#Elaine Peacock

[josephgraham]

EASTENDERS | 13.07.2023

[drewsbarrymcre]

You can have your cup of tea, but we need some beefcake as well.

[doyelikehaggis]

Frobby in every episode of EastEnders: 19.06.23 [2/2]

[sapphicsukeve]

EastEnders | Linda Carter + Elaine Peacock [16.12.24]

[jackbatchelor3]

Ballum-related spoilers from Digital Spy

👬🏳️‍🌈

[walkofpenance]

EASTENDERS ⇒ 01.06.2023

"I like it, it feels familiar somehow, like we belong here."

[jabberamongthetrees]

Everything involved in bribing people with alcohol so they’ll sign up for community choir screams Elaine

[kwebtv]

William Sadler, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Wayne Knight, Elaine Hausman, Cleo Rocos and Daniel Peacock in "Assaulted Nuts"

[mellowmusings]

Blessed mistakes | Prologue Azriel x Reader

part 1

A/N- This is just a drabble for now and its been sitting in my drafts for a while so i decided to post it. Not sure if i'm gonna continue on this though.

summary- After over 5 centuries of waiting Azriel hasn't found his mate, given up all hope of any chance of finding her he decides to start pursuing Elain, not seeing what was in front of him all along.

This was miserable, He was miserable.

The stale tavern air reeked of unwashed bodies, alcohol and bile. Men and women sang bawdy songs in offtune tones drowning out the music, in a corner a brawl went on, men punching one another over a rigged game of poker, women flirted with him, and none took to his liking.

How the mighty had fallen, he mused. He gulped down his whiskey, the burn in his throat grounding him. A few centuries ago he would have been drinking himself to his limit with his brothers and bedding whatever pretty female came his way, but that wasn't the case anymore. Somewhere along the path he'd fallen in love and started caring for females who could never love him the way he loved them. Now his heart was a stupid, broken mess of emotions and feelings he didn't like, and so he spent his days working himself trying to forget his feelings, now he spent his nights training because even sleep had abandoned hom. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been happy, genuinely happy and felt Loved

*2 centuries ago*

The cool summer breeze ruffled his hair, the birds sang in the background, almost harmonizing with one another. He could make out the call of the Mockingjay, A cuckoo bird, and maybe a peacock too. He sat besides y/n, his who was like a younger sister to him. She'd practically grown up with him, Cass and Rhys since they were teenagers. "Hey Az, can i ask you something?" She carefully unfolded the petals of a half bloomed daffodil. "Sure what is it?" "If you had to choose between Mor, your mate and me who would you choose, to love I mean." She asked, a slight hint of nervousness in her voice. Her question caught Azriel off-guard, he loved her but not in a romantic manner, he loved his mate more, no matter who she was, after all, she was his other half. Mor on the other hand was everything he yearned for, she was simply...perfect. He admired and respected her a lot, but more than that he loved her a lot. He thought for a moment before responding "It's tricky, on one hand, there's Mor and on the other, there's my mate. I'd say, my mate" He said carefully, not sure where this was going. Y/n's face fell just the slightest, if he didn't know her well, he wouldn't have noticed, but he did. "What's the matter, princess?" He asked softly, "What about me?" y/n asked softly He huffed out a laugh before responding, "I love you a lot, I really do princess, but you're like a younger sister to me, plus my mate always comes first." "right, of course they do." she said dejectedly, swinging her legs back and forth holding back tears. "Whats the matter princess?" 'The thing is Az you could slit my throat and with my one last gasping breath, I'd apologize for bleeding on your shirt, gods why can't you see it? I love you, and I love you more than you could ever imagine.'

She didn't say those words but gods did she want to, she wanted to tell Az how stupid he was for giving his heart to some females who were just gonna stomp on it and leave but she didn't because Azriel loved Mor and some mate he didn't know more than he loved her. She was always going to be a friend to him, nothing more, nothing less. So she continued swinging her legs and lied to his face with a simple 'I'm fine, I swear'. He didn't believe her, they both knew each other well enough to know that much, still he didn't pry any further. So they sat in silence, and stared at the setting sun while the world around them went quite, she averted her gaze away from Azriel as tears fell and landed on the broken yellow petals. if y'all wanna be tagged, just let me know :) @starlightazriel @scorpioriesling @velarisdusk @siriuslystyle1989

[nikalaeva]

I saw so much fanart of Tamlin with antlers that I consider it canon. Imagine Calanmai, where fae men fight with antlers like deers or elks to get a woman, and then they have ritual sex to fill the land with spring, and the High Lord make spring magical. The wildness of nature is amazing.

Wingspan? Fuck it. Let the Illyrians, Peregrines and other winged fairies perform mating dances. Yeah, these warriors, huge pumped-up men with tattoos shake their asses for woman's attention. Have you seen a female peacock, butterflies, or even an ordinary chicken?

And the Court of Nightmares? Instead of Keir, there should be Keira, who has spider or mantis legs. And these women can literally rip a man to shreds, have a bath with blood, and make a birthing bed out of bones. Such ladies would happily join Amarantha, it would be easier to believe that Mor is only good one there (and for them she is a freak, wrong), and Rhysand's feminism would be morally gray, ambigous, because he oppresses these women, but it is really dangerous to let them out.

Nature is cruel. Magical nature is doubly cruel, and it's no wonder that Feyre, as a hunter, accepted it more quickly than Nesta, raised as a noble's wife, and Elain, who had her ass wiped up to adulthood. Due to SJM's poor imagination, we missed Helion with harem of lion-wives and could have explored homosexuality in nature through Thesan (I'm sure many people believe that gay animals don't exist).

