#-almost died 16 times in my 13 years of life

[shanastoryteller]

Happy Holidays Shana!! I really love your prompts about Greek mythology. Could you write a continuation of Hades or God's and Monsters?

a continuation of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Zagreus is mid word when he stills, eyes going distant. "Huh. I'll be right back."

"You're joking," Megaera says flatly. "You can't just drop this on me and-"

"Technically, Than did that." He would really prefer if Zagreus didn't pull him into this. "I'll be quick. She's calling me, it can't be anything good."

"Who's she?" Megaera demands but Zagreus is already gone. She scowls and turns to the others. "Who's she?"

"Eliana, maybe," Sisyphus offers, completely unruffled at Megaera's ire. "At least take a look out the balcony. This is the highest point in the court and the view is really spectacular."

It is. Thanatos hadn't known the underworld could be beautiful before he'd seen what Zagreus had built.

Her eyes narrow. "How long has this been going on?"

"Oh, I can't say for sure," Sisyphus shrugs, his lips almost curling into a smile. "I wasn't really there for the beginning."

"I was."

They both turn to Patroclus. Eurydice is the only one of them that's suitably wary of either him or Megaera.

"He grew poms in my clearing first," he continues. "It's where we grew things until it became too full and then he created this. Zagreus has woven protections around it, to keep others from stumbling upon it accidentally, but I'm sure you could find it if you looked."

Megaera crosses her arms. "I'm not leaving."

Patroclus shrugs. Eurydice looks longingly towards the door and Sisyphus seems to actually be enjoying himself.

Thanatos stiffens, pain with no physical cause blooming from his chest. "He's died."

"Really?" Eurydice asks, taking a step closer. "He doesn't really do that anymore."

"Except for show," Sisyphus adds, frowning. "But you're both here."

Before Thanatos can decide how he feels about that, Zagreus is slipping back through the mirror, flicking off blood from his arms. "Sorry about that, Artemis wanted a favor."

Thanatos cannot have heard what he thinks he did.

"Artemis?" Megaera repeats dangerously.

"Oh, she told Aphrodite by the way," he adds casually, then pauses. "Actually, she was pretty surprised to see me, so I guess Artemis just called me and let her figure it out herself. Cold."

"Well, this is all unraveling," Patroclus says, but he doesn't seem that worried about it. Not nearly worried about it as Thanatos thinks he should be.

Zagreus shrugs. "They can keep a secret. Also it's been almost fifty years already, this can't go on forever. I suppose I could just challenge Demeter outright?"

"Do not do that," Eurydice says.

Thanatos wants to sit down.

"Have you LOST YOUR MIND?" Megaera screeches, grabbing Zagreus's shoulders. Her nails dig into him, but he doesn't bleed. "You can't do this! You can't - have you - this is crazy!"

Zagreus shrugs, pressing her nails deeper into him. "What's she going to do? Kill me?"

"There will be war," Thanatos says quietly while Megaera seems lost for words.

"Long overdue, if you as me," he says casually. "She's killing a lot of people, Than. She's undermining the other gods and making things worse for everyone all because she lost her daughter. She's turning against her own domain because her grief is more important than her duty. I can't make my mother talk to Demeter. But I have the power to stop her, to put an end to this winter. So I have to stop her."

"This isn't your responsibility, Zag," Thanatos says quietly.

"No," he agrees, expression souring. "It's my mother's. But if the goddess of spring won't do her duty and put an end to winter, then I will."

"Why?" Megaera asks, something small and scared in her that Thanatos hasn't seen since the first time she heard of Zagreus attempting to escape. "Why does it have to be you?

"I am a son of life's beginning and of life's ending." Zagreus says gently. "I know there is balance. I exist because of that balance. When I was born, I had too much of my father, and Nyx filled me with my mother's blood, because I can only exist when there is both." Thanatos hadn't known that, hadn't known how exactly his mother managed to save a stillborn Zagreus. "Who else, Meg?"

She doesn't have an answer.

There isn't one.

[burlowbeanie]

Locked Tomb Timeline, as far as I can tell

This is a long one, and a bit of a mess. I'll be making other posts about the fun date coincidences and my speculations about their implications, but I figured I should give some of the actual evidence in one solid chonky post so I can link to it and don't need to repeat myself later on.

(BD = before death of the earth; AR = after resurrection; BM = before millennium, AM = after millennium)

Unspecified Pre-Death of the earth: Foundation of Canaan house/the facility that Jod et al used for the cryogenic experiments. Establishment of Kuiper installation, Uranus platform, Mars installation w/ room for 5 million, the Lucifer Telescope, and fusion batteries (Ntn 14, Ntn 74, Ntn 189)

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

Now! Some pre-resurrection numbers!

Before 2 BD: C-- sides with the crew (Ntn 13)

1 BD: Governments shift away from the cyrogenics plan (Ntn 13)

0 BD: Jod destroys the world

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

Now, the most unclear section of the timeline: the resurrection and its immediate aftermath.

Augustine, from Htn 176: “Alfred and I were there early enough to found the Koniortos Court on the Fifth, but Lyctors like Cyth wouldn’t be born for years and years, and she spent her whole life suffering Seventh House woo-woo theories regarding the value of hereditary cancer … whereas Mercy is the oldest lag except for me, and she was out hammering at the Eighth House before the paint was even dry on the Resurrection.”

The resurrection occurs a few weeks after the death of the earth (Ntn 396). Then things get a bit hazy. We know the approximate order of the resurrections of the original ten disciples, but not how far apart they were staggered - was it minutes? Months? Years?

Similarly, Cyrus/Val and Anastasia/Samael are implied to have showed up before Cytherea/Loveday, when Cytherea was almost 30 years old. Both cavaliers have last names associated with their house, which suggests that either the third and ninth were established enough to at least have a small population by the time that they went to Canaan House, or that they took those names/were given those names later on.

Cytherea-as-Dulcinea says that she "dreamed of being a 9th nun" at age 13, and it's unclear if she's speaking as herself or as Dulcinea or how much she was lying as either persona (Gtn 104). Thus, we don't know if the ninth house was established by the time she went to Canaan House, though it seems like the sort of hint that both Cytherea and Muir would have had a fun time dropping.

Thus, while it is possible/seems probably many/most of the houses were established by the time that any of the newer disciples showed up, especially Cytherea, that is unconfirmed. However, it took until at least 30 years after the resurrection, probably more, for all 16 of the disciples to gather.

A rough order of events during this time, some of which may overlap:

Original disciples resurrected

New disciples arrive

Lyctors ascend; Anastasia fails

Alecto is put in the tomb and Cassiopeia dies

The lyctors and Jod flee to the Mithraeum, leaving the system

Particular questions that remain and would help clarify things:

Were Anastasia, Samael, Cyrus, Valancy, and Loveday born or resurrected? It seems like Cytherea was likely born.

When did Anastasia have a child and found the tombkeeper line?

When did Pyrrha (or G1deon!Pyrrha) paint a nursury? Was it the same time she visited Anastasia "before she got settled" (Ntn 85)? Was Anastasia's child the birth she assisted at (Ntn 121)?

When was the ninth founded? When was the prison installation founded? Was there anything on the ninth before Anastasia was told to prepare for Alecto's imprisonment? Samael seems to have been born or resurrected after the ninth was founded, unless he was given his name later?

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

After resurrection: Actual Numbers. Once we get like 100-200 years out from the resurrection, things start to get clearer. Not clear, but clearer.

100 AR: God names himself Gaius (Htn 521). Is this when Cytherea ascends, since she is given credit for the "naming oneself after one's cavalier" thing? Or was that some God bullshit?

200 AR: Alecto put in tomb (Htn 478)

4000 AR: source gram comes from sixth house to BOE (Htn 529)

5000 AR: BOE comes to the attention of jod and the lyctors; they may have existed beforehand but been unable to find the houses/be found (Htn 154). Augustine begins questioning the purpose of the empire (Htn 483).

Moving into the thousand years before the events of the series:

9000 AR/ 1000 BM: Matthias Nonius lives (Gtn 53)

750-700 BM: New Rho contract drawn up (Ntn 206)

519ish BM: beginning planning of dios apate major (Htn 474)

300 BM: Cyth gets angry (Gtn 402). Last contact between second and first houses (Gtn 456).

100 BM: Jod leaves the Mithraeum (Htn 81).

80 BM: Jod joins the Erebos (Htn 81)

40-39 BM: G1deon starts to really annoy Augustine, who speaking in 1 AM states: “He has caused me more pain over these last scant forty years than I dare to admit" (Htn 268). I think Wake makes the most sense as an explanation for this, though it's off by about five years.

34 BM: Wake reinvigorates BOE (Htn 154). Ortus born? That’s a fun coincidence that means nothing.

30 BM: Mercy thinks Jod should have returned to the Mithraeum then (Htn 81).

25-24 BM: BOE finds out about resurrection beasts (Htn 275) because Wake talks to G1deon (Ntn 155)

21 BM: G1 begins his (final) pursuit of wake (Htn 469)

Sometime after 300 BM, most likely 20 BM, Cytherea teaches BOE about steles and obelisks (Ntn 155)

20 BM approximately, presumably, could be earlier: Augustine and Mercy talk to BOE. BOE gets accurate fleet schematics for the first time in a hundred years and eventually the location of the mithraeum, though those were probably earlier with Cytherea and two decades later with Cytherea!Wake respectively (Ntn 155)

19 BM: Isaac’s dad killed by terrorists on [redacted], presumably BOE (Gtn 459). Mercy and Augustine are “talking” (Htn 87); Dios apate major. Mercy sees Cytherea for the last time and Cytherea laughs so much she insults Mercy (Htn 120), which is an understandable response given that Mercy may have described the dios apate major plan and/or requested her involvement. Mercy sees Sarpedon as a young soldier (about 20 years PM; close enough and matches up with dios apate) (Htn 81).

19–18 BM: Wake dies (Htn 88). Gideon born. Creche massacre.

17 BM: Harrow born.

14 BM Gideon’s first escape attempt (Gtn 24)

13 BM: Gideon is not a necromancer confirmed (Gtn 24)

10 BM: Augustine sees Cytherea for the last time (Htn 120). Wake’s bones get put on rotation (Htn 476).

9-8 BM: Harrow is suicidal. Harrow opens the tomb. Harrow hears/sees the body. Onset of psychosis. Unclear in what order (Htn 49, 247).

7 BM: (Harrow is still suicidal but sees the body?). Harrow and Gideon fight (Htn 477). Gideon sees Harrow opening the tomb. Her parents kill themselves. Gideon gets nightmares about being in the tomb (Gtn 202).

5 BM: Harrow starts puppeting (?girl wtf?? What was going on in the intervening two years???) (Gtn 348). Last ninth house chaplains and adepts are lost in action (Htn 81).

2 BM: Gideon enters Drearburgh for the last time

1 BM: Number 7 estimated five years from the Mithraeum (Htn 125).

0 BM, with rough approximates:

Month 1-3: prepping for Canaan house

Month 4: Canaan house

Month 5: harrow throws up; Camilla nonverbal

Canaan house recovery missions from the emperor and BOE — what the fuck. Who got there first. How and why did they miss the other people. Seems like BOE got there, intentionally left H and I but took G’s body??????????

Month 6: Harrow and Ianthe arrive on the Mithraeum

Month 8: Harrow kills her 13th planet with Mercy. It’s desert and triple-sunned. Wake makes posthumous contact with BOE (Ntn 155).

Month 9-10: When Judith says she begins writing her report; she’s with BOE on a wooded double(potentially triple?)-sunned planet. At one point several weeks (or months?) later Mercy shows up. According to Judith, that is. Judith honey I might need to recuse your testimony for somehow being more of an unreliable narrator than the lobotomized traumatized psychotic unmedicated half-dead triple-haunted 201-souled Harrowhark Nonagesimus. Then I could bump this back to month 8 which would make more sense.

Month 10: Harrow catches G1d!Pyrrah with Cytherea!Wake

Between Month 10 and Month 12: Harrow turns 18. Harrow discovers G1d can drain thanergy. Harrow makes soup. Harrow makes Ianthe’s arm. Dios apate minor.

Month 12: Harrow finds Cam and Pal on a wooded planet and sees Judith. Judith tries to warn Harrow about Mercy’s involvement.

Mercy ditches her for unspecified business. I suspect this is when she meets with We Suffer? Was this when she heals Judith?

1 AM

Month 2: death of the emperor. Quick undeath of the emperor. Nona born(?)

Month 5: Station Red-As-Blood abandoned (Ntn 152). The demons show up on Antioch (Ntn 448).

Month (6?): Nona gets a job (Ntn 41).

Month 7: nona gets shot, cam/pal fusion reveal (Ntn 105 through the end of the chapter)

Month 8: events of Ntn

[mrsmarlasinger]

Oh? My fucking god??

THIS WAS THE CONTROLLER FOR THE SUBMARINE THAT WENT MISSING???

The Logitech F710??

Like, okay, apparently the U.S. military* uses Xbox 360 controllers. I get that. It's cheap. It's technology already familiar to many young adults. I get it, I do.

*(fuck 'em)

But still. STILL.

I don't know anything about gamepads, but I do know the Logitech F710 came out thirteen years ago. I just found it on Ebay for $16 including shipping.

But surely that means that through the test of time, the Logitech F710 has proven itself to be the best around, right? A work of video game engineering so flawless, even a relatively sane individual might agree to trust it with their life....right?

Oh. Oh. Jesus Horatio Christ.

Imagine your joystick drifts and your buttons get stuck and your controller lags...while you're steering a submarine...13,000 FEET UNDERWATER.

