#GIL chapter three

[beachyserasims]

Geneva Island Legacy┃Chapter three┃One New Message

Spicy version + Transcript below 18+ ONLY PLEASE

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[seeleybooth]

"Don't get up on your high horse with me, Anne Shirley."

"Marilla pessimistically expected more trouble since Anne had again begun to go to school. But none developed. Perhaps Anne caught something of the “model” spirit from Minnie Andrews; at least she got on very well with Mr. Phillips thenceforth. She flung herself into her studies heart and soul, determined not to be outdone in any class by Gilbert Blythe. The rivalry between them was soon apparent; it was entirely good-natured on Gilbert’s side; but it is much to be feared that the same thing cannot be said of Anne, who had certainly an unpraiseworthy tenacity for holding grudges. She was as intense in her hatreds as in her loves. She would not stoop to admit that she meant to rival Gilbert in schoolwork, because that would have been to acknowledge his existence which Anne persistently ignored; but the rivalry was there and honors fluctuated between them. Now Gilbert was head of the spelling class; now Anne, with a toss of her long red braids, spelled him down. One morning Gilbert had all his sums done correctly and had his name written on the blackboard on the roll of honor; the next morning Anne, having wrestled wildly with decimals the entire evening before, would be first. One awful day they were ties and their names were written up together. It was almost as bad as a take-notice and Anne’s mortification was as evident as Gilbert’s satisfaction. When the written examinations at the end of each month were held the suspense was terrible. The first month Gilbert came out three marks ahead. The second Anne beat him by five. But her triumph was marred by the fact that Gilbert congratulated her heartily before the whole school. It would have been ever so much sweeter to her if he had felt the sting of his defeat.

Mr. Phillips might not be a very good teacher; but a pupil so inflexibly determined on learning as Anne was could hardly escape making progress under any kind of teacher. By the end of the term Anne and Gilbert were both promoted into the fifth class and allowed to begin studying the elements of “the branches”—by which Latin, geometry, French, and algebra were meant. In geometry Anne met her Waterloo.

“It’s perfectly awful stuff, Marilla,” she groaned. “I’m sure I’ll never be able to make head or tail of it. There is no scope for imagination in it at all. Mr. Phillips says I’m the worst dunce he ever saw at it. And Gil—I mean some of the others are so smart at it. It is extremely mortifying, Marilla.

“Even Diana gets along better than I do. But I don’t mind being beaten by Diana. Even although we meet as strangers now I still love her with an inextinguishable love. It makes me very sad at times to think about her. But really, Marilla, one can’t stay sad very long in such an interesting world, can one?”

Anne of Green Gabes (1908) by L.M. Montgomery - CHAPTER XVII - A New Interest in Life

[estellan0vella]

Sunshine's Guide To Murder│Lee Minho

-Jang Hayun, Lee Felix and Han Jisung are college students who run a very successful true-crime podcast called Three Sunshines' Guide To Murder. For their one year anniversary, they decide to cover the five year old murder of Shin Yuna and the subsequent confession and suicide of Yuna's girlfriend, Lee Chaeryeong who is the older sister of one Lee Minho (Heavily Inspired by Holly Jackson's Book Triology; A Good Girl's Guide To Murder)

Pairing: Lee Minho x fem!reader (College AU) (reader is named Hayun)

General Masterlist SKZ Masterlist

Profiles: Murder Specialists; Theatre Kids & 1 Lawyer

Prologue Chapter One: DEFCON ONE Potential Chapter Two: WHORE HOUSE Chapter Three: Be Anything But Yourselves Chapter Four: I Murder Women For Fun Vibes Chapter Five: Scooby Squad Chapter Six: Playing Baby Sitter Chapter Seven: Waiting For Death Chapter Eight: Cornered Animals Bite Chapter Nine: Out Chapter Ten: Only She Knows The Rules Chapter Eleven: She's Too Powerful Chapter Twelve: I'm Praising You Chapter Thirteen: The Minho Way Chapter Fourteen: Burn It Chapter Fifteen: Who's The Daddy? Chapter Sixteen: All This Time Chapter Seventeen: MIRACULOUS LADYBUG Chapter Eighteen: Windows To Your Soul Chapter Nineteen: You Made Her Your Downfall Chapter Twenty: Cool Cool Cool Chapter Twenty One: It's Over Chapter Twenty Two: The Minho Way Still Sucks Chapter Twenty Three: Gil? Chapter Twenty Four: A Fuckton Of People Chapter Twenty Five: The Duke Or The Viscount? Chapter Twenty Six: Detox Chapter Twenty Seven: RUE WHEN WAS THIS? Chapter Twenty Eight: I Bite Chapter Twenty Nine: Narnia: The Bullshit Chronicles Chapter Thirty: Toad In The Pond Chapter Thirty One: Sounds Illegal As Fuck Chapter Thirty Two: Merry Fucking Christmas Chapter Thirty Three: Sex Starved Maniacs Chapter Thirty Four: Fan Event Chapter Thirty Five: You’re Too Good Chapter Thirty Six: There’s No Getting Away Chapter Thirty Seven: You Deserve Everything Chapter Thirty Eight: There Was A Fire Chapter Thirty Nine: Epilogue

Total Word Count: 102.65K Total SSs: 355

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[eilinelsghost]

I was rereading bits of the Lay of Leithian over breakfast (like you do) and today it stood out that when Finrod is at his best in the battle with Sauron, it's when he brings in the dual visions of home: the home he has built in exile and the home of memory in Valinor:

The chanting swelled, Felagund fought, And all the magic and might he brought of Elvenesse into his words. Softly in the gloom they heard the birds Singing afar in Nargothrond, The sighing of the Sea beyond, Beyond the western world, on sand, On sand of pearls in Elvenland.

The Silmarillion: Chapter 19 "Of Beren and Lúthien" (emphasis mine)

But! While one of these is what we expect - Nargothrond, the home built of his longing and vision - the home in memory is not Tirion. It's Alqualondë, with its sand of pearls beside the sighing Sea.

In Finrod's moment of greatest trial, caught in a battle he knows he can never win, he sings a vision not of Tirion and its dynastic power, but of Alqualondë where Finarfin fled for peace and where presumably his son found the same.

Faced with a conflict of power, he reaches for peace.

And by doing this, he turns his immediate defeat into something hollow - while Sauron is said to have mastery here in their duel, it is Finrod who ultimately triumphs. For in the Leithian, the Release from Bondage, victory is achieved through sacrifice and not through power: Huan's sacrifice of loyalty and life, Beren's sacrifice of his body (Erchamion) and his life as well, and the overarching sacrifice of Lúthien's own life and fate, which both serves as their own personal triumph and lays the foundations for the victory and redemption of the Three Kindreds at the end of the Age. And Finrod's sacrifice is key among these - laying down his power, his authority, and his life both for Beren individually and also for the Edain as a whole.

Sauron's power may dominate and subjugate, but it is through Finrod's peace that hope grows to fruition and gil estel rises.

[anonymousewrites]

Apple of My Eye Chapter Sixteen

Harry Hook x Child of Snow White! Reader

Chapter Sixteen: Zero to Hero

Summary: Truths and lies are revealed as the struggle against Audrey continues.

            The Find Ben group walked up to Evie’s castle. The doors were thrown open, and Mal ran towards Ben the moment she saw him. They hugged each other tightly.

            “Are you okay?” said Ben.

            “Yeah,” said Mal. “I’m so much better right now. Are you okay?”

            “Yeah,” said Ben.

            “(Y/N),” said Evie in relief, hugging them.

            “Evie,” said (Y/N), smiling. When they stepped back, they raised an eyebrow. “I see Doug is awake.” They smirked. “I thought he was under a sleeping spell.”

            Evie turned red and smiled giddily. “There’s a solution to that.”

            “I told you,” said (Y/N). “You guys have True Love.”

            “You were right,” said Evie. “I don’t know why I doubted it. I knew he was right.” She smiled.

            “Congratulations,” said (Y/N).

            “Uma,” said Ben as everyone greeted one another. “I always knew you’d be part of the solution.”

            Uma shrugged. “I guess (Y/N) had a point.”

            “What’s this?” said Mal, looking at Ben’s beard.

            “You like it?” said Ben.

            “I love it,” said Mal.

            “What about those?” teased Uma, pointing at his teeth.

            “No,” laughed Mal.

            “I like them,” said Ben.

            Mal rolled her eyes before getting to the point. “Okay, so, we all think that Audrey could be at Fairy Cottage. We have no idea where that is.”

            “I do,” said (Y/N). Everyone looked at her. “Our moms would set us up for playdates when we were kids.” They shrugged.

            Ben nodded and sighed. “Audrey brought me there every Fairy Godmother’s Day.” He frowned. “Where is Fairy Godmother when you need her?”

            “I wish I knew,” said Jane.

            Carlos squeezed her hand supportively and pulled her aside. He wasn’t able to give her much comfort, but he could at least give her his birthday gift to cheer her up.

            “Doug, go with Jane,” said Ben. “We need to find Fairy Godmother.”

            “They might need some muscle,” said Uma.

            “Hey,” said Doug, sighing. (He knew it was true that he wasn’t the buffest man there).

            “Well, I’ll go,” offered Gil.

            “Yeah, actually, I would feel better, too,” said Carlos. He wanted someone strong to protect Jane.

            “I would, too,” said Evie.

            “Me, too,” said (Y/N).

            “I would feel better, too,” said Mal.

            “Actually…I would, too,” agreed Doug.

            “Alright, man. Let’s do it,” said Gil, smiling.

            “Let’s go, Jane,” said Doug.

            “Okay,” said Jane.

            “Be careful, okay?” said Carlos.

            “I will,” said Jane, smiling.

            The three headed out. The rest were left to head towards Fairy Cottage.

l

            By the time they arrived at Fairy Cottage, it was dark. Night had fallen, and they used the cover to avoid being spotted. They made it to the cottage silently without Audrey noticing them, and Ben pushed the gate open. They snuck to the door, and (Y/N) pushed it open, stepping in carefully. No one was in the room within. Jay ran upstairs to check for signs of Audrey, but (Y/N) didn’t think there were any.

            “She’s not upstairs,” confirmed Jay.

            Bam! Bam!

            Someone hit a door, trying to get their attention. Ben looked inside and pulled the door open. Chad sat on the floor, quivering and holding his knees.

            “Chad?” said Ben.

            “I want my mommy,” said Chad, voice shaking.

            Ben knelt to help him up.

            “Oh, Chad,” said (Y/N), grimacing. Obviously, he tried to get on Audrey’s good side, and it had, as usual, gone poorly for him.

            “It’s okay,” said Ben, helping him up gently. “What happened, buddy?”

            Chad stuck his head out of the closet. Skittishly, he looked around at them.

            “Ben,” he said as if finally recognizing him. “Ben!” He hugged Ben. “Your face…” He looked around himself again. “She’s gone, huh? The door is open. I’m free. Freedom! Oh!” He pushed past Ben and ran out of the cottage. “Freedom!” His voice echoed through the forest.

            Harry giggled as he watched him go. (Y/N) elbowed him, and he just grinned.

