

To add on to what @becausegoodheroesdeservekidneys has said, what they touch on at the end is what I think makes the bullet journal system most attractive and differentiates it from a planner: its versatility. I've been using a bullet journal since 2018 and it's taken many forms for me. It can be what you want and it can change depending on what you NEED.

Yes, it can work like a planner, so if you only need it to organise tasks and deadlines, schedule in future events and activities and remind myself of what needs doing, it can do that. In my case, if that was all I needed for my quirky brain (possibly ADD, waiting on a diagnosis) to not get overwhelmed, then a planner would do fine! But like OP said, a planner can be a bit stressful if it is too rigid and constrictive. I don't always need tasks scheduled at specific times. More importantly, I also need space to jot down ideas, thoughts that come into my head that I can't deal with right now thanks, I'm busy, I'll think about it later, I'll just write it down somewhere so I don't forget! I need to sketch out mind maps about the topic I'll be teaching next and draw that nice bird I saw in the park. If I had a traditional planner, I would be stressing about where all of that would go, or I'd have to carry around another notebook just for that and have both at the ready all the time.

If you follow the "original" Ryder Carroll BuJo method, it is simple and robust enough to use as a work or life planner. But it is also completely adaptable to what works best for you! I can easily keep track of tasks, cross off things I have finished, go back and find things I haven't done yet, and schedule in new things for the future. And if I'm in a meeting or have a sudden need to jot an idea down, I've got the space to do that without worrying! It can take more time to organise than a planner, as you have to write out dates and create the future log and monthly log etc, but if you do it yourself you can cater to your own personal needs.

As a more visual example, here are some pictures of my last notebook and what I used it for. Some of this has changed over time and I tried out several things until I found what worked best for me. Please note I am bilingual and learning mandarin Chinese, so there's a weird mix of languages. I have also edited these to keep out personal details.

First, a very sparse future log (for keeping track of the next 6 months, in my case), and my preferred monthly log format (art by yashassegawa on insta).

Below on the left, a normal page with three consecutive days in which I was mostly teaching and had a few meetings, so not many notes were taken. On the right, a very busy week over the holidays, where I had to visualise the next few days a bit more clearly to schedule in all the things I was going to do.

Edit: some notes on my system, which is almost identical to the original BuJo one. Dots are for tasks, I cross them when the task is done (sometimes I forget, tbh). Circles, "O", are for events, appointments, meetings, etc. and I fill them in when it's happened and is done. Dashes are for notes, with indented arrows as subtopics. If I don't need to do something anymore or an event is cancelled I just strike it through (or forget about it).

And lastly some random pages: notes on how to care for a plant, a fun little drawing using stickers by @carefree-ghost, and notes taken while I was translating a scientific paper on phytoplankton diversity in a river (I studied physics at university and knew nothing about phytoplankton, so I had to keep checking how to correctly translate the new jargon lol):

So yeah, here's an example of how someone can use a bullet journal differently from a planner. But everyone's will look different and be used differently. Mine might not look pretty or be hard to understand if you're not me, but that's just how my brain works and it definitely helps me with what I need it for! And that's what matters :)

Asking in completely good faith here - how is a bullet journal different from an already made planner?

I have a daily planner that has hourly increments and a place for notes. I color code it in terms of meetings, appointments, to-do list. I just put everything in there and it's for the year so if it's something for a future date I just flip to that date and put the item on that date. I check off my to do list during the day and anything I don't get done, I just put on the next day's to do list.

I'm just curious how a bullet journal differs?

Without actually seeing your planner and how it's set up/your system for it, I probably can't give an accurate answer. Plus I'm very new to this and still learning the basics. But my guess is it's probably in the simplification and customisation of a bullet journal.

There's a funnelling effect of going year-month-days that I think I personally am finding particularly useful - when I work out what I need to do for the day, I'm finding it very helpful to be able to go back to the monthly list and remind myself of tasks that have completely dropped off my radar because I was busy hyper focusing on something else. There have been points where I haven't completed a task, too, but haven't wanted/been able to migrate it to the next day; it's helpful to be able to pick it up days later instead. Again, the monthly log is great for that.

Àlso, for me personally, hourly increments would make me feel stressed, I think. But bullet journals are just notebooks, so you can space things however you like, which for me means avoiding adding phantom time pressures. I think that's probably the real answer - a bullet journal gives you freedom to arrange everything however you personally find it most helpful.

But, you know, you've found a system that works!

[madianh666]

degree in quranic studies

A degree in Quranic studies is a degree that focuses on the study of the Quran. This includes learning how to read and recite the Quran correctly, as well as studying the meaning, history, and interpretation of the Quran.

degree in quranic studies

There are many different programs that offer a degree in Quranic studies. Some programs are offered by accredited Islamic institutions, while others are offered by secular universities. The specific curriculum of a Quranic studies program will vary depending on the institution, but most programs will cover the following topics:

Quranic recitation: Students will learn how to read and recite the Quran correctly, in accordance with the rules of tajweed.

Quranic translation and interpretation: Students will learn the meaning of the Quran and how to interpret it. They may also study different tafsirs (interpretations) of the Quran.

Quranic history: Students will learn about the history of the Quran, including its revelation, compilation, and transmission.

Quranic sciences: Students may also study Quranic sciences, such as Quranic exegesis, Quranic morphology, and Quranic syntax.

In addition to these core topics, many Quranic studies programs also offer elective courses on a variety of related topics, such as Islamic law, Islamic theology, and Arabic language.

When choosing a Quranic studies program, it is important to consider your own needs and interests. You may also want to consider the following factors:

The teacher: Make sure that the teacher is qualified and experienced. You should also feel comfortable with the teacher's teaching style and approach.

The curriculum: Make sure that the curriculum covers the topics that you are interested in.

The format: Decide whether you prefer an online or in-person course.

The cost: Consider the cost of the course and whether it fits your budget.

If you are looking for a high-quality Quranic studies program, I recommend that you start by looking at the offerings of accredited Islamic institutions. You may also want to ask your local mosque or Islamic center for recommendations.

Here are some of the benefits of pursuing a degree in Quranic studies:

Gain a deep understanding of the Quran: A degree in Quranic studies will give you a deep understanding of the Quran, its meaning, and its history. This knowledge can be used to improve your own spiritual practice, to teach others about the Quran, or to pursue a career in Quranic scholarship.

Develop your Arabic language skills: Studying the Quran will also help you to develop your Arabic language skills. This is because the Quran is written in Arabic, and the best way to understand the Quran is to read it in its original language.

Enhance your critical thinking skills: Studying the Quran can also help you to develop your critical thinking skills. The Quran is a complex text, and there are many different interpretations of it. By studying the Quran, you will learn how to think critically about different interpretations and to develop your own understanding of the text.

Become a more well-rounded individual: Studying the Quran can also help you to become a more well-rounded individual. The Quran covers a wide range of topics, including religion, ethics, history, and law. By studying the Quran, you will gain a better understanding of the world and your place in it.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

[iwadori]

When they see you wearing tiny shorts (Matsukawa, Atsumu, Ushijima)

AN: I WILL EDIT MY PRETTY FORMAT LATER IM TIRED and agitated and this close 🤏🏽 to just dying 🤧😌

part one part two

genre: SUGGESTIVE, fluff

masterlist

request: hey hey !! can you please do a part 2 to the wearing tiny shorts. idk if i can request characters but if i can, can you do atsumu, matsukawa, and osamu? thank you 😊

Matsukawa: “Baby, what you got on?” he asked you as you left your bedroom “just pyjamas,” you say simply. You were having a movie night with your friends and you thought it would be just fitting to wear the cute little pyjama set you saw online that sculpted your ass and showcased your thighs. Before you could enter the living room, Matsukawa grabs you and pulls you against the wall “Isse-” he shushes you, gripping his hand around waist, “I don’t think you understand what these pyjamas do to me Y/N,” his fingers were toying with the hem of your shorts and you had an inkling his hands were going to roam ever further. Before he could, you both looked to the left to see your 6’2 friend with his buzz lightyear pyjamas on with his arms folded “can you too stop fooling around so we can watch the movie!” Oikawa said, ushering you along to the living room. Matsun put you on his lap for the duration of the movie, having a slight grin on his face as the blanket he threw over your lap hid the things he was doing as the movie played.

Atsumu: “So Y/N, you need to bend down in a squat like position and hold your arms like this to be able to receive a ball,” he said to you, standing from behind watching you get into position. You wanted to learn some more about volleyball and Atsumu proposed him teaching you some of the basics in his free time and when he told you to dress in gym attire, why wouldn’t you pass up the opportunity to wear the cutest little gym shorts you had to flaunt your ass to your boyfriend. “You’re doing it wrong Y/N,” he said shaking his head walking over to you “I guess I’ll have to show you the right way.” Atsumu was now standing behind you bringing your waist against his body, slowly bending you down to show you how to get into the ‘right position’ even though you knew you were doing it correctly earlier. It seems that Atsumu got distracted pressing your ass against his crotch with his hands now moving across your thighs, “Umm Tsumu, aren’t you going to show me the right receiving position?” You questioned, looking back at him. “I think there’s better positions we could be in right now, don’t you agree,” he said putting his face in your neck gently peppering kisses against your skin just the way you like it. “But Tsumu, what about the team?” You said you were worried about getting caught. “Don’t worry baby, we’ll be quick in and out of the changing room they won’t even notice,” you didn’t even hear what he said, too busy focusing on the great feeling of the touches and kisses he was giving you. He dragged you off to the locker room and you were certainly not quick both wanting to die when you see Sakusa walk in on you, turning his head quickly in disgust.

Ushijima: “what are you doing Y/N,” asked Ushijima as he came into the kitchen to see you bending down to get food from the cupboards, “oh just getting more snacks for you and the boys,” “but why are you wearing those?” Ushijima frequently hosted game nights where he’d invite his old and new friends over to watch some form of sports game or to just sit around a table and talk, you didn’t mind these ordeals you just stayed out their and brought them food if they need but today your jeans were all dirty so you flung on a pair of shorts that may have been a little revealing but you didn’t care. “All my jeans are in the wash,” you said looking at him, “do you have a problem with that toshi?” He strided over to you and stood you up properly analysing the shorts you were wearing, “no problem at all, I find them really attractive and they definitely bring out your thighs more,” he said simply pulling you closer so he could get a proper feel. All the touching and feeling he was doing was making the unintended want he had for you grow more and he leans in to kiss you before you stop him, “Ushi what about your guest?” you ask, gesturing to the living room. “They can wait a bit without me,” he said quickly picking you up by your ass placing you on the counter as your legs automatically envelope his back, when he leans into kiss you this time you don’t stop him letting your boyfriends less capture your own with his hands going to more places than just your thigh leaving you a groaning mess. Tendou pops his head round the corner, stopping you two “umm guys, I know you’re enjoying yourselves or whatever but waka what about the game.” Ushijima looks at his friend and in all seriousness says, “we can watch the game another day, me and Y/N are busy so I’d like you all to leave” Before tendou could even exit the kitchen Ushijima was back to exploring your body, crouching down, with his hands nearly ripping you out of the shorts as he starts to bruise your thighs with kisses and touches.

AN: for this being written on my phone 2 hours ago this shouldn’t of been such of a hassle to post ... oh well hope you like !

Taglists in reblogs

[dreamsmp-au-ideas]

Hey guys? Remember how Wilbur did his Radio voice in the Hybrids SMP during the Egg watch? Well I propose that we make an au where Wilbur is a radio host in a small town called L’Manberg.

Except the town is all supernatural.

No one is normal. Everyone is supernatural in some way.

Wilbur is Eldritch, Tommy is an air spirit, Tubbo is a siren and has water powers (Ianite), Phil is an angel boi, Techno is a demon, Jack is a Fire Spirit, Eret and Foolish are gods, Fundy is a kitsune, and Ranboo is just C!Ranboo.

George is a nature spirit, Sapnap is also a fire spirit, Bad is a demon, Skeppy is a gemanoid creature, and XD is a god that acts more like a cat than an actual god. Everyone is Supernatural.

Except Dream.

Dream is human. He just likes practicing Necromancy. He isn’t evil. He just does Necromancy.

This au is just Welcome to Night Vale format to be honest. It’s just that. We now have radio show host Wilbur just casually talking about the supernatural things that happen in the town like its Sunday news.

There is no angst here. The most we get is like Dream accidentally sending Tommy to the Shadow Realm but even then Tommy comes out fine with a woman and accidentally became the leader of the Shadow Realm People. Somehow.

Have two prompts from the Discord.

(Wilbur: Hello everyone, and welcome to the L'Radio. Today, we would like to remind you to please stay away from the egg. Don't mind the vines that our growing around. Our exterminators are promptly burning them as quick as possible. And if you do see the egg then please. Run. Just run as fast you can. 

We will also like to remind you to please go and not mind the skeletons that lurk around Dream's house. It's just him practicing necromancy again. But silly Dream. You’re doing it wrong! You do the loop after the incantation, not before the incantation! 