I mean, if we're going to make fairies not otherworldly, but animalistic. But the only "animal" thing in ACOTAR is that characters fuck like rabbits.

[blueiscoool]

Archaeologists Unearth Ancient Mosaic of Winged Medusa in Spain

The stunningly preserved Ancient Roman mosaic floor was found at the Huerta de Otero site in the city of Mérida.

In both ancient and modern interpretations, Medusa is often known as a monster — a Gorgon with tresses of serpents whose stare turned men to stone. This version typically appears in children’s movies and fantasy thrillers, but her image hasn’t always been so awe-inspiring. In late June, archaeologists in Western Spain uncovered an Ancient Roman mosaic floor that depicts Medusa with tiny wings and flowing locks of hair, thought to have been used as a protective symbol.

The mosaic was found in the city of Mérida’s Huerta de Otero archaeological site. Ancient Romans established a colony there in 25 BCE named Augusta Emerita. Traces of its former inhabitants — including an amphitheater and a bridge — can be found throughout the modern-day city. “[The site] is of an exceptional nature due to the level of conservation of the ruins and, above all, the ornamental elements that decorate the well-preserved house: not only the mosaic of the Medusa but also paintings and sculptural motifs,” said archaeologist Félix Palma in a statement.

The Huerta de Otero location was excavated in 1976 but lay untouched for decades. Research picked back up in 2019, when the city employed professional archaeologists and students from its Barraeca II Professional School to explore the ruins. Since then, the team has uncovered an Ancient Roman defensive wall, a road, and the home of a wealthy family.

The Medusa mosaic adorned the floor of this home. Depictions of fish, peacocks, and carefully tessellated patterns surround the artwork’s central figure: a human-like Medusa, her gaze turned to one side.

Although this image diverges from some contemporary renditions of the mythological figure, the mosaic’s winged version was common in Ancient portrayals of Medusa. While early Greek depictions of the mortal-turned-monster, cruelly punished for being raped by the god Poseidon, show her as grotesque, Medusa’s image softened by the time of the Ancient Romans. Beginning in the Classical Greek period, her face acquired more human attributes. It started to be rendered with symmetry and youthful beauty in the following centuries.

Other Ancient Roman mosaics featuring the head of Medusa have been discovered throughout Spain. Medusa again comprises the focal point of an Ancient Roman mosaic in a 115–150 CE work found in Rome, where she can be seen sporting human curls and a snake around her neck. A 1st-to-2nd-century ornament from a chariot pole shows a young woman with curly locks (although a couple of snakes still peer through her tangle of hair).

In Ancient Greek mythology, Perseus killed Medusa to avoid being turned to stone. Medusa, in her early terrifying form, was used as a protective symbol — “an image of evil to repel evil,” Madeleine Glennon writes in a 2017 essay for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The goddess Athena famously included a representation of Medusa’s severed head on her protective cloak or aegis. In Ancient Rome, her beautified image was still employed as a protective symbol, although the depiction shifted into a form more similar to a woman than a monster.

By Elaine Velie.

[elrieldreamer]

I just read the BC and feel so sad. Maybe I’m not paying attention, but what was the reason for including so much Gwyn and conflicting things in a single chapter? I specially don’t understand that last part. Does Azriel really like Gwyn? Did he forget about Elain so quickly? I don’t know what SJM was thinking. Was her objective to end the book in an ambiguous way to start a ship war? I don’t get it.

Hey, Anon. Don’t feel sad! This is a pretty common question, BUT Elriels have EVERY reason to be confident, even after (and even BECAUSE OF) the infamous bonus chapter.

I’d like to start with a little setup for Elriel leading up to the ACOSF Solstice. We see across multiple books that Elriel have a special relationship. Azriel seeks out physical touch from Elain, which is unusual for him. He spends time with her, sitting in the garden while she works, talking late into the night on Solstice, watching her through windows, etc... He actively helps her discover her gift (when Madja said a mate would know), trusts her with the prized weapon that he’s never let another soul touch, is protective of her physically (insists that he WILL save her from Hybern’s camp), and even peacocks for her, sunning his wings in her presence. By the end of ACOFAS it’s pretty clear that there is something special building between these two.

In ACOSF, we see more development for Elain and Azriel’s feelings, though it is more subtle since Nesta and Cassian are front and center. We see Cassian notice that Azriel has moved on from Mor, Elain and Azriel sharing shy smiles, Azriel becoming agitated and protective of Elain when Nesta verbally lashes out at her, and worrying about her offer to attempt scrying. He’s staying at the House of Wind to chaperone Nesta and Cass, but also to put some distance between himself and Elain. Because he knows that she’s considered a female off limits to him. At the Solstice celebration, Azriel struggles to be in the same room as Elain and Lucien, and Nesta is sympathetic as she realizes that Azriel has feelings for Elain.

Which brings us to the bonus chapter. Bonuses are meant to reinforce what we’ve already seen in the main text, but because they have a limited release (and this one had a very limited printing), they generally don’t introduce new concepts. In this BC, we learn that:

- Azriel and Elain have mutual feelings and attraction for each other.

- If Az and Elain were to pursue each other, it could start an inter-court war.

- The priestesses have powers that we should be cognizant of.

So - confirmation of the feelings that we knew were growing between Az and Elain, to the point that Azriel bought her a gift usually given to mates (ACOFAS) and Elain drives a sexually charged encounter forward. The language in this portion is soft and romantic.