            Mal sighed and walked out of Fairy Cottage. Audrey wasn’t there, so they needed to figure out their next plan of attack.

            “Alright, let’s get this Audrey chick taken care of already,” said Uma. She grinned. “What do you say?” She fist-bumped Mal.

            (Y/N) smiled at Evie, who winked. The two groups of VKs had slowly begun to get along and trust one another. It was wonderful to see.

            “You know,” said Ben, smiling at Mal and Uma. “Someday, you’re gonna have to tell me how you guys all got teamed up.”

            “Actually, Mal promised to let all the kids off the Isle once this is over,” said Evie proudly.

            “Everyone is going to get the chance they deserve,” said (Y/N), smiling. Evie grinned at them.

            “Mal?” Ben frowned.

            Mal slowed, and her smile fell. She cleared her throat and shifted awkwardly. “I have to tell you guys something. Um.” She faced them and cleared her throat, though she avoided eye contact. “I lied to you. The kids won’t be coming off the Isle.”

            Everyone’s eyes widened. Except for Ben’s. His went to the ground shamefully.

            “What do you mean?” said Jay.

            “The program is shut down,” said Mal.

            “What?” said (Y/N), not believing it. Ben had worked so hard for this. Mal had. Evie had. Carlos and Jay had. They had.

            “And the barrier…will be closed for good,” said Mal, swallowing hard. “For Auradon’s safety.”

            Harry let out a growl and took a deep, frustrated breath. Carlos and Jay deflated. Evie stared, heartbroken, at Mal. Celia’s eyes were wide and horrified. (Y/N) looked at Ben in disappointment, and he avoided their gaze.

            Uma’s gaze hardened, and she stepped angrily towards Mal. “So we’re saving your precious people and your behinds for a lie.” She swallowed. “I knew it was a mistake to trust you. You’re always out for yourself.”

            “And you, King Benny,” hissed Harry, stepping aggressively towards Ben. He glared at him, and in a moment, his anger fell away to sadness. “You’re probably just gonna throw us all back inside.”

            “No…” breathed (Y/N).

            (Y/N) looked between Ben and Mal. “You can’t do this. What, Hades almost gets out and we’re going to punish every VK still on the Isle? That’s exactly what has been tearing Auradon and Isle kids apart for years. You can’t continue it. It’s not fair.”

            “It’s for Auradon’s safety—”

            (Y/N) glared at Ben. “Auradon’s safety? We’ve been saved by the VKs multiple times. And we’re being threatened by Audrey, a princess, the daughter Sleeping Beauty. Good and evil aren’t separated by inside the barrier and out. Closing it doesn’t do anything but hurt people who don’t deserve it.”

            “(Y/N), it’s a hard decision, but—”

            (Y/N) held up a hand. “I don’t want to hear it, Mal. I’m not going to help you hurt people who don’t deserve it.”

            “What about Auradon?” said Mal, eyes wide.

            “I’ll let you know if I see Audrey,” said (Y/N) coldly, turning and walking away. They would always try to save Auradon, but they couldn’t stand by the kids on the Isle being left behind. (Y/N) had to stand up for what they believed in.

            (Y/N) walked until they couldn’t hear Mal and her lies anymore. Dejectedly, they sat down on a log and buried their head in their hands. Mal was going to leave all those kids behind. All the royals were going to be fine with abandoning the Isle because of one man almost escaping, but they weren’t even able to admit one of their own was wreaking havoc. (Y/N) couldn’t believe it.

            “What’s the matter?”

            (Y/N) jumped up and whirled. Audrey stood behind them with a grin.

            “All alone? Abandoned by the villains?” sneered Audrey. “I told you all that I would be the best queen Auradon has seen, but you all chose a villain. And now see what’s happened.”

            “Audrey, none of the Isle kids have hurt Auradon,” said (Y/N). “You can’t blame them for your…insecurities! It’s wrong!”

            “Wrong? Wrong? What’s wrong is me losing everything I worked for!” shouted Audrey. “How can you defend them? They are villains, and they will always be villains.”

            “They’re my friends, and they’re good people,” said (Y/N) fiercely.

            “Oh, really?” Audrey held up Maleficent’s staff, and it glowed. “Let’s see if your villains will come and save you, then.”

            Pink smoke swirled up around (Y/N), and they gasped.

l

            (Y/N) stumbled to the ground as the smoke cleared. They held onto the wall near them, and their eyes widened. They were on the highest tower of Auradon Prep, and Audrey stood in front of her.

            “Oh, Mal!” sang Audrey challengingly at the heartbroken and alone girl below. “Come and say ‘hi!’ ” She grabbed (Y/N)’s arm and shoved them against the wall.

            “Mal!” said (Y/N), eyes wide as they braced themself to not fall.

            “(Y/N)!” cried Mal.

            “Come on, Mal, try to be the hero if you can!” jeered Audrey.

            Mal narrowed her eyes. They glowed green, and in a puff of purple smoke, she transformed into her dragon form. She roared and flew up above the tower. She breathed fire, but Audrey blocked the flames with the scepter. She laughed and sent a bolt of evil magic at Mal. The dragon swooped and dodged. She roared, and Audrey narrowed her eyes.

            She grabbed (Y/N) and held the scepter up. (Y/N) flinched as they felt the sizzle of dark magic against their skin. Mal came up short, not daring to attack while (Y/N) was in danger.

            Below Mal, Harry and Uma ran onto the grounds of Auradon Prep. They had been tracking down Gil to leave, but, instead, they had found the battle. Harry looked up, and he let out a breath as he saw (Y/N) held hostage by Audrey.

            “Highness,” he breathed.

            His heart thumped in panic against his chest. He couldn’t help it. He couldn’t help but care for (Y/N). They had stood up to him and Uma, spoken to them with honesty and without fear from the beginning. They had stood up for the kids of the Isle, unwilling to abandon them. (Y/N) was brave and kind and attractive and witty and everything Harry could ever want. His heart beat for them.

            He had to help them.

            “Uma,” said Harry, looking at her.

            Uma watched Mal try to light the ember in her claws. Her dragon fire was impressive and powerful, but Hades’s ember, doused by Celia and her anger at Mal’s betrayal, wouldn’t ignite. Uma looked at Harry as he spoke.

            “She doesn’t stand a chance without the ember,” said Uma grimly.

            “Help her save (Y/N),” said Harry. “Please, Cap’n.”

            Uma looked at him and his expression. She nodded. “Let’s get that fire going.” She pulled her conch shell from her shirt and held it tightly. “Mal!” she shouted. “We’re stronger together!” The shell glowed. “We’re stronger together.” Mal flapped her wings as she tried to keep going. “I’m right here, Mal! Regain your might and ignite. I’m right here, girl. I’m right here! Regain your might and ignite!”

            Mal gazed at Uma and then the ember. With a final burst of fire, she blew the ember to life. The combined magic of Mal and Uma brought its light back, and a blue glow fell over the grounds of Auradon Prep.

            “Yes!” said Uma.

            “Yes!” said Harry, grinning.

            “Mal!” said (Y/N) in relief, seeing the ember glowing.

            Audrey growled, and Mal flew up at her, holding the ember tightly. Audrey sent pink lightning at Mal, and Mal sent blue energy back at her. The beams of light collided as each pushed all their power and heart into their attack. And Mal’s heart was stronger. She had a soul for magic, and she was fueled by love. Audrey faltered, eyes widening. Her anger was not equal to Mal’s love.

            “Go, Mal!” said (Y/N).

            “Come on, Mal!” said Harry. Save (Y/N).

            “You got this! Let’s go, Mal!” shouted Uma desperately.

            Mal roared, and the blue energy blasted towards Audrey. It hit Maleficent’s scepter, and it exploded with light. (Y/N) closed their eyes and covered their eyes at the light. Audrey slumped to the ground.

            “Yes!” shouted Harry, laughing wildly in relief.

            “Yeah!” cheered Uma, breathing a long sigh of relief.

            (Y/N) stood from where they’d fallen. Mal landed and transformed into her human form.

            “(Y/N),” said Mal, hugging them. “I’m so sorry. Are you alright?”

            (Y/N) swallowed and nodded. They hugged Mal back in relief.

            The door of the room banged open, and Uma and Harry ran out.

            “Is she down?” said Uma.

            “She’s defeated,” confirmed Mal.

            “You’re okay?” said Harry, looking at (Y/N) intensely. His hand almost touched their face to look at them more carefully, but he held himself back.

            (Y/N) nodded. “I am. Thank you for helping. I know you had no reason to.”

            “You deserve it,” said Harry.

            “None of this was your fault,” said Uma.

            Mal’s gaze fell.

            “What are we going to do with her?” said Uma, crossing her arms.

            They looked down at where Audrey had fallen. Her outfit had returned to its regular pink instead of the corrupting black of Maleficent’s scepter. Her eyes were closed, and she was breathing steadily and softly.

            (Y/N) frowned. They stepped towards Audrey and knelt. “Audrey?” They let out a breath and looked up at Mal. “Her magic turned back on her. She’s asleep.”

            Mal’s eyes widened. “Oh, no.”

            “Can you wake her with the ember? It’s her own spell—”

            “No,” said Mal. “I can’t—I can’t use it like Hades can.” She swallowed. “Audrey is cursed.”

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[echo-bleu]

Noldor Hair Headcanons (3/4)

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | On AO3

Some lighter Kidnap Fam content, after the downhill freefall that was the last chapter. With a dash of Finrod in Valinor.

Elrond and Elros have never had their hair braided when they end up with Maedhros and Maglor.

They don’t realize what they’re asking when Elros grabs a hairbrush and puts it in Maglor’s hand.

Maglor understands that, but decides that the twins need parental care, even though he has no right. He brushes their hair and leaves it loose at first.

But the twins have watched Maglor braid Maedhros’s hair and they soon start asking for more interesting hairstyles.

Eventually Maglor explains to them that it can only be done by family.

The twins have a whole silent conversation.

“What does it take to be family?” Elros asks eventually.

Well, braiding an unrelated child’s hair is pretty close to informal adoption.

Elros forces the brush into Maglor’s hand again.

Maglor stares.

Elrond shakes his head and runs out.

Of course, Elrond must hate them. He has every right. Sure, Elros has started to warm up to them, but that’s just because he’s affection-starved, probably. They’re still kidnappers.

Maglor is about to put down the brush and try to refuse when Elrond comes back.

He’s holding a second hairbrush.

He hands it to Maedhros expectantly.

Maedhros cries.

Maglor cries.

The twins’ hair really doesn’t hold braids very well, and they’re still kids who run around and play, but damn them if Maglor and Maedhros aren’t going to do their best.

Now all of their people can see that the twins are well-loved.

Maedhros and Maglor also proudly sport a few clumsy, wonky braids each.

They’re less wonky with time, and eventually the twins are doing their fathers’ (kidnappers’) hair as often as not.

Finrod is reembodied shortly before Eärendil and Elwing gets to Valinor. It’s too early and he’s Not Doing Well. While in Middle Earth, he was the one who let basically every one of his friends braid his hair, now he can’t stand the thought of someone touching him that way.

But Beleriandic battle braids feel wrong in Tirion. And he’s desperately trying to reckon with his trauma, with Sauron defeating him by singing about the kinslaying, so he can’t leave his hair loose like the Teleri.