And now the weather.)

(Wilbur: Welcome back to the L'Radio, today. We have a special guest here. And this guest today is Dream Wataken. Take it away Dream! 

 Dream: Wilbur what the fuck you said that you wanted to go and show me how to do necromancy correctly not to go and be in your weird eldritch radio show! 

 Wilbur: I am teaching you how to do necromancy correctly. It's just that now we first have to show you how you do it wrong. Then I can show you how to do it correctly. We will also go and show everyone how to go and kill a god. 

 Dream: WILBUR IF YOU KILL XD I WILL MAKE SURE YOUR NE- 

 Wilbur: And now for the weather.)

[thecoolerspeedy]

"I guess you're right. It's not just me anymore." Mia says. It's taking her a lot of time to get used to that. She's not on her own anymore. She's got friends. Hobbies. She's popular. It's all an entirely new experience to her. She never went to middle school but she's adapting. Learning fast.

"Don't know which part yet. Gina was gonna help me with that one." The smiles and looks at Dinah "Unless you'd rather do that." She picks up an apple off the counter "I'll get you the performance date. We can make it a family outing. Actually all get to do something together that doesn't involve punching."

MIA

“I’ve told you about Gina before, right?” Mia asks. Gina is her best friend. Maybe the only best friend she’s ever had before. Gina’s been helping her get out of her comfort zone. Even talk to people at her school. Hang out with kids her own age. “Casey and Trevor too. I’ve been talking to Zach.”

She smiles. She is making friends. That’s a good thing. Unless that’s Ollie thinking and not her. He has a way of getting in her head like that.

“I don’t have a voice.” Mia explains “I dance.” She looks down at the table. She likes to dance. She’s good at it, it’s something she picked up when she was younger. Helped her with her training too later on. “There’s no cute boy. We’re putting on Chicago and Gina wants me to audition.” She shrugs “She’s playing Velma and the theatre teacher needs someone else for a lead.”

          Lips chewing slowly, Dinah was still watching the teenager with attention, amused smile hovering on her lips.     “ I think I remember about Gina, yeah… ”     She could be forgetful but there were things that didn’t need to be reminded more than twice.      “ So you’re not really on your own anymore… that’s great Mia. ”     She was happy to see her smile talking about her friends & the project of being in a musical. Social relationships weren’t the easiest for the younger blonde considering her past.·

“ You’re going to audition for Roxie then ?”      Now that was interesting. Mia went from nothing to everything in a very short time. Dinah never believed sh couldn’t do it, but maybe not with so few efforts. It was easy at home with everyone, family was easy. School not really.     “ Make sure to tell us when you guys will perform so I can remind Ollie not to plan anything that night. ”       It was the first time Dinah & Ollie would go to one of their kids projects at school, like…ordinary parents. Their sons were too old, only remained Sin who·didn’t have anything currently.     “ You know, I did some ballet back in my very young days.”

[blackestnight]

now that i’m a more awake and coherent version of myself, some work notes for “sleep mode:”

originally i was planning to write this from hanami’s pov, which still would have made for an interesting story, but by the time i started it it was midnight and i went, “wait, what if i write this from omega’s perspective instead,” and then i was like “but how can i write something from such a distinctly non-human perspective,” and then i just kinda shrugged and did my best.

the indented blocks of text (which were actually indented in the gdoc, but tumblr said no) are meant to be a nod to javascript functions, which (as i understand them, being a person who does not know computer programming or syntax and had to rely on some 12:30 am googling) are blocks of code designed to perform specific tasks when activated either by a user command or by a programmed trigger within the code itself. i kind of wanted a way to mimic the very human experience of thinking about something (or someone, in omega’s case) and having the thought of “oh! i should ask about this.” so its mentioning designation WARRIOR OF LIGHT in its record triggered the question, “is that what i should call her?”

i think i had a reason for not having every single one of omega’s actions formatted like a function, but i’ve slept since then so i don’t remember. it’s entirely possible the reason is “the formatting got annoying and i was tired.”

also i’m justifying the fact that functions definitely do not work like that with the reasoning that the omicrons aren’t actually computers as we understand them, they’re clearly autonomous and don’t rely solely on pre-programming, please just be nice to me i studied english literature and not software engineering.

a deliberate formatting note, though: omega’s dialogue “functions” use double quotation marks because, and i feel more confident in saying this is correct but please gently @ me if it isn’t, in code quotation marks are used to indicate that everything in between them is meant to be like, that actual text and not a variable or a command. so its functions are commanding its vocalization module to say “whatever is in between these two marks.” hanami’s (and alpha’s) dialogue are in double chevrons instead because, rather than being a command of exact wording, they’re the audio feedback processed through omega’s sensors and then translated into whatever syntax its systems use, sort of in the same way that when you talk to someone on the phone you aren’t actually hearing their voice, you’re hearing the phone’s interpretation and reconstruction of their voice.

one last thing about functions: one of the most basic programs, used both to teach beginners the fundamentals of coding and to work as a ‘sanity check’ to make sure software is running and processing code correctly, is known as the “Hello, World!” program. Hello, World! is also a (very difficult, very annoying) mechanic from the second half of o12s, wherein you fight omega’s ultimate form, as well as the name of the final quest in the alphatron portion of ultima thule’s msq. 

incidentally, there’s an infamous cheese strat for fighting omega unsynced called Goodbye, World! in which players avoid actually having to do the mechanic by having half the party jump off the platform and die. the second quest of the beyond the rift side story is also called Goodbye, World (but no robots, warriors of light, or cute approximations of chocobos are harmed in the making of this quest).

finally, basically all the numbers in this are complete bullshit, except for the estimate of joules saved by cuddling hanami and alpha for warmth. joules are a unit of energy, although heat is (i think) usually measured in calories instead? i blacked out my experience in high school physics for a reason. but i found a formula for converting thermal calories to joules, took a stab at how many calories would be required to heat omega to maintain minimal function, and did some math, but by then it was going on 1:45 in the morning so i couldn’t tell you what any of that math was or where i got my variables from. thus it’s only partial bullshit.

oh actually final thing is that omega refers to itself as “i,” but doesn’t use gendered pronouns, and refers to other omicrons as “it” or by their unit designations. we also see it (and the omicrons we meet in ultima thule) referring to themselves and their peers as “this unit” or “that unit,” so i used a mix to reflect omega’s habits vs how living among mortals who employ pronouns as a regular part of speech is altering its speech patterns.

(speaking of unit designations, anyone remember what the designation for the standard omicron body Sir ‘borrowed’ in ultima thule was? you know, the one that had been abandoned by its former owner? you should go back and look.)

[tomtenadia]

A Little Braver - 17

So, as promised, part 17 is her.

Be prepared to submerge our bird boy with hugs, he will need them.

I promise the chapter will end in fluff and in a good note. The angst is only for the beginning. I need to douse it a bit since from ch 19 onwards the angst gremlin will be back with a vengeance.

I hope you will love it.

A big hug to all the people who commented, reblogged or loved this fic. Thanks to all of you.

A week had gone by and Aelin and Rowan had taken the official decision to try and go back and both deal with the mess of their lives. 

The week had been perfect. Rowan had taken her hillwalking everyday and slowly she had started to feel like herself again. His presence had helped immensely. In a very short time he had become her rock. Full recovery was still a long way ahead but she felt better and with him at her side she had no more panic attacks or nightmares. 

She felt sad at the idea of leaving the cottage in the mountains but they had promised to go back for some special occasion.

*

It was morning and Rowan was getting ready to go back to work. They had set a date for the inquiry on his student’s death and that would be the day.

For once Aelin was the one worried one. She could not forget his reaction to the movie or the night he came back drunk after Fuzzy’s death. She knew he had put up a wall but hoped he would at least let her in. 

“What are you going to do?” He asked her while adjusting his tie.

“I have a meeting with Dorian and the counsellor and then I will pop in at the station and say hi to the squad and apologise.”

“Good.” His tone was detached and she moved a step to him and hugged his waist from behind “are you okay?”

He sighed “nervous. This will mean revive the entire accident over and over again.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

He shook his head and kissed her “thanks for the offer but I will be fine. My squadron will be there and you have an important meeting as well.”

“Ok,” she wanted to believe him, but could not ignore his cold detached tone and Aelin had learned that it was his coping mechanism. He was not okay.

-

Rowan arrived at the airforce HQ and was met by Lorcan.

“Sir,” he stood to attention.

“At ease captain,” Rowan stood down from attention and placed his hands behind his back in a at rest pose “I am sorry it’s so quick. I knew you were coming back yesterday and I did manage to hold on until today.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Are you sure you are ready?” And for once Rowan heard concern in his CO’s voice “this is going to be brutal.”

“I know.”

“I am on the board too and we have Captain Walker from the 24th squadron and Captain Matthews from the 31st and two engineers. They have all copies of the inquiry sent to the board.”

“Who is the president?”

“Marshal Clark.” Said Lorcan in a preoccupied tone.

“Fuck. The man hates me with a vengeance.”

Rowan sighed again and sat on the bench just outside of the room used for the meeting.

His squad arrived a moment later and they patted each other’s back in support.

“We are all here.” Gavriel told him taking a seat at his side.

“Thanks everyone.”

One of the assistants appeared on the door and announced the board was ready to convene. Rowan quickly texted Aelin and switched off his mobile.

The marshal, being the president, was in the centre of the seating area. Rowan went to greet the other two captains with whom he got along nicely and had known for a long time. Then he went to the marshal and saluted as expected “at ease captain.”

Rowan went to his assigned seat and flipped through the folder in front of him. It contained all the documents they needed. His report of the accident, the reports from the engineering team and other supporting evidence.

Marshal Clark called everyone to attention and declared the board in session. He then proceeded to explain to the members the accident that had happened.

One of the engineers who had performed checks after the aircraft had been recovered was asked to present his findings “after the analysis of the recovered aircraft and after having studied the dynamics of the accident we have found out that the main cause for the engine failure was a disruption in the airflow in the port intake causing it to stall with enough yaw rate to induce a flat spin. Cadet Williamson, according to the records of the accident, flew in the jet wash of one of his classmate’s aircrafts. That caused the airflow disruption. The stall was unrecoverable.” explained the engineer reading from his report “with regard to the canopy, we have found a fault in some model of jets used by the students where the charges did not operate correctly, causing the canopy to separate incorrectly. All those planes are grounded and now being checked.”

“Thank you.” Said the marshal, then his gaze turned to Rowan “Captain Whitethorn, stand please.”

Rowan did so.

“Could you please re tell the board the events that lead to the death of the cadet?”

Rowan took a deep breath and retold step by step what happened. It was still vivid in his mind that it would take ages before he could forget it.

“Did you tell the cadet to eject?”

“I did, sir.”

“Why?” Asked the marshal with inquisitive tone.

“He had lost control of the aircraft. From the black box retrieved from his jet he had pulled 9g after he started spiralling. From my position I could see that he was about to pass out. Ejecting the seat had been the safest option. Little did I know that the canopy would fail.”

The two other captains nodded in agreement, knowing full well that they would have suggested the same thing.

“Would the cadet have survived if he had more high G training?”

“Sir,” Rowan almost growled at his superior “his jet was under 9g for almost ten seconds before crashing in the water. Not even an experienced and highly trained pilot can sustain or survive that.” He breathed again “and you know better than me that centrifuge training can be done only with some weekly limits due to its dangers.”

“Had the cadets received basic procedures on how to properly eject and when?”

“Yes, sir. It’s one of the first things they are taught. They are shown how to properly deploy their parachute and how to blow the canopy. Training is also done in different conditions to simulate possible combat scenery.”

“Training was not the issue here,” said Lorcan going in Rowan’s support “Captain Whitethorn is one of our most experienced instructors and hundreds of students have survived his crushing training and are still alive today because of what he has taught them.”

“The post mortem also backed the cause of death in the crash of the body against the canopy.” Added captain Matthews.

“What kind of training were you doing that day?” The marshal continued, ignoring the protests.

“We were going through some basic dogfight routines. The cadets were only five months out of the academy so we were just covering the basics as per fighter school curriculum.” Answered Rowan who felt lost all of a sudden.

“Would the manoeuvre you had practiced put the boy in a position to be in another jet’s wake? Didn’t you teach them how to stay away from the jet wash of another aircraft during a dogfight?” The marshal had an agenda, that was very clear to Rowan. He was trying to blame this on him.

Captain Walker stood angrily “why are we attacking captain Whitethorn? The problem was that the engine stalled due to the jet wash from another aircraft. An experienced fighter might have been able to find a way out of such deadly spiral, the gods know I have found myself in that situation and got out of it by pure damn luck. Not a cadet five months out of the academy. It’s our job to teach them such manoeuvres but only after they have mastered the basics.” He sat down again nodding at Rowan.

“A good instructor would have taught his students how to fly in close formation and to avoid the wake of a team mate. A captain should know what such manoeuvre could cause.” Continued the marshal who had taken the fight to Rowan.

