#Gelert: No Expectations

[ixiraider]

VERY torn… I got another FFQ. I’m trying to decide between using it to

Finally paint my Gelert spotted. I’ve really wanted a spotted Gelert for awhile, but there’s a tiny part of me hoping for a Valentines Gelert release, which would be even better than spotted… But that would likely be a ways off anyway, either on Valentines Day itself in Feb or Gelert Day in March at the soonest, if not years from now. Spotted PBs aren’t actually that much and from JN’s pricing I could prolly buy one wholesale within a couple of weeks, but there are like 0 on the market at all right now so that price might not even stay the same. I associate Spotted with generally being a slightly cheaper color tho, so I don’t expect the price to skyrocket 500% or smthn…. But also, this is Neo, so you never know.

Finally get the Mutant Vandagyre of my dreams. Literally the ugliest pet on the site but I’m kind of obsessed with them. I would probably have to literally buy a new pet slot with real money for this and I have no direction whatsoever for character or customization here. I just really like them. I’ve wanted one since they came out and I’m so grateful nobody at TNT has changed them yet like when they tragically corrected the Tyrannian Chomby (RIP).

[gwaeddblaidd]

Feed the Wolf Chapter 8: Empathy (Released!)

Title: Feed the Wolf

Fandom: Wednesday

Rating: T

Chapters: 8 of 12

Links: AO3, FF.net

Summary: As the dust settles on the Hyde incident, Nevermore is slowly but surely returning to a calmer, safer state. But for those involved, the scars may take a while longer to fully heal. Gelert Davies, a half-werewolf student, has always kept himself out of trouble as best he could, but a chance encounter will test his resolve and force him to face parts of himself long abandoned.

Tags: Enid Sinclair, Wednesday Addams, Original Character(s), Enid Sinclair/Original Male Character(s), Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Wolf Instincts, Loss of Control, Injury Recovery, Self-Hatred, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Courting Rituals, Werewolf Courting, Werewolf Culture, Eventual Romance, Family Issues, POV First Person

Keep reading for a preview!

---

A hunter having grown complacent, a predator turned prey, I come to a sudden halt as I feel the air turn ice-cold. A shiver runs down my spine as I feel a breath on the back of my neck, somehow colder still than the surrounding air. Why does this feel so real? I know for a fact that it isn’t, because I recognise the presence lurking behind me. After so many years of forced companionship, how could I not? It doesn’t usually feel this real though, so clear and defined and vivid. If I don’t turn around, I don’t have to face it – to face myself, or the fractured reflection of myself. Following the shattering of my psyche, two piles were formed from the shards: the pieces I was desperate to hold onto and scrambled to collect, and those that I allowed to fall into the grasp of my wolf. In the moment, perhaps some fraction of my mind recognised that I was letting go of the worst parts of myself, but knowing what I know now I would’ve much sooner remained whole. Leaving those parts of me under the guard of such an untrustworthy keeper, it’s no wonder they festered in the way they did.

That shambling mess of broken parts stands behind me now, corrupted and twisted almost beyond recognition. Almost, but not quite. Even as it radiates pure malevolence, preparing to strike me down, I feel a certain kinship towards it. I recognise the parts that I once lost and wish that I could reclaim them, as much as they disgust me, but I know that isn’t possible. No, it’s too late for such pleasantries. Tonight, all I can do is face myself. And face myself I do, turning slowly as I prepare to confront all that I most despise and pity. Despite everything, I don’t truly fear my wolf – not in here. Out in the real world its influence brings out the worst in me, but in my dreams all it can do is torment me. Nothing it can do to me here is real. Of course, pain doesn’t have to be real in order to be felt, the link between the mental and the physical being far too intimate to be broken by such meagre boundaries. I’m no stranger to pain though, and I’m a firm believer that the dark always precedes the dawn. Pain can be overcome, and most pains come to an end, given enough time. Does reliance on that hope make me an optimist? Perish the thought.

It’s not often I get the chance to see my wolf so clearly. In my dreams it usually remains hidden, torturing me with memories both true and false, hiding behind a smokescreen fuelled by the fires of hatred. Even now, its form is obscured by that smoke, thick rolling fumes rising and falling from the surface of what passes for its body. It’s almost fluid, moving unnaturally and without the restraint expected of a living being. Ripples spread throughout its form as it raises an arm, far too long and thin to be made of flesh and bone, jagged like broken glass in some places and closer to a liquid in others. I shudder at its touch, its claws trailing my jawline as it stares down at me with empty eyes – bright, but lacking life. My wolf is tall, taller than me, but not as tall as our shared bestial form; tall enough to intimidate me, at least. It’s not real, I feel the need to remind myself. As its hand moves down to my throat and its claws curve their way around my neck, I search for a sign of empathy in its scarce few features, but find none. All I see is a predator uncontested, a creature seeking pleasure in cruelty due to going unchallenged by its peers – myself, I suppose, in this case.

The human mind is amazing, perhaps most so in its capacity for imagination. So many experiences that the body has never undergone, the human mind knows how to replicate the feeling almost perfectly. That is perhaps the purest form of empathy – an instinctual understanding rooted most commonly in physical suffering. Some would say such things are passed down through our genetics, others point to the concept of a collective unconscious; the origin of this ability doesn’t matter. What matters is that when my wolf’s claws rip through the flesh of my throat, slicing the jugular and the carotid, tearing my vocal chords asunder, I feel everything. Logically, I have no way of knowing that the experience is true to life, but instinct insists upon that fact regardless. A pained, choked breath escapes me as nerve endings usually protected are born to the outside world, set ablaze by the air as it escapes through newly created openings. I struggle to maintain my footing as the blood begins to pool around me, my strength disappearing with each and every millilitre that pours from the carnage. My blood pressure drops and my vision becomes hazy, my brain desperately trying to apply logic to the dream, ensuring that everything is consistent with my perception of reality. Sometimes, I really wish it wouldn’t.

My legs finally give out from beneath me, buckling at the knees and forcing me into freefall. I fall backwards, my back arching as my balance, too, fails me. In my fall, through clouded vision, I can make out my wolf raising its hand to its mouth, crimson streams trickling down the length of its arm from something pink within its grasp. The flesh seems to writhe in its own agony, as if still connected to me and yearning to return. In some twisted sense it does return, as my wolf consumes the stray chunk in one bite. In that recognition it feels as if I’ve lost something – something small, something inconsequential, but something. Even more pressing though, is just how familiar this feels. It’s more than just instinct though. I’m not just vaguely familiar with the concept, but intimately so with the details. I’m on the other side of the pantomime this time around, though… Ah, so this is how my father felt. There are differences, but the final outcome is the same. This re-enactment from my wolf, what does it hope to accomplish? Whether mere torment or a grand lesson, I cannot say; in either case, it all comes down to empathy once again.

Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful day! :)

[musecaravan]

No Expectations - Kurt / Gelert

thebamfblueelf​:

Kurt glanced back over his shoulder at the other before giving a weak warm smile. “Ah, I figured you would sleep more.” He teased idly going to look the other over a bit. “You look as tired as me.” Another warm tease as he moved about the kitchen shaking his head. “Nein nein, bitte have a seat it will be done soon just some basic breakfast sandwiches und tea. I have to head to the mansion today und get some work done.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I got a text someone fried the jet engine so I need to look at that, plus someone broke a panel on the danger room und Forge needs help installing it.” Kurt did work after all. “But that means I can introduce you to Kitty who would be the one considering your application though as I do want you to work there I doubt there will be any problems getting you a job.” Tail swished and he turned setting food out on the kitchen island not feeling like using the small dining room at the moment before looking to Gelert. “Are you alright?”

@thebamfblueelf​

Gelert liked the expression on Kurt’s face when he teased… it was comforting, in a way.  “Good sleep… could take time,” he admitted.  “But now that I’m here, I might be able to get back my typical sleep habits.  Once that happens, waking me up is likely to get a lot harder,” he admitted with a chuckle.

When Kurt said he didn’t need any help, Gelert did as suggested and took a seat.  As he listened to the other man talk, his spirits fell a little.  It sounded like Kurt would be gone all day… and that he’d be left here alone.  Gelert understood if Kurt’s work kept him busy, but he’d hoped…

Then the rest of what the other was saying registered.  He was going, too?!  “T-that sounds fantastic!” he replied, beaming.  “I mean, not all the problems, but getting to go with you.  And meeting your friends.”  He only assumed about the ‘friends’ thing, but Gelert wasn’t getting the indication that Kurt didn’t like anyone he worked with.  Not yet, at least.  “What time are we leaving?  Is there anything I should know before we get there?”

[lostxndbroken]

@greatergoodfolly​ continued from (HERE)

“I’m surprised to see you. I thought you hated me,” Gellert admitted softly. He’d hoped to see Albus again, but he hadn’t expected to.

“Of all people, I thought you would know me best. It seems I was wrong.” There was a little layer of hurt in his voice. “I’m not a hateful person, Gellert, you know this, so I wonder what makes you think I hate you? You have simply pushed me in a position I cannot turn away from. That doesn’t mean that I hate you.” In fact, Albus still loved Gelert deep down, even if he knew this to be unwise.

[musecaravan]

Learning to Live Again - Kurt / Gelert

thebamfblueelf​:

“We can… fool around when we get to Germany und I have a better… grip on was all is happening.” He nodded to that sighing lightly before going to take his soulmates hand. Lifting it he kissed at his knuckles. He did feel so connected to this man. More then he ever expected possible. But he had never expected to have a soul mate. Not really. Not like others. With what he was, some monster really, he thought himself impossible.

The bath was uneventful as Kurt didn’t want to try for anything. Gelert was right. It would be distracting and they had a flight to catch. Which was easy enough to achive though Kurt did cling to the man more then he wanted to admit to. But this was and had been a lot quickly for him. A proper whirlwind with the only stable thing in it being Gelert. Not that Kurt minded, he was use to having nothing stable in his life so having someone was a blessing. But he was scared, he was worried, and his emotions were strung high and stayed as such all the way to Germany. Even through landing and lugage he was wound tight and kept at least a hand or his tail wrapped around the man scared of what he would find here.Gelert chuckled, feeling a little sheepish.   “I promise I’m not some sex-crazed mad man or anything.  The bond is just… I’ve never felt anything like it.  I promise to control myself, even when we get to Germany.  This trip is so you can find your family, so that should come first.”  He let out a soft sigh that was equal parts contentment and longing as Kurt’s lips brushed over his knuckles.  The blond still couldn’t believe this was all happening!  A soulmate!  After how many centuries?!  

@thebamfblueelf

Gelert chuckled, feeling a little sheepish.   “I promise I’m not some sex-crazed mad man or anything.  The bond is just… I’ve never felt anything like it.  I promise to control myself, even when we get to Germany.  This trip is so you can find your family, so that should come first.”  He let out a soft sigh that was equal parts contentment and longing as Kurt’s lips brushed over his knuckles.  The blond still couldn’t believe this was all happening!  A soulmate!  After how many centuries?!  

True to his word, Gelert helped Kurt with his bath without too much teasing, and before he knew it they were on a plane with their fake passports and headed to Germany.  His soulmate seemed nervous and on edge; Gelert could practically feel it himself, so he let Kurt stay as close as he liked, not caring about any looks that were shot their way.  This man was his everything, and no one was going to take that from him or make them feel lesser for it.  Not ever!

Once they’d landed and collected their luggage, the blond nodded towards an airport café.  “Do you want anything before we head out?  To go, even?  And if not, what’s our next step?  A hostel, maybe?  Or is there someplace else you know you want to go right away?”  Kurt’s tension was palpable; Gelert just wasn’t sure what would work best to ease some of it away.  In truth, he wanted nothing more than to hold the man close and not let go until he felt the tension ease from all of those rigid muscles, but the blond wasn’t sure if that would be enough to help at this point.  He decided it was best to take his cues from Kurt for now.

[beardofkamenev]

MEDIEVAL DOGDOM (1/?) — The Noble Greyhound

The aristocrats of medieval dogdom were greyhounds. The medieval ‘greyhound’ meant anything of a greyhound type, from the giant Irish wolfhound to the tiny Italian greyhound. The ideal greyhound, says a 14th-century writer, was courteous and not too fierce:

“wel folowing his maistre and doyng whatever he hym commandeth. He shuld be good and kyndly and clene, glad and joyful and playeng, wel willyng and goodly to all maner folkes save to the wild beestis.”

The favoured gift of princes, the greyhound was the usual hero of the medieval dog story. There was once even ‘St Greyhound’ in Lyon, said to have killed a serpent attacking his master’s child. Like the mythical Gelert, this unfortunate pooch was slain by his master on suspicion when the child could not be found; remorseful, his master buried him beneath a cairn of stones and planted trees in his memory. The site became a shrine, where pilgrims would hold rites for sickly children suspected of being changelings. Before long, of course, the ecclesiastical authorities caught up with St Greyhound and his shrine was destroyed.

This paragon of dogdom was the noble lord’s special pet, and greyhound effigies were often placed on tombs at their master’s feet. Notable among these is the tomb of Thomas of Lancaster, Duke of Clarence (1387-1421) in Canterbury Cathedral, his favoured greyhound resting gently at his master’s feet. Sometimes the dog’s name was added too, and ‘Jakke’ and ‘Terri’ still eye us gravely across the centuries.

Dogs were often present at royal courts — rules of etiquette notwithstanding. The 15th century Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry (pictured) depict two small dogs standing on the table at a ducal feast, while in front of the table, a servant feeds an expectant-looking greyhound. In fact, the Duke of Berry was a great animal lover who kept a menagerie as well as extensive kennels. Wealthy dog owners had astonishingly high standards of kennel care, described in careful detail in Gaston de Foix’s Traité de la Chasse (c. 1387). The kennel, he says, should be built of wood a foot clear of the ground, with a loft for greater coolness in summer and warmth in winter, and should also have a chimney for warmth when the dogs are cold or wet. Greyhounds sometimes even slept on their master’s bed, proving that, even then, dogs’ tastes remain the same.