(That's about 4,000 meters, or just under 2.5 miles. And yes, I know it's actually a submersible, not a submarine.)

Oh my god. Oh my god.

For context, according to Naval Post:

A submarine specifically built to rescue people from subs sunk deep in the sea has a maximum depth of 7,500 to 10,000 feet (2,250 to 3,000 meters). But no, with the Titan, we're talking 13,000 FEET.

So if the pressure at approximately that depth is 5,775 psi, which means 5,775 lbs (2,619 kg)—or ALMOST THREE TONS—per square inch...

...and the atmospheric pressure where I live is sitting at 14.5 psi today...

That means the sheer pressure of the ocean at that depth is, like, 400 times that of the air we breathe. So if your fucking 13-year-old video game controller drifts you into the wreckage of the goddamn Titanic, the moment your hull sustains a little damage, even the tiniest leak, you're gonezo. The sub implodes and you're pulverized. Instantly.

(Plus I hear the compression rate is so extreme, the molecules so fast-moving, that everything heats to combustion in the split second before the water puts it out. So really, you'd be incinerated before you'd be crushed. Ain't that a treat?)

But hey, maybe the pressure hull remains intact and you just lose power. Or get entangled in the wreckage of, again, THE GODDAMN TITANIC.

Then it's just you and your four rich buddies crammed into a metal tube, waiting for your 96 hours of oxygen to run out.

Navigational computers on the fucking floor. No backrests. No seats. No padding. Nothing. Just one small toilet sat in front of one tiny window.

So when the power dies and the lights go out, it's just a claustrophic sardine tin of the wealthy, alone in the suffocating pitch-dark at the bottom of the ocean, choking on the smell of their own shit.

All this, for a quarter of a million dollars per head.

Which they paid even though Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate himself, said that SAFETY IS A WASTE. OH MY FUCKING—

A sadly unshocking thing to hear from the CEO of a company that's engendered safety concerns! For! YEARS!

Also unshocking: the waiver apparently mentions death three times on the first page.

You know.

In case it didn't get through to you after the first two times. Or after reading that the sub is experimental and hasn't been approved or regulated in any remotely meaningful way.

But it's okay if the MacGyvered fucking submarine crumbles like a Saltine cracker, because IT DOESN'T MATTER IF EVERYTHING FAILS! AS LONG AS THE PRESSURE HULL'S INTACT, IT'S OKAY IF YOU'RE STUCK 13,000 FEET UNDER THE SEA WITH A RAPIDLY DWINDLING SUPPLY OF OXYGEN! THE CEO OF OCEANGATE SAID SO!!!

HAHA! HA! YES, THE TOTALLY SUCCESSFUL MACGYVERED SUB WITH A COMPLETELY INTACT PRESSURE HULL!!!!

Oh my god. Oh my GOOOOOOOOD.

But hey! Remember! :) If the Juulpod-sized, Atari-run hunk of hubris doesn't literally fucking implode with you inside it, it's okay that there are 18 bolts locking you in that can't be undone without external assistance! Because Stockton Rush said you're safe as long as the (definitely pristine) hull is still intact!

So if you're bobbing on the surface of the ocean, watching seagulls cross blue sky through your single tiny porthole, listening to the pulse of white-crested waves ruffled by the cool sea breeze, drowning above water because you can't escape the slow ceaseless hourglass that is your stagnant air supply without a rescue crew—a rescue crew that can't even find you because you're mired in a vast expanse of savage ocean and oh, by the way, your communications going down is what started all this in the FIRST PLACE...

...well, don't worry! Titan's many, many, MANY successful past voyages should give you comfort! :)

But, on the very off chance this could be a dangerous and likely deadly situation, tell me: which would be the worst way to go?

Incinerating in the abrupt birth of a terrible, crushing singularity?

Asphyxiating in the lightless abyss that lurks like some arcane hell at the bottom of the ocean?

Or suffocating just as slowly above the water, with air so close you can see the misty breeze yet still...just...out...of reach?

God, I hope we save these dumbass idiots. Especially since one of them's just a 19-year-old kid. I don't even care how rich and stupid they are. I just can't imagine dying like that.

[frogwiththephatahh]

Ranking All Act 1 Songs in Epic: The Musical

Disclaimer: I like all the songs! I just like some more than others. The ones with low rankings are not at all bad! Furthermore this is a personal opinion so please don't be mad at me if we disagree about placing! (also rb with your own rankings I want to compare it'll be fun)

20. There Are other Ways- I just never really got into this one. It didn't stand out to me like the other songs in its saga did. I do love how it shows us just how dedicated Ody is to Penelope, though. It's sort of a light foreshadowing of just what he'll give up for her.

19. Storm- Love singing along with the crew, but it doesn't appeal to me as much as others.

18. Full Speed Ahead- A great introduction to the main crew members, showing their priorities and personalities. But there are better crew songs.

17. Polyphemus- I was holding my breath during this entire song. Great! And that final line at the end makes my heart sink every time. But not as striking as others in Cyclops.

16. Warrior Of The Mind- First heard this song on tiktok, like most people. It's great, but at this point it's overplayed.

15. My Goodbye- A step up from WotM for me. Not much to say about it though.

14. Remember Them- Heartfelt and shows just how clever Odysseus is. Well, up until he doxxed himself.

13. Puppeteer- The beginning cord is so moving. Otherwise it's a great introduction to Circe.

12. Luck Runs Out- The emotion in Armando's performances never ceases to amaze me. Every one of Eurylochus' songs have so much raw emotion poured into them.

11. The Horse And The Infant- An excellent introduction to our starting point. The duet between Zeus and Odysseus at the end is an ear worm.

10. Open Arms- A proper introduction to Polites, and one that made me shudder when The Cave was mentioned. It's such an uplifting song that sets a more hopeful tone, only for it to be ripped away in the next saga.

9. Survive- Impossible not to sing along with. And Polites' rasping "captain...?" as he dies? And Polyphemus twisting Odysseus' words at the end? Literally life changing. People died.

8. Wouldn't You Like- Ngl this one is only this high because Hermes is one of my fav greek gods (and one of my patrons) Also it's so catchy.

7. Done For- So good I started boarding an animation (I haven't animated in ten years)

6. The Underworld- Absolutely the best crew song! I tear up at Anticlea's part every time. Devastating.

5. Keep Your Friends Close- So catchy! I like to drum along to the beat. I wish Aeolus was in more than one song though...her voice is lovely.

4. Ruthlessness- First song I heard from the Ocean saga and what got me into Epic full swing. The animatics people make for this one are insanely good. And as an avid hater of Poseidon, this song made me adore him.

3. Just A Man- It's the song almost everyone knows this musical from because of tiktok. And there's a reason! It's a good ass song. Especially the ending.

2. Monster- Actually shudders! Omg this one is so good. And it's a huge turning point for the entire show. Which makes sense since it's the final song in the first act. The last part ESPECIALLY is an ear worm.

No Longer You- A WALTZ? WITH TIRESIAS? Actually brilliant. I always imagine souls in the underworld dancing around Tiresias and Odysseus to form a wall of blue fire trapping them together. Cannot help but sing along to it. So catchy, so good, so moving.

[maladaptivedaydr3amer]

Any specific Barty headcanons (my disposable bug-eyed son)??

YOU DO KNOW HOW LONG IVE BEEN WAITING SOMEONE TO ASK ME THIS!!

(I’ve recently just written all of my Barty Crouch Jr headcanons in my notes app; I will warn you there is a lot)

Barty Crouch Jr headcanons.

- (1)Insanely smart

- (2)Really messy blonde hair(you just can’t tame it, and it pisses off Barty Sr. So much)

- (3)He has a mouth like a sailor(meaning he’s always swearing; gets it from his mom)

- (4)Very skinny because one of his dads many punishments is not giving him food

- (5)A mommy’s boy because his mom was always there(but he kind of also has mommy issues, idk it’s just really complicated)

- (6)type of kid that was never able to leave the house(for real the reason why he is so pale)

- (7)hates alcohol, weed and cigarettes with a burning passion

- (8)insomniac(he stays up way to late studying half the time)

- (9)A Ravenclaw

- (10)his bestfriend is Pandora; they both complete opposites because barty is very uptight and pandora is very care-free

- (11)His biggest free is too be like his father

- (12)had a stutter when he was younger(like 11-13)

- (13)He didn’t have any friends in first year and up until the middle of second year when Pandora was like your my friend now

- (14)favorite class is history of magic and charms

- (15)very fascinated with Evan when he first met him

- (16)he’s very opinionated, and does not like to be wrong

- (17)Photographic memory, if he sees something it is glued to his memory

- (18)So very many freckles, like too many

- (19)He comes off very confident and sure of himself, but not gonna lie he’s actually really insecure.

- (20)He actually did pull out a good chunk of his hair when he was studying for his owls

- (21)A prefect in his fifth and sixth years and was head-boy in his seventh year

- (22)loves quidditch but he would never play

- (23)Him and Regulus are academic rivals(their for real frenemies)

- (24)everyone knows about how shitty his relationship is with his father

- (25)When he got all 12 of his O.W.L, that was one of the only times in his life that his dad was proud of him

- (26)He has helicopter parents(his mom more than his dad but still)

- (27)Has dimples

- (28)He has abandonment issues, and social anxiety(oh how he hates ministry party’s but he still has to go to keep up appearances)

- (29)Very dark brown eyes

- (30)He’s actually really fucking weird like(Pandora and him are for real are you gonna match my freak)

- (31)He’s a pretty crier not gonna lie

- (32)Dark circles underneath his eyes

- (33)has some sort of personality disorder

- (34)He’s is the little spoon in the relationship.

- (35)him and Evan were for real made for each other(even though they are a bit toxic)

- (36)he was born like a 3 weeks early(his birthday is October 21rst)

- (37)He was most definitely in the slug club(even though he kinda of sucked at potions, he was only chosen because of who his father was)

- (38)He can be extremely manipulative at times and he is also a great actor(the reason why so many people thought he was innocent after his trial, and that skill has also gotten him out of so much trouble)

- (39)he can easily mask his emotions; anger, sadness, happiness etc.

- (40)He’s extremely clingy to people once they get close

- (41)He got way to close to the Lestranges for his own good after Evan died

- (42)When he gets a really bad letter from his dad he just completely shuts down

- (43)Barty actually had a pretty close relationship with his house-elf, Winky

- (44)He’s can speak so many different languages such as, gobbledegook(the goblin’s language), French, German, English etc.

- (45)Very complicated home-life

- (46)Barty fell first and fell very hard in the Rosekiller relationship

- (47)He will give you the most dirty look if he doesn’t agree with you

- (48)Severely touched starved, he always has to be touching Evan for his own sanity

- (49)His favorite color is a very specific color of blue.

- (50)Top of almost all of his classes(the only classes he’s not top in is divination and potions, which Pandora is the top in both; he kind of hates her for it)

- (51)5’7-5’8

- (52)He for real puts school and grades before his mental health.

- (53)he is very blunt and doesn’t really have filter, and has zero social skills(if you say something wrong or if you pronounce something wrong he will correct you ect.)

- (54)He purposely pisses off Evan half the time

- (55) he wants to be perfect but he’s so far from it

[anki-of-beleriand]

Bad Liar ch. 4

Summary: Life is about lessons, and Wanda has been learning some harsh facts that had define her life and taken her to a place in which she was given a second chance. Then, all of a sudden, she meets you, and she realizes why it's easier to lie to yourself than to accpet what's right in front of her.

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff/ Female!reader - America/Kate - Mentions of past Vision/Wanda - past Natasha/Reader - Some Female!Reader/Carol Danvers - past Shuri/Female!reader

Warnings: Slow burn - Enemies to friends to lovers - Mentions of abusive relationships - Toxic relationships - angst - drama - mentions of abuse - more tags as the story progress.

Author's note: In the midst of celebration R and Wanda cross paths once more, and this time around something changes, and after that nothing would be the same. Some clarifications, R parents died almost two years ago from the moment the story takes place, and her relationship with Shuri ended almost 8 months before meeting Wanda.

Thank you so much for reading, commenting, liking and reblogging the story guys! Remember that English is not my mother tongue, so forgive my grammar, spelling and funny mistakes.

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8 - Chapter 9 - Chapter 10 - Chapter 11 - Chapter 12 - Chapter 13 - Chapter 14 - Chapter 15 - Chapter 16 - Chapter 17 - Chapter 18

Chapter 4

Shaky foundations

The sound of muffled conversation resounded in the empty balcony. 

The cold breeze of the night brushed away the pearly drops of sweat pouring from her face. The sweet freshness of the rainy air filled her lungs, while her heart tried to slow down the heavy beats against her chest. She clenched her eyes close trying to stop the world from spinning too fast, too unsteady under her. 

Laughter and music tried to deafen her, but the ringing inside her head made it impossible for the buzzing to kick her senses completely. Her trembling hands rested upon the stony rail, her knees buckled up under her weight and the sobs she was trying to hold back came forth with a defeated sigh. 

The night had started out pretty well. 

Natasha had lent her a beautiful dress that complemented the figure she forgot she had. Her hair had been put up into a ponytail, with light makeup and low heels, Wanda had entered into a world of glamour and power she had only witness under the shadow of Vision.

Wherever she looked, she would recognize people from the news and the magazines, the parents and contributors of a school that was destined to raise the future of the nation. 

There were no cameras, no press. 

It was only them enjoying a light evening in one of Tony Stark's convention centres. Natasha Romanoff had kept her promise to never leave Wanda's side, the woman took her by the hand around the room filled with people eager to meet the new English teacher. By now, Wanda realised that her students had not been afraid to talk about her, and her name was in the lips of many proud parents that praised her work with their offspring while promising money, status… Power.