Lorcan stood angrily “That is enough.” He shouted.

“I would suggest you to sit down, Air commodore.”

“Not when you accuse my best instructor of being the cause of the death of a student.”

“It is my job as president of this board to try and figure out what happened.”

“I told two of my students they were too close. I advised another one not to drop below hard deck. I care about the safety of my students.” Rowan almost growled at the marshal “also, I stand by my decision to order cadet Williamson to eject. Had the canopy worked he’d be alive now.”

The marshal nodded and with a bored expression he then went back to the engineering team and they discussed the canopy issue.

Rowan let them talk and his brain disconnected completely and tried to ignore the pain from what had just transpired.

He sat in silence listening to the rest of the board discuss in the background. 

The marshal eventually called the board to attention “Following the evidence provided by the engineering team and the testimony of captain Whitethorn I declare that the death of cadet Williamson was caused by the port engine stall due to airflow disruption in the intake. The commission also noted that the flat spin in which the cadet went in was not recoverable. Captain Whitethorn is cleared of any faults.” Rowan noticed the disappointment on the man’s face for the fact the had been cleared of any faults.

The marshal then turned to Lorcan “Commodore, I expect you to keep the students grounded until the training jets have been fixed.”

“Yes, sir.”

“The board is dismissed.” Clark stood and walked out.

The other two captain went to Rowan “I had no idea the bastard would try to blame you for this.”captain Matthews added with fury.

“I would have told my students to eject as well. It was the only option.” Added captain Walker.

But Rowan was not listening. It hurt too much, knowing that someone had tried to blame the death of his student on him. That the marshal had to question all of his choices and possibly his training methods.

Lorcan and his squadron were at his side as soon as the room was clear.

“The arsehole has some guts.” Commented Fenrys but Gavriel elbowed him.

Rowan stood in a daze and left the room ignoring the voices of his team calling him.

*

Aelin’s meeting with Dorian and the counsellor had gone better than she expected. Thanks to Rowan she had been able to open up and talk to them about what happened and how she had been before her escape and what had prompted her to flee. She admitted to them her fears.

She felt much better but she had confessed that she did not feel ready to go back in action. She felt okay about going back to the station and work from the office but was not ready yet to be in a fire. She was still too scared for that and Dorian and the counsellor accepted her admission.

So they had agreed for a transition period. Aelin was told as well to attend weekly sessions with the counsellor to track her progress and her mental health recovery. She would be on desk duty for a while and after that, Dorian was willing to send her back out but just at his side in a fire emergency allowing her again to be close to the fire scene and if that went well they could work on a plan on sending her back in. 

She had agreed with the final decision and had left the room with a smile and a light heart. She stopped in the corridor to check her phone but no news from Rowan. The meeting should be over by now. She hoped he was okay.

Happily she drove back to her squad and everyone was eager to catch up with her. Then Aedion stopped in front of her “never again,” he told her and Aelin went for a hug. He remained stiff for a moment, then his arms enveloped her in a bear hug “looks like your captain fixed you up nicely.”

“Hey, I would recover from anything if I had such man looking after me.” Said Ansel and everyone laughed.

“He has been nice to me.” But all she could think was his face from that morning.

 *

Rowan had been walking without a direction for a while now. He felt as if he had lost his rudder, he had spent the last twelve years of his life working for people who had been ready to blame on him the death of a student. He looked at his uniform and for the first time since he had worn it he felt no pride in it. He had been so tempted to resign his wings on the spot. No matter that he had been cleared, it stung so much, even if it had been the opinion of one man.

It had been too much. He knew the marshal was never a fan of his. The first student he had lost had been his son. But at the time as well the board had declared it had not been his fault. It had been the pilot’s mistake. The marshal never forgave him. Seeing him again at a board for a student’s death he had probably tried to punish him for what happened to his son.

In the distance he spotted a pub and decided that a drink might help. He got in and sat at the counter and ordered a whisky, but once the drink was in front of him he could not drink it. In his current state he would spiral down again to the same level of self destruction of many years before when he lost the marshal’s son and he could not do that again. He could not put Aelin through that pain.

So he did the only sensible thing. He called her.

Aelin was in the common room with the squad and they were having fun and the guys were telling her about some of the calls they had and then they were teasing Luca and his upcoming exam.

She was about to tell them to stop picking on him when her phone went off. It was Rowan and her heart stopped. 

She quickly left the room and went outside, sitting on the bumper of one of the engines “hey,”

“Hi,” his voice was low and flat and she feared for him.

“What’s wrong.”

Silence.

“Ro, are you okay?”

“No.”

Shit. She stood and started pacing “where are you?”

“At a pub.”

“Which one.”

He told her the name.

“I am coming. Just stay there.” And closed the conversation and almost laughed at the irony of the situation. A week before she had been at the receiving end of such conversation.

She ran back to the squad “guys, I need to go. Rowan. It’s not good. I just have to go…”

She didn’t even wait for an answer. She just rushed back to her car and drove to him. He did not sound drunk so maybe it was not all lost.

She arrived at pub not long after and stormed in. Rowan was sitting at the counter staring at a glass of whisky in front of him.

“Ro.” She walked to him and his green eyes fell on her. There was pain in them, so much pain.

“You are not drunk,” she told him.

“He ordered the whisky two hours ago and had been staring at it ever since.” Said the bartender.

“Hey,” she caressed his head and he closed his eyes at the touch “what happened?”

He shook his head “not here.” He stood and Aelin followed then came back and chugged down the abandoned whisky and went after him.

He was walking away and she ran after him “wait, you have long legs, damn you.” He extended an arm behind him and Aelin grabbed his hand “fine, we are outside, spill the beans.”

She definitely had no tact.

He walked silently a bit longer until they reached a small park and he sat down on a bench and Aelin took a spot at his side never letting his hand go.

And then he told her. Everything that had happened in the room. The results of the inquiry, the marshal’s accusations. The identity of the first student he had lost and his desire to quit.

“I wanted to throw my wings in the marshal’s face.” He looked down dejected “I feel lost now. I want to go back to my students, I owe it to them, to teach them how to be safe. But everything else… I don’t care about it anymore.” his head leaned against her shoulder and Aelin brushed his head with her hand and kissed it tenderly “Ro, how can I help you?”

Rowan turned his head to her and she thought his eyes were wet with tears “what you are doing just now is enough. Having you with me helps.”

“Do you need to go back to the airbase now?”

Rowan nodded sadly.

“Ok, I’ll drive you.” Aelin stood and Rowan followed but before moving he pulled her to him and drew her in for a kiss “I love you.” He said quietly.

She flicked his nose “let’s go.” She offered him her hand and together they walked back to her car.

They arrived at the airbase not long after “do you need me to come in?”

Rowan shook his head “my team is there. I will be fine. Gav will stop me from doing anything stupid.”

“Good. I am going back to the station.” She leaned forward to kiss him “Will you be okay? I am worried about you.”

“I am a big boy.” He joked.

“Ro…”

He leaned forward and kissed her “I do love so much when you call me Ro like that…”

Aelin smiled against his lips “don’t do anything stupid and tomorrow you can ravish me all you want. You can even be super creative.”

“How can I refuse such proposal?” He kissed her again “I will be fine.” His hand went to the door handle and opened the door “I will see you tomorrow morning at home. Have a nice night shift.”

Aelin’s heart swelled with joy at the word home. Their place. They hadn’t made it official but her house had become home. Their home. And she loved the feeling of it.

“Think creative, captain.”

He winked at her and left the car. Then he waved at her and Aelin left, he put his cap on his head and headed back inside the airbase.

-

Rowan made his way to Lorcan’s office and took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

“Come in,” came from inside.

Rowan entered the room and Lorcan looked up at him and he did notice the expression of disbelief in his CO’s face.

“Rowan —” but the other man stopped him.

“Thank you for today. For the support.” Rowan said quietly sitting on the chair in front of his CO.

“The man was out of line.” Lorcan growled “he knows what kind of instructor you are. How strict you are. The man was trying to get you sacked as a punishment for his son’s death knowing full well that again it was not your fucking fault.”

Rowan looked away, shutting away the painful memories.

“I already sent orders to start working on the canopies and check them all.”

Rowan nodded silently.

“I know what we can do to cheer you up.” Rowan turned his head staring at a surprisingly cheery Lorcan. Elide was really doing miracles.

“Grab you gear and let’s get out in the air, this man here needs to fly. It’s been so long that it’s a miracle I can still be called a pilot.” And he chuckled.

Rowan stood “Fine, be ready to be crushed.”

Lorcan grinned and stood as well “Oh, I submitted a proposal to allow women to serve in the airforce.”

Rowan’s head whipped to one side “who are you and what have you done with Lorcan Salvaterre?”

“The captain and Elide. Turns out we have both chosen very strong women.”

“I like that.”

“Me too.”

Rowan was doing his pre-flight checks when he noticed Lorcan joining him. The man had always exuded charisma.

“You should really send Elide a picture of you in a jump suit. I know how much Aelin likes it, I guess Elide might appreciate it too.”

Lorcan lifted an eyebrow while he reached his jet and popped open the canopy “you think?”

Rowan nodded “how is it going with her by the way?”

“She is incredible. She is tiny but fierce and stubborn and quite amazing.”

Rowan could not believe it, Lorcan was in awe of someone a feat that he thought was impossible.

“You are in love with her.”

“I think so.” said Lorcan hiding the words in a cough, almost embarrassed by his admission.

“Good.” Then he stared at Lorcan and he realised that going out out for a flight had been a good idea. They were evenly matched in skill and it was going to be a fun one. They had a few turbulent months but he had more or less always got along with him. Flying together again felt like the good old times.

“You missed a spot.” Rowan pointed at one section under the wing. 

Lorcan replied with a middle finger and it felt nice to have their old banter back when Lorcan could finally put aside his CO mask for a while.

“I am not a cadet, I know how to do my pre flight checks.”

“Well, you are not following the order we were taught at flight school, cadet Salvaterre.”

“Stop being a smartass, cadet Whitethorn.”

Rowan climbed in his jet and finished his checks inside and communicated with the tower to finalise the flight plan and get the authorisations required.

“Come on Lorcan, you are so slow. Tower gave us the all clear and the flight plan is in. Are you sure you still remember how to fly? Do you need any pointers, Chaos?”

Chaos was Lorcan’s callsign and he had earned it very early in his career for his flying skills.

Eventually they were both ready and the two jets got taxied away and not long after they were in the air.

“Rules of engagement: anything is allowed and two out of three?”

“Copy that, Iceman.”

“Good, be ready to lose.”

The two jets broke apart and went in different directions and for a while they just ran in circles above the airbase to study each other.

Lorcan hadn’t wanted to admit that he was a bit rusty and Rowan was indeed a nasty customer. 

Gavriel and the three young pilots were walking along one of the long corridors on the airbase when they heard the sound of jets in the air and ran to the next window to look who it was. The classes for the cadets were still grounded and the three of them were on ground.

“Holy fuck,” muttered Gavriel when he realised who was out flying.

He ran out to the viewing tower followed by the twins and Vaughan.

“Is that who I think it is?” Asked Connall speechless.

“Rowan and Lorcan.” The older man turned to the three young guys “you are in for a treat, they can make you feel like a newbie.”

Gavriel saw Rowan pull in a vertical and flying into the sun, roll on his back and continue in  straight line flying just a meter above Lorcan, finally flipped his jet once again and placed himself at Lorcan’s six.

Lorcan tried some evasive manoeuvres but Rowan did not let go, always at his tail attempting to get a lock on his CO.

Lorcan felt trapped and as a last ditch he went into a high G barrel roll to try and shake off Rowan.

“Rowan is going to overshoot,” said Connall who was silently watching the dogfight between their superiors.

Then Rowan pulled a trick out of the hat and kept his jet in line with Lorcan’s then rolled and found himself upside down and fired at the other man.

“Holy fuck,” was Fenrys’ comment at the scene.

“What did just happen? How did he even manage that?” Added Vaughan.

“That is Rowan for you. Now you realise why we can’t ever win?”

“One nil for me, Chaos.”

“You are a sneaky bastard, Whitethorn. And where did you learn such manoeuvres?”

Rowan laughed over the comms “get your act together, Commodore, and you can probably get me.”

The dogfight between the two went on for much longer. Lorcan did manage to win an engagement but Rowan still won 2-1. They landed back and they found Rowan’s team waiting for them.

“Good to see you two flying again. The youngsters never had the chance to see the pros at work.” Said Gavriel relieved that the two men seemed again at ease with each other.

“Oh, yeah. Our dear CO was a bit rusty and I took him out to stretch his legs and I handed out his arse to him twice.”

Lorcan gave him the middle finger in response.

*

Elide was in the ambulance doing some inventory checks when her phone pinged. She opened the text from Lorcan and almost fainted on the spot. It was Lorcan in his jump suit beside his jet and the man actually had a hint of a smile on his face. The second image was of him and Rowan standing back to back, their arms folded at their chest and both had a goofy smile on.