And he can’t quite get the sight of Edrahil’s bloody braids spat out by a werewolf out of his head.

He wears nothing but the very strange-looking (to Amanyar) Mourning Braids he designed after Dagor Bragollach for a couple of years.

Then after an episode of really bad depression and nearly fading, he cuts his hair short.

No-braiding-possible kind of short.

While not unheard of in Beleriand (sometimes former thralls keep their hair very short, like Rog), it’s unthinkable in Valinor, especially for the Crown Prince of the Noldor.

He is stared at a lot, his reputation goes down the drain, but to Finrod it’s liberating.

He does let his hair grow out again eventually, but only when other Exiles start coming back and choose to keep the Beleriandic braid styles, and it becomes a fashion statement rather than a mark of shame.

Finarfin is Very Shocked arriving in Beleriand when he finds his (single remaining) child with her hair loose and everyone else with weird self-braided battle hairstyles.

After a battle or three where he ends up with his hair matted with blood and mud, he caves and gets Galadriel to give him battle braids.

By the end of the war he’s even learned to do them himself! Let it not be said that King Arafinwë Ñoldóran didn’t rise to his calling.

The night before sending the Elrond and Elros to Gil-galad, Maedhros and Maglor undo all of their braids. Everyone cries.

Maedhros and Maglor meant this to minimize the ‘taint’ their names would put on the twins, by making it look like they were still hostages to the end, but the twins stop on the way to do each other’s hair because one does not meet a king with their hair loose, they have manners (which the Fëanorians taught them, so they’re Very Specific Manners), so the effect is lost. Gil-galad has Questions. The twins refuse to lie.

Then, before going to steal the Silmarils, Maedhros and Maglor do each other’s hair, in a style of their father’s that they haven’t worn since the Oath.

Maglor braids a single golden ribbon into Maedhros’s hair.

They have very few pieces of hair jewellery left of their brothers’, but they use all of them.

They both know it’s the last time.

To be continued

I did some sketches for visual reference of a few of the hairstyles mentioned here, if you want to see what I'm imagining!

[greenleaf4stuff]

Of Convenience 8.1

(all previous parts of "Of Convenience")

Adar x Celebrimbor (silverscars) political marriage AU, 8th snippet, part 1. Adar shows Morgoth’s crown to Celebrimbor. The smith has an idea. Adar lets him run with it.

Celebrimbor might not be a natural fighter, but he’ll still find ways to support his allies (especially his husband). It’s so very hard to write anything about this chapter without giving too much away, so I’ll just say – I tried to come up with a plot for this story, got hit with inspiration, and now here we are. I am so curious to see people’s reaction to this one! (And yes, Celebrimbor playing dice is indeed inspired by @plotdesigner’s fic ‚In My Scar Covered Heart‘. :P)

Celebrimbor hadn’t exactly been eager to catch a glimpse of Morgoth’s crown, to be quite honest. Knowing that it somehow still existed in middle earth and was in such close proximity to him was bad enough. If seeing it wouldn’t remind him of the silmaril or his family’s bloody history fighing the original owner of the crown, it surely would remind him of the maiar who had reforged it.

He didn’t have much of a choice however when, during another round of talks, Galadriel had asked – well, goaded – Adar into showing the crown to Elrond. Who, to her credit, had been rather disbelieving of the crown’s continued existence until then.

All three elves had immediately fallen silent and leant away when Adar had walked over to a wooden chest in the corner of the tent, opened it, and used his gauntleted hand to pull out a menacing-looking shape of darkened metal.

He carried the crown as if intending to place it on someone’s head, holding it with both hands and his arms stretched in front of his body as he came back towards them. Only his tight expression revealed that this was not due to reverence. 

It made sense, Celebrimbor thought – especially when Adar told the tale of how he’d been meant to place the crown upon Sauron’s red hair...and had driven it's spikes through the Deceiver’s shoulder and neck instead.

The coronation had been Sauron’s attempt to declare himself Morgoth’s successor; a position that would have placed all the uruk under his yoke. Celebrimbor couldn’t imagine he’d treated the uruk any more kindly than his enemies, so Adar taking the crown to him and ‘killing’ the maiar had likely been an act of desperation. And love.

No wonder Adar regarded the crown with such a complicated mix of emotions.

Adar placed the crown in the middle of the table, then sat back down to continue the conversation. Glancing at his fellow elves, Celebrimbor could tell that it was difficult for them to keep their attention focused on each other’s words instead of the object at first, but after a while, they managed.

The smith, however, found himself staring at it for the rest of the conversation. He registered some of the words – their talk revolved around Gil-Galad and his intention to visit the uruk camp to speak with Adar directly –, but for the most part, Celebrimbor focused on the crown and its design.

It did indeed look pointy enough to puncture flesh with, if handled with that intention. He could almost imagine how it must have gone – Adar holding up the crown, turning it around to thrust it into Sauron’s shoulder.

A dangerous position to strike from, though, as Adar would have had to leave his middle completely unprotected. But then again, Sauron had left himself open to injury as well. It made Celebrimbor question what their prior relationship might have been like, as both of them had served Morgoth...willingly or unwillingly. And Adar made it sound as if he knew Sauron quite well, to the point that he understood how his mind worked. 

Though it had not made him any less prone to the maiar’s scheming than Galadriel and Celebrimbor had been, the latter silently thought to himself.

He felt an urge to ask the uruk about these things; Adar’s past was still largely shrouded in mystery. But the uruk had avoided any clever attempts of Elrond and more direct goading from Galadriel to reveal more of himself so far, and only offered whatever information he deemed neccessary to defeat their common enemy. Nothing more.

And so Celebrimbor bit his tongue, and settled on waiting (hoping) for a time when Adar might be inclined to share more about this part of himself of his own volition.

The smith’s mind was drawn back to the crown then. It looked to be made of iron, though unusually dark. He tried to parse how it had been made, with what tools and in what conditions, whether any traces of the silmaril or Morgoth had seeped into the metal and still remained there.

He was so consumed with his musings that he startled slightly when Galadriel, Elrond and Adar stood up from the table - their current round of talks had come to an end. Or, at least a pause, it seemed. As Celebrimbor slowly got up, Elrond spoke. "We will bring this proposal to High King Gil-Galad," he looked at Galadriel to indicate he meant the both of them. "If he agrees, he will accompany us into your camp when we return."

"Though, be aware that the king will not come here unarmed, or unguarded," the peredhel added. But it wasn’t said as a threat. It actually rather sounded as if Elrond was just relaying a fact that Adar should just take into consideration.

This, too, was a recent change. It seemed that Elrond was slowly opening himself up to the idea that the elves would indeed join forces with Adar’s army and march on Eregion together.

Perhaps it was due to the fact that, for a few days now, Adar had permitted Galadriel to leave the uruk camp and accompany the herald back on his way to the high king. Which she had initially taken as a way for Adar to test whether or not she would leave Celebrimbor unprotected amidst an army of enemies. But it turned out to be a show of trust instead - that she would help Elrond argue his case, and then come back to spend time with her friend again.

An arrangement that had worked out quite well, in fact; Galadriel had been reluctant to leave at first, but after some reassurance from Celebrimbor, she had. Only for a short while at first, and she had barely gone far enough to disappear from the sight of the guards around the camp, after which she had returned in a hurry.

It had taken a second and a third attempt until she left for multiple hours and came back at a leisurely pace, skeptical but ultimately pleased when she found that Celebrimbor where she’d left him, playing a simple game of dice with Glûg and another uruk guard.

After that, she'd been fine with leaving Celebrimbor and Adar for even longer periods of time, and whenever she returned and found them sharing a meal or conversing, a small smirk stole itself onto her face for reasons Celebrimbor could not quite parse yet.

Adar acknowledged the herald’s words with a humm. "Not unreasonable. Be aware, then, that I will not be unarmed or unguarded, either." This, too, was just presented as a simple fact. Celebrimbor couldn’t help but feel proud of how far they all had already come since the negotiations started.

"Not unreasonable, either," Elrond replied and actually quirked up his lips for a moment. While Adar didn’t return the gesture with a smile of his own, he tilted his head at the herald in a show of acknowledgement.

Elrond and Galadriel were quick to depart afterwards; they wanted to talk to their king, and if Ereinion indeed intended to come to Adar’s camp, preparations would have to be made. The two elves made sure to thank Adar for the food and drink they had received, and spent a moment to say their – temporary – goodbyes to Celebrimbor.

Once they had left, the smith sat back in his chair. "That went quite well," he judged as he gave Adar a smile of elation. "I think we might indeed be close to a treaty now, with the high king willing to walk into the camp to negotiate with you directly."

Of course, talks with Gil-Galad would surely pose their own difficulties. He had neither the fiery temper of Galadriel nor the biting sarcasm Elrond employed at times, but he was certainly not shy to state his own objections, would not back down in the face of adversity, and held himself with the grace and self-assured air – well, pride – befitting a king. Qualities that were beneficial for rulership, but which might clash with Adar’s own stubbornness and sense of authority during the coming talks.

Celebrimbor decided he would cross that bridge when they came to it.

"It did," Adar agreed, picked up his goblet and took a sip from it. He notably hadn’t sat down at the table again, despite the fact that there was still a half-unfinished meal on his plate. Perhaps he needed to walk off the tension. Celebrimbor had certainly seen him pace their tent like a wolf after the first few negotiations, agitated even as he refused to elaborate on the reasons why, before he stormed off to meet with his lieutenants.

The smith could usually guess the reasons nonetheless, anyways.

"You have been quite focused on that thing," the uruk stated, apropos of nothing. When Celebrimbor raised his eyebrows in question, Adar’s eyes briefly settled on the crown before the turned back to the smith. "Is it because of the gemstones it once held?"

Celebrimbor quickly shook his head, "No, I- it’s not that," his gaze wandered back to the object in question, as if drawn there by something not of his own will. "I was actually considering what it might be made of. Or how it was made."

A light snort, and Adar emptied his goblet before he went to pour himself another drink. Water, this time, instead of wine. Ever since the negotations had started to go more smoothly, wine had mysteriously disappeared from the table during talks. Now, the uruk only offered it when he and Celebrimbor were eating on their own.

A fact that Celebrimbor had noted with a wry sense of humor – he didn’t believe Adar needed the wine to endure those conversations. It seemed more likely he wanted to savor it now instead of using it to calm his temper. Which was, in fact, a thought that softened something in Celebrimbor’s chest.

"Iron, from what little I know. It was Mairon who was gifted in the craft of smithing, not I," the uruk shrugged.

Celebrimbor acknowledged Adar’s words with a nod and humm, before he turned back to the intimdating shape in the middle of the table. "May I?" he asked as he pointed at it. At Adar’s slow nod, he extended careful fingers and gingerly dragged the object towards himself.

It felt frighteningly similar to any ordinary iron crown as he held it in his hands. Cold to the touch, and heavy – it would have likely been uncomfortable to wear for long on the head of any mortal being. It also seemed unwieldy, as the smith lifted it and turned it about in his hands.

