#HATE the Real Claudias in their lives. the REAL black women with every right to be angry and resentful

[creatingblackcharacters]

Claudia from AMC Interview with the Vampire

Rubric

[ruckusheaven]

A Coon In A Colorful Heaven: Chapter 5- “It’s All Pink on the Inside..”

Coon-  A black person who is ignorant to white discrimination and unknowingly suffers with self hatred.

This chapter continues to follow the eternal story of a man named Damien. When we last saw Damien he was taken to his family’s club by Angie. Once there he was greeted by his Uncle Craig who took him to see his Great Great Grandmother Lisa. Surprisingly enough she was one of the very few actually happy to see Damien. But as they began to speak, Damien started to explain his views on women and his preference; which started an argument about colorism and the struggles black women face. But before the conversation could be finished they noticed and were informed by Angie about Damien’s Soul Confliction. With little to no hesitation “GG” Grandma Lisa figured out the perfect way to educate Damien on colorism...Was by meeting his Great Great Grandfather Julian.

            -inside of Damien’s Family Club-

Damien: Great Great Grandfather Julian??

Damien: Why haven’t i heard of that name before?

Uncle Richard: Because he was never worth mentioning, hell we barely knew about him ourselves when we were alive.

Damien: Huh?

“GG” Grandma Lisa: *looks down* Listen Damien there’s a lot about this family that you never knew about. But to be honest how could you have?

“GG” Grandma Lisa: *looks back up at the crowd of people* Our Family did a terrible job at trying to keep our family history and connection together...

“GG” Grandma Lisa: So many stories... so many faces... I have been in Heaven for more than a century in your time and i still discover something new about this family almost everyday.

“GG” Grandma Lisa: *walks around the room* So much Pain and Love. Hatred and Compassion. Fear and Understanding. Destruction and Creativity. and Secrets... So many secrets

“GG” Grandma Lisa: *looks back at Damien* In due time you will see for yourself what i mean, I promise you that. But first we need to deal with your little Soul Confliction issue

*A Bright Light Crashes Down, Leaving behind Aunt Tanya and “GG” Grandfather Julian*

“GG” Grandfather Julian: WHAT UP FAMILY!!

“GG” Grandma Lisa: Speaking of which, perfect timing.

Aunt Tanya: You know... That beam is damn near instantaneous and i swear it felt like we were in there for hours. He just keeps talking.

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Girl hush, i made that ride entertaining!!

Aunt Tanya: More like annoying... 

“GG” Grandma Lisa: *Walks towards Julian with open arms and a smile* Hi Julian

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Oh my God Lisa *Hugs Lisa* *holds Lisa waist while staring into her eyes* Every time i see you it’s like it for the first time all over again

“GG” Grandma Lisa: Oh Julian..

Uncle Craig: Oh God

Aunt Tanya: You know for a couple that’s separated, y’all sure don’t act like it

“GG” Grandma Lisa: Heaven is place of forgiveness Tanya, you know that. I have no hate in my heart for this man, there’s no point in it.

Aunt Tanya: I can think of few but those would all be considered “Preferences” 

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Now Tanya i know you was slow in the head but i would think that me admitting 100 times that i was wrong would eventually stick in your brain   

“GG” Grandfather Julian:  I thought something would finally stick in you

Aunt Tanya: You son of a-

“GG” Grandma Lisa: ENOUGH!! from the both of you. Acting like damn fools for no reason

“GG” Grandma Lisa: Apologize both of you

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Now why i gotta apologize she the one that started-

“GG” Grandma Lisa: *grips Julian’s hand hard* I said apologize 

“GG” Grandfather Julian: 

“GG” Grandfather Julian: I deeply and sincerely apologize Tanya, i was way out of line

Aunt Tanya: Mhmm i’m sorry too

“GG” Grandma Lisa: Good. now you two can fight it out some other time, but right now we need to help my Grand Baby fix his Soul Confliction

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Right right, Tanya said that’s why ya needed me. So where lil man at *looks around the room*

Damien: *stands up sticking his hand out* You mean grown man Grandpa

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Well right you are *shakes Damien’s hand* good to see ya boy, good to see ya!

Damien: *smirks* Good to see you too Grandpa

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Boy did anyone every tell you, that you look just like your Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great x53 Grandfather Musa Keita??

Damien: Ummm.. no

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Boy you gotta sit down and meet that man one day. He was doin his thang in the b.c time, boy you wouldn’t believe!

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Listen here man we come from Kings! you hear me, real Kings!

“GG” Grandma Lisa: Now Julian i’m sure Damien would love to meet and hear all about our history but we have more *cough cough* pressing issues to go over..

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Right Right my bad. So what seems to be the problem *grabs a chair and sits in front of Damien*

“GG” Grandma Lisa: Well our Grandson here seems to think that Light Skin women are better than Dark Skin women

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Ok ok....... see now i said what’s the problem, this right here just sounds like a preference

Aunt Tanya: Here we go

Uncle Richard: Is everything always a joke to you Julian?

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Boy the only joke here is you. You the only negro i know that still needs glasses in Heaven.

“GG” Grandfather Julian:  Heaven can fix and heal everything, and i mean EEEVRRRYYTHING..... but 20/70 vision. Ain’t that bouta bitch.

Uncle Craig: Should I throw him out now or after the ass kicking?

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Now don’t you touch me Craig!! *stands up*

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Last time you touched me, i had to soak in a realm made of lotion for weeks just to get your ash off of me

“GG” Grandma Lisa: Julian..  

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Now Lisa you know im just messing around with everyone. Everyone is so uptight today.

“GG” Grandma Lisa: For a very good reason

“GG” Grandfather Julian: You right, You’re absolutely right.. I apologize

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Ok lemme start this over

“GG” Grandfather Julian: *grabs Damien by the collar* Aye little nigga whats wrong with you and not liking Dark Skin Women!? Ain’t Ya Momma as black as November 23rd!!

Damien: *in shock* what the hell!

“GG” Grandma Lisa: JULIAN!!

“GG” Grandfather Julian: What?... This is what i did last time..

“GG” Grandma Lisa: Can you take it down a few notches and act like this is your Grandson and not some random thug that’s trying to fight you..

“GG” Grandfather Julian: *sigh* ok my bad, my bad

“GG” Grandfather Julian: *fixes Damien’s shirt* sorry about that man *sits back down*

Damien: *catching his breath* what the hell is wrong with this family!

“GG” Grandfather Julian: A lot more than we have the time to discussion right now. So can you please sit

Damien: *Takes a deep breath* whatever man *sits back down*

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Alright look man, that whole light skin is a preference and all that nonsense is some bull shit.

Damien: Once again how can you or anyone tell me what like is wrong, I was never attracted to dark skin tones, that’s just who i am

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Boy ain’t nobody born hating or disliking an entire color. That shit ain’t genetic, as you can see you come from some dark moutherfukas and we love ALL shades of chocolate *stretches his arms out*

The Crowd of Family: Amen to that! I know that’s Right! You ain’t neva lied!

“GG” Grandfather Julian: See

Damien: I get that’s how y’all are, but that’s not me. Why can’t y’all accept that i’m different.

Damien: Im not saying that i hate Dark Skin women or anything like that. I just choose to not be around them, they’re a mess for the most part.

The Crowd of Family: *gasp*. No this nigga didn’t...

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Now Now everyone let’s relax. Before we jump in his ass lets see where he’s coming from. Go ahead and explain yourself

Damien: Ok look, all my life i have seen nothing but ratchetness and ghetto shit from Dark Skin women.

Damien: From Tv, Movies and my encounters with them, they’re always loud, obnoxious, always ready to fight someone, always wearing weaves and wigs, always trying to live off someone else and just all around one note.

“GG” Grandfather Julian:

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Now i have heard some shit in my day, but boy i have never heard someone so passionately explain they’re ideology based around assumptions, one sided opinions and shit they saw on tv..

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Oh wait yes i have.. From racist white men and women that never had a conversation nor would even want to with a black man or woman.

Damien: Huh?

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Boy, do you know that what you just said is eerily similar to what white people have said about black folks for years?

“GG” Grandfather Julian: “ they’re always loud, obnoxious, always ready to fight someone, Violent, Always dependent on welfare, uncivilized, thugs” etc etc or as you say “one note”

Damien: Yea but that’s just white people being racist

“GG” Grandfather Julian: Negro where do you think colorism started!

“GG” Grandfather Julian: For hundreds of years your great female ancestors were raped and used as cattle, play things and servants. Then once these women had these kids that came out lighter then them, not only were they separated from their kids but they were also told to treat them as superior.

“GG” Grandfather Julian: That was one of their greatest schemes to slowly break us apart. Treating some of our own blood as superiors or servants so that those kids would eventually see Darker skin as beneath them. It was a way for white people to make them seem even more powerful just because of their skin; while also creating a form of control that made their job easier.

Damien: This all sounds like some white man conspiracy bull shit.

???: I’m afraid it’s not *walks trough the crowd and stands next to Julian*

Damien: Who are you?

???: Hello my name is Claudia one of your great cousins. I was born a slave in 1720..and i think my story could help shed some truth on what Julian is saying.

Damien: What, you’re going to tell me more stories? Listen Claudia, no disrespect but i don’t have the time for any long winded storytelling 

Claudia: Oh i won’t be telling the story, I will show you it..

Damien: What are you talkin-

*Claudia places both of her hands on Damien’s head, taking both of them to huge forest*

Damien: *in shock* what the... where the hell are we

Claudia: We’re in my Memory Realm.

Claudia: In this realm i will show you a brief glimpse of my life and the story i wish to show you 

Damien: What are you talking about?

Claudia: *sticks her hand out pointing in a direction*

Damien: *confusedly walks to where Claudia is pointing*

*After pushing his way through a huge bush, Damien looks on in shack and awe*

Damien: *takes a deep gasp* where... where are we exactly

Claudia: We’re in the 1720′s, in Alabama on the plantation i was born

Claudia: Welcome to my Life and now see my Story..

THE END OF CHAPTER 5

[fantasticworldoffanfics]

PETER/STILES

                                            ——— (part 3) ——–

Fandom: TeenWolf

Even longer list of fanfics :)….

top favourites, more top favourites, part 1, part 2

The Devil You Know

Author: Triangulum

Summary: Hell is busy and Peter is understaffed. There are too many evil people being sent down below and there are only so many demons Peter has to torture them with. He needs to reorganize. They don't utilize group torture nearly as much as they should. Stiles probably has some ideas on that.OrPeter is King of Hell, Stiles is his second in command, and Talia summons them for a favor.

Can I Keep Him?

Author: Therapeutic_Steter

Summary: Let's try... Red Panda stiles? looove red panda stiles!

I’m Not Your Nephew

Author: Therapeutic_Steter

Summary: "Derek! Guess what!" "What, Stiles?" "I can call, you nephew now!!" "What. The hell. Are you talking about." "Didn't you listen? Peter and I are together!" 

Words Upon Skin

Author: Therapeutic_Steter

Summary: Soulmate words were treasured. People spent their whole lives waiting for their treasured phrase, that magic moment.Stiles had spent his whole life plagued by his words. He wondered just what he could do, to disappoint his soulmate so completely in their first meeting. He had approximately ninety nine self-confidence issues and they were all because of those damned words, printed in elegant script across his heart.‘Words cannot describe how pathetic you look.’

Let Me Hold You, Forever

Author: lavenderlotion

Summary: It was too much. To loud and too quiet and too, too much. He had to get out, to get away and just be somewhere different. He couldn’t - he couldn’t keep watching her like that, watching her lay there as she did.He needed a break.And he found it, with Peter Hale. Peter who was scarred skin and blank eyes. Peter who he sat with for hours a day, reading and ranting and just being with. Peter, who over four years he fell in love with.

A Spoonful Of Sugar

Author: Twisted_Mind

Summary: He blames Lydia. He would never have even considered this if she hadn't mentioned it like it was legit. But short of falling down the rabbit hole of student debt, he doesn't have a whole lot of options. So, whatever, he can try the sugar baby thing. No one has to know.Of course Peter has to go and ruin everything.

Across Your Skin, My Love

Author: lavenderlotion

Summary: Stiles knew he had a soulmate - had gotten his mark when he was fourteen like everyone else. He just - he just didn’t think he would meet the man for years to come. he knew the statics, knew that most people didn’t meet their bonded until their early-mid twenties.So he was really not been expecting to his name on the arm of his hot new English teacher.He had to admit it turned out pretty amazing, though.

Don’t Come For His Family

Author: lavenderlotion

Summary: In the three years Stiles had been with Peter, the man had only talked about his family a handful of times - and as far as Stiles knew had never once spoken to them. So he wasn’t exactly excited to see the mans family, even though that’s exactly what they were about to do.It does not go to plan.

You Wouldn’t Believe Me

Author: gryvon

Summary: The Hales are famous. Their emissary is infamous.

Wrong Number

Author: SushiOwl

Summary: "What do you and your coven desire from the dark?" Sometimes he liked be cheesy. Humans were into it, otherwise they wouldn't put it in their insipid (but wildly entertaining) TV shows.The witch boy finally set down his reading material. Peter had thought it was a book, but it was actually a plastic folder with photocopies of pages from a book. Peter would have to decided if he was insulted later."No coven, just me," the witch said, closing his folder. There was a Batman symbol on the front, so Peter was certainly insulted.He was not about to put on such a show for one human either. He let his mist drop and gave the boy an unimpressed expression that included a lifted brow and lips tilted down at the corners. "Alright then, just you. What deal are you looking for?""Will you take my virginity for bragging rights?"

Boy Who Cried Wolf

Author: ladypigswagon

Summary: Peter is hungry. It’s a raw ache, the kind that drives Peter to hunt almost desperately. His paws pound against the earth, kicking up black dirt and fallen leaves as he runs. It’s early afternoon, sunlight streaming through the gaps in the canopy, dappling the ground. Peter can hear a herd of deer a few miles west, but deer are tricky. There are too many variables, too many antlers and hooves. He could probably pick off a few with a pack.

The Fourth Prince Of The First Realm

Author: RebaK1tten

Summary: “My god, Peter, only you!” Derek whispers. “You didn’t rescue just any old fairie, you rescued their Queen!”“Am I supposed to apologize? I didn’t ask for credentials before I helped her, you know,” he hisses back. “See, this is what happens when you do something nice, it just bites you on the ass.”** Peter rescues the fairie queen and as a reward, he's told he'll marry her son. It's not an option.

The Snake And The Otter

Author: Therapeutic_Steter

Summary: When Stiles was born, a black snake appeared into his crib on the first full moon and never left.Claudia, whose soulmate animal was a lion, hadn't even flinched, smiling and cooing at the little snake in welcome. It flicked its tongue at her, beady eyes sparking blue, and let Claudia gently stroke it's head. John, whose soulmate animal was a bear, just shook his head, wondering at what kinds of trouble his son and his soulmate would get in to.

If I Were ‘A Were’

Author: syriala

Summary: Stiles knew that he wasn’t the most subtle person to ever grace this earth. But compared to the Hale’s he was a fucking ninja. He couldn’t believe that no one had figured out yet that they were actually werewolves. Real, actual, honest to god werewolves.That no one knew about.Stiles really started to question this town’s intelligence.But Stiles was determined to find out how many dog/wolf related puns he could make before someone caught on to the fact that he actually knew.

I’ll Watch Anything As Long It Is With You

Author: Sage_Speight_Trickster_In_Training

Summary: Ever since Stiles was a kid and first hear his parent's story about how they met with their soulmark he couldn't wait until his showed up. He would always marvel how some day he would look down and see the first words his soulmate would say to him. His best friend Scott got his words when he was eight and ever since those words showed up he would carry at least four pens with him everywhere he went, waiting for the moment when someone asked him to borrow one. The prettiest girls is school, Lydia, got hers when she turned ten and Stiles felt his first heartbreak when they weren't his words. That was also the year his mother got sick and the words on his father's lower left knee , written in his mother´s hand writing, began to fade. Stiles knew that when soulmates faded that that meant their soulmate was dead. That same year he went with his father when he went to a tattoo parlor to get his mother's first words tattooed onto him so they would stop fading.

Naked Terror

Author: Bunnywest

Summary: Peter's only here to inspect the fire extinguisher. The last thing he expects is for a naked man to come charging at him, swinging a baseball bat and screaming.

Kiss Me Once, Shame On Me

Author: yesterday

Summary: “I don’t care about tradition, you try and get me to kiss you under the mistletoe and I will punch you,” Stiles said.“Where is your holiday spirit, Stiles? This is for charity; it said so outside.” Peter was smirking. He was right. Stiles set the sandwich board out there himself this morning— “For every smooch under the mistletoe, one dollar will be donated to Beacon Hills Children’s Hospital!” 

Forget everything Stiles ever said about Christmas cheer. He officially hated the holidays.

The (Sometimes) Happy Holidays Series

Author: Potrix

Part 1: (Not So) Silent Night

Summary: “Santa Claus, 42, looking for a sweet angel, 18+, with big or small Christmas ornaments for not so silent nights together. Tree stand available and ready. No Santa hat, no action.”Several people swivel around to glare at Stiles, but, really, he can’t be held responsible for this. Sure, a waiting room isn’t the best place to suddenly burst out laughing, but it’s totally the fault of whoever laid out the latest issue of Bella Diva. It’s not like Stiles normally makes a habit of buying and reading women’s magazines.Apart from the occasional Cosmo. The quizzes are always hilarious.

Part 2: (Annoyingly) Happy Valentine’s Day

Summary: “Welcome to the Beacon Blossom!” the saleswoman behind the counter chirps happily, and Peter watches, a little dazed, as the blinking plastic hearts attached to her headband bounce back and forth. “What can I do for you on this fine day?”Peter deposits the bouquet of red roses on the counter, and nearly drops his wallet when the woman coos—actually coos—and says, nodding her head, “A classic. Your wife will absolutely love them, I guarantee it.” She swipes Peter’s card when he hands it to her, then points it at a basket stuffed full with some of the most garishly pink teddy bears Peter’s ever had the misfortune of seeing. “Now, since today’s a special day, if you buy a bouquet and one of our Sweetheart Bears, the cheaper item is 50% off.”It takes some effort, but Peter manages to bite back his initial, sarcastic retort about the bear clashing with his furniture. Or anything else not absolutely, horrifyingly hideous, for that matter. “Just the roses, please.”

The Holly Bears A Berry Red As Any Blood

Author:  ladypigswagon

Summary: Stiles swears as the car hits another pothole dead on and he goes flying out of his seat, hardly restrained by the seat belt, smacking his head on the roof.“Language,” John says mildly, turning the page of his newspaper. Stiles grumbles, rubbing the back of his head. He can feel a lump developing.“Every year,” Stiles says, “every goddamn year, the Hales send their craziest driver to pick us up. Every year we hit every pothole and every year I get a lump on my head. In the same place! How this hasn’t damaged me permanently I don’t know?!”

Winding Roads To Flowering Fields Series

Author: Tahlruil

Part 1: Deserving Him

Summary: Scott couldn't even seem to live comfortably in his world of black and white absolutes. He could understand why the Lahey boy had broken with Derek, he supposed - his nephew was never meant to be an Alpha, and that had always been painfully obvious. What Peter didn't understand was why he'd then put himself deliberately in Scott's pack. He didn't understand why anyone would align themselves with someone so pathetic when it came to leading others. He didn't understand why new betas, humans and other supernaturals alike flocked to him, an Alpha who had no true understanding of what it meant to be pack. Peter didn't understand why Stiles - beautiful, intelligent, deadly Stiles - chose to call Scott his Alpha.'Peter has been watching Stiles for quite some time now, and he has trouble understanding why Stiles chooses to align himself with Scott. The McCall Alpha doesn't even seem to notice that his best friend is still reeling from his encounter with the Nogitsune... or that Peter is the one trying to soothe that hurt.Stiles, Peter is sure, deserves better.

Part 2: Not An Idiot

Summary: Maybe in some places an idiot could get elected Sheriff - not in a town like Beacon Hills. Dumb deputies (or just very unlucky ones) tended to die before they got the chance to try to move up the ranks. So John Stilinski isn't an idiot even if he (on occasion) chooses not to see the whole picture. Stiles is getting better and he's grateful - he just wishes that maybe it was someone else getting his kid get there.Even though it's not the smartest move, he calls a friend about it.He's not an idiot, okay, he's not. He just... needs a little help, and who better to help with a werewolf problem than an Argent?

Part 3: Ground Me

Summary: "...this is not 'guard duty', you idiot. This is pack - the way pack is supposed to be." Stiles probably should have been freaked out or maybe turned on by the way Peter pressed his nose to the crook of Stiles' neck and breathed in deep. He definitely should have felt one of those things when Peter dragged his cheek upward and then skimmed it over Stiles' jaw. He didn't though, not with what he knew about werewolves; all he felt when his wolf scented him was a sense of comfort, belonging and home. "And you don't take 'nights off' when it comes to being pack."

Part 4: Coming Home Is Something Strange

Summary: Two weeks into living under John's roof, Chris realized that all four of them were settling into a routine that was decidedly, disturbingly, domestic. He and Peter banded together in the fight to keep the Stilinskis healthy, and half the time they seemed to end up doing the grocery shopping together. So long as they only talked about things like how many apples they should get and if they needed to pick up some detergent, things between them were just fine.They'd only tried to discuss the deeper things once. It had ended in a bloody nose for Chris and a knife laced with wolfsbane sticking out of Peter's thigh. Neither Stilinski male had been happy about it. Their reactions forced Chris and Peter into another unspoken truce, and that was... okay. Maybe they didn't need to hash out everything between them. Things had been a fucking mess between their families for centuries; their best bet seemed to be to let sleeping dogs lie.

Part 5: A Surprising Visit

Summary: "No! It's not... it's nothing like that. Hi Stiles. I'm sorry for just, you know. Showing up like this? But I thought that if I called or texted you might not. Uhm. Open the door. I still should have texted. I'm sorry. It's just that you mentioned watching Mulan and I really love that movie. And we've all been being really bad friends except maybe you and I weren't friends? Because with everything that happened I feel like I never got to know you, not really. And then I guess I got caught up in trying to get to know Scott. Have I mentioned I'm sorry?""Couple times," Stiles said, blinking a few times as he tried to process what was going on. "So you came over to hang out?""You sound surprised," Kira said quietly. She looked kind of sad, which he didn't completely get but whatever. "Which means I'm a terrible friend. But!" Kira reached into her bag and pulled out a DVD - it was Mulan, and Stiles felt something warm and sort of gooey unfurl in his chest. He already had a copy, but that she had brought one meant that she really had come to watch it. She had come just to hang out with him without pack business forcing her to, and that was pretty awesome. "I'm going to try and change that."

Part 6: When I Have A Pack, Things Will Change

Summary: "Well it is a grocery store, Scott," he said without looking up from the package of steak in his hand. John had been having a difficult time at work with all those pesky disappearances and Peter thought the man deserved a treat. He had to weigh that against the knowledge that Stiles would be upset, however, which had him debating if he shouldn't grab the 'extra lean' cut instead of going with the regular kind of lean. "Even us deviously evil masterminds must eat and the takeout in this town is deplorable."Peter heard a subsonic growl leave McCall's throat and let himself smirk with satisfaction. Frustrating the so-called Alpha was different than pissing him off, surely...

A Match Made In Hell Series

Author: JPA

Part 1: Marked

Summary: Stiles is eleven when he gets the courage to look into the mirror and see what his soulmate mark reads.

Part 2: I Wish

Summary: Peter had been born without a soulmark.

Part 3: Revelations

Summary: “Ah, Stiles,” Peter says, eyes gleaming. “It’s so nice to see you again.”

Rant-A-Thon

Author: Ragga

Summary: So Stiles may be having a bad day. Or a week. Or a semester. But he knows he just needs to blow off some steam and then he will be better than ever. And accosting a random guy and blurting out his entire life story? That sounds like the perfect idea!And as it turned out, it was. OR Stiles rants a lot and then Peter feeds him. And soulmates.

Merry Christmas, Dude!

Author: lostwithoutmyanchor (mysourwolf)

Summary: The beat was pressing down on Stiles in a pleasant way, pushing out some of the worry and tension. It was the last week before finals and Stiles just couldn’t take it anymore. He’d been studying non-stop for three weeks and had felt like his head would explode. Even the promise of going home to spend Christmas with his family was barely holding him up. Also with it being his last year of college and completely packed, he hadn’t had time to get laid at all. Which was totally unacceptable. OR, the one where Stiles has mind-blowing sex with a hot stranger.

Cookies & Mates

Author: withinmelove

Summary: Stiles doesn't expect to enjoy pretending to be Peter's mate. Surprises are in store for him.

Shifter Criminal Investigative Service Series

Author: Heather_Night

Part 1: Vanilla

Summary: Cutie startled violently, crying out, and Peter’s wolf demanded he take care of the creature.The vanilla scent meant being in close proximity wasn’t a hardship so Peter lifted the lightly squirming body into his arms and shushed him.Thank the moon neither his nephew nor niece could see him now as he was pretty certain this qualified as cuddling.Peter did not cuddle. Ever.

Part 2: En Garde

Summary: Usually it was the third date when things went to hell for Stiles. Maybe he tried too hard or maybe he just wasn’t that likeable but usually after meeting up one-on-one for the third time the person he was interested in either gave him the ‘let’s be friends’ speech or they lost his number.This time felt different but Stiles tried to tamp down on his soaring hopes. Peter was an off-the-scales out-of-his-league level of hot, and he was also smart, accomplished and older. What did he see in a spaz like Stiles?

Part 3: Transformation

Summary: Now was not the time to lose his focus as the Shifter Criminal Investigative Service was in the midst of a big investigation regarding a new series of seemingly connected homicides. Unfortunately his wolf, and his human side for that matter, wanted to see Stiles and make sure the younger man was okay.

Part 4: Unfettered

Summary: “It’s what? You obviously don’t want me in Beacon Hills. Is it that you think your dad will disapprove of me because of our age difference, your alpha will disapprove of me because I’m not good enough, you don’t want to be seen with a werewolf or what exactly is the issue here?” Peter’s tone was as bland as the expression on his face. The more upset Peter became, the more dispassionate he appeared.Not good. It was time for damage control. Check that; it was time for the truth. Stiles gathered his courage. “I don’t want you to see me the way everyone in Beacon Hills does. There, are you happy?”

Black Fire

Author: Green

Summary: Deaton is all about the balance of the universe, about order. Stiles's new magic - gifted to him from the Nogitsune - is the complete opposite of that. Deaton calls Stiles's magic "dark" and seeks to imprison him in Eichen where he's no threat to the balance. Peter and Stiles go on the run - but they can't run forever.

When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Escalate The Problem

Author: Julibean19

Summary: “I didn’t tell you because I knew what you were going to say,” Stiles hedges, shrugging his shoulders.“And what am I going to say?” John challenges, raising his eyebrows.“That he’s too old for me and you hate him.”Peter pushes the screen door open with one hand, the other balancing a perfectly browned quiche. He’s dressed in a dark blue cashmere sweater and grey slacks. To Stiles, he looks like a dream. To his father, he’s sure to look like his worst nightmare.“He’s too old for you and I hate him,” John says immediately.

Ink And Unanswered Questions

Author: Callidostreet

Summary: Talia was always covered in marks from her soulmate: reminders to feed the dog, interesting words-of-the-day, random stick doodles. They didn't meet face-to-face until middle school, but they'd known each other inside out long before then. When Peter is old enough to understand what the word 'soulmates' entails, he can't wait until he finds his."Are you there?" Is the first thing Peter writes on his body, his excitement is practically tangible.He won't get a reply for another 10 years.

See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil (Doesn't Mean There Is No Evil)

Author: syriala

Summary: Stiles knew that something was wrong. He had a very perceptive eye for evil and things that were going wrong and something in his life was going very wrong. But when neither Scott nor Derek believed him it was up to Peter to keep Stiles safe.

Could Frame Thy Mortal

Author: orphan_account

Summary: "It’s normal. Spending every waking second watching Hale is normal. In many ways, Hale is his whole universe: tracking his movements, waiting for what he does next, wondering what he’s thinking. The only outside stimulation he gets otherwise is the shower visits, and even then it’s only when Chris is the one taking him that he gets any engagement. Stiles knows Hale like he knows the water pipe. The sixty two bars that line the side of their cage. Like the minute of cold water that hits Stiles’ skin before the heat finally comes in the shower block. "Held in an Argent facility, never knowing who he can trust, Stiles pays for his survival with the only currency he has.

more fics: part 4

[smokeybrand]

Insincere Sensibilities

I touched upon this a few days ago when i ranted about Outrage and Cancel Culture but, the current Sentai Filmworks purge over at Crunchyroll, i feel like i need to address this sh*t directly. I think that’s over licensing issues but it’s just a drop in the bucket with all of the other purges and alterations being made, all over the place. American censorship of international media is f*cking ridiculous. It is and i can’t stand it. I get that, for a lot of the youngsters out here, especially the ones that are of that Social Justice disposition, certain things, especially out of Japan, can be misconstrued, misunderstood, or even seen as offensive. The thing is, though, mind your f*cking business. Not everyone is outraged by the same sh*t you are. If it’s media to be consumed, just don’t consume it. Not everyone wants to fit in your very narrow worldview of assumed offense and righteous indignation. You look like a clown doing that sh*t. The motherf*cker who sh*ts in the pool, forcing everyone to leave. You’re the no-fun police. Chill the f*ck out, man, and keep your negativity to yourself. F*ck off with your soft ass sensibilities. Instead of harassing a Japanese artist, who lives in Japan, and is actually part of that culture, maybe get some f*cking context first? Maybe understand that, where that person is from, the sh*t they draw is fine and probably popular? Maybe don’t insist upon applying your narrow, prudish, American "values” to a country that, in so many ways, resembles nothing that you’d recognize as everyday life? Like, Amazon removed the Grimgar books. What the f*ck was wrong with Grimgar?? Interestingly enough, you can still watch the show on Prime. That hypocrisy is going to be a running theme, just letting you know ahead of time.

Not everyone who likes lolis wants to f*ck kids. Not everyone who likes guro wants to rape then eat corpses. Not everyone who likes isekai want’s a slave harem or is some weenie neckbeard that lacks all of the confidence. It’s nuts to me that this wave of pearl clutching is so selective. Like, Amazon removed all the No Game No Life novels, among others, because of “questionable content”. A cursory search reveals that you can still buy Catcher in the Rye on the site; A book about a teenage sociopath, who sells drugs and tries to f*cks prostitutes. Dude is sixteen. Shouldn’t this be removed, too? Isn’t this offensive material as well by these new rules? It’s required f*cking reading in high schools across the nation! F*cking A Clockwork Orange is still available, both the book and the film. Why? That sh*t is literally a murder-rape rampage. Dude rapes two ten-year-olds in that sh*t! It’s also another book i read in high school just to see if it was as bad as everyone says. The book is, yes. The film? Not so much. Also, and this is probably the most pertinent of my unabashed hypocrisy on display, f*cking Lolita is still available on Amazon! Both films, hardcover, soft cover, and even audio book if you’re too lazy to read for yourself. Lolita is quite literally, the inspiration for the loli genre that everyone seems to be completely out of their minds about now. Loli is short FOR Lolita. That’s a thing. You can imagine the content therein so why is THAT book okay but not No Game No Life? The Lolita audio book is f*cking free with an Audible trial! Free! But go off about Shiro, though.

This sh*t is frustrating to me because it feels like a targeted attack on Japanese media and ONLY Japanese media. I got Senators getting on TV, talking about how Dragon Ball Z is degenerate trash, even though it’s been on US television for almost three decades. Sony is prematurely censoring games like Sengan Kagura and Devil May Cry V, but Abby gets a whole ass, grunt filled, bro down, f*ckfest in The Last of Us II. That sh*t was so jarring and hilariously gross to see, it became a straight up meme. Her entire peck-a-titty was completely exposed, nips and all. Her animalistic barking and grimaced face, were so brazenly displayed. Graphically. Gratuitously. Uncomfortably. That sh*t look painful. That’s what sex is like in real life, right? That interpretation is grounded and not sexualized at all, right. Sex can’t be sexualized anymore. No joy or fun in the f*ck. It has to mechanical and the most unappealing sh*t, ever, or you’ll be objectifying women or some sh*t. Okay. Stunning and brave, I'm sure, but why? Why the f*ck was that necessary other than to wag a finger at your player base? Here’s some f*cking in your game, we know you like it, but don’t like that way. That way is wrong. Women are not cum-dumpsters. They are to be respected and never subject to your pitiable sense of passion or attractiveness. They can be inconvenienced by sex, too! That’s what i thought, at least, as i watched this aggressively icky display happen on my television for a miserable amount of timen. It’s this way or no way. I get a lens flare on the butt of a beauty like Lady from DMC, but I'm forced to see Abby’s whole body tense as whatshisname goes in raw with no lube? For real?

There’s just so much stupid surrounding the media i love lately, you know? Let’s go after Shield Hero because I'm offended that Raphtalia is a child slave. Because i only watched three episodes and completely ignored the heartwarming relationship that developed between Naofumi and the adult Raphtalia. Because Raphtalia grew the f*ck up. She only appeared that young, for that long, because Naofumi's trauma wouldn’t allow him to see her as an adult. I’m not saying don’t feel a certain way about whatever. Let’s get the pitchforks and torches because Scarlett Johansson is portraying a Japanese cyborg, even though the Japanese don’t care. They’re wrong for being indifferent to the racial injustice perpetrated by this Hollywood production! Even though the character of Batou IS canonically of Japanese descent, not a full cyborg so his body is organic with certain cybernetic enhancements, and still got portrayed by a white dude. Yeah, that’s fine. Ignore the whitewashing of literally every other Japanese or ethnic character in this movie, and focus on the one what is literally a brain in a mechanical shell. Outrage! Did I want to see a Japanese actor in that role? Sure. I think Rinko Kukichi was a perfect fit for Major Motoko Kusanagi. However, the Japanese people don't care so I had to let my bias go, too. If the director of the original anime film gives his blessing, who the f*ck are we to be so pissed off about it? Plus, the Major in this version of the picture is named Mira or some sh*t. She not even MY Major and I can separate the two. Apparently, I am in the minority on that one.

My favorite character in the Monogatari series is Shinobu. She’s a loli vampire that’s nearly six centuries old but looks to be about twelve in real time. Shinobu starts as a ravishing, adult beauty named Kissshot. Through a series of events, her power was sapped and, in order to save her life, she was left in her juvenile form. She later reclaims her voluptuous, mature, appearance and carries on for the rest of the series as such, but she was Shinobu, not Kissshot, when i fell in love with her. I do adore both versions of that character; Her haughty, too-old-for-her-looks, pre-teen self and the reserved, stoic, haunting beauty of her true form. That said, even as a loli vampire, Shinobu is still pretty tame. If Shinobu is worth a Change.org petition, what about Claudia from Interview with the Vampire? Claudia is FAR more problematic. She is Lolita on steroids. Claudia is nine when she was turned and was killed sixty-five years later. It is stated, in detail, she wanted to f*ck. Badly. But she couldn’t because, you know, the whole nine-year-old body and everything. That was actually a pretty big thing with Claudia’s character, that sexual frustration. Never mind the, you know, murderous rage and delight in cruelty, you know? Claudia is fine, with all of her bloody, murderous, psychopathy and manipulative, over sexual, personality proudly displayed, but Shinobu is an issue because... why again?

Cats are apologizing for violent abusers because they’re pretty women, and you HAVE to believe all women, regardless of the fact that they’re pathological sociopaths. Instead, let’s cancel a child for drawing She-Ra characters “wrong”, even though she drew the G1 versions of said characters F*ck her, right? Because she liked the designs of the old, problematic, version of that show? It’s on the “wrong side of social justice”. This is a child. One that can’t be more than a decade old but these motherf*ckers came for her, like her last name was Weinstein. It’s kind of hard to take your moral outcry seriously when you’ve directed your hateful intent on a goddamn grade schooler. Sh*t like that, the gross hypocrisy and targeted vitriol, is just f*cking exhausting. You’re entitled to your opinion. Hell, you’re entitled to even voice your opinion out in the wild. The internet is an awesome soapbox. I’m using it right now! As long as the discourse is civil, f*cking go for it. It’s rarely ever civil. Attacking someone because you made assumptions of their character over sh*t they follow on Twatter, is pure folly. Raising the alarm because you don’t like seeing “youthful characters” depicted in a certain fight, while ignoring other media that takes it even further but is more palatable or subtle with their transgressions, is hypocrisy. If you’re going to be outraged about something, if you’re going to call for censorship, make sure yo censor all of it. If you’re going to hide Japanese boob jiggle, make sure you fade to black with the hard sex in your domestic games, too. I’m as offended by Abby’s body in TLoUII, as you are of Ayane’s from Dead or Alive. Why should i be subjected to your bullsh*t while you curtail and demonize mine? Motherf*ckers want to be champions of tolerance and understanding but these same motherf*ckers sure refuse to understand any point of view obtuse to their own. You want that moral high grown so bad? Then stop picking and choosing what is or isn’t offensive. Either all of it is okay or none of it.

[strangesmallbard]

fic | once upon a time, there was

pairing: swan queen rating: G warnings: none preview:

i may only have fragments but i know this. here, there is a chosen one, an evil queen, and a little prince. and they love each other.

| read on ao3 |

1.

i have a story to tell. you know it. but i have to tell it, and i have to tell it right. i don’t know if i have the words in order. once upon a time there was a girl. she lived the life people wanted her to lead, and she wasn’t too unhappy. she spent her winters in the snow she was named for, bundled up for the weather. sometimes she wondered how the cold felt. she didn’t wonder too long. she got married, and she had another black haired, pale child, and then she died. except, once upon a time a woman moved into the castle. she took long strides and longer walks and outlined her eyes. she wanted to clearly see. she wanted to be seen. it was important that those she killed saw her. she was beautiful. and she hated the girl. hated her most. and the girl was jostled into a forest where her virtues were tested and tested and tried and true. we all know that story.

2.

she dies. the woman. the queen. i don’t have to tell you that. you don’t have to mourn her. few have. sometimes she’s risen again from the grave, the dust untangled from her limp stringy hair, the look of horror on her face wiped clean, and her skin unmarred and her smile cruel. she’s the queen and then she’s named, brangomar, grimhilde, claudia, elspeth, clementianna, ravenna. but she always returns, and i think she knows. i don’t think she cares. i think she laughs at us. she casts her spells and her skirts billow out and maybe her lipstick runs, and maybe she doesn’t wear lipstick. i know she laughs at us. few will say it’s admirable. 3. once upon a time, the queen lived. her name is regina. it is important you know. this time her name means queen, and her own mother condemned her to this story. not that she knew. regina loves horses. it’s important that you know. the story took hold of both her arms, and she loved to ride horses. she saved the girl in this story. she didn’t ask for anything back. it wasn’t heroism so much as common sense. she loved a boy. or she loved an unwritten page. a pen (ballpoint, quill, no2. pencil) waiting for answer, for regina to open a barn door that would never be opened. she became the queen, and watched all the colors dim around her beautiful white dress. regina did not join the pages willingly. it is important that you know.

4.

sometimes, the queen is a chill creeping up your spine and settling at the base of your neck. and sometimes the fire that rages, the smoke that coats the air in anger. she is every step in her burning shoes. and most of all, sometimes she is so alive. regina made people suffer. it was not indiscriminate. she exacted her judgement, her trial, and her execution in so few or so many words. it’s easier for some to think she went mad, that somewhere within her is a young girl who laughed into the wind and loved a boy and saved a girl without asking for anything back, screaming to be let free. that part is true. the queen is a fire, and she is a girl, and at the end of the day she takes off her eyeliner and her lipstick all by herself. she looks herself in the eye, vestiges and effigies dropped like bodies all around her. some will also say that she hates herself. it is easier for them to say that. you made me, she says to the mirror. you did this.

5.

when she took her final revenge against the child who ruined her life, she moved them all to a small town in maine. and she was the only one to remember. that’s the true curse. being part of a different story. an open ended story. the forest is gone, the fields and the castles too, and only the queen is left in her own kingdom. the queen is not a mother. the story is very clear. whoever she is, she is not maternal or motherly or nurturing. she tries to eat the heart of the only daughter she’s ever known. she’s jealous of her. she blames her for everything. regina adopts a son, and she loves him.

6.

once upon a time, snow white had a daughter and she lost her. prophecies are a story in and of themselves. we know about the chosen one. we know they’re meant to suffer. we know that they’re noble people at heart who are tested and tried and true. emma swan is angry. it is important that you know this. her heart is noble and her smile is hesitant and one day she’ll have a sword on her hip just like her father, (get into a white dress just like her mother). and she is angry. maybe i don’t need answers, maybe i need to punch you in the face, she says with her fists bared and her jaw locked tight. rumplestiltskin, like in every story, laughs at the women who bargain with him.

7.

once upon a time there was a girl. she lived the life people wanted her to lead, and she wasn’t too unhappy. she spent her winters in the snow she was named for, bundled up for the weather. sometimes she wondered how the cold felt. she didn’t wonder too long. she got married, and she had a daughter named emma. princess emma was like no one expected. she rode horses and skinned her knees and people worried, but the queen laughed and said, she’ll come to understand herself. she’ll understand who she needs to be. princess emma sings in the forest in a pink dress or, princess emma lives in her skinned knees and brittle smile or, princess emma lives the life people wanted her to lead, and she wasn’t too unhappy. she sang about a prince in the forest that always bloomed, and she found him. he had an adequate amount of stubble, and he sang her away into a new old life, and snow white, the queen, dies peacefully as every day she lived. emma swan is not princess emma. snow white never stops hoping.

8.

once upon a time, a girl lived in a house at the end of the lane. it is not her house, and she knows this. she knows it like the three freckles on the back of her hand, and the looped script of EMMA on her baby blanket. she doesn’t know why she was born, and she doesn’t have anyone to ask. she is shuffled from house to house and the families on television feel as real as the families she sits down to meals with. she watches peter pan twenty-four times, and thinks about someone taking her away.

she takes herself away. her favorite candy is starburst, but she won’t eat the orange ones. she gets a stick n poke of a swan on her shoulder when she’s seventeen, and the beak is a little too crooked. she cuts her own hair, and sometimes she just wants none of it all. she listens to loud music, and her jeans have holes in the knee. when she’s seventeen she tries striped skirts and lipstick, and meets a boy. he says they’ll go anywhere. start a blank page. emma swan is not a story, but she’s part of one. the boy leaves her to the story and a little pink plus sign. i’m sorry, she thinks to a grimy prison mirror and curls her fists, i’m sorry.

9.

once upon a time, emma makes a wish.

she wishes not to be alone on her birthday. she doesn’t really believe in wishes, and many will understand why. she is the chosen one, and it is her turn to suffer, and she doesn’t know why yet. one day she will. and she will be angry. she will ask why her, a lost girl that was never found, and she’ll understand how these stories go. she will not fall on a sword, and she’ll throw it at a dragon instead. but tonight she asks something of the universe. something for her. something she won’t let herself cry for. she figures, maybe, once, it’ll listen. she gets her wish. 10. “you’re henry’s birth mother?” regina mills says, afraid of this moment like she has been for the last ten years. the queen was never a mother.

“hi,” emma swan says, because she never thought this moment would come. one day the chosen one will have a family and will have peace, but– “i found my real mom!” henry mills says, and runs upstairs clutching a very important book in his small fists aching to be noble like the princes before him. when emma sees regina, there are no more pages written in it. nothing new.

she sees a woman clutch one arm with the opposite’s hand and gather herself together in deep breaths that rise her shoulders and set something hard on her face. she will wonder why.

11.

regina mills likes eighties exercise videos. the sweat on her brow is not from carrying a kingdom. every morning she still sits in front of her mirror and tries to recognize her reflection. the queen is still alive. it is important that you know. her son lives down the hall, and there are drawings of them up on his wall, regina a squiggle and a smile. a photo of them rests on her bedside table and there are long walks in the park with laughter and figuring out the best cookie recipe. spit-up, fevers, and math homework, regina scrubbing her favorite blue shirt with her heart hammering and her smile true. the queen has never been a mother before. and her story wasn’t over. when she sees the face she’s been searching for in the pages of his very important book, she feels her chest cave in. the barn door close. emma swan is not in the book. her red leather jacket nowhere to be found. and she won’t ever be part of it, if it’s the last thing regina ever does. but that’s not quite it.

12.

“how the hell did you get like this?” emma asks, hands on her hips. the mayor’s office is so damn chilly, it’s a wonder how she gets any work done. oh right, with that cold cold heart of hers, haha. it’s not a chill she sees in regina’s eyes. maybe in the harsh set of her lips. maybe in the way she squeezes the chair’s fancy arms in a way she thinks emma won’t notice. there’s something there. a fire that scathes and a smoke that suffocates. something like that. emma will leave wondering.

13.

you know the rest of this story. you know that henry falls to the poison apple like his grandmother and regina tells him she loves him and the room doesn’t believe her, but she does. love is not an issue of morality. when emma and regina join together to save their son, it is not the final battle this new story asked for. this small town in maine will have to wait for the evil queen to be defeated once and for all. it is only this: a little boy breathing, and two mothers holding their breath.

14. emma swan and regina mills fight. they were meant to fight, after-all, never see eye to eye. and yet, they did. and they found out that if they work together, they’re unstoppable. they can open a portal. they can move the moon. they can stop a town from being destroyed. in all the fighting, in all the next chapters, what they really wanted, all they ever wanted, is the other to know their name. emma swan moved from dinner table to dinner table, hoping someone would say it with love instead of contempt, and regina ate dinner with men and women who thought her worthless and don’t know they’ll die for it. emma’s praises are sung, and she watches regina sink into the background with her claws bared. emma doesn’t feel like a savior. emma doesn’t want to be part of the story, because with so many people smiling at her, she’s bound to disappoint someone. fail to save someone. when regina says, “let me die as regina,” emma stops wondering and she doesn’t want her to die. the truth is so stunning, visceral in the way she reaches out a hand, that–

15.

at the end of the story, a prince sees snow white in her glass coffin and decides she is so beautiful and virtuous and good that he must have her. he orders his servants to carry her up to his castle so that he may look upon her forever, but they tripped on a rock and the coffin came tumbling down. the poison apple dislodged from her throat, and she agreed to be married to her noble rescuer.

they watched her die. i want you to know. they watched. that was the point.

at the end of the story, a prince happens upon a servant girl and decides she is so beautiful and virtuous and good that he must have her. she sings about him, a delicate tune. he saves her from her gilded coffin with a delicate kiss.

they don’t watch. the dwarves take care of that.

at the end of the story, there is a prince. i know this story. i used to touch my hand to my lips and wonder about a kiss that saves. he sees a girl in danger and pulls her out of the woods. in return, he marries her. we should want to be pulled from the forest, but wanting isn’t the only step. first we have to deserve it.

at the end of the story, there’s a man who wants something.

16.

hook says to emma, when i win your heart, it’ll be because you want me.  

regina mills gives her heart for protection to robin hood, and we are to forget about maid marian and how regina most of all knows the ravages of destiny. as the story goes, she forgives destiny, this one final time for the sake of a happy ending.

this story has been told so many times, and i’m not going to tell it again.

i have another story to tell. you may know it. but i have to tell it, and i have to tell it right. i don’t know if i have the words in order. there’s no book in my hand, no script to follow. i can reach back in history and pull together the fragments, talk about all the women who told stories about a life they wished they could lead, about the life they are leading and what to do about it, the ones who responded, the ones who perpetuated, the ones with sharp smiles, the ones who sang their children to sleep, and never wanted any at all.

i may only have fragments but i know this. here, there is a chosen one, an evil queen, and a little prince. and they love each other.

17.

once upon a time, emma saved regina from a fire and regina didn’t believe she would. you’re not going to come back for me, are you? was not a question.

once upon a time, emma saved her son with true love’s kiss.

once upon a time, regina held emma’s hand so very softly in hers and offered a happy ending for nothing in return. but that was later.

once upon a time, regina dreamed that emma came to storybooke to destroy her. she woke up terrified, after years of training herself to believe love was a weakness.

once upon a time, emma promised her a happy ending in a room full of untold stories.

once upon a time, regina broke her son’s curse with true love’s kiss.

once upon a time, henry calls them moms with happy crook of a smile and learns what it means to be a hero.

once upon a time, emma took on the darkness so that regina wouldn’t have to again. it’s not like she doesn’t know it herself. remember, emma swan is angry.

once upon a time, regina ventured into another story and found an almost world. she almost let her son destroy her in the hopes that emma would remember them.

once upon a time, emma swan chose to come home.

once upon a time, regina decided the evil queen must go, must be written out of this new story entirely, and emma asked are you sure about this? and was the only one to ask.

once upon a time–

18.

“are you sure about this?” emma asks. they’re in the dim light of the living room, and emma is curled gently into the couch. she may be borrowing the robe and the mug with hot chocolate, but the grooves of the couch are familiar and the way regina tilts her head to consider the firelight feels like belonging.

regina’s heart is not two anymore. it beats like a heart only can when it knows the weight of one, torn out, turned to dust. it beats like before. except–

she holds a thumb to her throat like she expects to find the ring. her eyes flit up. “i wasn’t sure before.” she raises both brows and tilts her head again. “but you knew that.”

emma leans her head against a crooked elbow behind her. “i knew you were sure about a change. something wasn’t working.”

regina keeps looking at her, her eyes big and full of something. she laughs, a sardonic thing, and leans back against the couch. “you could say that.”

she looks back at the firelight and listens to her heart again. she listens for the inkling at the back of her neck, the rush down into her fingertips, and it’s there. it’s there. “it worked. i got to see the rage in her eyes and know the kind of terror she unleashed. and i pretended that,” she sucks in a breath and looks at emma like she’s afraid of what she’ll find. “i pretended that i didn’t understand her. the rage. anymore.”

emma chews the inside of her cheek. “when i was the dark one sometimes i’d look into the mirror and i don’t know…recognize myself? for the first time. not the hair.” she quirks a grin and regina smiles. she runs a hand through her hair and sighs out the evening. “but at the same time i knew i wasn’t supposed to exist. i was… the savior . my parents sacrificed a whole other kid just so i’d be good. and i messed that up. i didn’t know what to do with that.”

“emma,” regina says, voice crackling like the fire and waits until she looks back, but when she does, cannot find a single word to say. she reaches up and tucks a strand of hair away.

“i guess what i mean to say is. maybe we just beat destiny again. became something nobody could have expected, and maybe that’s okay.” she tilts her head.

“i…” she reaches out for her wine glass, but second guesses it. “i think you did.” she smiles, and emma knows it’s a real one, one she gives more and more in emma’s direction. “the evil queen couldn’t hurt anyone ever again on my watch, but i couldn’t…” devastation claws at the last syllable, and she keeps looking. “i looked into her eyes, and i realized that it wasn’t a clean cut down the middle. it couldn’t have been. she was me. and if there’s anything i know about the evil queen, it’s the desperate refusal to be anything other than herself. even with twenty five arrows pointed at her chest and her own father watching.”

emma’s hand is holding regina’s. neither are sure when she took it. emma runs a thumb across her knuckles, and watches regina gather herself in one deep breath. “and if there’s one thing i know about myself,” she says, quiet and firm, “it’s that i was terrified.” she lets go of emma’s hand and rubs her other arm. she picks up her wine glass and takes the last sip.

“i’m glad you didn’t kill the evil queen.”

regina rears back, eyes wide and hands untethered. “you don’t have to say that. “

“regina–”

“she– i hated you. at first. we hated each other.”

“regina…”

“no, it’s true. but you…henry…” she looks up the staircase, like he could be running down at any moment, asking for cookies and answers and space paranoids. but he’s fifteen now and he’s still kind and just a bit more sure, and sleeps in till noon now anyway. “you don’t need to love that she’s still around. it’s okay.”

“she’s a part of you,” emma says, swallowing. the truth is so stunning that she cannot keep the next words from tumbling out of her mouth.  “and i love you.”

regina’s hands go still. she watches emma, her face unflinchingly clear and smile earnestly tugging the corners of her lips up. “what?” she says, voice high.

“i love you,” emma says. she shrugs, though she is anything but hesitant. “i can’t be who i’m not, and neither can you. we’re in this thing together.”

“oh,” regina says, soft and heartbroken. she clears her throat, and laughs but it sounds kind of strangled. she shakes her head out of the moment, and reaches for the empty wine glass before realizing. she shakes her head again and musters enough energy to look back at her. “oh well, emma, yes. we are. i love you too.”

emma laughs, and the sound is startling as her smile, wide and creasing the lines by her eyes. she leans closer and places a hand by regina’s jaw, barely touching the beginnings of her neck with her fingertips. “for an evil queen that terrified realms across alternate dimensions, you’re kind of dense, madam mayor.”

regina allows herself to hope. it’s a thing that soars across her veins, now unburied from some tender crevice. “oh,” she says.

emma leans forward and regina leans forward and they meet in a mess of limbs tangled and awkward until regina reaches up to cup emma’s cheeks, and emma plays with the hairs at the back of regina’s neck, runs her hands down regina’s back to settle on her waist. they settle into the soft days ahead of them.

a familiar spark of magic courses through the room, the house, waking up their son because he thinks it’s an earthquake, and upon realizing thinks, finally , but neither of them notice.

19.

that’s not the point.

20.

once upon a time, the story we know wasn’t needed at all.

and i hope i’ve told it right.

[in-for-a-shock]

All About Shock

Trigger Warnings: Parental neglect, drugs, alcohol, sexual assault, death/murder

Basic Information

Full Name: Samara Shock Louise Adamson

Nickname(s): Shock

Age: 25

Date of Birth: October 28th

Hometown: Leicester, England

Current Location: Swynlake, England

Ethnicity: White

Nationality: British

Culture: UK; Magick

Gender: Female

Pronouns: She / Her

Orientation: Bisexual

Occupation: Server at Chippamunka; Psychic Medium

Magick: Electrokinesis (Electricity Manipulation)

Living Arrangements: 3 Bedroom apartment with her two brothers

Language(s) Spoken: English

Accent: British

Religion and Beliefs: Shock is a Wiccan! Other than that, nothing rly

Political Affiliation: None

Social Issues: Shock doesn’t really involve herself in social issues unless it’s the oppression of women or magicks, and then she gets very abrasive and defensive

Physical Appearance

Face Claim: Emily Browning

Complexion: A few freckles on the face and shoulders/arms; pale skin

Hair Color: Dark Brown

Eye Color: Hazel

Height: 5′1

Weight: 110 lbs

Build: Slim/Scrawny

Tattoos: Tattoos similar to [x] [x] [x] [x] as a sleeve going down her right arm, all in black and white, connected by moon glyphs [x] and little tiny sparkles varying in size. [x] on the back of her neck.

Piercings: Multiple ear piercings [x] and a tongue piercing [x].

Scars: Shock has a large scar across her body from being struck by lightning, going from her right shoulder and spreading all across her chest, torso, and most of her left arm, looking almost like a tree. (Ex: [x]) She also has a few scars on her knees from scrapes, and some burn scars on a couple of fingers from playing with literal fire.

Common Hairstyle: Shock has a slight natural wave. Her hair is long, to her breasts, and she just sort of leaves it down and natural.

Clothing Style: Edgy. Quite a bit of black. Think witchy aesthetic. Tom-boyish. Lots of fishnets and boots and comfy clothing.

Mannerisms: Shock is always meddling with her hands. She’ll click her nails, fidget with objects, or just be fiddling with her jewelry. She picks and bites at her nails/cuticles as a nervous habit.

Usual Expression: Bored, neutral, contemplative.

Health

Overall (do they get sick easily?): Shock has a predisposition to body and muscle aches as well as dizziness and confusion due to being struck by lightning when she was younger. It usually flares up after too much physical activity, particularly after using her powers a lot.

Physical Ailments: What is basically considered chronic pain disorder.

Neurological Conditions: Shock is borderline sociopathic. 

Allergies: Cat hair

Sleeping Habits: Shock has a pretty average sleep cycle. She can be a bit of a night owl when taken with the energy for it. She does sometimes get tired from working and likes to sleep in or nap.

Grooming Habits: Shock is kind of bad at the whole “shower every day and brush your teeth morning and night,” thing, but she’s not unhygienic. She’s just lazy and sometimes doesn’t feel like putting in the work. Her nails are either perfect, just done - or chipped to hell.

Eating Habits: She loves her food, and she’ll try anything once.

Exercise Habits: Shock doesn’t really exercise besides running around causing mayhem and whatnot.

Emotional Stability: Shock is good at picking her battles, as far as her temperament goes. She will fight with words before she’ll lash out physically. Other than that, though, Shock is very emotionally unbalanced. Most days she feels nothing at all, and it bores her into seeking out activities to make her feel alive.

Sociability: Depending on the day, Shock is either introverted and keeps to herself, or boredom will drive her to be more sociable.

Body Temperature: Shock is naturally cold-blooded and loves it.

Addictions: Drugs. Shock has a bit of a drug addiction, particularly to weed and coke, as well as Fey’s Gold. She’s also a smoker.

Drug Use: Coke, weed, Fey’s Gold, etc.

Alcohol Use: Shock pretty much drinks casually. She keeps beer in the fridge and a bottle of whiskey in her room. She doesn’t even mind calling herself a low-key alcoholic. 

Personality

Archetype: The Rebel

Positive Traits: Intelligent, practical, resourceful, daring, responsible

Negative Traits: Selfish, manipulative, cold, reckless, lazy

Good Habits: Paying the bills and making sure the house is stocked with enough to get them by

Bad Habits: Smoking, biting her finger nails/cuticles, being lazy

Goals/Desires: To make more money than she’s ever had 

Weakness: Chronic pain; water when using her electrokinesis

Fears/Phobias: Losing her brothers; water/drowning

Secrets: That she isn’t a real Medium

Regrets: She doesn’t really have any???

Proud Of: Her everything - she can be a bit arrogant

Embarrassed By: Her siblings, sometimes

Attitude: Indifferent and looking for thrills

Pet Peeves: Chewing too loud, popping gum, clicking pens, etc

Inner Conflicts: Wanting to be independent from her siblings but also feeling the need to take care of them like she always has.

Motivation: To make so much money and fuck with all the people.

Hobbies: Sleeping, sketching, watching tv, playing video games

Talents/Skills: Shock is great at manipulating and using people, and she has great skill with her electrokinesis.

Intelligence: Street-smart, but reads up on things that matter to her, like Mediums (so that she can be more convincing.)

Driving Style: Decent enough, but reckless when she wants to be.

Favorites, Likes, and Dislikes

Weather: Shock loves a good stormy day.

Color(s): Purple and Blue (think of bruises)

Music: Alternative, punk, rock - basically anything that would be on a gothic emo girl’s playlist.

Movies: The Craft, Saw, Paranormal Activity, etc

TV Shows: Anything funny or spooky/scary. For example, American Horror Story but also Courage the Cowardly Dog

Books: She doesn’t really read, but she has a book on Wicca

Magazines: None that interest her

Sport: She was kicked out of football/soccer due to being too violent, which is good, because she’s lazy anyway

Beverage: Coffee

Food: Anything, but she loves a good burger.

Animals: Cats, dogs, snakes, spiders, and ravens.

Quote: “Kick the baby.” - South Park

School Subject: None, Shock hated school

Possession: Her tarot cards, crystal ball, and ouija board

Websites: Instagram and Tumblr

Favorite Toy or Game: Ding Dong Ditch, Throwing Things At People, Breaking Up Couples, Scaring Children, Graffiti

Family

Father: Greg Adamson (FC: Karl Urban)  

Mother: Monica Adamson (FC: Claudia Black)

Father’s Occupation: Mechanic

Mother’s Occupation: Sales Associate

Siblings: Lock and Barrel Adamson (younger)

Birth Order: First

Children: None

Other Close Family: None

Pet: None

Family’s Financial Status: Poor

Relationship With Family: Shock was actually a bit of a daddy’s little girl for the first few years of her life. It wasn’t until her siblings were born and her parents became tired and strained and neglectful that her relationship with her father and mother both deteriorated. A part of her resented her siblings for that, and still does, but mostly she’s raised Lock and Barrel as they got older and so she’s very protective of them. 

Home Life During Childhood: The Adamsons were poor and their parents neglectful, so Shock didn’t have the greatest home life. There were times when they even got taken away from their parents and so things were always tense and stressful at home. Someone was always in trouble for something, too. 

Bedroom Through The Years: Shock being the first born and the only girl probably meant that she did have her own room. But it was small, and she didn’t have a whole lot of material things. Nothing fancy. Just basic bedding (white with little flowers on it) and basic furniture, maybe a few posters as she grew older and a few dolls that she grew up and mutilated for fun, but. That’s really it. From teen-hood to adulthood she’s collected more witch-related things, such as crystals and incense and candles and books and the like, and now has her own little altar as well as a separate room for Medium business where she keeps most of the big things. Her room is a constant mess no matter what, though. Shock is not very neat. And nowadays her bedding and furniture is still basic, but darker, with black sheets and a large moon cycle tapestry above her bed. 

Best Memory: This is going to sound odd, but being struck by lightning is honestly one of Shock’s favorite memories, because it changed her entirely as a person. It gave her power. 

Worst Memory: This is [trigger warning: sexual assault/rape] when she was about 21 or 22. There was a guy who went to university nearby and came to the cafe Shock was working at a lot at the time, always sitting in her section. One day he followed her home, and Shock, ever confident and not giving a fuck, invited him in. Unfortunately, she underestimated the guy who wound up forcing himself on her, using some chloroform he’d prepared and brought with him to gain an advantage. Shock, fading in and out and unable to do much, unleashed lightning from her entire body as she fought through the trauma, and it killed him. She awoke to the guy burned to a crisp on top of her, and her brothers helped her bury the bastard. They moved to Swynlake not long after. 

School

Type of Student: Lazy and unmotivated.

Extra Curricular Activities: Does smoking and fucking behind the gymn count?

Best Subject: English

Worst Subject: All of them

Popular or Loner: Loner, sort of?? Like in the middle? She had her friends and they were a rougher crowd, but mostly she spent time reaking havoc with her brothers.

Schooling: Shock barely graduated secondary, honestly, and never went to university.

Current Details and Relationships:

Town: Swynlake, England

Home: A tiny ass 3-bedroom apartment in which she lives with her brothers. She chose it because there was a rumored murder there, probably.

Neighborhood: Benbow Apartments

Car: She’s got a junky little nothing car that’s probably falling apart and full of garbage and cigarettes and drugs tbh

Love Life: Single and DTF

Best Friends: GoGo, Peter, ??? (taking applications)

Other Friends: Her brothers if they count??

Enemies: Hades, Belle, and Persephone - rest in peace bitch

Past Lovers: No one significant enough to talk about, really. Shock has had hook-ups and fwb and maybe a “relationship” or two but nothing that got serious. 

Extra

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

MBTI: ISTP

Enneagram: 8w9, The Challenger/Bear

Temperament: Choleric

Hogwarts House: Slytherin

Moral Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Primary Vice: Greed

Primary Virtue: Diligence

Element: Fire

Dream Career: Psychic Medium on T.V

Dream Life: Rich, living a lush and lavish lifestyle with many admirers, able to do whatever she wants with no one to depend on her.

Important Events: Getting struck by lightning when she was young, gifting her with Magick.

[isslibrary]

New Books (December)

Sorted by Call Number / Author. Some awesome stuff on this list (I added commentary). Thanks to the Jacobs family for some of these donations, to Mr. Colvin for the art history suggestions, and to students who requested materials. Mrs. Wald, we now have the first three

Magic Treehouse

books in Spanish. As always, if you can't find something, ask me or Mrs. VanHorn and we'll help.

296.1 U

Understanding the Dead Sea scrolls : a reader from the Biblical archaeology review. 1st ed. New York : Random House, ℗♭1992. A sourcebook of articles by the world's leading Dead Sea Scroll authorities.

303.66 Z

Zinn, Howard, 1922-. Artists in times of war. New York : Seven Stories Press, c2003.

** Highly Recommended -- and it's short **

305.38 W

Question bridge : Black males in America. First edition. Question Bridge assembles a series of questions posed to black men, by and for other black men, along with the corresponding responses and portraits of the participants. The questions range from the comic to the sublimely philosophical: from "Am I the only one who has problems eating chicken, watermelon, and bananas in front of white people?" to "Why is it so difficult for black American men in this culture to be themselves, their essential selves, and remain who they truly are?" The answers tackle the issues that continue to surround black male identity today in a uniquely honest, no-holds-barred manner. While the ostensible subject is black men, the conversation that evolves in these pages is ultimately about the nature of living in a post-Obama, post-Ferguson, post-Voting Rights Act America. Question Bridge is about who we are and what we mean to one another. Most critically, it asks: how can we start to dismantle the myths and misconceptions that have evolved around race and gender in America--how can we reset the narrative about ourselves, just as #blacklivesmatter has reset the narrative of civil protest? The founding artists, along with contributions from Ambassador Andrew Young, Jesse Williams, Rashid Shabazz, and Delroy Lindo, will introduce and contextualize the body of the work and provide closing remarks on our current and future social climate.

** This project happened at the Birmingham Museum of Art and it is really interesting **

305.409 D

Doyle, Sady. Trainwreck : The women we love to hate, mock, and fear... and why. Brooklyn, NY : Melvillle House, 2016.

659.1 W

Wu, Tim, author. The attention merchants : the epic scramble to get inside our heads. First edition. "From Tim Wu, author of the award-winning The Master Switch and who coined the phrase "net neutrality"--a revelatory look at the rise of "attention harvesting," and its transformative effect on our society and our selves. Attention merchant: an industrial-scale harvester of human attention. A firm whose business model is the mass capture of attention for resale to advertisers. In nearly every moment of our waking lives, we face a barrage of advertising enticements, branding efforts, sponsored social media, commercials and other efforts to harvest our attention. Over the last century, few times or spaces have remained uncultivated by the "attention merchants," contributing to the distracted, unfocused tenor of our times. Tim Wu argues that this is not simply the byproduct of recent inventions but the end result of more than a century's growth and expansion in the industries that feed on human attention. From the pre-Madison Avenue birth of advertising to TV's golden age to our present age of radically individualized choices, the business model of "attention merchants" has always been the same. He describes the revolts that have risen against these relentless attempts to influence our consumption, from the remote control to FDA regulations to Apple's ad-blocking OS. But he makes clear that attention merchants grow ever-new heads, and their means of harvesting our attention have given rise to the defining industries of our time, changing our nature--cognitive, social, and otherwise--in ways unimaginable even a generation ago"--.

759.2 R

Riley, Bridget, 1931- artist. Bridget Riley : works 1981-2015.

770.92 K

Sherman, Cindy, photographer, interviewee. Cindy Sherman, Imitation of life.

** If you enjoy taking selfies you should really look at this **

811.6 C

Collins, Martha, 1940-. White papers. Pittsburgh, Pa. : University of Pittsburgh Press, c2012. White Papers is a series of untitled poems that explore race from a variety of personal, historical, and cultural perspectives, questioning what it means to be "white" in a multi-racial society.

811.6 J

Jones, Ashley M. Magic City Gospel : poems. Spartanburg, SC : Hub City Press, 2016.

811.6 R

Rankine, Claudia, 1963- author. Citizen : an American lyric. Claudia Rankine's bold new book recounts mounting racial aggressions in ongoing encounters in twenty-first-century daily life and in the media. Some of these encounters are slights, seeming slips of the tongue, and some are intentional offensives in the classroom, at the supermarket, at home, on the tennis court with Serena Williams and the soccer field with Zinedine Zidane, online, on TV--everywhere, all the time. The accumulative stresses come to bear on a person's ability to speak, perform, and stay alive. Our addressability is tied to the state of our belonging, Rankine argues, as are our assumptions and expectations of citizenship. In essay, image, and poetry, Citizen is a powerful testament to the individual and collective effects of racism in our contemporary, often named 'post-race' society.

** Essential Reading **

891.71 B

Baratynsky, E. A., 1800-1844, author. A science not for the earth : selected poems and letters. First edition.

92 Goldman

92: Biographies are in the Biography Room

Goldman, Emma, 1869-1940. Living my life : abridged. Condensed ed. Anarchist, journalist, drama critic, advocate of birth control and free love, Emma Goldman was the most famous—and notorious—woman in the early twentieth century. This abridged version of her two-volume autobiography takes her from her birthplace in czarist Russia to the socialist enclaves of Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Against a dramatic backdrop of political argument, show trials, imprisonment, and tempestuous romances, Goldman chronicles the epoch that she helped shape: the reform movements of the Progressive Era, the early years of and later disillusionment with Lenin’s Bolshevik experiment, and more. Sounding a call still heard today, Living My Life is a riveting account of political ferment and ideological turbulence.

** Howard Zinn suggested reading this so I got it-- we need more biographies about women, so let me know if you have ideas! **

92 Guevara

Resnick, Marvin D. The black beret: the life and meaning of Che Guevara. New York, : Ballantine Books, [1970, c1969].

92 Joyce

Anderson, Chester G. James Joyce : with 124 illustrations. A biography of the Irish genius relating details of his life to the substance of his books.

92 Wright

Wright, Richard, 1908-1960. American hunger. First edition. A continuation of Richard Wright's autobiography, "Black Boy.".

ES F Osb

ES Section/Español is in the Reading Room

Osborne, Mary Pope. El caballero del alba. Lyndhurst, NY : Lectorum Publications, 2002.

ES F Osb

Osborne, Mary Pope. Dinosaurios al atardecer. Lyndhurst, NY : Lectorum Publications, 2002.

ES F Osb

Osborne, Mary Pope. Una momia al amanecer. Lyndhurst, NY : Lectorum Publications, 2002.

F Bac

Backman, Fredrik, 1981- author. A man called Ove : a novel. First Washington Square Press trade paperback edition. "A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door"--Amazon.com.

F Bur

Burton, Jessie, 1982-. The miniaturist. First Harperluxe edition. Engaging the services of a miniaturist to furnish a cabinet-sized replica of her new home, 18-year-old Nella Oortman, the wife of an illustrious merchant trader, soon discovers that the artist's tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways.

F Pea

Pearson, Ridley. Dark Passage : Kingdom Keepers Book Six 6. New York, NY : Disney, 2013.

F Pea

Pearson, Ridley. Disney after Dark : Kingdom Keepers Book One 1. New York, NY : Disney, 2005.

F Pea

Pearson, Ridley. Disney at Dawn : Kingdom Keepers Book Two 2. New York, NY : Disney, 2008.

F Pea

Pearson, Ridley. Disney in Shadow : Kingdom Keepers Book Three 3. New York, NY : Disney, 2010.

F Pea

Pearson, Ridley. The Insider : Kingdom Keepers Book Seven 7. New York, NY : Disney, 2014.

F Pea

Pearson, Ridley. Power play. 1st ed. New York : Disney/Hyperion Books, c2011. For the five teens who modeled as Disney Hologram Imaging hosts, life is beginning to settle down when an intriguing video arrives to Philby's computer at school. It's a call for action: the Overtakers, a group of Disney villains, seem to be plotting to attempt a rescue of two of their leaders, both of whom the Disney Imagineers have hidden away somewhere following a violent encounter in Epcot. A staged attack by new Overtakers at Downtown Disney, startles the group. A dark cloud in the Kingdom Keeper era is unfolding, and with dissension in their own ranks, it's unclear if there's any chance of escape.

F She

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, 1797-1851. Frankenstein. New York, NY : Signet Classics, 1965. The monster was supposed to be man's benefactor, but, scorned for his ugliness, he swears revenge on his creator and the human race.

SC Doy

Doyle, Arthur Conan, 1859-1930. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Racine, Wis., : Whitman Pub. Co., [1965].