#Glad to see his 10 page fanfic that he “just started” is going well

[prudentseer]

Mythical Sausage when I catch you...WHEN I CATCH YOU

[verai-marcel]

Your Hearth Is My Home (BG3 Fanfic, Astarion x Female Reader, Part 19 of ?)

Summary, Notes, Tags, & Part 1 are here.

Act I - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12

Act II - Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18

AO3 Link is here, darling.

Word Count: 3,707

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Act II, Chapter 7 - The Gauntlet

Even after he confessed, you realized that Astarion was still, well, Astarion. His feelings, though out in the open, were still a confused mess. If you were to describe it visually, it was a tangled ball of string; most of the strands felt like fondness, while there were a few threads that hummed with anxiety intertwined with lust. As if he felt bad for wanting you in such a way.

Not going to unpack that for now. It’s all too tightly wound together. I’ll let him unravel a bit more before I broach that topic.

On your end, you believed your feelings were pretty straightforward. You cared for him. You enjoyed spending time with him. Just the skinship, touching him, being touched, and sensing that feeling of him enjoying your company, without any ulterior motives, was incredible for you.

You imagined that other couples after confessing their feelings would be flinging their clothes off and having intimate relations in a secluded corner of their own little world.

Instead, you and Astarion were sitting by the campfire, your right arm linked with his left, the two of you reading quietly together.

“Is… is this alright?” he asked tentatively.

You looked up at him and smiled. “Yes, this is perfect.”

He leaned his head against yours. “I feel the same.”

Through your skin contact, however, you felt a slight twinge of guilt from him. Shit, if I say something now, he’s going to start questioning why I always know how he feels…

So you let it go, and just snuggled against him as he continued to read his book.

You had borrowed one of his books just so you could sit like this and spend some quiet time with him. You had few books of your own and you had read through them all at least twice. The book you had borrowed was some kind of adventure novel that featured a drow ranger.

Astarion glanced over at the page you were on. “Oh, you’re coming up to a good part.”

“Hush!” you chided. “No spoilers.”

“You two are being awfully cuddly.”

You both turned around to see Karlach smirking triumphantly.

“You snuck past my alarm on purpose,” you said accusingly.

She grinned. “Of course I did. Otherwise I would have missed this,” she said, pointing at your linked arms.

You could feel Astarion trying to pull away, but you only linked your arms tighter. “So? What of it?”

“Just glad to see you two finally out in the open,” Karlach said. Leaning in, she whispered to the two of you, though it was loud enough for others to hear, “Unlike another couple I know.”

You snorted, and Astarion grinned knowingly.

Looking past Karlach to see the others coming closer, you realized that you probably should do your job. “Alright, guess I’d better get food started.”

***

You were most certainly feeling better. After spending half the day quietly with Astarion, you felt like the pool of magic within you had almost refilled to full. You happily sang the tent cantrips while your rice porridge with herbs and dried mushrooms bubbled in the stew pot.

During the meal, your companions told you about their adventures, about how they met Balthazar, about how they discovered and solved three puzzle rooms, and about how tomorrow they would explore the rest of the lower levels.

“We’ll probably run into the devil down there,” Wyll mused. “We hadn��t seen any signs of it yet.”

“So perhaps all of you should go,” you said. At their shocked looks, you waved off their concern. “My magic has come back, and nothing came by today, not even a rat. Besides, Scratch and Owly can help defend the camp if anything happens.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, yes, I’ll be fine. I’m more worried about what you lot will run into down in the lower levels, given what you’ve told me.”

Lae’zel nodded. “Then I will train you more tonight, so that we may leave you tomorrow without concern.”

Oh boy. I’m going to be sore tonight.

***

You barely had the energy to change into your sleeping clothes. Falling into your bedroll, exhausted from Lae’zel’s training, you closed your eyes and groaned from your sore muscles. My gods. I cannot wait to fall asleep.

The soft footsteps of a certain elf drew your attention. Looking up, you watched Astarion kneel down beside you. 

“Darling, you’re not thinking of staying out here, are you?”

“Too tired to think.”

He sighed dramatically. “But I confessed my heart and soul to you today. You will come to my tent, won’t you?”

Dragging yourself up, you grabbed your bedroll. “Haven’t had enough of my company?”

“Never, darling.”

You grinned as you walked with him to his tent. “Never say never,” you teased.

He held the tent flap open for you like a gentleman, ushering you inside. Laying your bedroll alongside his, you flopped down ungracefully. “Now if you’ll excuse me, Lae’zel put me through a thousand paces, so I need to rest.”

He chuckled as he lay beside you. “Did you sing?”

You blinked. “Oh. No, I forgot.”

“Hmm. Try it next time.”

“Alright. Sweet dreams, Astarion.”

He leaned over and pressed his forehead to yours. 

I’m going to get addicted to this warm fondness I’m feeling from him.

“Did you know that elves don’t usually dream?”

“Oh?”

“Dreams are… chaotic, uncontrollable. Memories are bad enough,” he murmured.

You touched his face, stroking his cheek. “I’m sorry.”

“Why? You’ve only given me good memories so far. Well, except for when you got hurt.” He frowned. “So don’t do that again.”

You smiled. “Alright, I’ll try.”

He sighed. “Good enough, I suppose.” Reaching out for you, he pulled you close. “Sweet dreams, darling.”

You closed your eyes, and inhaled his unique scent, rosemary, bergamot, and a touch of brandy.

***

You awoke, cold and alone. Quickly getting up and changing, you saw that everyone was already getting their things together for the day’s exploration. Walking up to Astarion, you tapped his side with the back of your hand. 

“You didn’t wake me up?”

“You were sleeping so soundly, darling. I’m not a monster.”

You rolled your eyes. 

“Besides, Gale apparently wanted a chance to cook.”

“Shhh!” Gale hissed.

You glanced over at the stew pot. Seeing it mostly empty, you walked over and scraped what was left of the breakfast soup into a small bowl and sipped it. It was a delightful mix of spices and savory flavor, shreds of dried beef jerky mixed with some lentils and beans.

“This is amazing,” you muttered jealously. “Gale, give me the recipe when you come back!”

“What, and divulge my secrets?”

“Just do it,” Shadowheart said with a laugh, slapping him on the arm.

You chugged the rest of the soup and gathered all the dirty items for cleaning later. Just as everyone was ready to go, you headed to the entryway with them to wish them well. Astarion waited for everyone else to go past before he quickly pulled you in for a hug.

“Stay safe,” he murmured into your ear.

“You too,” you replied before the two of you pressed foreheads.

“We don’t have all day!” Karlach yelled gleefully.

Astarion just huffed and left with the rest of them, but not before giving you one last look.

You waved and smiled. Come back safe.

***

It was a long day and a half by yourself. You started counting the hours after you realized a full day had passed. You went up to Withers to check if they were all still alive, and he always nodded solemnly, with no other updates. So you just read books and cleaned and played with Scratch and Owly. You danced and practiced your cantrips for hours at a time. You slept in Astarion’s tent, rolling onto his bedroll and immersing yourself in his scent.

Am I being weird? It’s definitely weird. But… It makes me feel comfortable.

And they still had not returned. It was times like these where you wondered about the possibility of joining them on their adventures.

But then you remembered that you hated pain, and you had nowhere near enough battle experience to survive alongside them without being a hindrance.

Better to stay behind and tend camp. After all, if not me, then who will? Withers? Hah.

Wandering to the edge of the balcony overlooking the statue of Shar and seeing all the water below, you sang a song to coax a stream of water up to your level, filling up a few basins with water. Finding an empty barrel amongst the rubble, you plugged the holes with some clay and filled that up as well. But when you tried to move the barrel filled with water, it barely shifted.

You glared at it.

Move, damn you!

Your song became a chant, the tempo faster and stronger than you normally sang. 

The barrel hopped two feet closer.

Oh?

You continued to chant, almost like a war hymn as you led the barrel away from the edge of the balcony, but after a few hops, you felt drained.

Okay, we’re going to stop there.

You looked through the pile of loot that the companions had dropped off the previous night and found enough rags and scruffy clothes that you could fashion a sort of curtain, hung by some old spear handles that you formed into a three sided divider screen, with the backside open to the view of the balcony. There was space to stand next to the barrel and still be hidden from view.

Well, that’s good enough, I think.

You went back to your pack and grabbed your soap bar and one of the water basins. Singing a hot water rune into existence, you heated the water in the basin, took your clothes off, and scrubbed yourself clean. After rinsing yourself off, you heated the water in the barrel before awkwardly climbing inside.

Damn, I should have made a seat in here.

Instead, you squatted down and let the hot water cover your head. Closing your eyes, you let the heat relax your body for a good ten seconds before you came back up for air. Grabbing the basin and emptying the water out of it, you pushed it under you and sat on it precariously, slowly leaning back until you felt balanced.

You let out a sigh of relief. It worked. Now you had a nice hot bath in the privacy of a little makeshift divider screen, and the others could take some time to relax as well when they came back.

If they come back.

Shaking the dark thought from your mind, you submerged yourself again and held your breath for as long as you could. It was only for 25 seconds, but when you came back out, you could faintly hear the alarm bells on your belt, hung over the divider.

Is it them? Or is it something else…?

Your heart raced at the thought of being naked while intruders came upon your camp.

I don’t hear Owly or Scratch.

A few more moments passed as you listened to footsteps echoing in the cavern. Then you finally heard your name being called. 

Oh, thank goodness. “Over here!” you called out.

As you heard them walk over, you quickly realized that if they came around the screen, they’d see you naked. “Wait wait wait! Let me get my clothes on!” Quickly drying yourself with a towel for once and throwing your dress on, you came out to see them looking bloodied and exhausted.

“You look freshly washed,” Shadowheart said, the longing for a bath evident in her voice.

You grinned. “You can too, shortly. Come, come!” You showed everyone the bath set up, watching their expressions growing relieved that they could have a warm bath even in this darkened place.

“I’ll get food going,” you said as everyone else played rock-paper-scissors for who would go first in the bath.

You quickly threw together some cured meats and cheese together as an appetizer before putting some ingredients in the pot for a hearty stew, inspired by Gale’s meal yesterday morning. In a separate, smaller pot, you cooked some rice to go with it.

You tucked your wet hair behind your ears as you worked, and once you were done, you put your hands over your head and sang a quick drying cantrip that gently drew the water away without taking out too much moisture. If there was one thing you were a bit vain about, it was your hair, and you took good care of it.

The soft footsteps behind you seemed tentative, yet the cadence sounded familiar. He stopped directly behind you and gently grasped your shoulders.

“Welcome back, Astarion.”

He only hummed softly, one hand moving your hair to one side before dipping his head down to nuzzle your neck.

“You want supper now, or later?”

Astarion took a deep breath, inhaling your scent. “Later, darling, when we’re alone.”

Your body reacted instantly to his lowered tone, but you quickly tamped down on it. You knew he had felt your rush of blood when his grip on your shoulders tightened just a little bit.

You turned and looked up at him, but he only had a soft expression as he looked at you. Reaching out and cupping his face, you searched his emotions as he leaned into your touch. You could feel mostly contentment with a strand of anxiety weaved within.

He finally backed away from you. “Until tonight, then.”

Dammit. I wish I could help him with his anxiety.

During supper, everyone took turns describing the battle with the devil to you. It was a very hectic fight, and it sounded like everyone was pushed to their limits. But their teamwork and their communication had grown so much that they pulled through in the end and defeated him. 

“We even got Astarion to graciously say thank you,” Wyll joked.

Glancing over at him, you saw that he was looking a bit grumpy at being reminded about it. You snickered softly.

They continued to tell you about the rest of their adventure, and how they were feeling exhausted by the time they had finished exploring all of the rooms and gathering all of the orbs needed to activate the final elevator that would take them down to what they believed would be the final level of the Gauntlet.

“Tomorrow, we’ll end this,” Shadowheart said with determination. 

With supper completed, everyone broke off to relax and turn in for the night. Astarion turned to you. 

“I’ll go have a bath. See you in our tent, lover.”

Our? “Alright. Do you want me to make the water hotter for you?”

“Let’s go test it, shall we?”

Heading over to the bath with you, he dipped his hand into the water. “Seems adequate.”

You looked at him, an eyebrow raised. “But not perfect.”

“If you could…”

“Easy,” you said with confidence before singing a hotter water rune. Once it took hold, steam came out of the water. Turning around at the sound of shuffling clothing, you realized that Astarion was already stripping behind you.

“Astarion!” you gasped as you turned back around.

“You’ve seen all of me already, darling.”

That was only a glance, and it was in the middle of the inn. That doesn’t count. “Anyway I’m going back now byeeee,” you said in a rush as you nearly ran from him. His laughter followed you all the way back to the tent.

It was still a bit surreal to you, having your bedroll in his tent. You laid down and stared at the canopy, the red and gold fabric looking a bit dull in the dim light of your cantrip.

He won't mind if I do this, right? I wonder…

You sat up, put your hands up in the air, and sang.

Moonbeams and starlight,

Paint the sky above me,

Light up before my eyes,

A sparkly sight to see.

The fabric glittered for a moment then darkened, and pinpricks of light began to form in the darkness. You gestured with your hands purposely through the air as if you were weaving, and lights of different strengths and sizes, with different tints of color, populated the ‘sky’ you had created. You even created a full moon so that there was still enough light for you to see, but not too glaring.

Satisfied with your work, you lay back and stared up, feeling much less claustrophobic.

Astarion came in, shirtless and hair wet, with a seductive expression on his face, but then he looked up, and his expression changed to that of innocent wonder. To you, it was a much more attractive look on him. 

His eyes were round with amazement as he looked at the ceiling. “This is… beautiful.” He sat down next to you and smiled. “You completely distracted me from my plan.”

“And what plan was that?”

“Convince you to dry and brush my hair for me.”

You snickered. “You only need to ask, no need for a plan.”

He gave you a smarmy smirk. “But if you offered it freely, I wouldn’t need to ask.”

Rolling your eyes, you sat up and gestured for him to sit in front of you. Getting up onto your knees, you sang your hair drying cantrip slowly, since his hair was finer and more delicate than yours. Then you gently brushed his hair, first with your fingers, then with his brush.

“Gods, your touch feels so good,” he murmured.

That line, in another context, would have made your face heat up. Even now, you swallowed, your throat suddenly dry. “Glad you feel relaxed,” you mumbled, trying to push down any naughty thoughts.

He turned and took the brush from your hand. Slowly he ran his fingers up your bare arms, his eyes gazing at your body.

“Astarion?” you whispered.

Moving closer, he cupped your cheek. “You promised me supper, didn’t you?”

You nodded and tipped your head, exposing your neck.

Astarion leaned forward and licked your pulse. “Such an enticing treat,” he purred before he sank his teeth into your neck. With one hand gripping the back of your head, the other snaked around your backside and pulled you close, his body lining up with yours. You could feel the hard lines of his chest against your soft bosom, his muscled thigh resting between your legs.

You gasped softly as your hips moved on their own, searching for friction against him. But somewhere along the way, you realized that you had stopped feeling his emotions. Even with his fangs deep in your neck, you only felt the sting of your own flesh.

“Astarion—”

He released you from his bite, languidly licking your wound before he pulled back to look at you. Letting go of your head, he grabbed your bottom with both hands and pulled you harder against him. He buried his face into the crook of your neck and nibbled at your collarbone.

“Darling,” he rumbled against your skin, “does this feel good?” His hands traveled up and down your body, a slow, sensual exploration.

“Y-yes,” you gasped when one of his hands trailed up to gently caress your breast, a finger brushing against your sensitive nipple.

Then you looked at him. His eyes were on you, but something about his expression seemed as if he was realms away. You cupped his face with both hands.

You felt nothing.

It was like a bucket of cold water when you realized he had shut down. You put your hands on his chest and gently pushed him away. “I… I don’t think we’re ready for this.”

He looked hurt for a moment, and you could feel it through your touch. 

“I’m sorry,” you mumbled.

He shook his head. “It’s alright. I should have asked first.”

It’s not me I’m worried about. “That wasn’t it. You seemed… not all here.”

He blinked. Then he looked away, but you caught the misery in his expression.

You slid off his thigh and took his hands in yours. You were hit so hard with a wall of revulsion that you had to hide your gasp, acting as if you were taking a deep breath. “Astarion?”

He turned back to you with a sad expression. “I can’t help but feel… tainted.”

Your eyes widened in surprise.

“Not by you, darling. You… you’re incredible. You deserve something real. I want”—he pointed back and forth between the two of you—“this, to be real.”

He sighed dolefully. “But after two centuries of playing the rake… I just don't know what real looks like. Any kind of intimacy was just something I performed, to lure victims back…to him.”

You squeezed his hands and kept silent, nodding for him to continue.

“I want to be with you. I truly do. But these feelings of disgust and loathing… They keep coming up. And I don’t know how else… to be intimate… with you.”

Gods, I didn’t realize it was that bad. You let go of his hands and pulled him into a hug, resting his head on your shoulder. You carded your fingers through his hair and kissed the top of his head. “You take all the time you need to work through this,” you said softly. “Just let me hug you, and I’ll be happy.”

Slowly, his arms came around you and hugged you back. “This is enough for you?” he asked hesitantly.

“More than enough. We’ll take it one step at a time, at whatever pace you need.”

His body, which had felt tense in the beginning, steadily relaxed in your arms. The feelings of revulsion and guilt slowly faded, replaced by a sense of relief and…

Safety? I’ve felt this from him before, when I asked for a hug in the Underdark…

You hummed a lullaby as you led him down to the bedroll and held him close, running one hand through his soft hair while you gently rubbed his back with the other.

“Is this alright?” you asked.

He nodded and pressed his face further into the crook of your neck.

You continued to hum your song until you felt him fall into a trance.

“Sweet dreams,” you murmured, kissing his forehead.

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

Act II, Chapter 7 End notes: Some more soft and fluff, but soon, we’ll get out of Act 2. Only two more chapters to go before we start Act 3! And a bit of heads up, I'm going to be leaning more into that hurt/comfort tag in Act 3, so if you're squeamish about injuries (I am, so I won't be writing very descriptively, but painful things WILL be happening), just be warned now.

Tags List: @numblytemporary @xalphafox @avitute @stormyjane7 @kmoon21

[joyful-soul-collector]

❄️Week 1: December 9-15❄️

stars in the city ch. 10 by @parkrstark (Pt. 3 of constant as the stars above)

Summary: Peter and Steve are finally settling into their new life with Tony. Recovery isn't always a straight line, especially with a four-year-old, but they're trying their best. Their newfound fame has Steve juggling between his private life and the one plastered on the front page of every tabloid. He shouldn't have been surprised that the public didn't believe in his rags to riches love story. Tony usually makes it easier for him to handle it all. Until he starts to distance himself from Steve, as if now he's the one hiding something. And Steve is left wondering if he's about to lose Tony for good this time.

Relationships/Tropes: Stony, Irondad, Papa Steve, Homeless Peter Parker, Homeless Steve Rogers, No Powers AU, (Coffee Shop AU??? Sorta)

Review: This fic just always makes my heart ache in the best way. So much fluff, so much angst, it's a perfect balance that I'm just absolutely in love with!

❄️

Devils Roll The Dice ch. 9 by @ephemeralstark

Summary: “I miss you Mr. Stark,” Peter admitted as he stared up through the leaves overhead at the stars that twinkled promisingly at him, “I wish you were back here. I would give anything to fix things, I would give anything for you to be alive today.” What Peter didn't know, as he made that wish and closed his eyes, letting the tears fall shamefully, was that the Universe was always listening, and it was dangerous to make a wish and offer up anything. - Tony Stark wakes up in his bed one morning, not realising that months have passed since his death - that's going to be awkward to explain to the world. Peter Parker has been living on the streets, trying to hide his identity as the entire world wants Spider-Man dead, and dealing with the trauma that Beck left him. To make things worse - it's now his fault that yet another bad guy thinks they're entitled to owning Earth.

Relationships/Tropes: Irondad, Spideychelle, Pepperony, Happy Hogan/May Parker, Homeless Peter Parker, Post-FFH, Post-Identity Reveal, Tony Stark Comes Back To Life

Review: Oh man this fic is so sad and so sweet, I love it so much! I love how it combines Peter's trauma after Mysterio with his reaction to finding out that Tony is alive again, it's just so creative!

❄️

His Heart Bloomed Sunflowers (and he wore them on his skin) by @littlemissagrafina (Pt. 24 of Comfortember 2020)

Summary: Peter honestly didn't know how no one had discovered his tattoos yet. He wasn't broadcasting them but he wasn't exactly being the most subtle either. Although he was partly grateful for it since he was dreading what would happen when May on Tony saw them. But he was pleasantly surprised at the reactions that he got when he was found out. Peter had expected anger, disappointment, maybe annoyance at the very least. What he got was far from that. (A sequel to Comfortember Day 4. Anxiety) Comfortember Day 29. Make/Build/Create Something Beautiful

Relationships/Tropes: Minor Spideychelle, Tattoos, Comfortember

Review: I love this fic so much! I loved the description of how the flowers wilted when the ones he'd drawn had faded, and how the ones he got tattooed never wilted again :']

❄️

I’ll drive all night (to keep them warm) by @littlemissagrafina (Pt. 23 of Comfortember 2020) 

Summary: For the next hour they tried to calm Morgan again but, just like the rest of the day with Tony and Pepper, nothing was working. No teething rings, gel, nothing. The little girl was just well and truly grumpy, tired, and sore.