But the noble greyhound’s life was not always one of leisure and luxury. The most fashionable sport of the time was stag-hunting, and at this, the greyhound excelled. Their astonishing speed allowed them to be slipped to stop game quickly, or put in as relays to a pack, or, in the great battues, sometimes organised for visiting notables to drive deer to archers for the kill. However, as Gaston de Foix found, the greyhound was sometimes a bit too good at the hunt, killing the quarry before the master had even caught up! Nevertheless, a greyhound would always be well-rewarded for their efforts with a share of the meat from the chase, some freshly killed game, and perhaps a belly rub or two.

Source: Beatrice Johnson, ‘The World of Medieval Dogdom’ (2019)

[wolfofwinchester]

💘 / I'm getting to ours but I'd like to see what you have in mind uvu!

send me 💘 + A SHIP and i’ll tell you—

where they first met and how

When Lord Phantomhive brought home his bastard, a few key villainous nobles were present to meet her a few days after her arrival. The Undertaker was among them, although he was hidden away and out of her eyesight so she never really seen him outside of flashes of silver and a flow of black. Inevitably, it turned into The Hunt of her trying to find out who this mysterious “Aristocrat” was.  

how long their ‘flirting’ phase was before feelings got involved

I could see playful flirtations being part of their aesthetic. It fits, I think! Never serious before and they knew it, they were just messing around with winks and flirtatious comments, sometimes getting a rise out of the other, other times pretending to be one another’s significant other for reasons of their own (let it be getting a free meal for Valentine’s Day or for a cover-up where they’re both in disguise). As such, I think the playfulness went on for a gooooood while, some years of cozy play before things got r e a l.

who fell for who first ( if applicable )

To even their writers, I feel this is meant to be ambiguous. 🙊 They’re That Kind of Couple.

where their first date was and what it was like

I think they both thought it more comfortable if it was a private affair; nothing so public as a dinner at a restaurant, and nothing so closed-in as the manor. I think their first date was something of a very elegant and rich picnic somewhere in the countryisde, lost from civilzation and farm buildings. A little peace of solitude where they got to enjoy one another’s company while Lilac chased the hounds around the rolling fields of green. 

A picnic and just wiling away the hours talking, huddled up side-by-side and safe from blinding light beneath an enormous willow tree. After that, I think they went back to Azrael’s Funeral Parlor and spent the rest of the evening there just having laughs and wine. Just a really long, and really good day that ended with both of them snoozing in Azrael’s coffin. It’s not made for two people, so Claudia slept on top of him and he held her the whole night through. They woke to find Lilac sleeping on top of her and a floor flooded with hound dogs + Gelert. 

who asks who out and how ( with a sign? spelled out on a cake? just a simple ‘will you go out with me’? )

Azrael steals first proclamation of love and kiss, but Claudia steals these moments. She made the first step after their confessions, asking with a sly grin if he’d like to have dinner with her. It was done very smoothly while they were still in the afterglow of requited feelings, when they were both basking and feeling that glowing mirth. An hour or so after that, I believe. 

who proposes first

Claudia, absolutely. Marriage is never a concern of Azrael’s, he’s fine with things as they are! It’s never a required step in his mind. He goes with his lover’s flow.

if they keep / kept their relationship secret or let everyone know right away

Claudia’s rebellion in the Watchdog role succeeded into her relationship. Azrael’s vigilant and he wants them to stay a secret for Claudia’s own good in her public image, but Claudia’s ambitious nature to not let this life control her gently tussles with that. As such, the public sees them as a very odd pair, not there’s no confirmation of their relationship. They’re a forbidden romance waltzing in plain sight who have rumors spark up that end up hushed immediately.

“We’ll be discovered,” He whispers into her lips, earning a sharp-toothed grin that nips his bottom lip. “And so what? I’m already goin’ down in history as the most notorious Bastard of Phantomhive. ♪”

where the proposal happens and how ( kiss cam at a baseball game? on a hillside surrounded by ducks? at a disney park? )

It wasn’t precisely the ideal or dreamy, romantic proposal Claudia wanted it to be. For over a year, she’d been secretly working on the perfect ring for Azrael in her workshop, and it’s led to many rejects she felt were never perfect. The frustration of an artist led to art block, and that clashed direly with her desire to propose to the man! Lots of ring rejects! Despite them all being quite lovely, she never felt they were correct. There were strings of rings around her workshop at this point that she turned to for inspiration.

Finally, she had the perfect ring. Polished, and just right. The hyper glory of having perfected the ring after this long led the very tired, frazzled and disheveled woodworker zipping on horseback into London to that old Funeral Parlor, throwing open the door, finding a VERY befuddled Azrael who hadn’t seen her in days, and proceeding to capture his wedding hand.

For a solid minute, Azrael swore he seen his unlife flash before his eyes with how fast she approached him! He thought he did something wrong, or was falsely accused! You’d never seen a more bewildered man be proposed to by a very exhausted but very passionate woman. From an outsider’s point of view, it was hilarious before it became very tender and quiet. ???? WHAT’D I D- oooh?

It wasn’t scenic, but it was full of heart. Claudia apologized for storming in, but she had to do this right away because she couldn’t hold herself back another minute. She told him how important he was to her, and how important he’s been to her. He’s been her sole companion who didn’t need to be by her side, but he chose to be, despite how dangerous her life is and how loony of a woman she is. He’s been her trusted companion, and in this life, he’d come to be her best friend over so many years of them knowing each other. 

It went from flighty to quiet and emotional. She asked him to marry her, and whattaya know, he accepted.

if they adopt any pets together

They’re pretty happy with their fuzzy family already, but I think Azrael’s tendency to take in strays leads to them having a few kits down the road. Any cat of his at this point is extended to being auto-adopted by Claudia.

who’s more dominant

They’re.. both dominant. Unless Claudia’s having a low energy day where she gives Azrael the full reins (which he loves), she’s right there tussling for control and they’re both playfully wrestling and nipping! They both get their time on top before someone gets coherent enough to flip, and the cycle continues.

where their first kiss was and what it was like

It was very cute. Like the rascals they are, they were chasing one another in the forest behind Phantomhive Manor, a fox chasing a wolf. It was Autumn, and the sun was creeping across the sky. There was a chill in the air enough to see one’s breath. Azrael caught up to Claudia and towered over her after she’d hid behind a tree, and they shared a laugh.

The Fall light was hitting her so sweetly, though. The way the orange light danced across her sapphire eyes and skin as she beamed up to him so slyly. He had to kiss her, and it stunned her entirely in the best way.

if they have any matching couples stuff ( mugs? sweaters? pillowcases? )

“If lost, return to [x]” shirts for the modern age, definitely. For a more time appropriate thing, they have matching hand mirrors that they’ve poured their hearts and soul into enchanting. It’s an imperfect enchantment, but it lets them see the other so they can check on one another throughout the day. 

They’re mirrors bound with their love. When Claudia died, all other hand mirrors they’ve ever used to communicate their secret messages through shattered, but Azrael’s enchanted hand mirror, and Claudia’s, survived. 

On a more casual level, they both have matching sleep shirts. Black poet styled shirts that are very big and drape on their persons so they can effortlessly wear one another’s without issue!

how into pda they are

They’ve always been a connected duo, so it’s not out of the park to see the with joined arms or holding hands. They’re constantly cuddled up, although Azrael becomes very aware of how affectionate they’re being time-to-time, only to be consoled back into comfort by Claudia. 