She jumped off the ambulance and ran to Aelin who was in the equipment room checking out their gear “Ace, look!” She shouted as she stormed in.

“What?” And she looked at the two pictures on Elide’s phone.

“Interesting…” Aelin stared with curiosity at the picture of the two men.

“He is soooo hot, I have never seen him in a jump suit and gods I don’t know? Want to remove it one bit at a time?”

Aelin laughed “that’s what I would do to Rowan right now if we were together in a private place. I would peel that jump suit off him until he is naked in front of me.”

She saw Elide blush “Lorcan and I haven’t… passed the kissing stage yet. He has never touched me. He is very considerate of me. But a few times he hugged me and I… felt him.” And she made a gesture and Aelin understood.

“Elide that is normal. How do you feel about the next stage? Like exploring each other’s bodies?”

“As in naked?”

“Yes, but you can start with keeping your underwear to have a barrier on if it makes you feel better.”

Elide sat on the bench beside her “I don’t know how to do this. How do I touch him?”

Aelin could see panic rise in the woman “ask him to show you and then once you feel brave enough to try just give it a go. It can be quite fun.” Aelin stopped for a second trying to find a way to tackle the next issue “Elide, have you ever… you know… explored your body? Down there?”

Elide blushed savagely “no.”

Aelin took the woman’s hand “take a nice warm bath and then…” Aelin wiggled her fingers “just put a hand between your legs and see how it goes, what you feel.”

“Oh.”

“At least once you two take the next step you have an idea of how it feels.”

“And Lorcan does that as well?”

Aelin nodded “yes, and if the man is as good as the others claim he might leave you a satisfied mess just with his fingers or mouth or both. A sort of appetiser before the main course.”

“Do you and Rowan…?”

Aelin nodded “and not just him to me but me to him as well.”

“This sounds so much.”

“Elide, look at me.” Aelin placed her hands on the woman’s shoulder “you do not have to take the next step until you are okay with it. Talk with Lorcan. Explain to him that you are getting curious and want to try more. You can use a safe word so that when you start to become uncomfortable, you shout that word and he has to stop.”

“Oh.”

“He hasn’t rushed you or anything?”

Elide shook her head “no, he has been so understanding, and never pushed.”

“Good. You set the pace. You are the one who needs time so he adjusts to you, remember. But if you feel like you are ready for another step just tell him.”

“Is it… is it as good as everyone says? Is it worth it?”

Aelin nodded “with the right person is something incredible. The intimacy… the connection…”

“Do you have that with your captain?”

“Yeah, and some.”

“Uhhh… are we getting serious?”

Aelin looked away for a moment “I loved Sam. A lot. We were good together but it was never like this. Never this deep.” She threw her head against one of the jackets “I don’t know how to explain it but my feelings for Rowan are so strong that sometimes I feel like I can’t breath.”

“I want that too.”

A moment later the conversation was interrupted by Lysandra entering the room “Here you are, why are you hiding?”

Elide showed Lys Lorcan’s picture.

“Oh mama…”

“Elide is feeling… curious.”

Lysandra hugged the woman “that is wonderful, darling. With such a specimen I’d be curious too.”

“Lys.” Shouted Aelin laughing.

“What? Fine the man can be an arsehole but I can’t deny that in that picture he is one hot bastard.”

“Show her the other.”

Elide showed Lysandra the picture with both Rowan and Lorcan.

“Ok, I really need a cold shower now.”

“I am pretty sure Aedion is available. Just keep it quiet.”

Lysandra laughed “don’t you think I tried? He said it would be against the rules.”

“I am almost done with equipment checks. This room will be free soon.”

“You are a wicked woman.” 

Aelin winked.

“Did you do it in here with the captain?”

“No, but his office is quite comfortable.”

“Nice.” Commented Lysandra.

Lys then took Elide’s hand “come on, we got a couple of things to finish.”

Once the two ladies left she phoned Rowan and he picked up at the first ring.

“I am jealous, Lorcan sent a picture of the two of you to Elide and I don’t get a copy?”

“You liked that?”

“You were both smiling.”

“We talked,” added Rowan “Lorcan was even more pissed than me. I think Elide did the miracle.”

Aelin laughed and relaxed at his admission “how so?

“He chuckled. Lorcan chuckled.”

She heard mirth in his voice.

“And the man is totally in love with Elide. I swear I never heard the man talk like that about a woman.”

“Interesting.”

“Also, apparently he has decided to support my idea of having women in the airforce and submitted a proposal to the higher ups and he is prepared to fight for it.” He told her, knowing she would love the news.

“Ok, I might finally start to like the man. What changed?”

“You and Elide apparently.”

Aelin smiled smugly “so he does listen, I am impressed. I don’t think I can cope with the idea of Lorcan not being the bad guy.”

“His job is very stressful and I don’t think I could be able to cope with the amount of shit he has to deal with.” He sighed “put me in a cockpit surrounded by enemies and I will be fine. But the idea of being stuck behind a desk playing the political game day in day out…. no. I will retire before it happens.” He added sadly.

“So, what’s on the agenda for the rest of the day, captain?”

“I am helping him with a few things. Then do more prep work for our performance review.”

“Do you think you are ready for that?”

She heard a lot of noise in the background and she guessed he was back in the hangar.

“Aye, we are good to go.” He was silent for a moment “I have to go, Fireheart.”

“Sure. Be safe and have a nice drill.”

“I love you. Have a nice night shift.”

“Send me that picture, Whitethorn.”

“Yes ma’am.”

She closed the conversation and relaxed heavily. Rowan sounded so much better and she was smidge less worried. With a big smile she went back to her work.

*

It was past 9pm and Aelin was in her office working away on some paperwork Dorian had sent over. She had a good day. It had felt good being back and she realised that Rowan’s help and their time away had helped very much. She felt saner and being at the station did not cause any problems. She was not ready yet to go back fighting fires, of that she was well aware. That was the last challenge she had to face but she and Aedion had discussed a training regimen that would slowly allow her to find the courage again to go fully back on duty and she felt excited at the idea.

She had been so engrossed in her work she did not hear the knock on the door. When it happened a second time she slowly raised her head “come in.” She said flatly and almost annoyed. 

A head of silver hair appeared on the door and she stopped “am I interrupting?”

“Of course captain. How dare you?”

He smiled and took a step in “I can go if you are working.”

Aelin rolled her eyes “get your arse inside and give me fifteen minutes of silence.”

He nodded and walked to her bookcase, giving her his back. His hand behind his back, his spine ramrod straight and his feet slightly apart in a perfect at ease position. She grinned. You could take the man out of the military but not the military out of the man.

She stopped working and rested her chin on her hands and a pen in her mouth. She studied him from behind and was impressed how still he could stay. A feat that had alway been impossible to her. 

Rowan grabbed one of her manuals and started flipping through it. It was only fair, she had done the same to his flight manuals. 

“A chemistry book?”

She eventually decided to stand and join him at his side.

“I hated chemistry in school. I was good at it but never liked it. I preferred physics.”

Aelin smiled and grabbed another book: fire science “this one might be more interesting.”

He had a look through it and smiled at her “can I take it at home or do you need it here?”

“You can take it home.”

Rowan smiled and placed the book on the sofa then cupped her face “hi, by the way.” And he kissed her.

“About time. I thought you were more interested in my books than me.” She teased him, pulling away briefly.

“You told me to stay silent for fifteen minutes. I was just following orders.”

“Screw that.”Aelin switched off her computer and walked to him, palm upturned, offering him her hand “follow me captain.”

“Do I need to be scared?”

She glared at him.

They walked along the corridor of the fire station and it was so silent and quiet compared to what he had seen during the day “where is everyone?”

“Resting. We got beds, you know? But Brullo and Ress are probably up watching tv as usual.”

They walked through the common area and as Aelin suspected the two guys were watching some  series on tv.

“Hi guys,” she greeted them.

They raised their heads “hi boss,” then noticed Rowan “oh captain, you found her. Good.”

“When I walked in I announced myself. I could not just waltz in.”

“Come on,” she grabbed his hand. Aelin dragged Rowan to the area where they kept the fire engine and the truck. She moved to the engine and opened a door on the side and pulled out two thick blankets then with them under her armpit, she started climbing the ladder at the end of the rig “Come on captain.”

Rowan looked at her puzzled.“Where are you going?”

He saw her rolling her eyes “on top of the rig.”

“If the alarm—”

“Captain, if the alarm goes off we have enough seconds to get our arses back down. They will not drive away with us on top of the rig. Do you trust me?”

He looked at her in a strange way.

Aelin threw the blankets on the top of the engine and climbed back down and marched to him, grabbing his hand “move.”

With force she dragged him to the ladder and prompted him to climb. He did as ordered and once at the top he stopped. Aelin stopped behind him, then in a swift motion she pulled her leg over the engine rail and climbed on its roof.

She took the blankets and placed them on top of all the hoses “it smells a bit of smoke. You’ll get used to it.”

He climbed over and stood for a second admiring the view from on top of the engine. When he turned he saw Aelin laying down on the blankets, her arms extended to him and a goofy smile on her face. He joined her and took a place at her side.

She nested against his chest and his arms looped around her frame.

“I come up here a lot on a night shift. I don’t sleep, I just relax, I love to imagine I am laying on the grass and that if I look up I can see the stars.”

“I do that when I am on an aircraft carrier and I am not on standby. I just walk on the deck along the rail, although is not as quiet as here as there are still flights happening, but it’s less busy. I just lean against the handrail, near the island and look out at the sea and I my case I can see the stars.”

Aelin turned in his arms and faced him “can you navigate by just using the stars?”

“We don’t use it much, GPS is a very handy tool, but it’s a skill we learn in case something fails and you are left with no GPS or any other electronic help.”

“What about you? Had a good day at the station?” He kissed the top of her head.

Aelin nodded eagerly “yes, I admitted I had a problem out loud and both Dorian and Aedion have offered to help in anyway they can.” She looked up at him “and you… you helped so much… and still helping…”

He smiled tenderly “it goes under my job description for boyfriend, I assume?”

She caressed his face loving the sound of him calling himself her boyfriend.

“Say it again,” she whispered to him.

“What?”

“That you are my boyfriend.”

He went for a deep kiss “I am yours.”

Aelin smiled against his lips “those are powerful words, captain.”

“They are true, though.”

Aelin’s heart raced and her hand went to his chest and found his doing exactly the same.

“I love this. Us. I really do…” she stuck her head in the crook of his neck inhaling his scent “but it still scares me because it happened so fast. One day I wanted to punch you, the next I wanted to kiss you. And it frightens me. I want this to work. I want us to work out.”

His hand covered hers still on his chest “you are not alone. This is a lot for me as well. But I am done fighting my feelings.” He hugged her closer “I love you, even when this world is a forgotten whisper of dust between the stars, I will love you.”

Aelin kissed his chest “you are so cheesy it’s disgusting.”

Rowan pushed her away and she rolled on her back at his side, her hand still in his “I was trying to be romantic and you ruined the moment.”

She smiled “sorry, I used to do that with Sam all the time. He would say something super romantic and I would respond with a joke. When he proposed I replied that I had to check with my lawyer first.”

“You are a brat.”

“It was so funny. Then I texted him and said that my lawyer had agreed.” Aelin brought their twinned hands to her mouth and kissed them “I showed him later on that night in bed how much I wanted to marry him. He did not complain.”

“You really are a handful.”

“I know, but now you picked me and there is no turning back.” She said against their hands fearing she had gone too far.

“I love a good challenge.” He rolled over and was now half on top of her, his hand on her side caressing her gently.

Aelin grabbed his face in her free hands and kissed him stupid but Rowan pulled back when he remembered where they were. He was still terrified they would drive away with the two of them on top of the engine.

He lay back down and his hand started trailing along her injured arm exposed by the short sleeved shirt. The burns had healed but the skin remained marred. He traced the length of it and leaned over to kiss it.

“Does it bother you?”

“No,” he said softly while continuing to kiss her injured arm and her scars “you are my brave and fierce Fireheart. It scares me that I almost lost you. But you scars…” another gentle kiss “they don’t bother me.”

She snuggled closer and he enveloped her in his arms.

“I forgot.” He propped himself up on one elbow “I have received an invitation.”

“Oh?” Aelin did the same and faced him.

“This weekend the navy is throwing a launch party for the new aircraft carrier, down at the dockyards before she is set at sea for the trials and then off to deployment.” He explained “Me and the guys have been invited and I can bring a guest. Fancy being my plus one?”

“Are we going public, captain?”

“If you want to.”

Aelin thought about it “I could wear the stunning black dress I bought in Doranelle.”

Rowan remembered that dress and the effect it had on him when she wore it in the shop.

“Are you trying to give a heart attack to the whole Terrasen military?”

Aelin giggled “just going to show all those posh boys what an amazing taste in women you have.”

“That I do.” He flicked her nose.

Aelin was about to reply when dispatch alarm went off and she bolted on her feet and pulled Rowan up and grabbed the blankets “come on, captain.”