Suddenly an idea came to Peter and he turned to Tony and Pepper. 

"Can I try something?"

They both nodded at him, prompting him to continue with his idea.

"Can I take her for a drive?" He asked. "I'm not sure if it'll work but Ben used to do it for me when I was younger and it always calmed me down."

Comfortember day 28. Car Ride

Relationships/Tropes: Irondad, Peter & Morgan, Pepperony, Baby Morgan, Car Rides, Comfortember

Review: This one was so cute! I love Peter being a good big brother to baby Morgan, and I relate to finding trips in the car relaxing and nice :D

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It’s What Brothers Do by @littlemissagrafina (Pt. 22 of Comfortember 2020)

Summary: Morgan was somehow full of even more energy than usual that day and wanted to see if she could do the monkey bars that were attached to the jungle gym herself. Before Peter could stop her, she had already grabbed hold of the first one and let herself swing towards the next one.

But the little girl had misjudged just how heavy swinging your own body weight was and almost immediately started falling. Peter shot forward from his place on the ground, jumping and diving, just managing to catch her before they both hit the grass of the park grounds. Comfortember Day 27. Park

Relationships/Tropes: Minor Pepperony, Peter & Morgan, Irondad, Peter Protects Morgan, Comfortember

Review: Another cute Big Brother Peter fic! I love that Peter was really protecting Morgan in this one, he loves her enough to put himself in harm's way to protect her

❄️

The Burger Debate by @littlemissagrafina (Pt. 21 of Comfortember 2020) 

Summary: Tony and Peter shared a lot of similarities, there was no doubt about it. A lot of their mannerisms were the same, personality quirks (especially in the lab), occasional recklessness, selfless hero personas, etc etc. However, one thing they didn't share was their taste in burgers. Whenever the topic came up there was a friendly, yet heated, 'disagreement' as Tony called it. No matter what anyone ever told him, Tony thought that a cheeseburger was the holy grail of burgers. And Peter, well… he happened to think the same only for chicken burgers.

Comfortember Day 26. Junk Food

Relationships/Tropes: Irondad, Peter & Morgan, Pepperony, Infinity War Compliant, Not Endgame Compliant

Review: This was so sweet and so sad, especially the part where Tony couldn't eat burgers while Peter was snapped because it hurt him too much. It showed his grief really well

❄️

Career Day Drabble by @jen27ny 

Summary: uncle happy and uncle rhodey come to peter’s career day

Relationships/Tropes: Happy & Peter, Rhodey & Peter, Happy & Rhodey, Minor Irondad, Career Day

Review:  I loved this story so much! I really appreciate seeing some nice Uncle Rhodey and Uncle Happy content!!

❄️

Gifts by @wayward-fairchild (Pt. 5 of Holiday Collection 2020) 

Summary: Rhodey and Tony have been together to the point Rhodey sees the kids as his own. Maybe that is why the kids agree to help with Rhodey's biggest gift to Tony yet.

Relationships/Tropes: Rhodey & Tony, Irondad, Rhodey & Peter, Christmas, Kid Peter

Review: This was just absolutely adorable! I love some Irondads content and this was very sweet

❄️

evermore by @lyssismagical

Summary: Just a Solid Vent Fic. I wanna do 30 days of Taylor Swift-inspired fics (folklore and evermore) lmao but idk yet we’ll see lemme know tho

Relationships/Tropes: Spideychelle, Irondad, Peter Overworks Himself

Review: I loved this one a lot! I definitely relate to Peter with tending to overwork myself during school and letting other things fall away, and then feeling quite exhausted after it's all over haha. I'm glad MJ and Tony were able to help him <3

❄️

Two Hours Spent Cuddling by @skeeter-110 (Pt. 2 of Twelve Days of Christmas)

Summary: A giant snowstorm takes out the power in the tower. While waiting for the backup generator to come up, the Stark-Rhodes family finds a way to stay warm.

Relationships/Tropes: Ironhusbands, Irondad, Papa Rhodey, Kid Peter, Christmas

Review: I. Love this story. So much. I haven't seen very many stories that center around Rhodey being a father-figure to Peter, and this one definitely filled all my desires for such a story! It's so fluffy and sweet, and I loved every word :D

❄️

Three Stark-Rhodes’ Decorating by @skeeter-110 (Pt. 3 of Twelve Days of Christmas)

Summary: Tony, Rhodey, and Peter Stark-Rhodes begin decorating for the holiday season.

Relationships/Tropes:  Ironhusbands, Irondad, Papa Rhodey, Kid Peter, Christmas

Review: This story was absolutely adorable! It was another featuring Papa Rhodey and Dad Tony with Little Peter, and it was so well done! I love that Tony's robots and JARVIS each get a stocking hung over the fire too, and the way Peter pronounce ornaments as "orminents" was so cute!!!

❄️

Four Poorly Wrapped Presents by @skeeter-110 (Pt. 3 of Twelve Days of Christmas)

Summary: Peter has two presents each for his Daddy and his Papa. The only problem was, he had no idea how to wrap them. He figures the Avengers could help.

Relationships/Tropes: Ironhusbands, Irondad, Papa Rhodey, Avengers Family, Kid Peter, Christmas

Review: This was so sweet! Clint, Nat, and Steve treat Peter with such sweetness, and it made my heart all fuzzy and warm <3

❄️

If you look at any these stories, be sure to show the author your appreciation with a comment/kudos/reblog where applicable!

Click here for more fanfic rec lists!

[fireflyhwufanficwriter]

My thoughts on Dr. Stone’s Chapter 231 (“A Future to Get Excited About”)

MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE BIGGEST MYSTERY OF THE SERIES!

MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE BIGGEST MYSTERY OF THE SERIES!

MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE BIGGEST MYSTERY OF THE SERIES!

My thoughts after reading Chapter 231:

01. So the Medusas, and/or their power, are blue in space! :O Does their being green on Earth have something to do with oxygen and oxidization and stuff? Because I know metal can turn green if... um... well, I know it can turn green! XD

02. In my post earlier about Chapter 230, I said I hoped Byakuya would be mentioned... and here he is in colored chapter art with Senku! :’) They’re both happily eating ramen while wearing spacesuits, and Senku’s just chowing down while Byakuya looks at him with so much happiness and pride! :’)

03. And if that already wasn’t enough, you turn the page and see Kohaku (dancing with Senku fans! :D) and Chrome and Suika - the original Ishigami Village trio who first cooked ramen with Senku - right there with Senku and Byakuya!! :O :’) (I HAVE to put this in my fanfic somehow :O)

04. Senku talks with Whyman; Whyman flexes his form-assuming skills; Kohaku and Stanley have no idea what’s going on and then they suddenly hear that they’re going to be petrified... :O

05. Stanly standing his ground; Kohaku analyzing the situation... awesome! :D And Senku looked back at them with gratitude! :)

06. Senku WANTS them to stay?! And he even brought his own visual aids! XD Hahahaha! XD

07. Ten years from one shiny monkey on Earth to the work of many shiny monkeys sending that original shiny monkey to the moon... :O That’s information is very helpful! :D

08. Whyman’s spokesperson happened to be the Senku of their species XD :’) Hahahaha! XD This is AMAZING! :D

09. I like how Whyman chose to float to Kohaku :) (It wasn’t Senku, since he was still holding the axe, and Stanley was probably still on his guard with the grenade net gun.)

10. Goodbye, Mega Whyman, and hello, Normal Whyman! :O

11. A high five between Senku and Ryusui, with a happy Kohaku and a pleased Stanley watching! :)

12. What did they say “bye” to? A part of the rocket that was dead weight for the return trip?

13. Kohaku, the very first person on Earth to be willingly petrified (well, along with Ginro), is making friends with Whyman XD

14. Speaking of which, they put eyes and a mouth on Whyman’s vacuum capsule and made him cute XD Hahahaha! XD

15. Kohaku asking where Whyman came from... until (almost) the end, Inagaki is still really good at letting his characters ask his readers’ questions :) Remember way back when we were all confused about Senku’s voice, and Inagaki had characters wondering if it was a recording; or if Senku had an evil twin or a doppelganger; or if time travel was involved...? XD

16. I’m glad for Whyman :) He finally got to ask the shiny monkeys, “Why?” And, I mean, I’m not saying he GETS our reasons, but at least he’s finally got some responses :D

17. Yay, they showed Byakuya in a panel! :D And other people, too! :)

18. The “That’s how our science rolls” reminds me of the part of the manga where we see the line “that’s how the kingdom of science rolls” and we see Byakuya and the other astronauts. Oh! I think I have it... it was in my favorite chapter, Chapter 140, wasn’t it? :) ...Wait, no, the conclusion of my favorite scene had somebody (no indicator which of them, but it was probably Kohaku) say that that really was Treasure Island. Hmm, then where is the “that’s how the kingdom of science rolls” line from? Maybe somewhere else in that chapter...? It feels like it would be somewhere in the Treasure Island arc... but... I could be wrong... ;O Well, nobody tell me! :) I’d like to find out for myself - I’m sure I’ll come across it again someday! :D

19. Predictions for the final (real) manga chapter of Dr. Stone... :O They get back to Earth; everybody greets them and meets Whyman; Senku says that the work’s just getting started; then a time skip while there’s a montage of them excavating petrified statues and stuff.

20. Then at the end of the time skip, they all look more grown-up (maybe Senku has a hint of... oh, right, not blood-related XD But he could still have the beginnings of a beard... And maybe Kohaku will have longer hair?) but still recognizable; Minami is reporting on TV or the internet that all seven billion people have been finally been revived (sadly, this does not include those with too-broken statues, but at least we’ve revived everybody who can be revived); and we have a grand celebration where many, many characters get moments and lines; and the manga will end with them wondering what planets Whyman has gone to and outlining a roadmap for an interplanetary spaceship and Senku telling us to get excited! :D

21. Oh, and I’m also going to predict a quiet moment between Senku and Kohaku, where they talk about the day they met and about Byakuya, probably before the victory celebration, since it makes sense for the final scene of the manga to be more ensemble-y because we have so many characters. I really, really hope there’s going to be a hint of romance somewhere, and if Darya’s diamond ring from the Soyuz capsule Kohaku exploded open makes an appearance, I will literally die. It’ll be a shame to pass away just one day before the release of the Dr. Stone: Ryusui TV special; but it’ll be a good death; one I will happily accept with open arms :D And now, to Chapter 232, which I’m sure will be exhilarating! :D

https   ://   firefly-hwufanficwriterrrrr   .   tumblr   .   com   /   MyDrStoneEpisodeMangaThoughts

[spencerreidslove]

Angst but maybe no spoilers bc I’m only on s1😅

A/N: You are BOLD for reading fanfic when you’re in season 1. I could never. I was actually really excited to write this beacuse I’ve never written anything with Elle before and I love her. I tried not to spoil anything but we’ll see if I did a good job.

————

He was drifting. You could tell.

Three phone calls and no answers to any of them. You thought about calling Penelope and asking her if Spencer was ok, but you didn’t want to bother him if he was in the middle of the case.

It was dark outside and he still wasn’t home. Spencer said that they would be celebrating his birthday at work, which they did a few days ago, but then they got called out on a case.

Earlier today, Spencer had briefly called you and said that he would be home tonight. It was nearing 2 am and and he still wasn’t home.

You sighed as you looked at the cupcakes you had baked and put them in the fridge. Vanilla with chocolate frosting. Spencer’s favorite.

Maybe they ended up getting delayed with the case or the weather was bad and they couldn’t fly. It didn’t matter.

You went into your bedroom and slid into bed. You had work tomorrow and it wasn’t worth it waiting up for Spencer.

-

The next morning when you woke up, Spencer was in bed beside you. He was fast asleep, and you didn’t want to wake him, so you quietly slid out of bed and made your way to the kitchen.

You stood there for a moment before pulling out boxes of cereal and started making coffee. You were going to make waffles, but if you started now they wouldn’t be done in time for you to leave for work.

As you sat and ate your cereal, you flipped through the pages of a book. A little while later, Spencer came out from the bedroom, rubbing his eyes.

“Mornin’” you said, glancing up from your book.

“Hi.” Spencer said. He opened the fridge, and looked at the cupcakes that were sitting there. On the top in purple frosting they spelled out “Happy Birthday”

“Did you get delayed last night?” You asked, going over to the sink and rinsing your bowl.

“Yeah. Bad weather.” Spencer said quietly. You sighed. For being such a good profiler, Spencer was a horrible lair. Whatever had kept him last night it wasn’t weather.

“Well, we can celebrate tonight, right?” You asked.

“Yeah, unless I get called away.” Spencer said. You went back into the bedroom and got dressed. A few minutes later you were leaving to get to work.

“Bye, Spence! Love you!” You called out to the bathroom where Spencer was showering. You hoped the silence on his end was due to the water.

-

Over the course of the last few weeks Spencer seemed to grow more and more distant. His calls were brief, conversation short.

You knew deep down it was coming to an end, but some part of you just hoped it would all go back to how it was.

When he said “I love you too.” Instead of ignoring you or hiding away in the bathroom so he didn’t have to answer.

Today you were hopeful. Spencer was gone on a case, but he had been gone for three days, so you hoped he would be back today.

Around three, you got a phone call. It was from Elle. Even though she worked with Spencer, you, her, and Penelope had become fast friends.

“Happy Birthday!” She said as soon as you answered.

“Thanks!” You said, laughing. “Are you guys done with the case.”

“Yeah, we’re headed to the airport now and it’s a long flight so don’t expect Reid to be home til late.” Elle said.

You chatted for a few more minutes before she said she had to go because Morgan was bugging her.

Later you got calls from everybody but Spencer saying Happy Birthday to you. You hoped that was just beacuse he had a surprise planned, but deep down you knew that wasn’t it.

You stayed up on the couch watching your favorite movies and TV shows until nearly midnight. You decided to get ready for bed and then give Elle a call ask if they were off the plane yet.

You got an answer after a few rings. “Hey.” Elle said when she answered.

“I just wanted to know if you guys were off the plane yet.” You said.

“Yeah, we landed two hours ago.” Elle said. “Is Reid not home yet?”

Your silence was the answer.

“I’m sure he’s just planning something for you. You know the kid, he probably just got carried away in Party City or something.” Elle said, trying to reassure you.

“Yeah, I’m sure he’ll be home soon.” You said. After a few more minutes, you hung up and grabbed a book and sat down on the couch.

You read for a little while before you fell asleep.

-

Around 3 am, you woke up to Spencer leaning over the couch and pulling a blanket over you.

“What are you doing out here?” Spencer asked with the most care in weeks.

“I was waiting for you.” You said, waking up. You took in his appearance. Spencer wasn’t holding any bags, or anything special, he looked how he normally looked.

“Why?” Spencer asked. “You shouldn’t have waited.”

You took a long look at his face. “Spencer what was yesterday?” You asked.

“Tuesday. The 18th.” He said.

You shifted so you were sitting up. “What else?”

Spencer didn’t answer.

“You have an eidetic memory and you don’t remember what yesterday was?” You said, getting a little upset.

“No? Should I have?” Spencer said.

You scoffed. “It was my birthday, Spencer. Everybody remebered but you. I even got a message from your boss telling me happy birthday but you couldn’t bother to remember!”

Spencer paused, before realization dawned on his face. “I didn’t mean to forget! I just...with the case, I only got back half an hour ago!”

“I know you’re lying. I called Elle to ask when you had landed. You got back at 10. Where were you?”

Spencer didn’t answer.

“Where was so important that you couldn’t be home on your girlfriend’s own birthday?”

“I was at JJ’s for dinner. I lost track of time and fell asleep there. I meant to be home sooner...but.”

You paused, trying to collect your thoughts. “Is that where you’ve been going recently? To JJ’s?”

Spencer’s silence was the only answer you needed.

“You don’t love me anymore, do you?” You asked.

Spencer didn’t answer.

“Do you?” You asked, needing to hear him say the words.

“No.” Spencer whispered. “I don’t know how it happened. I loved you until I didn’t.”

“Get out of my apartment.” You said quietly.

“Y/N, what?”

“Be glad we never moved in together, and get out of my apartment. I will bring you your stuff tomorrow. But for now, get out.”

Spencer grabbed his bag and quietly left. The moment you heard the door close, you broke down and sobbed.

Your heart was broken in two. You loved Spencer more than you had ever loved another person, and just like that he was gone.

He didn’t love you anymore.

Maybe you were never meant to be together from the start.

Tags! (Open)

@rexorangecouny @magnificentmgg @rachelxwayne @itsmyblogandillreblogifiwantto @andreasworlsboring101 @just-damn-bored @zhuzhubii

[mean-scarlet-deceiver]

For the two super original frens who suggested we start with The Three Railway Engines... here you go! [RWS #1]

Pilot episode pilot episode pilot episode—

Objectively the very worst book that RWA ever offered. He was an amateur and it Shows. (And condensing the first two stories is surely one of Britt Allcroft’s top 10 editorial moves.)

I still like it, though. Why?

1) The Sad Story of Henry. “It makes no damn sense!… compels me, though.” And it gets worse every time Awdry tried to open his mouth and rationalize it! It wasn’t meant to be rationalized, and yet it’s so much fun to try and do so.

2) It’s also fun to try to get into the mindset of some rando in 1945, experiencing this universe for the first time. (You’d certainly never expect it to one day get as deep as it did! That’s for damn sure!)

3) Any fanfic writer has to get a confidence boost from this. Yup, this is the standard bar. Yeah, that thing. The one that’s on the floor. Here are your binoculars. C’mon. We can write at least as well as Rev. Awdry did when he was published, guys. We’ve got this!

4) Reading this in conjunction with Duke the Lost Engine is just mind-blowingly cool. They form a beautiful set of “bookends” to the series. (What about Tramway Engines, Jobes? Well, I like to compare/contrast that one with Thomas the Tank Engine, soooo… two sets of bookends. Rev. Awdry’s mind is a neat place to explore!)

Per Moon’s request, I’ll do Main Line Engines next, but I’ll put Duke in the queue after that so anyone who wants to can see for themselves. <3

purple text = just things i wanted to draw attention to, mostly details not in the TVS adaptation that have made me rethink various headcanons

strikethrough = i couldn't resist making editorial jokes

Also, pics only of the first page of each story. The illustrations are all available elsewhere.

EDWARD’S DAY OUT

ONCE upon a time there was a little engine called Edward. He lived in a Shed with five other engines. They were all bigger than Edward and boasted about it. “The Driver won’t choose you again,” they said. “He wants big, strong engines like us.” Edward had not been out for a long time; he began to feel sad.

Just then the Driver and Fireman came along to start work.

The Driver looked at Edward. “Why are you sad?” he asked. “Would you like to come out today?”

“Yes, please,” said Edward. So the Fireman lit the fire and made a nice lot of steam.

Then the Driver pulled the lever, and Edward puffed away.

“Peep, peep,” he whistled. “Look at me now.”

The others were very cross at being left behind.

Away went Edward to get some coaches. Because we weren't imagining it, guys — kinda looks to me like the No-Where Railway really did have a one engine in steam situation during this time. At least, it did at this depot. WTH. Locomotive crisis, indeed!

“Be careful, Edward,” said the coaches, “don’t bump and bang us like the other coaches do.” So Edward came up to the coaches, very, very gently, and the shunter fastened the coupling.

“Thank you, Edward,” said the coaches. “That was kind, we are glad you are taking us today.”

Then fortunately Rev. Awdry ran out of morals that he wanted to stuff into tonight's story, so they went to the station where the people were waiting.

“Peep, peep,” whistled Edward — “get in quickly, please.”

So the people got in quickly and Edward waited happily for the Guard to blow his whistle, and wave his green flag.

He waited and waited — there was no whistle, no green flag. “Peep, peep, peep, peep — where is that Guard?” Edward was getting anxious.

The Driver and Fireman asked the Stationmaster, “Have you seen the Guard?” “No,” he said. They asked the Porter, “Have you seen the Guard?” “Yes — last night,” said the Porter. I ship it.

Edward began to get cross. “Are we ever going to start?” he said.

“Just go! lmao,” shouted a boxy tank engine, several sidings over.

Just then a little boy shouted, “Here he comes!” and there the Guard was, running down the hill with his flags in one hand and a sandwich in the other.

He ran onto the platform, blew his whistle, and jumped into his van.

And that's it. That's all the suspense you are going to get during this story.

Edward puffed off. He did have a happy day. All the children ran to wave as he went past and he met old friends at all the stations. He worked so hard that the Driver promised to take him out again next day.