They’re very PDA, but Azrael is sometimes wary when things like kissing begins. They oft hide behind Claudia’s fan for things like that. He’s a lot more eased into the intimate affections when Claudia’s under a glamour or heavily disguised. 

who holds the umbrella when it rains

Azrael’s taller. He tends to ask for Claudia’s parasol and holds it for them both, which leads to her ribbing him gently and grinning. “Such a gent!”

where their usual ‘date spot’ is ( if applicable )

In one of their old threads, Claudia brought up an inconspicuous B&B that was in the more rural setting outside of London. Way out of the way of city limits and seeing only light traffic. I think this would be a neat “date spot” for them, as well as a safe location for exchanging information. No one can peep on them, and they both know the owners well enough to know they keep to themselves and give their guests privacy. There’s no reason for either to be nosy about Claudia&Azrael either, they’re just friendly faces who return for a spot of breakfast, lunch or dinner before heading out. 

who’s more protective

You’d expect the Immortal to be more protective, but the fact of the matter is, it’s equal. Azrael is protective over Claudia, and she is the same over him. They’re both very heavily laden with grief and know great loss, something that’s a deep level of understanding with them; grief is part of their character, and that’s made them both very guarding individuals who protect the other with everything they got and a fierceness that will, and has, spilled blood.

how long it is before they sleep together ( can be as in ‘had sex’ or as in ‘shared a bed’ )

Sharing a bed is nothing unusual; platonically, they’ve taken many naps together before and one has flopped on the other when finding them in a moment of rest. They’re not stiff and awkward about it, and it flows pretty easily when they enter an intimate relationship. They are THE HUMAN KNOT. 

Intimacy, however, is not something they immediately leapt into, especially when Claudia mentioned she’d never been with a man before. Although there’s certainly tension, it’s a good while before they actually do anything outside of kisses and frisky touches, which is fine with both of them. When Claudia’s ready, Azrael makes a very comfortable and romantic scene in the upstairs bedroom she’s fixed up so well for him over the years. It’s a very slow and tender first time. 

if they argue about anything

They don’t argue, they have disagreements, even when those disagreements happen to be about something they’re both very passionate about and clashes with their moralities. They don’t escalate into something so careless and uncontrollable as screaming and yelling, accusations and blame. They don’t do that. Claudia’s upbringing and Azrael’s calm stance come into agreement here, and they’ve agreed-to-disagree before, and both agreed to air out the tension by spending a little time away from the other to let the feelings subside. 

They’re very mature about this, which is more than can be said for a lot of relationships. Wild individuals them both, but very conscious and thoughtful ones. They’d never seek to hurt or jab at the other.

who leaves more marks ( lipstick, hickeys, scratchmarks etc. )

Claudia. Without a doubt, it’s Claudia. She loves to mark him up with hickeys and scratch marks, but seldom does anyone see anything due to his cassock riding high in collar. Sometimes, someone might see a mark, or a purple lip stain, peeking from above the white though, if they’re perceptive enough.

Also, she just loves to pelt him with kissy marks. That man oft has to clean his face from mulberry lipstick when he leaves her! 

who steals whose clothes and how often

Claudia’s more curvy than Azrael (lanky boy) so his clothes don’t exactly fit proper, but that doesn’t stop her from slipping on his shirts and leaving a few buttons undone. Azzy, on the other hand, enjoys stealing a plethora of her shirts because they fit him without issue - baggy on him, if anything! They’re very cozy and he enjoys the fabric, from cotton to silk! He has more of her shirts in his dresser than she does of his.

However, they do tend to swap their coats whenever Claudia’s on Watchdog duty and wears her leather duster. His is more flowy and baggy, hers is more protective and thick, but no less stylish with a popped collar. They look really good when they swap. 

how they cuddle ( spooning? facing each other? )

Absolutely mushed and tangled together, preferably laying down because Claudia can throw a spanner into the height gap that way. They’re usually face-to-face, noses nuzzled and forehead crowned together. It’s easier to smooch (and bite) this way! 

what their favourite nonsexual activity is

The world can burn and fall to ruin, and they’ll be sweeping through the flames with their transcendental waltz undeterred. Dancing is, and will always remain, these two’s thing. They’ll dance through Death and they’ll dance through Spring, making Persephone & Hades proud.

If you can get them to stop for two seconds, they also enjoy traveling and seeing what the world has to offer two wicked goblins like them. Wanderlust is something they both share, or perhaps it’s something Claudia’s infected Azrael with! But they do like getting out of the country.

how long they stay mad at each other

Not long at all. They’ve had their moments of clashing before, but the anger doesn’t really last that long at all. They step away from one another to let the other have their space as I said before, to let the feelings subside since they’re both passionate individuals who do not budge at all, but.. they just don’t stay mad at one another. They’ve gone to bed before without meeting up right away due to their lives preoccupying their time, and every morning afterwards they’ve found one another’s company. 

I just. cannot see them as a couple who stay mad at one another for a long time, or carry anger. Individually, they don’t strike me as the personalities that do that with loved ones, and they certainly don’t do it together. Distance makes the heart grow fonder? It makes them a little anxious, to be honest. Just a little. They get a little jittery when life circumstances keep them from coming back together after a disagreement.

Very attached couple. But of course, I could be wrong about this for Azrael! I don’t want to assume. Claudia definitely gets a little jittery for sure.

what their usual coffee / tea orders are

They’re an order you’d prefer not to mix up on the general. Claudia likes three spoonfuls of sugar with a hint of rosemary and no cream in her pine-needle tea, Azrael likes two drops of cream and no sugar. They will notice immediately and kind of swivel their heads like, “Whoa!”. One’s too sweet, and the other’s not nearly sweet or pine-y enough!

if they ever have any children together

They are a happy conjoined family with furbabies, thank you very much! 

if they have any special pet names for each other

Claudia is notorious for pet names. “Mr. Callows” always remains the first affectionate term of endearment that has evolved through the years from platonic to romantic, and she never drops it when addressing him. For Azrael, it’s always a sweet french pet name woven with “wolf”. She thinks that is absolutely precious, by the way. Loves it.

However, for fun, a list of pet names she’s made for him so far

Bonekeeper

Loveweaver

Coffinweaver

Sugarpuss

Lover

if they ever split up and / or get back together

Nope.avi

what their shared living space is like ( messy? clean? what kind of decor? )

Azrael’s cottage out and away from everyone is pretty much the perfect insight to how their living style is mashed together; it’s incredibly rustic and you’d swear you walked straight into a witch’s cabin, which is only half true! Dried herbs hang around the place, acting as passive aromatics mixed with the lovely scent of pine incense, but it’s all very light as they keep the windows open to allow for a nice breeze. There’s wicker baskets filled with mushrooms, berries and other foraging goods, there’s dried & salted meat hung up in the kitchen area, and a cauldron that always seems to be bubbling with something delicious.