Rhys stepping in set up conflict that we will likely see play out in an Elriel story. Elain is a female mated to an Autumn Court (well, Day, but Autumn for this purpose) male. If Az is found pursuing her, a Blood Duel could be called, with the potential for massive, inter-court drama. Additionally, we have to remember that Rhys was under incredible pressure at this point, his mortality tied to Feyre who was in the middle of a potentially life threatening pregnancy.

An example of what we’ve already seen in the main text - that Gwyn has latent powers that she may or may not be cognizant of. In this portion, we start to see use of power and siren language. Azriel’s shadows don’t alert him to Gwyn’s presence (which is unusual). One dances in her breath “like it heard some silent music”. Her hair goes from “coppery brown” to “shining like molten metal” as she starts asking him questions, and he answers after he’s already made it clear that he wants to limit the interaction as much as possible. He hears music as he leaves the ring. In a book where we’ve been introduced to lightsingers, it’s interesting that she seems to both light up and emit music.

Then, the interaction with Clotho again hits home that the priestesses have magic that we shouldn’t ignore, and we see more siren type language. Azriel has been meaning to return the necklace to the Palace of Thread and Jewels all day, but “finds himself” at the library. Coincidentally, it’s 7 bells, so it’s likely that the priestesses are singing in their evening service (much like they were when Nesta was lured into her vision of the Harp). It had been previously conjectured that Clotho could possess some form of daemati or emotionally linked powers. Nesta mentions when she first meets her that it felt like she could sense her thoughts/emotions. Rhys has also told us that the priestesses are not all trustworthy, and that they’ve “burrowed” their way into multiple courts. We know that Koschei has been “receiving information on the wind”, and Merrill has power over wind. I’m not saying that Gwyn, Clotho, and every other priestess in the library is villainous, but I am saying that SJM seems to be reminding us that we should pay attention to them.

The final portion of this chapter is often misconstrued as a romantic moment between Az and Gwyn, but when we look at it a little deeper, this scene isn’t romantic at all. Azriel isn’t even in Gwyn’s presence, but Clotho’s. Clotho, who has as yet unknown powers. The image is of Gwyn (who he said he wouldn’t even consider a friend) wearing a necklace that was clearly chosen especially for Elain. It’s important to note the language here - the image of Gwyn wearing the second-hand necklace is said to “glow quietly” after that spark. “Glow” being a measure of LIGHT and “quietly” being a measure of SOUND. Azriel CONSCIOUSLY tucks the thought away (as if it had happened UNCONSCIOUSLY). Suspicious, no?

I saved the “spark” in Azriel’s chest for last because it gets brought up time and time again as a “mate” moment by antis. “Spark” is often used by SJM in relation to power. We see multiple examples of its use throughout the three series (Tamlin/Feyre, Rhys/Bryce/Amren, etc ��), but this example is the most compelling in comparison to what we see in this particular BC, because the wording is even very similar:

Lorcan barely tolerates Aelin. There is absolutely nothing romantic between them. Lorcan is describing the interaction of POWER when taking the blood oath. In a BC that is already hinting at hidden powers, it makes much more sense that the spark Azriel feels is related to interaction of power, not love.

Finally, what happens between Azriel and Gwyn after the Solstice?

Nothing.

If Azriel had a “mate moment” in that BC or realized that he was attracted to her, wouldn’t we expect more interaction? A sweet moment or two as noticed by Nesta or Cassian? You’d think so. Instead, we know that Azriel is still upset after Solstice. He won’t even give Nesta a smile. SJM herself said that Azriel was throwing snowballs full of rocks at Rhys in anger and frustration. When the ladies are taken for the Blood Rite Cassian is losing his mind with worry because his mate is in danger. What about Az? He tells Cassian to trust in their training and heads off to deal with Eris. He’s not having a big, emotional reaction. If SJM wanted to set Az and Gwyn up as a “thing” this would’ve been the PERFECT moment for her to add in a little aggression/emotion. But … there’s nothing. No “I’m getting her back”. No churning eyes. Nothing that we saw when it was Elain in danger.

That ended up being way longer than anticipated, and I apologize if it is disjointed. 😂 I wrote it in multiple sittings, so I’m sure it got away from me. Have a great day, anon!

[https-mi1zu]

The Peacock and The Crow

(Chapters 9 & 10)

Word count: 5,898

TAGS:

Reyno - @radkatzzstuff

Elaine (character who finds june in forest) - @lordofthefrogs11

Author's note: chat I forgor it was the 25th today lmao anyways (UPDATE LIKE 5 MINUTES LATER AFTER POSTING THIS I JS REALIZED THAT CHP TEN IS KINDA DONE SO I DECIDED TO ADD IT HERE)

CHAPTER NINE: Can't wait to tell this story to my grandchildren.

The next day was the same as yesterday, a horn woke us half bloods up and everyone headed out. I yawned and stretched, hearing the loud cracks coming from my joints and my back, sleeping on the floor wasn't ideal, it was stiff but at least I had somewhere to sleep. I saw Rey already at the hermes table, talking with some other camper who looked to be the same age as him.

“morning Junie!” Rey got up from his seat after giving the camper he was talking to a small goodbye wave. “morning.” I grumbled, rubbing my eyes as he went up to me. Its energy like this that I wonder if he photosynthesizes this energy. We sat back down at the table, waiting for the food to be served. Rey went to talk about more on his life, the wolf house, Lupa, and other stuff until Keaton came by and did the same thing as yesterday. Make some big speech on how he was gonna save us all.