Even if he didn’t have the strength of a warrior, Celebrimbor could tell this would be difficult to handle during combat. Which, come to think of it, could prove to be a disadvantage when facing Sauron, who was quick on his feet and – judging by Galadriel's and Adar's accounts – quite skilled in battle. If only it was a bit lighter, and perhaps, had longer spikes-

He stopped. Frowned. Then lifted his eyebrows as he stared at the opposite side of the tent, then back at the crown, and finally at Adar.

The uruk, who had let Celebrimbor silently consider the iron adornment without comment, wore an expression of intrigue that quickly changed to one of caution.

The smith sprung up from his chair, and held up the crown. "Would you...if it could be done, would you want me to...try and improve this? For the oncoming battle?"

There was a very long moment of silence. The uruk’s face held some surprise, but for the most part, it had turned to stone. The smith cringed at himself – in his enthusiasm, taken with his own rapidly forming idea, he had forgotten that this was Adar’s best chance at killing Sauron.

Of course, he wouldn’t want Celebrimbor to tinker with it, so close to finalizing the alliance with the elves and fighting their shared enemy. The smith didn’t even know if he could. And yet-

"I am not sure even one such as you might be able to do that," Adar said, slowly. His gaze slipped off to the side as he pursed his lips and drew his brows. His gauntleted hand flexed where he’d propped his arm onto the table.

And then, as he turned his eyes back to Celebrimbor, "But, if that is your wish...you may try."

Celebrimbor must have looked as astonished as he felt, he was sure of it. Especially so when, after a while, he could see a very small grin grow on Adar's face. It was just as unexpected as his permission, and caused Celebrimbor to fluster a little.

The uruk's next words were quiet. "Though, be careful as you do. After Morgoth, none other than Mairon has been able to even put a dent in this thing. Believe me, myself and countless of my children have tried."

Celebrimbor nodded, and pressed the crown to his chest. He noted with unease the the metal was not warming to his touch, but ignored that for the moment. "I am not certain I will be able to accomplish anything with it, either, but- I would like to try, at least. Since so much depends on it."

He didn't say it out loud, but he meant the fate of Eregion and Mordor just as much as that the two armies, and the lives of his friends, his own - and that of his husband. Which would be in such a vulnerable, fragile state if he were the one to brandish the crown against Sauron. The thought unsettled the elf, had in fact begun to disturb him the more he talked to Adar, learnt of him, stayed with him.

'I do not wish to lose him in this battle,' the smith thought. Not just because of the alliance, or what would become of Adar's children. No, this was - affection, as strange as it still was to admit to himself. He wasn't sure if the uruk thought of them as friends yet, but Celebrimbor certainly thought of them as more than allies by now.

With a resolute, determined expression, the smith straightened, and then went to wrap the crown in some rough fabric. He had a hunch Adar's children might not appreciate it if he walked through their midst with that thing on display.

"I'll ask Glûg to accompany me to Gurlak's forge. Would you send for me, if you receive any word from my friends?"

The Lord Father of the uruk made a shooing motion, and finally sat back at the table, ready to finish his meal. "I will. Go- I have a feeling this will take some time," he motioned at the bundle in Celebrimbor's arms, "And I need to prepare myself for what is to come."

Celebrimbor threw the uruk a sympathetic glance. "If you want my advice, it might be a good call to serve wine once the high king arrives. He is rather fond of the drink, and yours should be of a taste he enjoys," he further thought on it, briefly. "Also, green foods - vegetables, leafy greens. Pickles might do, but do not serve only those." He drew a face.

Adar pinched his lips lest they quirk into another grin, but then showed his assent - and his thanks - with a tilt of his head.

Celebrimbor was struck with how little Adar used his hands in conversations; he and his fellow elves were quite prone to gesturing, whereas the uruk was still as a stone for much of the time and usually moved at a slow, almost leisurely pace. The elf pondered if this was due to the fact that he was so long-lived, or if it had other reasons.

"I will take that into consideration. Now, go. I am sure Galadriel and Elrond will be back much quicker than we might expect."

With a smile and another fond look in Adar's direction, Celebrimbor did as he was bid, and exited the tent. Luckily, Glûg was right outside - and judging by his very innocent, decidedly desinterested look, had been trying to eavesdrop. Again. Celebrimbor ignored it and said, "Glûg, please, take me to Gurlak at once."

[bigasswritingmagnet]

Blood Will Out Ch 16 - The Reunion

Summary: When Agatha Sannikova learns she is, in fact, Agatha Heterodyne, she inadvertently kicks off a series of events that reopens old wounds, drags secrets into the light, and brings war to the doorstep of the all but defenseless Mechanicsburg. Saturnus struggles to crush his enemies with a town almost as broken as his body; Agatha, determined to undo the chaos she's unleashed, plunges into the depths of Castle Heterodyne.

Raised by a literal saint and the devil incarnate, Agatha - with an unleashed mind, a burning spark, and a band of very unexpected allies - will fight to do the unthinkable: be a good Heterodyne and a good person.

< Prev chapter | A03 link

Gil managed to get Tarvek pinned to the ground and shout, “I knew you were—!” before Agatha got him in a headlock and hauled him off-balance.

“Stop that!” she shouted as Tarvek scrambled away.

“Hy forgot about him,” Vole muttered. Higgs murmured a slightly sheepish agreement.

“What are you doing here?” Tarvek demanded. “How did you even – do you have any idea how dangerous this place is?”

Gil broke free of Agatha’s grip and shoved her away, barely looking at her.

“I heard what you did! Trying to kidnap someone and then lying about it, and who even knows what else! I knew I had to stop you, because they’d never see you coming, you lying, traitorous, weas—!”

This time, it was Tarvek who tackled Gil. He had significantly less success pinning Gil down, but held his own as Gil struggled to break free, or at least get enough space to draw back a fist. 

“I never did anything to you!” Tarvek screamed. “All I wanted to do was help—” 

Gil tried to cover Tarvek’s mouth with his hand. “Shut up! Shut up, you liar! The Baron told me exactly what you are!”

Tarvek let out a sound somewhere between a howl and wail and bit down on Gil’s hand.

A cascade of water hit them, leaving both boys coughing and sputtering. A shadow fell over them, and they looked up to see Agatha with her fists on her hips, glaring down at them.

“Thank you, Mr. Higgs,” she said, not looking around. 

“Ma’am,” Higgs said, setting the now empty bucket down. 

“I do not have time for this,” Agatha said to them, sternly. She pointed at Gil. “You. Get off of him.”

Slowly, sullenly, Gil obeyed, and he and Tarvek got to their feet. While Tarvek was Agatha’s height, Gil had a few inches on her, and several pounds of muscle on them both. The way Agatha was glaring, she somehow managed to loom over him all the same.

“Who are you and what are you doing in my castle?”

“I’m Gilgamesh Holzfäller. I came here to stop Tarvek from—”

“I wasn’t going to—!”

“Ah-ah!” Agatha interrupted, holding up a hand. She shut her eyes and inhaled deeply. When she opened them, she had…changed. Neither Tarvek nor Gil recognized it, but the castle did. Higgs did. Even Vole did.

Whatever their feelings about the girl, all three felt nothing but honored to bear witness as – after years of having roots trimmed and new growth cut away – a Heterodyne began to bloom. 

“My town is under attack. I need to fix the castle. Tarvek has been helping me, and I need his help, so whatever you think he did, too bad.”

“But you have to—!”

“Have to?” Agatha repeated. Her eyes blazed and her jaw clenched. She knew how to respond to that one. Lord Satur— Her grandfather had said it often enough, and right now Agatha felt it in every bone in her body. She bit the most important words back.  “Have to? I am the ward of Master Saturnus Heterodyne and Lady Teodora Vodenicharove! You are an intruder in my town, in my home!  I can do whatever I want, and I do not have to do anything!”

“Bu—” Gil began. 

She pointed imperiously at both of them.

“Whatever your problem is, you both put a sock in it until all of this is over, because I don’t have time for it. If you can’t do that, get out, or wait here until I do have time to get someone to escort you to safety. If you are going to help, you have to be gracious.”

“Gr/gracious?” the clank repeated, baffled.

“Dot vill be de Lady Teodora talkink,” Vole said from the corner of his mouth.

“You already know I’m here to help you,” Tarvek said. He shot a nasty glare at Gil, who shot one right back.

“Well, I know he’s up to something, and I’m not letting him out of my sight until he does it."

“Do it in a polite and respectful manner!” Agatha ordered. “As long as you’re in my castle, you will behave like civilized gentlemen. Understand?”

They both nodded, still shooting each other vicious glares.

She swiveled on her heel to face the others.

“Now what?” 

“N/Now we go to th/the li/library. Foll/follow me.”

“Just admit we’re lost,” Higgs said.

“We are no/not lost!” the castle snapped. “I cannot get lost withi/in my own wa/wa/lls! The rooms have/ave simply been mov/mov/rearranged in my ab/absence!” 

Agatha felt that must be the case. No matter how uncharitable one might want to be, there was no denying that 'all these hallways look the same' was not a viable complaint for anyone. Each Heterodyne had left their mark, whether in design or decoration. One hallway had snakes - carved into the crown molding, twining around light fixtures, taxidermied into poses alternately intimidating and unsettling. Another had been built perfectly symmetrical, and had managed to remain so even in the destruction. Mirrors had cracked in the exact same pattern, statues were missing the same pieces, and rugs unravelled so tidily it was hard to believe it was not intentional.  

They had settled, mostly unconsciously, into a formation: Higgs and the Castle/Muse hybrid in the front, Vole bringing up the rear, the Heterodyne and her associates in the protected middle. Gil and Tarvek had been very consciously ordered to walk on either side of Agatha after the second slapfight had broken out.

“I’m pretty sure I saw that pillar before.”

“Do you/you want to le/lead?”

“Little bit.”

“Wait,” Tarvek said suddenly, bringing them to a halt. He cocked his head to one side. “Shh. Listen.”

“I don’t hear anything,” Gil said irritably. Tarvek was listening too hard to be snippy back. 

“Me either. I think the fighting’s stopped.”

“What?” Agatha said. “You can’t tell me your father just gave up!”

Vole fished out a pocket watch and glanced at it. “No, dey is probably just stopping for de night.”

“You can’t call time out in the middle of a war!” Agatha exclaimed.

“Sure hyu can, especially if hyu can’t see in de dark. Efferybody splits up und goes to sleep und den dey is rested for fighting in de morning.”

Agatha looked at Higgs, who nodded.

“That’s crazy!” Agatha sputtered. “That’s—! You—! What!”

“You have to sleep if you want to keep your strength up. And speakin’ of, maybe you three should put your heads down for a bit.”

“We can’t go to sleep!” Agatha protested. “I have to fix the castle!”

“They can/cannot stop now. I must/must be repaired.”

“They’ll be a lot less likely to bolt you in upside down if they have a nap first,” Higgs pointed out.

The clank hesitated, the tips of its wings flicking uncertainly.

“Well,” it said grudgingly. “When you put it/it that w/way.”

Vole made a face. “Lord Heterodyne is not gon be happy about dis.”

“He’s going to be a lot less happy if he doesn’t get his castle back,” Agatha said, and rubbed at her face. With her momentum lost, her shoulders sagged. “’M hungry,” she mumbled.