There’s chairs Claudia’s made for them both around the Hearth, covered with knitted blankets they’ve made with forest embroidery - foxes and wolves, cats and hounds. Baked apples or some sort of fruit lay beside the fireplace on sticks. Azrael has Lilac’s area primmed and proper here, her own cozy corner with little feather toys the couple made. 

It’s clean, and it’s a cozy clutter of goods. They’re not suffocated, but it’s obvious they have treasures here and lots of stuffed shelves. Outside they have a hammock they both made from scratch. :’)

what their first christmas / hanukkah / etc as a couple was like

Azrael never really knew how to celebrate the Holiday, and never really had reason to in earlier years until Claudia pulled him along for the ride of Yule, and this was long before they were ever an item. She taught him tradition, she’s taken him hunting for the perfect Yule log, they’ve sat side-by-side making wreathes and making feasts with their own two hands in the manor, and they’ve both kept the log burning while hanging bits of evergreen around. Not to mention, the fun of decorating a pine and the tales of how they’d hang treats and food on the branches for spirits to nibble on in good favor. 

However, their first Yule as a couple allowed Claudia to sneak in the cheekier tradition of Kissing Boughs. For the first time, they made little doll versions of Claudia & Azrael to hang in the middle of these boughs, and entwined mistletoe at the bottom as is tradition for making. Every berry on the mistletoe is a kiss promised, and one plucks off a berry for each kiss given. They both had to do their damnedest to not pluck off every berry right away, and it’s become one of their favorite parts of Yule. The purposefully look for mistletoe with the most berries because of this!

what their names are in each other’s phones

On Claudia’s phone: “Mr. Callows ⚰️ 🖤” / “Big Spook 👻” /  “Love Goblin 1 🖤″ On Azrael’s phone: “Ma louve 🐺 💚” / “Little Spook 👻” / “Love Goblin 2 💚“

if they have any ‘couple traditions’ ( buying a new mug for their collection every year? baking every friday evening? )

The escape to Azrael’s cottage is absolutely tradition, and prized at that. Come Hell or High Water, they will have their time where they escape the life as Countess and Informant to be domestic - to live a slice of a normal life together, no matter how short-lived. That time is so precious to the both of them. Normalcy, peace, togetherness, and no one else around to tarnish their Elysium. It’s good for their critters, too. <3

who falls asleep first and who wakes up first

Claudia falls asleep first, but she’s always the first to always wake up, too. Azrael tends to sleep in and has his small wife peppering him awake with kisses and bites, leading to a grouchygami who tries to trap her in bed and snuggle. He can never win against her wake-up calls. v_v

who’s the big spoon / little spoon

It depends! They both are fans of switching. Sometimes Claudia will be found with Azrael curled up as small as can be, tucked away in her frame with his face in her neck, hugging her waist and humming delightfully as she nuzzles into the top of his crown and covers it in kisses, holding him very tight and very protectively (as she loves to do). Other times, you’ll just see Azrael curled up around something because she straight up vanishes beneath all that hair and the long overcoat LMAO. He hides his smol spook very, very well, and she does like that.

who hogs the bathroom

Claudia has to spend quite a while when it comes to fixing her hair in the morning; straightening it and then putting it in a braided bun with all those pearls takes time! Meanwhile, Azrael has a lot of hair maintenance of his own. I think they just make it work in the bathroom, no matter how crammed it is LMAO? Even if the mirror is itty bitty they just. make it work! It’s chaotic when they’re using the tiny bathroom at Azrael’s place, but they do it! With playful nudges and hip bumps, of course. Outta the way, you’re hoggin’ the mirror!

And with showers / baths, I still stick with an old way I answered this question; Without warning, Claudia hops in and joins, especially if she’s in a rush. Azrael’ll be minding his own business when OH HELLO NAKED WIFE FANCY MEETING YOU HERE.

There’s not as much hogging as there is Invasion.

who kills the spiders / takes them outside

It’s a fucking race to who gets it first. Will Azrael eat it first, or will Claudia swipe up the little eight-legged nightmare and whisk it away outside? IT ALL DEPENDS, especially when they both spot it!

[hollywoodhangar]

5 things!

Tagged by: @silvcrreaper! thank you, dear! :’D this is a really cute meme! I’ll probably use it again in the future bc of that tbh. I’d like to do a lotta characters. Tagging: @mettatoniic / @corviudex, @wcrldlyadventures​, @tcthinecwnself, @scwewywcbbit, @wabbitseezun, @couragelinked​, @contractualsarcasm​, @heedingcalls, @bloominghands, @fairestfall, @blackstardiopside​ / @hellhogged​, & you!

doing this for red’s hardcore over-a-year fixation seriously this woman owns my ass at this point hhggh this thing got way too long!!

CLAUDIA P.

5 THINGS YOU’LL FIND ON HER PERSON.

Her mother's broken pearl necklace. It's very near and dear to her, she's held onto it like a security blanket as well as a trinket for luck & protection ever since Lord Phantomhive whisked her away to the estate. She keeps them safely tucked away in one of her hidden skirt pockets! Those of supernatural origin that are able to detect magical objects can sense there is a Divine blessing on it; it’ll never be lost to Claudia, and those who mean her ill-intent will have their hands burn when they grab at it - almost like they stuck their hand in flames. It’s a precious thing that Máire [ her mother ] has long since used in her prayers specifically to Brigid ever since she was twelve, so it’s instilled with her blessing! 

Her axe. Even when she’s retired, the Countess keeps her silver axe on her person just the same; tucked away in its renewed sheathe that’s hidden under a flap on the back of her dress [ fun headcanon: while undertaker takes his sotoba up from the top of his collar, she pulls her axe down from below ]. Divine magic also touches this weapon; a blessing from the Morrígan in which the blade is kept heinously sharp so long as she gets some sip her blood tribute, absorbing the splatter and gore through the axe’s silver surface and leaving it pristine. Should too long go by without it having a taste of blood it will begin to dull rapidly for the amount of years its gone untouched, but fortunately the Phantomhives never seem to run short of assassins, hitmen and abductors. Her Divine continues to be pleased.

An emerald poison ring. Silver, classy and adorned with the head of a wolf opening its maw to hold a shiny emerald. No one'd expect such a beautiful big gem hides such a heinous poison beneath! It looks pretty neat when she pops it open and the poison pours out of the wolf’s mouth.

[ Enchanted ] Skeleton key. A simple-looking golden key with hidden runes that activate when inserted into magical locks its made for, but it functions like a normal key as well. This key will open absolutely any door in the Phantomhive manor [ unless Sebastian’s room has the same thing going on! ] as well as the invisible locks she has guarding her forest altar. This is also the only thing that will open all doors leading into her bedroom [ the hallway and the balcony ] as those locks are spellbound to react to only the key itself. Vincent’s always tried to pick his way in but could never quite achieve it! I like to think he inherited his mother’s mischievously nosy curiosity. 