“I’m going out again tomorrow,” he told the other engines that night in the Shed, because, good Lord, this pre-Thomas version of Edward sure seems okay with stirring things up. “What do you think of that?”

But he didn’t hear what they thought, for he was so tired and happy that he fell asleep at once.

Power Move Rating: A+ 💯

EDWARD AND GORDON

ONE of the engines in Edward’s Shed yeah that’s right punks. it’s now Edward’s Shed now and the rest of you just live there was called Gordon. He was very big and very proud.

“You watch me this afternoon, little Edward,” he boasted, “as I rush through with the Express; that will be a splendid sight for you.”

Just then his Driver pulled the lever. “Goodbye, little Edward,” said Gordon, as he puffed away, “look out for me this afternoon!”

It’s an eternal mystery to me whether he’s trying to bully or flirt but either way he’s really rather bad at it.

Edward went off, too, to do some shunting.

Edward liked shunting. It was fun playing with trucks. He would come up quietly and give them a pull.

“Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!” screamed the trucks. “Whatever is happening?”

Then he would stop and the silly trucks would go bump into each other. “Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!” they cried again.

Edward pushed them until they were running nicely, and when they weren’t expecting it he would stop; one of them would be sure to run on to another line. Edward played till there were no more trucks; then he stopped to rest.

Presently he heard a whistle. Gordon came puffing along, very slowly, and very crossly. Instead of nice shining coaches, he was pulling a lot of very dirty coal trucks.

“A goods train! a goods train! a goods train!” he grumbled. “The shame of it, the shame of it, the shame of it.”

He went slowly through, with the trucks clattering and banging behind him.

Edward laughed, and went to find some more trucks.

Soon afterwards a Porter came and spoke to his Driver. “Gordon can’t get up the hill. Will you take Edward and push him, please?”

They found Gordon halfway up the hill and very cross. His Driver and Fireman were talking to him severely. “You are not trying!” they told him. And if you think the only mechanical trick engine-men on this railway have is scolding their engines, oh you just wait until next story!

“I can’t do it,” said Gordon. “The noisy trucks hold an engine back so. If they were coaches now — clean sensible things that come quietly — that would be different.”

Edward’s Driver came up. “We’ve come to push,” he said. “No use at all,” said Gordon. “You wait and see,” said Edward’s Driver.

They brought the train back to the bottom of the hill. Edward came up behind the brake van ready to push.

“Peep, peep, I’m ready,” said Edward.

“Poop, poop, no good,” grumbled Gordon.

The Guard blew his whistle and they pulled and pushed as hard as they could.

“I can’t do it, I can’t do it, I can’t do it,” puffed Gordon.

“I will do it, I will do it, I will do it,” puffed Edward.

“I can’t do it, I will do it, I can’t do it, I will do it, I can’t do it, I will do it,” they puffed together.

Edward pushed and puffed and puffed and pushed, as hard as ever he could, and almost before he realised it, Gordon found himself at the top of the hill.

“I’ve done it! I’ve done it! I’ve done it!” he said proudly, and forgot all about Edward pushing behind. He didn’t wait to say “Thank you”, but ran on so fast that he passed two stations before his Driver could make him stop.

Edward had pushed so hard that when he got to the top he was out of breath.

Gordon ran on so fast that Edward was left behind.

The Guard waved and waved, but Edward couldn’t catch up.

He ran on to the next station, and there the Driver and Fireman said they were very pleased with him. The Fireman gave him a nice long drink of water, and the Driver said, “I’ll get out my paint tomorrow, and give you a beautiful new coat of blue with red stripes, then you’ll be the smartest engine in the Shed.” Because that's the normal purview of an engine driver. I guess.

THE SAD STORY OF HENRY

ONCE, an engine attached to a train

Was afraid of a few drops of rain —

— It went into a tunnel,

And squeaked through its funnel

And never came out again.

😨

The engine’s name was Henry. His Driver and Fireman argued with him, but he would not move. “The rain will spoil my lovely green paint and red stripes,” he said.

The Guard blew his whistle till he had no more breath, and waved his flags till his arms ached; but Henry still stayed in the tunnel, and blew steam at him.

“I am not going to spoil my lovely green paint and red stripes for you,” he said rudely.

The passengers came and argued too, but Henry would not move.

A Fat Director who was on the train told the Guard to get a rope. “We will pull you out,” he said. But Henry only blew steam at him and made him wet. Y'know, he sure has a lot of steam to spare for an engine that most of us headcanon as having just plain run out of steam this day.

They hooked the rope on and all pulled — except The Fat Director. “My doctor has forbidden me to pull,” he said.

They pulled and pulled and pulled, but still Henry stayed in the tunnel.

At last another train came. The Guard waved his red flag and stopped it. The two Engine Drivers, the two Firemen, and the two Guards went and argued with Henry.

“Look, it has stopped raining,” they said. “Yes, but it will begin again soon,” said Henry. “And what would become of my green paint with red stripes then?”

So they brought the other engine up, and it pushed and puffed and pushed as hard as ever it could. But still Henry stayed in the tunnel.

So they gave it up. They told Henry, “We shall leave you there for always and always and always.”

They took up the old rails, built a wall in front of him, and cut a new tunnel.

Because these No-Where people are insane and have absolutely no sense of priorities, that's why. *shrug* Hope this doesn't turn into an ongoing island stereotype!

Now Henry can’t get out, and he watches the trains rushing through the new tunnel. He is very sad because no one will ever see his lovely green paint with red stripes again.

But I think he deserved it, don’t you?

😳

EDWARD, GORDON, AND HENRY

EDWARD and Gordon often went through the tunnel where Henry was shut up.

Edward would say, “Peep, peep — hullo!” and Gordon would say, “Poop, poop, poop! Serves you right!”

Poor Henry had no steam to answer, his fire had gone out; soot and dirt from the tunnel roof had spoilt his lovely green paint and red stripes. He was cold and unhappy, and wanted to come out and pull trains too.

Gordon always pulled the Express. He was proud of being the only engine strong enough to do it.

There were many heavy coaches, full of important people like The Fat Director who had punished Henry.

Gordon was seeing how fast he could go. “Hurry! hurry! hurry!” he panted.

���Trickety-trock, trickety-trock, trickety-trock,” said the coaches. They had not yet learned Sass.

Gordon could see Henry’s tunnel in front.

“In a minute,” he thought, “I’ll poop, poop, poop at Henry, and rush through and out into the open again.”

Today, you see, Gordon was to learn about the Unspoken Plan Guarantee.

Closer and closer he came — he was almost there, when crack: “Wheee ——— eeshshsh,” he was in a cloud of steam, and going slower and slower.

His Driver stopped the train.

“What has happened to me?” asked Gordon, “I feel so weak.” “You’ve burst your safety valve,” said the Driver. “You can’t pull the train any more.” “Oh, dear,” said Gordon. “We were going so nicely, too… Look at Henry laughing at me.” Gordon made a face at Henry, and blew smoke at him. Siblings, all right. I don't need to cite The Lore. This is the most sibling dynamic ever.

Everybody got out, and came to see Gordon. “Humph!” said The Fat Director. “I never liked these big engines — always going wrong; send for another engine at once.”

While the Guard went to find one, they uncoupled Gordon, and ran him on a siding out of the way.

The only engine left in the Shed was Edward.

“I’ll come and try,” he said.

Gordon saw him coming. “That’s no use,” he said, “Edward can’t pull the train.”

Edward puffed and pulled, and pulled and puffed, but he couldn’t move the heavy coaches.

“I told you so,” said Gordon rudely. “Why not let Henry try?” he added sarcastically.

“Yes,” said The Fat Director, “I will.”

Gordon: shocked pikachu face

“Will you help pull this train, Henry?” he asked. “Yes,” said Henry at once. “Yes, yes, oh please yes thinly-disguised God figure I'm literally disintegrating in here with nothing but the spiders and rust for company what are you nutters I'll do a n y t h i n g."

So Gordon’s Driver and Fireman lit his fire; some platelayers broke down the wall and put back the rails; and when he had steam up Henry puffed out.

Seriously. What is going on here. How fast did they raise Henry's steam? Couldn't they have sent Edward on with the first-class coaches at least? Couldn't everyone have walked to Vicarstown by this point? Are all the passengers having a cookout? Was this the You Had To Be There social event of the '20s?

He was dirty, his boiler was black, and he was covered with cobwebs. “Ooh! I’m so stiff! Ooh! I’m so stiff!” he groaned.

“You’d better have a run to ease your joints, and find a turntable,” said The Fat Director kindly.

Too little too late.

Henry came back feeling better, and they put him in front.

“Peep, peep,” said Edward, “I’m ready.”

“Peep, peep, peep,” said Henry, “so am I.”

“Pull hard; pull hard; pull hard,” puffed Edward.

“We’ll do it; we’ll do it; we’ll do it,” puffed Henry.

“Pull hard we’ll do it. Pull hard we’ll do it. Pull hard we’ll do it,” they puffed together. The heavy coaches jerked and began to move, slowly at first, then faster and faster. This scene works so much better in extended written form, wth, somehow it really does make me feel more like I'm beside a starting train than the TVS version.

“We’ve done it together! We’ve done it together! We’ve done it together!” said Edward and Henry.

“You’ve done it, hurray! You’ve done it, hurray! You’ve done it, hurray!” sang the coaches. This part is still lame tho.

All the passengers were excited mostly because after hours and hours of delay they were finally moving again good God the Nowhereland-people sure have some bad Stockholm syndrome. The Fat Director leaned out of the window to wave to Edward and Henry; but the train was going so fast that his hat blew off into a field where a goat ate it for his tea.

They never stopped till they came to the big station at the end of the line.

The passengers all got out and said, “Thank you,” and a few unprintable things pro’lly, and The Fat Director promised Henry a new coat of paint.

“Would you like blue and red?”

“Yes, please,” said Henry, “then I’ll be like Edward.”

The Togetherness™ is strong in this one.

Edward and Henry went home quietly or at least as quietly as two steam engines can wend, and on their way home they helped Gordon back to the Shed.

All three engines are now great friends. No, seriously. Great friends. Besties. Stop laughing!

Wasn’t Henry pleased when he had his new coat? He is very proud of it, as all good engines are — but he doesn’t mind the rain now, because it sure beats the extended tunnel nightmare because he knows that the best way to keep his paint nice is not to run into tunnels, but to ask his Driver to rub him down when the day’s work is over.

A concept that apparently no one thought to explain to him during all the arguments back on page 42.

[katelfiredemon]

Fanfic Year in Review 2020

I saw someone doing one of these and thought it would be fun! So here you go! Also, all of my fics are Klance fics.

1.) List of fics completed this year in the order they were finished:

20 Questions (1/1 | 3,403)

Keith and Lance get trapped in a storage closet together and Lance is claustrophobic

I Can Hear the Bells (1/1 | 606)

Lance is a goofy theatre kid and Keith is a techie and they’re in love

To The Dungeon!!! (1/1 | 1,446)

Lance and Keith go to prop storage under the stage

Swimming in the Stars (1/1 | 1,630)

The team is living and working up by a lake for the summer and decide to go night swimming

Lock Me Out, Let Me In (1/1 | 5,011)

Keith keeps getting locked out but luckily his cute neighbor has a couch he can borrow

The Sharpshooter and His Knight (1/1 | 1,062)

Keith and Lance are traveling the world together and having fun

Already Gone (1/1 | 7,632)

Keith has to help ghost Lance with his unfinished business so he can move on

Getting the Corn Maze Creeps (2/2 | 2,025)

The team goes to a haunted corn maze

Pumpkin Pie Kisses (1/1 | 1,240)

Just Lance and Keith goofing around carving pumpkins and making pumpkin pie

When Witches Wander (1/1 | 1,219)

Lance is a witch out on Halloween night with his familiar Keith

Centuries Ago (6/? | 8,306)

Lance finds a knight who has been frozen in time (there will be 4 or 5 more chapters and I’m trying to update every Sunday now)

Snow Blue (22/40 | 53,220)

A Klance Snow White au (this fic is permanently on hiatus until I can get myself to write for it again)

2.) Number of words written:

86,800 (though some of that is from the early chapters of Snow Blue that were written the year before)

3.) Your most popular fic:

20 Questions with 1702 hits and 250 kudos

4.) Your personal fav:

Right now I would have to say either I Can Hear the Bells because it’s just so fluffy or When Witches Wander because I love the concept of Witch!Lance and Familiar!Keith.

5.) Your Fav scene:

My favorite scene is in Snow Blue and it’s the scene that I wrote the whole fic for. I think it’s in chapter 16 and it’s based on the balcony scene in Disney’s Snow White except angstier haha.

6.) A fic or scene that challenged you:

Well, the major one is Snow Blue. I had to drop the fic for now because I haven’t been able to write anything for it for like half a year due to feeling like my writing isn’t good enough to finish.

But besides that, I would say a scene that really challenged me was in Lock Me Out, Let Me In right after Lance’s grandma has died. It was difficult for me to write because I based the feelings in that scene on my own from when my grandpa passed away a few years ago. It was hard to write about those feelings, but I feel like it helped me process those feelings of grief that I’d been keeping inside me.

7.) A line of writing you’re proud of:

Honestly I have no idea. Once the writing is out of my brain and on the page, I rarely think of it any more even if there was a line that I particularly liked.

8.) A comment that touched you:

One comment that hit me really hard was one on Lock Me Out, Let Me In which thanked me for writing it because someone in their family had just passed away and reading my fic really helped them. When I read that comment I was just astounded that my work could touch someone so deeply with something so personal and it made me really want to write more things that people could relate to and feel like it helped them through a hard time.

And I’d also like to mention that I really appreciate all of the wonderful and amazing comments that I’ve gotten on my fics. They mean so much to me. I’d like to give a special shoutout to @midnighttales357 @otterobsession @gnotee @heavenlyfires @rexsartstuff and any others who I’m so sorry if I forgot you, who have all left so many amazing and sweet comments on my works and who I was lucky to be able to connect with on tumblr! I love you all so much!

9.) Something that inspired your writing:

I’ve been super inspired by a ton of other people’s amazing writing and all of the wonderful comments on my works which gives me the motivation to keep writing because I know people are enjoying my work!

10.) Your proudest accomplishment (that one scene; finally finishing that one fic; posting your first fic; etc.):

I’m just so proud of how much I’ve written this year! I started writing short fluffy Klance fics this summer because I wanted to try something new and I’m so glad I did because it makes me so happy writing them and I love seeing all of the amazing responses people have for them!

11.) Do you have any writing goals for the next year?

My writing goal for 2021 is going to be to post some writing at least every other week!

(A goal I would like to have is to be able to continue and finish Snow Blue, but we’ll see how that goes since I haven’t been able to write for it for half a year.)

This was really fun! I think I’m gonna try to do this each year now!

[missyjanne85]

WARNING: LONG POST! NO TRIGGERS - FEEL GOOD VIBES GUARANTEED! (Unless your heart is, like, literally made of stone!...)

ANYWAY!

So I'm going to tell you a bit about my Dad! 😍

The whole reason why I express myself creatively is because of my dad. My love of reading and writing comes from him. He is (along with my mum of course – if you want a lesson in equality and the example of “sensitive, new age man” my dad’s pic is under the definition) and always has been my biggest supporter – the person who is guaranteed to be in the front row cheering me on. I didn’t have a soccer mum growing up, I had a soccer DAD. Dad was the one who took me and my brother everywhere on the weekends! I was very lucky and privileged growing up – dad would take me to singing lessons, piano lessons, tennis lessons (I tried other activities too but I won’t mention them…basically cause I sucked lol). Dad was the one who listened and encouraged me when I wrote my first song – music was my absolute passion (and still is)and he would spend hours with me workshopping every performance I would prepare for, every recital...He was my Alpha before I knew what that term meant.

WHY AM I TELLING YOU ALL THIS???

I'm glad you asked - I'll tell you 😉

As most of you know - I have recently created my author page on Facebook. This year I have made a conscious effort to connect to those with like-minded interests. HP FANFIC! I’ve found my people!!! Specifically on the platforms Facebook and Tumblr (I still suck at it…but I’m trying!)…I’m also a lurker on Instagram.

MISSY GET BACK TO THE POINT!

Here it is: My dad is an Indi Author! I know! How BAMF is that?! He’s retired now, but back in the day he was an English and History teacher. He also taught English as a Second Language for a while and eventually moved into Higher Education in which he taught young adults with learning disabilities – his program was designed to teach them essential life skills (like budgeting, shopping, skills that would lead to getting a job) He would come home and tell me stories about his students and one of their favourite activities: Reading the newspaper together as a class and discuss the current events – dad was an amazing teacher and he is an amazing man.

When dad was an English teacher at High School, one of the activities he would run when teaching creative writing was an activity he had dubbed: “speed writing”. Now that I’ve become a part of fandom author community - I have literally only just put two and two together and realised my dad was running “sprints” in his classroom 😱😱😱

Again! What an absolute BAMF!

MISSY! YOU’RE RAMBLING AGAIN - GET BACK TO THE ACTUAL POINT!

Okay, Sorry! I'll try again...

Dad isn’t on social media (though mum is), he doesn’t use a mobile phone (but mum does – you see where I’m going with this?). As an independently published Indi-Author on Amazon (I’m gonna share the link – don’t worry), I’ve told him about the benefits of social networking. He’s been reluctant…I decided at the time not to push. Recently though, I shared with him the fact that I’ve been writing during Covid 19 – not songs and music, but stories. I told him I’ve found a safe haven in fanfiction – I’ve found people I wish I knew years ago! I’ve found friends who I’m now collaborating with (back in the day I was never in a band or anything like that). I’ve told Dad about my experience publishing my little ficlettes and stories on AO3 - how I was receiving reviews and feedback. I told him about ‘Kudos”.

His ears suddenly perked up and bless him – he said “Do you think your friends would look at my story too and do you think they would leave a comment?”

Well friends, now you *know* - I’m a daughter on a mission!

My dad’s alias is Raymond Jeffrey. His birthday is the 12th of December and I’ve been thinking...What can I possibly give the man who has literally fuelled my love of writing? Who has constantly encouraged my creativity. What does he truly want?

The answer is Kudos people!!!!!

My dad isn’t interested in the amount of sales or rankings his book gets – It’d be nice, but it won't stop him from writing his trilogy. He's already a thrid of the way through book 2!!! (BAMF!)

So friends, if I may be so bold - can I ask you to reach out and leave him a review on Amazon? Even if it is as simple as a phrase of encouragement to keep writing, to continue? The way we do in Fandom?

That would be simply magic!!!

I’m not asking you to buy his book, but if you have Kindle I’d love for you to give his original work a go and leave him a review.

You can download a free sample here:

https://www.amazon.com.au/God-Wills-Lucifers-Raymond-Jeffrey-ebook/dp/B07NTQ2C5T

Dad literally painted the artwork himself (and then had mum scan it as a PDF in order to upload it and then use it as a cover). My mum has been simply amazing – she’s his Alpha and has encouraged him on this life long goal to write a book.

Dad currently had 10 sales in total (some are purchases made by family from overseas) and recently he cheekily introduced himself to his new neighbour (my folks recently moved during Covid 19) as an ‘internationally selling author’(Omg Dad! 😆🤣😂 ). He's also hired a woman to professionally format and edit his book for SPAG – so his book has actually been professionally Beta’d (when I told him I had met people who loved Betaing for funsies he was shocked and also secretly I think he was a little jelly 🤭🤭🤭).

So yes, can you help me friends????? Be a part of this movement I’m trying to start?!

I would literally love for him to suddenly get a flood of reviews and have no idea why!

I plan to share this post with him for his birthday.

Thanks and gratitude friends!

Love from Missy xxxxx

#kudosformissysdad

[w-ngs]

jan21

hello 2021! you did not get off on a good start. let’s try and be a little better, okay?

i didn’t read much this month (and probably won’t be for a long while because of school), but it was a wild month. well, you’ll see.