“C’mon,” Higgs said, and changed directions. Down another hallways, and then he ducked into a room and waved for them to follow. 

It was a bedroom, dominated by a four-poster bed. Agatha guessed that it might have been some kind of guest bedroom, as the furniture selection had the slightly disjointed feeling of being things you didn't want to get rid of, but didn't like enough to use every day. The bedposts, for example, were carved to look like they had simple vines twining around them. Beautiful, but not particularly exciting - the flowers depicted weren't even the poisonous kind. The sturdy wardrobe in the corner couldn't walk on its carved wooden feet, and the rug was, under the dust, attractive colors in a pretty pattern that did not make you feel like your eyeballs were being dragged from your skull.   

Like everything else, it had seen better days – the bed curtains and blankets were moth-eaten, and one of the posts had snapped, leaving everything hanging at a wild angle. Agatha recoiled as Higgs approached it.

“What if it has rats in it?” she whined. Gil and Tarvek nodded vigorously, noticed they had agreed on something, and glared at each other.

“Hyu should be so lucky,” Vole said dryly.

“I’ll make something up,” Higgs said. He looked to Vole. “Think you can find a kitchen from here? Good. You go get them something to eat, I’ll take care of this."

“And wh/what am I/I suppo/osed to do?” the castle demanded.

“You stand guard outside the door and try not to be annoying, if you think you can do that without blowing a circuit.”

“You/you are ver/ver/much ruder than I rem/remember.”

“It’s been a rough day for everyone,” Higgs said flatly.

Both Vole and the clank turned to leave; the castle flicked its wings out enough to block Vole from passing it, but couldn’t fold them back up properly and had to shuffle out the door sideways while Vole snickered.

The teenagers huddled up against the wall, Agatha once again the bulwark between the two boys, and watched Higgs as he began to strip the bed. He was examining each piece of the bedclothes very carefully, looking for something – they did not know what, and he did not volunteer the information. Anything that passed the test was tossed into a pile in the middle of the floor; the rest went onto the bed. When all the blankets and sheets had been sorted, Higgs went to the wardrobe and repeated the process.

“The castle knows him?” Tarvek whispered.

“He said he was from Mechanicsburg,” Gil murmured.

“But the way he talks to it is weird. And he just walked right in here without any trouble. Vole’s a Jäger—”

“Jäger-shaped,” Agatha corrected.

“Fine, Jäger-shaped. But he’s just...he looks like just a human.”

Higgs began to construct makeshift bedrolls out of the blankets that had matched his mysterious standards. As he did so, he glanced up and, seemingly without meaning to, met Tarvek’s eyes. Tarvek felt his stomach go tight. The look in those eyes was not threatening or dangerous, but told Tarvek that while he was not quite in over his head, he was sinking rapidly and should perhaps abandon ship and strike out for shore.

Tarvek looked away.

“I guess it doesn’t matter,” he muttered. He wondered if Higgs realized how much of a mistake that had been. Perhaps he had weighed the dangers of warning Tarvek off against Tarvek saying something he shouldn’t; perhaps he simply hadn’t realized Tarvek was very, very good at this.

Because Higgs might as well have told Tarvek to his face that he was right, there was something strange about him, and it was a secret, and the secret was big enough that he would be willing to hurt or even kill Tarvek to keep it that way.

“What do you mean, Vole’s Jӓger-shaped?” Gil demanded. “You’re either a Jäger or you aren’t.”

“He used to be. The generals threw him out because he tried to kill the Heterodyne Boys.”

A pause.

“What?”

Agatha shushed them both, irritably.

“Keep your voices down! The castle doesn’t know – and you two are not going to tell it. I need all the help I can get in here, and the castle will absolutely crush him if it finds out. The Heterodyne Boys forgive him for it, even though he swore to get his revenge and...” Agatha waved a hand in an “and so on” gesture.

“Then why is he helping you?” Gil demanded.

“He’s not helping me. He’s helping my— He's helping Master Saturnus.” She paused, and glared at Gil. “And you don’t tell anyone that. Especially not the Baron.”

“Then he is still a Jäger!”

“No, he isn’t,” Agatha said, in the tones of a Mechanicsburger explaining something that was perfectly sensible and blatantly obvious – to them. “Jägers swear the Jägertroth and serve the Heterodyne family. Vole broke the troth, but he helps Master Saturnus, specifically." She frowned. “Although Master Saturnus was surprised. He thought Vole hated him, too...Mr. Higgs?”

Higgs looked up.

“Do you know what happened with Vole? Why Master Saturnus thinks it’s his fault?”

“What makes you think I know?”

“You’re old enough to have been around when it happened. Aren’t you?”

“I am that,” the airman said, mysteriously amused. “What did he tell you?”

“I asked once, but he didn’t want to talk about it, just that it was his fault. Vole wouldn’t say anything except that it wasn’t his fault – but I think Master Saturnus must have done something bad, because he never thinks anything is his fault.” 

“Is that all Vole said?”

“He said it was very personal.”

“Huh,” Higgs said, genuinely surprised. After a moment, he went back to arranging the blankets. “S’pose it is.”

“You’re not going to tell me either, are you?” Agatha complained.

Higgs was quiet for a moment. He finished arranging the blankets and rose, moving to sit down on the bed. He took out his pipe, but did not light it.

“There was a…misunderstanding between Vole and Master Saturnus. Saturnus felt that should be taken into consideration. The generals…didn’t.”

There was a long silence.

Tarvek was thinking that once again, Higgs had said more than he likely intended to say. For one, Higgs had the apparent age of someone who would have been young when the Heterodyne Boys came to power – perhaps not a child, but certainly not a full adult. Certainly not old enough to hold any kind of position that would let him be privy to the Jӓgers’ secrets.

Agatha was thinking something very different.

“Did Master Saturnus ask him to kill his sons?”

“No,” Higgs said, immediately.

He din’ need to ask. Hy alvays know. Dot’s vy Hy iz…

“But Vole thought he did,” Agatha said.  

“Yes,” Higgs said. “Vole wanted him to ask him; I think he would’ve tried it eventually, on his own. The generals thought so, too, so they threw him out. Saturnus couldn’t stop them – wasn’t his call to make.”  

“How do you think someone is asking you to commit murder?” Gil demanded. Tarvek raised an eyebrow.

“Extremely easily,” he said. “Especially if both parties are familiar with each other.”

“And you’d know all about that,” Gil sneered.

“And he and Vole were very familiar with each other,” Agatha said to Higgs.

“No offence meant, but I’d say ‘bout the closest things to friends your average old school Heterodyne could have.”

“I believe it,” Agatha said dryly. “Honestly, I’m surprised they were close enough that Vole even thought he could guess what Master Saturnus was thinking.”

“That’s the thing,” Higgs said. “Vole didn’t think he could guess. He could. I’d never known him to be wrong, til that night.” He glanced at Gil and Tarvek, then away. “This ain’t my story to tell. And it ain’t somethin’ you need to worry about. ‘S not somethin’ you can fix, not the way you’re thinkin’.”

“I guess you’re right,” Agatha said with a sigh. “It’s none of my business.”

It made sense that she would care about her grandfather’s guilt, but she cared about Vole’s side of things, too. She wasn’t sure why. Perhaps because she and Vole both cared about Saturnus, in their own different ways. Perhaps it felt unfair to punish him for something he might have done, even if the might was a probably.

“Besides,” Tarvek said, “he’s not a Jäger anymore. That means he’s not your responsibility.”

Agatha said nothing to that. No, he wasn’t a Jӓger. He wasn’t really a citizen of Mechanicsburg, either. He’d shown nothing to her but indifference, and she couldn’t say she particularly liked him as a person, so it wasn’t as if they were friends. And yet…

She did not notice Higgs noticing that she did not say she agreed.

[girlfriendsofthegalaxy]

tuesday again 12/24/2024

pair of portentous tuesdayposts: this one is christmas eve and the next one is new year's eve

trying something new with the reading section, where i list off a bunch of books i bounced off and briefly explain why. let me know if this is interesting, or if it's more interesting when i finish a book i sort of enjoyed and really dissect what didn't work for me like with that annoying evil wizard book a couple weeks ago.

listening

the true champ of the past few weeks has been friends at the table's (an actual play podcast about critical worldbuilding, smart characterization, and fun interaction between good friends) horror/weird west season Sangfielle, and i know i have listened to about sixty hours of it bc i have played about sixty hours of stardew valley. i am currently on ep 49, one before the last finale episode, and it feels like it is wrapping up in a very rushed and weird way? maybe i will feel differently after listening to the six coda episodes wrapping up everyones' characters?

the song of the week is fleet foxes’ white winter hymnal, which is morbidly festive without being strictly christmas-y and is not salting the open emotional wound within my chest that is The Holiday Season. album released 2008. christ im old

-

reading

the concept of this gag award is EXTREMELY funny to me. i wish the EFF sent them a little physical trophy. perhaps a challenge coin.

bounced off a lot of stuff. the six larger books and the far top right are all from my absolute favorite thrift store with the worst vibes, who regularly has a 8/$1 media sale bc they actually want to be more of a kitchen goods and home decor thrift store and don't really want to constantly be overflowing with records no one buys. yet here they are.

i really do need to find a good indie used bookstore around here that will take books and give me back slightly more in store credit than in cash. bc i would like to fill some missing chunks of trilogies/fill out the star wars shelves a little more. but every time i have gone to half price books i have had an unpleasant time.

lumberjanes/bravest warrior/adventure time were not making me feel nostalgic and in fact made me quite sad instead (more in a memento mori way than in subject matter) so they're going to a friend's kid

glad i looked up Heartthrob (despite the really good premise of woman haunted by her heart donor) on my library's comic app bc the third one seems to mostly take place in a mental hospital which is really never a vibe i want

GRIFTER has art i don't love and a bland storyline about an ex-marine who is the saddest boy in the world and can also detect literal space aliens living among us. no thank you

tangle's game has a close-call near-sexual assault in the first chapter. no thank you! cool dystopic social credit score premise but no thanks!

gil's all fright diner is about the king of vampires and the duke of werewolves but they're hicks. the narrator hates that they're dumb hicks. did not jive with the authorial voice on this one

i bought Two Tickets to Tangiers in high school bc it looked cool and have only cracked it open now, almost fifteen years later. fifteen year old kay did not yet have the context clues from the cover that it would be a very racist travelogue

i need to stop trying agatha christie. i am never going to like agatha christie

-

watching

somehow i have seen the first tinker bell fairies movie three times this week bc that's all my bestie's toddlers want to watch. a really stupidly stacked cast??? how did all these people have free time in 2008???

-

playing

finished the community center in summer 2 of stardew valley (wildly popular and very intense farming sim) and would have finished it in winter 1 if not for the FUCKING pufferfish. i hate fishing minigames and i especially hate the fishing minigame in stardew so i am excited to leave it the fuck alone for a while.

my cauliflower got stupid mchugelarge?? i do not know why they did that. also a meteor fell on my farm and gave me a bunch of really valuable ore, just like real life meteors.

i do kind of regret picking the beach farm bc so much of my day is spent watering, but i am trying to lean harder into animal products and being more of a fun silly flower farm instead of the intense agriculture i find myself doing. i have the greenhouse, i have a small patch of sprinklerable land, i will simply make sure to buy some of every seed each season and if i really need something i will toss it in the greenhouse.