Her black choker with a deep green brooch embedded in its middle. It hides the scar paved along her throat from the attempted assassination. Don’t want anyone seeing that, especially not family. v_v

5 THINGS YOU’LL FIND IN HER ROOM.

Her bed, of course! Mahogany framed. It’s enormous, as to be expected for a Countess. It’s extremely soft, easy to sink into and piled with many lace-ended pillows. Heavy, wool-knitted beige blankets lay over the very top, plush to the touch and covering the white and green sheets beneath it. Deep green curtains with leaf embroidery are tied to the bed posts with dark brown rope, and close all around the bed when Claudia turns in for the night -- except for the curtains at the foot. Those stay partially open to absorb the heat from the fireplace. As for the back of the bed, she built it herself! It has an enormous, full-length mirror installed into its wooden frame and a long, smooth surface below for convenience. It has two lamps at both ends that are within reach. 

Lovely mannequins. Rested next to the balcony are two simple manniquens. One is the bearer of her Brigid cloak, the hood pulled up and draped over to obsfuscate the face. Its arms are stretched forwards, hands splayed up with the ceremonial cloth and ropes used for Claudia’s handfasting ceremony; the pearls that were wrapped around all that hanging from its neck. Opposite of that is the other manniquen. Covered with a deep, dark duster, a peasant blouse, tight black pants and thigh-high boots give off a familiar visage of the Countess during her Watchdog days. Around its waist hangs a very intricate rich brown leather belt with lots of slots in it, weaponized chatelaines and satchels with golden clasps - and a golden wolf head as the buckle in front center.

Secret compartments. Many secret locked compartments in the walls she installed herself [ ^ that can only be opened by aforementioned skeleton key, or a very determined and powerful supernatural force ], hidden behind landscape portraits and animal print wall tapestries. She keeps various things in them: Tonics & Poisons. These are very rare breeds of both, being highly efficient in what they’re made for specifically. There’s vials of strange-looking gnarled roots and various colored liquids stored in here as well, along with herbs (??) hanging from the top. Inheritance. The late Lord Phantomhive left Claudia a fortune, most of which she sent to charity, but kept her own sum for emergencies sake. But that is not all he left her; there’s a small pile of letters, some opened, some remaining closed with different seals. There’s also an envelope in here for Claudia specifically, opened and re-sealed. What’s inside is information concerning safe passage to a number of locations and a list of names. Near the very end, the Lord gave Claudia a way out if she ever felt the need to flee from the Phantomhive title; she’s the only blood left. He would not hold it against her to forfeit the Watchdog title, he’d be dead - he has no reason to care for anything at that point. It’s a very bittersweet gift Claudia’s gone back and forth more than once and plans to hand down to the Undertaker “if I go before he does”. She trusts him to hold onto it and give to any Phantomhive who starts feeling pushed to the brink. Altars. A small altar for each of her Goddesses exists in the walls, in twin compartments side-by-side, their doors marked with the carvings of an anvil and a raven. Brigid’s altar is warm, decorated with handmade trinkets and rolled up drawings. The Morrígan’s is dark, positively dark and dimly lit with this very small icy blue lantern that hangs from the top, and the rest of it is decorated with fans fastened from raven feathers and odd white-crimson candles -- that contain her own blood.  Memonto Mori. Death has been embraced around Claudia for so much of her life, so she’s dedicated her own reminder of that in a “.. yet I survived” way.  Mementos from the Famine in the form of mothbitten fabric from the nightgown she wore that entire time and a lock of hair that had fallen out, from the first attempt on her life by a kidnapper in the form of the rusting gun he had and the bottled flesh & muscle she tore from his throat that earned her the title “Wolf of Winchester” among the Aristocrats of Evil, from the nigh successful assassination in the form of the bloodied gown fabric and pressed white roses that wear dried crimson on their petals. There is nothing for the Phantomhive Fire. This rebuilt manor is a jarring memento mori of its own now. 

Cherry wood bookcases. It is stacked with books of worldwide mythology, folklore, natural remedies, strange leatherbacks, and lots of journals Claudia’s written personally over the years. There’s pictures of loved ones wrapped in oval-shaped, polished wooden frames, a lot of old wooden toys she made for her progeny that they’ve grown out of, a black onyx hand with all fingers lined with rings she made herself and holding an ornate athame. Currently, “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus” sits with a long brown & white feather serving as a bookmarker. 

Urns. Three very precious porcelain urns that are specifically customized to fit the lives they belonged to: Vincent, Rachel, and Claudia’s seven hounds. While she drew the designs for Vincent and her hounds, she let Rachel’s parents decide how they wanted their daughter’s urn handled. She passed the drawings to the Undertaker and he made them to perfection. They rest on the previously mentioned bookshelf, side-by-side in a very gorgeous center display, with fresh white roses, rosemary, gladiolus & lilies from the garden surrounding them and small lanterns constantly providing a low, gentle golden light. There’s candles that have been melted to their hilts and others that are brand new.

5 THINGS THAT MAKE HER HAPPY.

DOGS. 

Mythology. Mythology and folklore have always been incredibly fascinating to her! They can easily eat hours away as she delves herself into learning more and more about them and re-reading the ones she already knows.

Family. I've said it once, I've said it twice, Claudia's a woman who adores to be surrounded by family. Her attempts to convince the Midfords to join with the Phantomhive household have gone shot down by both her grandson and her daughter. One day she’ll prevail. One day. She won’t but she can dream of having a full house again, let her dream.

The countryside. Honestly, the fact they live here instead of in the city was something of an immense comfort to Claudia because it’s a little reminscent of Donegal. She regularly takes Gelert for a walk and finds a nice green pasture to just sit in for a while and enjoy the wind. It brings such a huge wash of calm and relief and what she turns to when feeling absolutely stressed, anxious or angry. Her natural dopamine hit!

Sweets. The Countess has a bad sweet tooth like her grandson and loves to eat sweet things, including things of her own baking and creating! Wave any delectable sugary sweet before her face and you have her attention - not her compliance, but her attention. [ 1v1 phantomhive discourse is continuously stealing the other’s treats. she doesn’t even recall who started it but it is an on-going War. ] 

5 THINGS SHE'S CURRENTLY INTO.

Infinite woodworking! She has several projects going on at the moment, one being a boat and another being a marionette bitter rabbit she’s eventually going to get around to painting. Both gifts!

Foraging. Sure she can easily send the servants to buy this stuff from the market, but she likes to retrieve them herself. There’s a lot of berries and edible/medicinal plants in season right now and she’s pretty happy about that. :) Mulberries galore.

Reading. Very good exercise for her brain as she’s getting a little more forgetful in her old age, so keeping it busy with things like this strengthens her mentally. At the moment she’s not only reading Frankenstein, but she’s also reading about Japan mythology! That, and about strange monsters & creatures encountered at sea, actual accounts taken down by the author of the book who interviewed many-a sailor. 

Hunting. Not only does it give her a grand excuse to get out of the manor, but she needs to keep her archery sharp and Gelert in shape. 

Summer Games. Speaking of which, she has a title to defend! Sporting events are beginning to ramp up and the Phantomhive name continues to hold first place in the Archery branch, much to the chagrin of many who try their aim & speed against the Countess And Lose. Also, the events are always a bunch of fun to take part in - she’s dragging along anyone available.