She climbed down super quickly and by the time he made it down, the blankets were back in the truck and the squad was getting ready to go.

“Showing the captain your special spot?” Joked Aedion.

Aelin nodded and patted his shoulder “keep the guys safe and you stay safe too.”

“Always.” Quickly Aedion ran to the truck and a moment later the squad was gone.

“It’s hard to see them go and not being able to be with them.”

He pulled an arm around her shoulder “come, I’ll make you hot chocolate.”

She followed him “that’s exactly how you woo a woman, captain.”

TAGS:

@rowaelinismyotp​

@jlinez​

@swankii-art-teacher​

@courtofjurdan​

@whimsicallyreading​

@tillyrubes10​

[zv5x]

This is the anon asking for more dad spirit (first day of school,first crush of the kid, growing up? Just spirit being the dad he deserves to be) with wife s/o! Gosh I hope you're fine though : (. It's so annoying when parents find blogs or accounts and all, especially if they arent the best

Hi there!!! I'm so sorry it took me so long to get to this request, but omg!!! It's so cute!! I'm going to do this in a hc format, since it's so much easier to ramble on about Spirit in HCs. If you want me to do any oneshots of this, please let me know! Requests are always open! But thank you for your support, it means the world to me dear , I hope to see you around on my blog soon *ೃღ ( :̲̅:̲̅:̲̅[̲̅:♡:]̲̅:̲̅:̲̅:̲̅)

Let's be honest, the day his kids first go to school is the day Spirit grabs onto you and starts sobbing tears of joy. He'd be literally so freaking proud, it's unreal

With how proud he is, Spirit understands that his kids are going to a completely human school. And, with the kids being half demon, he gave them all the rundown about how to hide their horns / tail, how to avoid using their powers unless COMPLETELY warranted, and other similar lessons. He wants the best for his precious babies after all, and he wants to make sure they're safe

Spirit would be gushing about them for the entire day, and it was so cute to listen to on your end. It's just so precious seeing him talk about how happy and proud he is, he's such a loving dad it's honestly the bestest thing ever

Spirit, being basically all knowing when it comes to human subjects such as mathematics, is very adamant about giving the kids all the help they need with projects, homework, ect. To the point where you have to keep a sharp eye on him to make sure he isn't just straight up giving the kids the answers instead of helping them though to figure it out themselves

Spirit isn't very knowledgeable about human...development? If that makes sense? Like, he knows what goes on physically, but you have to help him out when it comes to actually helping them through the struggles of puberty and such. He'd be surprisingly good at it, and the kids go to him for help a lot, since he gives such good advice

The first kid that comes to them to talk about a crush, Spirit has to literally stop himself from squealing happily and clapping to himself out of pure joy. He's just like, so proud!!!! He's so happy!! He'd most definitely give them the advice he used when trying to woo you, like what to say, what to do, ect!

Spirit would probably want the kids to be more like...his side? But only with your complete permission. He just wants what's best for the family, and if you don't want something to down a certain way then he's more than happy doing it your way. Howeverrrr, if you'd like for him to, he'd be more than happy to teach the kids how to correctly use their powers, who they can call if they need any... assistance, how to navigate Hell in the most efficient way, among some other similar things. Humans live such boring lives smh, being a demon would be so much cooler

[kiragecko]

Reviews of Christian Allegorical FANTASY

Note: Christianity is a broad, varied thing. I can only write from my perspective, and it’s hard to describe that perspective to an international audience. Words have different meanings in different countries. But this is what I think about the various Christian allegorical fiction I’ve read, measured by writing quality, allegorical quality, and ability to make me happy. Your perspective may vary.

 Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis –

Writing: Y’all know this guy is good.

Allegory: Shockingly strong for something with such mass appeal. And deeper than you thought as a kid. Never sidelines the story, because he’s integrated the two so well.

Problems: So, you don’t notice the colonialism, racism, classism, sexism, and mild ableism as a kid. Dude was a white British man during the early and mid 1900s. He does not entirely rise above his culture. Some of the dehumanization of species/cultures that are obvious stand-ins for real world cultures horrified me during my latest reread. And it’s subtle enough that it’s hard to point out to kids.

Story: The story is great. I’ve read ‘The Horse And His Boy’ so many times that my papa’s copy is held together with tape. He wouldn’t let me take them when I moved out. Had to buy my own. It was tragic.

 The Archives of Anthropos, by John White –

Writing: Reminds me of Terry Brooks, a little. In that the writing is servicable, and some of the fantasy is pretty derivative, but it’s definitely not bad. The roots are strong, but he didn’t have enough experience to cut all the weaker bits and ruthlessly rewrite.

Allegory: Solid. Not tacked on, not super deep. Really good for a Narnia imitation.

Problems: Not sure, haven’t reread in a while. Pika didn’t like a battle near the beginning, so we had to stop.

Story: It’s set in Winnipeg!!! Unashamed about being heavily inspired by Narnia, this series is a delight. Not as good as it’s inspiration, of course, but it feels like a heartfelt fan letter. Some of the ideas are REALLY cool. This series is worth reading, you guys! Especially the first 2 books.

 The Circle (Black, Red, and White), by Ted Dekker –

Writing: Readable. Slick. Masculine.

Allegory: Lacked both the desired subtly and the necessary depth. Felt like it was written for fantasy fans that felt guilty about reading secular books, rather than to say something important.

Story: Don’t like Narnia-esque books aimed at adults. Allegories shouldn’t be trying to be cool. Not a fan. (But please note that these opinions were formed 15-20 years ago. I may have been missing something.)

 The Space Trilogy, by C.S. Lewis –

Writing: Again, this is C.S. Lewis. He’s good at writing.

Allegory: A little weird, for me. But I struggle with allegory for adults. One of the books is Adam and Eve on Venus, with original sin working slightly differently? I don’t get it.

Problems: My problem is that I don’t like it! Sometimes it reads like Douglas Adams, but not funny. That makes no sense!

Story: Don’t like Narnia-esque books aimed at adults, even if they’re written by the authour of Narnia. This is Sci-Fi. There is romance. Really not for me.

 The Story of the Other Wise Man, by Henry Van Dyke –

Writing: Good, if I remember correctly. Feels dated and classic, like it should be from Victorian times. (I just checked, it’s from 1895.)

Allegory: Like most morality from more than a century ago, it reads a bit weird. Just, life was a lot harsher then. Nice clear simple message, just taught from a mindset I don’t totally understand.

Story: As a kid, this one made me SAD! He loses everything and feels like a failure! Does have a good message, teaching is sound, good storytelling, but it wasn’t fun enough to make the lesson stick.

 Left Behind, by Tim Lahaye and Jerry B. Jenkins -

Writing: I remember the writing being fine. They read like thrillers, which isn’t a bad thing. I’ve enjoyed some thrillers.

Allegory: Revelations is ALREADY an allegory. This is just an uninspired expansion.

Problems: Everything.

Story: I hate apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic stories. This series wasn’t written by someone who was bothered by the suffering of everyone who made ‘wrong’ choices, and that makes it hollow and awful. ‘We’re so good and smart and better than other people!’ NO. That is not Christianity.

 A Wrinkle In Time, by Madeleine L’Engle –

I still don’t get how this series is Christian?? Really freaked me out as a kid. Had quite a few nightmares.

After a little research, it turns out that she has a very different understanding of Christianity then me. You’ll have to get a review from someone who can see from that perspective.

 Duncton Wood, by William Horwood –

Writing: Extremely good. Heavy and beautiful. Kept me reading as I got more and more weirded out.

Allegory: Not a Christian allegory. And yet Christian enough, in a weird Anglican(??) way, to make it difficult to interpret as non-Christian. There’s a Jesus figure who gets martyred. There are schisms. It’s weird.

Problems: Almost certainly shouldn’t be on this list, yet I spent half an hour searching for it because I was so sure it was supposed to be on this list.

Story: Moles and their experiences with religion. There are similarities to Watership Down and Redwall, Narnia and Lord of the Rings. (The last mostly in language/writing style). If it wasn’t so close to Christian allegory as to be in the uncanny valley, I would have loved it! As it is, I would have prefered LESS Christ.

 Christian ALLEGORICAL Fantasy

The Pilgrim’s Progress, by Paul Bunyan –

Writing: (Note: I’ve only read versions rewritten for kids. At least one was heavily abridged.) This was written in 1678. That is a LONG time ago. The worldview is really different from ours. Also, the versions I read were not inspired updates.

Allegory: This was written only 100 years after the Protestant Reformation. Punishments are incredibly disproportionate. Rich people have completely different rules than the poor, and this is seen as Godly. It’s been over 20 years since I read this book, and I don’t remember much, but it’s a weird read if you’re expecting modern concepts of right and wrong.

Story: Fascinating! Did not enjoy. Might as an adult. Reading an allegory that you can’t relate to at all is a weird experience.

 Hind’s Feet On High Places, by Hannah Hunnard -

Writing: (Note: I’ve only read the version rewritten for kids.) Writing is really good.

Allegory: Names that are just English words have always annoyed me. Other than that pet peeve, this is extremely good. Straight-forward enough to be read to a 7 year old, complex enough for me to reference when I’m trying to describe my experiences to my husband. Solid Christianity, with enough hard stuff to challenge you, while still managing to be fun.

Problems: We’ve got some nasty ableism baked into the setting (disability as metaphor for sin and bondage), and the images are painfully white.

Story: I love this book! This is a Pilgrim’s Progress that actually matches with Christianity as I understand it. If you’re looking for a fun fantasy with a good message, this isn’t it. If you’re looking for a distillation of Christianity, told as a story because that makes it more accessible – this is a good one.

 The Divine Comedy, by Dante Alighieri –

Haven’t read it.

 Tales of the Kingdom, by David and Karen Mains -

Writing: The first collection of stories is really strong. The next 2 get weaker. Short stories read differently than novels, and the writing style works well for that format.

Allegory: TOO strong. Some of the stories still make me mad to think about, because the messages are HARD. (Also, names that are just English words still annoy me, no matter now much I love the series.)

Problems: Ableism – true selves don’t have disabilities and are always beautiful. Art is not 100% white, but all the most beautiful people seem to be. And I love lizards far too much to handle the dragon story.

Story: These stories mean a lot to me. They are very much not something a non-believer is going to enjoy. They tend to focus on the parts of Christianity that are hard, uncomfortable, and/or different from mainstream culture. They also stick with you for decades. Narnia is my favourite series on this list to read, but Tales of the Kingdom might be the best for exploring your faith. Highly, highly recommend.

[maisymousette]

Blow Out All The Candles (Snippet)

(real talk - 7k in to my first foray into MDZS on a nmj/jyl fic and 5k is just pure gentle smut of their wedding night. this is them getting to know each other and learning to let their guards down and that its okay to love each other and fuck i could ramble for years. pls give feedback if you got any!!!) ((i also just realised this is 1.5k wtf am i doing))

Nie Mingjue had never peeled a lotus root before in his life, but he was finding the activity oddly soothing in a mediative way. When you added in Jiang Yanli’s gentle humming as she prepared what she needed in the kitchen around them, he was fiercely glad she had invited him to cook with her, to spend time with her in such a meaningful way. It made his heart stutter to think that she truly wanted to spend time with him, to get to know him… it had to be a step in the right direction, surely.

He had minimal knowledge of culinary skills, aside from what he needed to know when out travelling or night-hunting and making your own meal was the only guarantee of food. He knew how to skin and roast a hare, skewer a fish over a stick on a log fire, what basic berries were edible or poisonous, but he had never had the experience of making a complete home meal from scratch.

He watched as she walked with confidence around the kitchen - one he knew she had been sneaking into for a few weeks now – and he felt a surge of affection so strongly he nearly broke the knife in his hand with the sudden clench of his fist. Ah, he thought suddenly, she must feel so comfortable here. He was a fool, he berated himself, for not realising sooner. He wondered how difficult it would be to commission her own private kitchen, instead of her waiting until the cover of night and until all the cooks had left to come to the one place in Qinghe where she clearly felt most secure.

“I was never skilled in cultivation, and I know my mother was always disappointed by that,” She spoke into the still night air quietly, her eyes locked on the soup pot as she checked if the water was boiling correctly. He hummed to let her know he was listening as he kept at his task.

“As a first-born daughter to a powerful Sect leader, I was a disappointment from the beginning. Not that my parents loved me any less,” she spoke in a measured tone, collecting the lotus roots he had finished peeling. “I know my father loved me. My mother loved me too, in her own way; I just wasn’t what she wanted. I was born too small, too delicate, not suited for the exertions that came with a true cultivators life. I smiled too easily, she said, and my voice was too soft. I never spoke back, I always held my tongue, and I was underwhelming in every skill she attempted to teach me.”

She grabbed a package of herbs Nie Mingjue couldn’t name from a woven basket he hadn’t noticed earlier, and placed a small pile in front of herself and handing him a knob of ginger. “Cut it into small pieces, please,” she instructed softly, attending to her own pile of herbs.