”I have a question, what is this prophecy Keaton’s talking about?” I looked to Rey, already tuning out Keaton in the background. “oh, it goes like this!” Rey let out a cough before speaking out this prophecy. “A child, one feared but one most cheered. Be the one, the prophecy neared.” Rey continued, this seems interesting. “through the deepest depth, lay a great name, find the one who attains this fame.” Rey ended with that, the breakfast soon came. Reyno had gotten eggs and bacon, I got a grilled cheese sandwich. “so thats what Keaton’s been on and on about? never really did get that ‘most feared’ part from him.” I told Rey, he was already shoveling the bacon into his mouth as if it was the last meal he’s ever gonna have. “Same here but the moment Keaton heard of this, he immediately started acting all special.” 

“Well, I guess whatever happens, we’ll find out soon enough, huh?” I said, taking another bite of my grilled cheese. It was comfort food, and right now, I needed that.

Rey nodded, his mouth still full of food. “Yep. Whatever the prophecy means, it’s probably going to make things interesting around here. Hopefully, we don’t all get dragged into whatever chaos Keaton’s convinced we’re about to face.”

“Let’s just hope that ‘great name’ in the prophecy isn’t referring to him,” I muttered under my breath. 

Me and Rey finished breakfast, after that he took me to do the camp activities. The first thing he wanted to do was fighting so we went to the arena. “here! I’ll teach you how to wield a sword!” As we walked in, there were already people sword fighting, some in the actual arena itself and others off to the side. I followed Rey to the rack of wooden swords, he tossed me one. It felt light in my hands, I held it on my right hand. Rey stood across from me, grinning widely. He wasn’t holding a sword, though. Instead, his eyes twinkled with mischief, and I noticed his hands were flexing, his nails beginning to elongate, sharp and claw-like.

“Ready for this?” he asked, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet.

I blinked, taken aback. “Uh, you’re not using a sword?”

Rey laughed, a deep, easy sound. “Nah, I’m good without one! Watch this!” His hands fully morphed, the claws extending from his fingertips in a smooth, almost graceful movement. “I’ve got my own weapons.”

I swallowed hard as he flexed his claws, giving me a wink. “No need to worry. I’m not gonna bite... unless you really deserve it.” He gave an exaggerated growl, showing off his teeth.

I chuckled nervously. “Right... okay, let's do this.”

With a sudden burst of energy, Rey lunged, his claws swiping through the air faster than I could react. I raised the wooden sword in front of me just in time to block the strike, the sound of wood meeting claw ringing through the air. The force sent me stumbling back a step, my arms buzzing from the impact.

Rey straightened up, grinning ear to ear. “Whoa! Nice block! You’ve got some good reflexes! But you gotta think quicker, yeah? You can’t just wait for me to come at you.”

I tightened my grip on the sword, trying to shake off the initial shock. “Right, thinking. Got it.”

He bounced on his toes again, clearly enjoying himself. “Good! ‘Cause I’m gonna come at you fast. Don’t blink!” Without another word, Rey darted forward, claws slashing at my side. I tried to dodge, but I wasn’t fast enough—his claws grazed my arm, a sharp sting that made me grit my teeth. Everything seemed to just stop for a moment, I could hear my heartbeat louder then Rey’s voice. The blood from the slash on my arm only seemed to grow bigger as I stared at it, the metallic blood now filling my nostrils. My breath grew deeper while I felt the heat from my blood drip. I could only stand there, and hold my stance, sword still in hand. Last thing I saw before passing out was Rey lunging towards me, concerned.

It had probably been hours since I passed out, now I was in the infirmary. It was quiet in the room where I stayed, too quiet for my liking. My arm was not wrapped up in a bandage, there was a slight brown stain on it. I could still recall the smell of blood, metallic. That was the first real time where I felt just, scared? It really wasn't fear that I felt, I didn’t know what to feel. Looking around the room, Rey wasn't there. He probably felt bad for attacking me by accident.

”oh, your awake.” I heard a voice enter the room. It sounded calming. The first thing I saw was a tray of food, then I knew exactly who it was. “Keith?” I mumbled out, he must've heard it “how do you know who I am?” Shoot, I probably sounded like a creep “Uhm, a friend told me? Reyno. I don’t know his last nam-“

 “wolf guy? I saw him rush you here in a hurry, after that he left” I watched as Keith placed the tray of food down by the table to my right. As he got closer to me, I started to notice things I didn't yesterday: he had a mole on his upper cheek, right underneath his left eye, Keith also had an earring, it looked like a peacock feather. “how are your bandages, not to tight?” He snapped me back to reality as he touched my arm.

”Oh! yeah yeah, not too tight” I sat up while Keith was making sure my bandages were just right. Keith finished adjusting the bandage on my arm, his touch gentle but precise. I could feel the warmth of his hand linger for a moment, and I couldn't help but notice the careful attention he gave to making sure I was comfortable. 

Keith then turned around to place the tray of food on my lap. It was bread, some fruits and soup.”You should eat something. It's not much, but it's better than nothing.” “thank you” I mumbled, picking up the bread to eat.

Keith nodded before heading toward the door. "Take care of yourself, June. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask." He left, I was alone again. As I picked at the food, my mind drifted back to Rey. I wondered if he felt guilty about what happened—he must’ve been worried. I couldn’t blame him. It was my fault for freezing up like that. I should’ve reacted faster. 