It was too much, too soon. 

The last time she  had been under so much scrutiny Vis had taken her back home with an anger and hatred Wanda would not forget any time soon. She still had the scars on her back, the souvenir of a man that had claimed property on her by any means possible. 

You are nothing more than a common whore, fucking disgusting I have to throw up everytime I have to touch you… The only good thing about you, it's what you have between your legs. 

Wanda shivered under the memory of that particular night. The scars on her back burnt with the remembrance. 

"You are safe." Natasha had noticed her distress as soon as it happened, Wanda had grabbed the hand of the older woman taking into the comfort of her sympathy. 

"Now, lift that chin up and let's meet with the real people of money around here." Natasha winked at Wanda leading the young woman down the hall towards the main table. 

Up until that moment, Wanda had not met with any of the school board members in full. But as they approached the table, Wanda realised she was about to have her world turned around by the people shooting at her curious glances. 

"Romanoff, as always, your taste in women is impeccable." A dark haired man declared, his smile bright and full of mischief with dark glasses and a flirty attitude, Wanda recognized Tony Stark almost instantly. 

"Shut it, Tony." Natasha shook her head, and while the gesture seemed familiar and teasing, Tony could see the warning glint in Natasha's eyes. "This is Wanda Maximoff, the new teacher for the Special Class."

"Mr. Stark, it's an honour…" Wanda stretched her hand clumsily, her cheeks burning red when the man lowered his shades to lock eyes with her. 

"If what Romanoff says about you is the truth then, the pleasure is all mine…" Tony stretched his left arm showing the rest of the people at the table, there were three empty spots, and soon he lifted a single eyebrow at Wanda. "Please, Mrs. Maximoff, we were waiting for you."

"And, Y/N…" A woman with light brown hair said smiling at Wanda. "But she must be fighting with her sister over the phone."

"As always." Natasha rolled her eyes pointing with her hand to the woman. "Please, meet the only woman that can put up with Tony, Pepper Potts."

"I resent that!" 

Wanda soon found herself meeting everyone at the table and being part of a group she never thought would be this… Amicable to her. Sitting right beside Tony and Pepper was Loki's older brother and guardian Thor Odinson and his wife Sif. Then, there was Steve and Bucky, the legal guardians of the Captain of the football team Sam Wilson. To the other end of the table was Clint Barton and his wife Laura, who were in charge of the exchange students program and then there was Kate's mother, Eleanor was the CEO of one of the most important security businesses in the nation. 

Wanda had been overwhelmed by the full presentation, and she had tried to hide her awkwardness behind a tentative smile and stumbled words. Everyone was kind, commenting on Wanda's best traits while directing the conversation to general matters that the redhead thanked silently. 

Finally, Wanda sat just beside Natasha with an empty spot by her side, she furrowed her brows glancing at the blond-haired woman sitting on the other chair. 

"Finally but not least, that's Carol Danvers, Y/N's companion." Natasha stated, Carol tilted her head stretching her hand to greet Wanda. 

"A pleasure to finally meet someone normal amongst this lot." Carol said, winking at Wanda. 

For some reason, Wanda smiled at the comment looking around the table then at the empty spot. Carol waved her hand while pointing with her head to the other side of the room. 

" Y/N is the one with money, not me." Carol returned her attention to the table, everyone was already engaged in conversation waving the two women alone. "And, this is my first event, just like you."

"Good, I was afraid this could be too awkward for me to suffer alone."

Carol let out a soft laughter, Wanda relaxed a little, finally finding her confidence as she engaged the other woman in small talk. 

Everything seemed to be going well, Wanda was finally finding a spot in between her awkwardness with which she would work while trying to enjoy the evening until a familiar voice broke her bubble of happiness all of a sudden. 

"I swear to God my sister is impossible to deal with when she is around your brother, Thor." You came in putting your mobile away while dropping on the chair, you furrowed your brows turning to the gaping woman glancing at you with disbelief, anger and uncertainty all in a single glance of emerald green. 

" You!" Wanda finally sputtered, you raised a single eyebrow tilting your head to see Natasha highly shocked at Wanda's reaction. 

"Me. Yes, as far as I know, Princess." You replied mockingly, Wanda clenched her jaw jumping startled when Natasha leaned over. 

"Do you know Y/N?" 

"Know?" Wanda turned to Natasha with a hint of disbelief tainting her voice. "Do you remember the… The…the bi… The rude woman I met on my first day here?" 

You leaned back on your chair watching with growing amusement the red-head's reaction to your presence. Everyone had their eyes on the both of you, Carol sneaked her hand under the table placing a hand on your thigh while cocking her head with curiosity. 

"I do…" Natasha trailed off before shooting you an annoyed glance. "It was you?!" 

"It was me what, Tasha?" 

"You were being a bitch to Wanda on her first day here!" 

Wanda opened her eyes wide at Natasha's words, her cheeks colouring red as now the attention of all the presents at the table were on her. You made a face while taking a glass of wine while shrugging. 

"I wasn't being a bitch, she just couldn't take it that I was faster and smarter than her." You replied tilting your head to the redhead. "Really? You have been complaining about that?" 

"It's not… I didn't…" Wanda scoffed at you, obviously affronted to be this close to you. "God, who are you anyway?" 

Natasha winced at the question, everyone turned their attention to you but all of a sudden you were very busy playing with the red beverage on your glass. 

"Wanda, let me introduce you to Y/N Y/L/N, who recently became the head of Alchemax Corp." The introduction was quite simple, but Wanda just as everybody else on the planet had heard the story of such a company. 

She kept her eyes on you, though it looked as if you were unfazed by such revelation. Money was certainly something you didn't lack, but by the time Wanda met you it wasn't something you reek of. For a brief moment, everyone was pretty silent, and you growled rolling your eyes while shrugging while drinking your wine in a single sip. 

"Right, nice to meet you, Princess." 

Carol furrowed her brows at the nickname, while Wanda turned away flustered without knowing how to react. 

In the end, she went for the most familiar emotion she related to you. Anger. 

"Not my pleasure, unfortunately."

"Woah, you really make up for good first impressions, Y/N." Tony chuckled, lifting his glass to you before turning to Wanda. "She is not very nice when you know her at first but, after a while, she warms up to you, right Romanoff?" 

"Shut up, Tony!" 

You disconnected yourself from the conversation soon after, the tension between you and Wanda was still quite palpable for you, but it seemed for everyone around the room it was a thing of the past. The hand on your leg drew circles, trying to help you reach a comfort you didn't feel. 

"So, besides fighting over food at the supermarket, and crashing your car against your neighbour's, you're into teaching teens, Princess?"  You asked after a while, everyone at the table was either busy eating or had left to go around the room and socialised. 

Wanda blinked a couple of times, her attention drifted from the plate in front of her to you. The infuriating smile dancing on your lips made her blood boil, Wanda scoffed leaning back while looking around for some back up.

She was alone, though. 

Tony had dragged Natasha away with him, and Wanda was left alone with you to her left and a pretty boisterous Thor to her right. You tapped the table with your fingertips, your gaze travelling down the features of the young woman sitting beside you. 

You had noticed her beauty before, but right now she was looking stunningly beautiful. There was a light of innocence on her that made her cute, it made your heart flutter with something akin to attraction and the mere thought scared you a little. 

"I am a teacher, yes." Wanda finally gave in, the fork in her hand putting away some of the food she would not consume that night. 

"I see." You whistled impressed, the glint of teasing in your eyes warning Wanda your next comment would be a stupid one. 

"Smart, even though you're an awful driver." You chuckled, lifting your hands in a sign of peace at her enraged expression. 

"You…" Wanda took a deep breath trying to control her anger, now that she knew who you were she would need to measure her words. You could see her effort to keep her tongue controlled and a part of you hated it. 

"Why are you so…infuriating?" 

The question came with a tired huff, the redhead woman didn't even dare to look at you but instead of waiting for an answer she just stood up and walked away leaving you with an empty mind and a yearning heart. 

"Hey, did you know Hope is here?" Carol sat to your side, her hand placing itself in your thigh. 

Your eyes popped open, turning your head you went to look around for the woman before settling your eyes on Carol who was giggling at your reaction. 

"I mean, here in the country and the city, silly not here-here." 

"Oh, no, I didn't know…" you mumbled, frowning a little. "She didn't call me…I mean, not that she needed to is just…" 

Carol softened her features, placing a comforting hand on you. She leaned in to place a kiss on your cheek while her hand played with your hair. 

"I'm sorry, I thought you guys were talking again."

You offered a terse smile, the air around heavy and hot. 

"I think it's complicated." You tried to cut off with the topic, but Carol would have none of it. She knew your friendship with Hope was something you had treasure from an early age, but things had gone out of hand after your last relationship. 

Carol frowned, taking a sip from her beverage before speaking. 

"I thought that after everything was cleared up, she would side with you instead of being a bitch about it."

The world came to a stop, Carol knew she had made a mistake the moment her clear eyes fell on you. Your hand had grabbed the glass of wine tightly, the memories assaulting your senses. 

"Things have not been the same since Shuri, I wasn't her only friend… And for Hope it was harder to understand the whole situation." The name of your ex-girlfriend rolled out of your lips with the same pained expression it usually did. 

"She is not being a bitch she just…she doesn't need to lose her two oldest friends for something like this."

It was enough to make Carol stop, your body tensed completely and the moment was broken. Carol pursed her lips leaning back to fix her position on the chair, the warmth in her eyes turned to pure cold and you knew you had broken an unspoken rule between the both of you. 

"Y/N…" Carol started but you stood up. 

"I think I'm going for a drink." You finally mumbled leaving the table behind, Carol staying there her eyes glancing regretfully at you glass full of wine. 

______________________________________________________________

Wanda was not sure how she ended up in her current predicament, what she did know was that her heart rate had increased exponentially and her body was sweating profusely at her current situation. 

The man standing before her was huge, with big muscle arms and an imposing figure. His eyes were black, and while his smile appeared to be kind there was a strange tension around her eyes that made people doubt his intentions. Simon Williams had set his eyes on the new teacher the moment she crossed the threshold of Stark's convention centre by the arm of Natasha. 

The woman didn't look gay, mostly shy. 

Which was perfect for him, shy women were terrific in bed and usually easier to convince than regular ones.  After he finally got his chance at the redhead, he realised this one would be harder to crack. She was not only shy, but a bitch. Almost unresponsive, and kind of dull, Simon decided to go all in with his open flirtatious nature and his comments, he wanted to make it clear to the woman what he was looking for. And if that didn't work the way he wanted, he could always toss in the name of his father and see how this would ease the woman's attitude. 

Wanda from her part was trying to locate Natasha with her eyes, but so far she had failed miserably. No one had noticed her in this dimly lit corner, and she was certain the huge man was hiding away her frame and probably the expression of pure terror she was sporting at the moment. The young woman winced, her body froze completely while her eyesight went blurry when Simon placed his hand on her forearm, leaning in his hot breath filled with alcohol and hit her in the face. 

"So what do you say, Princess?" 

The nickname under his lips, with the suggestive tone and his deep guttural voice made Wanda shivered in fear. She felt trapped. And the only thing she could see at the moment was Vision hovering above her, punishing her for, once more, bringing the attention of a man. For being the whore he always thought she was. For Wanda the man in front of her didn't look that different from Vision, he had the same dangrrous vibe, the same threatening gestures. Wanda was scared, and didn't know how to get out of that situation.

"By the heavens, Simon, are you tormenting another poor soul with your breath and macho persona?" Your voice broke the fear Wanda was in, her heart leaped in hope when she saw you frowning at the scene. 

Simon Williams stepped back, his annoyance evident on his face and the mocking curve on his lips. 

"L/N."

You were unimpressed by his height, looking him up and down you then redirected your eyes to Wanda who was still frozen in the spot. You tilted your head noticing the sheer terror on her face, the eyes wide open and the rictus on her lips. Simon had not made note of this, of course, he was a brute that thought with his dick and not his brain. If he had one. 

"I thought you were with that dyke friend of yours, the blond one." Simon slurred mockingly. "She dumped you already?" 

You smirked, your eyes turning to ice while you started walking around the table, never leaving the eyes of the man in front of you. 

"You know what's the difference between you and me, Simon boy?" 

The man clenched his jaw, lifting his chin to send a defiant glance your way. Your tone never changed, but you had walked around until you were in between Simon and Wanda. 

"That I don't get dumped by black bitches?" 

You chuckled, a humourless laugh that was followed by a glance of pure amusement. 

"That your mother loves me more than she does you."

Wanda didn't know what happened, the only thing she knew was that soon a deafening crash was heard and the big man had launched at you with rage and unsteady footsteps. You had grabbed the red-haired woman dragging her to the side, and the man had tripped on a chair and landed on a marble table that ended up on the floor. 

Your hand had closed tightly around Wanda's wrist, and by the time Wanda was finally aware of what was happening panic rose to her throat and with a harsh slap she freed herself from your touch and ran away from the scene. 

Wanda put a hand on her mouth, tears fell freely on her face while she tried to grasp her sanity. She could only think of what had happened, of the mistakes she had made through her life… Of the slap that was going to get her fired.. 

She had her eyes closed, breathing was getting harder and harder, the sobs strangled in her throat. She gasped when two hands placed tenderly in her shoulders, she had expected to see Natasha not you. 

"Stop it." You spoke calmly, softening your features without losing your firmness. 

Wanda tried to breathe, but it was getting difficult and the tears full of memories were not helping her case. 

Wanda tried to calm herself, but it was almost impossible. Then, your arms wrapped around her and the woman started crying non-stop until she almost fell to the floor. You held her steadily in your arms, the sound of the party going on inside the room was not enough to quiet Wanda's cries. 