5 THINGS THINGS ON HER TO-DO LIST.

Finish the on-going "Misfortune's Way" Funtom board game with Ciel. [ Ciel: 9. Claudia: 9. Neck-to-neck. Who Will Win? ]

Continue work on the boat she's created for the Midfords. She needs to finish carving their family crest into the right side of it and hollow out the rest of the bow. So much work to be done! But four months of blood, sweat and tears are going to pay off. :)

Fix that TERRIBLY painful floorboard her foot keeps hitting. It's been on this list for about a week now. She keeps forgetting or gets sidetracked! She’s getting a bruise. :( [ have tanaka do it? no no, she lets that poor man rest now. have sebastian do it? not a chance. "Are ya daft!? I ain't about to have that damned vulture creepin' about my own private quarters." ]

Pack up Tanaka, cook some food [ avoid bard. he always offers, she always declines after he set a strawberry cobbler she requested on fire right before her own eyes, and then proceeded to catch a portion of the kitchen on fire. she was so stunned she didn’t even notice Sebastian come in and bat out the flames LMAO. ], make some tea and head out with Gelert to her favorite spot to chill in the countryside and soak up the rays of Summer. She’s been so much colder than normal lately and needs to a b s o r b s u n. It’s Summer! She shouldn’t be freezing this much! [ although it is funny to put her hand on the back of people’s necks when they complain about the heat and watch them flip ]

Commune with the Goddesses at her forest altar. Bring the landscape painting she’s done for Brigid, bring the bloodied clothes of a fallen enemy for The Morrígan.

[synthaphone]

Ben!

the difficult thing about doing this for ben is that he has like. 12+ different designs, haha. the basic ideas of his design that stay consistent between all of his forms are: 

i try to avoid drawing his eyes touching in the middle. it tends to look weird on him and also that’s viarnne’s thing and i want to differentiate their faces somehow

he always has two strands of hair that stick up (he tries to keep these combed back, but they stick back up after a while)

he’s got little eyebrow markings- the eyebrow markings were initially supposed to be a holdover from when he was a shoyru (his second form), but they don’t look a lot like the shoyru markings- i think because those are actually supposed to be eyelashes?? man its confusing and i don’t know, maybe i’ll tweak it, but right now i like the eyebrow circles. maybe instead they’re just some weird permutation of the floating quiggle eyebrows

another small thing is that he’s a little high strung and doesn’t often have time to relax, so this tends to come across in his expressions- adding onto this, i tend to draw his pupils/irises kind of small compared to the rest of his eyes. (i do that for a GREAT deal of my characters though, so that might just... be how i draw)

otherwise, his appearance and body type changes depending on what species he is currently. he’s picky about his morphs, and tends to pick mammalian species and pastel colors

if the current species he is has a collar ruff, which a lot of them do, its sort of a pain for the suits he wears so he keeps it trimmed down or tucked into the suit (the woodland wocky is an exception because those were leaves... that morph ended up being more annoying than he expected, which is why hasn’t gone for woodland since then)

likewise, if he’s a species with long ears, like when he’s a zafara or faerie yurble, he keeps them tied back with a hair tie (halloween gelert is an exception because that was for a halloween party and he morphed into something else immediately after)

OH and if his morph has prominent eye markings and i can’t get them to work nice with his eyebrows, he just has the eyebrow dots instead of the eye markings

[gelertgentry]

my random contest entry! I really don’t expect it to get chosen but pls i really want this for my baby gelert ;A;

[faithfulhound]

Why does Leo need a master?

Hello Anon!  So, this is probably hidden in the blog somewhere, but I’m happy to explain more in depth.  It’s going to be a bit long because I feel like, to properly answer the question, you need some backstory to go with it.  

So, Gelert (aka Leo) was originally the hound from the Bedd Gelert legend, which you can read about HERE.  After his death at the hands of his first master, Prince Llywelyn, he was resurrected by the Welsh Faerie King, Gwyn ap Nudd to become one of the hounds in his Wyld Hunt.  At first Gelert refused the offer, wanting to return to the master who’d killed him.  However, Gwyn basically tricked him into agreeing.  And, as with many fae visits, Gelert stayed far longer than he meant to, eventually forgetting about his first life.  After a century or so, Gelert earned his human form; Gwyn giving him the ability to shift back and forth at will.  After a few more centuries, something jarred Gelert out of his ‘mind fog’ and he once again asked Gwyn to let him go home.  

This is where things get a little hazy because I’ve never thought about it too closely.  LOL!  But basically Gwyn sets forth a challenge (ala Tam Lin) and tells Gelert if he succeeds he’ll allow him to leave the Hunt.  Fully expecting, of course, that Gelert won’t succeed.  But he does.  Gwyn is so enraged by this that, although he keeps his word and sets Gelert free, he also decides to curse him.  It’s a bit of an elaborate curse... because Gwyn is a melodramatic prick.  LOL!  But it goes likes this:  Gelert can’t stay in one town for any longer than six months at a time.  If he does, he’ll lose his human form permanently.  This forces Gelert to continually wander.  However, the curse offers him a caveat.  If he wants to stop wandering, he has to find someone willing to be his master.  And because of other intricacies of the curse, this is a role that can exert A LOT of power over Gel - in other words not something he should jump into with just anyone. (As Gelert unfortunately learned with the first master he chose after escaping Gwyn.)

From Gwyn’s perspective, this curse was designed to hurt Gelert in a lot of different ways.

A) He knows how much having a family (i.e. a pack) makes Gelert happy. Like, that is literally Gel’s dream (and if this were a story I was writing, giving him that permanently would be my end goal. ^_^)  So if Gel’s forced to wander, then he can’t just chose to settle down whenever he feels like it.

B) If he does decide to settle, jumping into things and offering mastery to someone he doesn’t really know, then it could wind up putting him in a bad spot - because for someone to accept mastery, he has to tell them EVERYTHING about himself and his powers - including his immortality.  This is what caused him trouble with his first master.  The man was a physician, and basically accepted mastery, and then used Gel as a human guinea pig in his medical experiments.  :-/  It was not a good time for Gel.

C) If Gelert DOES get lucky enough to find someone who says yes to being his master AND is a decent person that Gel really cares about, well... it’s all fine and dandy for awhile... until the human dies.  Because Gelert allowed himself to care and get close; a bond forms, and those deaths are always devastating to him.  Just as Gwyn wants it.

Keeping in mind, of course, that the curse was cast in the 1600′s.  The growth of the human population and many advancements in technology have made some aspects of this curse a lot easier to bear in the 21st century because keeping in touch with someone important is SO much easier, and because towns are SO much closer together.  Things Gwyn couldn’t have predicted.

So, long story short - Gelert doesn’t HAVE to have a master.  However, if he decides he wants to stay in one place for longer than six months - to settle down for awhile - he has to find someone who will agree to become his master.

It should also be noted, Gelert can’t own a home/dwelling of his own.  This is something he’s experimented with over the centuries.  If he tries, the curse always does something to destroy it.  So none of this hopping back and forth between two towns every six months and living a fairly normal life.  There are some ways around this rule, too, which I’ve explored in certain RPs, but it’s usually reliant on help from someone else who knows enough of his secret to understand WHY he can’t stay put in one place.

So yeah - I know that was SUPER rambley, Anon - but I hope it answered your question?  If not, or if you want to know more, feel free to ask.  ^_^

[merryfortune]

Pearl & Turquoise please and thank you! 💕

pearl: if you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

my big ticket places I wanna go to are America and Japan, but I also want to go to Ireland. I want to see all the places I’ve glamourised growing up for the former two but as for Ireland, I kinda wanna go on a spiritual journey there, you know? Get back to my roots (i’m distantly Irish on both sides of my family, haha.)

turquoise: weirdest dream you’ve ever had?

this morning’s was pretty but not the weirdest. The weirdest I will give to a nightmare I had when I was in kindergarten. It traumatised me! It was set during the zombie apocalypse and I was running for my life.... from Dora the Explorer and Boots the Monkey (aka my favourite characters when I was 5). The Neopets Invasion from ‘07 is another close contender because its left me with a dual, residual fear and excitement of opening the front door late at night.... like i’m nearly 20 and sometimes when i open the door late at night, I still partially expect that Gelert to show up....

[gwaeddblaidd]

I come alive

But still I feel this numbness smother all of my pride

Divided by a lack of truth, surrounded, lost in solitude

Absorbing life and what it holds

To love and live before it goes

I can't carry the weight of all the world

---

Lyrically, Drowned in Emotion is less relevant to Gelert's personality and struggles than a lot of other songs in the playlist, but as a whole the song still fits his vibe. This is owing in no small part to the intensity of the performance by Matt Flood; there's so much passion in the delivery, and this level of cathartic outburst is in line with what I'd expect from Gelert.

While there is less to discuss in terms of lyrics this time around (not due to their quality, by any means), Drowned in Emotion is one of those songs that is a pleasure to re-listen to on account of the sheer quality of musicianship on display. Every track is doing its own fun thing throughout, and very rarely is anything simply repeated to extend the runtime. If you listen to any one instrument, you can pick out all sorts of licks and runs in the background which give an almost improvisational feel to the whole song.

This is especially notable when listening to the drums - very fun stuff going on in there. Also, the fact that each chorus is distinct, with different instrumentals each time, really adds to the piece.

Well, this has turned into a musical analysis rather than a lyrical one, but I suppose that's a welcome change for me. I'm no expert on composition and I won't pretend to be, but I can appreciate the care put into this track nonetheless. With all that said, promo time...

---

Title: Feed the Wolf

Fandom: Wednesday

Rating: T

Chapters: 7 of 12

Links: AO3, FF.net

Summary: As the dust settles on the Hyde incident, Nevermore is slowly but surely returning to a calmer, safer state. But for those involved, the scars may take a while longer to fully heal. Gelert Davies, a half-werewolf student, has always kept himself out of trouble as best he could, but a chance encounter will test his resolve and force him to face parts of himself long abandoned.

Tags: Enid Sinclair, Wednesday Addams, Original Character(s), Enid Sinclair/Original Male Character(s), Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Wolf Instincts, Loss of Control, Injury Recovery, Self-Hatred, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Courting Rituals, Werewolf Courting, Werewolf Culture, Eventual Romance, Family Issues, POV First Person

Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful day! :)

[doomsdayink]

Fun fact, when the maraquan gelert first dropped it looked like this:

I remember the day well. Oh yeah. The outrage was immense, and not just because it was an unpopular design choice for a beloved species in the top 10.

You see, there was a popular and semi-renowned artist at the time who had a gelert designed as a sleek elegant merdog, resembling a sort of sea dragon. This gal had been waiting ages for the maraquan gelert to drop so she could finally have that pet to match her drawings. She was expecting octogelert, and neither was her humongous fan base.

For the next few days, the Neopets team was absolutely bombarded by a sheer organized movement of complaints from the artist's many, many fans and others, all criticisizing the design, pleading them to change it, etc. So that's how we ended up with this gal:

This was ages ago. Long before the Viacom buyout and Llama face, so maybe they were more receptive to sizeable feedback at the time back then. I don't know. It was quite something to witness though.

Shoutout to that time Neopets.com’s april fools joke was to act like there were 50 new species at once, somehow not anticipating that players would actually love a ton of them and clamor for them to be real. So then they did a poll to turn just one into a real species and this llama won, obviously not my choice but understandable, it’s decent:

But then they thought it wasn’t a “neopets-like” design and everyone I knew who liked the llama hated what they actually released:

I was a bit too old to care but looking back I feel like they constantly trolled or just disregarded the tastes of a player base that consisted mostly of children. Like on top of making them grind for hundreds of hours at tedious flash games they really did kids dirty in a lot of their creative choices

[guardianseries]

#SilentSunday A Girl and Her Campervan #Beddgelert

#SilentSunday A Girl and Her Campervan #Beddgelert

When I booked a week in Wales for March I wasn’t expecting to be so lucky with the weather! As usual, I took a gazillion photographs but here’s a small sampling of my fabulous campervan trip to Beddgelert. Beddgelert A sunny pitch Feeling inspired! A hearty camper breakfast Gelert’s Grave Wasn’t expecting to paddle! Pitched alongside the West Highland Railway Snowdon in the glorious…

[wolfofwinchester]

“You are the wild one, aren’t you, my dear girl? From the fire in your eyes to the longest raven blue curl. Your family has been notorious for their loyalty to the House of Slytherin, a great lineage without fear of shedding their skin. But, I see in you a heart that beats black and blue - Ravenclaw holds promise for you, too. Which shall it be? Which could you be? Either holds promise, you need but choose; green, or blue? The choice is yours, you know, but I can see your loyalty lies wherever hers soars. Oh? You are unquestionably certain? Very well. . .”

- - - if alone - - - 

“You are the wild one, aren’t you, my dear girl? From the fire in your eyes to the longest raven blue curl. Your families have been notorious for their staying in their houses, haven’t they? From your mother to your grandfather, they’ve stayed the Ravenclaw sway. But ah, from your father to your grandmother, they’ve never left the Slytherin fray. Which could you be, which could you be.. Either holds a promise, you need but choose; green, or blue? It’s up to you. Oh, are you sure? Very well. . . .”  

— The Sorting Hat.

During her time in Hogwarts, Claudia was perhaps one of the most famously chaotic mischief-makers of Slytherin. From pranking harsh Professors to putting those of her house in line when spotting them bullying kids from other houses with a flick of her wand, it was an odd pair for such a personality to wind up in such a serious house! Peers questioned if the Sorting Hat could have defected over such a ridiculous choice, but.. There was no denying she belonged when you looked under the skin; she was cunning as she was intimidating, and silver with the tongue and sharp of the mind. Those are traits to be expected from someone born from the Phantomhive lineage, after all - a family who have been notoriously Slytherin.

After graduating, Claudia went on to open a toy and carpentry shop in Diagon Alley called “Rosemary & Toyme ; Wooden Wonders” where enchanted wooden toys & furniture are sold, living in the flat above the shop with her ever faithful wolf, Gelert. It’s a happy and bustling life, but should something go wrong in personal affairs, if her sister ever comes under fire, she’s always the first to leap to action, Auror-related or not. Her allegiance is with her.

You see, as playful as Claudia may seem, she’s no force to laugh at when it comes to magic.

【 v. hp. 】 ¦   & there’s a funny shop in diagon alley.