***

crooked kingdom, leigh bardugo — oh my god???? i completely forgot that i read this before i left for school and almost didn’t include it in my monthly wrap-up????? how dare i forget this masterpiece.

it was great. i loved it. i think overall, i preferred 6oc because heist stories are my guilty pleasure. but romance-wise... let’s just say kaz and inej have made it to my top 10 ships. but also i read through this so fast because i had to finish it before i left that half the story is kinda just not in my brain lololol

the most intriguing part of the entire story was the anti-wraith. her character kind of came out of nowhere, and i’m not really sure she had much of a purpose than being someone who could physically match inej. i guess she was also anti in the sense that she had no respect, just ruthlessness, which is the opposite of inej and what she stands for. but i don’t know if the anti-wraith was significant enough of a character to really be considered a foil.

i don’t really give spoiler warnings because hardly anyone reads these other than myself lolol but big spoiler ahead. skip the next paragraph if you don’t want to know. cuz i accidentally spoiled it for myself before reading and i kinda ruined it for myself lmfao.

poor matthias. he was there, and then he was gone. i feel terrible for nina. they were finally on the same page, and then he had to act all saint-like and trigger some idiot into killing him. and matthias finally came to terms with what he’d been taught and what he was trying to teach himself (#charactergrowth), so he wrapped things up neatly for himself before the bye-bye. but nina, she finally got her guy on her side and they were supposed to change the world together. sigh.

and of course, we got kaz. he’s my favorite. how could he not be, with his trauma and desire to overcome it but not letting it define him and still maintaining that evil genius act he’s so good at. it definitely hit harder in this story, the extent of his trauma. it made him more real, too. both sides of him coexist, and one could not exist without the other. he’s crazy, in nearly all senses of the word. also crazy in love, the mfing idiot. ugh, i love vulnerable kaz. i love what inej brings out in him, how she knows just how hard to push without driving him over the edge. also i saw a tiktok (this app is gonna come up a lot more in the next few reviews fsjdsdfkjdf) with a photo of them kissing with a towel between their mouths because he can’t touch her but he desperately wants to and what a perfect solution is that their... bathroom scene had me holding my breath. or at least taking very shallow breaths. it was intense. so intimate, i felt like i shouldn’t even have been there. ugh, the cute little babies. uwuwuwuwuwu

one last note. leigh bardugo is a very good writer, plot and characters and all. everything flowed much more smoothly in this book, and once again i was impressed by the detail provided. you go girl. i can’t wait to see the tv series development.

a 10/10.

***

the shadows between us, tricia levenseller — literally what did i read lmaooo. this is my first tiktok book recommendation. and it. was. boring. boring characters that didn’t make much sense. boring plot. i skimmed it after the first 50 pages cause it was so boring. that’s it bye.

a 3/10.

***

manacled, senlinyu — um. wow. i literally......... even hours after finishing it my brain is still ridiculously scrambled. edit: it’s about a month later and sometimes random scenes and images still pop in my head for no reason and then i feel all twisted inside again. i love it.

so, this is not a published book but a dramione fanfiction on ao3. i don’t read fanfics that often anymore, mainly because i’d rather read other things, not because i don’t like them. but i found this one because a tiktok that showed the illustrations in the story and i was so blown away by the fact someone would illustrate an entire fanfic that i just had to read it. and i have no regrets. it’s kinda long and a biiit wordy for me at times but holy shit that hit like a mother trucker. and i haven’t read dramione in ages, not since... years. so this really hit different.

the illustrations are beautiful. they’re what dragged me into the story in the first place, so, of course they are. but i’d literally spend minutes looking at every detail in amazement at how perfectly the emotions were captured and the lighting casting the perfect shadows and just… everything. i know nothing about drawing but my eyes were truly blessed.

i think integrating the handmaid’s tale with the hp world was ingenious. i would never have expected that. and wow. the relationship between the two, it’s…….. i can barely put it in words in my mind, and it’s even harder to articulate on paper. complex, but at the same time not, simply the desire for the other to stay alive. timeless. destructive. their only defense from the harsh reality of their situation. desperation at its most desperate, their one and only survival method. depressing. it’s so depressing. i was so sad, the angst almost too much at times.

the flashbacks were insanely intense. and i thought the handmaid section was bad. it was awful to read. i could hardly bear it, it was so dark at times i didn’t know how either of them got through it all. i mean, they barely did. the near-death scares, the constant need to create a blank slate within yourself in order to not overwhelm yourself with crushing emotions… wartime sometimes has a tendency to sound romantic, but theirs wasn’t anything near romantic, and i appreciate that the author chose to be very real about it.

at the beginning, and in the middle when we went through the flashbacks, i was afraid the love would be toxic. and, well, it kind of was at some points. but in a time like that and a situation like theirs, it would be hard to not have a toxic relationship. i was glad that in the end theirs was a good love, the kind that sustained and kept them alive and got them through until the very end, because it was what they needed from each other. and, of course, my favorite part of it all was draco’s ceaseless possessiveness that only seemed to grow, never fade. i love simpy men.

they deserve each other. i was afraid at the end they wouldn’t, that one of them would die—that draco would die because hermione basically did once already for him, so he would have to “return the favor”—also she was pregnant so there was no way she’d be the one to die—idk many theories. but at the end i’m so glad they both ended up alive. after everything, they deserved it.

i did nothing for two days straight but read this book. except eat. and barely sleep. and i have no regrets.

a 9/10.

***

bloodlines, richelle mead — dang. i used to be obsessed with vampire academy when i was in middle school. i even watched the terrible movie that released because of it. and now i can’t believe i really thought that was peak literature lmfaooooo

i remember adrian being such a funny and interesting character that i picked up bloodlines to see if it was gonna be as good as i remembered it was. i was disappointed. it was just... well let’s just say there wasn’t enough to get me invested in the characters as i used to be. i think what it was is that adrian’s characterization was so weak. he wasn’t as ~quirky~ as i remembered him to be haha. the plot was also way too slow-paced, and a little too easy to guess. maybe if i was 12 again i’d be going crazy over it like i used to. but i’m not a pre-teen anymore and my brain craves stuff along the lines of manacled—destruction, death, angst that wants me to pull my own heart out to stop it from hurting.

a 5/10.

[dewonderewereldvanfleur]

Dani x Jamie Secret Santa Fic

Hi there! This is my fic for @damiesecretsanta‘s Secret Santa thing! It’s for @webgeekist but ofcourse for everyone to enjoy! Merry Christmas to everybody who celebrates it, have a good day to everybody else ;)

AUTHOR’S NOTES

Apparently, there’s two Vermonts in the USA? One is a state and one is a city in Illinois? I have no clue which they went to, but people in the Dani x Jamie Tumblr group chat kindly told me that the state gets more snow, so I chose that one. Montpelier is apparently the capital. You learn something new every day!

Am I over Dani and Jamie? Not at all... 

I still have a whole scenario in my head with things following this, but the fic had to end here because that’s how I planned and wanted it and also I don’t want to write NSFW scenes because I am an innocent baby. Maybe I’ll write it in the future, though. 

The title is inspired by the song This must be the place by Sure Sure, a song that I found in Amelia Eve’s JAMIE playlist, which I listened to while writing this fic. Thought it fitted.

Also, this is the first fanfic I have ever written, and it might not be great, but I’m proud of it anyways. Enjoy!

This Must Be The Place  Dani x Jamie - by @dewonderewereldvanfleur

In the first few months after their depart from Bly, Dani and Jamie didn’t plan anything more than one day ahead. Dani wanted to, sure, but she did not dare to dream of a ‘future’, how nearby or faraway this future might be. That’s why, when Jamie asked her about taking the train to Vermont for Christmas, Dani’s heart sank. Not because she didn’t want to go to Vermont, but because she couldn’t bear to think about Christmas yet. And Jamie understood. Jamie always understood.

“One day at a time is what we’ve got.”

And so, they resumed their adventure, one day at a time. However, on Christmas Eve, Dani found herself in a tiny shop at the mall. Jamie was getting them both dinner, as they had agreed to not do anything fancy and just eat some fries. Now was the perfect opportunity for Dani to buy Jamie some more last-minute Christmas presents. As she shoved the presents in her bag, she saw Jamie walking towards her and grabbed something else from her bag. Jamie’s eyes fell on the sparkly red envelope.

“What’s this, Poppins?” She gave Dani her fries and opened the envelope. Inside were two train tickets to Vermont.

“Early Christmas present. It’s the night train, leaves at eleven.” Dani replied. Jamie raised her eyebrows

“Dani, you sure?”

Dani smiled. Nodded. Jamie looked into her eyes, then down at her lips, where they lingered for a bit. She grabbed Dani’s hand instead. They hurried back to their room at the inn, the door barely closed behind them as Jamie put her lips on Dani’s, gently placing her hands on Dani’s lower back. Dani moved even closer to Jamie and together they stumbled backwards, until Jamie’s back was pressed against the wall. Dani put one hand one Jamie’s hip, eagerly directing her towards the bed, the other hand caressing her curls. As they fell onto the mattress, Dani moved her hand to under Jamie’s shirt. Jamie smiled, and smoothly broke away from the kiss.

“We should pack our bags, shouldn’t we?” she said, when she saw Dani’s disappointed face. She took the bag from under the bed and started putting their clothes into it. Dani reluctantly followed her lead.

…

Later that night, Dani and Jamie got on the train and walked down the aisle looking for an empty compartment. Luckily, not many people were traveling on Christmas Eve, so there were plenty left to choose from. Jamie placed the bags in the holder above their heads and passed Dani a blanket they had bought earlier at the station. Suddenly, Jamie was overcome by a sense of endearment for the other woman, who had already sat down and put half of the blanket over her legs. She kissed Dani softly on her forehead and sat down beside her, entangling their hands as soon as she was settled.

“You all right, Poppins?”

“Yeah. You?” Dani squeezed Jamie’s hand.

“Never better.”

“I’m glad. We should try and get some sleep; we’ll be there by morning.”

“Won’t be a problem. I’m knackered.” Jamie rested her head on Dani’s shoulder and closed her eyes. Dani formed the blanket around them and buried her nose in Jamie’s hair. By the rocking of the train, both soon dozed off to sleep.

…

Early the next morning, Dani woke up from the conductor, who was checking tickets a few compartments earlier in the train. She looked at Jamie, who was still soundly asleep, and reached to their tickets as silently as she could. Dani stared at the conductor and put her finger on her lips to shush him before he even opened the door. As he checked their tickets, he whispered:

“Thank you, ma’am. It’s 5:45 am, we’ll be at the Montpelier station in ten minutes. Merry Christmas.” He quietly closed the door behind him. Dani softly nudged her sleeping girlfriend.

“Jamie…” she whispered, “Good morning, Jamie. It’s time to wake up…” She nudged her another time. Jamie mumbled something. “Don’t make me get you train coffee. It’ll be worse than mine.” That got Jamie up. She slowly yawned and rubbed her eyes. Dani smiled at her. “We’re almost there. Five minutes and we’re at the station.”

“We’re there?” Jamie looked outside. Everything looked very green. She furrowed her brow. “Hoped there’d be snow here. Another time, I guess.” Dani planted a kiss on the tip of her nose.

“Come on, let’s get ready.” She untangled their hands under the blanket and got up to put the blanket back in her bag, while Jamie stretched herself and put on an extra jumper. The train stopped and they stepped onto the platform. They sat down on a bench for a bit and took in the view. It was definitely colder than it looked, with the morning sun brightly shining down on them, as if she was delighted they were there. Dani noticed Jamie rubbing her hands together and took the present she bought the day before from her bag.

“I got you another something.”

“Poppins, I thought we said no presents!”

“Yeah, well… I couldn’t help myself. Open it!”

“When we’re settled here somewhere, I’m going to get you some presents too!” Jamie pretended to be grumpy, but very excitedly opened her present. Inside were a pair of knitted gloves and a matching beanie. She grinned. “Exactly what I need right now.” She put them on and stood up. “Let’s get settled, shall we, Poppins?”

…

Already well after noon, Dani and Jamie had found a place where they could stay for at least two weeks. They had already spoken to the owner of the cottage, Dan, after having dug through the Yellow Pages for several hours. They had lunched in Montpelier and done some separate shopping, as they had agreed. Fortunately, there were busses driving in the direction of the cottage, just outside the city, every 30 minutes, and it was only a 10-minute walk after that.

They were greeted by a brown-skinned man. He shook their hand and spoke in a heavy Vermont accent.

“Welcome to Vermon’, ladies! The name’s Dan, I live a couple m-oy-les from here, so just drop by if you need anything! Everything should be in order. I’ll come and see you in a few days anyway, for the payment and everything. For neeow, got any questions?”

“I don’t think so.” Dani looked around her. “It’s beautiful out here. The cottage looks… splendid.”

“Perfectly!” Added Jamie, grinning.

“All right, then!” Sam continued. “Enjoy the moun-ains and Happy Holidays.” He got in his car and drove away. Jamie looked at Dani excitedly.

“This must be the place, then. It really is beautiful here!” She exclaimed, looking at the mountains and the trees surrounding the tiny house. She stepped on the porch and pushed open the front door, followed closely by Dani.

The cottage consisted of roughly four rooms. The first door on the right led to a small kitchen, that just fitted a furnace, a fridge, and a sink. In the windowsill were herbs in colourful pots and spices were on shelves on the wall. Across from the kitchen’s was a cosy living room, that had a dining table, as well as two armchairs in front of a fireplace. In one corner was a basket with several knitted blankets and in another was a cabinet filled with books and boardgames. Above the dining table was a chandelier that looked ancient, but somehow had electrical lights, and next to the door was a cute little Christmas tree decorated with fairy lights and purple ornaments. When Dani returned to the narrow corridor, Jamie quickly put her presents under the tree. The bathroom was nothing special; it had a toilet, a shower, and a mirror. Dani didn’t cover it, as she hadn’t seen Eddie in months. The bedroom, like the kitchen, was quite small, which meant that the king-size bed was as wide as the entire back wall. There was a big window in the wall, and on the sides were dark purple curtains to close at night.

Dani looked at Jamie and felt her heart swell. Jamie’s hair was tied together with a bandana, but one happy curl was dangling in front of her eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes, that had caught Dani’s attention even the first time they had met at Bly Manor. Jamie saw Dani staring at her and raised her eyebrows. Dani’s gaze moved down to her lips, where her eyes lingered, and she felt her cheeks turn pink. Jamie must’ve noticed too, because she leaned in, and Dani could feel her warm breath on her own lips. Dani pulled Jamie closer until their lips met, and a certain warmth filled her chest. Jamie tasted like tea and cinnamon, and the scent of her flowery deodorant filled Dani’s nostrils, until all her senses were captured by Jamie, Jamie, JAMIE. Jamie nibbled Dani’s lip and Dani let out a little gasp, which made Jamie smile. Dani pulled away to take off her jacket, and Jamie quickly resumed their kiss as soon as it hit the ground. Dani, who had her back turned to the bed, fell backwards on the matrass, and pulled Jamie with her, and-

“Ow! Shite!” Jamie cursed, as they bumped their heads together. Jamie rolled over on the bed, next to Dani. “Such a hard-headed woman, you.” She joked. Jamie looked over at her girlfriend, who hadn’t answered. “Dani, you all right?”

“Uhm, well,” Dani sighed, rubbing her forehead, “not, really. This shit freaking hurts.” Jamie pulled away Dani’s hands, and saw that it was already bruising.

“You just stay here; I’ll get you some ice.” Jamie quickly jumped off the bed and got some ice from the freezer, to put on Dani’s head. “Keep it there for a bit, Poppins, or you’ll be black and blue tomorrow. I’ll cook us some dinner.”

…

After dinner, when Dani had recovered a bit, it was time to do the dishes, but Jamie could hardly contain her excitement for Dani opening the presents. She saw the Christmas lights on the porch through the window, and as soon as washing up was done, she grabbed Dani’s hand and pulled her to the living room. Jamie grabbed the basket full of blankets and gave it to Dani. Then she grabbed the presents from under the tree.

“Let’s go sit outside, Poppins.”

“Yeah, okay. It looks cosy.” Dani smiled and they walked outside. They wrapped themselves in blankets and sat down on the steps. Jamie pulled out three presents, and she handed Dani the first one. Dani opened it to find a mug inside; painted on it were the Vermont mountains.

“It’s only for tea that I make, though,” Jamie added grinning as she handed Dani the second present. “you’re still shite at it.” Dani laughed and opened the second one. Inside were the ugliest Christmas socks she had ever seen. She tried to look glad, and Jamie burst out laughing.

“Ugly aren’t they, Poppins?” she said, still smiling widely. “I know, don’t worry. But they’re really soft and warm! I hope you’ll like this one, though.” She handed Dani the last present. It was a small, rectangular package wrapped in dark red paper. She carefully opened the present and turned the book to face the cover. It was an old copy of James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. Jamie looked at Dani and added:

“Was my favourite book as a kid. One of the only books I had, actually. Read it so much it eventually fell apart. Literally.”

“Wow, Jamie…” Dani stammered, “I love it. It means a lot.”

“Well, I just came across it in this bookstore, and I wanted to share it with you.” Jamie chuckled. “It’s silly, but I just couldn’t put it back after finding it.”

“It’s great!” Dani assured her. “Oh! I just remembered, I found something too.” She ran inside and came back with her coat. She pulled out what looked like a couple of branches. “I found this plant on the street, and I thought you could save it…”

“You thought I could save it?” Jamie looked at Dani, and then back at the plant. “Poppins, I’m pretty sure that’s a mistletoe.”

“Are you now?” Dani grinned mischievously and locked eyes with Jamie. She held the mistletoe above her head, and she saw Jamie’s eyes dropping to her lips. Her eyelashes hid the blue of her eyes, so Dani followed the lashes, down to Jamie’s nose, Jamie’s lips, just in time to notice her softly biting her lower lip. Dani felt a shiver move through her body and took a deep, shaky breath. And then they were kissing, Jamie’s soft lips on Dani’s, her hands in Dani’s hair. Dani could hear Jamie breathing deeply and brushed her tongue along her upper lip. She felt Jamie tremble and put her hands on her hips. She grabbed the fabric of Jamie’s sweater and pulled her in even more, moving her hands under it, onto the warm skin of her lower back. Dani gasped and Jamie’s tongue slipped inside her mouth, hot and sweet and gentle and confident. She felt her heart pounding out of her chest, every beat in sync with Jamie’s movements. One of Jamie’s hands drifted from Dani’s hair to her back, drawing a line down along her neck and between her scapulae. Dani felt Jamie smile against her own lips and opened her eyes. Still embracing each other, they locked eyes and sat like that, foreheads still together, both panting heavily, unwilling to let go just yet. Dani felt something cold tingle in her neck and noticed Jamie shifting her eyes away. She followed Jamie’s gaze and saw fluffy, white flakes flurrying to the ground. Jamie smiled and grabbed her hand. As the snowflakes got bigger and the snowfall got heavier, they moved back until they were against the wall, drily under the canopy. They entangled their legs and rewrapped themselves in the blankets. Jamie leaned her head on Dani’s shoulder, and Dani wrapped one arm around her waist. Jamie sighed and quietly whispered.

“Merry Christmas, Poppins”

“Merry Christmas.”

[knittingdreams]

Fireheart - Chapter 10

No amount of coffee will wake up my brain, so, hey, here’s chapter 10 from my ToG fanfic, hope you enjoy it, love you all!

MASTERLIST in case you need to catch up on older chapters :D

CHAPTER 10

Finding clues

Parking the motorbike around the back, Celaena jumped down and straightened her jacket. She had such mixed feelings about what had happened the day before. One part of her had almost enjoyed watching Sam get beaten up, as she was still angry with him for showing up in the hotel as he did on Saturday. But soon after the second punch, it had been so hard not to jump in and beat the shit out of that Rourke guy. She knew Sam could have beaten him up into a pulp, but that would have drawn unwanted attention. She could have done the same, but it wasn’t a smart option. 

She had been angry at Sam, but no amount of anger was an excuse for the way that guy had beaten him up. She almost felt sorry for him now, and couldn’t stop thinking about why Sam hadn't even attempted to defend himself. He could have deflected a punch or two, and it would have seemed more natural than him not doing anything at all.

As she exited the lift onto the third floor of the hospital, she released her breath loudly. He was going to hear a piece of her mind, Sam had been so stupid, and now the competition was probably endangered too. Arobynn had been furious when Celaena had gone to the mansion the night before and explained why Sam wouldn’t be there that night. He had tried to play it cool, but Celaena knew Arobynn was having second thoughts about the whole school situation. 

She needed answers, and she needed them fast. She had looked through Dorian’s computer files not finding anything relevant; so she had decided she needed to get inside Aedion’s house as well as the penthouse of the hotel. Maybe her uncle’s computer or office would hold better answers. She wouldn’t dare go to the company, not just yet; not unless she really had to.

As she got to the door of room 303, Celaena stopped in her tracks as she heard voices inside. Had Arobynn changed his mind and gone to see Sam? She didn’t think he would, he had said Sam could find his way back to the house on his own once he was dismissed.

 “You’re so funny, Sam,” she heard a feminine voice say sarcastically. She stood right by the side of the door, eavesdropping casually while trying not to get the attention of the few people walking past. She took her phone out for extra measure and pretended to text someone. 

“Honestly, I don’t know why you worry so much about it, I’m sure it will be fine,” Sam was saying.

“I don’t know, I’m just not sure about any of it anymore.” Celaena knew she had heard that voice before. She squeezed her brain for an answer, trying to think about anybody that would visit Sam. It wasn’t like either of them was acquainted with many people. There were only those in the guild, which were mostly all males, and the few girls that had come and gone from the house, training with Arobynn sporadically. But they didn’t have a close relationship with any of them. 

“Lys, trust me, everything will work itself out.” 

“Lysandra?” Celaena muttered under her breath. She couldn’t contain her curiosity any longer, so she peeked through the door, pushing it open only an inch.