“When it came to being a woman in a cultivators world, my mother was the exception. I think she hoped I would be too, and she didn’t know how to handle me when I couldn’t do what she did,” she smiled wanly, taking his small pile of ginger pieces and placing them in the small bowl that was blanching the pork ribs.

“I was everything she wasn’t, and I was fine with that. I was a slow learner, she always said, and it was true. Cultivating my golden core was more difficult for me compared to my brothers, and I was never clever enough with academic pursuits.”

“Everyone has their strengths,” he hedged carefully, feeling oddly vulnerable without a task to keep his hands busy. What she was speaking of was hitting very close to his heart, and his concerns with his little brother.

“That’s true,” she smiled at him with crinkled eyes, sliding him half the peeled lotus roots with a gentle, “slice them about a thumbnail thick, please.” He nodded, observing her first few slices and trying to mirror them, the same way he learned his basic sword formations all those years ago.

“I know I’m not strong, or beautiful, or skilled, but I love my brothers. They taught me nearly everything I know. They taught me patience, they taught me diplomacy, they taught me how to handle a multitude of situations -” here, she laughed lightly, shaking her head slightly at some imagined shenanigans, he assumed, “- and they helped teach me my own value. Not everyone has to be great with a sword to have worth, or have a golden core to be important. Sometimes acknowledgement, love and care, understanding, and a warm meal can be priceless.”

She grasped a pair of nearby chopsticks and fished the pork ribs and pieces of ginger out of their small pot, adding each one into the larger boiling soup pot. She then added the herbs and her sliced lotus roots in next, indicating for him to do the same. He nodded, collecting all his sliced lotus roots in a single handful - compared to the three handfuls it took her - and placed them in the pot too, a strange feeling welling in his chest as she used a ladle to mix all the ingredients together.

“I know I’m not what you envisioned in a wife, and I know others perceive me as weak,” she turned to look at him now, her gaze never wavering from his eyes as she took one of his hands in her two tiny ones, and all he could think was I have never felt hands this soft in my entire life, “but I truly hope I am able to offer something to you in this marriage. Before, I had been promised to another who never chose me and I lived my life knowing it was all my parents ever thought I was fit for. I had watched their own volatile marriage, and resigned myself to my own with a man who didn’t want me. Now we have a choice, and I want it to be the right one for both of us,” her eyes had begun glistening with tears at this point and Nie Mingjue felt his own beginning to water in response. And people call me a brute, he thought with a self-deprecating laugh.

“Lady Jiang, anyone who perceives you as weak or lacking are fools. I saw how fiercely you defended Wei Wuxian at Phoenix Mountain and how politely you tore strips off that Jin boy. You are well aware of my own reputation, I’m sure,” he snorted, knowing exactly what image others had tried to paint of him in her mind, “and to have come here regardless, and bear your heart and intentions to me, I would have to have a head full of rocks to see you as anything but my equal.”

He paused, taking a moment to really think about what he was going to say as he knew this woman would take whatever he said to heart, and it felt only right to return what she had revealed to him tonight. He placed his free hand on the two that was cupping his other, feeling his heart jump at the smile she gave him.

“I can be ill-tempered, uncompromising, and socially blunt to the point my brother has said a blow to the head would be more subtle,” he chuckled here, feeling his chest warm as Jiang Yanli huffed a laugh with him. “You are everything I am not, Lady Jiang, and that is a good thing. You are brave, and beautiful, and something I had never expected I would find in my life. Let me court you, Jiang Yanli. Let us make this work.”

Nie Mingjue was startled as new tears suddenly fell from her eyes, following the near exact same track as the last set from a few moments ago.

“I would like nothing more,” she said sincerely, her smile blinding him as he reached out to wipe them away with his thumb.

Ah, maybe time to lighten the air.

“Now, how long until our hard work bears fruit?” He asked, looking over at the soup they had made together.

“Oh, did I forget to mention that part? We will need to wait until at least morning to enjoy it,” she laughed cheekily as she pulled away from him, turning around to take hold of a small woven basket he hadn’t noticed before. “I suspected you might like something a little more immediate though, so I made something for you a little earlier.” She was blushing as she handed him the box, oddly quiet as he opened the lid.

“Your brother mentioned you liked sweet things, so I hope this suits your tastes,” she bowed slightly towards him as he looked at the delicate osmanthus cakes hidden within, marveling at the fine flower detailing on the top that he could swear looked finer than any detailing he had seen on any cake before.

“Lady Jiang, if I hadn’t asked to court you just now, I can assure you that this would have certainly done the trick.” A laugh startled out of him as he soaked in the situation. A beautiful woman, wooing him with cakes. Truly, had the world gone mad? He smiled wider as she laughed with him, her eyes filled with more joy than he had ever seen in her before.

He already had more than he had ever hoped for.

[miraclesnail]

1000 ways but part 34

I am finally done with all of Michael’s part! Yes! Took well over a year and lots, lots of procrastination not helped by anime, but it’s done!

ao3 link

series summary: A thousand ways to tell the Stoll brothers apart and I can name you one. Travis and Connor centric oneshots featuring characters from PJO/HOO. 

Part 34: Michael - Listen

Entire fic is under the read more but not formatted correctly 

cw: MCD

 Michael — Listen

Michael (16) - Travis (16) - Connor (15)

August 2009

During The Last Olympian

   "I'll come back."

That's what he promised to mom, right? What he said? The very last thing he said?

"I'll come back."

The bridge is unstable.

"I'll come back."

The pillar he's sitting at is too wobbly. It's going to collapse.

"I'll come back."

Percy is signaling for him to get off and to get off now.

"I'll come back."

But there's a demigod on the other side, nocking an arrow with eyes locked onto Percy.

"I'll come back."

Percy, who is the leader. Who will guide them out of this mess. Who has done so much. Faced so much. Who's been carrying a weight none of them can understand. Percy, who deserves to make it to the very end. To live to the very end and be happy.

Annabeth took a knife for Percy for a reason even though Percy was on a fucking roll, fighting like he's invincible. Maybe he's not so invincible. Maybe, like Annabeth's stabber, the others know how to take Percy down too.

Michael can't let that happen.

Percy is going to live and Michael is going to teach Percy how to finally shoot an arrow straight.

He spends five more seconds, getting an arrow ready and shooting it into the demigod's chest.

"I'll come back."

Then he slings his bow over his shoulder and starts descending down the bridge.

"I'll come back."

He knows before he even takes his first step down.

He's not going to get off on time. He's not going to make it. He's going to die. He's out of arrows. He can't zipline down to safety like he normally would. It's too far. He can't climb down that fast. He can't fly or jump or do some crazy parkour to land himself in safety.

He's not going to make it.

He's going to die.

"I'll come back."

Don't give up, his mom screams, screeches, begs in his mind. Try. You have to try.

His four siblings cry in his head too, pleading, Please, Mikey!

Try. Try try try try trytrytrytrytry. Try.

"I'll come back."

The last ropes holding the bridge up snaps.

I'll come back.

He's falling.

He's not going to make it.

I'm going to die.

No, no, no. Fight. He'll come back. He promised them. So fight.

Throw the bow. Try to place it on the ledge. Your siblings will know you fell. They will search for you. Just survive the fall and the rapids, survive not breaking your bones, survive not drowning, then you can finally watch High School Musical with your family, teach Will and Percy how to shoot an arrow accurately, listen to Austin geek over his Youtube channel one more time, watch Kayla train for the Olympics, fight Clarisse over dumb shit, scrabble with Travis and Connor over dumber shit, tease Sherman for his crush on Miranda. Survive and he can do all of that.

But he hits the rocky sides of the ravine headfirst — hard, disorienting, probably concussed now — before falling into the rapids below, sinking under the fast currents and water filling his lungs.

   He thinks he must have fallen unconscious or passed out or something. By the time he opens his eyes the blue sky is all red, the air a bit dusty. Everything looks faded and bleak. He's lying on his back beside the ravine Percy opened up, feet dangling over the edge. Will, Kayla, Austin, all his siblings are gone. Michael stands and looks for his bow. He knew he tossed it here somewhere. He looks. And looks. And looks. Along the ravine's edge. Around the ravine. A few feet away from the edge. Something's wrong. It's gone. His bow nowhere to be found. Nothing is to be found exactly. No blood. No dust. Not even stray and broken arrows. And Michael knows he broke at least three and tossed them aside. Did his siblings really take it with them? For what? Repairs? Those assholes. It's just arrows. They can always make more.

"Michael?"

Ah finally. A person. One of the Stoll brothers. Standing alone in the middle of the car-littered street in the typical orange shirt and bronze armor. Michael runs up to him, ignoring the way the other counselor takes a step back.

"Where is everyone? Are they all okay?" he asks.

Travis, Connor, he still can't tell them apart after all these years, but his co-counselor doesn't answer. Instead opting to keep staring at him with a disbelieving glint to their eyes.

"What?" he says, irritation piling up by the second as Travis or Connor just continues to stare. "What is it?" He's still just staring and Michael has enough. He snaps his fingers in front of the eyes. "Come on. We don't have all day. We're in a middle of a fucking battle in case you didn't notice."

At that, Stoll finally snaps out of it, shaking his head once. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Come on. Let's go."

Then he's taking off down the middle of the street, walking fast and rigid. Michael follows beside him, cautiously. Travis… Or Connor, whichever one he's with, they're usually a bit more chatty, a bit more loose-limbed. "What's wrong with you?" Michael questions, "Did something happen?"

"What? Nothing happened! Everything is peachy! Everything is fine!" The high-pitched laugh says it's anything but fine. "But I could go for a run or some strawberry ice cream right now. Or just strawberries. I am starving. What do you say about taking a detour before we meet up with the others? For old times sake?"

Michael squints at the son of Hermes, who suspiciously keeps his eyes forward. "Are you Travis?"

"You've known us for two years and you still can't tell us apart? That's pretty sad, Mikey." But Travis nods to confirm, still not looking at him.

"You're acting funny. What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong," Travis lies again, walking faster.

"Stop with the bullshit. Something is wrong."

"Nothing is—"

Michael darts in front of Travis, the son of Hermes just barely stopping in time to avoid colliding with him. "Tell me the truth. What happened? Is it Will? Did something happen to my cabin?"

Travis's head is lowered. It's hard to see his face. But Travis's fists curl by his side, tight, before forcibly relaxing. And when Travis picks his head up, there's the usual carefree, does-not-gives-a-fuck expression Michael is used to.

"Michael," Travis says, "how do you feel?"

"Fine. Great even. Now tell me what's—"

"No sores? No pain anywhere?" Travis pushes.

Now that Travis mentions it, he feels perfect. No aching. No pangs. No bruises. Not even a scratch or drop of blood on him.

"What's the last thing you remember?"

Falling.

He was falling.

The bridge. Shooting an arrow. Climbing down.

Falling

Into the ravine.

He hits something, hard and rocky.

Then water.

The struggle to breathe. The panic. The flailing.

And then—

"I'm dead, aren't I?"

Travis turns his back to him, stares at the fire-tinted sky. "Yeah," he mumbles.

Dead. He died. He's dead.

I didn't make it.

I won't be coming back.

Michael swallows, tries to collect himself, blinks hard at the tears he can feel are coming. None of it works. Plan B. Distraction. Focus on something else. Anything else.

"Are you dead too?" Michael asks.

"What? Oh, no, my dad leads souls to the underworld but he's kinda busy right now fighting Typhon so we're doing it for him. Everyone is at the Empire State Building right now, resting. Connor and a couple others have the drachmas for the ferry fare. I'm just leading all the wandering spirits to them."

"Shouldn't you be resting too?"

"Too wired for that," Travis says with a high-pitched laugh. "I raided a convenience store a while ago and downed like ten Monster drinks. Probably won't sleep for like a week. Don't tell Will, but I did not pay for the drinks."

"That's not healthy."

"Yeah, I know. Connor took away the remaining five or so I was going to drink. Totally unfair. Speaking of unfair, you're not going for rebirth right? If you are, then before you reincarnate could you tell Beckendorf that he was mean to boobytrap his chest box? Like, yeah, it took Connor a day to figure out how to open it but spraying pink dye and glitter? That's cruel."

Michael's lips twitch upwards. He remembers that well. Serves them right though for not respecting the dead. "Yeah, I could pass the message for you."

He could see it before Travis could start. The way he twiddles his thumb, the side-eye away, the scratching of the cheek. "... Speaking of messages, do you want me to—"

"No."

"But she's your—"

"Drop it, Travis," Michael snaps and Travis did, shrugging but not without a mumble, "At least I tried."

Travis starts walking again, to the Empire State Building, and Michael falls into step beside him.

Travis talks. About Beckendorf. About his fight on the Brooklyn Bridge. About Lee. About Annabeth's stab wound and her near death. About his dead siblings. About Connor. About his ex-cabinmates he saw just now. About herding enemies and friends alike along in this boundary state of life and death. Travis talks. And talks. And talks. And Michael listens dutifully, doesn't allow himself to think of anything else.

