#Hi CS fandom I'm back!

[wholoveseggs]

A Tale of Tinsel and Turmoil

18+ ---- {Masterlist} {Tag-List}{Five Days of Fluffmas}

{Elijah Mikaelson x Reader} When Kol brings home a Christmas tree too grand for the Mikaelson courtyard, the family’s decorating antics spiral into chaos...

♡♡Merry Christmas♡♡

1.5 words - Warnings: flufffff, holiday decorating gone wrong, mischievous Kol, Christmas tree theme debates, Hope's word is law && lots of love and laughter...

@starkleila @lydia1369sworld @notleylaaa @vampiresluv

@myanmy @xflowerbombxo @maryvibess @always-and-forever-daydreaming

@spnaquakindgdom @amournoir @meeom @damienmorton @wickedmuse

@cs-please @complicatedandconfusing-25 @youcanhavemybuckanyday @akala6670229 @yeaiamme2

@itsjulzandmydiamonds @witch-of-letters @elijahstwink @rosecentury

@amanda08319 @starshipcookie @li-da-savage @veggie-eggrolls @spideybv28

@sunkissedebony97 @idk00sblog @savannaounana @sekaishell @b1tchy

@loving-and-dreaming @fancycassie-stayfancy @hcqwxrtss123 @iamawkwardandshy @ziayamikaelson

@absolutemarveltrash @darkened-writer @nina6708 @evasmlp

@madeinmyownmind-blog @lovelyy-moonlight @blacknightrises @poppet05 @sweetieseven

@xoxo-shy @nova-j @decaffeinatedparadisepost @fandom-princess-forevermore @theotherworld97

@origshipfan @cocoabliss @eternalnoble @darth-laeka

It had been a while since the entire Mikaelson family had been under the same roof, but when Kol came through the door carrying a massive Christmas tree, he was quickly met by an excited Hope, who had been waiting impatiently for him to come home.

"Uncle Kol!" the little girl cried, rushing into his arms and hugging him tightly. "You brought the tree!"

"Well, of course I did, little darling," he said, returning the hug just as eagerly.

Elijah cast a skeptical glance at the towering tree as Kol began setting it up in the courtyard. It stretched nearly to the third-floor balcony, its branches sprawling like a small forest.

"Was a tree of this size really necessary?" Elijah asked, his tone dry but patient.

Kol shrugged, carefully securing the base. "Why not? The holidays are all about extravagance," he replied, stepping back to admire his handiwork.

"Daddy! Mommy! Come see the tree!" Hope cried out, racing off to find her parents.

You leaned against the second-floor railing, watching the commotion below. Kol stood proudly by the massive tree, grinning like a child on Christmas morning, while Klaus approached, already scowling.

"Where did you get this?" Klaus asked, arms crossed. "They certainly aren’t selling these at the tree lot."

"I found it," Kol answered vaguely, his mischievous grin widening under Rebekah’s pointed glare. "Perhaps with a bit of magical assistance,"

"Kol..." Elijah warned, his calm tone carrying a note of exasperation.

Before Kol could reply, a small voice interrupted. "Uncle Elijah," Hope said, tugging on his sleeve. Her big, hopeful eyes were enough to melt even Elijah’s stoic demeanor. "Will you help me decorate the tree?"

Elijah smiled warmly, lifting her into his arms. "Of course, sweetheart."

Your heart melted at the sight. Elijah had always had a way with Hope, his tenderness shining through in moments like these.

"I can help too, uncle Kol can't keep me from it," Rebekah said with a smirk.

Klaus was quick to jump in, "oh please, Bekah, I think we all know I'm the better decorator."

"Go get the decorations, and then we'll see about that," Rebekah told her brother, crossing her arms.

Elijah handed Hope off to Hayley and went to the storage room where the ornaments were kept. As he walked, he caught your gaze, and gave you a soft smile, his eyes twinkling. You found yourself following him into the storage room.

"Do you want me to carry that?" you asked, taking in the large cardboard box Elijah had pulled from the shelf.

"Thank you, but I'm perfectly capable of carrying a box," he told you with a chuckle.

"Well, it looks heavy," you replied, giving him a smirk.

He raised his eyebrow, "are you saying I'm not strong enough to lift a box? My dear I can lift you without even breaking a sweat."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes," he told you, stepping closer.

You bit your lip, trying to keep yourself from grinning. Elijah's eyes darted to your lips, a smirk forming on his face. He stepped even closer, his body almost brushing yours.

"So, are you going to prove it or not?" You asked, a challenging tone in your voice.

He smirked, leaning in close enough for his lips to brush the shell of your ear. His voice was low and raspy when he whispered, "I will be more than happy to show you later,"

Your breath hitched, and heat pooled in your lower stomach. You looked up at him, his face only inches from yours, and his gaze was hungry, but he wouldn't move any closer, not until you told him. The two of you had been dancing around each other for months now, neither one wanting to make the first move, but you were starting to think he might actually kiss you.

"Are you two love birds coming?" Rebekah's voice called out, effectively shattering the moment.

You stepped back, blushing furiously. Elijah gave you an apologetic smile before lifting the box and carrying it to the courtyard.

The ornaments were quickly passed around and the decorating began. Klaus, Kol, and Rebekah were trying to de-tangle the string lights, while Hope was helping Freya and Hayley pick out the prettiest ornaments. You and Elijah were sorting through the tinsel, contemplating which colors to use.

As the family began decorating, the bickering started almost immediately. Rebekah held up a string of red and gold ornaments. "We’re going traditional! Red, green, and gold. It’s classic."

Klaus scoffed. "Traditional? How dull. We should go for a winter wonderland theme. White, silver, and blue. Sophisticated."

"Traditional is timeless!" Rebekah snapped, hanging a gold bauble on the tree.

"And winter wonderland is elegant," Klaus retorted, tossing a strand of silver tinsel onto the tree.

Kol, watching from the sidelines, smirked. "Both of you have awful taste. Let’s make it fun! Bright colors everywhere. I bet this sturdy tree can hold all of our ornaments,"

The three of them turned toward each other, their voices growing louder. Freya sighed and crossed her arms. "Are we seriously doing this? Hope is right there. Can’t we go one holiday without arguing?"

"We’re not arguing," Klaus said, his tone anything but convincing.

"We’re discussing," Rebekah added with a sharp smile.

"Oh, really?" Freya asked, raising an eyebrow. "Then why do I hear so much shouting and so little decorating?"

Before anyone could respond, Hope, who had been quietly observing, spoke up. "I want it all purple! Purple is my favorite!"

Everyone turned to look at her. Klaus, ever the doting father, immediately relented. "Purple it is, my little princess."

Elijah chuckled softly, already retrieving the purple tinsel. "It seems the debate has been settled."

"Smart choice," you teased, watching him as he carefully handed a strand of tinsel to Hope.

As the decorating continued, the tree began to take shape—a towering display of purple tinsel and a mix of ornaments, each with its own bit of family history. Despite the occasional bickering, the atmosphere was warm and filled with laughter.

Finally, Klaus stepped back, surveying the nearly finished tree. "Now, we just need the topper," he declared.

"I want to do it!" Hope said, bouncing on her toes.

Klaus’s eyes widened. "Absolutely not. It’s too dangerous. The tree is massive."

"But Daddy—" Hope started, her pout already forming.

"No, sweetheart," Klaus said firmly. "Uncle Kol chose the most ridiculous tree imaginable. You won't be able to reach the top."

Hope crossed her arms and let out a dramatic sigh, she was so much like her father sometimes. 

"Finnnnne," she groaned. "But someone needs to do it!"

"I got it," you offered, climbing the stairs to the second floor balcony.

Elijah followed you. "You should let me," he said, reaching the railing and offering his hand. "If you fall, you could really hurt yourself,"

"Are you going to catch me if I fall?" you asked, your eyes twinkling with mirth.

He grinned. "Of course, I will.”

In one smooth motion, Elijah placed his hands at your waist and lifted you effortlessly. You gasped, your hands instinctively gripping his shoulders as he steadied you, holding you high enough to reach the top. Hope clapped her hands below, beaming with excitement.

"Easy now," Elijah murmured, his voice calm and steady. "You’ve got this."

You placed the star carefully, adjusting it until it sat perfectly centered. "Done!" you exclaimed, turning to beam at him.

But in your excitement, you shifted your weight too far. Elijah tried to steady you, but the combination of your movement and the tree’s precarious balance was too much. The massive tree wobbled, then toppled, sending all of the ornaments and purple tinsel scattering across the courtyard.

Chaos erupted immediately. Klaus shouted something about Kol ruining Christmas, Rebekah shrieked about broken ornaments, and Freya and Hayley tried to calm everyone down. Hope, however, clapped her hands, laughing as she declared it "the funniest Christmas ever."

Elijah, still holding you securely, slowly lowered you to the ground. His expression was a mix of exasperation and amusement. "I think we may have caused a bit of trouble," he said, his tone light.

You couldn’t help but laugh. "A bit?" you echoed, gesturing to the glittering mess.

His hands lingered at your waist, steady and warm as you met his gaze. For a moment, the chaos around you faded. Elijah’s dark eyes softened, and you felt a pull so strong you couldn’t resist. Leaning up, you pressed your lips to his.

The kiss was soft and warm, a long-awaited moment that felt just as perfect as you’d imagined. When you pulled back, your cheeks were flushed, and Elijah’s signature smirk was firmly in place.

"I suppose toppling the tree was worth it," he said, brushing a strand of hair from your face.

"Completely worth it," you replied, grinning.

Kol groaned loudly from below. "Oh, for the love of Christmas, can you two stop being disgustingly cute for one second? Come help us clean up,"

Elijah didn’t even glance at him. "Perhaps if you weren’t so careless with your magical trees, Kol, this wouldn’t have happened."