I stayed in the infirmary, it had probably been a few hours since Keith had left me alone. I wonder how Rey’s doing, I should apologize to him, I should've been faster, should have countered his attacks. 

Then I spent the rest of my afternoon just at the infirmary, soon will came in and checked up on my arm before telling me that I could go back to cabin 11. He gave me the same yellow liquid from when I first arrived. It still tasted like mango pudding cubes. Leaving the infirmary with a new scar, the first person to run up to me was Rey.

He hugged me so hard I swear to you he would have broken my ribs. He was saying sorry a thousand times for his earlier actions, saying that he should have just used a wooden weapon rather then his claws. I just said that I forgive him and that it was my fault for not reacting faster. “WHAT?? but it was my fault that I slashed you an- and you didn't even know how to fight!” He rambled into my shirt, the anxiety prominent in his voice. “I know I know but, I should've dodged your attack. Reflexes, am I right?” I tried to lighten up the mood by smiling in the way that Will does, but Reyno just looked at me worried. I knew that look too well. 

We continued training, but Reyno was a lot more cautious than before. He watched me carefully as we fought, moving a lot slower. Reyno flexed and unflexed his claws, gripping the wooden sword he grabbed from the rack beside the training dummies. The scar on my arm stung a little, not fully but just a little. It felt like an ant bite, or a jellyfish one.

Reyno and I trained for awhile, we trained until it was dinner time. Same routine as yesterday, except Keaton walked up to me.

 “Hey, you! You’re the other new camper  that arrived here, right?” He gave me a look, the same look that one gives you before they start being mean for no reason at all. “Yeah…?” I mumbled, Reyno had left me by myself because he needed to talk to some other friends, maybe something important. I fidgeted, averting my eyes uncomfortably from his gaze.

 “What? You think you’re too  good to look me directly in the eyes?” I looked at them, just for a second. They pierced into mine like bright rubies, the moonlight reflecting off them menacingly. The effect made him look more threatening than how he really was. I winced, turning my head away. “Ha! So you do, huh?” He slowly stepped forwards, which a “Well, listen up, okay? I’m not gonna let you upstage me just because you’re also new. If you do anything remotely fancy like become some child of the big three!” He exclaimed, almost as if he was saying that I was gonna upstage him. “Stay in your lane, four eyes.” Keaton turned away right after flicking my forehead, it didn't hurt really. It felt like a fly just flew right into my forehead. That was a weird interaction, thankfully Rey came back and sat next to me. “Sooo, what did I miss?” “nothing really, Keaton just told me to stay in the background.” I shrugged, not really knowing what to say. 

The next day came by faster than I expected and Rey was called to go on a quest with some other campers. I recognized one of them as the camper I saw at the arena, the one who was practically beating the hell out of that training dummy. I wanted to go with him of course, but…

“It's better if you stay here at camp, Junie.” Rey put his hand on my shoulder, looking at me with a serious expression rather than his silly sunshine one. “But why?” I asked him, a bit confused. I know I didn’t know how to wield a sword or a bow but. I didn’t want to be alone. “You need some more training, but don’t worry! I’ll try and finish this quest as fast as I can!” He soon slung his bag over his shoulder, walking away after he ruffled my hair. I watched him leave with the others, he disappeared into the foliage of the trees, walking farther and farther away from where I stood.

This felt familiar somehow. 

“You look lonely” I hear someone remark from behind me, I quickly fixed my hair as I turned to see who it was, it was Keith. “Don't worry, I've seen Reyno finish a quest as fast as hermes, he’ll be fine.” I nodded, not really wanting to speak after Rey had left. The next day felt short, it passed, one blink and it was gone. All I could remember from that day was…Keith?

I woke up early, before everyone else. Shuffling through the covers of my sleeping bag, I found my glasses and stared at the small clock the person beside me had, 6:30 am. I got up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. It was extra cold that morning, almost freezing. I pulled the covers of my sleeping bag off my legs, the cold hitting them. I shivered, even with socks on it still was cold for me. Honestly I don’t get how the campers here can wear shorts in the morning. 

The only and last clothes I had left that I had found in the lost and found were just some plaid white and blue pants and a black and red nirvana shirt. I wanted to go back to bed but my mind was telling me to take a walk outside. Quickly and quietly I left the cabin, looking around the place. It was plain, no campers running around or training. The slight sound of the trees and the wind whistling felt calming.

My eyes scanned the area, looking left and then right. Something, more specifically someone caught my eye, I saw a camper sitting by the campfire, wrapped in a blanket. It took me a second to realize who it was, Keith. I wondered why he was awake at this ungodly hour of the morning. There was something about him that felt somehow mysterious? I couldn't explain it but it was drawing me in.

Before I knew it, I was standing right behind him, Keith must've heard my footsteps. “I see i'm not the only one who wakes up this early” Keith looked at me, turning his head. 

He looked tired, almost like he’s never slept a day in his life, “what time did you wake up?” I asked, sitting next to him. 

“around 5? 5 or 5:20” I nodded, “I woke up at 6:30” 

We sat there in silence, just enjoying the warmth of the fire, Keith broke the silence “is your arm okay? you should probably change the bandages soon.” He said, looking down at my arm. It still stung a little, felt a bit numb, “oh, okay.” I replied, looking at my arm too.

“not much of a talker, are you?” He commented, “Your name's June right? June Manalo was it?” 