-

making

people are being very gracious about their mediocre colored pencil portraits. most of my gift budget this year was two flat rate boxes to my siblings. silly little pet portraits are very cost effective if you already have art supplies, nice paper, gumption, and very cheap small frames.

[raointean]

Awww, thanks for the shoutout! @ailendolin and @runawaymun (same usernames on ao3) also have some really good stuff!

where the elrond fics at?

[erulasse23]

happy to say that chapter three of peace found me, my post canon Celebrimbor x Gil-Galad fic, is posted! link is in my pinned.

featuring a lot of Celebrimbor’s thoughts spiraling, mainly about how fucking attractive Ereinion is but with a side of anxiety bc it’s Tyelpe

[beachyserasims]

Geneva Island Legacy┃Chapter three┃A Chance

~ Transcript ~

Beginning / Previous / Next

[thefollow-spot]

hello you're the resident silmarillion fan out of my following list so I'm curious, how bad do you think the Rings of Power is as a Tolkien-world story compared to what was actually written in the book? Like, i get the feeling that the story is the kind of adaptation that would stand up really well on its own as a story if it weren't related to the source material at all?

I started the book (and by that I mean first chapter) years ago and never got to finish it, but i've been meaning to do it after seeing you reblog things about the story. I only saw like three episodes of TROP season two as my father (LOTR fan) watched it and i was laying on his couch sick, and he mentioned that he likes the way the story expands on some things such as how the rings came into being, he says that the book didn't really do that. But I've seen some people say that the show really deviates from the book almost to the point of scoffing at Tolkien's established world and plots. So, I think it's likely that i will watch the show and read the book at some point in time, but i wanted to know, is this a case in which i absolutely must read the book first before the show ruins it, and if so how hard do i need to hold onto my hat?

Hello!! I’m so flattered that I’m your resident Silmarillion fan, even though I’m sure there are more Qualified™️ Tolkien fans on this hellsite <3 And THANK YOU for asking me this; I would LOVE to share my thoughts! Full-disclosure: I’m a self-proclaimed recreational Rings of Power hater. Of course, none of this is really that serious and I bear no ill-will towards fans of the show + hope anyone who likes RoP is out there having the best time, but hating on The Rings of Power is like candy to me so I’m going to be sooo mean about it <3

The short answers are: IMO, Rings of Power is a blatant cash-grab, which reveals itself in every structural choice. It’s an abysmal adaptation, and I personally find it to be an uncompelling piece of original fantasy. I would 100% recommend you read The Silmarillion in general, and definitely before watching RoP!

As someone who loves The Silmarillion, please please please give the book another try, I am begging you!! If you absolutely must only read the relevant sections to RoP, “Akallabêth” and onward + the appendices to The Lord of the Rings are all you need (but you’ll be lacking some really compelling context). The Silmarillion is a book where you get out of it what you invest—the first time I read it, TBH I found it really dry, but the second time I read it, I absolutely fell in love.

I’m in love with Maedhros being the best of his family until he loses it all to grief; I’m in love with Fingon never forgetting how to love people despite always being left behind; I’m in love with Túrin being a damning examination of cultural alienation and queerness (even if Tolkien didn’t 100% know it). I am so so so in love with this book PLEASE try it again 😭

If you do end up watching The Rings of Power first, I feel I need to emphasize a non-exhaustive list of things to keep in mind:

RoP does Elrond a disservice by erasing his past as a child of war

RoP does Gil-galad a disservice of sidelining him when he should be a main character

RoP does Celebrimbor a disservice by depicting him as a stuffy older academic instead of as an ambitious artist clawing for esteem in the shadow of his bloodline being the most infamous noble house in Elvish history

RoP does Galadriel (and women) a disservice by aging her down several thousands of years and portraying her as emotional, unreasonable, and politically ineffectual instead of as celestial, war-sharpened, eldritchly wise, and so so so exhausted with Sauron’s bullshit

You can stop reading here, but if you want longer answers and ✨me being a recreational hater✨, it’s under the read-more:

Is The Rings of Power a good book adaptation of Tolkien’s Second Age?

No!! The Rings of Power is a financial asset owned by Amazon disguised as a television show! We can tell that the production is focused more on marketability than on artistic merit by looking at the character breakdown, plot structure, lore, and themes:

Tolkien’s works are vast in scope, therefore every age of Middle-earth has its own set of key players; a Second Age story should focus on Celebrimbor and Gil-galad, but RoP focuses on Elrond and Galadriel for no reason but name recognition (RoP producers, probably: “No casual LotR fan is gonna watch a show about a cast of randos they don’t know!”). As a result, they are NOT telling the story from the book(s) because they’ve pointed the camera away from the people who are actually doing anything in canon! They are making up plot and lore because the canon plot is unprofitable!!

The showrunners are adamant to give the Second Age the same thematic wash as Peter Jackson’s Third Age story even though the two periods are completely different (they go on and on in interviews and marketing material about it needing to feel like “Tolkien” but what they really mean is, ‘like the successful fantasy media franchise we’re corpse-robbing for nostalgia money’). The Second Age is a transitional period—the Third Age is practically post-apocalyptic. But these writers cannot do thematic textual interpretation beyond beating the Lord of the Rings movies to death and dragging its corpse around… which is actually a win for Amazon because woohoo, that makes these poor fuckers marketable!

If Amazon hired anyone who actually cared about the Second Age, they would have a less familiar property, therefore a difficult-to-market product; a Second Age story written by people who care about the Second Age would feel thematically different from the name they’re trying to capitalize on. I cannot stress enough how disappointing Rings of Power is as an adaptation of one of the most compelling and underexplored periods of Middle-earth history.

Is The Rings of Power a good fantasy TV show?

IMO, no! Because the producers greenlit a show written by two writers who are utterly incapable of doing their own thematic reading, the resulting product is what you get when you throw money at people with no artistic vision. I say this as someone who believes 100% in the value of poorly-crafted TV: I find Rings of Power to be tonally and structurally confused, inescapably derivative, and over-reliant on clichés. Maybe this is just because, as someone who knows anything about the Second Age, it also actively punishes me for knowing what I do but anywayyy.

They jammed a ‘whodunnit mystery’ format onto a fantasy epic, and write dialogue scenes with no stakes and little charm. The world is often lacking in whimsy or gravitas due to their CGI sets and underbudgeted costumes and hair design (RIP to the costume designer Kate Hawley, she’s done some fantastic stuff on productions that give her respect and resources). And every single person talks like Kilgharrah (RIP to the actors who are all putting in a valiant, earnest effort with the under-edited material and poor direction they’re being given). They advertised the show on diversity, yet underwrite their OCs of colour and disrespect their female characters. The best part of Season 1 was when Halbrand almost took his shirt off in the finale, but he didn’t even take his shirt off all the way so that was the worst disappointment of all 😔

Re: how the rings of power were made & does the show scoff at Tolkien’s lore?

It’s true that (at least according to the books I’ve read), there are no in-depth descriptions of the magic or silversmithing techniques used in the forging of the rings of power (but this is unsurprising, given that Tolkien’s magic system is soft-magic rather than hard-magic). In The Silmarillion and in the appendices to The Lord of the Rings, the important part isn’t so much how the rings were made, but why—the political circumstances surrounding their forging. I think it’s evidence that the writers don’t have a fucking clue what they’re doing that they’ve focused on the mechanics of smithing rather than the seduction of Celebrimbor.

The Rings of Power does more than scoff at Tolkien’s established world and plots—what it does is treat Tolkien’s writings as an outdated hindrance to their goal of telling the clumsiest, self-aggrandizing, resumé-padding television story known to modern audiences.

Okay, okay—I'll shut up now <3

As you can tell, I am unhinged about this topic LOL!! I hope I’ve answered your question, and if you DO decide to watch Rings of Power, I hope you have a better time than I did and wish you all my best <3 I’ll just be over here in the corner shaking my fist in RoP’s general direction, for enrichment 😌✌️

[estellan0vella]

Sunshine's Guide To Murder│Lee Minho

Chapter Twenty Three: Gil? SS: 5 (ignore time stamps and dates) Word Count: 0.7K & 1.3K Content Warnings: None? Fluff and cuteness Previous Next Masterlist

The car moves through the white landscape, Florence + The Machine playing through the speakers as Hayun sits cross-legged in the passenger seat, her face turned toward the window. Snow blankets the world outside, a seamless stretch of white, and inside, the warmth from the heaters is relentless, filling the car with a cozy, almost drowsy heat.

Minho drums his fingers on the steering wheel, glancing at Hayun. "You know," he starts, his tone half-annoyed, half-amused, "for someone who hates the cold, you’re seriously underdressed. Why would you not wear a coat?”

She looks over at him, a ghost of a smirk tugging at her glossed lips. “I didn’t have a coat that went with my outfit. It’d make me look all puffy.” She tucks her legs up tighter, almost as if challenging him.

He raises an eyebrow, snorting as he adjusts the temperature up a notch. “Right. So, hypothermia’s a solid trade-off for a ‘puffy’ look. Makes total sense.” His fingers drum on the wheel in time with the beat of the song as he shakes his head, amused despite himself.

Hayun rolls her eyes, adjusting her legs even further until she’s completely cross-legged on the seat, leaning back against the door with her knees tucked up. Minho glances at her and then back at the road.

“If I crash, you know your legs will be irreparable, right? Your hips will probably be out of commission, too,” he says, his tone mock-serious.

She gives him a lazy side-eye, tilting her head. “Are you planning on crashing?”

“No,” he admits, a small smile creeping onto his face. “But it’s the principle of the thing.”

As they pull up to a drive-thru, Minho doesn’t even ask for her order, pulling up to the speaker and placing his own before getting her usual honeycomb hazelnut frappuccino, extra shot of coffee. He reaches over to grab his wallet, paying for both drinks without a second thought, and a few moments later, the barista hands him two cups.

As he passes her the icy frappuccino, he gives her a look of exaggerated disbelief. “So, let me get this straight. You’ve got my car heating on full, my heated seats cranked to warm up your spoiled ass, and you order a cold coffee?”

“Yup.” She sips on the straw, batting her lashes at him. “There’s nothing quite like a cold coffee when you’re warm and toasty. It’s called balance, Minho.”

“Lucky you’re cute,” he mutters, shaking his head with an amused huff as he takes a long drink of his iced americano. “Otherwise, I’d let you freeze. Nobody else gets my heated seat privileges, you know. Feel special.”

“I’ll be sure to put that on my résumé,” she replies, her voice mock-serious. “The only recipient of Lee Minho’s heated seats. Feeling very special, indeed.”

He smirks, pulling out of the drive-thru and heading back to the road. The warmth of the car melts away the winter chill outside, creating a small, cozy world for just the two of them. Hayun leans back, sipping her drink, her eyes dancing with humor and a hint of curiosity.

“So, is this our first date, then?” she asks, glancing over at him, her tone teasing.

Minho’s eyes narrow just a little, a smirk spreading on his lips. “I told you I was gonna do this shit properly. Dates, wooing, the whole shebang. Like I’m courting you in Georgian England or some shit.”

She chuckles, raising an eyebrow at his expression. “Courting me in Georgian England, huh? The honour of it all. I assume a date to the aquarium is the modern equivalent of a grand ball, then?”

“Damn right, it is,” he replies, feigning complete seriousness as he taps the GPS screen. “I don’t just take anyone to the aquarium, princess.”

“Ah, so this is the wooing phase,” she murmurs with mock consideration. “Noted.”

He chuckles, his eyes on the road as they approach a busy roundabout. “Now, shh,” he says, glancing over at her. “I need to focus here. Roundabouts are confusing as fuck.”

“Oh yeah, that really fills me with confidence in your driving abilities, Minho,” she deadpans, but her grin breaks through almost instantly.

When they arrive at the aquarium, Minho expertly reverses into the spot, using one arm to turn around and look over his shoulder, his hand casually draped across the back of her seat. Hayun bites her straw, looking away quickly, eyes scanning her phone as she hides the faint flush creeping onto her cheeks.

Once Minho turns off the engine, Hayun downs the last of her coffee before stepping out of the car, only to be immediately hit by the cold. She shivers hard, tugging her sweater tighter around herself, and Minho raises an eyebrow as he walks around to her side, sliding an arm over her shoulders and pulling her into his warmth.

“Regretting not wearing a coat now?” he teases, a slight smirk tugging at his lips.

She leans into him, shrugging nonchalantly. “At least I still look cute. Isn’t that the point?”

“Unbelievable,” he mutters, squeezing her closer as they walk toward the aquarium entrance. The winter air bites at their cheeks, but she doesn’t seem to mind as much, her eyes already lighting up in anticipation of what’s inside.

“Being a personal heater’s a pretty solid way to woo me, you know,” she says, looking up at him with a mischievous glint in her eye.

“Oh yeah?” he grins. But before he can say anything else, she suddenly slips her ice-cold fingers down the neck of his hoodie, making him jolt. “Yah! What the fuck?! Your fingers are freezing!”

He tries to step back, but she just looks up at him with a pout, and he sighs in mock exasperation, staying still as she keeps her cold hands pressed against his warm skin. “Do you have circulation issues or something?”

“How would I know?” she says with a shrug, but she can’t hide the smile as he winces.

“You should probably see a doctor. Seriously, you’ve got icicles for fingers.” He stops and cups her hands in his, blowing on them and rubbing them between his own hands to warm them up. “We’ll thaw you out in here. Come on.”

The aquarium’s warmth is a welcomed contrast to the cold outside, and they move deeper into the building, stopping first at the jellyfish exhibit, the walls around them bathed in a tranquil blue glow. Hayun’s eyes widen with fascination as she steps closer to the glass, watching the jellyfish drift through the water in graceful, hypnotic swirls.

“Did you know jellyfish have been around for at least 500 million years? Some species are even biologically immortal,” she says, her voice filled with wonder. She points to one of the glowing creatures. “Those are moon jellyfish. They’re completely harmless to humans but still so eerie. And that big one over there? That’s a lion’s mane jellyfish. Its tentacles can grow longer than a blue whale.”

Minho blinks at her, a little taken aback, eyebrows raised. She looks back at him, equally puzzled by his expression, and they just stand there, blinking at each other in silence.

“How the fuck—?” he begins.

“Oh,” she says, understanding his surprise. “I have an eidetic memory. I remember a lot of stuff I read or hear about, especially things that interest me.” She shrugs, but there’s a hint of pride in her eyes.

He shakes his head in disbelief, though his smirk remains. “Of course, you do,” he mutters, still in awe. She’s both unpredictable and fascinating, and he can’t help but watch her as she turns her attention back to the tank, the soft glow of the water casting her features in a delicate, almost surreal light.

Hayun studies the jellyfish for a moment, a nostalgic smile tugging at her lips. “You know, Jisung and I both had the biggest crush on Gil from Finding Nemo when we were kids. You kind of remind me of him,” she says, glancing at him. “Guess some things stick.”

Minho blinks again, thrown off-guard. “Gil?” he echoes. “The moody, scarred fish from the dentist’s tank? How do I- What about me reminds you of him?”

She laughs, turning fully to him and folding her arms, studying him like she’s seeing something he isn’t. “The whole mysterious, broody thing you’ve got going on” She raises an eyebrow, daring him to challenge it.

Minho shakes his head, the corners of his mouth twitching. “You know, princess, I’m not sure if being compared to a Disney fish is the compliment you think it is.”

She rolls her eyes, nudging him with her shoulder. “Take the compliment, Minho. Not every guy can pull off the stoic, scarred-but-softhearted hero. And hey,” she adds, pointing back to the jellyfish, “at least it’s not the blobfish.”

“Fair point.” He chuckles, and they both fall quiet, watching as the jellyfish float, almost in slow motion, across the glowing blue waters of the tank.

For a moment, everything else fades, the cold outside, the darkness they’ve both had to wade through, and the weight of everything hanging in the balance. It’s just the two of them, standing side by side in this surreal, quiet space, surrounded by the strange, peaceful beauty of these creatures.

After a few minutes, Minho tilts his head, glancing over at her. “So, if Gil was your type as a kid, what’s your type now?”

She smirks, pretending to think as she taps her chin. “Dark, and broody. Maybe a little rough around the edges but secretly kind of a softie. Has a mysterious past, possibly related to a tragic, previously unsolved mystery.”

Minho lets out a low laugh. “So basically, Gil. With legs.”

“Pretty much.” She grins, and he shakes his head, that easy smirk of his slipping into something softer as he watches her.

“Good to know I’m hitting all the marks,” he says quietly, almost to himself.

They continue wandering through the aquarium, stopping at each exhibit. Minho listens as Hayun rattles off facts, her enthusiasm lighting up her face in a way that has him utterly captivated.

In the shark tunnel, she watches the sleek, menacing creatures swim overhead, her gaze intense, and in the coral reef exhibit, she leans close to the glass, her breath fogging up the surface as she watches the fish dart in and out of the colourful corals.

At one point, she slips her arm through his, leaning against him. “You’re right,” she murmurs, her voice soft. “This is a pretty good first date.”

He looks down at her, the warmth from her side pressed against his filling him with an undeniable sense of rightness. “Glad you think so,” he replies, resting his hand over hers. “You’re gonna have to get used to it, though. Wooing’s just getting started.”

She laughs, her eyes sparkling as they move on to the next tank. “Fine. But only if you promise not to bring me here every time.”

“Deal. Next time, I’ll take you somewhere way more interesting,” he says, raising an eyebrow, his tone full of challenge.

“Oh yeah?” She crosses her arms, tilting her head. “I’ll hold you to that.”

“You’d better,” he replies, and they share a look, unspoken words passing between them, a promise that neither of them has to say out loud.

As they leave the aquarium later, stepping back into the cold, Minho shrugs out of his hoodie, handing it to her despite her protests and making her pull it on.

“Minho, you’ll freeze-”

“I’ll be fine,” he says, pulling the hood up and tucking her hair beneath it. “Besides, I’m Gil, right? The brooding fish or whatever the fuck. Can’t have you freezing to death on our first date.”

She laughs, rolling her eyes but pulling the hoodie tighter around herself as they walk back to the car. The snow crunches beneath their feet, and they fall into a comfortable silence, the world around them quiet and still.

And as they drive back, the heaters blasting and the car filled once again with her music, Hayun leans her head against the window, a small smile on her face, feeling the warmth of his presence beside her in a way that’s as comforting as the hoodie around her shoulders.

“You know,” she says softly, breaking the silence as they near her place, “you’re really good at this whole ‘first date’ thing.”

“Only for you, princess,” he murmurs, his eyes focused on the road, but the faintest smile tugging at his lips.

Taglist: @hityoulikebahng @drewsandsebastianswife @fackeraccount @lily-loves-kpop @stilldontknowhoiam

@ziggy1221 @justaspoonofjam @tr-mha-fan @candycurshidkwhatthehell

@heeseungspookie @smigcrazy @skzstannie @nightmarenyxx @beaann

[wild-flowerhoney]

multi-fandom masterlist

fandoms and ships:

the rings of power: elrond/galadriel, elrond/halbrand

marauders: gen, regulus/lily, regulus/remus

pjo hoo toa: percy/nico

the rings of power

- AO3 pseud: as-summer -

• COMPLETED WORKS

bitter wine - one shot, rated mature, galadriel has always known elrond will make a fine husband some day, it's just hard to accept that his wife won't be her, hard to accept the idea of losing him to another, pre-series, not canon compliant, implied sexual content, hopeful ending.

the missing pieces series - a bunch of short stories taking place in canon and expanding/exploring various scenes.

1. glimpsing light - one shot, rated gen, elrondriel week 2024, day four: outsider pov, elendil discovers something new about galadriel and his ancestor's brother in 1x03, fluff, missing scene.

2. out of sight - one shot, rated gen, takes place in 1x08/2x01, sauron takes elrond's form to trick galadriel, pining, possibly unrequited love, manipulation.

3. scorched earth - one shot, rated gen, beginning of s2, after that meeting in círdan's workshop galadriel tries once more to get through to elrond, pining, emotional hurt, possibly unrequited love, friendship.

4. gaps of sunlight - one shot, rated gen, companion to glints of moonlight, 2x07 kiss scene romantic rewrite from galadriel's pov, the golden light in lindon is very different from the lifeless shine in adar's refuge but elrond's presence makes it just as beautiful, pining, possibly unrequited love, love and friendship mixing into each other.

5. glints of moonlight - one shot, rated gen, companion to gaps of sunlight, 2x07 kiss scene romantic rewrite from elrond's pov, the dim light in adar's refuge cannot compare to the moonlight in lindon but not even the shadows can ever hide galadriel's light from him, mutual pining, requited love, love and friendship and the ways they're one and the same.

6. of the heart - one shot, rated gen, post 2x08 galadriel and elrond meet in the woods to talk, disapproving dad gil-galad, pining, possibly unrequited love, unresolved romantic tension.

pulvis et umbra - one shot, rated teen, a discussion with a mortal man makes galadriel think of her feelings for elrond and what they mean in regards to her and her marriage to celeborn, post 2x07, pining, unresolved romantic tension, love and friendship.

canto v series - elrond and galadriel, giving in to something that shouldn't be. and all that comes after. somewhat inspired by the retelling of Paolo and Francesca's affair.

1. unto one death - one shot, rated explicit, galadriel gives in to her feelings for elrond who was once her ward, infidelity, mutual pining, forest sex.

2. who reason subjugate - one shot, rated explicit, elrond pov after their sort of marriage, thoughts and feelings about being peredhel, infidelity, secret relationship, smut.

the rising of the tide - two chapters, rated gen, 2x07 rewrite, the negotiation with adar ends with elrond in chain besides galadriel, mutual pining, not canon compliant, friendship and love.

at the end of all things series - my works for elrondriel week 2024, all about their doomed relationship and them making the best of their time together.

1. an interlude - one shot, rated gen, day one: secret relationship, elrond and galadriel meet before her trip to the north in 1x01, pre-canon, established relationship

2. glimpsing light - one shot, rated gen, day four: outsider pov, elendil discovers something new about galadriel and his ancestor's brother in 1x03, fluff, missing scene.

3. breathing space - one shot, rated gen, day three: nenya, elrond and galadriel in the middle of their fight during the trip to eregion in 2x04, established relationship, fluff and light angst.

4. by candlelight - one shot, rated gen, day two: prophecy/future, elrond and galadriel have one last night before their relationship must come to an end, post 2x08, break up, bittersweet ending.

• WIPS

wings of a butterfly - two chapters, rated teen, elrond is such a delight that the dark lord himself can't help but give up on his plans for him, eventual romance, pining, crack treated seriously.

as a binary star - three chapters, rated teen, stardust au, galadriel is pushed out of the sky and elrond takes the chance to finally explore the magical world beyond the wall, eventual romance, tenderness, strangers to friends to lovers.

marauders era

- AO3 pseud: rab-stars -

• COMPLETED WORKS

that which is holy - one shot, regulily, rated explicit, lily goes to meet regulus in the middle of the first war just before her marriage, infidelity, running away, mentioned horcrux hunt.

they'll think of me kindly (when they come for my things) - one shot, regulily, rated gen, regulus and lily and the future they'd wanted for themselves the night before lily leaves hogwarts, canon-compliant, secret relationship, break up.

what we do in the shadows - one shot, rated teen, wwdits/documentary death eaters au, regulus, evan, barty, snape and pettigrew living in grimmauld, crack treated seriously.

• WIPS

i'll stop the world (and melt with you) - two chapters, moonwater, rated gen, regulus runs away with sirius but it's remus and the lupin family that he truly feels he belongs with, eventual domestic fluff, idiots in love, light angst.

we ain't angry at you love (you're the greatest thing we've lost - five chapters, rated gen, rated teen, regulus runs away at his initiation and lives on the streets of muggle london, black family centric, heavy angst.

• COMING SOON

the sun will go out - sirius introspection after regulus' death, heavy angst, hurt no comfort.

pjo hoo toa

- AO3 pseud: cabin13 -

• COMPLETED WORKS

unreal unearth series - stand alone works whose themes/titles/ideas were inspired by hozier's unreal unearth album:

1. the first time that you kissed me (i drank dry the river lethe) - three chapters, rated gen, son of neptune au where percy develops feelings for nico in camp jupiter, angst with a happy ending.

2. heaven is not fit to house a love (like you and i) - three chapters, rated gen, post-canon, au where nico left after gaea and ends up at percy's after six years, angst, domestic fluff, happy ending.

3. carving through the dark (hold me like a knife) - three chapters, rated mature, for the 'unreal unearth' series, infidelity/cheating (not on each other), a percy and nico that can't seem to stop chasing after one another, deeply flawed characters all around.

only the sun - two chapters, rated gen, post-canon where nico reveals that he saw them question his loyalty from the jar, emotional hurt/comfort with hopeful ending.

when the sea rises to meet us (nothing left for you and i to do) - two chapters, rated gen, soulmates au where nico shouldn't be percy's soulmate but definitely is, angst, hopeful ending (possible series/more chapters in the future).

what love means series - five one-shots for the 12 days of percico/nicercy christmas. all fluff and very slight angst:

1. to put in the work - gen, aphrodite and percy discuss his blossoming relationship with nico.

2. to have a home - gen, percy and nico talking about their plans for christmas.

3. to be there for someone - gen, their relationship during the years in four phone calls.

4. to make the best of it - gen, a christmas gift mishap.

5. to give yourself to someone - teen, wedding day fluff.

i'd be home with you - one-shot, rated teen, attempt at humor, fluffy proposal fic.

on the mend - seven chapters, rated teen, follows married percico as they go through a rough spot, angst with a happy ending.

all that glitters is gold - two chapters, rated teen, the greatest fairy tale never told AKA shrek au. half-human/half sea monster percy embarks in a quest to rescue a prince from a tower with his satyr companion grover so that the lord of the land will give him his home back free of magical creatures.

growing into us series - all my fics for percy/nico fest week 2024, all about growing and healing and building relationships.

1. the soil and the sea - four chapters, rated gen, nico and percy getting together years after hoo, mutual pining, light angst, unrequited solangelo (from will), moving in together, domestic fluff.

2. gather the pieces - two chapters, raten gen, nico and percy fell in tartarus together au, dealing with the aftermath of akhlys and tartarus as a whole, not actually unrequited crush, healing and getting together.

3. taste divinity on your lips - one-shot, rated mature, nico becomes a god after his death, mourning and grief, worship, getting together, happy ending.

a thousand old graves - one-shot, rated gen, middle earth setting, percy coming to terms with what his boyfriend's immortality means, elf nico/human percy, established relationship, bittersweet ending.

• WIPS

the relinquishment of logic - three chapters, rated explicit, the haunting of hill house au, horror, mystery, major/minor character death, grief, cousin incest, eventual happy ending.

colored in love - three chapters, rated teen, buddy daddies au, assassins/hitmen percico accidentally adopt a child, found family, humor, angst/fluff, happy ending.

devotee - eight chapters, rated explicit, post-canon percy and nico as friends with benefits, pining, slight angst, past emotional cheating (light and not on each other).

inherent vice - four chapters, rated explicit, hunger games au, angst, minor character death, hunger games canon violence, grief, murder, slow burn, enemies to friends to lovers, district one nico and district twelve percy.

to the ends of the earth (would you follow me?) - three chapters, rated gen, percy and nico meet in the lotus casino, mix of show and book, slow burn, eventual romance, friends to lovers, inspired by @g0thnico's post.

what was holding up the ground (it was you all the way down) - one chapter, raten teen, percy struggling with his sexuality after years of being exposed to heteronormativity.

in the dark of sleep - four chapters, rated explicit, russian doll au, time loops, temporary character death, post-canon percy and nico keep dying and reliving percy's 21st birthday.

• COMING SOON

when the earth is trembling on some new beginning - sequel to "when the sea rises to meet us (nothing left for you and i to do)", shouldn't be soulmates but definitely are percico dealing with the fallout of their new relationship.

[the-passenger-if]

hi Pime! Is it too early to ask questions about your new project yet? ROs and characters and setting and stuff? Sorry if this sounds pushy, that’s not intended!

Not at all! I enjoy talking about my IFs <3

Since I'm working on two projects I'll give you a quick rundown of both of them. First,

❆❆❆Leesangre❆❆❆

This game is set in the southernmost tip of South America in a distant future after a cataclysm wipes out most of humanity and the Earth turns into a big snow globe.

The main character travels in a caravan along with their family/clan which are also the only people they have ever interacted with, 1. because there aren't a lot of human beings around, just small settlements, and 2. because their family doesn't want other people to know about the main character. The lack of contact with other human beings and their constant dependency on their family has made the main character very sheltered.

The game starts after the death of the matriarch of the clan just as the main character's big brother becomes the new leader and everyone is feeling very uncertain about the future. The family consists of the main character's father (a huge mother-hen to everyone but mostly to MC and MC's niblings); the main character's brother (who has a strained relationship with MC); the mechanic of the caravan (the best mechanic in the world, or at least that's what they proclaim); the "shaman" of the caravan (a woman the caravan adopted when she was nine, she's in her late twenties at the start of the game); the main character's nephews, two teens who are also the clan's hunters, and the preteen nibling who has yet to find what role in the clan they will fulfill (these three were given to the clan when they were six, five, and one year old and they are presumably children of another big brother MC has never met); the main character's five-year-old niece and four-year-old nibling (they are the children of MC's brother and the mechanic). The clan also adopts a guy they find passed out in the snow at the start of the game (something neither the clan nor this guy really wanted but is forced onto all of them after he finds out about the main character).

The romantic options are:

Heco (they/them) — the clan's mechanic. They are thirty years old and they prefer to be maintaining the caravan than interacting with others but they don't mind people sitting in a corner and watching them work if they aren't too distracting and promise not to touch their tools. They're also the parent of MC's youngest's niblings, but they aren't in a relationship with MC's brother and never have been. It's a bit complicated.

Mo (she/her) — the curandera or shaman of the clan. If Heco is the hands of the caravan, Mo is its soul. It's impossible not to know where she is at any given time because she's a talking machine and also the type who loves to make people laugh. Of course, her jokes are hit or miss now that everyone is mourning the clan's matriarch but Mo's sense of humor can be like a runaway freight train if she isn't paying attention. (Mo is also my attempt at the friends-to-lovers trope)

Gil (he/his) — the guy the clan saves from certain death. He's in his early twenties and speaks a language that's more common in the north of the continent, so what was he doing completely alone so down south? Even though not much is known about him, he is friendly and quick to adapt to his new life in the caravan.

This game is a trilogy and I will add a few more ROs in the next books.

Project 2 is called,

˚.༄˚.༄A Song of Sirens and Soulmates (ASOSAS)˚.༄˚.༄

ASOSAS is set in modern times (2024∼) in an alternate timeline where Sirens appeared in the fifties changing the world forever. The game starts in New York but the main character and their buddy are thrown into the Siren realm around the first or second chapter so don't expect a lot NY lore.

In this alternate timeline Sirens are considered THE beauty standard with tall and toned bodies if they are male and petite and graceful figures if they are female. Also pointy ears, cavernous black eyes, and wide mouths full of sharp teeth.

Although they prefer to live in their own dimension it isn't rare to see Sirens as movie stars, runway models, and musicians. Most humans won't ever interact with this larger-than-life creatures but a few lucky ones will get claimed by the Song of the Siren, a red dot that shows up just above a person's belly button and marks them as a Siren's soulmate. Sure, leaving the human realm means never coming back but most people will take the opportunity if it means marrying and forming a family with these impossibly beautiful (and rich) beings.

Unfortunately, the main character of this game isn't interested in any of that and has been on the run since they were twenty and they were claimed. Seven years later, their betrothed finds them in a prison cell after they and their road buddy are detained at a punk show. MC is able to convince the Siren to bring said road buddy along and off they go into the Siren realm. Now MC and their ally must come up with a plan to escape before MC's wedding day befalls them.

The romantic options are:

Spook (ze/hir) — MC's ally in this mess. They met a month before the start of the game and decided to travel together for the time being. Spook is a thirty-three year old crust punk that can't stand Sirens and the power they wield over humans. Ze's also half-human and half-Siren, something ze carefully hides behind masks and dark shades. (Non-binary RO)

Verna/Vernon "Vern" Harley (she/her or he/his) — Twenty-four year old Vern is on the same boat as MC; they are a Siren's soulmate who has just arrived to this realm. Unlike MC, however, they've completely bought into the Siren fantasy and can't wait to marry and form a big family with their betrothed. Vern might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but they are a sweetheart and painfully candid. They are a breath of fresh air among the sneers of the Sirens. (Gender choosable RO)

Camille Abadi (she/her or he/his) — In their mid to late thirties, Camille has been married to their Siren for a longer time than they've been single. They speak with the tiniest trace of a french accent, which is hard to notice when they so seldom speak. They are very polite and attentive but a hard person to get to know on a deeper level. (Gender choosable RO)