As the family bickered and laughed, you stayed where you were, Elijah still holding you close. In the middle of the glittering mess, surrounded by laughter, love, and a little chaos, you realized there was nowhere else you’d rather be.

[velvetvexations]

This is an edited version of something I posted to r/DaystromInstitute, a Star Trek sub. I'm proud of it and, having deleted my account, want to preserve it here.

Dukat is a fantastic example of Narcissitic Personality Disorder

I'm an individual with Narcissistic Personality Disorder. It's very, extremely frustrating to see people claim everyone from Dolores Umbridge to Donald Trump also have NPD because they're like, just the worst. NPD doesn't mean "selfish", or "controlling", or even "self-absorbed", and certainly is not a synonym for abusive, despite all the self-help books that say sniping a narcissist who came within eight hundred yards of you is legally permissible under Stand Your Ground laws.

You might expect me to not be so appreciative of Dukat, who is, after all, a pretty horrible person. I actually have a worse opinion of Dukat's supposed nobility than many, as fairly often the fandom prefers to back the idea that he really was a misguided anti-villain who only succumbed to devil-worshipping when the writers assassinated his character.

Well, unfortunately, it's harder to recognize authentic NPD traits in heroes, and "recognize" is a term I use loosely, since most writers certainly didn't have NPD in mind at all. Nonetheless, I love Dukat because he exemplifies a nuanced, if not overly flattering, portrayal of a personality disorder that actual human beings deal with, and 99% of the time is just flattened into a thing you call people you don't like.

As a child, one thing that did a lot to mitigate the more negative social aspects of NPD was having it imprinted on my brain by anime and video games that being a Hero and as good as possible was the best thing to be. While praise and attention in general does scratch a powerful itch too, once my child-self internalized the values of the media I consumed - helped along by also being autistic - the standard for which I judged myself was set. I would literally cry if I accidentally picked up dark side points in a Star Wars game.

I think Dukat went through a similar process. Not all narcissists cling to a model centering morality, but Dukat, for one reason or another, did. He sincerely believes everything he does is altruistic and fair, and more than that, he wants to be altruistic and fair, having misidentified the origin of his cravings.

Another thing that helped me a lot growing up was a book called The Screwtape Letters. If you're unfamiliar, it's by CS Lewis and is presented as a series of letters from a high-ranked demon to his nephew, who works as essentially a shoulder devil attempting to guide his patient into sin and disconnection from God. I feel like Lewis would probably be annoyed with me not getting anything properly Christian out of it, but it is an amazing manual for teaching you how to examine your own thinking and subconscious impulses. It started me down a path of being very self-aware, which made it easier to navigate NPD, because I'm incapable of tolerating the flaws in my internal logic that I'm able to catch. If I may be excused for saying so, I think I do a decent job on that count, with the downside that I'm often far too hyper-critical and it results in regular anxiety.

But Dukat never learned that skill. As a result, his attempted nobility clashes with his other competing impulses, and all his actions are reinforced, rather than rejected, by his conscious, which his NPD assures him is being followed to the letter. As Lewis said:

The baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity at some point may be sated; and since he dimly knows he is doing wrong he may possibly repent. But the Inquisitor who mistakes his own cruelty and lust of power and fear for the voice of Heaven will torment us infinitely more because he torments us with the approval of his own conscience and his better impulses appear to him as temptations.

Dukat's inner struggle is fueled by the need to be a revered benefactor while also having served at the head of the bastard offspring of the Iraq War and Holocaust. His solution at the time was to make it more like the Second Boer War, the conflict that originally popularized the term "concentration camp" despite the fact that those concentration camps weren't even meant to eliminate the thousands that were killed in them.

DUKAT: So in my first official act as Prefect, I ordered all labour camp commanders to reduce their output quotas by fifty percent. Then I reorganized the camps themselves. Child labour was abolished. Medical care was improved. Food rations were increased. At the end of one month of my administration, the death rate had dropped by twenty percent. Now how did the Bajorans react to all this? On my one month anniversary they blew up an orbital dry-dock, killing over two hundred Cardassian soldiers and workers. "KIRA": We didn't want a reconciliation. We wanted to destroy you. DUKAT: So I had to order a response. But even then it was a carefully tempered one. I ordered two hundred suspected members of the Resistance rounded up and executed. Two hundred lives for two hundred lives. That's justice, not malevolence. Justice.

Throughout the episode the Kira hallucination embodies the disrespected and ingratitude he feels he gets for being "nice". Cardassian values, attitudes, and objectives came first. Dukat, however, was smart enough to understand some of what was being done to Bajor was wrong, but not quite able to tear himself away from his own identity as a Cardassian and the protagonist of the universe. That was just too much to totally upend, as would be required to fully comprehend the reality of the situation.

So he tries, in his own way. Because he wants to be a good guy, the hero, the main character, and he truly believes that he is. Unfortunately, it remains pointed solidly in the direction of his own ego. He's unable to recognize that to err is Cardassian, but repentance divine, because he's already invested in so much. His identity as a Cardassian, his own past actions, his impulsive grabs for power, and being convinced he's such a good man shields him from thinking critically because it would necessarily mean criticizing himself. Dukat can only truly appreciate that he's made mistakes when it makes him feel like he's being the bigger man willing to compromise and graciously admit fault, but he was in charge of the Occupation for twenty years. It's hard to walk back from that.

And I should know, because even understanding I'm the one at fault, it's pulling teeth to force myself through accepting I did wrong, much less admitting it to someone else. I don't want to be someone who fucked up, no matter how minor. Pulling teeth. Quite a lot of NPD can be described that way, in fact. While half-brained wannabee psychologists present narcissists as being sociopathic manipulators who skillfully terrorize those around them, most of NPD is horrible, chest-thumping anxiety. It's not fun at all to want to break my controller in half every single time I get got in a game of Splatoon, even when the round is far from over.

Most Cardassians involved with the Occupation seemed to be either outright monsters or falling under the "banality of evil", like Damar. They considered the Bajorans as, at best, a bunch of backwards hicks who needed to shut up and listen to their betters. Dukat, though, fetishized Bajor and the Bajorans themselves, as quite creepily seen in his string of Bajoran lovers and his dogged pursuit of Kira throughout the show (which horrifically took Nana Visitor putting her foot down to keep from being canon!). He pursed his tenure as head of the Occupation with the zeal of someone who truly wanted his subjects to see he was doing all this for their own good.

The Dominion and most other Cardassians don't give a fuck if your subjects like you except insofar as it's convenient and makes them less likely to rebel. That's the Dominion's whole thing, they just want control, and if the carrot doesn't work they'll shrug and without a hint of emotion give you the stick. It doesn't matter to them how they're in charge as long as they are. When Dukat makes his point about having only executed two-hundred (suspected!) members of the Resistance, the Weyoun hallucination comments:

"WEYOUN": The Dominion would never have been so generous.

It's telling that Dukat is fixated on the contrast between him and the people he allied with enough for it to show up in his breakdown. Just a little before that, Dukat says:

DUKAT: Major Kira knows full well I made every effort to heal the wounds between Cardassia and Bajor. Since the very beginning it was my intention to rectify the mistakes of the past and begin a new chapter in our relations.

Dukat is capable of saying, vaguely, abstractly, "mistakes were made", but it infuriates and honestly baffles him that it's not enough for him to be recognized as the most brilliant and loving extraterrestrial patriarch the Bajorans could ever wish for. In an earlier episode, he has this conversation with (the real) Weyoun:

WEYOUN: If you ask me, the key to holding the Federation is Earth. If there's going to be an organized resistance against us, its birthplace will be there. DUKAT: You could be right. WEYOUN: Then our first step is be to eradicate its population. It's the only way. DUKAT: You can't do that. WEYOUN: Why not? DUKAT: Because! A true victory is to make your enemy see they were wrong to oppose you in the first place. To force them to acknowledge your greatness. WEYOUN: Then you kill them? DUKAT: Only if it's necessary. WEYOUN: I had no idea. DUKAT: Perhaps the biggest disappointment in my life is that the Bajoran people still refuse to appreciate how lucky they were to have me as their liberator. I protected them in so many ways, cared for them as if they were my own children. But to this day, is there a single statue of me on Bajor? WEYOUN: I would guess not. DUKAT: And you'd be right. Take Captain Sisko, an otherwise intelligent, perceptive man. Even he refuses to grant me the respect I deserve.

Weyoun ends the scene laughing at Dukat. Because he was just advocating they exterminate all life on Earth, and yet he's amazed, truly stunned by how crackers Dukat is. The sheer depths of Dukat's psychological need for validation is as clinically fascinating to Weyoun as it is to the audience.

As it is to me, anyway. Like Narcissus and his pool, I peer into Dukat and see myself. Unsurprisingly, he's one of my favorite characters.

[kmomof4]

12 (Actually 13) Days of Captain Swan Fic Recs!!!

Well, we finally made it to Day 13!!! Today I'm reccing @overlordofthelollipopguild!! VERY recently returned to fandom after a long hiatus, she has started working on some of her unfinished fics that are just PHENOMENAL!!!! This first one is the longest fic I'm reccing in any of the posts, and yes, I'm quite aware of how long it will take to read, but I'm telling y'all, IT IS SOOOOOO WORTH IT!!!!! READ IT READ IT REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAD IT!!!!!!!

Broken Souls Mend Hearts - Rated T - Captain Swan AU where Cora lets the curse take Killian, and the course of his and Emma’s journey forever changes their lives. A lot will stay to canon with exceptions made to accommodate Killian being cursed to Storybrooke as well.

Now stands at 99 chapters and over 700k, but I'm telling y'all, this is a MASTERPIECE of a fic and EVERYONE should read it!!!!