The moon was already igniting the skies, the light rain falling on the ground and while the night was completely cold you could only feel the warm body against yours. The trembling of the thin frame, while her tears covered your blouse and her hands held onto you as if there was nobody.

Whatever story was behind those tears, whatever story was behind those green eyes you wished there was something you could do at the moment. That there were words that could stop her suffering, but there was nothing you could do.

While the party continued right outside the balcony, you held onto Wanda offering the only comfort you could at that moment. Your arms and a protective embrace against the cold and rainy night.

______________

Carol stood right in front of you with her lips pressed together, and her hand grabbing the small purse she had taking with her. The idea of a perfect, romantic night with you went to hell the moment you two discussed at the table but she thought the night was young and she would get the opportunity to redeem herself.

Now that your car had an unsuspected guest waiting for you to go in, Carol was sure trying to get to talk to you was going to be more difficult than before. You stood in front of her, scratching the back of your neck in the same nervous way you did whenever you felt lost. Carol nodded turning away before her whole face changed and she offered you her best smile.

��I understand.” Carol let out a breathy laugh, her hand brushing away her hair before she stepped closer to you, you grabbed her hand putting her closer.

You tried to hold back your expression, there was just something wrong about the situation.

“I…I will make it up to you, Carol.” When you put her closer, and your lips brushed against hers it made you trembled. “Call you later? Perhaps, we can go out tomorrow…or you can come over and have some lunch with me and America?”

The words were out of your mouth before you could stop them, Carol seemed pleasantly surprised at this and soon she was kissing you with more passion. You smiled through the kiss stepping back, Carol blushed lightly licking her lips while nodding.

“Yeah, I would like that.”

“Good then, talk to you later.” You stepped back finally turning around going to the car, Carol’s voice stopped you just before you went in.

“Be careful.”

Carol wanted to add something else, but she refrained herself waving at you. With a last gesture, you went into the car and soon you found yourself driving down the streets towards Wanda’s house. The woman was sitting right beside you, her head on the window and her hands wriggling together nervously; you were tempted to say something, anything at all, but Wanda had not talked since the incident in the room and her breaking down in the balcony.

The car ride was very silent, the tarnish windows didn’t allow for a good sightseeing in the city but Wanda didn’t care. She was just trying to forget what had happened, how stupid she had been for breaking down and for letting a stranger get to her the way he did. How would she take care of her children if she couldn’t even face some stranger? How would she change her own life if she was still so afraid?

She was weak.

And Vision was right.

She couldn’t do any good without him by her side.

“I lost my parents to an accident.” Your voice broke Wanda from her thoughts, the woman jerked away turning to you before her eyes focused on the lane that was right in front of her home. You leaned back not even looking at her, your voice was flat, as if this story was something you weren’t especially thrilled to be sharing at the moment.

“I was young and…I have to take care of my sister, and then stop doing what I wanted to do because I’m the head of a big empire and…I am the only one that can…” You trailed off lifting your head while glancing at the roof of your car. “There is so much paperwork! God, I hated it, you know?”

You turned to Wanda; the woman was half listening to you not really understand where that conversation was going.

“I hate it.”

Wanda furrowed her brows, her arms wrapping around herself. Silence filled the loneliness inside the car, you shrugged, turning your attention back to the road. 

"There are things we can't change, I guess."

"We just had to live with them." Wanda mumbled in the end, you snorted, shrugging again. 

"I guess we have to."

Her eyes flickered tentatively to the side, then she finally faced you and there was nothing you could read on her face. She was looking different, though the fear was hiding behind the glistening tears in her eyes. 

"Thank you."

You smiled at her, nothing too friendly, just polite. The woman earned your sympathy that day, it was pretty obvious by the reaction she had that things had not been easy for her. Whatever happened in the past, Wanda was still a work in progress. 

Nothing else was said, and soon Wanda exited the car and went down her entrance directly to her home. 

You would sit in your car for a couple of minutes, before you realised that the redhead had been tormenting your thoughts since she left the car. By the time you were back home, your back against the door you couldn't stop thinking about the night. 

About Carol. 

About the incident. 

And most certainly, you couldn't stop thinking about Wanda and how you suddenly felt overprotective of the redhead. With these confusing emotions pouring out of your mind, you turned off the car and went home.  ______________________________________________________________

America stretched out, her mouth opened wide with a deep yawn while her eyes almost dropped with tiredness. She tried to get a glimpse of the piece of paper in front of her but was almost impossible to make out the words without seeing the blurry figures of the letters.

“I think we should call it a night.” Kate mumbled noticing Loki was already fast asleep right beside Kamala, the both of them were cuddling with Yelena taking pictures and giggling like mad.

America snorted nodding tiredly, her eyes soon drifted to the twins and Balder that were fast asleep on the sleeping bags she had fixed for them. Taking care of the boys had been quite easy, America was always surprised to see just how well-behaved the Maximoff twins were; she didn’t want to comment much about it, but she had also seen the look of fear in their eyes, the way they turned to the clock and the door whenever they heard a noise of a car driving by.

“You’re thinking of that again.” Kate leaned in, her hand placing softly on top of America’s one.

For a brief moment, America glanced at their hands while her cheeks burnt lightly. Kate leaned in resting her head on her shoulder, her eyes centring on the form of the twins before she lifted her face to America.

“I just…I can shale the feeing they really had it rough for a while.” America furrowed her brows, her heart beating hard when she felt Kate shifted closer to her. “You should see him on that first day, and Mrs. Maximoff is sometimes…just like them.”

“Well, my sister is keeping everything tight in her office, and I haven’t been able to get much of her.” Yelena slumped on the sofa; her eyes gleaming mischievously to the pair sitting at the other side of the room.

“I can try to do the investigation online.” America and Kate jumped startled; Loki was glancing at them with the same mischievous glance Yelena was shooting at them.

“I thought you were asleep!” America shifted on the chair, her sudden movement putting her away from Kate who couldn’t help but lower her gaze hurt.

Yelena sat watching as America stood up, she stretched before babbling away having some drinks before they could discuss the Wanda Maximoff situation in further detail. Kate crunched up her nose, rolling her eyes slightly annoyed by this.

“…And, if you think you can find something without getting caught…”

“Excuse me?” Loki straightened up rather offended. “Are you doubting my abilities?”

America rolled her eyes trying to evade Kate for a moment, “of course no. But I do think that if they found out about that…”

“We could get into a lot of trouble.”

Kate hated the passion with which America dealt with the situation, ever since the new teacher showed in their lives it was quite evident for everyone in the group that America was quite found of her. Kate knew it was stupid, but whenever America got something into her head she went all the way until she got answers; her passion was one of the things Kate loved the most about her.

“I guess, there is not escaping this then.” Kate mumbled offering a weak smile to America, the young woman opened her eyes quite shocked but happy.

“That’s the attitude, Kate Bear!” America wrapped her arms around the other woman, wriggling her eyebrows before letting go and walking to Loki.

“We could always go to her home and look for information.” Yelena chimed in playing with her phone.

“Why is it breaking in and some minor crime with you, Lena?”

“Excuse me? You’re the one hacking into private records.”

“I am not hacking into private records.” Loki retorted. “I will do it, but…”

The discussion went on and one, America sat near the window her eyes narrowing lightly at the sight of a car parked nearby. Kate sat beside her, chuckling at the discussion that had just woken up Kamla and Balder.

“You think this is stupid and that I shouldn’t mess around with this, right?” America could see Kate was not comfortable answering her question, but she didn’t need to it was obvious that Kate didn’t like the whole situation.

“I just think that you are thinking too much about Mrs. Maximoff, that’s all.” Kate shifted uncomfortably, her hand placing on the young woman’s knee.

America lowered her gaze for a moment then she just shrugged lightly.

“I just…I think there is something else, and the twins…” America lifted her face only to lock eyes with Kate. “I just think…”

“Here comes, America Chavez, the defender of the unfortunate and those who don’t have a voice.” Kate chuckled resting her head on the back of the sofa, her eyes taking in the soft features of the young woman sitting in front of her, on the bashful smile on her face.

“When you said it like that, sounds cheesy.”

“It is cheesy.” Kate shivered when America grabbed her hand leaning closer.

“I just have a gut feeling about this, you know? Kate, you should have seen the fear in those kids. I just want to make sure…”

Kate didn’t need to hear anymore about it, America had already made her mind and whether she liked Wanda or not, there was something she couldn’t take and that was a kid sad or suffering. America had been there, and that usually made her a sucker for helping people around her; and as always, Kate was there to help her up.

If she was to be honest, America was not sure as to why she was so adamant in finding more about her neighbour and teacher. There was just something inside her that told her it was necessary; it was the right thing to do; so she went with her instincts and decided to take a look into the case.

“I guess I can also help in the search, I know that Jack would be more than happy to help me out and we can see if there is anything to know about her.” Kate felt butterflies fluttering around her stomach at the sight of America’s smile; the brunette offered a shy smile before looking away to the street.

“Thank you, Kate. I know you don’t like this, but…maybe if I get my curiosity satiated it would be easier.” America furrowed her brow when her eyes fell on the form of your car, it was parked right next to your house. “Is that my sister?”

Kate had already noticed this, she leaned in pursing her lips while recognizing the plates.

“Looks that way, why is parked over there?”

The question went unanswered, at that moment Kate’s phone rang and America’s vibrated on the table. Wanda was letting America know she was home, while Jack was telling Kate they were ready to pick her and Yelena up.  Soon, Loki was also picking up his stuff while the conversation turned to the project and what they should do the next day.

You stayed inside your car for a moment, the night had been tiresome and confusing. The woman living next door was not leaving your mind, and all you could think off was how to forget the whole drama you certainly didn’t need.

Your phone vibrated, your eyes drifted to the screen to see the name of Carol and Natasha there. More than a couple of messages, and missing call from your sister. You sighed tilting your head until you were looking into the yellowish light coming from the house next door.

“You gonna stay there all night, or are you coming inside, doofus?” America rested her weight on the car, there was a light frown on her face but otherwise she was just looking tired and happy to see you there.

“I don’t know, are you guys making a ruckus like last time?” You exited the car chuckling when America winced at the memory.

“Nah, we were really studying and babysitting.” America put her jacket closer, her eyes went to your car then to the neighbours home, you turned your head focusing your attention back to your home.

“How did it go? Why are you here in the cold?”

“Well, I saw you get here but never get inside…everything good?” America placed a hand on your forearm, her concern stare pierced right through you knowing there wasn’t much you could hide from your sister.

“Yeah, I just…it was a strange night, you know?” You rested your weight against your car. “I’ve got into a fight with Simon Williams and then…well, Carol and I got into a discussion over Hope…”

“Whoa, quite the night…” America chuckled nodding towards the house. “I only stopped a couple of fights and tried to distract the kids from doing something stupid.”

“The twins and Balder?”

“Humph, Balder and Loki.” The both of you chuckled at this, America rubbed her hands glancing back at the house then at you.

“I’m going to take the twins to their home, Kate and Yelena are coming with me and Loki is waiting for Thor.”

You nodded pointing to your car, “need a ride?”

“Nope, they really do live next door, you know?” America observed with utter care your reaction, you tensed completely furrowing your brows while lifting your eyes the light next door.

“You mean…” You trailed off remembering the children crying in the car, and the fact your neighbour had mentioned the kids before. “Wait, that woman is your teacher?”

America rolled her eyes making a face, “well, duh, I thought you knew.”

“I didn’t.”

There was nothing else you could say, and soon you were remembering those brief encounters in which she mentioned her kids, in which you heard the cries from the children. And it was obvious you were overlooking something about the woman you had insulted and mocked ever since your crossed paths on that supermarket a couple of months ago.

The woman you had defended that night, and the one you had tried to comfort that night. The sound of our phone called your attention, the name on the screen made your heart jumped in anticipation. Carol Danvers.

America took a closer look at you, her lips pursed as you put the phone out ready to answer.

“Try to not take to long, and it is really cold tonight. Take a jacket and make sure the kids are wearing something warm.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

You nodded at your sister before picking up the phone, “hey, you, how did it go?”

America watched as you walked into the house, the door was left opened and the young woman stood there wondering…and then, all of a sudden…planning.

This ought to be interesting.

___________________________

There were only dark clouds with freezing winds disturbing the activity of the inhabitants of the city.

You wrapped the scarf tightly around your neck, your eyes lifting to the sky observing the gliding clouds right above your head. It had been almost a week since the party and the incident, and in all this time you could only think of was the woman living right next door.

It was ridiculous.

The woman was just someone quite easy to torment, and while she might be attractive she wasn’t that extraordinary. She was not that important. She was not even a friend or anything at all, she was just your neighbour, and the mother of the kids America couldn’t stop talking about.

God, if she had kids she was most probably straight as an arrow and might even had a lover boy around.

You jerked startled when a hand placed itself on your shoulder, standing right behind you wearing a black coat and a black beanie and liner gloves. There were bags under her eyes, but her smile was tentative and a little shy, behind her was her car and you could see the small heads of the twins through the window.

“Hey, I…” She started trailing off when you didn’t even react, just stood there watching at her with the same unreadable stare you had been sending her way whenever you two found yourselves on the lane. “I was wondering…”

There was a moment of silence in which you shifted one foot to the other, your lips curling lightly into an easy smile while there was a teasing glint in your eyes.

“Gonna talk anytime soon, Maximoff? I need to be somewhere else.” You observed as her cheeks burn lightly, she looked away before the warmness in her stare was replace by a familiar coldness of annoyance.

“I was just wondering if you were okay.” She said stepping back while turning to her car. “I see that you’re still the same jerk, so have a good day, Ms. Y/L/N.”

You watched the woman get into her car and leave without anything else left to say, you grabbed your keys cursing mentally at the fact your heart was beating so fast and all of a sudden you were back into high school talking to the most beautiful woman ever.

Really, Maximoff was not even that good looking, and the meek personality of hers was not attractive at all.

“Hey, you okay?” America frowned watching you from the passengers door, you turned sharply nodding.

“Yeah, why?” You asked approaching the car and getting inside, America sat beside you narrowing her eyes.

“I don’t know, you have been weird as of late. Anything you want to share with me?”

“Nope, nothing at all.” You sighed leaving the house with music blasting through the speakers. “Any plans for tomorrow, kiddo?”

America shrugged watching her phone, “Mrs. Maximoff asked me to babysit, and later I think I will meet with Kate, why?”

“Oh, okay I…” You trailed off biting your tongue before you could ask about the babysitter job. “I think I’m going over to Hope’s.”

Here America tore her attention from her mobile, she was highly shocked at your words and you could tell the young woman was dying to ask a hundredth questions. But she knew better.

“You really are going?”

“I figure…I figure we need to talk, right?” You shrugged looking at America out of the corner of your eyes. “Besides, I miss her, so I think it is time to patch things up with her.”

“I guess you’re right, and it will give you the chance to talk about whatever is up your ass.” America mumbled, you snorted shaking your head.

You loved America, but if you started telling her about your recent idiocy you wouldn’t hear the end of it. And, knowing America the way you did, you knew she would snoop around only to give you a chance to be out there and be happy again.

Snow started falling that same night.

The news broadcast the miracle of White Christmas as if it was something everyone should be grateful for. But in reality the only thing it did to you was bring sore memories of the accident in which you lost your parents. Life had been different two years ago, and everything had been brighter back then; now all there was for you were problems.

You lifted your gaze to the office building in front of you.

Hope Van Dyne had built her little practice off scratch as soon as she was out of her parent’s watchful eye. She was one of your oldest friends, and the person you had gone to when everything went to hell; right after your parents died and you had to take care of America she had been right by your side with Shuri but after what happened…

You sighed.

It had been almost a year since you had seen or talked to Hope, and you missed her. Finding out she was back in town was hard on you, and that Carol was the one telling you this was even harder. Pressing your lips together you left your car and went inside the building, with hope bubbling up your chest that this meeting would be different to the last one you had with her.

The office was empty.

It was warm inside, and the place was looking cozy with a coffee maker and some warm water at the ready for anyone that would come in. Your eyes lifted to the camera right at the corner, the small red light blinking on a corner that served as a bell to announce the arrival of new patients. You stepped inside looking around the sofas and the chairs, the space Hope had build in a couple of months she had been back into town.

“I thought you would never come.” Hope stood by the door of her office; her eyes softened when you finally turned to her. “I’ve been meaning to call you, but…”

“You misplaced my phone number?” You asked, offering a half smile.

“I wasn’t sure you wanted to talk to me, Y/N.” Hope stepped inside the waiting room, her feet taking her to the coffee maker where she served two small cups.

You took the one she was offering, while looking around the room with a smile.

“I’m glad to see you here, Hope, and I love what you did to this place.” You took a sip from your coffee looking down to the floor. “This is your dream come true, I’ve been hearing you are quite the success around here.”

Hope allowed herself a small smile, she sat down in one of the love chairs in the corner, her eyes never leaving your passing form. It had been a while, but you were just like she remembered you; and whether good things of bad things had happened between you two, she was still your best friend and she knew you even better than you knew yourself.

“Thank you.” Hope wrapped her hands around the cup of coffee smiling softly. “It was really hard, I started it back in NY but I didn’t want the big life in the big apple, I want something…homey. So I came back.”

“I can see that, it’s good to see you again, Hope.” You trailed off not knowing what else to say, Hope sensed your hesitation and soon came the questions you were dreading to hear from her.

“And you, Y/N, how have you been?” Hope leaned forward, her eyes never leaving yours. “I’ve heard you finally took care of the business and that you have been dating Carol, how is it going so far? How is America? How are you, really?”

You snorted sitting down as well, shaking your head you lifted your stare to the ceiling holding back the tears trying to form in your eyes.

“I’ve been…better, I guess.” You tried to lie but Hope was a pretty good psychiatrist and either way, the idea of coming to Hope was to be honest with her. With you.

“It’s been hellish at work., trying to get the ropes of the business. And America is fine, you know her, she is more of a fighter that I am.” You allowed yourself a bitter smile, “she is the one holding me tight and feeding me.”

“The youngest ones are always the responsible ones.” Hope chuckled tilting her head. “I’m glad to hear you have her trying to keep you from starving to dead.”

“Yeah, she is a good kid. Good grades, good friends, she even got a job now.”

“She does?” Hope was highly surprised by this, you didn’t need the extra money of course, and hearing that America was working was something she had never heard from someone that could actually buy whatever they wanted whenever they needed it.

You leaned forward, and something in your posture and the way your eyes gleamed told Hope this was a story worth listening to.

“Yeah, twins. They live next door and she has been rocking it.” You shook your head shrugging. “The mother is this young woman, teacher at her school and…well…she is…nice, I guess.”

“You guess?”

You rolled your eyes shaking your head, “I’m not one of your patients, Hope.”

The other woman chuckled, “I know that. It’s just…It has been a while.”

“I know.” You hesitated for a moment before speaking again. “Look, I was thinking maybe dinner? Or coffee?”

“I’m not one of your girls, Y/N.” Hope laughed at the horrified face you put on at her suggestion.

Somethings never changed.

And the both of you were glad some things stayed the same.

“Please, ugh…would be like hitting on my sister.” You rolled your eyes, turning to Hope. “So, what do you say?”

“That sounds perfect. I have an appointment today, and then Scott and I are going to my parents place but what about next week?” Hope said tentatively.

“That’s alright then, I can squeeze you in my schedule and we can really have a talk.”

“And you can tell me about Carol, and what was really going on in your life.” Hope said trying to get more out of you. Your posture, the tension around your eyes and the sudden shifted of your body told her everything she needed it to know.

“Right, Carol okay…yeah, sure we can talk then, I…hope you still have my number then?”

“Right under the emergency one, yep.” Hope declared standing up.

You stood up as well ready to say good-bye when the door of the practice open and in there came Wanda Maximoff in all her glory.

The woman stood there with her auburn hair covered by the same black beanie she wore the day before, with a black coat on and her cheeks red for the cold. Her green eyes opened wide at the sight of you, you were just as shocked as her, and once more your heart rate increased, and the horde of butterflies in your stomach didn’t help to improve things.

“Oh, I-I’m sorry, Doctor Van Dyne, I didn’t know you were busy, I can come later…”

“No, no…I’m not a patient.” You replied rather quickly, you turned to Hope lifting a hand in a gesture of good-bye. “I’ll text you, and we can arrange that date, don’t bail on me, Van Dyne.”

“Oh, I hope I didn’t interrupt…” Wanda started again, she hated the fact all of a sudden seeing you in a place she thought was a safe place for her you came all of a sudden making her heart speed up, and the tingles in her chest and abdomen increased.

“You didn’t, Maximoff, don’t sweat it.” You winked at the woman patting her awkwardly on the shoulder. “I’ll be going, have fun!”

Hope held back her laughter when you almost crashed against the door in your hurry to leave the place. Wanda stood there rather awkward, out of place while her lips quivered trying to say something. Soon you were gone, and Wanda was left there wriggling her hands nervously with her stare lingering on the door.

“I’m sorry, Doctor Van Dyne, I didn’t want to interrupt…” Wanda started but Hope shook her head standing up and going to the coffee maker again.

“You didn’t interrupt nothing, Wanda, no need to worry.” Hope poured another cup of coffee she offered to the woman still standing by the door.

It had been a couple of weeks since Wanda had come in, the woman had not improved at all and Hope was having a hard time trying to reach out to her because of that. Seeing her back into her practice, well Hope thought perhaps something had happened for the young woman to be here.

That you two know one another was complete surprised for Hope, and your reaction and hers…well, that ought to be interesting to dig in.

“Y/N it’s an old friend, we were just catching up.” Hope pointed to the sofa on her waiting room, Wanda furrowed her brows but took the offering chair. “I think we could do our session in here today, no one else is coming and well, I find this sofa so comfy, what do you say?”

“Yeah, yeah sure…that’s…nice.” Wanda sat down with the cup on her hands, she bit her lower lip for a moment before speaking again. “So, you and…Y/N…are friends? I…that’s a surprised.”

Hope held back her reactions; she offered a simple nodded emptying her cup.

“Yeah, we have been best friends since forever.”

“Oh, I see.” Wanda pressed her lips together tilting her head, she frowned while her mind tried to tie up more questions to know more about you. Wanda hadn’t come today to talk about you, she was there to talk about what had happened.

What you had done, what Wanda had done.

“So, how did you two meet?” Hope asked all of a sudden, she was looking curious but nothing out of the ordinary.

Wanda shook her head, she opened and closed her mouth before speaking again.

“How did you…I mean, I don’t know her.”

“She did call you by your last name.” Hope chimed in, her amusement mixed with curiosity was making her look at the situation under a different light.

Wanda blushed lightly looking away, she remembered you calling her by her last name. Your eyes, your smile and that infuriating tone of voice…

“Right I…forgot.” Wanda tried to smile but it came like a grimace. “We’re…we’re neighbours.”

Now, this particular piece of information was quite interesting, then a light bulb came into Hope’s mind and she couldn’t hide her surprised this time around.

“Oh, she is the neighbour you told me about! The one that got on your nerves by being…”

“A bitch, Yeah, that’s her.”  Wanda broke into an easy smile, she lowered her eyes and soon, Hope found herself hearing a story she was not asking for.

______________________________________________________________

[popcorn-plots]

hurtcember 2024 masterlist

Ao3 series here

Day 1: Collapse | the drowned don't grieve | In another universe, it was 12-year-old Stephen who drowned instead.

Day 2: Breakdown | stoic tears | Wong is the one who always comforts Stephen when he breaks down. With the roles reversed, Stephen doesn't know what to do.

Day 3: Blood | deserving | The blood always washes away, but Stephen can still see it.

Day 4: Scars | there for you | The scars were long faded, but Stephen's hands still ached.

Day 5: Faint | syncoping just fine | Wong thinks he's taking care of himself, until he faints in the middle of a class.

Day 6: Touch-Starved (alt. "Leave me alone.") | doctor kangaroo | Peter is angry about his dad dating someone else after his mommy dies. Stephen, hurt that his boyfriend's kid hates his guts, has a little chat with Peter about what Tony means to the both of them.

Day 7: Abandoned | long-lost love | Victor's been alone for most of his life.

Day 8: Cuddle | chosen guardian | Stephen breaks down when Wong's down for the count. Jio steps up.

Day 9: Exhaustion | wounds like an albatross | In all the universes that Stephen saw, the ones where he abandoned his family and ran were the worst.

Day 10: Touch Aversion (alt. "help me") | fought god and won, losing to the laundry | Stephen had survived med school, only to survive fighting a titan, resurrecting half the earth, becoming the Sorcerer Supreme, and raising 6 kids. He also happens to be married to Billionaire Tech Genius and Iron Man Tony Stark.

Stephen has a lot going for him. Until he gets sick and suddenly he's bested by a basket of laundry.

Day 11: Caretaking | Wong is Healing | Stephen Strange is rescued. Wong takes care of him.

Day 12: Cry | Koschei's Death | Alone for the first time that night, Stephen Strange's temporal remnant breaks down.

Day 13: Nightmare | dreams of death | Donna was always dreaming.

Day 14: Near Death | the cold holds my soul | Wong doesn't realize how close he was to death until he's lying on the ground, cold seeping into his limbs and panic settling on his chest.

Day 15: Trauma | forgiveness (can you imagine) | Christine learns how to heal. Then she learns how to forgive.

Day 16: Bruise | bruised hearts never lie | Stephen shows up to school on day with a massive black eye. He says his horse bucked him off, but Tony's told enough of the same lies to know that something was very wrong.

Day 17: Concussion | concutere's will | Tony was fine. Until he decided to throw up on his doctor.

Day 18: Fatigue | take a break | Without Yao, it's hard to get out of bed, let alone take care of herself and everyone else at the same time. It's a good thing she has Stephen, then.

Day 19: Desperate | necromancy is forbidden, actually | Stephen almost dies, again. Wong is not responsible for what he said in the heat of the moment.

Day 20: Panic (alt. "it's all my fault") | if i was there | In the light of Stephen's death, Wong decides that he's the one to blame.

Day 21: Afraid | "Death is what gives life meaning, to know your days are numbered, your time is short." | The Ancient One was afraid of death.

Day 22: Self-Harm | scalpels and blood | The first time Stephen Strange picked up a scalpel, he was 15 and had just come out to his conservative parents. The last time Stephen Strange picked up a scalpel, he was 68 and had just watched his husband of 26 years slowly pass away.

Day 23: Bed-Bound | still alive but i'm barely breathing | The Ancient One reflects.

Day 24: Dissociate | everything at once | Tony Stark was everything that Iron Man wasn't.

Day 25: Accident | father kangaroo | Peter calls Stephen after getting into a crash because Tony isn't answering. Suddenly, all of Stephen's fears come rushing back.

Day 26: Guilt | mirror, mirror | Stephen Strange sometimes saw himself in the mirror. Most of the time, he saw the pale face of Death staring back.

Day 27: Pain | freaky friday thursday | The universe decides that Stephen, Tony, and Wong need to get together through all of them swapping bodies.

Day 28: Captive | living nightmare | Being held hostage is just a normal Tuesday in the life of Tony Stark. Being held captive and forced to watch his husband tortured? That's Tony Stark's worst nightmare.

Day 29: Dehydration | Never Forget. | Tony Stark knew from the moment he crash-landed in the Afghanistan desert that he would never forget what had happened.

Day 30: Dizzy | corazon de oro | America always wondered if she was the only one to experience anything after going through her portals. Stephen and Wong prove her theory.

Day 31: Hyperventilation (alt. "Don't leave") | being there (is all that matters) | Wong comforts Stephen after Tony Stark-Strange's funeral.

[danyseastar]

Aemma is the very tragic figure that the TG supporters make Alicent to be!

I will stand by that and they can argue with the walls!

there’s not a doubt in my mind that the writers decided to completely flip the script for aemma and alicent. aemma was 11 when she married a 16 years old viserys. alicent was 18 and viserys 29. while still not a great age gap, even by today’s standards alicent would be a full grown adult. it’s pretty clear from the get-go that alicent had agency and knew what she wanted out of the marriage; which was for her son, the king’s first born son, to sit the iron throne. she spent years antagonizing and isolating rhaenyra when she was a child, and even hinted that she knew ser criston was a predator towards her and still took him on as her sworn shield bc of her hatred for rhaenyra. this was a grown ass woman who decided to spend her years not preparing her son to rule and turning him into a halfway decent person, but instead bullying a motherless little girl due to sheer jealousy and conceit.

aemma on the other hand was a kid that was involuntarily married to an adult, who’s only purpose narrative wise was to give viserys heirs and die in childbirth (pretty familiar sounding story for targaryen women) so that he could remarry. they chose an older actress for the show to play aemma, i believe she was 40ish when the show was filmed, and cast an 18-19 year old for alicent. that would have her mid to late 20s when she had rhaenyra, and basically almost entirely removes how and when her victimhood began. she was the child bride, she was the one who was forced to get pregnant over and over again for viserys’ want of a son, she’s the one who ends up dying so devastatingly young; forced to give up her life and freedom bc her daughter wasn’t enough.

on the contrary, this would have been a fairly accurate casting for alicent, if they hadn’t decided to age her down to 14 at the beginning of the show and age rhaenyra up to 14 as well to create a doomed from the start friendship. rhaenyra was 8 years old when her mother died at 23 after aemma spent years either being pregnant, losing the pregnancy early, or going through multiple stillbirths. viserys started impregnating her when she was 13 years old. even the maester’s admitted that she was too young to be bedded, and that it had probably contributed to her fertility troubles. in f&b we’re only told that she died in childbirth, but she was forcibly cut open in the show, fully conscious the entire time that it was happening. too many people dismiss her death as necessary by saying she was going to die anyway, when in reality that doesn’t matter. she was a real, live human being who was gutted like a fish without her consent (another example of the show choosing to force unnecessary brutality and grotesqueness on women).

the show can try as hard as it wants to fully encompass alicent in the victim category, but they either fail to realize or do and don’t care that victimhood was never an aspect of her character; and in reducing her character to nothing more than that they’ve failed to properly adapt her motives and reasonings correctly for why she helped usurp rhaenyra and kickstart the dance of the dragons. aemma, however, was a victim; regardless of whichever media she is in. it was an integral part of her, as much as i hate to say it, and the writers failed to make the audience understand just how horrifying and tragic her life truly was.

[charmedreincarnation]

https://www.tumblr.com/charmedreincarnation/715801428071972864/hey-maya-what-are-your-thoughts-on-the?source=share

Not this anon but wait that means I can manifest a certain afterlife? Like there isn't one destined afterlife but it can be whatever we want it to be?

I wish there was a voice audio setting because I would tell you guys so many stories! but anyways I’ll tell you guys about a specific occurrence that happened when I was around 13/16 that changed my perspective on everything.

Basically I used to go to church often . My family is pretty religious, and at the time, I wasn’t even really religious, but I still followed Christianity. I had gotten into manifesting but I still believed in god pretty avidly (and still do just not in a religious way) so I didn’t mind going.

Anyways there was this super religious girl who I would talk to everytime I went. guys I mean she was giving cult. Cross tattoos, Bible reading club everyday, and she could read the Bible word for word backwards probably! I don’t really like super avidly religious people who make their entire life abt god and every conversation abt it, but idk for her I could tolerate it. She was super sweet and her passion was admirable.

I remember she stopped coming to church and I knew something was wrong because this girl would rather die than miss service. Turns out she was in an accident and was probably going to die, so we held a huge fundraiser for her family. At the time I didn’t know what happened to her because no one talked about it after the fundraiser and I didn’t have her phone number so I just assumed she died.

Then when I was 16, so atp pretty into manifesting and not into church anymore I saw her at a tarot shop.. that she owned. Now it’s a general consensus astrology, tarots and stuff is against Christianity. (not that I cared regardless I still was into that shit) but The Sarah (fake name) I knew Would never step foot into what she called a “devil worshipping temple”

But it was definitely her and she looked so different. She used to have long brown hair, wore traditional clothing, would never show skin etc. this girl had a pixie cut with black hair, so many tattoos of sigils and zodiac stuff on her body, so many piercings, and was wearing booty shorts!! I almost didn’t recognize her but she said hi to me and I was in shock. This bitch owns a crystal shop.. Holy Sarah owns a crystal shop!! atp I believed the rapture was about to start bc what the hell

Anyways I asked her how she was and what happened, because I assumed she was dead. And she said she was. She had been officially dead for 5 straight seconds, but was “brought” back with those machines. I told her she looks good but why the change in lifestyle. she said when she died, she was in a black space of nothing but still had thoughts. She didn’t see Jesus or the purgatory or whatever, all she had was herself. She was crying to herself in this void like space as she knew it was the end, and the atheists were right. We become nothing when we die. Then she just wished to come back, and she said she would do anything to come back, and then she did. She awoke again and when she did she got into spirituality and it changed her life.

16 year old me at this point was pretty deep into my spiritual research and she basically confirmed what I had believed since I was 8. We choose what happenes when we die and we can do the same for our life on earth. I pretty much talked to her for hours, until I had to go because my mom doesn’t want me in those “weird” shops either. Anyways I assume the “space” she was in was the void state, but I didn’t know what that was until the end of 2021 ofc so I couldn’t make the connection at the time.

But I mean it makes sense. we have free will, so if we can decide every aspect of our life while alive, why would that change at death. death isn’t the end, just a beginning of whatever new chapter you want or believe it to be. Just my belief ofc :) you’re inclined to believe whatever !

[proudchildlesscatlady]

I imagine what the ending of the Legendborn Cycle Series would be... especially Bree's well deserved happy ending. Please know that this ending is completely made up. I hope you enjoy.

Bree and her allies won the war/Camlann but not without many losses and sacrifices. The shadowborn are defeated for once and for all meaning humanity is safe forever. The remaining Legendborn lose their powers and the cycle ends as it is no longer needed. The Order has also been successfully dismantle. Most importantly, the curse that has plague Bree's bloodline for generations has finally ended.

Bree looks towards the sunset and fells hope for the first time after so long. Still, she grieves for the lost lives.

25 year time skip

Bree is a 42 almost 43 year old accomplished, well respected, and awarded winning scientist. She is known as Dr. Matthews

She is happily married for 20 years with four daughters:

1. Faye Eileen (age 18)

2. Nicole Marie (age 14)

3. Selene Esmee (age 13)

4. Vera Anne (age 8)

The identity of Bree's husband is left a mystery as he could be Nick, Sel, or somebody else (please don't hate me 😭).

Bree is having a mother- daughter date with her eldest daughter as she will leave to go to college in a few days. After, Bree takes her daughter to a memorial site of her fallen comrades, allies, and friends who fought with her. Both women place flowers in each grave. Bree talks fondly about them and thanks them for their sacrifice. Bree has a tradition of coming to the memorial site once a year to pay her respects.

As they were about to leave, Alice and her wife Sarah (Sar) walks by and the four women have a hug fest. Alice hugs Bree's daughter tightly and couldn't believe her niece is all grown up 🥹

After, Bree and her daughter go back home. Bree is greeted by her husband and other daughters. Vera, Bree's youngest, ask her mama to read her a bedtime story. Bree retells her story (a cutesy, child friendly version) to Vera until she falls asleep. Bree kisses her daughter's forehead and leaves her room.

50+ time skip

Bree, age 100, lays comfortably on her bed as the sun sets.

Someone walks in her room. That someone is Bree's great- granddaughter named Amelia (the granddaughter of Bree's youngest daughter). Amelia is 16 years old and attends UNC's early college program. She also heavily resembles Bree in her youth. The very image of her.

Amelia sits down next to Bree and holds her hand. Another person walks in the room and that someone is Amelia's mother (Bree's granddaughter). Her name is Natalie (age 42) and next to her is Vera (age 65). All three women sit near Bree and listen to Amelia retell Bree's story. A story passed down through generations.

While telling the story, Amelia fondly mentions Bree's knight in shining armor which may or may not be her great- grandfather.

After Amelia has finished telling the story, they all said good night to Bree. Natalie kisses her grandma on the forehead. They leave Bree's room.

Bree smiles and thinks back to her life then closes her eyes.

She dies peacefully in her sleep.

Bree survived by her four daughters, many grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren. Her beloved husband died a few years prior. They were married for 70+ years.

The End

**Notes: I'm fully aware of the abatement but I pretend that it either doesn't exist or the cycle ending means no abatement. I want Bree to have a happy and fulfilling ending because she deserves it. My own idea of a happy ending is Bree living to age 100 and getting to see her children and grandchildren grow up which is something the women before her were deprived of.

I originally planned Bree's husband to be Nick (no hate towards Selwyn). But there is a slim possibility that neither Nick and Sel survived towards the end and the husband can be another person Bree meets later on. I want to leave Bree's husband as an open interpretation as to please (almost) everyone in the fandom.

If I had the talent and the patience then I would definitely write a fanfic of this post but I would make Nick the husband of Bree.

[miraculous-magicalconnections]

The Agreste Family (and friends) Rewritten

Below are my rewritten backstories for Gabriel, Nathalie, Félix, Adrien, and Kagami

Adrien Agreste:

CW: Vague Description of Loss of Limb and Death

Adrien Agreste was born on September 7th to his parents Gabriel and Emilie Agreste Being born into a rich family forced Adrien to live a life others planned for him, namely his job, his friends, and worst of all, his time spent being a normal child When he was young, his friends were his cousin Félix, a family friends daughter Chloé, and a business partners daughter Kagami as these were the only people who Gabriel thought Adrien should be friends with For his sake, he at the very least enjoyed hanging out with them and even met Sabrina through Chloé, and while they didn't talk often, she was one of Adrien's friends However, when he was 13, and his father forcing him to model for a few months at that point, Emilie decided that they shouldn't force their lives onto their son and snuck him out of the photoshoot one day Emilie took Adrien to a little run down and abandoned building she and her old friends used to hang out at when they were kids, but what she didn't account for was the age of the building adding to it's instability It collapsed with them inside Adrien came out with his life, but the loss of his right arm Emilie wasn't as lucky… Adrien slowly grew more rebellious as he healed and grew older, hating that due to his father's instance that he be just like him was ultimately the cause for his mother's death But Adrien didn't hate his father, he didn't actively disobey him, because he knew he was grieving but Adrien wished his father would just accept that there was no way to bring Emilie back to them

Gabriel Agreste:

Gabriel never expected his wife to die, let alone for his son to suffer in that same accident because of how he pushed Adrien to be the face before he was even 13 He spent years of his life hunting magical artifacts and he knew of two that could reshape reality from the stories in his travels, and now he needed them, no matter how long that took And luckily for him, it didn't take as long as he'd thought, as within 5 years he found two, granted they weren't what he needed, but now that he had these? Adrien would be given self-defense lessons to keep him safe…

Nathalie Sancoeur:

CW: Brief Mention of Murder

Nathalie was born on April 1st, how ironic given most of her life At a young age she was diagnosed with chronic fatigue, something that slowly worsened as she aged and pushed her body further than she should By the time her adventures with Gabriel and Emilie came to a close, she had pushed her body too fair, and while she slowly healed with time, her body is in a state of near permanent exhaustion She can go about her everyday life like she could before, but to go on an adventure again is a fairytale But then Gabriel asked for her help to retrieve magical jewels that could not only help her but bring back Emilie and, of course, she agreed She didn't think she'd kill someone to get a brooch…

Félix Fathom:

CW: Past Child Abuse/Neglect

Félix was born on March 26th to his parents Colt and Amelie Fathom and from that moment onward, his life was a living hell Even at a young age, Félix didn't understand how or why Colt would want a child if he treated Félix like he did, especially given Félix was treated more like a pet than a child Félix's entire childhood was filled with bruises, blood, and broken promises Colt Fathom, who had long before last the title of Félix's dad, died when he was 16 Félix had never been so glad that someone had died than the day his mother told him of Colt's death Because of Colt, Félix didn't have a proper childhood; he didn't have friends, he was forced to focus almost exclusively on school, and all the while Amelie sat by and didn't act Félix moved to Paris to attend Université and told his mother not to contact him unless dire and he never told his cousin or uncle, as they weren't any better to him in his life He met several people in school, Allegra, Claude, Allan, Luka, Socqueline, and perhaps in time, he'll one day call them his friends…

Kagami Tsurugi:

CW: Non-Graphic Violence, Mention of Loss of Eye

Kagami Tsurugi was born on September 1st to Tomoe Tsurugi and a man whom she never met Throughout Kagami's entire life, she lived in her mother's shadow, and all she ever wanted was to prove to her, just once, that she could be as good as her She constantly pushed herself, she pushed and pushed and pushed and then… She broke During a fencing competition, she, and her longtime friend Adrien, were in a fencing competition together and they were the final two She was distracted because she wanted to impress her mother but she knew that Adrien needed to impress his father, she was distracted because she wanted them to both get what they wanted, needed, she was distracted because of the pain… She lost her eye due to her being distracted, and when she was released from the hospital, Adrien apologized until he was out of breath but her mother? The one who was supposed to be concerned? "The Tsurugi's have a curse that make us go blind," Her mother had told her instead of comforting her, "Very few of our family has kept their vision and you are a lucky one to keep an eye." She cursed her family name from that day on

[whimsicallyenchantedrose]

Christmas Reruns 2024–Day 18: The Twelve Sweaters of Christmas

Merry Christmas if you celebrate it and happy holidays if you don’t!  One of the things I love about Christmas is watching reruns of all the old classic Christmas movies–Christmas is a big time for nostalgia.  A few years ago, I decided to incorporate that tradition into my fandom life and post my CS holiday reruns.  So here you go!  Enough holiday (mostly) fluff to get you to New Year’s Day. (With a new story posting on Christmas Day.)

Word Count: 3059

Other chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Note:  This story was written for my “Christmas with Captain Swan” collection in 2020.

CS Genre: AU

Killian Jones neatly folded what felt like the one-hundredth sweater today, and stacked it on top of the pile.  He prided himself on running a clean, neat, ship-shape establishment, and he hated when his clothing went askew.

Of course, given the fact that it was twelve days before Christmas, keeping things neat and tidy was a constant battle.

Killian never would have believed he’d find himself here.  He’d had a promising career in front of him.  He’d joined the Navy fresh out of high school, determined to follow in his older brother Liam’s footsteps.  Liam had been his hero, he’d been brother and father and best friend to him after their mother died and their father abandoned them.  

If only he hadn’t had to be a hero to everyone else.  When Killian was seventeen, Liam had perished at sea after a terrible storm.  He’d sacrificed his own life, saving seven of his crewmates before finally succumbing to the ocean’s fury.

After several months of aching grief, Killian had decided to live a life to make his brother proud.  He’d decided to go into the Navy himself.  He’d been a natural, taking to the water like a merman, never more content, never feeling closer to Liam than when he was out on the water.  Things were looking up.

Unfortunately, tragedies rarely come on their own.  When it rains it pours, and all that.  Two years into his naval career, Killian got into a catastrophic automobile accident.  Not only had he lost his love, his Milah, he’d also lost his hand.

And so he’d found himself alone, his promising career down the drain and with no idea what he was to do with his life.

Killian took a deep breath as he picked up yet another sweater to fold.  Such dark thoughts had no place on this beautiful, snowy day, less than a fortnight before Christmas.  Suffice it to say, after spiralling for a time, Killian had picked himself up and started on a new venture:

Revenge

He’d come across the clothing store quite by accident.  He’d been passing through the small, sea-side village of Storybrooke, Maine one day, and just happened to step into the store.  It was intriguing; had something of an edgy, pirate theme to it.  It was run by an eccentric man named Edward Teach, who went by the moniker “Blackbeard”, no doubt due to the bushy mass of facial hair he sported.

Something about the store spoke to him, excited him in a way nothing had in months.  Perhaps he could run an establishment such as this, combine a theme he was passionate about with goods people needed, and voila!  The perfect business venture.

He hadn’t been in the store ten minutes before he’d made a promise to himself: Revenge is going to be mine.

It almost felt like fate the way everything worked out after that.  As it happened, “Blackbeard” was looking to retire.  Within a month, Killian had used the last of his inheritance from Liam to purchase Revenge and make it his own.

Nearly ten years later it was still going strong.  He’d even managed to expand, turn it from something thoroughly niche into something more mainstream--while still maintaining it’s edge and it’s roots.

Revenge was Killian’s baby, and he was incredibly proud of it, and never more so than at Christmas.  He prided himself on having everything the discerning Storybrooke customer could want for their holiday clothing needs.

The bell over the door sounded, and Killian looked up to see an angel with soft waves of sun-gold hair, tight jeans and a red leather jacket walking purposely toward him.

More like stomping toward him.  The way her green eyes glittered dangerously as she approached proved that she was quite the angry angel.

She was utterly magnificent.

“Lost a bet,” she said curtly.  “Point me in the direction of your ugliest Christmas sweaters.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Emma Swan should have known better than to make a bet against Ruby, particularly about something outrageous, and if there was anything Ruby’s clothing choice today was, it was outrageous.

Emma liked Christmas--within reason.  Who didn’t like time off and peace on earth and all the holiday goodies you could eat?

But there was nothing reasonable about the sweater Ruby had chosen to wear for her shift at the diner this morning.

Emma groaned as her roommate sashayed out of her bedroom into the shared living room of their apartment..

“Ruby, it’s too early for this,” she groused.  “You look like Christmas threw all over you.”

Ruby poured herself a mug of coffee, and then sat opposite Emma on the couch.  “Hey don’t knock it.  Everybody loves a good ugly Christmas sweater.”

“More like loves to hate it,” Emma muttered.

A sudden gleam came into Ruby’s eye.  That really should have been Emma’s first clue to turn and run.  Nothing good ever came of Ruby looking at her like that.

“Wanna make a friendly wager on that?” Ruby asked.

“A wager on how many people will hate your clothing choices?”

Ruby rolled her eyes.  “The opposite.  I bet you I get more compliments today wearing this sweater than I’d get on any other day.”

“How would we even quantify that?” Emma asked.  “You usually keep count of the compliments you get?”

“Fine,” Ruby conceded.  “How about this: Come into Granny’s on your lunch break and sit in my section.  I bet you I get a genuine compliment on my sweater during your meal--totally unprompted too.”

Emma considered it.  “What are the stakes?”

Ruby thought for a minute and then smiled.  It was not a reassuring sight.  “You win, and I clean the apartment for a month.  But if I win….if I win, you have to wear an ‘ugly’ Christmas sweater every day until Christmas.”

Emma didn’t even take a moment to consider it.  Getting out of cleaning for an entire month?  So worth this bet, and it wasn’t like she was going to lose anyway.

“You’re on.”

Later that day when Emma and her partner, Sheriff Graham Humbert, stopped by the diner for lunch, they hadn’t been seated for five minutes before Emma realized she’d made a profound mistake.

“Hey guys!” Ruby smiled at them as she reached their table and pulled out her pencil and pad of paper.  “How’s your day going?  It’s been crazy around here this morning!”

“Pretty quiet at the sheriff’s station,” Graham said, smiling as he looked her over.  “That’s quite a sweater you’re wearing today, Ruby.  Very festive; I like it!”

Emma groaned as Ruby shot her a triumphant look.  Rookie mistake.  She should have known better than to bring Graham with her to lunch.  It was obvious to anyone with eyes that Graham had been more than half in love with Ruby for years.  She should have brought someone like Leroy to lunch.  She doubted that man had ever complimented anyone in his life.

But Emma was a woman of her word.  She’d lost the bet fair and square, and pay up she would.

Which is why she currently found herself talking to the owner and proprietor of Revenge.  

“Lost a bet,” she said curtly.  “Point me in the direction of your ugliest Christmas sweaters.”

The man behind the desk--Killian, his name tag said--grinned at her.  “Love, I’d wager the term ugly could never be applied to you no matter what you wear or don’t wear.”

Emma rolled her eyes.  The guy was hot, she’d give him that--with his artfully messy black hair, piercing blue eyes and reddish scruff.  And all the leather.  It really should be illegal for a man to wear that much leather and to wear it so well.  Still, Emma was in no mood for being hit on--handsome man or no.

“You’re hilarious,” she said dead pan.  “Now about those sweaters…”

He grinned again and then winked.  Actually winked.  “Hilarious?” he asked, stepping around the corner and gesturing for her to follow him.  “I prefer dashing rapscallion, scoundrel.”

Her stomach did not swoop at the way he almost growled that last word.  It didn’t!  

The fact that she was totally lying to herself annoyed her more than every aspect of this ridiculous bet.  “How about you be ‘shop owner who does his job and points the customer in the right direction’?  Think you could manage that?”

The rest of Emma’s shopping experience went without a hitch.  She grabbed the plainest Christmas sweater she could find--a simple powder blue v-neck covered tastefully with snowflakes. 

Maybe Ruby would take pity on her and call her bet paid off if she wore this thing.

Probably not, but one never knew.  It was the season of miracles, after all.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next morning, Killian opened the store as usual, taking a moment to be sure everything was ship-shape before unlocking the doors and turning the sign in the window to read “open”.  He glanced over at his “ugly Christmas sweater” display and smiled wistfully to himself.

He’d spent a fair amount of the evening thinking about her, Emma Swan, her credit card had proclaimed.  She was beautiful, aye, but there was more to it than that.  Though their interaction had scarcely lasted a quarter of an hour, though their conversation had been relegated to Christmas sweaters and the bet that had forced her to purchase one, he had the strangest sense that they were the same deep down, that they were kindred souls.

He was utterly captivated by her.

Killian sighed as he turned on the cash register and checked his supply of cash in preparation for what would likely be another busy day.    It was the first time he’d had any meaningful glimmer of interest in a woman since Milah’s death, and he was surprised at how nervous it had made him to interact with her.  For probably the thousandth time since yesterday afternoon he mentally kicked himself for not getting her number. 

A man unwilling to fight for what he wants deserves what he gets.  Liam had told him that five hundred times if he’d told him once.  

Well, there was no sense dwelling on it now.  Emma Swan had walked out of his life when she walked out of his store, and there was no changing that.

Or so he thought.

Not a quarter of an hour after opening his doors, who should arrive, charging forth in all her wrathful glory than the lovely Miss Swan herself?

Killian grinned at her teasingly.  “Back again, love?  Couldn’t resist my dashing self, is it?”

She rolled her eyes.  “You wish.”

He did.  He really, really did.

“Well, Swan, what can I help you with this lovely morning?” he asked.

She looked surprised.  “You remember my name?”

Killian chuckled and scratched behind his ear.  “I never forget a face, and yours, love, is exceptionally beautiful.”

“Not your love,” she said, but Killian took note of the way her cheeks reddened at the simple endearment.  “Anyway, I’m not here to flirt.  I’m here for another sweater.”

“Another Christmas sweater?”

“Yeah,” she said with a sigh.  “Apparently that blue one with the snowflakes I bought yesterday won’t fulfill my bet.  Ruby told me it barely even fit the category.  Got anything uglier for me?”

“You, darling are in luck,” Killian said.  “Revenge just so happens to stock some of the ugliest ugly Christmas sweaters in the state.”

Today, after a fair bit more banter and pleasant small talk, she’d decided on a red, woolen zip-up cardigan.  Featured prominently on the sweater were several applique snowmen playing musical instruments.  It was...it was quite something.

“This is actually kind of perfect,” Emma said, trying it on and looking herself up and down in the floor length mirrored column next to the sweater display.  “Definitely fits the category, plus it’s a cardigan.  I can take it off after I’ve shown Ruby I actually wore it.  I’ll just say I’m too hot or something.”

He grinned teasingly at her and wiggled his eyebrows in an exaggerated manner.  “You certainly are, love.”

She laughed at that before removing the sweater and setting it on the counter to be rung up.  “Do those exaggerated lines actually work on anyone?”

“You’d be surprised,” he answered.  “At any rate, they seem to have served their purpose today.  You seem to be leaving my establishment in better spirits than you entered it.”

She smiled.  “I guess I am.  Thanks, Killian.”

He inclined his head.  “A lady in distress needs my assistance, and her wish is my command.”

She laughed again.  “Alright, well I have to get to work.”

He rang her up and wished her a good day.  Just before she stepped out the door, he called out to her again.  She turned toward him.

“Any chance I might see you again?” he asked, feeling like a tongue-tied young lad with the lass he fancied.

“With Ruby being the way she is,” Emma said, “probably a really good chance I’ll be back.”

And so she had.  She returned the next day, settling on a sweater bearing the visage of The Grinch, the day after, choosing one that depicted all twelve gifts from the famous song, the one after that in her own, colorful words, looked like Christmas exploded in woolen form.

Each day their conversations lasted longer, and each day he fell a little bit more for the lovely Miss Swan.  He came to look forward to her visits every day with eager anticipation, mentally thanking whatever brilliant soul invented the “ugly  Christmas sweater”.

On the fifth day, Killian managed to unearth a gem of such glittering ugliness and ostentation, he felt the need to pat himself on the back.

“Yep, that’s certainly a disaster,” Emma said grinning at the garment covered in a large Christmas tree, filled with ornaments and a banner along the bottom that read MERRY CHRISTMAS! In huge letters.

“Oh, but love, you haven’t even seen the best part,” Killian announced.  “This particular sweater comes with a battery pack.”

She shot him a disbelieving look.  “I’m almost afraid to ask, but what exactly does the battery pack do.”

Instead of answering, he turned the device on.  LED lights flashed in every tiny ornament on the sweater, and the MERRY CHRISTMAS! nearly had a strobe light effect.

Emma groaned before dissolving into laughter.  “This is it.  This is the ugly Christmas sweater of all ugly Christmas sweaters.  If this doesn’t satisfy Ruby, I admit defeat.”

Killian watched her go that day with more than a little melancholy.  What if that was the sweater that would do the trick?  What if she didn’t return again?

He needn’t have worried.  Emma Swan showed up at his door bright and early the next morning.

His heart leapt at the sight of her.  He’d fallen hard and fast for this woman, and he saw no likelihood that would change any time soon.

“What? Even the monstrosity with the flickering lights didn’t satisfy the demanding Miss Lucas?” Killian asked by way of greeting.

Emma laughed.  “Oh it did,” Emma assured.  “I think I actually managed to render her speechless with that one.  It’s just...well my bet was for a different sweater every day until Christmas, and I’m a woman of my word.”

And for that he was profoundly grateful.

So it continued.  Each day she came in, each day she bought a sweater, and each day he fell a little bit more in love with her.

When Christmas Eve arrived, Killian noticed a change in Emma’s demeanor almost instantly.  She looked...uncomfortable.

“Is something the matter Love?” he asked, brow furrowed.

“No,” she said, drawing out the syllable, “It’s just..well...I’m here to ask you out.”

Killian choked on the sip of coffee he’d just injudiciously taken.  “Pardon?”

“Okay, first I have a little confession to make,” Emma said.  “Remember that ridiculous sweater with the battery pack around day five or six?”

“Aye,” he said carefully.

“Well, after I wore that, Ruby actually released me from my bet,” she said, looking bashful.  “She told me I’d fulfilled the spirit of it or something like that.”

Killian felt the smile creeping over his face.  “And yet you continued coming in and making your purchases every day.  Whatever for, darling?”

She tried to look stern.  “Look, don’t make a bigger deal of it than it is, but, I don’t know.  I kind of enjoyed our daily shopping sessions and conversations and all of that.”

His smile grew.  “You enjoy my company!”

“Don’t let it go to that over-inflated ego of yours.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he said, making a cross-my-heart motion over his chest.  “And for the record, I have greatly enjoyed our little...retail dalliances...quite a bit as well.  Now what was that about asking me out?”

She suddenly looked bashful again. “So the sheriff’s department is throwing this Christmas bash and ugly sweater contest tonight, and I was hoping maybe you’d...I mean, I know it’s Christmas Eve, and people want to spend it with family, and I totally get it if you’re not interested or it’s not your thing or whatever, and don’t feel obligated, but I just thought--”

Killian leaned across the counter and kissed her.  “Swan, I would like nothing better than to accompany you to your party.  Just tell me when and where.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ruby watched Emma walk into the diner hand in hand with Killian Jones later that evening.  She smiled broadly, reaching over to slap Graham’s arm as he sat beside her.

“Ow!” Graham groused.  “What was that for?”

“Look!” Ruby said.  “It worked!  I told you it would work!”

Graham obediently followed her directions and then grinned.  “I can’t believe you talked me into helping you rig that bet just to play matchmaker!”

“I told you!” she said again.  “Didn’t I tell you?  I knew Killian would be perfect for Emma.  She just needed a little push.”

“That she did,” Graham said with a laugh.  “Remind me to never doubt you again.”

They watched for a moment as Emma looped her arms around Killian’s neck and the two began swaying gently to the music that was playing.

Who would have known that an ugly Christmas sweater would lead to what was sure to become a romance for the ages?

NEXT CHAPTER->

[2treez]

ADVICE FROM OLD PEOPLE

1 The most important person in your life is the person who agreed to share their life with you. Treat them as such.

2 You might live a long life, or you might live a short one — who knows. But either way, trust me when I say that you’re going to wish you took better care of yourself in your youth.

3 Stuff is just stuff. Don’t hold onto material objects, hold onto time and experiences instead.

4 Jealousy destroys relationships. Trust your significant other, because who else are you supposed to trust?

5 People always say, “Make sure you get a job doing what you love!” But that isn’t the best advice. The right job is the job you love some days, can tolerate most days, and still pays the bills. Almost nobody has a job they love every day.

6 If you’re getting overwhelmed by life, just return to the immediate present moment and savour all that is beautiful and comforting. Take a deep breath, relax.

7 Years go by in the blink of an eye. Don’t marry young. Live your life. Go places. Do things. If you have the means or not. Pack a bag and go wherever you can afford to go. While you have no dependents, don’t buy stuff. Any stuff. See the world. Look through travel magazines and pick a spot. GO!

8 Don’t take life so seriously. Even if things seem dark and hopeless, try to laugh at how ridiculous life is.

9 A true friend will come running if you call them at 2am. Everyone else is just an acquaintance.

10 Children grow up way too fast. Make the most of the time you have with them.

11 Nobody ever dies wishing they had worked more. Work hard, but don’t prioritize work over family, friends, or even yourself.

12 Eat and exercise like you’re a diabetic heart patient with a stroke — so you never actually become one.

13. Maybe this one isn’t as profound as the others, but I think it’s important… Floss regularly, dental problems are awful.

14. Don’t take anyone else’s advice as gospel. You can ask for advice from someone you respect, then take your situation into consideration and make your own decision. Essentially, take your own advice is my advice…

15. The joints you damage today will get their revenge later. Even if you think they’ve recovered completely. TRUST ME!

16. We have one time on this earth. Don’t wake up and realize that you are 60 years old and haven’t done the things you dreamed about.

17. Appreciate the small things and to be present in the moment. What do I mean? Well, it seems today like younger people are all about immediate gratification. Instead, why not appreciate every small moment? We don’t get to stay on this crazy/wonderful planet forever and the greatest pleasure can be found in the most mundane of activities. Instead of sending a text, pick up the phone and call someone. Call your mother, have a conversation about nothing in particular. Those are the moments to hold onto.

18. Pay your bills and stay the hell out of debt. If I could have paid myself all the money I’ve paid out in interest over the years, I’d be retired already.

19. If you have a dream of being or doing something that seems impossible, try for it anyway. It will only become more impossible as you age and become responsible for other people.

And finally, the last piece of advice:

20. When you meet someone for the first time, stop and realize that you really know nothing about them. You see race, gender, age, clothes. Forget it all. You know nothing. Those biased assumptions that pop into your head because of the way your brain likes categories, are limiting your life, and other people’s lives.

🌳🫶🏼🌳

-CTTO

[ho-shka]

My OC

This is translation of my first post (it was in Russian)

The idea of ​​the OC appeared a long time ago (I spent almost a year perfecting it), but now I decided to patent it, since there is demand)))

Shi'rin te Atan'tirea Ri'oto'ite - the head of the Atan'taw clan.

°The name means "sweet", and the surname "light of the soul".

°Ri'oto is the mother and tsahik, she also has two students.

°Her father died when Shi'rin was 11 years old, so for 5 years she was raised to become their next leader.

°When she was 13 when her mother went on a two-year journey and brought back with her a new husband and a child, who was two years old. Shi'rin has a good relationship with her stepfather, and she also understand that Eywa gave her mother a second chance to have a happy life.

(The concepts were originally based on the Omatikaya people and after a little while she had a fur)

°At the same time, she got a "Hunter" (this will be discussed in the next posts).

°Successfully completed the Fya'o keye'ung (Path of Madness, an analogue of the Iknimaya of the Omatikay clan) at 16, like most children her age.

° At 16, she got the title of the Olo’eykte.

(Later concepts that became the final version, by my wonderful friend @alraunedrow)

(These same two arts are by my other friend @anka-partizanka-from-pandora)

[elisedonut]

❄️HARRY POTTER REC FEST 2023❄️

Lightning round because i for sure got distracted and never finished after day 12

so here we go i wont go into too much detail for any of these I did skip a couple that i didn't have an idea for as expected but enjoy!

13. A fic with over 100k words 

Percy Take the Wheel by KittySmith

My personal favorite long Percy-centric fic!

Based on the concept of “What if Molly and Arthur died between the first and second books and Percy ended up being the brother to step up to take care of his younger siblings”

14. A favorite series

Harry Potter and the Ticket Backwards by viciousmouse

Gen Time travel Au’s my beloved. Another Harry goes back in fic but this one has a ton of focus on smaller characters Dudley, Susan Bones, Hannah Abbott ect ect.

Also Harry convinces Percy to try to become a lawyer. 

16 A fic that made you laugh 

Hexes Are Not Romantic by Electroid

Flintley with Marcus being dumb and not going about this whole flirting thing very well. Very cute.

19. Fic with the hottest smut 

Points (not) Taken by Green

Flintley with honestly, again Marcus just not doing boundaries but i think about it alot, it’s probably one of my favorite Flintley works.

20. A fic rated G

Dancing Lessons by HPfanatic12 

Gen fic where Percy teaches Harry how to dance for the Yule Ball. Very cute and fun concept.

+ Ludicrous by mrsprobie 

Justin Finch-Fletchley/Percy Weasley, meet cute. Very cute.

23. A soulmate fic

Into Oblivion by hmweasley

Draco Malfoy/Percy Weasley, I know someone else has Rec’ed this one for this fest already but i am too it’s very interesting 

24. A holiday fic

Saving Christmas by A_Door 

Percy Weasley/Blaise Zabini, Very cute story of Blaise trying to show Percy their into him without saying it despite their many attempts going right over Percy’s head.

25. A fic rated T

wholly true by starsailing

Flintley, Once again awkward Marcus trying to court/flirt will never not be entertaining to me. In this case with gift giving 

26. A fic with an ending you can’t stop thinking about

There's Rue for You by Mr_Customs_Man

Flintley but only like kinda, anyway Ok so i’ll admit i'm stretching ending here. The part I think the most about with this is the end of Percy’s stay with Marcus but still I think about the regular ending too, because that whole last paragraph is just oof.

It’s fic exploring an AU where Peter polyjuiced as Percy after the fight and Percy goes through hell

27. A Muggle-AU fic

blueberry eyes ( seem to make time still ) by pandorascrate

Hannah Abbott/Percy Weasley. I liked that they didn't immediately get together. It took years in the story for them to get together. Also Percy feels good in this. I like the way he was written.

29. A post-canon fic More Lessons in Grieving as Taught by Dennis Creevy by angeladex

Gen Dennis and George talk after the final battle. Pulling Dennis into stories revolving around the Weasley’s grief for Fred is always really interesting to me and i’m not going to lie this one almost made me cry.

30. A pre-canon fic Life Lessons as Taught by Luna Lovegood by angeladex

Gen When Luna’s mom dies she goes to the burrow to tell the Weasley’s her family won’t be coming over for dinner after all and Percy walks her home. I really liked this. Percy’s reactions to a 9 year old Luna trying to weave around saying outright that her mom is dead was really good.

31. A fav amongst favs Vivaldi and Hot Chocolate by Patriceavril

Stan Shunpike/Percy Weasley, I’m very biased towards this one i won’t even lie but i love it very much. It’s cute, it’s sweet. Percy’s characterization is really nice. Stan’s characterization is really fun.

@hprecfest

[hils79]

Thanks for tagging me (ages ago I'm sorry I suck) @puppy-phum

-

1. why did you choose your url?

I am so boring I almost want to apologise for it. My url is just my nickname and the year I was born (yes, I am old).

2. any sideblogs? if you have them name them and why you have them.

I don't really use my sideblogs much. I've got one that I haven't used for years that I used to post some of my photography on @hal-photography. I've got one for an old UK convention that folded during the pandemic but that I used to do the marketing for @writerconuk and I've got a whump blog that I use to reblog my favourite whumpy gifs so that they're easy to find. Not sharing that one because I do not wish to be Perceived.

3. how long have you been on tumblr?

My original blog was set up in 2010. I had to nuke it after some unpleasantness in the Supernatural fandom (isn't it always SPN) and I've had this current once since 2011 I think

4. do you have a queue tag?

Nah, I don't queue things as a general rule. I do a bunch of reblogging first thing in the morning while I'm scrolling in bed and that's more or less it

5. why did you start your blog in the first place?

I was looking for a new home after Livejournal finally properly died and most fandom folk were here at that time

6. why did you choose your icon/pfp?

It's a piece of DMBJ art that my housemate comissioned as a Christmas present a couple of years ago. I love it, and it was made specifically for me, so I made it my header and my icon

7. why did you choose your header?

Same as above

8. what’s your post with the most notes?

This RDJ/Paul Bettany exchange I ripped from Twitter. I have no idea why it ended up with 20k notes

9. how many mutuals do you have?

I honestly have no idea. Lots.

10. how many followers do you have?

Argh now I'm going to have to go and look. 2421. Wow.

11. how many people do you follow?

Wow this thing is really exposing me. 1908. I generally follow back so long as I can see that the person is an active fandom blog where we have at least one fandom in common.

12. have you ever made a shitpost?

I mostly shitpost in the tags

13. how often do you use tumblr each day?

Generally for an hour in the morning before I get up and then however long it takes me to liveblog my next drama episode in the evening

14. did you have a fight/argument with another blog once?

No, I don't think so. Not that I can remember anyway. I generally try and avoid conflict and if someone is annoying me I just block them and/or vent about it in a safe space with friends I trust.

15. how do you feel about ‘you need to reblog this’ posts

Makes me less inclined to reblog them tbh. Don't tell me what to do in my own house.

16. do you like tag games?

I am so bad at remembering to do them when I get tagged (see above about only really being on tumblr for an hour a day) but I do appreciate it every time someone thinks of me

17. do you like ask games?

Yeah, same as above. I love them but I am crap at remembering to answer the asks. I'm very sorry.

18. which of your mutuals do you think is tumblr famous?

I'm not sure I could name anyone who is tumblr famous beyond the actual celebrities who hang out here (like Lynda Carter)

19. do you have a crush on a mutual?

I have mutuals I admire and wish I was brave enough to talk to more but I wouldn't really call them crushes. As an aroace I don't really do crushes.

20. tags?

I'm going to tag a few of my newer mutuals so I can get to know them a bit better. Absolutely no pressure though @prolestari @queenbeyondthejudge @fangirl-bookaholic @huzzzah @life-is-all-about-perspective @loving-that-officey-feel @greenyball @hwasfeatherduster