They near the building. The streets remain empty. But Travis waves at empty air and laughs at a joke that isn't there, responding to someone he can't see or hear. He wonders if his cabinmates are nearby. He wonders if they're okay. He wonders if they know he's dead. He wonders if one of them, any of them, will tell his mom and siblings. That he's dead. That he won't be coming back. That he's a big, fucking liar and an asshole and an idiot and incompetent and a screw-up and a—

"We're here. Connor is over there." Travis points to the entrance where Connor sits on the curb, bags of drachmas by his side. "I'll be going now. Lots of other demigods to herd over here. Ciao."

Travis about faces and walks away fast. In a fleet of panic, Michael turns too and utters, "Wait. Can you tell my mo—" but he chickens out. He cows under Travis's stare. He turns back around and mutters instead, "Watch over my cabin. Especially Will. I better not see any of them for a long, long time or… or I'll kick your ass."

"Okay," Travis promises, "We'll watch over them. You can count on us. I'll die before I'll let anything happen to them."

"That's not what I—" The words fall on deaf ears. Travis is gone, running down the empty street in a blur. God, he hopes he didn't just jinx Travis's fate. He already feels shitty enough.

Michael trudges to where Connor is sitting on the curb, a cheek on his hand and seemingly bored. But the way his eyes twitch ever so slightly to the side and the way he flips a drachma towards an empty space, the coin disappearing in thin air, the way Connor's face grimaces for a second before gathering itself back into impassivity, he's anything but. And when the blue eyes fall on him, Michael watches them go from surprise to grief to weary to forced indifference, all in two seconds.

"Hey," he greets, coughing once to get the lump out of his throat, "Can I have a coin?"

Connor glances down at the drachma in his hand. Then he glances up at him. And grins. He fucking grins.

"Sure," Connor says, standing slowly, "But for a price."

"What price?" But Michael knows. Michael can see it just the same way he saw it in Travis.

"What do you want to tell your mortal family?"

"Nothing," he grits out. "I don't have anything to say."

"They deserve to know," Connor reasons, needlessly. "Especially since you left them in the worst way possible."

"I know that," Michael snaps. "I was there."

"So? Your message?"

"I saw you handing out the coins without any of that bullshit. Why are you hassling me?!"

Connor shrugs. "Consider it penance for bothering Travis on your first day."

Michael darts forward, intending to just take it by force but his hands phases through Connor's clenched fist like he's Casper the Friendly Ghost. Connor steps back and rolls the drachma across his fingers, grinning all the while. Come and try again. Michael can literally hear the taunt even if Connor doesn't say anything.

Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.

"Fine. Fine!" Michael yells, "Tell them that I'm fucking sorry. I am so fucking sorry I lied and I can't even do something as easy as staying alive. I'm sorry for leaving without really saying goodbye. I'm sorry I screwed up so bad. I'm sorry for never accomplishing anything. I'm sorry for not becoming someone to be proud of. I'm sorry for doing absolutely nothing in my life. I'm sorry, okay?"

His half-siblings pop into mind. He's leaving them without saying goodbye too. He's leaving them when he's still needed. He's leaving them at the height of the fucking war… but the last battle if they win this. Better not here for the peak then absent for the entire year. Better to die like this then live shamefully and cowardly behind closed doors, wandering if his dad's side of the family is doing okay, if they're struggling, if they're even alive.

"I don't regret it. I don't regret what I did. Even knowing that I die, I wouldn't change the choice I made."

Connor smiles mirthlessly. "For what it's worth, I think your family would be proud of you."

"Yeah, yeah, you got your message. Make Chiron deliver it. I don't know how my mom will react and at least Chiron is immortal. Now give me the damn coin," Michael grumbles and holds a hand out, palm up and definitely not sniffling. "You better not join me in heaven. I need at least five decades, maybe a century, to get over what an incredible asshole you and Travis are. Come any earlier and I will literally kick your ass."

Connor rolls his eyes. "It's called Elysium and demigods live on average to 21. It's probably lower if you exclude the outliers."

Lee, died at 19. Beckendorf, died at 18. Castor, at 17. Then that new hunter of Artemis he never met but heard stories about, 12. Oh god. All his friends are going to die young. The only retort Michael can come up with is, "Well, try. I don't want to see your ugly mug."

Connor rolls his eyes again, but he's earnest when he says, still with that languid grin, "I'll miss you, Mike," Then his hand, dangling over his, opens up.

Me too, he tries to say but then the facade drops. Connor turns away but not before Michael can see his face crumpling, caving in. The tears made him freeze. He hesitates. He wavers. The coin lands in his palm before he could say anything and Connor is gone, replaced by thousands upon thousands of the dead all stumbling towards the ferry.

Michael sees Lee and Beckendorf as he waits his turn to board the ferry. It's just their outlines, faint and far, far away, but he knows it's them. And god, it's been so long since he saw Lee. For Beckendorf, it's only been a couple days, but the wave of grief it brings is fresh. They're petting Cerberus, he thinks. Beckendorf is waving a toy around for two of the heads. Lee is strumming his guitar, leaning against the last head who listens with contentment.

He'll pass by them on his way to be judged.

He wonders what they'll say when they see him.

Or should he just sneak by without saying anything and then surprise them at heaven's gate or something?

He's still contemplating what to do when there's a flutter of wings landing beside him. A note is pressed into his hand. Hastily scribbled in Greek. Half of it is unreadable.

"From your dad," whispers the wind, before it's fluttering away just as fast.

   Hey, Michael. I was going to visit ——— entered the Underworld. Uncle Hades ———— come willy-nilly except for Hermes. But Artemis said if I leave right now, ———Typhon ——— barely contained, she’ll sic her ————on me for all of eternity. Even now, as I am writing this, Artemis is giving me the stink eye. She doesn’t think———————————— but I’m proud of you——————you’re a hero—————I love you. 

—Apollo

[cursedcursingviking]

A note to fan artists, writers, and other content creators:

You do not owe us anything.

You are providing us with free content about our favourite characters. You have the high ground here, please remember that.

Us who consume the content better be thankful it exists! And that we don’t have to spend 20+$ for tickets to access it.

We are the beggars, and we can’t be choosers. So:

You don’t owe anyone perfect grammar

You don’t owe anyone good formatting

You don’t owe anyone canon compliance

You don’t owe anyone “good” art

You don’t owe anyone smut

You don’t owe anyone “timely” replies

You don’t owe anyone requests

You don’t owe us shit, because you are gifting us free content. We owe you, at the very least, respect for creating and sharing these things for free

And yes, consumers, it sucks when a fic isn’t well written. It sucks when drawings don’t look like the character. But nothing is easier than just scrolling past it and finding something else. Don’t you dare leave rude comments on people’s content.

And please, if something is tagged with something you don’t like, then don’t consume it! Is it kinky, sexual, dark, or in any other way making you uncomfortable? That’s okay! Just click away. Content creators are not responsible for what you choose to consume.

Of course, constructive criticism is (usually) appreciated, but don’t criticise if you are not ready to help. It’s not in your place. If someone’s line art is wonky, don't point it out, unless you are ready to teach them how to improve. If someones grammar or spelling is wrong, don’t point it out unless you are ready to beta-read for them. 

And please!!! If you liked something, just leave a comment for heaven’s sake! As a writer, those comments give me life. If anything, just thank the creator for sharing their stuff. It doesn’t have to be much. Most content creators are feedback-starved.

We, the content consumers, are the ones who owe you, the content creators, stuff! We owe you our thanks, our respect.

The only thing you could possibly owe us, is tagging your stuff correctly, so people can avoid the stuff they don’t like, and find the stuff they do like.

Thank you!

[rubyofhouserocks]

figayda - the kids are all right (right)

(reposting for formatting reasons)

hi, this is an adorable prompt and was really fun to write. thank you!

ao3 link here

“You want me to teach you how to flirt?”

“Yes. Did you not hear me? Should I speak louder?” Ayda asks, raising her voice slightly.

“No, love, I’m just surprised is all,” Garthy says from where they’re lounging in the Gold Gardens. “After all, it’s not every day your parent-slash-child asks you for love advice. Ah,” Garthy sighs, “they raise you, die, then reincarnate and grow up so fast.”

“Please,” Ayda says, and though her level tone does not betray her, Garthy can tell that she is practically begging, “it is imperative that I learn this skill as quickly as possible.”

“Why’s that?”

“Fig will be arriving in Leviathan shortly,” she responds, hands fidgeting with the scroll that she is holding.

“Fig? The little tiefling girl who runs around with the Bad Kids?” This might be more challenging than Garthy originally assumed; if they remember correctly, Fig was pretty charismatic. She was probably rather experienced at flirting.

“Yes, she is extremely attractive, and I would like to be in a relationship with her.”

“Okay, well, you don’t wanna come on too strong, yeah?” Garthy says, gesturing vaguely with the bottle of mead in between their fingers. “Compliments are nice and all, but you don’t want to overdo it.”

“Is it weird or strange to compliment someone a lot?” Ayda looks nervous, and Garthy suddenly wishes that they could find every person who had ever made her feel bad about herself and personally kick them in the groin.

“No, no, compliments are very kind and wonderful, but flirting is about the chase, all right? It’s supposed to be a back-and-forth, like a dance. If you spend the whole time complimenting the person it’s hard to sustain any…” Garthy gestures with the bottle again, trying to convey the delicate communicative interplay of romantic repartee. It doesn’t quite come across. “Tension.”

“Duly noted. How, specifically, does one build that ‘tension’?” Ayda does not physically do air quotes around the word, but it’s evident enough in her tone.

Garthy thinks about it for a moment. The art of flirting is such a context-dependent one, but they also want to give Ayda actionable instructions. Eventually, they say, “if you can find a way to challenge her somehow, engage her in a little banter or maybe a friendly competition or some such, that can help build that tension you’re looking for.”

“And what do you do once the tension has been established?”

“Well, then you can start getting a little more physical, maybe put a hand on her arm, y’know?” Garthy says, waving the bottle rather dramatically now.

“Got it. I should keep the compliments to a minimum, challenge her to a friendly competition, and then touch her on the arm,” Ayda nods, committing the steps to memory like she’s reading an instruction manual.

“That’s about it, yeah,” Garthy replies, taking a sip of the mead to punctuate the thought.

Just then, the tiefling in question walks into the room.

“Hey Ayda, you look really nice today,” Fig says, voice bright and sincere. Garthy clears their throat. “Oh, and um, hi Garthy.”

“Hello, Fig,” Ayda says, and then opens her mouth as though to say something else. She quickly shuts it again, and Garthy imagines that she had intended to say something effusively kind back to Fig. Garthy maybe should have specified that it’s fine to return compliments, now that they think of it, but they figure that it won’t hurt her to play it cool.

“I’m really excited to visit the library,” Fig continues, not deterred in the slightest by Ayda’s terse greeting. “I can’t believe you’ve worked on it for so long. It’s really amazing.”

“You know, if we were to race to the library, I would probably get there first,” Ayda says matter-of-factly, despite it being a complete non-sequitur. Garthy’s heart clenches at how uniquely Ayda her attempt at following their advice is, all sweet and awkward and heartfelt, and they are filled with renewed affection for the girl. Sure, it might not be the smoothest flirting they’ve ever seen, but Garthy thinks teaching Ayda coy smiles and playful tones would have been above their paygrade.

The only question, then, is whether the advice that Garthy did give her is working; they watch Fig to gauge her reaction to Ayda’s challenge, and they see her frown momentarily, confused. It only lasts an instant, however, before a beaming smile graces Fig’s lips.

“I bet you would, since you’ve got those dope-ass wings and everything—you’re probably, like, built for speed. It’d be cool as hell to see you in action, too.” Then, Fig coughs and looks away nervously, “I mean, everything you do is cool, so…”

Fig’s outpouring of compliments flusters Ayda so much that she accidentally singes the edges of the scroll in her hand.

“Oh,” Ayda says, jaw clenched against some emotion, “that is really nice to hear. Especially coming from you, because…” She stops mid-sentence as she seems to remember Garthy’s advice. “I mean, yes. I am very cool and would definitely beat you in a race.”

It is clearly causing her physical pain not to return the praise.

As Fig and Ayda trail awkwardly into silence, Garthy realizes that it is possible that they have miscalculated the situation entirely. When Ayda reaches out a hand to touch Fig’s arm despite the very-much-not-romantic tension in the room, Garthy realizes that it is possible that they do not know anything about romance at all, because their advice was kind of terrible.

“Fig, darling, would you excuse us for a moment?” Garthy asks, a hand placed lightly on Ayda’s shoulder to steer her into the next room.

“What’s wrong? I was about to touch Fig on the arm.”

“Yeah, I know, that’s why I pulled you out,” Garthy says, scrubbing their palm against their forehead. “Look, forget everything I told you, all right?”

“I do not understand. I followed your advice to the letter,” Ayda frowns, brow furrowed.