“yeah, how'd you know?” I was a bit surprised at that. I mean sure a few days before when Rey rushed me to the infirmary he would've said my first name but even I haven't told him my last name… 

Keith looked at me with a small smirk. "Rey mentioned it, when he was panicking about you getting hurt. It wasn’t exactly hard to piece together." He stretched, adjusting his blanket around him. “He talks about you a lot, you know. How you’re quick to forgive him and all that. Kind of cute, actually.” I let out a small chuckle “did he ask you to watch over me while he was gone?”

 Keith chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Nah. I just like the quiet. It’s peaceful, you know? I don’t get much of that during the day. And I’m used to being awake when everyone else is still asleep.” His eyes flickered toward me for a moment before he added, “I’ve seen you around camp. You don’t look like you fit in, not yet anyway.”

I frowned, not really sure how to take that. “What do you mean?”

He shrugged, his expression unreadable. “You’re different. You haven’t really found your place here, have you?” His gaze softened as he looked at me. “But you will. It takes time.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond. I didn’t know Keith had this way of seeing through people, like he understood something deep down that no one else did. And honestly, it kind of scared me.

“So, what about you?” I finally asked, breaking the silence again. “Do you feel like you belong here?”

Keith looked at me for a long moment, his expression blank. Then he exhaled slowly, pulling the blanket tighter around him. "Not really," he said, his voice quieter than usual. "I’m just here because I have to be. But I don’t really fit in with anyone either." He glanced at me, as if deciding whether or not to say more, but then shrugged it off. “It’s complicated.”

I didn’t push him for more, though I was curious. There was a lot about Keith that I didn’t understand, and something told me that if I kept digging, I might end up finding more than I bargained for. But for now, I was content with the quiet.

The fire crackled between us, and the silence felt less oppressive as the minutes ticked by. It was strangely peaceful, being with someone who didn’t feel the need to fill every moment with words.

Soon the breakfast sound rung, all the campers now leaving their cabins to eat food. 

Keith stood up, wrapping the blanket around him like a cloak, and stretched his arms above his head. "Guess it’s time for breakfast," he muttered, I started to follow him as he walked to the pavilion. It was the same old crowd, one I've gotten used to over the past few weeks. Separating from Keith, I felt his hand catch my wrist “Why don't you come sit with me at the hera table, June?” 

“...okay” I said, letting Keith pull on my wrist to his table. I watched him sit down and pat the seat next to him, I just kept my silence and followed. 

I followed Keith that day, wherever he went I went too, whatever he did I did too. I followed him like a lost cat or his shadow, Keith would pop in from time to time, saying something about the activity we were doing. He was pretty good at a lot of camp things, archery, arts and crafts and sword fighting. I sat off to the side most of the time since my arm still had to heal. I was able to do some camp activities though, like arts and crafts.

There was still that same feeling that someone was just watching me, my every breath, move, and speech. Looking around, nothing was out of the ordinary. That apollo camper and nico were hanging out, probably just chatting, younger campers were running around and playing some game, and others just doing what they wanted to. I shook my head, must be paranoia, but the moment I looked back to nico and that camper to check again, nico was staring at me as if I had some answer to a question he was burning to ask. 

Before I could even get up to ask nico to stop staring, keith tapped me on the shoulder. “do you want to head to the pavilion early?” I nodded, I'll just ignore nico. Maybe he’ll stop.

Dinner was just the same routine, except I had keith to sit and talk with me. We chatted about today’s activities or just some campers, “did you hear that demeter kid’s on her fourth boyfriend this week?” Keith whispered to me, I looked in the direction he was pointing at and saw a curly haired brunette hugging a dude’s arm “oh damn…how old is she?” I asked, she didn't look older than 13. “somewhere around…14 or 13 I think, her boyfriend is like 17”  I was surprised that a thirteen year old had a boyfriend who was 4 years older than her, was that not reverse pedophilia? 

Soon after dinner ended, keith walked me to go get more sleeping clothes in the lost and found. I didn't find much except for long baggy pants with stars on them and a t-shirt with a cat. He waved me good night after He walked me to the shower rooms.

I prayed to whoever and whatever gods that the shower rooms where empty, surprisingly they were. Turning on the shower valve, the water came out hot. The hot water felt good against my skin, its warm enveloping me like a warm hug I'd get from my friends. Showering was quick, I wanted to get out and onto my bed immediately. 

I was in and out of the shower rooms quick, putting on the clothes as fast as I can before bee lining to the cabin. The door was closed as I reached the foot steps of the cabin. “damnit!” I semi shouted to myself as I tried knocking, no answer. It was freezing outside and my sleeping bag was in there. Not wanting to cause a whole scene, I just laid down on the ground and curled up like a cat would. I pulled my arms into my shirt, crossing them for warmth. Why was it always so cold during the nights?

I felt sleep soon take me over, my eye lids getting heavier and heavier by the second. The last thing I saw before succumbing to the slumber was the moon…

CHAPTER TEN: The calm before the storm

The sound of laughter rang through my ears, eyes staring at me in every direction. I felt the void around me close in, taking every breath I had. When I looked up, I saw Keaton laughing at me, pointing to my shoes and my outfit. He laughed like a hyena, being joined by his group of friends. All of them surrounded me, predator and prey, pointing and whispering stuff unintelligible, their eyes were pure white with a black dot. 