Sam was lying on the hospital bed, a bandage on his eyebrow, his lip swollen, and one of his arms resting on top of his abdomen on a sling. And there she was, sitting next to him and resting her hand on Sam’s forearm: Lysandra Caraverre. 

Before she could do anything stupid, Celaena turned around and walked towards the emergency exit, taking the steps two at a time as she raced down the stairs and back to her motorbike.

She jumped up, put her helmet on, and sprinted out of the parking lot, heading straight to school. She had been to the hospital early to have some time to discuss strategies with Sam and give him a piece of her mind; and now she was going to be early to school because Lysandra, of all people, had been there with him instead.

Before she could think about where she was going, she took a right turn and headed towards the mansion instead. 

“Arobynn!” She called minutes later as she stumbled into his office, banging the door open. She stopped in her tracks as she noticed the empty room. She turned on her heels and yelled his name again into the silence of the house. Nothing. “Is there anybody home?” She yelled a little louder, almost glad to notice she was all alone. 

Celaena took a step into the office and closed the door behind her. She knew that if Arobynn ever found her lurking in his office, she’d be dead meat, but sometimes she couldn’t help her curiosity. Arobynn had been a bit on edge about a few things, and since the incident between them, he hadn’t trusted her as much. She had been wondering for a while if he was hiding something new, something she didn't know about. With the tournament coming up in a couple of weeks, she almost expected to find bets against Sam. Arobynn was known to hold dodgy cards under his sleeve, and there had been something weird about his reaction when she told him Sam had been beaten up at school. Had he played one of his dirty tricks and set up Sam to lose? She knew Cortland was good, but she knew he wasn't fond of fighting, even if he tried to hide it. 

Celaena looked through the papers on top of the desk, one eye always on the door. When she didn’t find anything, she opened the first drawer and looked around the folders until she found some papers concerning the tournament inside an envelope. 

She took out some slips from bets Arobynn had made, and she was only half surprised to find out he had put money onto Sam winning the competition. Celaena couldn’t deny that Sam had the potential to win, he was an amazing fighter- when he defended himself. Annoyed at him again, she huffed. She was about to put the papers away when she noticed who the slip was addressed to. The name was right there, on the corner of the page: Maeve Galathynius.

Before she could get over the shock she heard the front door banging, and put everything away as fast as she could. She slipped out of the office and exited the house through the back door before anybody could find her inside. She was glad she had parked her bike around back and out of sight. She rolled it out onto the street and fired the engine almost at the same time as she sped away. 

She checked the time as she drove, and was surprised to see how much time had gone by; school was about to start. The choice was an easy one as Celaena made it to the intersection, and turned towards the hospital. She could be in and out in time to get to school by the second period. 

As she got to the room, she only half expected to find Lysandra there.  Listening in and finding the room quiet, she walked in.

“Surprised to see you here,” Sam said as soon as she was past the threshold.

“We’ve got business, you and I,” she said in a low and somber tone as she stood right next to him.

“Did you find anything?” Sam was serious, clearly catching on the importance of the matter straight away.

“I might have,” she whispered as she crouched, getting her face at the same level as Sam’s. Before Sam could read her expression, she snapped a hand up and closed it around his throat. “Now, whose side are you on?” She hissed.

Sam didn’t even flinch, he kept eye contact for a moment and then blinked once, slowly. “I’m with you,” he said softly.

“Are you really? You and Arobynn had had some fishy business, and I don’t trust that he trusts you.”

Sam glanced to the door before replying. “I know you think I betrayed you, but I didn’t. I thought you were in trouble, and I was trying to help. If you tell me what’s going on, maybe I can prove it to you.”

Celaena pondered how much to say, she knew what her end game was, what she wanted to obtain by going to the hospital. And she realized then, that maybe there was a way Cortland could start proving his worth, by proving he’d be willing to help without knowing why.

“I need you to back down from the tournament,” she said, loosening her hold on Sam’s throat.

Sam’s golden eyes bore into Celaena’s as if trying to read the motives behind what she was asking for.

“Done,” he replied after a minute, surprising Celaena so much that she let go of his neck altogether, and took a step back.

“And I need you to help me convince Arobynn that I’m the one to take your place.” Sam kept his expression cool as he nodded slowly. 

“Do you know what you’re getting yourself into?” He asked her, a little line forming on his forehead.

“You, better than anybody, know that I do,” Celaena’s tone had turned a little playful as the relief of getting what she needed started to wash over her. She just needed to convince Arobynn that she was his best option if he still wanted to win those bets. She could win that tournament, and find what her aunt’s involvement was while at it.

“I do,” Sam said with a half-smile. “Now, are you going to tell me why you need to be a part of the competition? I know you love fighting, but this is not the same as junior league, those guys can be brutal.” 

“And I can be worse,” she replied without a second’s delay, making Sam chuckle again.

“I know that, you definitely have fire burning in that heart of yours,” he replied. “If you’re not telling me why, tell me how. What’s your plan? You can’t fight under the name of Celaena, if anybody traces your name back to Adarlan Elite, your whole plan could get ruined. And you certainly can’t fight under your real name.”

“I know that. I will find another alias, just a random name, maybe…” Celaena thought for a moment, trying to think of a name that sounded cool, but menacing at the same time, one that said ‘don’t mess with me’. “What about, Lillian?” 

“Kind of sounds like Lilith, the vampire. I can see the resemblance,” Sam replied with a wink.

“You wanker,” Celaena laughed as she punched Sam in the shoulder, making him wince. When was the last time they had laughed together? Certainly before he had betrayed her. Or, if he was telling the truth, when she thought he did. She was still unsure about trusting Sam, but a part of her wished she could. Sam had been the closest thing to a friend she had ever had, and seeing him in the hospital like this had softened her heart if only a little. 

“What about, Diana? Sounds kind of hot,” Sam offered.

“Sounds like an old lady.” Celaena scrunched her face and shook her head. Maybe she didn’t need a name, but a nickname. She could try to come up with something that represented her, something that meant something. Something that would make it worth fighting for, a name worth defending. Remembering Sam’s words from a moment ago, she started playing with words in her mind. Fire in your heart, he had said. Celaena could get on board with that, the anger and thirst for revenge almost burned like a fire in her chest most days. Heart of fire. Fire in the heart.

“Fireheart,” she said almost to herself. Sam looked at her, his honey eyes shining under the sun filtering through the window. 

“Fireheart,” he repeated slowly as if savoring the word. “I like it, it suits you.”

[ahatintimestorybook]

A Royal Problem Chap. 19

I’m excited to share this chapter!! I quickly worked on this when I saw Shane Frost share some of his AHIT lore that he was showing off and soon got inspired to work on the chapter right away!!

And yes, this was my longest fanfic chapter I wrote outside of my Pretty Cure fanseries (which I need to work on again!) About this many pages!!! However, that’s what you get for working on an idea for a chapter you have been anticipating since the day this fanfic was being created.

T/W there is abuse and violence in this chapter so be warned!

Enjoy!!

Many, many years ago…

So many years ago before Vanessa was even born, the kingdom of Subcon was just a small little village with a few houses and a few new buildings that were currently being built. A young princess, with blonde hair tied into a braided bun, blue eyes, and wearing a blue dress was watering the flowers in the manor garden. She looked like Vanessa, but it wasn’t her.

The princess smiled seeing the flowers enjoy the shower she was giving them from her special watering can. “Perfect.” She said. The princess put the watering can down, and picked up the shovel. She looked around the garden where she could dig, and smiled finding the perfect spot. Walking over to the spot she started to dig that spot. Once the hole was big enough, she quickly pulled out a small seed to put inside the hole.

“Hi there!” The princess gasped and turned to see a young boy looking through the other side of the fence. The young boy wore a red and blue outfit, had dark brown hair and maroon colored eyes. “What are you doing?”

“Oh, h-hello.” The princess replied. “I’m just gardening. It’s spring now, so I thought of doing gardening.”

The boy chuckled. “Of course. Princesses love gardening and cute things.” He commented, rolling his eyes.

“Hey!” The princess shouted, glaring at him. The boy laughed harder, which made the princess throw some mud at the young boy. The latter blinked in surprise seeing mud splattered on his face, which made the princess laugh.

The young boy glared and wiped the mud off his face, but his glare lifted as he started to smile at the young princess’s laugh and soon he started to laugh as well.

Seeing the boy meant no harm, the princess walked towards him. “I’m Princess Catherine, just call me Catherine.” The princess introduced herself, as she did a little curtsy.

“I’m Artemis, but everyone calls me Artie.” The boy introduced himself. Catherine smiled and blushed at the young boy. In return, Artie smiled and blushed at her back. The two stood there smiling, blushing, and being nervous around each other until Catherine's father called her name.

“Catherine!” He shouted. Artemis gasped and quickie gashed off, as Catherine went back to her gardening. Catherine’s father, the King ran outside and just saw his daughter continue gardening, even though he heard Artemis talking to his little princess.

“Yes father?” Catherine asked.

The King, named Victor, looked around his garden seeing if he could find Artemis, but saw he wasn’t there. Well, he was but he was hiding inside the bushes. Seeing that the intruder was nowhere to be found, he shook his head wondering if he was just hearing things or was there really a commoner talking with his little girl. “I could’ve sworn I heard a voice.”

Catherine giggled. “What? Can I say hi to passing villagers?” She asked.

King Victor sighed and smiled ruffling his daughter’s hair. “You're such a sweetheart, Catherine.” He said, which made Catherine giggle. “Well, finish up with your gardening and then wash up for lunch.”

“Right!” She replied, giving a nod. The King gave a light chuckle before leaving his daughter to finish her gardening. Once he left, Artemis came out of the bushes and smiled at the princess, which made her laugh. “You're a sneaky one.”

Artemis chuckled. “Well I’m well known in Subcon sneaking and hiding in places.” Catherine laughed as she placed the seed inside the hole. “Are you planting a Serene Tree?”

Catherine nodded. “Yeah, sad those hunters destroyed all of them a few years ago.” She frowned. “I was glad my father stopped them, and we saved a few seeds. So, I’m planting one of them now so it can grow in the manor.” She explained.

“Make sure you always water it every day, and in the winter water it twice so it can survive.” Artemis told her. Catherine was surprised Artemis knew all of this knowledge of the Serene Tree. The princess was about to ask, but Artemis answered why he knew. “I read a lot about plants.”

“Well glad you do, because now I know to make this tree thrive and live in Subcon for generations to come!” Catherine beamed.

“If you need any more info on plants let me know. I’m just around Subcon doing my thing.”

“Okay!” Soon Artemis waved goodbye and sprinted off from the manor. Catherine smiled and rolled her eyes finishing up with her gardening before heading inside the manor to have lunch.

By nighttime, Catherine was already in bed reading a fantasy novel before she went to sleep. While she read she heard a tap on her window. Folding the page of her book, she got out of bed and saw a paper ball on her window. Carefully, opening up the window she unraveled it and read what it said.

Want to hang out tomorrow? I’d like to get to know you more.

-Artie

Catherine smiled and looked out the window to see Artemis waving to her with a smile. She nodded, which told him “yes I’d love to hang out with you!” Artemis smiled and gave the princess a thumbs up before running off. Catherine sighed before closing the windows and heading to bed for the night.

The following morning, Catherine woke up early and met with Artemis outside the manor. She told her butlers that she was just going out for a morning walk and we’ll be back soon. When she saw Artemis, she smiled at him. “Well good morning, early bird.” Artemis beamed.

“Morning.” Catherine giggled. “So what do you have planned for this hang out?”

“Just a walk around Subcon Forest and get to know the princess more.” Artemis replied, giving a smirk to the princess. Then Catherine did something that surprised him, she held his hand, and in turn gave him the biggest blush Catherine has ever seen in a person. The boy gulped, and held Catherine’s hand back.

The walk around the forest was a relaxing one. The trees and the flowers blew in the wind and no clouds were in the sky as the sun shined through the trees. Catherine has never been this far in Subcon in her life, and yet seeing this far into Subcon was beautiful.

“Wow.” She said in awe. “Everything here is…” Her voice trailed off.

“Magical? Marvelous? Sublime?” Artemis asked, throwing different words for the princess.

Catherine giggled at the words Artemis was throwing out at her. “Beautiful.” She answered.

Artemis chuckled. “Doesn’t every princess call everything beautiful?” He asked.

“Maybe.”

Artemis and Catherine laughed as they stopped at a very large tree with a giant hole carved into it. The hole was big enough to be a small living space, or a hideout. Surrounding the large tree was a small pool of water surrounding it.

“Did you do this?” Catherine asked.

Artemis shook his head. “No! I mean if I did I’d brag about it.” He explained. “The tree was like this for who knows how long! I use this tree to be alone with my thoughts.” He explained. Catherine walked in and saw all the drawings inside the cave. “The drawings though, I did myself.”

“You're an amazing artist, did you know that?” Catherine asked, her eyes sparkling with joy.

The young boy blinked in surprise and blushed a little bit. Never in his life he was told his art was amazing. “Y-you’re the first person whoever said that to me.” He mumbled, but loud enough for Catherine to hear.

The princess was surprised and blushed a bit herself. “Well, it’s true. Does anyone say anything good about your work?”

Artemis frowned and shook his head. Catherine gave a small gasp as she saw Artemis walk away from her. “I don’t have anyone. My parents died a month ago, and it’s been me and my teacher.” He explained.

Catherine frowned and walked towards Artemis and put his arm around him. “I’d lost my mom about a month ago too.” She told him.

Artemis nodded, remembering hearing about the Queen’s death. The queen was on a trip with the king and caught some sort of bug and died two weeks later. After that the king cut every kingdom off from Subcon till further notice.

“I remember hearing that.” Artemis whispered. He put his arm around Catherine and pulled her in close.

The princess felt comfort in Artemis’s arms. She snuggled in closer to the boy and let out a happy sigh. Catherine needed this for the longest time since her mother passed away. As she snuggled with the boy she started to feel tears in her eyes. Some of the tears had fallen from her eyes to her dress.

At that point, Artemis and Catherine had started a relationship, though a secret to her father. The two would have picnics or walks in Subcon forest, sometimes they’d go inside the tree hollow to draw and doodle and Artemis gave the princess planting advice so the princess could grow more beautiful flowers.

Days turned to months, and months turned to years till the time where they were 18. At that time Catherine grew into a beautiful princess and was loved by everyone in the kingdom, even her boyfriend, Artemis. Speaking of the young boy he was offered to be an assistant by a local artist who was well known to the royal family. King Victor still didn’t know anything yet about the relationship, but he did grow suspicious of his daughter a couple of years ago seeing her leave the manor early, coming back for lunch or dinner and running out again.

“Happy 10 year anniversary Catty!” Artemis cheered, bringing over a cupcake for the princess. The two were sitting under the same tree house they’ve been drawing, and hanging out since they met.

Catherine giggled and took the cupcake from her boyfriend’s hand. “Thanks Artie.” She said, giving a smile. Artemis smiled, as Catherine split the cupcake in two to give one to Artemis. The young boy chuckled as he ate the half of the cupcake, which caused some icing to appear on his face. Catherine looked up, seeing she had icing on her face as well, and laughed.

“Hey princess, I don’t think it's polite to have frosting all over your face!” Artemis laughed back. Catherine blushed in embarrassment. She touched her face and saw she did have frosting on her face. The princess giggled herself as she wiped some of the frosting off her face.

“Here.” Artemis chuckled, “Let me help.” Soon he leaned in and kissed Catherine on the lips to remove the frosting from her face. The princess giggled, as this wasn’t the first time Artemis pulled her into a kiss.

“Thanks.” Catherine said.

Artemis, who had even more frosting on his face thanks to the kiss. “You’re welcome, my princess!” He replied, giving a beaming smile..

Catherine gave a light giggle as she and Artemis just sat down under the tree, as the breeze blew on the trees around them. The princess stretched and leaned on Artemis’s shoulder, which the latter then wrapped his arm around the princess. “So,” Artemis started. “What does the princess get to do on her 18th birthday?” He asked.

The princess gave out a loud sigh. “This is the time, where my dad, the king is going to look for a husband for me, and once he does we marry and he leaves the throne and makes me queen.” She explained.

“Is it me?” Artemis asked.

“I wish.” Catherine replied. “Because my father wants me to marry a prince, not some painter.” She groaned.

Artemis chuckled and pulled Catherine in for a hug. “I’ll prove it to him.” He said.

“How? You know how my dad is?”

“I’ll show him I’m capable of running a kingdom with you.”

Catherine chuckled. “I wish it was that easy.” She sighed. “When I’m queen I’d make it a rule where my children and grandchildren could marry whoever they want. As long as they treat them like how you treated me all these years.” She explained.

“That’s amazing.” Artemis sighed. Catherine smiled proudly. “You're going to make an amazing queen.”

“Doubt it.” Catherine replied.

“You are! You're kind and nice to everyone in Subcon, and have a goal you want to set!” Artemis listed down, which made Catherine look up at him. “You’d be the perfect queen.” Catherine smiled, but quickly frowned and turned away. Artemis frowned and went quiet, but stood by Catherine.

The rest of the night was quiet, the sun was going down but Catherine didn’t want to head back to the manor just yet; she wanted to spend as much time with Artemis as she could before being separated with him forever.

And that’s what they did.

What they didn’t know was someone from the manor was watching them, giving a glare and rushing back to the manor to tell the king the news.

King Victor was sitting on his chair reading a book, as heard the door open he didn’t bother to look up on who entered. “Is it true?” He asked.

“Yes sir.”

The following day, Artemis was back at his art studio painting a cute portrait of Catherine. He smiled and blushed after the time they had last night, and hoped no one in the manor would find out. Soon Artemis heard a knock on the door and he quickly ran to answer it. However, his expression dropped when he saw who was at the door.

Two guards and King Victor.

“So you must be Artemis?” King Victor asked, glaring at the young man. Artemis was horrified and was ready to close the door, but the guard held onto it and broke it down. “Get him.” The guards then grabbed Artemis as he yelled and struggled to break free from the guards grasp as he was dragged to the manor’s dungeon to be locked up for good.

Back at the manor, Catherine was in bed, looking out the window. Since coming home from her birthday night with Artemis, she could feel something was terribly wrong. She heard the door open, but didn’t bother to look who came in. “Catherine.” Her father spoke up, having the look of “sorrow” on his face.

“What father?” She asked, not looking up at him.

“Did you ever have a friend in the kingdom, who was a painter?” He asked. The princess gasped and looked up at her father. She better hoped he did nothing to him. The King walked closer to his daughter. “Now I didn’t harm him, but something happened over at the paint studio he worked at and well,” He paused to let out a sigh. “I’m sorry, but he went missing.”

Catherine felt her heart drop. “N-No. No!” She yelled. Catherine hugged her father and cried into his arms. “H-He can’t be gone! He can’t be!” She cried. She just saw him, spent time with him, even had the night of her life with him. How could he just go?

“I’m sorry honey, but the guards went to look at the paint studio and saw it destroyed. Someone might have tried to rob it or he got mugged.” King Victor explained.

“I hope he’s alright.” Catherine whimpered, hugging her father closer. Her father gave a cold glare to the boy. How dare his daughter, dated a painter. He’d scold her right now, but she didn’t want her to be more in an emotional mess and decided to comfort and lie that something happened to him. It’s better this way.

What the king didn’t notice was Artemis, who was chained up and dead started to glow a moonlight blue color, as a smile was forced onto his face.

Soon afterwards, Catherine married a prince from another kingdom. Sure the prince was nice, but she didn’t feel the same spark she did with Artemis. What’s worse, Catherine found out she was pregnant with Artemis’s kid. This feeling horrified her, especially King Victor.

“They’re never going to rule the kingdom.” King Victor growled.

Catherine stepped back in fear, shocked at what her father just said to her just now. “B-but father, they’re my child! I’m the next ruler of Subcon and they can’t be a princess or a prince of Subcon?” She asked, angrily.

“They don’t have 100% pure royal blood, Catherine!” King Victor yelled back. “In order to rule Subcon they need royal blood!”

“Why is royal blood needed to rule a kingdom?! They're still my child!” Catherine yelled. It was a non-stop yelling match between the two, none were backing down from the offer. “Please let me raise my child.” She begged.

King Victor stood silent at his daughter, and soon turned away and walked off. Catherine breathed heavily, and sat on her bed in tears.

Months passed and Catherine successfully gave birth to a healthy baby girl. However, King Victor didn’t want his granddaughter to be raised by Catherine in fear of some scandal, however despite not wanting to give up her child she came up with an offer.

“I’ll do it, but on one condition.” Catherine said. “She stays at the manor and works as a servant, and is treated with kindness and respect.”

King Victor nodded slowly. “Deal.” He said before leaving the room.

Catherine sighed and frowned looking at her daughter. “You’ll be alright, Elizabeth. I may not be with you, but I’m here for you.” She whispered hugging her baby close to her.

So, with keeping her promise Elizabeth was raised by one of the maids. While in their care, Catherine married a prince from another kingdom, and gave birth to another daughter, Marie.