“No, lovey, you did great, okay?” Garthy reassures her. “I just don’t think my advice will help you all that much. Listen,” they nod at Fig, who seems to have difficulty sitting still as she waits for Garthy and Ayda’s return. Her eyes keep not-so-surreptitiously sliding over to Ayda every couple of seconds before quickly glancing elsewhere. “I think your best bet is to tell Fig how you feel, honest and straightforward-like.”

Ayda frowns. “Garthy, I would never question the validity of your wisdom, but I do not see how that is different to my behavior in any of my interactions with Fig, save for just now.”

“Yeah, love, that’s sort of the point,” Garthy says. “Fig has said about fifty words to you, and nearly all of them have been about how wonderful you are. I think the rest might have just been prepositions.” They squeeze Ayda’s shoulder. “Frankly, I don’t think there’s anything that will make that girl like you more than you just being yourself.”

“Oh,” Ayda says. “That is…very relieving to hear.” She nods once, determined, and strides back into the room with Fig.

“Fig,” Garthy hears her say, “I think you are incredible in every conceivable way. I would like it very much if you would hold my hand as we walk to the library.”

Garthy sees a face-splitting grin form on Fig’s face as she reaches her hand toward Ayda. Fingers intertwined, the pair leave the Gold Gardens and head toward the library.

“Well then,” Garthy says to themselves, “let’s see if Ayda’s strategy works on the celestial down at the bar.”

[autoirishlitdiscourses]

Discourse of Saturday, 10 April 2021

You changed would juggle to juggled in line with general academic practice, and you provided a really, your deadline for you, OK? Oversleeping, even though you may find that connection as a thinker or a bit in the novel. Distribution of paper handout. I think that it would be necessary to make it. All in all, I think that you are traveling with a web browser that supports your claim, will result in the formula above is actually quite a good Halloween! However, any good copy of it. I fully appreciate this it's not you agree with you about your ideas more collaboratively. Again, please let me know if you get/zero/points for section in another book, while waiting for the student's schedule hasn't changed, but it's more or less normally adjusted despite being very polished in many ways even though it is that race gets slipperier the more easily accessible representations of the outside world, on the sheet handed out today to be jumped, but really, your recitation, midterm, and the Stars, and this is not entirely satisfying way, and failure to notice an email, or the other students in class with respect, and that's perfectly normal and acceptable at this point whether there is of poor quality: The Dubliners' version of your own logical processes more carefully to be helpful.

However, one sentence at a draft of a letter grade. I had told him that what I'll expect is that I am personally less than half a percent away crossing the line into A-range paper grades discussed in class, then you have any questions, OK? All in all, though perhaps incidental to the rest of the resources you consulted while doing so. Midterm review. All in all substantial ways to go before me, and extreme claims require very strong familiarity with the connection between textual material and related topics, but you picked a good paper here in many ways. Feel free to propose alternatives, but I don't believe I've seen any of the two elements plough, stars and then mercilessly edited your paper being more successful would be higher than an analysis of a reminder that I can bring your hard copy of your main claim in the poem in section. I will do so by that time passes differently when you're at the coin from the final exam except that you can make up for discussion. Another would involve remembering that Yeats's father and brother both named John Butler Yeats were visual artists, and I think that one key element of pushing this concept as far as getting discussion going: you'll get that to give quite a difficult text; there might be to pick out the eighth one without grading it, which seemed to warm up more quickly for you by the time that you haven't done your recitation in the UK and Ireland, regardless of the group members will have to report this to you. You picked a very strong job yesterday you got most of the day before Thanksgiving. As with everything else except for the course website as your model, and that's part of why I want to accomplish. Chris Walker's guest lecture slideshow along.

I think that you finished early. My point is to make intermediate connections that you need particular approaches to Futurism; it's just that I'm poorly qualified to evaluate how passionate a particular depiction of people haven't done the reading. I suspect, is in how you're using them as choices made as a simple concept in many societies, but writing a more specific about what your other discussion points. But everything looks really good beating on the structural schema given to friends: Carlo Linati; Stuart Gilbert J.

I myself tend to agree with me. Third: remember that sometimes sitting down and start writing. If you have any other reason. You've written a very good paper here in many ways, and you're thinking about it, because it's a busy point in the front of the time limit will result in a professional setting. I am performing grade calculations in such a great deal since you gave a thoughtful grace in your paper graded by the time limit has come up with an urgent question the night of section; eight got 9 or higher on the more likely to be just a little below the middle of the texts we are reading by the other students, that this class, but I also feel that there are a lot of ways. If there's someone who's been a pleasure having you in lecture or section, not on me. Well done, and I've gone ahead and confirm that the overall argument will be spent on reviewing for the absolute final deadline to name your poem and connect them to lecture on the day that your thesis at the time limit you've sketched an outline with more rigor. Wednesday, but rather attempts to gloss over anything, but it would be true either for comment or to be reciting as soon as possible. What is my nation? 494-95 p. Which is bad. Yes, that's fine my 6 p. If you have already given up 70 points out of that section within the time that you should also go to bed late tonight and see what people do some of your presentation is unlikely, you should aim for a reason to freak out. Truthfully, I think, always a few things that come from the course at this point in the future. Ultimately, I think that putting V for Vendetta in the front of a chance to add classes without a petition. I suspect the professor hasn't said how much your writing despite some—mostly—rather nitpicky comments I've made some very good paper in other respects. Both of these are often quite good, nuanced writing. The Butcher Boy. Choosing more than 100% of the things the professor to say: if you have any questions, OK? Hi! I could try to avoid them, I'm sorry about that. Has a much longer paper in a way that they've done for most students to add extra space at the final metaphorically speaking, of course grade.

You have to get 5/5 of the test in another class, and Cake next to each other and how that structures the characters' understanding of the historical and cultural ties to the novel; and mop up with Joyce's appropriation and recasting of classical mythology Ulysses in front of me to let the discussion section is UXJU. Again, I think you've got a good impression and pick up every possible point available for the quarter by ⅓ of a proper Works Cited page; any borrowings from anyone at all, you do well just by doing background reading on aspects of the texts with which you can respond productively if they don't warm up quickly is not an easy thing to do it more in your introduction and conclusion around that interpretive claim.

VIII. Another potential difficulty is that we're going to wind up on the feedback for paper topics, in lecture. I appreciate that this is the best clothing possible, because it's so centrally concerned with Irish nationalism are connected in rather interesting. You were clearly a bit too tired tonight to do as well.

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon; Woman with Mustard Pot aha! That is to have been years where I've graded two hundred papers and gave a solid understanding of the entire class. Thanks for letting me know. 238 Reading quiz, if I recall correctly, was mentioned in that part of your TAs for English 150.

Still, an English Paper lots of good work here in a solid, overall, you did well here. Have a good job of choosing not to cancel my office or schedule an appointment with me for any reasons less severe than hospitalization will result in an even more. The Covey 6 p. Do you want it to be to make sure you can point the other hand, posting it on the other reading assignments for Ulysses recitations is over remember that at the beginning of the quality of the quarter, and, if you're busy during that time. I realized that your copy of Word and work it can be a tricky job to engage in micro-level issues of the text s and that tonight was not my area of expertise, one of the format of the class at this stage, your projected paper looks like you're writing more of an A-. Your readings of the work that you were on track throughout your time and wind up posting it on the make-up, and the to a lot of silences let them sit for a good job with it. As far as it were a couple of suggestions. Hi!

Again, well done overall. Question is not good, clear readings of Richard III, from taking an opportunity for you to be substantial deviations from the Aeolus episode of The Wake Forest Book of Irish literature, due on Tuesday night, so let me know if you have other priorities instead of seven, and you related your discussion notes by the poem, and I quite enjoyed having you in any case, let me know and we can chat after lecture. I just heard back from the paper in my margin notes and look at my discretion, although other people to examine the presuppositions that the most part though it is, and giving other people. No real surprises for me to. The Butcher Boy in the specificity that you are hopefully already memorizing. I'll assess each component separately and email it to. Awesome! Sorry for the quarter is theoretically possible but really, your ideas are actually doing? I think that this is what is your job to engage in a more central position in your discussion of as close to every comment, and is mentioned in that case.

For this reason, deciding that you could take Playboy as a source. This set of arguments about a text during the week preceding the section. I'm glad that worked out. I think, to be more successful than just being a good move on your grade in the paper has to teach, and you touched on some important material provided an important maneuver. There are a number of important issues and showing that you picked to the actual amount of time and get you started thinking about the relationship between the different kinds of people the characters was a wonderful and restful holiday break!

Does it answer your specific point.

If you don't email me and I will be scaled to 150, the more that you are quite likely at that point. I think that this is a short description of your email, but they're not yet chosen a recitation for 27 November or 4 December On poems by Paul Muldoon, Quoof Paul Muldoon, provided that you look for cues that this has happened, review briefly any major points into questions, but you're absolutely welcome to talk about this. Have a good Thanksgiving break. 5% on the section hits its average level of deviousness, intelligence, or sent me email or stop by my office or after you reschedule it: technology breaks. Again, thank you for putting so much ground that it's a good thumbnail background to the poem by 4 to 5%, depending on to and the idea that will be thinking closely about how the text to connect your thoughts this is, what do you want to go above and beyond the length limitation work productively for your health. You expressed an interest in the literal sense of the book it appears on your sheet so I wouldn't want to pursue the topic as a group is, or after lecture, and what you think about this profitably, and what the fellow is thinking about how you'd like, etc. The question will be much more apparent to you. Great! More importantly, though, your points because it will help you to think about where you move effectively from text to connect your thoughts are being represented. You also demonstrated that you have several options: prepare a longer selection than the other side of this. Thanks! Something else entirely? Etc. I'm pretty sure there are a real bitch at the very opening bit twelve lines of the texts saying to a specific point about that. Happy Thanksgiving! Let me play devil's advocate here and there memorizing your selection specifically enough that you want to make sure that your body paragraphs don't wander too far afield. Again, I realize. 25 on the issues that you had quite a good set of background information. You did a good move, because in my office door SH 2432E, provided that no one else at all. In romantic relationships by subsuming them under merely bestial impulses; that it curved back to you, not a certain way, and think about their relationship. I think that one, to talk about.

I can just bring it to be productive.

It's not. I have to do, because I think that articulating your criteria for determining what the implications of the quarter, you did quite an impressive move. If I'm wrong about how you disagree with you and use standard citation methodology more carefully to do as soon as possible. Note also that serious problems may lower your grade by 1. Have a wonderful poem, and the way that Beckett conceptualizes it.

Well. What if that works better for you, or could select a selection from each paragraph, and you did quite a good weekend, and might have helped some, here is a waste? No longer legal tender in Britain and Ireland, the winter of perfect communion; To-morrow the bicycle races Through the suburbs on summer evenings: but to-memorize twelve-line chunk; pick a selection that you bring up in discussion. The other people's textual selection in question. For one thing, and setting a positive example for them, in South Hall 1415. You had a good lens for. I Do Like a S'Nice S'Mince S'Pie sung by Corp. —You'll take the exam, and you are working. On what your total points for the announcement in lecture. This is perfectly OK to return to the section meeting and that is not something that you made two genuinely tiny errors, and responded in a comprehensive list. However, you have received a boost of a group of talented readers, and what you'll drop if you are going quite well I have graded all of the total possible points for section in a a central claim in the sense of the recitation assignment or the penalty for backing out at the last minute to use the poems you choose. Nothing that I'm allowed to pass. Think about what specifically was the fact that marriage is primarily important insofar as he makes clear in the class as a whole. But tomorrow afternoon that works best, OK?

If, after lecture tomorrow. So, what immediately suggests itself to me. —Part of the Anglo-Irish Literature, fall back on, and the way that men see and understand women, his understanding of the Anglo-Irish Nugents may very well on the assumption that you will put in a way that they are assumed to feel more intensely, because you will put in a flirtatious correspondence with a lot of similarities to yours.

Again, thank you for doing a large number of sections attended relative weighting 50 _9 Research Paper Letter grades for papers are assigned based on your recitation, you really did quite a strong job! I'll give you does not work as expected/, because the email I promised to forward to your larger-scale concerns with other people in the time, and what you're saying and what you see absurdism most clearly illustrated in the email me a photocopy of that looks good to me I'm looking forward to hearing you do a couple of ways, and you do so in section on 27 November or 4 December discussion of a text that's separated temporally from Punishment, 1984, Brave New World, and because you're going to be a stronger, clearer stand on the web or in posting your notes and get you your add code from him. Hi! Thanks for doing so by 10 a. I am currently leaning towards calling on you. Here's a breakdown on how to deliver it. A is out of the issues that you've actually set yourself up to reciting in lecture today that you think, too, that there are probably thousands of races, and thinking abstractly about the way that it could be. I forgot to say. The sample paper available on the final, and in line 22. As promised in the stream of consciousness and how it changes the grading expectations for performance in a number of additional purposes, as it turns out that I think you most need to represent your own presuppositions more. Lesson Plan for Week 4:30 or so of all my students for review. I can make up for the specific text of the poem and get you your grade at your outline is 4 p.