I couldn't think, couldn't breathe out a word to say something. My mouth was covered with a piece of red tape. Their voices became louder and louder, filling up my ears. I tried running away, to find anyone or anything besides them. It was a dark and empty void that followed me with every step I took. I covered my ears to block out the sound of their laughing but it was no use. I soon stopped as a hooded figure, boney in structure appeared in front of me. He held his staff and lifted his hand up to point at me…

“your next, little crow.” His voice was raspy and hagarred, sounding like nails on a chalkboard. I stared at him and before I knew it, I was being dragged down into the depths of where I stood. It was red, blood red, I looked down to see what was pulling me and it was a white string that burned like a thousand fires. I tried to swim up but the surface only seemed to get farther and farther away. I just gave up, letting the blood red liquids seep into my lungs, the laughing stopped.

Is this what death felt like? Was this the freedom I needed? Death isn't something to be afraid of, it happens once and once only. Death is a beautiful thing, for it lets you be released from all the sins you have committed.

But soon, I woke up to a sharp pain to my stomach. “wake up four eyes!” I heard a familiar voice say, I jolted awake to see Keaton kicking my stomach as hard as he could. I winced but didn't do anything about it, “I said get up!” He yelled at me, I flinched. I got up as fast as I could, dusting myself off of the dirt Keaton had kicked onto me. “Sorry” I looked down to my shoes, feeling embarrassed that someone saw me sleeping outside on the ground like some dog. “Next time at least find a tree to sleep in, little bird.” Keaton scoffed and walked away, his entourage following him behind. My stomach hurt like hell after Keaton kicked it, all I could do was clutch my stomach with my bandaged arm as I walked to the pavilion for breakfast. I didn't want keith to see me right now, I looked pathetic, I looked like a homeless man. 

I headed straight to the hermes table, sitting beside two tall campers to avoid Keith seeing me. They didn't notice me sitting in between them, maybe it was because I was short. 

The two campers beside me were talking about something—probably the latest prank that had gone down—but I wasn’t really paying attention. I grabbed a piece of toast from the tray in front of me, the crunch almost too loud in my ears, and forced myself to take a bite.  The bread was dry, barely tasting of anything as I chewed. My mind kept drifting back to the nightmare, the feeling of suffocation, of being dragged deeper into that suffocating red abyss. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, trying to push it out of my head. I wasn’t sure if the pain in my stomach or the memories from the dream were worse. Maybe they were both a sign that I wasn’t really awake yet. 

"Hey, you alright?" A voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

I turned to see one of the campers beside me looking at me with mild concern, her dark eyes studying my face. I hadn't even noticed her sitting there until now. I blinked, caught off guard. "Huh? Oh, I’m fine."

She gave me a skeptical look, clearly not buying it. "You sure? You look... off."

I forced a smile, though it felt more like a grimace. "Just tired. Bad night."

She nodded slowly, her expression softening a little. "Yeah, I get that. The camp can mess with your head sometimes. Just don’t let it drag you down."

Her words hung in the air like a distant echo, and for a moment, I couldn’t decide if they were comforting or just another reminder that I wasn’t really fitting in here at all. Still, I appreciated the gesture. She wasn’t Keaton, who seemed to take pleasure in making my life more difficult.

"Thanks," I muttered, trying to sound more at ease than I felt. 

As I finished the last of my toast, I forced myself to stand and blend into the crowd, pretending to be like everyone else. My eyes wandered for a moment, and that was when I saw Keith—his usual calm demeanor as he sat by the fire, chatting with a few campers. He didn’t seem to notice me right away, and for a second, I almost let the chance slip away.

She gave me a small smile before turning her attention back to her own breakfast, and I did the same. But my mind didn’t settle. It never did anymore. Every second was a battle between the familiar chaos of camp life and the unsettling thoughts that kept creeping in.

I didn't realize it at the time, but the more I looked at the campers around me, the more I felt like I was on the outside looking in—again. No one knew what I was really going through. No one understood. Not even Rey. The day continued on as normal, like everyday but I tried my hardest to hide away from keith. Every activity I did I made sure keith wasn't there or looking my way.

The activities were a blur, each one slipping by faster than the last, but the weight in my chest never quite lifted. Every time I thought about Keith, I felt a knot twist tighter. I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was watching me, even when he wasn’t. That constant, gnawing sense that I was always on the edge of something terrible, something I couldn’t control.

I still followed the same routine, after dinner I showered and got a new set of clothes. The sun was starting to dip low in the sky, casting long shadows over the campgrounds, but I hardly noticed the change. The unease gnawed at me, crawling beneath my skin like a bug that wouldn't leave. I couldn't escape the feeling that someone was always lurking just out of sight, waiting for me to slip up. My thoughts kept drifting back to Keith. He was there—somewhere in the back of my mind—like a shadow, just out of reach but always there, like the echo of a bad memory. 

The sun sank lower, painting the sky with streaks of orange and pink, I found myself walking toward the edge of camp, away from the laughter and the noise. I needed to breathe, to get away from everyone and everything. I felt bad, not more or so depressed but bad, I didn’t do anything wrong though? Why am I feeling this way if all I did was wake up? Maybe that was the problem, maybe me just being here was the problem all along. I didn’t even notice when I walked up to a tree somewhere on the outskirts of camp. 

I let out a long breath, hoping the air would clear my mind, but it didn’t. It never did. My eyes shifted to the campfire, far off into the distance. It was cold. I missed the warmth from the campfire, the heat from the flame warm against my skin.  There had to be something else, something I could focus on that didn’t tie me to this dark place. But every time I tried, my mind circled back to the same fears, the same dread. It was like a storm inside me, relentless and impossible to ignore. The feeling of the shadows wrap around me, covering me like some shield. I pulled my knees up to my chest, hiding my face in my arms.