However, the promise Catherine made with her father was broken. As Elizabeth grew up her father and Marie treated her horribly. Even Catherine’s own husband saw the abuse, and each time she scolded them or tried to stop them, it fell on deaf ears.

Catherine however, cared for her daughter despite the separation. One day after another wave of verbal abuse the princess went over to her 9-year old daughter to give her a cupcake, the very same one Artemis gave her on their last meet up.

“F-For me?” Elizabeth sobbed. Catherine nodded in reply. The young girl sniffled and wiped away the tears from her eyes, “T-Thank you, princess.” She then took the cupcake and bit into it. The sweetness overwhelmed her mouth and smiled. She then devoured the rest of the cupcake, and sighed enjoying the snack.

“Feel better?” Catherine asked. Elizabeth nodded, which made the princess smile and pulled her into a hug. Elizabeth didn’t know why, but the princess’s hug felt motherly to her. With a smile she hugged the princess back. Elizabeth wanted this hug to last forever, never in her life she felt love like this and she wants this love to last forever.

“Mother?” Elizabeth and Catherine looked up to see a girl younger than Elizabeth with blonde hair and blue eyes like Catherine came in looking confused as to why her mother was hugging the servant. It was Catherine's other daughter, Marie. “What are you doing, hugging a servant?”

Catherine quickly, yet gently let go of Elizabeth. “Sorry, Elizabeth was having a rough day and she just needed some comfort.” She explained.

Marie rolled her eyes in disappointment that her mother was giving love to a maid then her own daughter. “Whatever.” Marie mumbled. Catherine got up and left the room leaving the two girls alone, and once she was gone Marie went over to Elizabeth, and pushed her down to the ground. “You leave my mother alone, you're a maid, you don’t deserve her love.” She said, smiling evilly at the maid, before stepping on her back. Elizabeth screamed in pain, she struggled to get the other girl off of her.

“P-Please let go!” Elizabeth whimpered. Marie did what Elizabeth told her too, but then kicked her on her side, which let out a painful scream from Elizabeth. The girl cried as Marie, still smiling, walked away from the crying servant.

What she didn’t notice was Catherine saw the whole thing and cried. She didn’t know what to do at this point. All she could do was cry.

Months later, Catherine went over to Elizabeth who was finishing up cleaning one of the rooms. “Elizabeth?” The young girl looked at the princess. “I want you to run an errand for me. Could you pick up some flowers and fruit from the market, for me?” She asked.

Elizabeth nodded. “Alright.” Before she could leave, Catherine grabbed her arm and handed the young girl a letter.

“This is for you. I want you to read it at some point today.” Catherine told her. “It’s good news don’t worry.” She reminded her.

Elizabeth looked at the letter, before putting it in her pocket, and leaving the manor in a flash. Running errands for Princess Catherine was one of her favorite things to do as she could get away from the manor and could be at peace with herself.

Once she was gone, Catherine sighed and looked out the window to see Marie playing with the kids of Subcon. She quickly smiled, but frowned seeing she wished both her daughters could live this happy, but sadly no. Catherine was tired of all the abuse Elizabeth was going through, her father whom she loved broke the promise he made with her. She couldn’t stand her husband, who was an arrogant narcissist. With a snap of her fingers, a flame lit up in Catherine’s hands and soon the flames surround the floor.

Elizabeth was heading back to the manor holding a bouquet of purple and white flowers and a basket of fruit. She was scared going back to the manor, but like always she took a deep breath and kept marching forward. However, a scream and a large crowd started to run towards the manor.

“What’s going on?” Elizabeth asked herself, following the crowd. As she got closer she saw a cloud of smoke near the manor and the manor itself was engulfed in flames.

Elizabeth’s heart dropped and her eyes widened at the sight of the manor, her home in flames. Marie, a few maids and servants were outside, some were crying. However, she couldn’t find the king, Catherine or her husband.

“What happened!? What happened?!” Marie screamed, running over to the scene.

One of the maids cried and went over to the princess. “It’s horrible! It’s horrible!” She cried.

Elizabeth ran on over to one of the maids. “Marcy, what happened?” She asked.

The maid, Marcy wiped the tears from her eyes. “It's the princess! She, her father and her husband are still in there!” She cried.

“Mother is still in there?!” Marie asked. The maid nodded in reply. “Then get her out of there!” She demanded. Marcy shook her head, before she could speak, a part of the roof fell. Everyone screamed seeing the manor burned to the ground.

Elizabeth dropped the flowers and fruit she bought for the princess and cried loudly that this happened. The one person in the manor who gave her love, friendship, and cared for her like a mother was dead.

Once the fire cleared, the bodies were removed from the debris and were soon buried by the surviving maids and servants of the fire. The funeral for the deceased royals was a sad one, as Catherine never became queen like she wanted to be. Elizabeth was depressed after the whole ordeal, and never spoke the entire service.

After the funeral, the manor was being rebuilt and many of servants, Marie, and Elizabeth were living in a guest house that Catherine and her father owned. Elizabeth distanced herself from Marie, not wanting to interact with the princess, now future queen, after losing her mother.

During that time, Elizabeth looked at the letter Catherine gave her and decided to open it and read it, since she didn’t due to the fire. She opened it and pulled out the note, and read it. Her heart dropped seeing what the princess wrote to her before her death.

Dearest Elizabeth,

I have a secret to tell you. I didn’t know how to tell you this because I promise my father I’d keep your identity a secret. Or I should’ve said grandfather. That’s right, you're my daughter, my firstborn. You’re grandfather didn’t want you around me because your father was a comonor, a painter named Artemis, who I called Artie. Sadly, he went missing before you were born and since then no one has found him. However, I have to believe your grandfather did something to him. Because of you not born with 100% royal blood, I couldn’t take care of you. Not only that you can’t rule Subcon, even though the law states the firstborn has to rule the Kingdom.

I wish I could’ve told you sooner, but I couldn’t. I had no idea what to do, I couldn’t bear to see you being treated by my family like this! I begged for it to stop, but no one listened to me or just outright lied to my face. With that, I’m going to make it stop.

I hope you're reading this before the fire started, because I’m going to end it all right then and there. No one would hurt you ever again!

The downside, I will spare whoever makes it out of the manor alive and your sister, Marie. I know Marie treats you horribly, but I couldn’t kill my own child which is why I had to spare her. Yes, you can tell her the truth about this, and even if things don’t change for you two it's best that the two of you know.

I’m sorry I gave you up, I’m sorry for how my family treated you, I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you who you are! I’m sorry I ended my own life just because you were in so much pain. I hope you understand, and that somewhere in your heart you love me.

I love you!

-Catherine aka mom

Elizabeth teared up reading the letter, hugging it close after finishing reading it. The princess was her mother, and despite the separation she still gave her the love and care a mother should give her daughter.

“What are you crying about?” Marie asked walking over to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth wiped the tears out of her eyes, and handed Marie the letter. “Read it.” She whispered. Marie glared at the girl, but took the letter in her hands and read it herself. When she read it her eyes widened and turned to face Elizabeth.

“We’re sisters?” Marie asked. Elizabeth nodded in reply. Marie read the letter again not believing it. “And you're supposed to be queen?” She asked again. Like with the previous answer, Elizabeth nodded in reply. She had to read it a few times till her mind clicked. She then turned to Elizabeth, and soon…

SLAP

Elizabeth stood there in shock slowly putting a hand on her cheek where Marie slapped her. She trembled, looking up at her younger sister. “You're never going to be family to me.” Marie said as she walked away from Elizabeth. The girl sighed, knowing what her mother’s letter said. “Also,” Marie spoke up again. “If you do plan on telling the kingdom, I will kill you.” She said as she walked away leaving Elizabeth defeated.

“Poor, poor child.” A voice whispered.

Elizabeth gasped and looked around where the voice was coming from, but saw no one there. It was probably the wind, or today’s events caused her to hallucinate. Whatever it was, it meant for Elizabeth to get some rest.

Years later, the manor was rebuilt and Marie became queen of Subcon. Elizabeth had to watch in the distance seeing her sister being crowned queen. During this time, the two girls grew up into beautiful young women, like their mother wanted them to be. The physical abuse was over, but Marie still treated Elizabeth horribly.

“Hey servant, you’re in my way!” Marie shouted, shoving Elizabeth out of the way as she walked away from the crowd below. Elizabeth gave a small glare at her sister, but quickly dropped it and sighed.

There wasn’t really anything she could do, right? She couldn’t tell the entire kingdom, right?

In her bedroom, Elizabeth was writing in her journal about her sister’s coordination. She started writing this journal not too long after the letter her mother had given her as a way to write how she felt about everything that happened since it was revealed she was Catherine’s daughter. To her, this journal was the only way she could speak her mind about Catherine’s truth without Marie finding out.

A knock came to her door, and quickly Elizabeth stopped writing despite messing up one of the words. She put her notebook away in the drawer and locked it up. “Come in.” She said. Soon the door quickly opened and it was Marie, marching in with a glare.

“Where is it?” She asked.

“Where is what?” Elizabeth asked back.

Marie glared and slapped her sister. “You know what I’m talking about!” She snapped. Elizabeth went quiet, trying to think of what Marie wanted from her, as nothing came to mind. Marie growled seeing her sister playing dumb and slapped her again. “Are you dumb?! I’m talking about the letter from mother!”

“Oh that letter.” Elizabeth groaned. Of course she has it, but she didn’t want to give it to Marie. The truth needs to be revealed or kept somewhere safe. Not destroyed and forgotten about. “I-I threw it away.” She lied.

Marie glared and grabbed Elizabeth by the throat, squeezing it tight. Elizabeth gasped and struggled to get out of Marie’s grasp. “I know you're lying to me, Elizabeth. Tell me where it is now!” She growled.

“I told you,” Elizabeth paused to let out a cough. “I threw it away.”

This got the newly crowned queen upset. She slammed Elizabeth to the wall and squeezed her throat. “You're lying!” She shouted. Soon she threw Elizabeth and let out a gust of wind from her hands, which slammed the girl to the wall.

“W-what was that?” Elizabeth asked slowly getting up.

“Subcon royal powers.” Marie replied. “Grandfather told me about them. Only those of royal blood are born with powers..” She explained.

“L-Like a curse?”

“Well, not a curse. It’s special for those born by royalty. Which means you don’t have royal blood.”

Elizabeth glared and stood up in front of her sister. “I do have royal blood!” She snapped. “We have the same mother!”

“Yeah, but your father was a peasant! My father was a prince!” Matie snapped back. “You’ll never be seen as royal to anyone of Subcon!” She shouted before using her wind powers and slamming Elizabeth to the wall, harder this time. This attack knocked Elizabeth out and gave Marie a chance to find Catherine’s letter and destroy it before anyone else finds out.

Marie went through her sister’s drawers, cabinets, and even her bed looking for the letter. She then found it in her notebook, sticking out inside. “Found it.” Marie said, smiling as she found the letter Catherine wrote that told the secret about her other daughter. Now she could destroy it in a fire, like her mother destroyed herself. What the queen didn’t notice was Elizabeth, slowly getting up and following her.

Marie made her way towards the living room and started up a fireplace ready to burn the letter. Elizabeth quietly sneaked up on her sister, holding a candelabra in her hand and in a flash hit her sister multiple times over the head with the candelabra.

Blood splattered over the wall and floor as Elizabeth brutally over and over again. She kept on going until Marie’s body stopped moving. Dropping the candelabra, and covered in blood Elizabeth stared at Marie’s deceased body. She then walked on top of the corpse and grabbed the letter putting it in her pocket before locking the doors to the room.

It would’ve been days till the rest of the servants found Marie’s corpse and went to address the kingdom of the queen’s untimely death. No one knew who murdered Queen Marie, but there was no sign of a break in or struggle, and they couldn’t think Elizabeth, or any of the servants did it. Because of this they kept how Marie died a secret till someone spoke up. When that happened, Elizabeth knew this was her moment to tell the kingdom the entire truth.

“May I have everyone’s attention!” Elizabeth spoke up. The maids and servants looked at the young woman as she stepped in front of the crowd holding Catherine’s letter in her hand. She then read the letter in front of everyone, which let out a bunch of gasps and murmurs from the people of Subcon.

“Princess Catherine was in love with a painter?” One villager asked.

“What does this mean for Subcon?” Another asked. This got the crowd worried about if Subcon is done for.

Elizabeth sighed, “I guess since I am Princess Catherine’s daughter. I should be queen.” She suggested, which made everyone look at her. Elizabeth gulped and rubbed her arm, “If you don’t see me as your queen that’s fine.” She sighed.

Everyone in Subcon looked at each other and smiled looking at the new future queen of Subcon. The kingdom cheered and chanted Elizabeth’s name, making the young girl smile seeing now she was going to be the new queen of Subcon.

Weeks passed, and soon Elizabeth had become the new queen of Subcon. After being queen, a prince named Nathaniel, who heard of her courting came by and the two soon fell in love. After spending a year together they wed and soon had Vanessa.

When Vanessa turned 3-years old her ice powers started to show, which were ice powers. No one in Subcon saw ice-powers in years, and yet Vanessa had them.

“You should be lucky your majesty.” One maid said, as she saw the young princess forming a snowball into her tiny hands.

“Yeah.” Queen Elizabeth said, as she watched her daughter play with her ice and snow powers. Soon the young three year old saw a spider hanging from the fireplace. She tried to reach for the spider to grab it, but soon her ice powers functioned and freezed the spider. The frozen bug then fell and shattered all over the floor.

The queen and her maid shrieked seeing what just happened and turned to face the young princess. “Sowy!” Vanessa apologized.

Queen Elizbaeth sighed and shook her head. “Stop making messes Vanessa. I know you have ice powers, but you can’t keep making them clean up your mess.” She scolded. This in turn made the young princess look down.

“Sowy.” Vanessa apologized again.

“How about you clean up the mess Vanessa, and give the maids and servants a break.” The queen then stormed off, with the maid right behind her leaving the young princess to look down at the mess she just made.

“Did you have to be that harsh with her? I mean she’s three.” The maid asked the queen, seeing what she said and how she treated her wasn’t how you treat a three year old.

“She needs to learn, if she doesn’t she’ll be relying on you and the servants.” Queen Elizabeth replied, before walking away to her room shutting the door to be alone. This was just the starting point of Elizabeth’s path to mold Vanessa to the person she is today.

During that mold, Elizabeth read the history of her family's history and understood how these powers work. Once the king and queen or prince and princess marry their child will be born with powers. Like Marie told her, before her death Elizabeth was born before her mother married Artemis, and with the latter not being royal she wasn’t born with powers of her own, but her daughter did.

What’s more was the servants were right; Vanessa’s powers were rare, but very dangerous. The earliest known relative was King Victor’s Great-Grandfather who used his ice powers to stop a war, which ended up killing everyone including his own army.

Even though Subcon isolated itself from the other kingdoms, and was peaceful there were still crimes in the area, and most were quickly imprisoned or killed by the guards. However, if she could teach her daughter to freeze intruders it would give the guards a break from their work too.

It would be perfect!

Two years had passed, and Elizabeth knew Vanessa was finally ready to use her powers. “Mama, do I need to do this?” A 5-year old Vanessa asked as her mother led her to the cellar, where criminals are sent to be punished.

“Yes, my darling, this is a training for your ice powers.” Queen Elizabeth lied.

Vanessa looked at her hands and then up at her mother. “I don’t know if I should do this.” She whispered.

Elizabeth then put her arm around her daughter. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.” The two made it to the door of the cellar, and Vanessa gulped seeing a shivering prisoner, who was arrested for stealing food from the marketplace.

“P-Please your majesty! I-I didn’t mean too! I was so hungry, and my daughter needed to eat!” The prisoner begged.

“Alright. I forgive you.” Elizabeth said. “However, let’s see if my daughter does.” She then gave Vanessa a little push, getting her closer to the prisoner. The princess looked at her mother, before giving a gulp, shaking her hand out ready to freeze the prisoner.

Vanessa was nervous about doing this, she was only five! How could she kill a person at that age? She gave her mother one more look to see if she would change her mind, but Elizabeth was getting annoyed at her daughter stalling.

“Now, Vanessa!” Elizabeth growled.

Whimpering Vanessa’s hands slowly turned cold as her ice powers started to form from her hands as the man shivered in fear more. “P-please, m-my daughter. I need to see her. I-I promised to take her to the flower garden.” He begged.

Vanessa teared up listening to the man’s story and in a flash a shard of ice came out, but instead of hitting the man and freezing him, it just launched an icicle to the wall missing him. Elizabeth growled and looked at her daughter.

“You missed!” She shouted. “How can you miss!”

“I’m sorry mother!” Vanessa begged. “I-I can’t kill anyone!” Elizabeth growled and grabbed Vanessa’s arm dragging her to her room. The young princess screamed and cried begging for her mother to let her go. “Please mama! Don’t! I’m sorry!” She yelled. Queen Elizabeth ignored her daughter’s plees and just threw her into her bedroom, and blocked the door with a chair so she couldn’t get out.

“When you're ready. I’ll let you out.” Queen Elizabeth said walking away and ignoring her daughter’s plea for help.

Hours had passed since what happened, and Elizabeth’s husband, Nathaniel was worried for his daughter and wife. “Dear, did you have to punish her like that?” He asked. “She’s five!”

“She needs to learn, dear. Her powers are useful for this kingdom.” Elizabeth replied.

“How? What if her powers are a danger to Subcon?”

“They won’t. She’ll just freeze the bad from the good.”

Nathaniel sighed, “You were never like this Elizabeth.” He whispered. Elizabeth heard what her husband said to himself. “You promised you would treat our child with love and kindness like your mother did to you!”

Elizabeth glared and faced her husband. “I am! She has something we don’t! Magic!” She yelled back. “She needs to learn how to use her anger on those who did wrong then those who did right? She needs to clean up her mess then letting the servants clean them up for her!”

The king was disgusted with what his wife was saying. This wasn’t the woman he married. “Wouldn’t this hurt Vanessa, more than help! What if the worst case happens?”

Elizabeth went quiet and thought for a bit. She wondered what’s the worst that could happen with the training she was giving to Vanessa. “I’ll make sure it won’t happen.”

“And if it does, I’m bringing Vanessa back to my kingdom!” Nathaniel threatened before marching away from his wife, slamming the door. The queen’s eyes widen over her husband’s threat and with a glare she followed after him.

Vanessa was asleep on the floor after crying for so long. Suddenly, she was woken up by a loud bang. She heard screaming coming from her father and she quickly got up. “Daddy! DADDY!” Vanessa screamed as she struggled to open the door. After struggling to open the door, Vanessa started banging on the door screaming, “HELP! MOMMY! SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH DADDY! LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!” The young princess continued to scream as her father’s yells echoed through the manor.

Soon the screams stopped, and Vanessa stopped crying. She backed away from the door as footsteps came towards her room. The princess backed herself to the corner of her room as her door opened to see her mother covered in blood, smiling as she held a knife in her hand.

“Daddy is fine. I promise you Vanessa.” Elizabeth said.

Soon, Snatcher and Vanessa were done reading the journal. After that incident, the rest of Vanessa’s life was left quiet. Snatcher looked at the princess, who was crying after reading everything. She remembered everything that happened, and hearing what her family went through made her realize that everyone was crazy, and evil like her.

Snatcher frowned and put a hand on Vanessa’s shoulder. “I understand.” Snatcher spoke up. The princess turned around and saw her prince, holding the book close to him as he looked at her with tears in his eyes.

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A few facts: Yes Vanessa’s aunt and grandmother are named after past queens. I thought if Vanessa’s mother was going to be named Elizabeth it would be nice to name Vanessa’s relatives after other queens.

Before I get questions, yes the man imprisoned is the Florist’s father.

[oh-mother-of-darkness]

asks (26)

@spickerzocker​ said:

hey there! just a heads up that i tried to click on the "why i don't ship" explanation link in your faq and it says that there is no post with that url/it's generally broken. also your "a conversation about recovery" thing is beautiful and hurts in the best way and i love it. have a nice day!

Yes, I intentionally took that link down awhile ago, and last night I went and updated some of the tabs on my blog. Here are my basic thoughts:

I wrote that link years and years ago, while I was first navigating the internet and while I was still figuring out important things about my own identity and opinions. I ran my blog differently back then, but by the end of the first few months, I knew I was uncomfortable with shipping. 

As people began to interact with me and my work, I told them over and over again no, I don’t want to talk about that, and I don’t want to write about it, and it makes me uncomfortable. I don’t think that was a common position to take at the time, so it wasn’t what people expected from me. 

During those years, I felt like I had to justify myself and give a valid explanation. I wrote that post explaining why I had that boundary, and I put it in a place where anyone could find it.

I said no when people asked, let them make jokes about it, and made jokes about it myself in response. As time went on I got more and more exasperated when I had to repeat myself. I wrote definite rules into my ask box, request tab, and FAQ. People still asked. I wrote it into my description. People still asked. 

The truth is yeah, there’s a pretty simple explanation for my discomfort. It makes sense. It’s easy to understand, and most folks think it’s a “good enough” reason to leave me alone. The difference between young-me and current-me is that I no longer feel the need to justify myself. 

None of y’all need to know why I set the boundaries that I set. My explanation isn’t relevant, and I’m not obligated to give it. I said no. That’s enough. 

I think a good number of folks remember my explanation from the past, and I don’t mind that at all. There may be a time where I talk about it again, in a more appropriate context, so I guess we’ll see.

That’s a lot of information in response to a very helpful ask. Thanks! The link is gone now, and I’m so pleased that you enjoyed the fic :)

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Anonymous said:

U suck

Kenza sent this anon as a joke. She’s right, and I thank her. 

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Anonymous said:

I'm a doctor and ive seen it all.....but the milk fic made me gag

Excellent

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@wingedskyes said:

Ah. Wait. I wasn't on anon....uhm. oh well. It's fine. I like milk and am not ashamed. 😆

I don’t think I received another message from you actually, but I too like milk and I’m glad we’re on the same page

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@thelittleredheadedmusician said:

To add to the milk discussions: my best friend from home and best friend from college have each finished a gallon a milk by themselves within 2 days.

I do that too, every once in awhile. When the milk craving hits it’s a gallon a day

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Anonymous said:

"TIM! POUR HIM. A GLASS OF M A L K!"

Hold on I have to google some things

Yeah this is funny

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Anonymous said:

I have read that milk fic three separate times and every time I’m laughing just as hard as Tim and dick by the end it’s just so excellently executed and builds so perfectly that by the time dick cracks I’m ready to go too and I just lose it it’s amazing I love it

Awww anon I’m so pleased :)

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@the-smartass-under-the-mountain said:

Just wanted to drop by and say your recent fic with Tim antagonizing Damian with increasingly outrageous milk concoctions had me giggling. It was so cute and refreshing to see Dick enjoying Tim's little prank. And Bruce's reaction to just... walk away was fantastic!

Thank you! I’m always so thrilled when y’all think the jokes hit

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@njtheboywonder​ said:

I havnt really enjoyed a fic in years, but i stopped to read ur fanfic with tim drinking milk just to fuck w dami amd it made me smile. Thanks, for writing it.

Oh that warms my heart <3

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@bruciewayneisbatman​ said:

Tim Is totally the guy who would drink ridiculous amounts of dalgona coffee to annoy damian, according to that fic.

Had to google that one, but I guess so huh

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Anonymous said:

(diff anon) but that birthday fic was so good oml and you have opened my eyes as to the batfam in quarantine this is such a Concept

We’re all here dying..... together...

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Anonymous said:

Happy birthday! 🎉 or belated! 🎂 thank you for being in the fandom. 😊

&

Anonymous said:

To anon! Sorry. I forgot to add that! Anyway, thanks to them we get a lovely fic. I hope you have many more birthdays! 😊

Message for you anon

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Anonymous said:

Your writing gives off good vibes

Hear that guys I “passed my vibe check.” Is that what the youth say these days? I am an elder now and I do not know

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Anonymous said:

finding your blog while being relatively new to batman fandom is such a bliss. your batfam content especially is *chef's kiss* amazing.

Thank you my darling :) I’m glad you’re here

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Anonymous said:

Best line in a fic? Hard to pick just one, but this particular one from "Just Desserts" by fyeahbatmanandrobin on Tumblr is one of my faves: “Anyone else would be hard-pressed to provide the particular brand of excitement you bring to my life, Dami.”

&

@noisypaintersong​ said:

For the line thing: "I don't doubt it. Bruce Wayne, the unexpectedly normal guy wrapped in a mystery wrapped in a superhero wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a fake socialite wrapped in a businessman wrapped in a secretive billionaire." He paused. "…You're the seven-layer burrito of Gotham," he pondered. - Barry to Bruce in 'Of Friends and Foes' by Paganpunk2 on FFN. It's one of the funniest things I've read someone say to Bruce LOL

& 

@kirakats​ submitted:

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Anonymous said:

“I do know that according to everyone else, there is no chance, no future, no universe where I stay a hero.” Describes my frustration with the way DC treats Damian so accurately. Let the kid be a hero dammit.

Thanks! That’s really helpful. I’ve got a decent answer to my question now. 

@kurawastaken​ submitted:

So this is Kenza retaliating against me for the milk fic. I very much hate tomatoes and specifically ketchup. This photo (1) is a nightmare and (2) fulfills its intended purpose.

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Anonymous said:

I love your blog!!!

And I love you 

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Anonymous said:

quick question: how do you think jason reconciles with the fam?? i think in the comics they kinda just reboot and now he’s on better terms. but like what conversations happened, yknow??? (you’re doin great work by the way, it rips out my heart but it’s great)

This is an amazing question, and I’ll be thinking about it for the next bit, I think. That would be a really interesting topic to explore in depth

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@angel-gidget​ said:

*hugs you real tight* would you please send this to the first 10 people in your dash? Make sure someone gets a hug today and stay safe!

Oh thank you for the hug <3

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Anonymous said:

I hadn’t been aware of that Memphis petition, but I live in Memphis too (Altho I know you said you just grew up there so you may not be living here currently haha) so ig I just wanted to say thanks for bringing it to my attention!

!!!

I’ve been in Texas for six years now, ever since I started school, but I’m still in and out of Memphis for family purposes. Love the trash heap of my birth 

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@damianwaynerocks​ said:

hey! any chance you know of any other dc heroes around damian’s age?

Sure! You could try Billy Batson, Jon Kent, or Maya Ducard

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Anonymous said:

hi! i don't know if it's okay to leave anons like these but ive been feeling down because my country has passed a bill that deprives us of lots of human rights freedom and i want you to know that i just found your blog through the damian/bruce + justice fic and it comforted me. im slowly going thru your works and so far they are all comforting. i love your stuff, thank you.

Philippines? I’ve heard some things, and I’m real sorry y’all’re going through that. I don’t know that there’s anything I could say about that to help, but I hope you’re finding joy somewhere

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@awesomeness-ofgaybitches​ said:

Tumblr hates you. The links in your bio and to your fic masterlist don't work on mobile. I'm sorry.

FUCK

[kimkymury]

Blue Rose Tears - Chapter 10

Hey everyone, another chapter of Pascal x Carl fanfic is here, I can’t believe that we have reached chapter 10, thank you very much to everyone who is following and supporting the story.

I’d like to thanks @depressedoverdrawings​ for  for reviewing the history and help fixing grammatical errors.

Warning:  Just a little warning, some characters have distorted views about sexuality, and those views do not represent what I think in real life. This was written on purpose to suit the environment and the time that the story takes place, since at that time people were more closed minded.

The Portuguese Version of this story is avaliable on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/971396659-as-l%C3%A1grimas-da-rosa-azul-cap%C3%ADtulo-10

Under the cut!

Chapter 10

P.O.V Narrator The sun was at the top of the sky, indicating that half the day had already passed. Only part of the way had been walked by the boys so far, and they seemed to be the only ones in that place. It didn't look like the same Lacombrade they always saw, it was too quiet. Usually there were several students hanging out outside the school after classes ended, but now the lonely landscape brought a feeling of freedom to Carl quite unlike anything he had ever felt, a strange blend of adrenaline, fear, and excitement. They took a shortcut through the forest in order to avoid being seen, as was likely if they walked through an open area. The journey to the greenhouse was done silently, as the religious boy apologized internally several times for his truancy. The older boy, who led the way, decided to start a conversation, so that he perhaps could calm down his friend's nerves.

"You surprise me sometimes." - The redhead spoke as he walked, catching the attention of the dark haired boy.

"What? How so?" - The youngest one asked, relieved that a conversation had started and that the deafening silence was broken.

"I thought spending time with Serge was what you wanted, but not only did you decline his offer, you also agreed to go to the greenhouse with me." - Pascal replied, smiling a little bit.

"I've never seen you take so many risks in such a short period of time." - He spoke again in the middle of a laugh, leaving his friend a little embarrassed.

Carl did not know how to respond. It was true that being with Serge had been his greatest wish for a while, but that didn't feel like such a great priority right now. It was strange, because the only thing he felt right now was the desire to spend more time with Pascal, which made him feel a little shy.

"I just thought it would be better to get away from him a little bit, until those unwanted feelings disappear." - The religious boy replied, dodging a branch that was in his way.

After a few minutes of walking, the two boys were in a clearing with a small dirt path to the greenhouse, which reflected the sunlight on its glass walls. The place was a contrast to most of Lacombrade, which used to be so cold, always with its gloomy atmosphere. It seemed that the greenhouse was a little piece of paradise on Earth, a place that felt almost otherworldly, so warm and welcoming it was. Entering the glass-walled room, the old surroundings, seen before so many times, still managed to impress the two friends. A great many plants fought for space, varying in colour and size, some falling over others, making the entire room messy yet comforting. What stood out most was a radiant pepper plant, which carried its long branches as high as it could. The sun shone behind the plant, making it look even more charming. Delighted at how long it took him to realize the beauty of that place he'd already frequented several times, the dark-haired boy touched the small peppers that reflected the sun, disappointed in himself for not having noticed the greenhouse's beauty before.

They did not feel like they were in an ordinary place, they didn't even feel as if they were still in Lacombrade Academy, nor did they feel they were doing something wrong. It was just the two of them before the dazzling beauty the greenhouse provided them. Spending the afternoon analyzing and picking different species of flowers was one of the Pascal's favorite pastimes, and even though Carl didn't quite agree with the activity, he understood why his friend enjoyed spending his time doing so. It was like a sanctuary, away from all the worries and uncertainties that the school's aura conveyed. It was a place to rest, think, or share a moment with someone special. Glad to finally be able to show Carl one of the reasons that always motivated him to escape classes, Pascal gives his friend a list of some species of flowers to be harvested, which ranged from roses to weeds. With his paper in hand, the religious boy starts walking slowly through the greenhouse, looking for exactly what was written, and taking the opportunity to admire the environment even more, noticing the small details that always went unnoticed.

Meanwhile, inside one of Lacombrade Academy's classrooms, the same one where the two boys had been hours before, their names were the subject of a conversation. It was only a few minutes before class started, and everyone was surprised that the Class Representative was not there. Some asked what happened, worried if something might have happened to him, others, more malicious, already imagined that he'd been led astray and followed the steps that some cute boys followed in the school.

"Did you saw Carl and Pascal after lunch?" - Serge asked the friends who sat next to him, they seemed curious and worried.

"We didn't see either of them, Pascal is probably busy working on his Blue Rose, but we have no idea where Carl might be." - Kurt replied, as Neka agreed with a gesture.

"He didn't look well, he was late in the morning, and now he doesn't come to class, what could have happened?" - The pianist asked worriedly, flipping through the pages of a book that would be used in that class.

Carl's perfect reputation could be a flaw at times, as everyone always expected the best from him and admitted no less than exemplary attitude. He might not show it, but he was tired of being seen as a reference or a model, it was exhausting to keep all aspects of life perfectly balanced. His grades were always high, he wore the cleanest and tidiest clothes, had an exemplary education and was seen as a true gentleman. His kindness, qualities and purity hid someone who, even though he was surrounded by people and received lots of praise, felt lonely. It was not very noticeable, but most times he smiled, it was possible to see that deep sadness, that melancholy look that never failed to worry. Rare were the occasions when Carl's smile was entirely devoid of any negative feeling.

"Maybe he wasn't feeling well today, we can talk to him after class." - Neka said, reassuring his friends while trying to think positive, he couldn't imagine any other reason for Carl to miss classes.

Amid the flowers that bloomed in the glass room, the list of the two boys was slowly decreasing in size, with only a few species left to be harvested. They carried in their hands the most polychromatic bouquets they had ever seen. They looked like those sold in Arles or Paris, any girl would sigh when she received one of these. They carried in their hands the most polychromatic bouquets they had ever seen, they looked like those sold in Arles or Paris, any girl would sigh when she received one of these. The last item on the dark-haired boy's list was roses, and Pascal had not specified exactly what kind of rose he should pick. He decided to choose the color himself, as he imagined that it would not make a difference in his friend's experiment. And so, some red roses were picked and placed next to the other flowers that were in his hand. Pleased to be able to complete the list, Carl took the bouquet to the scientist along with the list, saying:

"In the list you gave me, you didn't specify what kind of rose you wanted, so I picked the red ones, is there a problem?"

After turning to talk to his friend, Pascal analyzes the flowers that were picked before answering the question asked. The truth is that the dark-haired boy was standing exactly where the sun's rays perfectly framed him, giving him an angelic aspect.

"It was exactly red roses I needed, you picked the right ones." - The redhead responds trying to act naturally, although he was a little enchanted by how radiant he looked in the sun and the plants.

"I thought the color of the roses didn't matter, as you always try to make them blue." - The religious boy said, slowly running his fingers over the soft red petals of the flowers.

It was impossible not to mention the scientist's obsession with changing the color of flowers. Ihat had been his life goal since he was very young, even though his own family disbelived that it would ever be possible. Carl was one of the few people who understood his dream, it was one of the reasons that brought them closer, because he always supported him, even though he had little chance of success.

"The colors are extremely important, because in addition to the different pigments, each of the roses has a different meaning." - Pascal replied, happy to have the opportunity to teach his friend something.

"White roses symbolize purity and innocence, they are the ones I use the most because they have a color that is easy to change. Yellow roses symbolize joy and friendship, they have a pigment that is not really useful to create the blue color." - He explained in detail, articulating well and naturally, as he spoke about one of his favorite subjects, one of which he was the most knowledgeable about.

Carl had become accustomed to his friend's peculiar interests, but he was surprised to learn the symbolism of each type of rose, after all, he had never presented anyone with flowers and didn't have much knowledge on the subject. What he admired most was the way Pascal explained things. It was possible to have a genuine interest in what he said, it was exhilarating to see just how much the older boy wished to learn, to know more about the flowers. Soon after a relatively lengthy explanation of what each color of rose meant, the youngest boy realized that the meaning of one flower had yet to be explained: the red rose. Even though he already had a brief knowledge about the flower, with a bit of shyness, Carl decided to ask his friend, just to hear his explanation.

"What about red roses? What do they mean?" - He asked taking a single red rose from the bouquet, making it very visible.

Surprised by the sudden question, a part of Pascal wondered if the youngest boy really didn't know what the meaning of the flower was, since it was one of the best known and most used types for gift-giving. Perhaps he had noticed a little audacity on the part of his friend, as it was as if he just wanted to hear what he had to say about the rose. These thoughts were soon put aside, it was evident that Carl would never provoke him that way. He was just imagining things again. Assuming Carl didn't really know, he explained normally, just as he had done with the other colors.

"Red roses, the flowers of Aphrodite, Venus and Maria. They are the most symbolic species in the West, and even though they are so similar to the others, they have a much deeper interpretation." - The older boy answered the question, taking the reddish flower that was in the hand of his friend - "They are the flowers that are most used to present the loved one, as they mean beauty, consummation and love."

Pascal analyzed the flower he was holding as he continued his explanation, not realizing the effect his words had on those who were listening. The religious boy felt a little shy hearing words as sentimental as these, and felt flushed like he did the afternoon they spent in the laboratory.

"They have the same color as blood and heart, they symbolize the respect and devotion that an individual has for the loved one." - The scientist said in the midst of his daydreams, the explanation about the other colors was simple, but with the red rose, he went on talking.

The dark-haired boy was surprised at the times when Pascal was able to think in a more emotional than rational way, as he usually boiled down to numbers and calculations, but this time he seemed more emotional than usual. It was eccentric the way he knew so much about relationships, but never had anyone pique his interest. This was one of the few things that Carl did not know about his friend. The two rarely talked about matters of the heart, and the neglect towards this type of conversation resulted in neither of them knowing about the other's romantic interests. It was evident that Pascal had extraordinary knowledge in several subjects, even in interpersonal relationships, as he had helped Carl in his moments of doubt. He was afraid to be indiscreet, to make things between them awkward, but he needed to know:

Has the rational genius, Pascal Biquet, ever fallen in love?

The redhead was not the favorite suitor of the girls or their families, that was a fact. His disregard for strict social rules, his careless appearance, his eccentric interests, and his unique way of thinking were not exactly what was considered attractive, though being one of the oldest children in a family with a good reputation and financial condition did give him some advantage. In all these years he had known him, Carl had never heard his friend mention a lady's name, or give any sign that he had been interested in anyone. This in a way comforted him, even though it was a selfish and immature desire, he was happy to be the closest person to his friend at the time. He couldn't imagine the redhead with anyone, even if that was eventually going to happen. Whenever thoughts like that crossed his mind, he felt a kind of discomfort and didn't know why, he just stopped thinking about it and tried to distract himself.

"You understand so much about love and its aspects, but have you ever met someone who made you feel it?" - The question was asked timidly, he felt so embarrassed that he couldn't even properly pronounce the word "love".

It was the first time he heard Carl ask him about love, as it was a subject rarely discussed between the two. Obviously the scientist would not miss an opportunity to joke about the situation.

"First, you agree to truancy, and now you want to talk about a subject that we don't normally talk about? I must admit, the imposter they put in your place really isn't very good at all." - The redhead said in a sarcastic tone, making his friend forget his shame and laugh a little.

"There's no need to answer if you don't want to, I was just curious." - He replied looking away and returning his attention to the flowers again, trying to escape from the subject and avoid further embarrasment.

Pascal thought about possible answers. It was rare to see Carl so boldly mention this topic, so changing the conversation was out of the question. If the answer was negative, he would be lying to himself and to Carl, but if it was positive, he would have to be careful that his true feelings were not discovered. The dark-haired boy looked at him expecting an answer, but also afraid that he had asked something too intimate. Deep down, he knew that most things people considered embarrassing or inappropriate would not affect Pascal, but he still feared he had gone over the limits of what was acceptable in their friendship.

"Yes, it has already happened to me." - Pascal replied, this time without sarcasm or with a joke involved, he was being sincere and direct.

Carl found himself surprised, even though he knew it was likely to have happened. He felt a little frustrated, and guilty too, because he should have been feeling happy for his friend. He imagined he would have been be the first person to know, they were best friends and shared everything that happened in their lives. The younger boy tried not to care, after all the scientist owed him nothing. He wondered who was be the person who managed to arouse such interest in Pascal, in his head he projected the image of someone with the characteristics that would attract his friend. He had several questions, such as who that person was, how he found out what he felt, and most importantly: what he did about it. He considered asking or not, but preferred to remain silent so as not to be invasive. Pascal was amused to see Carl's confused expression, he probably wanted to continue the matter, but he didn't know how.

"Feel free to ask anything you want to know, you know I don't mind that." - The older boy said, leaving Carl surprised to have guessed what he was thinking. - "If you keep imagining too much and don't ask, you'll get even redder than you are right now."

That was enough to make the boys laugh. The fact that Carl got red in the face in situations where he didn't know how to act was in a way attractive, it was a unique and subtle feature. Normally he didn't like that detail in himself, he felt even more ashamed when others noticed it. But with Pascal it was different, having the freedom to laugh at each other was an advantage of being very close, it was something they did only when they were alone.

"How did you find out what you felt?" - The religious boy asked, gently sighing after saying so, still feeling guilty over the feelings he had for Serge.

The redhead knew exactly what made him attracted to the dark-haired boy, his shy and somewhat withdrawn personality, the way he was always so diligent, and how he always tried gave his best to fulfill his responsabilities. Besides, he understood him like no one else, and he could count on Carl for whatever he needed. The words were carefully thought out before being said, as he took care to make them clear but not too revealing.

"How can I explain? It happened in a natural way, I knew it right after I realized how comfortable it feels to talk to that person, and even when we don't talk, their presence is sufficient." - He said as he continued walking slowly through the greenhouse, being accompanied by his friend.

Carl knew that the women closest to Pascal were his sisters and other girls in the family. The redhead's social life was not very busy, and he could hardly think of who the person described by his friend could be.

"They support me in my experiments, even though they're not sucessful most of the time. What I like most about them is the fact that we have fun together and how they know almost everything about me, as well as I know almost everything about them." - The scientist continued to speak, arousing his friend's curiosity.

"Please, continue." - The religious boy told his friend, who had paused a little to look in his direction. Carl seemed a little disappointed to hear those words, and he was trying hard to look excited.

He was really innocent, thought Pascal. He could hardly imagine that the scientist was talking about him, in his monologue.

"Let me think ... When I'm with this person, I feel that I don't have to try to adapt to what is expected of me. They understand me, and they've seen all parts of my personality, even the most fragile ones." - The religious boy was impressed with the ease wish with his friend spoke about his feelings, while he could not even express what he felt.

"They've helped me in many difficult moments, moments that even I couldn't believe in myself. Sometimes they scold me, saying that I should try harder at school, but deep down I know that they only do it because they care about me. " - He said, hiding the happiness he felt when he said those words, for fear that Carl might be suspicious of his true meaning.

The younger boy did not know how to answer. He should be happy for his friend, after all Pascal was old enough to marry, so finding a girl with whom he identified was wonderful news.

"You two must be really close." - The dark-haired boy said, trying to look excited and proud of his friend.

"Yes, the best part is that when I'm with them, I don't feel like being with anyone else." - Pascal said, this time looking at his friend, while pushing his glasses slightly upwards.

For some reason, those words kept echoing in Carl's mind, what did he mean by that? Did "not feel like being with anyone else" include him, too? Even though he knew he was being selfish, hearing that made him feel anxious, as he feared that they would grow apart after they graduated, each one following their own path, maybe never seeing each other again. All the criteria his friend listed as the reasons he fell in love seemed a bit strange, they didn't fit with what he felt for Serge. Maybe his feelings weren't as strong as he thought. This in a way motivated him, made him realize that those feelings could be, in fact, fleeting, and that everything could maybe return to normal with the passage of time. In fact, if he tried to use Pascal's criteria to choose the ideal person for him, he wouldn't be able to think of anyone.

In fact, there was a person who met those criteria, but young Carl Messier was not able to see it.

"Well, whoever she is, she must be adorable. I'm glad you found someone you like!" - The dark haired boy said, showing himself happy for his friend, who was trying to hide his disappointment when he heard the answer.

Pascal had planned to tell Carl what he felt for him for some time now, but first he needed confirmation that his feelings were mutual. Carl's somewhat neutral response did not help, he still couldn't figure out what to do. He wanted the relationship of the two to progress somehow, but at the same time he feared that their friendship would end tragically, and by the redhead's calculations, there were great chances of this happening.

The conversation changed there, and they continued to look for flowers to complete the lists. After a while, the bouquets in their hands was even more colorful and every flower on the list seemed to have finally been picked. They sat side by side on a small wall in the greenhouse to compare the species of flowers harvested. The distance between them was minimal, a fact that did not bother either of them.

"All the flowers on the list were picked, I just couldn't find as many lilies as you wanted." - Carl said showing the small amount of lilies in the middle of the bouquet; they weren't widely cultivated in the greenhouse.

"No problem, I only need one component from them." - The redhead replied, still with his eyes turned towards the list.

Only on rare occasions like this did they allow themselves to be so close. Physical contact was generally not well regarded by people, but they felt comfortable being close to each other. The sun's rays reflected on the glass opposite from where they were sitting, bathing them in a golden glow. That moment seemed perfect, just two friends together, creating good memories amidst the tranquility of the greenhouse's beauty Suddenly, their faces were closer than usual, as they talked about the flowers they had picked. It was not strange, but still, both felt themselves a bit mesmerized. The last time they were so close was in the laboratory, during their experiment, a memory that heated the hearts of both boys.

Carl did not move and did not say a word, he was static and did not know what to do, what he would normally do in this situation would be to avoid, but he continued to stare at his friend. The redhead, on the other hand, slowly leaned forward, getting only inches apart from his friend's face. They looked deeply into each other's eyes, unable to move or look away. Carl's heartbeat started to quicken, he tried to calm down but it was no use. He didn't feel like pulling away. Being so close to the scientist allowed him to take in every detail of his appearance, his reddish strands were uniquely hit by the sunlight, giving his hair a fiery glow. The dark-haired boy felt uncomfortable when evaluating the appearance of the people he saw; he didn't feel entitled to do so, especially with other boys. And yet, he did it now: even though Pascal didn't have angelic beauty or a flashy appearance (or just didn't care enough about his looks to have one), Carl still managed to find him attractive. He'd seen him every day for many years, he was completely used to his friend. He didn't try, but could still somehow look handsome while his hair was messed up, his glasses were over his head and he wore a wrinkled lab coat.

The scientist's gaze went from his friend's eyes to his mouth, which was slightly open as if to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. After a few more seconds in that same position, Carl obeyed his instincts and approached slowly. The day had been full of adrenaline, broken rules and, mainly, a lot of guilt. Maybe he shouldn't care, just for today. He really needed a day off, a day away from all his daily stress. The guilt could haunt him later, after this was over. The older boy took the initiative, seeing that he had nothing to lose, and that the consequences of his next action would most likely not be negative. He touches his friend's lips with his own, just as he had done the day before. This time, it was different. There was no experiment to be an excuse. They were simply doing what they wanted to do, and that was what frustrated Carl. All his life, he'd been taught that it was wrong. He'd repressed himself so much, and felt guilty in a way he couldn't explain. Now, he was here, out of class during school hours, sitting on one of the greenhouse's short walls along with his best friend, doing something he would probably regret later.

While Pascal was happy to be having moments like this with Carl, he worried about what he was thinking. He didn't want to pressure him, to speed things up too much. The religious boy, however, let himself be carried away by the emotion of the act, allowing himself to forget, even if just for a few seconds, the guilt that always haunted him. The position of the Sun indicated that it was well past noon, but time seemed frozen in that greenhouse. The glass building kept a newly created memory that would be deeply engraved in the minds of the two boys.

Continued in the Next Chapter

Written by KimKymury, thank you for reading it!

[chaoskirin]

You Want to See The First Thing I Wrote?!

It was the summer of 199x. I had just finished beating Star Fox for the SNES. I sat in a play house in my back yard while my dad mowed the lawn and wrote my first ever fanfic--which I was sure no one had ever thought to do in the history of ever at that point.

It was called: Star Fox: The New Member. 5 pages of raw 8th grade talent. 1500 words of writing worthy of a Newbery Medal. You’ll be glad you read it.

One day general Dogg called the Star Fox team. "In a few days," he said, "A new member will arrive. His name is... Uh... oh that’s right. Lunar Lizard. He is supposed to be a great shooter."

 "Yeah right," said Falco under his breath, "I bet he is."

 "Well, General, I guess I'd better get to work building a new Arwing." Said Peppy. "Yes," said General Dogg, "he will be here in 3 weeks."

 Peppy got right to work on the Arwing. Slippy and Fox were working on Lunar's new bedroom. Falco was sitting on his bed. "Maybe he won't be so bad," he thought, "Maybe I'm being a bit too hasty." After some consideration, he went to help Peppy build the Arwing.

 "Hey Peppy," shouted Falco, "I've been thinking, what if this guy can't fly! Then we've been wasting our time!"

 "Oh relax," said Peppy, "He wouldn't join our team if he couldn't fly."

 "That's true," said Falco quietly. "Peppy, do you think he's a better flyer than me?"

 "I don't know," said Peppy. "Maybe, maybe not. It's hard to tell when you've never met the guy."

 Fox and Slippy were also engaged in a conversation. "Fox," Slippy said, "Do you think this guy," Slippy paused. "Oh, never mind. I'm just so excited about a new member. By the way, Fox, Lunar's bed goes in that corner. Why don't we put the shelves in the other corner?"

 "Slippy, could you put his dresser against the wall? I'll hang up the light," Fox said. "Oh, by the way, we will have to run down to the basement to get more nails. I ran out. The back wall is only half finished and I will need more nails to complete it."

 Meanwhile, Peppy and Falco were just finishing the new Arwing. They were now installing the laser blaster. Well, Falco was anyway. Peppy was painting the aim on the windshield. "So," said Peppy, "How are you doing with that blaster? Almost done?"

 "Yeah," said Falco, "Almost done. Just have to put a spring in. Be sure to get that aim right in the middle, Peppy!"

 "I am, Falco. Don't worry," said Peppy, "I've finished the outline. What color paint should I finish it in?"

 "Hmm..." Falco thought, "I think you should paint it in green," he said finally.

 "Okay," Peppy said.

 Together, the two finished the Arwing. Fox and Slippy also finished Lunar's room later in the day.

 The three weeks passed quickly. Soon came the day in which Lunar arrived at Corneria, the fourth planet in the Lylat solar system.

 "He's late!" said Falco impatiently, "He should be here by now!"

 "No, Falco," said Slippy, "he's due at 7:00. It's only 10 to." Just then they heard a knock on the door.

 "I'll get it!" said Peppy. He opened the door. There stood a green and yellow lizard.

 "H-h-hello," he said in a deep but unsure voice. "My n-n-name i-i-is Lunar. Lunar Lizard. I will only be here for 2 months."

 "Hi," said Falco. "Name's Falco."

 "Hello," said Peppy. "My name is Peppy."

 "Pleased to meet cha," said Slippy. "Slippy here."

 "Hi, Lunar," Fox said. "Fox is the name!"

 "We'll show you to your room!" Fox and Slippy said at the same time. "Come on!"

 They took him to his room. Lunar liked it a lot. He loved the color paint on the wall. It was sky blue, his favorite color. The carpet was midnight blue. This was also one of his favorite colors. The bed was also midnight blue. The shelves were sky blue. His dresser was white.

 Then Peppy and Falco showed Lunar his plane. He was excited to have his own plane. He said he usually had to use the planes that belonged to the base. Other times he used a friend's plane.

 "Gee, thanks!" said Lunar. This time he spoke more surely than he had before. "I've always wanted a plane but couldn't afford one! Guess I won't have to be picked up in 2 months!"

 "Nope, guess not," said Slippy.

 "Can I try it out?" asked Lunar.

 "Sure!" said Peppy, "Falco and I made it. It's called the Arwing."

 "Arwing?" asked Lunar.

 "Yep," said Falco.

 "Great name," said Lunar expressively, "I couldn't have named it better myself!"

 "Thanks!" said Peppy, "I thought it up myself!"

 "Okay," said Lunar. "Show me how to work this baby!"

 "I will!" said Slippy. "Okay Lunar, get in! We'll take her for a spin together!"

 "Any weapons on it?" asked Lunar.

 "Yea," said Fox. "There is a laser blaster and some Nova bombs. You can carry five Nova bombs at one time."

 "Great," said Lunar. "Let's go!"

 "Get in," said Slippy.

 They were now in the Arwing. Lunar was commenting on how nice the interior was.

 "We're on our way," said Slippy. "Pull back on that lever that says start."

 "Okay," said Lunar.

 "Now," said Slippy, "Push on the orange pedal on the floor."

 "We're moving!" said Lunar enthusiastically.

 "Yes," said Slippy. "Now steer. To go up..."

 Slippy was cut short by Lunar. "I know," said Lunar. "Up is down and down is up."

 "Yes," said Slippy. "To shoot a laser push the red button. To launch a Nova bomb, push the purple button. Remember, you only have five Nova bombs. Use them wisely."

 "Check," said Lunar.

 "Also for a power boost, use the orange pedal on the floor," said Slippy, "To slow down, push the yellow pedal on the floor."

 "Okay," Lunar said.

 "To communicate with your teammates, talk into the microphone while pushing the button next to the speaker." Slippy said. "To listen, release the button."

 "Check and double check," said Lunar.

 "Okay," said Slippy, "You're on your own."

 "Okay," said Lunar.

 The two flew around for about 45 minutes, then they returned to the base.

 "How did you like it?" Peppy asked.

 "Loved it," said Lunar, "Had the time of my life."

 "Went beautifully," Slippy said. "Don't think he needs training!"

 Just then, General Dogg ran in. "You guys!" he started. "New mission. There's been some trouble at Venom, the first planet in the Lylat Solar system."

 "Not," Fox paused. "Not Andross."

 "No," said General Dogg. "Some invasion forces are attacking the King of Venom. The guards were caught... well... Off-guard. You must stop them."

 "We'll get right on it!" said Fox.

 "Oh boy!" said Lunar excitedly, "My first mission!"

 In a little while, the 5 were flying over Venom. They zoomed down. Now they were ready for fighting.

 "Here they come!" said Falco.

 They shot down many enemies. Lunar, indeed, proved himself to be a great shooter. They were all admiring his skill in shooting. What they weren't watching was Slippy, who was being shot down.

 "Hey," said Fox, "Where's Slippy?"

 "Help!" called Slippy over the intercom.

 "Oh no!" called Peppy, "Someone help Slippy!"

 "I will" shouted Lunar. He raced right over. In two seconds he had gotten to the trouble. He shot down the enemy. Slippy was safe!

 "Thanks," said Slippy.

 "Don't mention it," said Lunar.

 The five together corrected the problem on Venom and restored peace to the land. They were all given golden medals of bravery. Slippy's plane was heavily damaged from the attack They stayed overnight to have it fixed. Then they set off back for Corneria.

 "We got 'em all!" said Falco.

 "Great!" said General Dogg, "How did Lunar do?"

 "He was great, Sir," said Fox. "He rescued Slippy."

"Yes," answered Slippy. "I thought I was a goner. One more shot and I wouldn't be here now. I'm glad Lunar was with us."

"Well," said Lunar, "The mission lasted a whole month and a half. I only got 2 weeks before I have to go back to my base."

 "By the way," started Fox, "what planet is your base on?"

 "It's on Titania, the same planet I live on," said Lunar. "Oh," said Fox, "But that planet is very foggy."

 "Yes," said Lunar. "That's our defense. Our enemies can't see us. Our base is in a dome that keeps the fog out so we can see. I came here because a hole in the dome let in fog. They have to fix it. The others went to other bases until the hole gets fixed. The general at our base said it would be 2 months."

 Soon, the 2 weeks passed and it was time for Lunar to go home. "Well," said Lunar, "Guess I got to go."

 "Yeah," said Peppy sadly, "You were a good teammate. We'll miss you."

 "Bye," said Fox.

 "I'll miss you," said Slippy.

 "You were great," said Falco. "Come visit us soon."

 "Well, thanks again for the plane... er... Arwing!" Said Lunar as he got in.

 Lunar started the engines. All at once the whole Star Fox team said, "Bye Lunar!" he waved one last time and he was gone.

 "I sure will miss him," said Slippy.

 "We all will," said Peppy, "but he will be back."

 They all walked off to the base together. "Yes," said Peppy, "he will be back."

[katsumi-sensei-of-iga]

Shigezane birthday fanfic

This will be an AU of sort in which Katsumi ended serving Kojuro under the guise of a page and helps the Date. Only Kojuro, Masa, Genya and Shige know she is a kunoichi. I love Shige, so I wanted him to be happy.

Most will be under the cut to save boards because I had too much fun writing this and got carried away! Enjoy! If you guys want I can try and continue this with some smut for the birthday boy.

Tagging the Shige lovers I’ve seen so far(if you don’t want to be tagged feel free to tell me): @julias1993 @coffee-kath @nefernankh @apfleur @dany-ryujin @pcyoshgurl @daeva-agas

The castle was abuzz with preparations for the young lord Date’s birthday. The maids were carrying flowers, vases, scrolls, tea sets and what could only be described as a feast for wolves. They were like butterflies, moving so fast, their fluttering sleeves made them look like dancers on stage. 

The retainers were just as busy, after all it was their duty to arrange all the things the maids brought back and fort and dust off the places the butterflies couldn’t reach. There were quite a few fights, but some were prevented as well:

In Masamune’s chamber:

 - Katsumi? - Yes, sweetheart? - Can you go and check how the Main hall is coming along? Shigezane will be here in few hours. - For Shige? Always.

Only as she was leaving did Masamune sneak a glance at her silently retreating form. He was glad she cared for his cousin almost as much as him and Kojuro, at times she would argue she loved him more than the two of them combined. Now the Dragon of Oshu had The Dragon’s Shadow and knew that she would never let anything happened to any of them, and if something did happened she would be there for those left.

-Let’s just hope she can subdue the rowdy retainers who get way too much into flower arranging every year...

Masamune allowed himself a laugh remembering the disaster last year, when the hall was so colorful and random that Kojuro had steam coming out of his ears and almost fainted and Shigezane bruised a rib from laughing so hard but appreciated it all non the less.

At the Hall:

- That flower should go there! - Are you insane!? This is not some peasants’ house, that Lilly shouldn’t be there it makes the whole vase look out of place!

- Guys! A little bit of help here!? - the poor retainer that was hanging lanterns and weaving  pieces of cloth around the beams was now left hanging from the ceiling after loosing his footing and slipping from the ladder under him. But his friends were too busy arguing, getting ready to draw their swords, about the vases in the hall to notice him.

- Excuse me, does anyone know where all the lilies wen- Ahhhh! - the poor maid that came in was no expecting the ladder that found it self in her path and conflicted whether to brace herself for the fall or hold on to the family heirloom vase in her hands, she brought the vase close to her chest and prepared for the nasty bruise that was bound to appear in a few hours. And just as the retainers scrambled to their feet to catch, some the vase, others the maid...

BAAM!

The door flew open, almost falling from it’s hinges, only for the retainers to be met with the furious glare of Lord Kojuro’s page who stalked towards them, but not before catching the poor thing that was by now scared out of her mind and kicking the ladder back under the feet of the retainer who by now had accepted his fate and was just about ready to let go and deal with having a bruised bottom for the next month.

- Give me the vase and go help the other butterflies in the garden with getting more flowers and bring me some camellias, please. - the sweet smile and secure grip on her waist was all the maid needed to gladly hand over, what could have been her death sentence had Yoshihime found out she had broken it, and leave but not before giving a chaste bow to the woman who just saved her.

- Now. I want every single on of you out of this hall by the time I return with flowers and cloth to fix this horrendous, tasteless throw up of colors you call decoration. Anyone I catch here after that I will personally deal with later.

The retainers didn’t need another warning and fled before they could find out what “deal with you later” meant.

-This will be hard... Well, anything for Shige... - Katsumi rolled up and tied her sleeves and started re-arranging all the vases, throwing the bright flowers that she deemed an eye sore in a basket near by and inspecting the pieces of white and red cloth hanging from the beams, that were actually very good looking and perfectly woven through one another. - At least one of them knew what he was doing, or in the very least wasn’t color blind. I will have to ask Masamune to reward that retainer...But that’s a job for another time.

A few hours later:

- Wow! This is beautiful! - Amazing! - Who decorated!? This is like the Hall of Amaterasu herself! - I want my wedding decorated like that! - Are we sure we are not dead and this is what the afterlife looks like...

All the retainers and maids that came in hall right before Shigezane was about to arrive were stunned. Their Lord and Kojuro soon joined the lines of gaping staff with just as stunned expressions.

The hall was a mix of red, white, orange and gold, a bright contrast to the darkness outside. The lanterns and only source of light were hanging from the ceiling making the dais and seats around it glow like a bunch of deities had come down from Heaven and were looking down upon them, giving them a divine blessing. The vases and flowers - mainly camellias, white and red tiger lilies were arranged on the tables, some flowers were tied with string and hanged up instead of scrolls on some of the walls and around the spot their Lord was soon to take up on the dais was a half circle of green, blue and orange tulips, symbolism only Masamune and Kojuro understood, woven into a braid. 

- What do you think? I personally think this is some of my best work yet. I hope the young Lord likes it. - The last person everybody expected to appear from behind the folding screen on the dais with an armful of lanterns and flowers sticking out of her sleeves and a camellia behind her ear was Kojuro’s page, the scariest woman the staff have ever seen. And yet, here she was, fretting like a mother on her daughter’s wedding day, making last minute fixes. More lanterns, less lanterns, less flowers, more flowers...

- You did this? - Kojuro was the first to find his voice, knowing she had an advantage with her...training... But this was still something he had never seen.

- You see anyone else? Originally I wasn’t supposed to have anything to do with this, but after I saw the way the hall looked earlier I couldn’t leave it like that. Now if you will excuse me, I have to go change. - As she passed them Kojuro could swear he could smell camellias and lilies with every flick of her hair.

Just as the door behind her closed, another opened.

- Wow! This is all for me? Guys, you didn’t have to! - Shigezane! How could we not hear him come in!?

- Happy birthday, Lord Shigezane! - all the servants said in unison as they had trained for the past week. - Thank you all!

After everybody took their seats and the feast began it was time for the most special presents.

-Happy birthday, Shigezane. I wish you all the best in this life and the next. - Kojuro patted his head as he gave him his present, making sure no-one else saw what he gave the young man- The Lover’s Guide: Deluxe Edition.

- Happy birthday, Shigezane. This is a present from Katsumi and I. And you are no longer disowned until you do something stupid again. - Masamune’s soft eyes betrayed his cold tone. His presents was simple but from the heart, both their hearts - a new cream-colored haori with the Date sigil on the neck and sleeves, the colors fading from orange to green, and a protection charm he sewed himself, with Katsumi’s help of course, huh, who knew the rules to sewing wounds are the same as sewing fabric.

Speak of the Devil.

- And this is something special from me personally. - The last thing Shigezane expected was a kiss on the back of the neck that made his skin crawl, at which he turned around and got another kiss, this time on the forehead. - Happy birthday, darling. - Shigezane was stunned. She was beautiful. Wearing a dark purple kimono with a silver water and mountains and the green obi with the image of a dragon coiling around her waist with two different eyes, something she made for Masamune’s birthday. And she was wearing the silver hairpin he bought for her on her own birthday mere 10 days ago. She was the personification of everything great about the Date - strength, intelligence, kindness shown only to those who deserve it, protection to the innocent and love to those most precious.

Surrounded by his family and loved ones, Shigezane suddenly understood he wasn’t alone and instead of the usual wish every year to find someone and never be alone, this year he wished for health and happiness for those around him.