Taking That Second Chance - Rated T - After the end of 4a (pre 4b), Killian dies in a random accident and Emma thinks about all of the time she wasted with him and how she regrets they didn't have more. The next thing Emma knows, Mary Margaret is waking her up in the EF. Emma realizes that she's travelled back in time, so she has a choice to make: follow the same path, or change it so she and Killian have more time.

Fight for Her - Rated T -CS drabble. Post-Good Form. In which Charming is Hook's wingman...for his own daughter.

Defending Her - Rated T - CS drabble. Post-Good Form, sequel to “Fight For Her”. Killian confronts Neal after Neal upsets Emma.

All of these fics are wonderful and I first REALLY hope you read Broken Souls, but also enjoy all of these as much as I have!! Merry Christmas everyone!!!!

[cssns]

Everyone, Please Help Me Welcome @hollyethecurious back to the CSSNS!!!

Your Tumblr and any other applicable names

hollyethecurious (Tumblr) / HollyeLeigh (ao3 and ff.net)

How long have you been in the CS/OUAT fandom?

Since 2016

When did you start shipping Captain Swan?

When Emma held that knife against Hook's throat in S2

What drew you to this event?

My besties

What inspired your topic?

The TV show Grimm

If you would like to share a snippet/sneak peek/summary of your fic or artwork, please use the space below.

Killian watched the vans depart and began tearing down the police tape they’d used to cordon off the area. The techs had left behind one of their flood lights for him to use while finishing his own tasks, but after he stowed it away in his cruiser he realized how unnecessary that had been. The moon was bright enough for him to do a final patrol with the assistance of his flashlight to illuminate the hidden areas within the trees’ shadows.

He’d just finished a sweep of the perimeter when the skin at the back of his neck prickled and his hair began to stand on end. The area, which moments ago had been softly sound-tracked by an ambiance of crickets and distant hoots of owls, had gone quiet.

Too quiet.

Reaching down to his holster, he flicked loose the restraining strap with his thumb before palming his side arm. “Who’s there?” Killian called out as more prickles of unease crept over his skin and up his spine. “Storybrooke PD! Identify yourself!”

Movement flickered in his periphery and the quick succession of snapping twigs alerted him to someone fleeing the scene.

“Halt!” he yelled out while in hot pursuit with his gun drawn. “Storybrooke PD, I demand you stop and identify yourself!”

Barely able to keep pace, Killian chased after the suspect. His attempt to call in the incident over the radio on his shoulder had been met with static as he was clearly too far out of range. Not wishing to lose the perp, he did not want to risk digging his phone from his pocket, lest it slow him down. The pursuit lasted for an agonizing length of time, drawing Killian deeper and deeper into the woods, his legs burning and his lungs screaming from the extreme exertion.

He finally stopped after bursting into a clearing, biting back curses under his heaving breaths for having lost sight of the suspect. Holstering his weapon, he doubled over with his hands on his knees in an attempt to catch his breath. A painful stitch began to form at his side and sweat from his forehead threatened to blur his vision.

The snap of a branch was the only warning he had before something solid collided with him, knocking him to the ground. Inhuman snarls and the gnashing of teeth curdled Killian’s blood even before he caught sight of the monstrous wesen he was currently trying to fight off with all his might.

Blutbad. The Big, Bad Wolf. In full woge and ready to tear Killian’s throat out.

For our artists: What kind of art do you like to do? Picsets, painting, digital, etc?

picsets and collages mostly

What are you looking forward to most about participating in this event?

As always, all the new exciting stories and art pieces. I'm also looking forward to getting a bit of my writing mojo back.

Ok, am I the only one who had shivers running down my spine at that snippet? Welcome back, Hollye!!! Can't wait for the rest of this on July 21!!

[flamedraco]

c!Wilbur Redesign

This is my compromise to the current situation regarding Shubble and the speculation surrounding Wilbur. This is coming from a fanfiction writer who has always, and always will, see the CCs as nothing more than voice actors for their characters. Buckle in, this is going to be a long one. But please read all the way through. If you don't know, recently Shubble came forward with a video about how she was in an abusive relationship. And she dropped some hints because she wants people to speculate about who it is. Wants to make sure that a person with bad intentions can't get away with more bad things. A lot of people are speculating that, due to said hints and previously established crush that he had on her, Wilbur is the person who abused her. Now personally? I do not believe this. It's hard for me to believe that Wilbur would do something like that. I don't like the idea of hopping on the hate train or immediately jumping to cancel someone. So I will be waiting for real facts and confirmation before saying anything regarding the CC. A lot of the speculation doesn't make sense to me logically and I also never got the chance to see the video before it was deleted. This is not me calling Shubble a liar. I 100% believe her and my heart goes out to her completely. She doesn't deserve being treated horribly, nobody does. The situation I'm hearing she went through is a wretched thing and I will not TOLERATE people insulting her or saying that she should just say who it was. That shit is not okay and never will be okay. HOWEVER! I will NOT stop writing Wilbur's character. A little fact about me is that when I came into this fandom, it wasn't because I watched the CCs. It wasn't because I was interested in MCYT. The reason I came here was because a very close friend of mine asked me to cowrite a fic with them. At the time the only fandom we really shared even vaguely was DSMP. I knew very little about it but I knew some things. I let my friend choose the ship. They chose TNT Duo. And it's thanks to that friend that I wrote Arsonist's Waltz. That I started to adore Quackbur and wrote my most well known fic, You Were Never Meant to be a Hero. And thanks to YWNMTBAH I made so many cherished friends. It's all because of these two little characters that still have me in a chokehold even though I've been writing them for quite some time now. And that's why I can't simply let go of Wilbur's character. But regardless of my ability to separate the Cs from the CCs, for some people that distinction is harder. The CCs to me are just glorified voice actors. For other people it's harder. They can separate the characters from the content creators just fine, but this situation hits them close to home. And it hurts. So, this is my proposed solution, brought to my attention by a friend who was heavily affected by this situation, but loved the work she was doing and didn't want to have to let it go. C!Wilbur doesn't have an actual canon design. When you think about it, the only thing we have to go off of is his Minecraft skin. Something that, when you think about it, doesn't tell us much about the character at all. There is no canon design because most of what we see as "canon" is based on the CC, not the character himself. When you look at c!Wilbur, the skin, does he have an eye color? Do we know his height? What about his hair length? His build? What do we actually know about this character outside of the clothing on his back and the personality his actor gave him? And when you make an AU everything changes. From now on? My c!Wilbur design that I'll use as a baseline for most of my fics is a 6ft man with heterochromia. One eye blue, the other teal. He's going to have brown curly hair that dips just below his shoulders and a light scar over one of his eyes. Sometimes he'll have freckles because what the fuck can we tell from a Minecraft skin anyways? He wears black nail polish because why not? Slay.

I already treated him and c!Quackity like glorified OCs already. Why not further OC the glorified OCs? So what if they aren't a faithful adaptation? How can anyone say what is and isn't "faithful" when we're talking about BLOCK MEN. Make them eldritch. Make them supernatural. Make them whatever kind of hybrid you want them to be! I'll die on my Magpie!Wilbur and Shrike!Quackity hill! Give them different eye colors and let them dye their hair sometimes, I'm going to make the white streak PINK because TWINS DUO and CHERRY BLOSSOM TRIPLETS! Give your Phantom!Wilburs green eyes and glowing blood! Give your Shapeshifter!Wilburs more hair and eye colors! Do what you want because the character has no actual canon design. Go wild with your AUs and remember that you're doing this for fun. For your enjoyment. Don't conform to what someone else wants from you just because your adaption, your interpretation, "isn't the real Wilbur". The characters are what we make them. Because the reality of the situation? They are literally just blocks in a cube game. There is no canon design. Don't let the actions of some asshole ruin what you love.

[torchickentacos]

PLEASE elaborate on solidad thoughts :o

ABSOLUTELY! 1 AM rambling ahead, coherence may vary.

Solidad is ICONIC. She is the MOMENT. She is AMAZING. She was only in three episodes (save for silent cameos), and yet her impact on the (CS but also general) fandom far outweighs the brevity of her canon appearance. We saw Solidad less than we saw Angie, Lyra, Robert, Morrison, and I think Tyson's Meowth, yet I'm pretty confident in saying that she had a stronger fandom impact than all of them. (Brianna's in that club of 'impact outweighs her appearance', too- for a character of the day, Brianna really cemented herself as a staple CS fanfic problem-causer. She had twenty minutes, a goddamn problem, and a dream, and I support her tbh.)

But back to Sol, I really enjoy that she had such a wide impact with such a small appearance. Not only in the fandom as a recurring character in many people's creative projects, but in canon itself! WIthout her, Drew would have read as a different character in those final episodes. She provides a softer context to him that we rarely get to see.

She exists solely to further Drew's development as a character, but she does a good job of it. I have specific feelings about that, I wish she'd been given more time to be a character in her own right, but she's instrumental to the character arcs that we see in AG, even though she only pushed it forward at the end. I feel the same about Drew, though- he only exists around May. You cannot talk about Solidad without talking about Drew, and you cannot talk about Drew without talking about May. I wish we had more of those characters on their own, but anyways.

She's a view into Drew that we'd been severely lacking up to that point. She's insightful in her dialogue to May, but also in her discussions on screen with Drew. It's just nice seeing Drew interact with people who are not May, which he never does. We get to see more of his personality come out around Sol, parts we don't usually see because he's too busy tunnel-visioning. (Note to self, I need to clip every time Drew talks to May and every time he talks to someone else and compare the runtimes because I bet it's going to be, like, a twenty minute difference, but anyways).

Solidad comes across as a former mentor of sorts, and it's nice seeing Drew interact with someone with that sense of respect (which he usually lacks). I think for May, it's also really fun to see her talk to Solidad- because Solidad respects May. It's just a really fun dynamic that adds balance to May and Drew. Drew's shown as stronger than May up to this point, but Sol is much stronger than him and yet respects May, and it's just a fun way to sort of even the playing field, if that makes sense? Solidad bridges a gap there; her career respect of May paired with her career superiority over Drew just really hammers in how far May has come by the Kanto Grand Festival, if her main rival's stronger rival sees her in such a positive light. I hope that made at least 5% sense.

I think also, going into more shitposty territory, I love Solidad's personality. She comes across as this mature, well-spoken, composed, respectful older sister type, but you look closer and she's actually such a shit-stirrer 😭 She point-blank told May that Drew has, and I quote, "Feelings for you" (shoutout to my queue tag, feelings for queue), and she's friends with Harley so her ethical code must be at least flexible, and she is, IMO, the reason that The Absol Scene goes as poorly as it does (Drew obviously went to the woods to train and be alone for a reason, as he is Not Doing Well, so Solidad... checks notes, calls him out in front of his crush WHICH SOL KNOWS and also like 5 other people when he's already in a fragile state. great job girl💀). Like, under the cool and collected exterior she is SUCH a problem-causer. A tea-spiller. She'd submit coordinator blinds to deuxmoi, I know this in my heart. I think it's so fun though because from her canon actions, you can extrapolate that she's someone who does her own thing if she thinks it's right and without input or permission, regardless of if it's actually right or not, and that's kind of where my joke about her being Chaotic Lawful comes in. I think she does have a strong sense of right and wrong, but I think it's a very Solidad-specific sense and not one that is, you know, rooted in a binary that most people would understand or assume to be the case lol.

This is so unstructured, but she's just fun and I like rambling about her. I also like that she only has Kanto pokemon, I love her backstory with Drew, I like that she knows Brock and Harley, she's just really interesting for a three-eipsode character!

[haveaclock]

Uhm...

Hi everyone?

Back from my little break I guess.

1 year is quite little

yea sure April 18 ,2023( the last time I posted) was a long time ago but,

"It's April 21st!! Of 2024!!"

oh wait I'm talking to myself again..

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

Guess whose back, Back again, Shady's back..tell a friend.

yea

I have an excuse! I was going to take a break in observance of my little sister turning 10 (she's 11 she's growing up way too fast), boom one year later.

Genuinely forgot why I left Tumblr,for that matter social media after that..blame it on mental health and stress.

People should know that stuff happens in a year, things change. So guess what, this blog is changing..whoopi. Excluding my pfp I love it so much for absolutely no reason

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

Blog things.

When I created this blog, I was in my "Jeantonio era", Jeantonio hyperfixation, if you were a CS fan in late 2022 most likely I was in your screen yapping about them and what not. Literally that was all my blog was good for, for that reason alone.

Yea, no more of that. I'm guessing the light switch turned off. I don't know what happened genuinely speaking they just aren't like..you can say I've gotten mature, when I look back at my posts I want to cry, bawl and curl up into a ball fetus position by the pure cringe of it. I don't know.

Not all only Jeantonio, it's just CS in general, sure I'm in a discord server (hi @tiredguyswag) about La Femme Rouge but I really just don't feel the same way about the show I used to. Blame it on personal life I guess.

now that I say that all I say on discord is how I stopped having a Jeantonio hyperfixation 🙃

Anyways,

Don't get me wrong I still love the,but I'll barely post about them. Yea, mind blower.

Next segment

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

Bio thing

It's funny how I haven't made this before but that's that I guess,

- I go by Cassandra,

(@r41nb0wzzz DO NOT CALL ME OUT, I KNOW WHAT MY NAME IS.)

-Minor (don't hit on me 😒)

-She/Her

Hobbies: Drawing, Animations, Running,..does talking count?

.. I'll just skip to the fandoms part.

- Avatar:The Last Airbender

- Carmen SanDiego (kinda obvious)

- Any kind of children's show

-Mandela Catalogue

- MLP

- Undertale, but just barely

- Steven Universe

- Genshin Impact

-Spiderverse

I've forgotten now

Now, this shall come as a Total shocker for you guys but,

- Total Drama Island

see what I did there

next segment

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

Everyone knows what a hyperfixation is,

A character(s) or show, or something you like so much you traumatize them or you draw them in class so much you have 3 full pages of that one character.

(Okay, funny thing is I've never drawn El Topo and Le Chèvre like, never in my life until like, January this year during Carmen week, crazy.)

Anyways, I'm pretty sure I was never one of those users that had a new hyperfixation like, by the day, "Jeantonio 4 life man"

Which is funny,

Okay I'll get on with it Rajbow (Raj and Bowie) is cool guys.

I love Rajbow so much man..

It's like ... it's like Terry McGurin watched Carmen SanDiego and then implemented Jeantonio onto Total Drama Island.

I will go on and on about them like..

Like look at them!!

Look.

Goofy Goobers times 2x man..

I didn't even mention Wayne man..Wayne!!!

I will put each of them in my pocket..each!

It's a brainrot.. man..

Will I be making remarks about my hating Bowie? No!

Le Chèvre got them because I hated him but now I don't because I forgot my reason,

or I just made him too fem queen in my head..

I love Bowie man..

And Raj..

And Wayne..

Platonic Raynebow 4 life man..

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

I forgot the majority of the stuff I came here to say, so I'll just say what I remember, and leave you guys to forget this,

-I'm going to delete a lot of my old posts most likely this weekend, they were very cringe man, understand where I'm coming from...

-Thetalkwithaveaclock isn't coming back, it's getting killed off. But then again nobody cared or knew what it was,

- Posting won't be something you'll be getting in every 56 seconds, it's more like every 56 days or something..I either just don't want to come back to Tumblr or its school man..

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

Yeah, that's pretty much it..I forgot a lot of what I was going to say to you guys, okay..uh..

Anyways,

Bye Bye..CS nation?.. I'm guessing the majority of this will be read by CS nation..

- cassandra

[4getfulimaginator2022]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

I haven't been tagged, but I saw @fandomsbyladymelodrama do one of these a few months back - so of course, I wanted to give it a try. 🙃 Also, I haven't done any personal posts on here in forever. Time for a change!

How many works do you have on AO3? I have 18 works so far. And when it comes to ships, it looks like I have a "type." 😉

What's your total AO3 word count? Oh boy. 660K+ right now and growing all the time because when stories speak, I write.

What fandoms do you write for? Mainly Once Upon a Time (starting in 2013), followed by Game of Thrones (2024, baby!) and then that 1 Greek myth collection thingy. I was a die-hard Once fan back in the day and watched episodes religiously, so all the canon lore was seared into my brain until season 6 (when I dropped the show because the writing was so off the rails). Surprise, surprise - I haven't watched GoT in its entirety. Everything I know is through my own research, watching videos, reading, reading, reading, and the contributions of the wonderful Jorleesi fandom.

What are your top 5 fics by kudos? All Captain Swan fics, in order from the most to the least: 1) Heart Bound 2) Only the Beginning 3) A Cobbler's Life For Me 4) Be My Angel, Be My Demon 5) Nevermore

Do you respond to comments? I try! I used to be less strict about replying to comments, but with my resurgence in fanfic after years of absence, I have replied to each and every one. Currently, I am behind on replies, but I will get around to it again. Soon.

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Oof. I don't do angsty endings because I will die on the hill that is Jane Austen: “My characters shall have, after a little trouble, all that they desire.” Probably my angstiest ending is in Trader of Hearts, which is a really dark fic. I do have a one-shot that is semi-angsty, though: Thinking of You.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? *deer in headlights look* I make it my business to give my beloved characters the happiest endings I can. Seriously. I don't know how to rank endings against each other, since the characters always end up together. I currently think my happiest ending is for The Old Curiosity Shop, my Jorleesi fic.

Do you get hate on fics? I have, but these were readers telling me how I should write my stories "the right way." I also have gotten spam comments. Overall, people are pretty nice.

Do you write smut? Hoo-hah! 😏 Let's count: I have 3 fics rated Mature and 5 fics rated Explicit. That's half of my fic repertoire. And when I do Explicit, it's ❤️‍🔥. Enough said.

Do you write crossovers? No. Not happening, cannot do, end of discussion.

Have you ever had a fic stolen? Well... There was a scandal back on FF.net in 2014 or 2015? Websites were copying all fanfics to scammy websites or selling fanfics as ebooks. Not cool. I used to have all my content on FF.net, but now only my in-progress fics are there. All my fics are up on AO3.

Have you ever had a fic translated? No, not that I know of.

Have you ever co-written a fic before? Hey, if someone is offering... But again, no. No one ever wanted to co-write with me. 🥺 But maybe it's because I'm sooooooooo bossy!

What's your all-time favorite ship? Oh crap. All-time favorite?! WHAT. I have to cheat here and say there's a tie: Captain Swan and Jorleesi. Emma Swan and Killian Jones had a long journey to love and happiness, both in terms of their individual character growth and their relationship as a couple. The more I learned about them, the harder I fell in love with them. It helped that the CS fandom was HUGE as the ship became canon, and Tumblr was so active then that #captainswan was all over the place. We were one of the largest canon ships for that show. Now, as for Jorleesi... Jorah Mormont's loyalty and devotion earned my attention and respect from the first, and then when I found out about his love for Daenerys and her repressed love affection for him, I was a goner. My 2 OTPs: both women are BAMFs who are survivors and warriors, while their guys value love above all and are willing to die to protect them (*sobbing for Jorah because noooooooo* 😭)

What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? Heart Bound. This fic... I love this fic. This is my Jane Eyre/Jane Austen fix. It's my 2nd period piece and I adore some of my prose in this one. It. Needs. 4. Chapters. To. Be. Complete. Can I do it? Yes. Do I want to do it? *cries* Of course I do but it's hard...

What are your writing strengths? Hmm. Some would say it's my prose, while others would say that I know how to channel emotion into my writing. I like to incorporate literature and historical references into my fics (historical AUs or not), so I think I've done well with that. I've also been told that my characterizations are fantastic and unique. You do notice that I'm not claiming credit for any of these observations, right? Usually, I believe my writing is awful and I could have done so much better. I have a hard time acknowledging my strengths. You could hand me an Olympic gold medal for Writing and I would still insist that it's all lies. My self-belief and confidence have not improved over the years.

What are your writing weaknesses? Dialogue. It's always dialogue. I want it to be realistic but my vocab gets in the way and it starts sounding like prose. Not good. But I am getting better! No way to go but up.

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? Maybe I'd do it, but it would have to be necessary for me to put in the effort. I don't purposely bamboozle my readers. 🤣

First fandom you wrote for? Once Upon a Time (of course *rolls eyes*). One Against the Wind is my ultimate period fic - pirates, the Caribbean, my tribute to PotC and pirate novels I've read. I created character backstory when there was no canon backstory. It's also my longest fic at 147K words. So proud of it and it still holds a special place in my heart. 😍

Favorite fic you've written? Ugh, no no no! I always, always say I cannot have one favorite because that is BORING. But okay, I will say that at the moment, it's The Old Curiosity Shop. I just did a full read of the entire fic and my heart absolutely melted. Adorable, heartbreaking, angsty, and so romantic. Jorleesi, I love you and I will die for you. You own my heart a thousand times over. ❤️

Fineeeee, I'll tag 5 people (no worries if you don't want to do this - completely voluntary fun and games here 💕): @ser-jorah-the-andal, @rileypotter17, @houseofthebear, @clarasimone, @thank-god-and-you

[s1urpjuic3]

More Scathing hot takes

RANDOM DISCLAIMER I have not watched not a nan lick of g3 Monster High, this is entirely based off of Tumblr post, y'all please inform me of wtf be going on over there.

Tonight, I will be touching on Monster High, because honestly, I don't see enough people talking about my opinions so I'm forcing y'all to see it lmaoo

THE WORLD SHALL KNOW PAIN

Anyways, I feel like this is gonna come out so wrong omgggg but

I DON'T LIKE HOW THEY BROKE OFF ICONIC SHIPS AND MADE EVERYONE LGBT+!!! I don't even care that their gay, it's just the fact that I feel like when shows/media wants to be inclusive when they remake/bring back old shows, they get lazy and just rewrite the existing characters to fit their agenda.

The only time in media it really makes sense (to me) is when a character is going through change, or left a traumatic situation, OR they were always written as a queer character

ie: Harley Quinn. Yeah, I (think) she's always been Bi, but i'd definitely wanna stay the hell away from men after The Joker. I say this as a lifelong Jarley fan. #GoJivey.

And before I go any further, girlllll everybody alr new Clawdeen was lesbian she wasn't fooling nobody💀 it makes SENSE for her character.

Like I know there are now hardcore Cleo x Frankie shippers, and that's fine, I love when people ship characters like that, it's expression of the love for the show, but making it canon??? *Faints*

Maybe i'm just a diehard Cleuce fan idk lmaooo

What I (personally) think they should have done is just introduce new queer/gender neutral/LGBTQ+ characters! I think that would have been so cute and unique cs I feel like no show does that and it's lame.

Like, I just feel like it's such a missed opportunity to make their love interest dynamic, y'know? Like, give them actual depth outside of liking their ghoul.

ie: Deuce. They could've gone into depth about his career and his hopes dreams and aspirations was, and it still ties into Cleo because of her dad and things of that nature.

(Sidenote: Clawd & Jackson/Holt could literally take over the Monster High fandom if they wrote him better in all the gens but y'all not ready for that Convo.)

THERE WAS SO MUCH POTENTIAL FOR JACKSON/HOLT OMG

I WANT NEW QUEER/LGBTQ+ CHARACTERS

Especially the boys ;)

Anyways, that's my hot take for tn, first moderately sized post (Hooray)

Post Script: What is this narrative that G1 Frankie liked too many boys?? Y'all be so frl. She liked 2 people. Jackson and Holt were the same people stop playing in my Tumblr space like that :|

Post Post Script: They had low-key pmo not giving lala some depth we all know she a bad bitch stop acting like she static.

[mgopinoon]

I really hope they did break up cause with CS finishing filming this week I'm not looking forward to pap walks and Gerber family trips. I just want to see him live a more peaceful life without paps and nepobabies on his back you know? I would be happy to only see him at events and at work, honestly. I don't want to know everything about K through this fandom, cause I'm sick and tired of her spoiled untalented face.

I hope Austin really ended that relationship, because if he didn't we'll see miserable paparazzi walks again starting in December. I also wish he rests and that we can focus on his projects. I would also like to see him at the awards events, if he has free time (without Kaia), I love his looks, how happy he looks meeting other actors and hearing about him for those reasons and not because of paparazzi harassment, although I'm 100% sure that after breaking up with Kaia we'll see very little of Austin being captured, because miraculously when Kaia is not around he can live a completely normal life.

[firewoodfigs]

any royai headcanons? :)

hi anon!! I'm SO sorry it took me forever to respond, but ah thank you for the ask--this is especially fun now since ao3 is down, much to everyone's dismay!!

I should preface this by saying I've just been writing fic and hardly engaging with canon material LMAO so I unfortunately only have paltry crumbs to offer at this point but there have been so many interesting h/cs going around, and it's always fun to see the fandom coming back to life again :)

some completely random and bizarre royai headcanons (this is more crack than anything else because I have about two brain cells left):

roy is a simp

riza is a simp

roy loves shrimps (and also loves peeling them for riza because he is a simp)

riza forces him to finish his vegetables

they are each other's emergency contacts

they 100% got it on before the promised day. how else could they have been so agile after literally sustaining life-threatening injuries???

roy is a generally reckless driver but drives with extra caution whenever riza is on board as passenger princess bcs that's his precious cargo right there

riza has a nifty collection of his shirts that she routinely wears as PJs (back to point no. 2)

roy has a burgeoning collection of dog toys bcs he was the asian dad who claimed he didn't want a pet but is obviously deeply in love with the dog

riza would make breakfast first for the dog and give roy crumbs and roy would be like aww yea that's fair (also "that's my wife")

riza is secretly an amazing singer and roy is always looking for ways to sneak in karaoke sessions during team bonding activities

but nobody wants to go for karaoke because roy is tone-deaf and deadass cannot sing. when he's drunk he just raps and that gets everyone on their knees begging for mercy

roy was very excited when riza started growing her hair out because he's always dreamed of getting to braid it with his own two hands, yadayada

riza on the other hand adores it when roy rolls his sleeves up

tldr they are both thirsty and in need of something more than a drink or two

riza fell in love first but would sooner die than admit it

riza decided to pick up xingese while in the countryside so that she could listen to the songs and read the poems that roy enjoys in secret

roy on the other hand really loves buying first edition copies of poetry books for riza. i'm sure he's also loaded so no biggie (apart from the possible mesothelioma but honestly first editions are worth inhaling some asbestos or whatever for)

roy's nickname is tailor swift because he's really good at sewing and has made riza more than one dress

roy's black coat is gucci

[wholoveseggs]

Snow Queen

18+ ---- {Masterlist} {Tag-List}{Five Days of Fluffmas}

{Klaus Mikaelson x Reader} When Hope demands you help her build a snowman, Klaus reluctantly helps, crafting memories as warm as the love that binds their family together...

♡♡Happy Fluffmas♡♡

1.2 words - Warnings: flufffff, snowman building turned snow queen masterpiece, soft and affectionate Klaus, Hope's adorable enthusiasm && sweet kisses...

@starkleila @lydia1369sworld @notleylaaa @vampiresluv

@myanmy @xflowerbombxo @maryvibess @always-and-forever-daydreaming

@spnaquakindgdom @amournoir @meeom @damienmorton @wickedmuse

@cs-please @complicatedandconfusing-25 @youcanhavemybuckanyday @akala6670229 @yeaiamme2

@itsjulzandmydiamonds @witch-of-letters @elijahstwink @rosecentury

@amanda08319 @starshipcookie @li-da-savage @veggie-eggrolls @spideybv28

@sunkissedebony97 @idk00sblog @savannaounana @sekaishell @b1tchy

@loving-and-dreaming @fancycassie-stayfancy @hcqwxrtss123 @iamawkwardandshy @ziayamikaelson

@absolutemarveltrash @darkened-writer @nina6708 @evasmlp

@madeinmyownmind-blog @lovelyy-moonlight @blacknightrises @poppet05 @sweetieseven

@xoxo-shy @nova-j @decaffeinatedparadisepost @fandom-princess-forevermore @theotherworld97

@origshipfan @cocoabliss @eternalnoble @darth-laeka

"Daddy!!!" Hope's little voice rang through the compound, echoing down the halls.

Klaus smiled to himself, he knew what this was about. He'd been hearing about the impending snowstorm for days now and was prepared for Hope's enthusiasm.

"Daddy!!!!! Y/n!!!!" she called again.

"In the study, Hope," he answered.

He watched as his little girl raced around the corner, cheeks rosy with excitement. Her hair was pulled back into pigtails, her favorite red and white plaid shirt on underneath her sweater. Klaus knew how much Hope loved the snow, she had since she was a baby, so he was not surprised when she announced, "It's snowing, Daddy!"

He smiled, "So I've heard. Did you need something, little wolf?"

"I wanna go make a snowman!" Hope declared. "Please, daddy. Can we go make one? Please?"

You were snuggled up next to Klaus on the couch, a book open in your lap, and looked over at him. You knew he was in a mood today, but also knew how hard it was for him to tell Hope no. You had a feeling you knew where this was headed.

"I'm not sure, love. It's awfully cold outside."

"But...but it's the first snowfall of the year," Hope pouted, looking down at her shoes. "Please, daddy. We have to make a snowman."

"Have to?" Klaus chuckled. "I'm not sure anyone should ever have to make a snowman."

Hope stuck her lip out and pouted, and you swore you saw tears forming in her eyes. Klaus saw it too, and you knew he was close to giving in. He never could resist his little girl.

"If your dad won't help, I will," you said, putting your book down. "What do you say, Hope? Want to go make a snowman with me?"

Her little eyes lit up, a huge smile spreading across her face. She nodded vigorously, clapping her hands.

"Alright then, get your jacket, scarf, and gloves, and we'll head outside."

"Okay!" She exclaimed, turning to race down the hall.

Klaus chuckled, watching her go. He leaned over, kissing the top of your head.

"I'll get you for this, love," he teased.

"Hmm...promises, promises," you smirked, kissing him on the lips.

You found Hope struggling to get her jacket on, her fingers fumbling with the buttons. You knelt down, taking her little hands in yours, and helped her get her coat on, buttoning it up.

"I could've done it," she insisted. She was so much like her father.

"I know, sweetheart, but the faster you get ready, the sooner we can go outside." You explained, helping her into her boots.

You pulled her mittens on her hands, making sure they were snug, before putting her hat and scarf on. Hope's cheeks were flushed with excitement and she giggled when you kissed her nose.

"All set?" you asked, holding out your hand.

"Yes, let's go!!" she said, grabbing your hand and tugging you toward the door.

Klaus followed behind, smiling at the sight. He was wrapped up in his own coat, scarf, and gloves, and the three of you made your way to the door.

As soon as the front door opened, Hope raced outside, her little feet carrying her to the yard. She started jumping up and down, her mittened hands grabbing fistfuls of snow and tossing it into the air.

You and Klaus stepped out into the yard, watching as Hope ran around, laughing. The snow had just started to fall, but there was already a thick layer on the ground. You smiled at her innocence, soaking up her joy.

Klaus walked up beside you, wrapping his arm around your shoulders. He was smiling too, enjoying the moment.

"You've got her all riled up now," Klaus teased, his voice soft but laced with affection. 

"Admit it," you said, leaning into him. "You're enjoying this too."

"Perhaps," he replied, his lips curving into a small, begrudging smile.

"Daddy, Y/n, come on!" Hope's voice interrupted your moment. She was already rolling a small snowball across the yard, determined to start the base of her snowman. "We need to make the biggest snowman ever!"

Klaus sighed, feigning exasperation. "The things I do for this family," he muttered, stepping forward to help her. 

You followed, watching as Klaus knelt beside Hope, gently helping her shape the growing snowball. His gloved hands were careful yet efficient, and soon the base of the snowman was nearly as tall as Hope herself. 

"Now we need another one for the belly," Hope declared, pointing to you. "You can do this one, Y/n!"

You grinned and knelt down, starting to roll your own snowball. "On it, boss." 

Klaus watched you with amusement, his eyes softening as you worked. It wasn’t often he let himself get lost in simple family moments like this, but today he allowed it. 

When the second ball was ready, Klaus helped you lift it onto the base, his hands brushing against yours as he steadied the snow. The contact made your cheeks flush, and you caught his knowing smirk as he stepped back.

"Not bad," he said. "But we're far from done. A snowman deserves proper arms, doesn't it?"

Hope gasped. "Not just arms! She needs to be a snow queen! A magical snow queen!"

Klaus raised an eyebrow, a sly grin tugging at his lips. "A queen, you say? Well then, we shall make her worthy of the title." 

For the next hour, the three of you worked together, crafting the most elaborate snow queen the Mikaelson family had ever seen. Klaus took his task far too seriously, hunting for perfect twigs for arms and critiquing every berry Hope placed in the crown. 

"She needs balance, darling," he said, moving one berry half an inch to the left. 

"Daddy, you're being silly!" Hope giggled, shaking her head. 

You couldn’t help but laugh too, watching Klaus fuss over the details. He claimed to be indulging Hope, but it was clear he was enjoying himself just as much. 

When the snow queen was finally complete, Klaus took a step back and crossed his arms, admiring their work. "A masterpiece," he declared. "Fit for royalty, indeed."

Hope clapped her hands and twirled in delight. "She's perfect! Thank you, Daddy! Thank you, Y/n!"

Klaus bent into an exaggerated bow before the snow queen, earning a burst of laughter from Hope. "Your Majesty," he said solemnly, "it has been an honor."

You laughed, shaking your head at his theatrics. "I think you've outdone yourself, Klaus."

He straightened, his gaze lingering on you for a moment longer than necessary. "Only for the two of you," he murmured softly, his voice low enough that only you could hear. 

Your heart fluttered, and before you could stop yourself, you leaned in and kissed him. It was quick and sweet, but it was enough to send warmth flooding through you despite the chill in the air. 

"Ewwww," Hope groaned, covering her eyes. "Kissing is gross!"

You pulled back, laughing, while Klaus chuckled, his hand resting at the small of your back. 

"Not always," he teased, stealing another kiss from you.

Hope made a face, sticking her tongue out in disgust. "I'm gonna make a snow angel," she announced, flopping down onto her back and kicking her legs.

You and Klaus shared a grin, both watching her fondly. The snow was falling lightly, and the world seemed quieter, somehow.

"I love you," Klaus whispered, his lips brushing against your ear.

"I love you, too," you replied, smiling.

And as the snow continued to fall, the three of you laughed and played, the cold forgotten in the warmth of love and family. For Klaus, there was no greater joy than that.

[tandy-angel]

💐 quotev refugee & professional sillyposter

hi there :3 i'm mars short for marshall & i like nicknames (among other things) ! my prns are they/them :3 i'm queer and have some gender in between the spectrum idk. currently in limbo since i haven't thought about it in a while haha

i'm tandy-angel or some variation thereof on most anything just hmu if you're interested in following on other platforms not listed below ^_^

i'm a fairly low-effort hellenic practicioner and modern witch who sometimes believes they used to be an angel. i love culture and religion and i'm currently reading the bible and learning tagalog. i have a moderate understanding of written spanish but do not believe i could hold a verbal conversation. i'm working on it

i have a lot of interests. i love all things beautiful and even those that aren't. i love humanity and romanticize everything! so yeah. i have a lot of interests. i'll link a post below outlining them all <3

more useless info below the cut but please follow & interact if any of this interests you :D i have no idea how to use tumblr despite having had one for years. my gf is coaching me so please be kind >_< anyway. hmu ♡ i'm nice i love talking to people i'll be here. like subscribe & follow thanks. mwah! xo, mars

⭐️ reference to tags i use [ official taglist ]

#hehe :3 things i like. more vague than #mecore

#mecore things i relate to. fairly obvious

#ray speaks truth a raypost i've reblogged and agree with. also obvious imo

#raycore things i think my gf might relate to/things that relate to him

#i love my southern gf idk. more specific gf tag, things that relate to him being southern or things that just make me feel particularly affectionate

#witchery on main fairly self explanatory. i usually post witch things on @mars-witchery

#check misc my "check and sort later" tag

#misc is anything non-fandom related. fandoms will be tagged as such

🔮 other socials

tandyangel2 / ao3 (i use this when i have something to publish that i am pleased with. very rare)

tandyangel / fanfiction (no longer active, yet sometimes i dream of going back ;___;)

tandy_angel2 / twt (also no longer active. have a few good memories from that era though) (edit: i will be heading back + revamping soon. re: quotev death)

tandyangel / pokefarm (i'm here only sometimes. read: barely ever)

mostly on quotev (no longer, since quotev death) & instagram with a personal account. hmu if you want it if we're friends, mutuals, or have interacted once. barely here on tumblr but it's a cute space so i wanna be on more. we'll see

🌷 other links

• interests

• carrd

• side blogs

long story short ! ★

✿ mars, they/them. queer + neurodiv

✿ taken, 1r1p. aroace bi lesbian

✿ likes music. psych + cs major

✿ i hate queer discourse count me OUT

✿ i'm a romantic i love everything else

✿ i'm friendly i promise please hmu

[stubblesandwich]

Ho Ho Ho! It's your Secret Santa!

Season 3, with canon divergent/compliant with a good helping of angst and hurt/comfort? Sounds like you have some excellent taste there, my dear. 😉

I hear you on the season 5 whump! They fed us well that season, didn't they?

My first question for you: What is one moment you wish we had gotten? (in season 3, since it's your fav. or a different season, if applicable)

Or, what is one moment you wish had more fic written about it? (ex: do you want more fics of Emma leaving him on the beanstalk? or more that focus on the downtime between getting back from Neverland and having to leave Storybrooke? do you want more fics of him finding her in New York? maybe a bit more focus on his time in the Underworld?) I'd love to know about it!

And my last question to you: What is your favourite thing about the holidays? Any favourite movies? Songs? What's your favourite thing to eat this time of year? And anything else about the season that you absolutely love, I want to hear your thoughts!

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!

~Santa 🎅

^^^^^ Same energy from me rn, buddy :D!!

I eat any canon divergent/compliant fic from seasons 3-5 for breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. I just have an enduring soft spot for season three... the mutual pining! Hook giving up his ship for her! Time travel! Neverland! Even wacky Zelena and her antics! It's just such fun. I was just reading Persuasion by Jane Austen earlier this year, and there were so many pining lines that made me think of Captain Swan, especially season three. I want to do some CS + Jane Austen gif sets next year. 👀 I think I have a problem. (But I'm in the right fandom, eh? 😆)

The season five whump was just a thing of beauty. They really wanted Killian to suffer for his sins, and I loved every second of it. Is it MY fault he looks so good covered in blood and in pain? That makes ME the freak? 🙄

Oooooh, things I wish we'd gotten more of. 👀 Excellent question, buddy. Well, I loved season three, as you know, but I guess I wish we'd gotten more moments of friendship between them. I love that they took things slow, that Emma needed that, needed to let herself trust him, and he seemed to just know she needed that time. So he kept flirting with her and making his interest wildly apparent, but he left it up to her to tell him when she was ready. And that is just!!!! So romantic and beautiful and it was so good for Emma's character, how she was able to ease into a friendship and a partnership and a trust relationship with him first. And he just kept taking up more and more room in her heart, until she realized she couldn't live without him and started pushing him away in S4 to protect him 🙃 Who is doing it like them??? No one, that's who

So yeah. 🥰 Obviously I'm very normal about them. I think I would have loved more moments of friendship between the two of them, in the beginning. I loved their trip to the past, because it was just them. And then I loved Hook's scenes with Henry, as well as his scenes with Snowing, and everyone slowly accepting him as an integral part of Emma's life and thus their family. But then!! We have those beautiful, enigmatic six weeks in S4 where Rumple was gone, after Killian's heart was taken (another one of my absolute favorite storylines, wish we'd seen more of that, too). What happened in those beautiful six weeks of peace, where CS just got to date like normal people and fall more in love? I want to see it!! And then I'm always down for more time in the Underworld, too. I think it's an absolute tragedy that Emma was able to just magic all his wounds away. 🥲

I do love this time of year. Fall is my favorite, and in Michigan, where I am, it's much too short and our winter days are much too long. But I've been falling more and more in love with winter, the older I get. I love comfy sweater season, and being able to wear a cute beanie on days I don't want to do my hair. 😅 Our house is small, but this time of year, with warm lights over our banister and a Christmas tree in the living room and a Christmas village set up over my bookshelves, it doesn't feel small. It feels cozy and warm. We have a woodburning stove too that heats our entire house, so it's dry and toasty warm and smells wonderful. I had my qualms when we moved to this particular house a few years ago, but how cozy it gets in the winter season has made it feel like a home. I love being able to hunker down and not have to go anywhere, and I love the excuse to spend time reading by the fire with a warm drink. 💝

I do love picking out presents for people, too, and spending time with family, and eating way too much junk food. (Another reason to be thankful for sweater season lololol) It's all lovely to me. I'm not a summer girly. I like the cold weather. 😎

Thanks for visiting me, Santa! I'd love to hear about your favorite CS scenes, and your family holiday traditions! Until we talk again!

[cssns]

And Now to Welcome @myfearless-love to the CSSNS!!!

Your Tumblr and any other applicable names

myfearless-love (Niki)

How long have you been in the CS/OUAT fandom?

I've joined the fandom when the show started airing Season 5. I followed people on Twitter who were watching it and saw pictures and gifs/videos they shared. At first, it didn't really interest me, but then I saw this one person obsessing over the main couple, sharing gifs and pics of them, also bts of the actors playing them. It got me intrigued so I started watching. I was disappointed that this Irish actor they've been singing odes for, the one half of the main ship wasn't in the first season. But when he showed up and had his first scene with Emma/Jen...BOOM. A CS fan was born.

When did you start shipping Captain Swan?

I think I started shipping them before I even started watching the show. People I followed on Twitter were obsessing over them and after a while I started to wonder "a lost princess and a pirate? And they are also hot? Okay, okay, okay..." And when the bean stalk scene/episode came I was done for, they stole my heart completely.

What drew you to this event?

So far I've participated in two CS events (Captain Swan Little Bang and CSSNS) and realized how much fun they were. After that I only wrote for my hobby projects but I didn't really have enough time to start something new. I'm still short on time for writing something new, so I decided to participate in another way - as a beta! :)

For our betas: Who/what have you beta'd before, or is this your first time?

I did some beta work for other fandoms (AOW and Vampire Diaries), so I'm excited to finally have a chance in the OUAT fandom as well!

What are you looking forward to most about participating in this event?

I'm really looking forward to diving deeper into the Captain Swan Supernatural universe and getting a sneak peek at some of the upcoming fan fiction and creative works that will be featured during the event. It's always exciting to be one of the first people to read new stories and see how others interpret and expand upon the world and characters we all love. Plus, events like this are a great opportunity to connect with fellow fans and maybe even get some insights from the authors themselves.

Welcome back, Niki!!!! So glad you're joining us again for this final go round!!!

[whimsicallyenchantedrose]

The Girls' Trip Fairy Tale Ending--Chapter 3 of 5

Summary:  This is my combined birthday gift for Joni (  @jrob64​  ), Marta ( @snowbellewells ) and Krystal ( @kmomof4 ).  Happy birthday ladies! Four fandom friends are nearing the end of their annual girls’ trip when they’re suddenly visited by Isaac, the author before Henry.  He gives them an each a gift–an opportunity to jump into any scene in the storybook they want and fix it.  Large focus on CS, although other characters and relationships will be explored.  A big shoutout to @hollyethecurious​ and @winterbaby89 for betaing!

Word Count: 2897

Other chapters:  (1) (2) (4)

Can also be found on: (ao3) (ff.net)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Note: Happiest of birthdays to Marta, @snowbellewells! I hope you enjoy your trip into the book! (You might want to sit down when you read this; there is a decent chance you'll swoon, hehe.)

Chapter 3

The book deposited Marta somewhere in the middle of the Storybrooke cemetery as dusk settled over the town. She grinned, knowing she was exactly where she was meant to be–and because against all odds and logic, she was about to actually meet and interact with Graham. Best. Girls’. Trip. Ever.

She wasn’t going to fulfill her purpose by standing here and thinking about the surrealism of her situation, though. She needed to find Regina’s vault, and she needed to find Emma and Graham before Regina did.

She scanned the cemetery past rows and rows of completely ordinary tombstones, some with loving epitaphs and others rather nondescript.  She even saw one on which was etched three bears standing side by side. The epitaph for this stone read “Jesus saves.”

Finally, in the distance she saw the large mausoleum with its twin pillars and its circular crest, emblazoned with antlers or curved vines. Marta wasn’t entirely clear what they were supposed to represent.

Even more significantly, she saw the three figures of Emma, Graham, and Regina standing before it. They spoke for a few moments, and then Regina threw a punch, which Emma quickly returned, before slamming Regina up against the vault.

Marta’s heart sank; she hoped she wasn’t too late. 

As Emma began walking purposefully toward her cruiser, Graham not far behind, Marta knew she had to make her move.

“Graham was right,” Marta said quickly, catching up to Emma. “Regina is keeping his heart in the vault!”

Emma stopped and stared at her for a long moment. “Is there something in the water today? Have I dropped into some bizzaro world where I’m the only person who hasn’t lost my mind? Do you realize how you crazy you sound, Marta?”

“Yeah, I’m sure I sound insane,” Marta said, “and normally I’d give you the opportunity to figure all of this out on your own, but right now… it’s literally a matter of life and death. We can’t let Regina get to that heart!”

Emma closed her eyes for a moment, growling in frustration. “Okay, say I believed you,” she finally said, encompassing both Marta and Graham in her glance, “we searched the vault. There’s nothing there but a coffin.”

Marta didn't know how much she should or could intervene. It was probably best to be a little cryptic and circumspect.

"It seemed like you were interrupted in your searching," she said. "I'm sure there's more to be discovered there than you realize."

"She's right, Emma,"  Graham insisted. " I can still feel it. It’s there somewhere."

"Look, Graham,"  Emma said gently, taking his face in her hands and looking into his eyes. "It’s been a difficult and emotional day for you. Please just take a breath and trust me. Everything is going to be alright."

Marta saw the moment Graham conceded, and she began to panic. “You have to listen to me!” she tried again. “I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true!”

Emma shook her head. “Look, we already tried searching for it, and that led to an encounter with Regina that I don’t think either of us is ready to repeat anytime soon. If there’s something there, we can always come back and look for it another time, but until then, there’s a first aid kit in the sheriff’s station that’s calling my name.”

“But–” Marta tried one last time, but they were already gone.

Now what?

She considered heading back to the vault and confronting Regina herself, but she wasn’t entirely sure she was ready to go up against the Evil Queen–even in the Land Without Magic. What she needed was an ally.

And then it clicked. Henry. Who better than the truest believer, who had been working so hard on Operation Cobra, to help her stop his mom from doing something irreversible?

She needed to get to Henry now … wherever he was.

She’d no sooner had the thought than she was at the front door of the mayor’s mansion. She could really get used to traveling at the speed of thought like this! Knowing she didn’t have a moment to lose, she rang the doorbell and then waited impatiently until Henry opened the door.

“Marta?” he asked, his brow furrowing. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“It’s an Operation Cobra emergency!” she said. “We have to get to your mom’s vault A.S.A.P.”

Without a word, Henry grabbed his coat and followed her out the door. As they rushed back to the cemetery, Marta filled Henry in on what was happening–being careful to heavily edit the situation, not entirely sure it was suitable for ten-year-old ears.

“And so,” Marta finished, just as the vault came into view, “I thought you could distract your mom, and then I’ll grab the heart and take it back to Sheriff Humbert.”

To Marta’s profound relief, the plan went off without a hitch. When they got to the mausoleum, Marta hid behind a nearby tree while Henry called out for Regina. She came rushing out, and Marta slipped in behind her just as Henry started in on a tale of how he didn’t know where Regina was and he’d been worried.

Thankfully, Regina hadn’t had time to push her father’s coffin back into place before rushing out to her son, and Marta ran down the cold, stone stairs, heart pounding, fearing to find a pile of dust instead of a heart, but to her relief, she saw it right away, bright red and glowing from inside the small box in which Regina had kept it. Marta took a moment to peer into the box to make sure she truly had her prize before closing the lid and making her way back outside. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next thing Marta knew, she was standing in the doorway of the sheriff’s station just as Graham leaned in and kissed Emma. No sooner had his lips touched hers than he pulled back with a gasp, his eyes blown wide.

“Emma,” he said in wonder, “I remember!”

“You remember … what?” Emma asked carefully.

“Everything,” Graham answered. 

Marta stepped forward. “Then I’m sure you’ll be pleased to see this again.” She extended the box toward him.

Graham gasped. “You got it? You really found it? How?”

“Let’s just say…” Marta said, “I knew where to look.”

For a moment, Emma merely looked back and forth between the two of them, her confusion and unease plain to see all over her face, and then she threw up her hands and headed for the door.

“Look,” she said, “I don’t know what the hell is going on around here tonight, but it’s just … too much. I forwarded the station phones to my cell; I’m going home. Graham just … take care of yourself, okay?”

He smiled at her gently. “See you tomorrow? Maybe we can talk.”

“Yeah, sounds good. Promise you’ll get some rest?”

“You have my word.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Marta blinked again, she found herself just inside the door of Granny’s diner.  She glanced around, confused.  She didn’t remember this scene from the show.  Maybe it was something new created because of her changes?

Marta noted that it was dark outside, so it must be evening.  Was it the same evening as her previous scenes had taken place?  What was she meant to do here?  Just as she considered stepping out the door, she spotted Graham sitting alone at a booth near the back of the diner.  He slowly brought a porcelain cup to his lips and took a sip as he looked pensively down at the wooden box in which Regina had kept his heart.

With no idea what she was intended to do, Marta decided she might as well join Graham.  He looked up as she approached the table, and a smile lit up his face at the sight of her.  He gestured to the opposite seat of his bench, and she took the offered seat.

“I owe you a debt of gratitude, Marta,” Graham said.  “If you hadn’t been there, hadn’t believed my wild tale, I shudder to think what might have happened.”

Marta felt a shiver go up her spine, remembering what really HAD happened in the original storyline.  “It was no trouble,” she assured.  “I knew you were right, and I didn’t want anything worse to happen to you.”

He reached over and squeezed her hand with another gentle smile.  “Thank you, nonetheless.  I know the things I’ve said and done over the past day have been–difficult to believe–but you’ve had faith in me even so, and I appreciate it more than you know.”

“Well,” Marta said, “I … know more than you think.  I believe you.  On all of it.”

“Do you?” he asked, surprised.

Marta nodded.  “And I know that you’ve been controlled entirely too long.  You need to get your heart back in your chest.”

Graham sighed, and glanced sightlessly out the window.  “Then you know I need a magic wielder to make that happen.  The only ones currently in this town are Regina and Mr. Gold, neither of which I trust to help me.”

Marta thought for a moment and a specific scene came to mind: Mulan returning Aurora’s heart in Rumplestiltskin’s cell.

“I’m not entirely sure that’s true,” Marta said.  “I’ve, well, I’ve seen a non-magical person return a heart.”

He glanced at her quizzically.  “Just who are you, Marta?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” she asked with a small, secret smile.

His returning smile could light up an entire room.  “Perhaps I would.”

For several moments, Marta couldn’t speak, could barely remember her own name or why she was here.  That smile was lethal.

“Anyway, that’s … not important,” she answered, still more than a little flustered.  “The point is, I think it can be done.  I could try, if you’d be willing to let me.”

He was silent for a moment, considering it, and then he nodded.  “It’s worth a try.”

Graham got to his feet, and Marta gave him a questioning look.  “I’d assume you shoving a red glowing object into my chest might attract… attention.  I thought it would be best to go somewhere a bit more secluded.”

Nodding at the wisdom of that, Marta got to her feet and followed Graham to the back hallway of Granny’s, where he gave her his heart. (Marta was sure for the rest of her days she would never forget the warm fuzzy feeling that gave her.)  Holding it carefully, she hesitated for a moment, before quickly plunging her hand into his chest.

Graham gasped, closing his eyes and grimacing in pain for a moment.

“Are you okay?” Marta asked quickly.

After a moment, he opened his eyes, and the smile that came over his face would put the sun to shame.  “I’ve never in my life been better,” he said, “and I have you to thank for it.”

Taking her hand in his, he brought it to his lips, placing a quick, grateful kiss on its back.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Marta was fairly certain she’d swooned after Graham kissed her hand, and this time when she came to, she found herself in Mary Margaret’s flat. Emma sat at the kitchen table, pushing around the cereal in her bowl rather listlessly.

Breakfast time, then–must be the next morning.

“Emma?” Marta asked, taking a seat on the other side of the table, “I just wanted to make sure you’re doing alright. Last night was kind of a lot.”

Emma snorted.  “Yeah, you could say that.  I have a knock-down, drag-out fight with the mayor, who also happens to be my son’s mom. My boss kisses me and then has some sort of … break with reality.  All in a day’s work in Storybrooke, right?  I’ve only been in this town a few weeks, but already I realize things are just … weird … here.”

“Well that is one way to put it,” Marta replied. “But … maybe try to keep a bit of an open mind about Graham.  Obviously he was going through … something … yesterday.”

Emma rolled her eyes.  “Not you too!”

Marta’s brows furrowed.  “Not me … what?””

“Mary Margaret’s already been all over me this morning about closing my heart to love and not giving Graham a chance, and being afraid, and, well, whatever other crap she mentioned.”

“So I take it you told her about your kiss,” Marta prodded.

“Yeah, and she jumped all over it,” Emma said with a frustrated huff.  “Got all excited, talking like I’d just started dating my true love or something.  It was just …way too much for this early in the morning”

Marta chuckled.  “Knowing her, I can imagine.  She means well; just wants you to be happy.”

“I know she does,” Emma sighed.  “I just wish she’d back off a little sometimes.  I’ve been a loner for a long time.  I’m not used to… friends.”

“Well you have them now,” Marta said, “and that’s a good thing, right?”

“Yeah,” Emma said slowly, “except when they're jumping to too many conclusions about my love life.”

“Okay, I could see that,” Marta conceded. “So what are your thoughts about Graham and what happened last night.”

“I don’t know,” Emma said, looking down at her bowl of cereal and continuing to drag her spoon through it.  “I do have, I don’t know, feelings of some sort toward him.  I do care about him, but … well, for one thing, he’s clearly going through something right now.  I don’t know if he’s sick and delirious, or something else, but all that crap he was saying back at the office–”

“Yeah, I know it strains credibility,” Marta said carefully.  This was harder to navigate than she’d anticipated.  If she said too much would she change the future?  Was Emma even ready to hear it?  “Maybe he just needs a little time.  You probably do too.”

Emma barked out a laugh.  “That’s for sure.”

For a few moments, the two were silent, thinking about the conversation and the events of the past day.  Finally, Emma spoke up again.

“It’s not just Graham’s … issues, though, to be honest.”

“What else is bothering you?” Marta asked.

“It’s just … those feelings I feel toward Graham? I don’t think it’s love.  I just don’t think I feel for him what I should feel for the man I’m in love with.  I don’t want to start something and hurt him later.  I know I’m the last person who should have this, I don’t know, romanticized view of love, but I just feel like there should be more to it than this.”

Marta smiled gently, thinking about a certain leather clad pirate Emma was only weeks from meeting for the first time.  She thought about their epic love story that even death itself couldn’t stop.  “Emma,” she said, “I have no doubt that epic, passionate, all-consuming true love is out there for you, and I have a sense that it’ll find you sooner than you think.  Until then, there’s nothing wrong with keeping things with Graham at the friendship level.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Emma thanked Marta for the talk and then headed for the station.  Left alone in the loft, Marta wondered what else she was meant to do.

Then she noticed the storybook–the storybook Lucy had at the start of season 7, the one that contained all of the events of canon along with the past fairy tales.

Maybe she was supposed to flip through and see what changed thanks to her ministrations?

She paged through until she found the events of the past day, and then she moved forward.  Regina, angry with being thwarted and concerned with how much of the truth Graham might know, came up with a creative–and particularly cruel–way to solve her problem.  After convincing the town that Graham had suffered a mental break and was no longer fit for duties as sheriff, she had him committed to the Storybrooke mental asylum in the hospital basement.

It appeared the rest of season one continued largely the same as canon.  Curious what would happen following the breaking of the curse, Marta kept reading.

After the curse, Graham was freed from the mental hospital and went on to team up with Ruby to head up the task force to reunite people with their missing loved ones.  Working together brought the two of them closer, and it wasn’t long before they began dating.

Through the seasons, Graham continued to help the heroes as various villains showed up and were subsequently defeated.  Eventually, he and Ruby decided to pull back from the craziness and enjoy their life together, even as the world continued to crash around them.

It was all Marta could have hoped for her favorite first Storybrooke sheriff.

She’d no sooner closed the cover of the book than she felt a tug in her midsection, and the room around her began spinning.  She closed her eyes against the sudden dizziness.  When she opened them again, she was back in the living room of her cabin, looking at the eager faces of her friends.

“I can’t wait to tell you what just happened!” she said excitedly.

“Well, you’re gonna have to,” Isaac said irritably.  “Come on; I don’t have all night.  Who’s next?”“I think it’s my turn,” Krystal said, a blood-thirsty gleam in her eyes, “and I know exactly what I’m going to do.”

Notes:

--I hope you enjoyed your birthday gift, Marta! Your affinity for a certain handsome Storybrooke sheriff who deserved so much better is well known to all of us. Since we got so little of him in canon, I thought I'd give you more one on one interaction with him!

--Up next: A bit of a longer hiatus. The next chapter will be posted on October 15, Krystal (@kmomof4's) birthday. We'll be moving on to the missing year between 3a and 3b, and Krystal will get a chance to give Neal the ending he deserves. (Cue evil laughter)

NEXT CHAPTER-->