I want to disappear.

“Hey is anyone over there?” I looked up to see a camper, she had blunt bangs and glasses. Her hands were cupped against her mouth, making whatever she was shouting louder for me to hear. I immediately got up from my spot, brushing myself off as I walked over. “oh hey, just uh…needed some air to breathe?” I said, my voice a little higher pitched then normal.

The camper blinked at me, clearly not expecting that response. “Yeah? Well, you might want to breathe a little quieter next time, or someone’s going to think you’re dying out here.” Her voice was sharp but oddly casual, like she wasn’t fully invested in the idea of small talk. I had expected her to keep walking, maybe even roll her eyes at my awkwardness, but she just stood there, watching me with a raised brow.

“Not dying, just... drowning in my own thoughts,” I muttered, quickly regretting it. "But hey uhm…I mean, it's not like anyone cares about that anyway, right?"

She raised an eyebrow, her lips curling slightly, but she didn’t shoot back some snarky remark like I expected. Instead, she just gave me a look that said she wasn’t entirely convinced, but also not entirely interested in making me feel worse. Right, 'cause it's totally normal to just let your brain run wild like that. Must be so easy to ignore the chaos," she said, with a sardonic edge. There was a moment of silence, before she sighed dramatically, almost like she was annoyed with herself. “Look, I'm not here to lecture you, but whatever mess you're swimming in, don't think you're the only one who’s drowning.”

She paused, and for the first time, her gaze softened, if only just a little. “But hey, everyone needs air sometimes. Just... don't stay out here too long, or you might catch a cold. And then you’d really be miserable.” Her voice was still blunt, but it didn’t feel quite so harsh anymore. I walked with her back to the campfire, she waved me off before going to sit somewhere else. I didn't see Keith, surprisingly.  I sat back down by the fire, I tried to push the feeling of unease away, but it lingered, like a shadow I couldn’t shake. The embers crackled in front of me, casting flickering orange light over the ground, but even their warmth didn’t seem to reach the cold that had settled in my chest. I glanced around the fire, noting the others talking and laughing, the familiar sound of camp chatter that I’d been trying to avoid all day. But nothing felt normal anymore, not even the crackle of the fire.

I wasn’t sure when it happened, but at some point, my mind slipped back to the events of earlier that morning. The sharp pain in my stomach still throbbed, a reminder of Keaton’s kick. The way he’d smiled, how his laugh felt like a weight sinking into my chest. And then there was the red tape. I could almost feel it pressing against my mouth again, suffocating me, as if I could never speak, never escape. I could still hear his voice echoing in my mind, mocking, taunting.

I swallowed hard, trying to push the thoughts away, but they clung to me, like dirt on my skin I couldn’t wash off. Maybe if I hadn’t been sleeping outside like that, maybe if I hadn’t looked so... weak, he wouldn’t have done it. Was it my fault? The fear of being seen as less than, as not enough, gnawed at me. But what did Keaton see when he looked at me? Weakness, probably. An easy target.

I rubbed my stomach absentmindedly, feeling the bruise there, trying to ignore the shame creeping up. I shouldn’t have let him get to me. I shouldn’t have let him laugh. But I hadn’t been able to stop myself. I hadn’t been able to do anything.

It didn’t matter. He was gone now, and I was here, still stuck in my own head. I could almost hear the laughter again, reverberating in the back of my mind, like an echo that wouldn’t fade. The shadows of the fire flickered, and for a moment, it felt like I was sinking again—like I was drowning in the feeling of it all. That same helplessness. I didn’t even know if I wanted to fit in here. I didn’t know if I ever had. All I knew was that I couldn’t keep pretending it didn’t matter. That maybe it didn’t hurt.

But even though I knew I wasn’t the only one drowning, I couldn’t help but feel that my weight was heavier than anyone else’s. Everyone else seemed so sure of their place, so sure of who they were. And here I was, stuck in this endless loop of self-doubt, of fear, of wanting to disappear.

The fire flickered one last time, the warmth barely brushing my skin, and I found myself standing up, walking away from it all, needing space, needing air. Away from the noise. Away from everything.

I didn’t know where I was going. I just knew I needed to go. To find something, anything, that would take away the feeling of suffocation, even if it was just for a moment.

And maybe that was all I could ask for. Just a moment. A moment where I didn’t feel like I was always drowning.

[sapphicsukeve]

“You deserved that.” 🔥

[jackbatchelor3]

Ballum-related spoilers from Digital Spy

👬🏳️‍🌈

[shadowqueenjude]

I’m an Elucien gets pet birds truther so here is my HC of top picks for what kind of bird they’d get:

1. Peacocks

They’re iconic and fabulous and fashion icons, just like Elain and Lucien. Duhhhh.

2. Cockatiels

BECAUSE LOOK AT THEIR BRIGHT SUNNY LITTLE FACES THEY’RE PERFECT

3. Penguin

This one was highly specific and involves some of my previous knowledge from being a penguin nerd. Some species of penguins (including the one below) reject their first egg and raise their second one because it has a higher chance of survival. So, Elain and Lucien visit the Winter Court and Elain sees this rejected first egg and of course she can’t bear to leave it there so she takes it with them.

4. Parakeets

BECAUSE LOOK AT THEM. LOOK AT THEM. LOOK AT THEMMMMM

Edit:

HOW COULD I FORGET

Owls because they represent wisdom and mystery and perfectly describes Elain: