#How come I can sit and write 8 pages in a few hours for a fic

[pessimisticoptimistsblog]

A/N – There is Alastor slander in this. He’s an amazing character so far, and I know some people love him, but he’s literally evil. Also, I messed up the timeline again 🤦‍♀️ I completely forgot that there's 5 months between the first extermination and when Lucifer comes to the hotel. But I have a plan to kinda fix it.. Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8

Chapter 5

Radio Bitch

The next morning found Lucifer and Caelwen in the fallen angel’s workshop. He had decided last night, as they gathered every book and scroll that mentioned bindrunes, that they’d be more comfortable in there and could have lunch brought to them. So they wouldn’t have to stop working through the spell, of course! Definitely not because he wanted to invite her into one of his most personal spaces and show her the ducks he was so passionate about! Absolutely nothing like that. Nope.

Caelwen had been taken aback at the sheer number of rubber ducks that greeted her when Lucifer opened the door. She might not have been tall, but some of the piles had to have been almost twice her height! Unfortunately, Lucifer took her look of shock as a negative and let his anxiety override his mouth. He spent the next 10 minutes darting around the room, grabbing random ducks and shoving them into the Nephilim’s arms while explaining what each one did.

“-and this one has a knife inside, for self-defense. This one can be warm or cold to help if you’re sick! Oh and-“

Caelwen had sat the pile of ducks in her arms down before grabbing Lucifer by the shoulders. She leveled him with a gentle stare then pulled away once she was sure he wouldn’t dart off again. *They’re lovely, Lucifer. Truthfully, I’m amazed by how many there are and all that they can do. And one day maybe we can organize them properly and you can tell me about every last one. For now, though, how about we sit down and see if we can’t finish this spell?*

Her genuine smile and kind words eased Lucifer’s racing mind and brought him mostly back from his spiral into a mental breakdown. He loved this room but, apparently, his depression and loneliness were tied rather closely to it. Lucifer grabbed Caelwen’s hands from his shoulders and returned her smile, leading her to the couch near the workshop door. They sat down next to each other, thighs grazing just slightly, as Lucifer snapped his fingers and made their books appear. Caelwen picked up the notebook she had been writing in last night and flipped to her page where they were putting together runes to make their own bindrune that, with Lucifer’s magic, should cancel out the one Adam used.

The next few hours were spent with the two leaning on each other, Lucifer reading from books or scrolls while Caelwen jotted down anything important to what they needed. Soon the page she was working on was full of various runes and notes about how they worked or what they would mean when placed with another rune. The Nephilim tapped Lucifer’s knee and showed him what she had so far. *I think we might have everything here. It doesn’t seem like it needs to be intricate as long as the right intentions are behind it.*

The fallen angel took in the messy scribbles on the page, making out the different runes that were underlined and what they were for, before his attention drifted to green eyes staring at him. The woman looked so hopeful and eager, excitement pouring off of her as she grinned. For a moment, Lucifer took all of her in; from her bright eyes and messy hair slipping from the bun on top of her head, to the faint dimple on the left side of her face and the way her nose scrunched just slightly. Only a week with this woman and he was falling rapidly.

Caelwen had noticed Lucifer’s lack of response and his staring, taking a moment herself to admire the man in front of her and wonder how she had gotten so lucky to earn his attention. His hair was pushed back like normal with just a few pieces falling across his forehead, his smile was small but oh so welcoming, and his yellow and red eyes were soft and warm. They had both started leaning closer towards the other, like magnets pulling each other in.

Suddenly a song played from Lucifer’s pocket, startling the two and sending Lucifer to the floor in surprise.

He fumbled in his pockets for his phone, mentally cursing the offensive device for ruining whatever was about to happen. Once out of his pocket, Lucifer looked to see who dared call him before freezing when he saw the name – Charlie.

“Daughter? Daughter! Daughter calling?!” He panicked, jumping up and beginning to pace. “Oh! Um-uh ‘Hello Charlie’ ‘Hey Char-Char’ No! No, that’s not good. This has to be perfect.” Lucifer paused before finally clicking to answer the phone. “Hey Bitch!”

Caelwen rolled her eyes and chuckled silently. This all-powerful angel was so awkward it was adorable. The Nephilim sat through the phone call watching Lucifer as he paced around the workshop. His nervousness was cute but also concerning; was his relationship with Charlie always this strained? Poor things. Charlie had seemed like such a sweet girl, she hoped they’d be able to mend their bond, they both deserved to know how wonderful the other was.

~Ding~

A quiet chime pulled Caelwen from her thoughts and to her own phone to see a couple messages from Nia.

Nia: Hey boss, not a huge deal or like an issue, but could you maybe check in at that hotel place? Rocco says the radio demon there is making shit difficult. And apparently, one of the other demons is sort of psycho? Not sure about that part, but probably worth looking into?

Nia: If you’re busy, though, I can totally do it. Just not till tomorrow. Maybe. Depends on this bitch Velvette and how many more times she barges in here looking for you.

“I’ll be there in an hour!” Lucifer hung up the phone, excited and feeling lighter than air. His daughter invited him to see her project! Take that depression! He spun in a circle, excitement pumping through his veins before he spotted Caelwen still sitting on the couch looking at him and giggling silently.

*I take it that was a good phone call?*

“ Oh, uh.. yeah it was. Sorry for sort of-.. it was just, just Charlie and it was the first time she’s called me! Well since she asked me to meet with you. But this time, she invited me over! Although that does mean we’ll have to come back to the spell later… I hope that’s okay?” Lucifer was worried he might have upset Caelwen until he saw her smile at him brightly.

Caelwen waved off Lucifer’s apology before signing, *It’s no problem! I’ve waited this long, what’s one more day? Besides, I have something I need to do as well. Nia just messaged me and needs me to check in on the hounds I have at Charlie’s hotel, make sure everything is going as it should.*

The fallen angel’s shoulders slumped in relief, greatful he hadn’t upset his companion. “Thank you for understanding. I promise, as soon as I get back, we will set your soul free. And then- wait did you say you need to go to the hotel too? Did something happen?!”

Lucifer was bursting with panic again - was that why Charlie had called him? Why hadn’t she sounded more urgent?!

Caelwen jumped up from the couch and walked to Lucifer, cupping his face in her hands and making him look at her. *Everything is fine. I promise. It’s just one of the demons there is making things tricky for my employees. I’m just going to make sure he remembers his place, that’s all. I’m sure Charlie is fine. Please, breathe*

Cealwen began taking deep breaths, holding eye contact with Lucifer until he followed suit. As he calmed down, the fallen angel closed his eyes and relaxed into his companions hands still holding his face.

The woman smiled softly, pulling her hands away slowly. *I need to go now though. For one, it’s probably best demons don’t see us walking around together. And secondly, I have a feeling I’ll need a moment with Charlie before you pull her away. The issue seems to be with a demon staying in the hotel that I refuse to allow around my hounds.* Caelwen’s eyes narrowed when she mentioned the issue, a frown set in, and the woman’s aura darkened briefly before she shook it off noticing Lucifer’s concerned gaze.

“Should, uh should I be worried about this demon?” Lucifer asked with an eyebrow raised slightly.

*Of course not! I can handle myself and this demon just fine and one of the hounds I have stationed at the hotel will be there.* Caelwen’s grin turned sadistic, *I dare him to try one of his tricks. His sabbatical will be much more permanent this time if he does.*

Lucifer couldn’t decide if he was concerned, intrigued, or turned on by the Nephilim in front of him; one minute she was so sweet and kind, the next she looked ready to brutally murder anyone that got in her way.

The woman checked the time on her phone, *I should get going. I’ll still be there when you arrive, but I want to handle my mess ASAP.* She waved to Lucifer before leaving the workshop and allowing her shadows to surround and transport her to the Hazbin Hotel.

Outside the hotel, Madame C was greeted by Rocco who had just finished a lap of the perimeter. One of her more mild employees, Rocco stood almost 7 feet tall with an average build, but what he lacked in muscles he more than made up for in his agility.

“Hey boss lady, Nia said you’d be by. Glad you could make it so quickly, honestly. Listen, I know we’re supposed to just power through the annoying or rough clients, but the radio demon is… well he’s not-“ Rocco cut off, a shiver running down his and Madaem C’s spines. They both turned to see the radio demon himself walking up to them, his Cheshire grin firmly in place.

“Hellooo good friends! What a lovely day it is. And how wonderful to see you again Madame C, such a shame you left before we could chat the other day. Now, what exactly brings you to our lovely hotel, dear? Looking to join our cause, perhaps?” Alastor had stopped close to Madame C and proceeded to lean in towards her face as he spoke.

Rocco made to step forward before he felt and saw his boss’s aura rise and darken more than he thought possible. Everyone at the company knew she could be scary, it was how she had earned a place as an overlord while owning no souls, but this chilled his blood and made him take a step back. Rocco even noticed Alastor’s eye twitch slightly.

Madame C’s eyes had begun to glow an eerie neon green and she tilted her head to the side, a wide evil grin rivaling Alastor’s splitting the darkness shielding the rest of her face. Alastor’s radio cane crackled to life sounding like someone switching rapidly between stations.

Suddenly, snippets of recordings could be heard with certain words standing out clearly. “You.. need to…back-UP! My… hounds are…not… FOR.. you… Al..-store. Don’t make… me…put you… in… -your place. AGAIN” Rocco was frozen in shock, he didn’t know his boss could do that.

As the two demons stared each other down, footsteps could be heard coming towards the group. Rocco looked out of the corner of his eye, afraid to fully look away from his boss should she need him, to see Princess Charlie grinning and waving at them.

“Ohmygod, hi! It’s so nice to see you again! Rocco said you might be stopping by soon. Is everything …okaayyy?” The princess trailed off, noticing the tension between Alastor and Madame C. “Uhh.. you two.. know each other, I’m guessing? Heheh…” Charlie trailed off, looking between the two demons and hell hound.

The two demons continued to hold each other’s stare until finally Alastor straightened and looked to Charlie, “Of course! Madame C and I have known each other for quite some time. We’re both very powerful Overlords as well and tend to run in similar circles due to that. She’s a lovely woman!”

Madame C schooled her features and tamed her aura, before turning to Charlie, even though only her eyes were fully visible she refused to let the radio bitch see the affect he had. Her soul hurt to put the strain on it she needed when using the amount of power she had. She grasped her hands together tightly to steady the slight shake and gave a small bow to the princess. She turned, looking to see if Rocco could translate for her, and when he nodded, her hands began to move.

“Yes. Alastor and I met when he was a young demon and tried to kill me.” Charlie and Rocco’s eyes widened, the hell hound stuttering a little, while Alastor’s twitched. “Obviously, I survived. But because of that day as well as his… later behavior, I’m afraid he is not included in the protection my hounds offer. I was called here because he has apparently been making Rocco and Echo’s jobs more difficult than need be.”

Madame C’s face stayed neutral the entire time her hell hound spoke for her, she refused to lie or let Alastor get away with anything he was attempting. She noticed Alastor’s hands clench at his cane.

“That’s… um.. I am so sorry to hear about that… I can’t kick Alastor out though, he’s our hotelier! It’s thanks to him that we’ve been able to make this place as nice as it is so quickly!” Receiving no response from the shadowed demon, Charlie clapped her hands together. “Weellll, how about we all head inside! My dad will be here any moment and when he leaves, you can come to my office and maybe we can see what we can work out? Please?”

Madame C couldn’t say no to the face Charlie gave her, the pleading eyes and hopeful smile reminded her so much of the fallen angel she had spent the last week with. She gave a sign signaling her agreement. Then signed to Rocco, *Take me somewhere secluded please, I wish to talk without the radio bitch hanging over my shoulder.*

The hell hound gave his boss a smirk before turning to Charlie, “You mind if boss lady and I head up to the second floor? We’ll keep an eye on stuff, just need to give her my reports. Kinda private business shit, ya know?” Charlie gave the two a thumbs up before jogging back into the hotel. Rocco and Madame C turned to where Alastor had been only to see him dissolve into shadows.

*Fucking creep.*

“You said it boss! Haha! C’mon, I know where we can go and talk while keeping an eye on everything.”

Together, hell hound and shadow-cloaked woman headed into the hotel and up the stairs, moving around the balcony overlooking the hotel entryway until they reached a corner. Madame C looked over the railing to see the demons in the hotel moving about to prepare for Lucifer, hanging banners and straightening furniture. A small demon ran around stabbing bugs while giggling maniacally, a cat demon with wings she recognized as an ex-Overlord was stood behind a bar drinking straight from a bottle, a snake demon slithered towards a table with a tray of cookies, and lastly a spider demon she recognized as one Valentino had contracted her hounds to protect was adjusting it’s makeup in a small mirror.

Rocco stood off to Madame C’s side, arms crossed as he eyed the demons below him. “They’re a pretty decent bunch, not too much trouble. Spider is Angel Dust, I’ve worked with him before - keeps trying to make a pass at me. The little one is Nifty, apparently Alastor owns her soul, she cleans and kinda creeps me out. Snake guy is new, Sir Pentious I think, was a spy for Vox but got found out preeetty quickly. Heh poor guy. He was able to rip a bit of Alastor’s coat at one point though so props there. Girl attached to Charlie is her girlfriend, Vaggie. I like her, she kinda reminds me of Carina, very drill sergeant vibe. And then Husker, probably the easiest one to put up with, doesn’t do much except drink. And then there’s Alastor.”

Madame C nodded as each demon was named, taking in everything Rocco told her. They continued to observe as Madame C let her thoughts travel to how she could still pay Charlie the debt she owed for connecting her and Lucifer without keeping her hounds near that radio asshole.

Charlie opened the door to the hotel and Lucifer grabbed her in a big hug. “CHAAARLIE! Oh its so good to see you!”

“Hey da-“ Charlie choked out. “It’s good to see you too, dad.” The two pulled away and the blonde girl cleared her throat. “Welcome! To the Hazbin Hotel!” she exclaimed.

Lucifer leaned down to pet a small cat before two winged goat-like demons flew to him and he pet them as well. Lucifer proceeded to take in the hotel lobby, while it wasn’t in shambles, it was far from ideal. It definitely needed some work. “Oh! What in the unholy Hell is that?!” he exclaimed when he saw the bar.

When Madame C saw Alastor appear next to the king of hell and explain that he thought it added color, she rolled her eyes. And when the radio demon put his hand on Charlie’s shoulder a few moments later to say he was happy to fulfill her bizarre requests, the puzzle pieces snapped together in her mind. Alastor was up to something and he needed the support of Charlie. Knowing the radio demon, it’d be best to ensure someone made sure Charlie was never put in a position to need Alastor’s help.

Pulling away from the edge as Lucifer and Alastor began to argue more, Madame C motioned Rocco to follow her away from the crowd and into a nearby hallway. They both looked around to ensure no one was watching them. *I still have some personal business to finish that may take a few more days. If Charlie agrees, I will take your place here when I’m done. Then I can keep a close eye on that radio jerk and keep you all away from him.*

“I appreciate that boss lady. We don’t mind every one else here. Honestly, if it weren’t for Alastor, this would be the best gig I’d ever had – minus when I’m on rotation for the main office!” Rocco chuckled while shoving his hands in his pant’s pockets.

The two spent a few more minutes catching up on everything that had happened with the hotel before a loud bang rattled the hotel. Darting towards the entrance, they saw the hotel in chaos, the front wall was littered with holes, some of the carpet was on fire and most of the demons from the hotel were running for cover.

Madame C allowed her shadows to transport her and Rocco to the main floor, appearing close to Lucifer and Charlie. The demoness turned to her hell hound, *Make sure everyone is safe please. I’ll see what I can do to start patching the wall and holding the sharks off.* Rocco gave a quick nod before darting off to start rounding up the hotel's sinners.

“It doesn’t matter how well intentioned you are, they’re always going to disappoint you!” Lucifer was smug and as much as she agreed with him to an extent, Madame C was still annoyed he’d rather rub in how awful sinners were than help keep the loan sharks from destroying his daughter’s hotel; they’d definitely have to have a chat about that later.

Nifty was trying to clean up some of the debris that kept falling when Sir Pentious grabbed her as a piece of wall came crashing to the ground and Rocco quickly swept both of them up and away to safety.

Vaggie came out and had a spear ready to protect whomever she could, but Alastor pushed her aside, “No, my dear, leave it to me. It’s time I remind everyone why I’m here.”

“Finally! Took ya long enough.” Mimzy stated from the bar.

“A reminder to all not to mess with the Radio Demon.” The radio frequency hurt Madame C’s ears. Watching Alastor make his way outside to kill the loan sharks, she rolled her eyes at his theatrics. At least he was helping in a way. The woman began to create shadow curtains to cover the holes in the walls and smother the fire around her; it wasn’t a perfect solution, but it would help until they could be repaired.

“- How come he can have faith in me but my own father can’t?” Madame C tuned back in to the conversation near her between Charlie and Lucifer. So this was where they stood, Charlie believed sinners were worth saving and helping while Lucifer thought them to be violent psychopaths.

“Dad… just.. help me.” Charlie pleaded.

Madame C looked away from the two, Lucifer had told her a little about being kicked out of Heaven and how he never wanted to lose everything he held dear again. Hearing him sing about it to Charlie nearly brought tears to her eyes. She shook it off, going to stand near everyone else in the lobby as they watched the bonding moment between father and daughter. It was so heart-warming but also broke Madame C’s heart; there was no chance she’d ever have something like this, her mother was long gone and her father was an asshole that only cared about himself.

Soon, Lucifer had left, promising Charlie a meeting with Heaven and wishing her luck. As everyone started to scatter and clean up, Madame C approached Charlie and Vaggie with Rocco at her side. “I know a lot has happened that needs your attention, but could we proceed with our meeting? I have a personal matter to get back to that can’t wait much longer.” The hell hound translated for his boss.

“Oh! Yes, of course, follow us.” Charlie and Vaggie led the two up stairs with Alastor watching from below. Before following the girls around a corner, Madame C turned to look at him and made his radio crackle as a warning, he was not welcome anywhere near this meeting.

Sitting in the office Charlie had brought them to, Madame C and Rocco wasted no time and got right to the point. “I apologize for having to do this, but I must stand by my rules. Unfortunately, the radio demon is not one that is welcome to the services I provide. Not only has he tried to kill me, but he has caused harm and even killed two of my hounds before. I understand he has a place here, though, and would never ask you to do anything you don’t wish to.”

“So then what are we supposed to do? You owe Charlie the protection because she got you that meeting with her dad.” Vaggie was defensive - even though she wasn’t fond of Alastor either, she didn’t want her girlfriend to get screwed out of anything she deserved.

“Yes, I do owe her – quite a lot more than I may ever truly be able to repay – but I do have a solution. My personal matter should be resolved in a couple days, after which I will be available to personally guard this hotel.” Charlie was confused and began to speak before Madame C began signing again. “I know what I told you before. The matter I met with Lucifer about will soon be resolved and will ensure I no longer need constant guards. Should I feel as though I need one whilst here, though, I will cover their pay.”

Charlie was shocked and then giddy, remembering what Madame C had needed to talk to Lucifer about. “You mean my dad was able to help? That’s amaaazing! “ She clapped her hands, bouncing in her seat. Vaggie stood next to her confused, looking back and forth between Charlie and the demon in front of her.

“Yes, it is amazing. I’m forever grateful. But if those conditions are acceptable, then I really must leave.” Madame C stood from her chair, holding a hand out to Charlie the shake. After settling the agreement, the demon turned towards Rocco to give him a nod before she melted into her shadows and left.

A few moments later she appeared at Lucifer’s front door, unable to go further due to protections he had in place to keep out anyone that wasn’t invited in first. After an imp let her in, the shadows around the Nephilim dropped to reveal an exhausted Caelwen. Trying to shake the tiredness clawing at her eyelids, she made her way to Lucifer’s workshop.

Caelwen entered the room and saw Lucifer on the couch with his head in his hands. She walked over to the couch and plopped down before leaning against the fallen angel. She knew he was worried about his daughter, Heaven surely wouldn’t be kind to the daughter of a fallen angel.

Lucifer lifted his head slightly and turned it to look at Caelwen, “I can’t lose her. I already lost everything I had in Heaven, Lilith left me, I can’t lose Charlie before I even get to know who she is.” His distress was evident to the woman next to him as she grabbed his face to bring him from his slouched position.

*You won’t lose her. Charlie is strong and she has an amazing support system that will help her bounce back if need be. You just need to believe in her and support her in whatever way you can.*

“You’re right, I know that, I just need to accept she’s not a little girl that I can hide away.” Lucifer gave a sad chuckle. Before Caelwen could continue to reassure him, the fallen angel straightened himself up more and snapped his fingers to summon her notebook from that morning. “We have more pressing things to tend to than my worrying! Let’s get this show rolling, I’m ready to see if we got this right.”

Caelwen knew they’d talk more about his depression and anxiety later, she wouldn’t let him continue on this self-destructive path. For now, though, they could focus on finishing the bindrune and spell they had been working towards for a week now.

So for the next two hours, Caelwen and Lucifer sketched bindrunes, making combination after combination to see if any had even a slight effect on the Nephilim. Finally, Caelwen was in the midst of making what had to be the thousandth bindrune when she felt a light tug at her chest. She paused, erased a line and the feeling went away. Added the line back and there was that tug again. She added another rune they had on the list and the tug became a pull that made her drop the pencil and rub at her chest.

Lucifer looked over at the sound of the pencil dropping and noticed Caelwen rubbing at her chest with a pained expression. He grabbed the paper she had been looking at and examined it, looking between it and Caelwen a grin growing on his face. “You did it! We’ve got the last bit we need!”

*Yeah, hurts a bit more than I’d hoped honestly. So maybe we move this party along, please?” the grimace on her face was morphing into teeth grinding together as Lucifer held the paper closer to her.

He pulled back quickly to ease her pain. “Right. Right! Of course, sorry! Let’s get everything sorted; you grab a pillow for your head and I’ll get the book with the incantation. And I’ll leave this here so you can breathe a bit.” Lucifer began to rush around the room, locking the door and rummaging until he found the book they had marked with the spell needed.

When he came back towards the couch, he noticed Caelwen had cleared some space on the floor and laid a pillow down. The woman was sitting on the floor ready to lay down but hesitated. Over 500 years had led to this moment, and she was so nervous. What if it didn’t work? What if it did but it killed her in the process? What if she had misread all of the signs from Lucifer and he kicked her out after all of this was over?

As Lucifer kneeled next to Caelwen, she looked up to him, eyes wide and scared. *Before we do this, I need to tell you something. No matter what happens, I have thoroughly enjoyed this last week. You are an amazing, wonderful man and I can never begin to repay you.* Lucifer tried to speak, but the Nephilim in front of him put a finger to his mouth. *I hope I haven’t misread the signs from you, but if I have, I’m terribly sorry for this and will accept whatever consequences come from it.*

Lucifer was confused for a split second before he felt hands pull at the lapels of his coat and soft lips met his roughly. While he was still processing the moment, Caelwen pushed him away and looked to the side unable to face seeing rejection quite yet. When the pieces finally clicked, Lucifer blinked slowly staring at the woman in front of him that still kept him held at arms length. Carefully, he reached a hand up to cup her jaw and turn her face to him looking into her eyes softly.

Lucifer pulled Caelwen in close, lips almost touching, “You didn’t misread the signs, I promise.” Their lips met again, softer and slower this time but with no less emotion. Lucifer cupped Caelwen’s jaw gently, holding her to him while her hands renewed their grip on his suit.

They parted slightly, noses touching and staring into each other’s eyes. “You are one of the most amazing people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I hope that when you are free of this seal, you’ll stay with me? No matter what happens, I don’t know that I want to spend even a day apart.” Lucifer’s voice was like honey, and Caelwen couldn’t agree fast enough, nodding her head quickly with a brilliant smile taking over her face.

The two kissed, quicker this time, now having a new motive to finish breaking the seal. The sooner they finished this, the sooner they could go back to kissing and exploring this new level of their relationship.

Caelwen laid back on the pillow and ensured Lucifer had access to the center of her chest where the original bindrune sat. The faintest white outline was showing, the seal already reacting to its counterpart being close by. Lucifer pricked one of his fingers before beginning to draw the symbol Caelwen had made on her chest. As he was drawing the last rune, the Nephilim below him was clenching her fists at her sides and gritting her teeth. He hated to see her in pain but knew they couldn’t stop now. Grabbing the book from his kneeling position, Lucifer flipped to the marked page and began reciting the words on the paper.

Just like when Adam and Lute had done this to her all those years ago, a burning sensation enveloped Caelwen, this time it started out centered on her heart before spreading outwards. She let out a silent scream, the fire squeezing at her heart was mind numbing, black spots beginning to creep in at the edges of her vision.

Lucifer’s heart was breaking watching Caelwen struggle, he tried stroking her hair away from her face and rubbing her shoulders to soothe her slightly but it wasn’t working and he couldn’t interfere while the new magic unwound the old.

Caelwen was doing her best to not attempt to claw out her chest, she couldn’t mess up the new bindrune burning its way into her skin. Fuck, she doesn’t remember it being this bad. Slowly, after 10 minutes of agony that had felt like hours, the burning cooled and Caelwen felt like she could finally breathe. Her body ached and her head was spinning. Turning to look at Lucifer, Caelwen managed a weak smile, reaching for him when the dark spots finally claimed her vision and she passed out.

Lucifer stared down at Caelwen, her hair had come loose and was spread around her head, her face relaxed and peaceful. When she still hadn’t opened her eyes after a minute, he began to panic. He leaned down to see if she was still breathing and, after feeling her soft breaths against his face, he pulled back and tried stroking her cheek, shaking her shoulders, pinching her arm, yet nothing worked. Caelwen wouldn’t wake up.

Lucifer gathered the woman in his arms, holding her close as he leaned against the front of the couch. He kept stroking her hair, willing her eyes to open for over an hour before finally falling asleep.

A/N – So, yeah. This feels longer than any chapter so far, but this is a pretty big episode, probably my second favorite of the whole season. Also, to solve the timeline issue, it’s just gonna be Heaven being jerks about meeting with Charlie. Totally NOT a coma… maybe. We’ll see.

I wrote this all in a day, btw so if there’s issues other than the timeline, I’m sorry. I just really wanted to get this out since I won’t be writing much, if at all, until Friday

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@leximus98

[musicalmoritz]

On average how long does it take you to write a fic? I see you post pretty often on ao3 so I was just wondering if you had any tips to write faster? you make it seem so effortless lol/pos

I must confess, I’ve been procrastinating on finishing a fic for a few weeks now…nonetheless I do have some tips!

So the brutal truth here is that when I really want to get something written I don’t sleep LMAO. Usually I’ll stay up until 4:00 AM writing, but I haven’t been able to do that lately because I’ve been trying to prioritize a healthy sleep schedule. It’s better to start writing early so you don’t stay up half the night, that can actually make things more difficult as after a certain hour your brain will just shut off (at least that’s what happens for me)

The length it takes me to write a fic depends on the type of fic, if it’s 3-4K I can usually knock it out in a day or two, unless I’ve been putting it off. If it’s 9-12k it takes me a couple of days, though I have written fics that length in one sitting before. Again, I do crazy work between the hours of 8:00 PM and 4:00 AM. If it’s anything near 20k it usually takes me a few months, especially if I have a lot going on irl at the time. My longest fic was 52k and I pretty much wrote that through the winter. Right now I’m working on one that’s meant to end at around 15k and I already have 12k of it written, but I ramble so it might come out a bit longer

Okay now onto actual productive tips. In my experience, the best way to write a lot is literally just to spill all your thoughts onto the page. Yap like your life depends on it. If I’m writing the character experiencing something I have a lot of opinions on, I’ll spend several paragraphs just talking about that. Some of my best and longest fics come from me straight up venting into a Google Doc. It’s like a diary except no one can tell how much is the character’s pov and how much is me working out my own problems. If you think you ranted too much, you can always go back and delete some later

It’s also good to try and always be writing. One of my Mitsukou fics was written almost entirely between breaks at work. I bring my computer with me if I’m going somewhere over night. I’ll write while I’m waiting for a class to start, and in between classes- especially if I have a long break. I write a paragraph or two on the toilet sometimes. And also be thinking about the characters a lot, I’m hyperfixated on tbhk rn so these little losers are always on my mind; so when I sit down to write, I’ve already written most of the fic in my head. Share your own headcanons and analysis, people love reading that stuff. Don’t be afraid to get creative and take a few liberties, most readers are subconsciously longing for new things in their fics

Also don’t stress yourself out too much about what you post! Fanfic is best when it’s written for your own enjoyment above anyone else’s. Sometimes I get too caught up in what other people will think of my fics and forget I have total control over everything I write. If you worry too much about making your work “perfect,” you’ll never want to write. Make yourself your main target audience, it makes the process way more fun

I hope some of this helped you!! Thank you for your ask, this gave me the motivation to work on my wip. I’m also currently writing fics for every day of Aoinene Week so it’s been busy. A good fic playlist also helps, it helps you better envision the world you’re writing. Recently I’ve been basing my fics off specific music artists which gets me really invested. Happy writing :)

[recurring-polynya]

Writing/Art Update 2.20.2024

Well, I had another very solid week. I hesitate to call it good, because I didn't actually enjoy it very much, but I did grind out 8,642 words last week. I finished Chapter 8 and made a solid dent in Chapter 9a. Basically, I just tried to write at least a thousand words a day, which I accomplished almost every day. Yesterday, I only did 800, but I did 2000 on Sunday, plus the 800 was the ending scene for the chapter, so I deserve a little grace there. And it was a three-day weekend for my kids!

I am at the stage of the fanfic where most of the ambiguity is gone--I know what scenes are left and I just gotta write them. It doesn't matter if I want to or not, the fanfic isn't going to be done until I write them, so I just do it. I always worry that writing in this mindset is going to produce bad, unlovable writing--like, if I don't love writing this, how is anyone going to love reading it? Historically, though, that doesn't bear out--big chunks of Call Me Back and What We Do with Our Hearts were written in this exact fugue state, and I often end up loving them after the fact, and they still contain parts that are really funny or insightful or heartfelt or whatever. I literally do not know how this is possible, it just is. Also, like: there is going to be editing. It is truly astonishing how hard it is to slap anything at all down on a page and then how easy it is to shape it up into something good later on. It is a lot like throwing flat colors down on a piece of art and then adding a little texture and shading later.

The other thing I don't like about writing in this mode is that it makes me actually insane, which I don't like. I just roll word counts and percentages around in my head 24 hours a day and I'm not really able to relax and do things that are not grinding away at my writing. I can do it for short periods of time, but I think I have too much of this story left to tough it through, plus, like, what's the point? This is the thing I allegedly do for fun, and even though I really really really want to be finished, I feel like I should actually try to enjoy the process a little, at least.

So anyway! My first goal for this week is to be less insane about my fanfic. My second goal is to finish Chapter 9a (I think I have about 3-4k to go). My third goal is to edit Chapters 7 and 8 and send them to the beta.

After that, I'll just have 9b (of which I've already written about 4k) and the epilogue to do. After that, of course, there's still more editing, a beta pass for chapters 8->the end, and then I may try to read the whole thing through again from the beginning. So, 3 weeks, maybe, give or take a little?

In the interest of trying to have a little fun, I think I'm gonna try to post some previews for the next couple weeks? In the past, people have enjoyed previews. Today's is a little long, but it's the opening to the whole thing. It's below a cut for those who'd rather wait until the whole thing comes out.

“I don’t know if they’re trying to capitalize on Boy’s Day, or what,” Rukia said, idly inching her hand toward the plate of hot, steaming gyoza sitting on the countertop next to Renji’s stove, “but they’re having some sort of Seafood Festival out in East Sixth.”

A dish towel appeared out of nowhere, the tip whipping painfully against Rukia’s hand.

“Ow!” Rukia howled.

“They’re hot! It’ll hurt worse if you jam one of those in your mouth whole like I know you were gonna,” Renji replied, stuffing the dish towel back into his obi, and juggling the pan of gyoza he was currently frying. “What about a Seafood Festival? Why the Hell is the East Sixth having a Seafood Festival?”

“It’s being put on by the Train Museum, I hear,” Rukia continued grumpily, rubbing at her hand. “I guess they’re hauling a bunch of spring fish up from the Shiranui Sea at the other end of the line. It only takes a few hours to get out to Six. There’s probably carts making the run that we could take, but I would honestly just flash-step, at least on the way out. I want to eat my own body weight in katsuo. Possibly your body weight in katsuo.”

“Mmm,” Renji replied noncommittally, dumping the rest of his gyoza onto the plate and turning off the stovetop.

“I was thinking of asking Hisagi if he wanted us to take some pictures and do a little write-up for the Bulletin,” Rukia went on. “Get us a little walking-around money.” Not that Rukia lacked for pocket money, but it was a little more expensive than their usual weekend activities, and Renji got a little cagey when she tried to treat him to things.

“That’s a bad idea.”

“Why? We had fun the last time we played reporter!”

“Grab the bowl of sauce, would you?” Renji gestured with his chin as he picked up the plate of dumplings and the teapot to carry them to the table. “Don’t you remember when they built that damn train line? Took ‘em over over thirty years, and there were three to four articles every single Bulletin about the delays, the graft, the politics, the environmental impact, whatever. People got so mad about the idea of a train inside the Seireitei that it doesn’t even go anywhere useful. I didn’t even know they used it for anything aside from twee holidays for bored nobles.”

“I heard a story from my friend, Lady Akizuki, that the old head of the Seshimo clan actually lives on the train! He hasn’t set foot outside it in fifteen years!”

Renji cocked an eyebrow at her. He looked like he desperately wanted to hear about the Train Noble, but also did not want to be a guy who cared about Train Nobles. “Anyway, don’t mention the train to Hisagi unless you got six or seven hours to kill. Preferably when I’m not there.”

Rukia picked up the big, fragrant bowl of ginger dipping sauce with both hands. “It was just an idea. So what do you think? Do you want to go?”

“When is it again?” Renji asked, frowning.

“It’s running for all of May, but the weather has been so nice lately, I thought maybe we could go next weekend,” Rukia suggested. 

Renji was quiet for a moment, but Rukia figured that maybe he was just focused on serving her dumplings, which was, in her opinion, very important. 

“Ru,” he finally said slowly, as he poured her a cup of tea. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

“Is it that you want to go to the Seafood Festival with me?”

Renji took a big breath through his nose and let it out again. “If things work out, I’d love to go later in the month. Next weekend’s not gonna work, though.”

“Oh.” Rukia frowned. “That’s fine. That’s no big deal.” She looked down lovingly at her gyoza and then up at Renji hopefully. “Itadakimasu?” she asked hopefully.

Renji blinked. “Huh? Oh, yeah, please help yourself. That… that wasn’t the thing I had to say.”

“Well, spit it out, already,” Rukia groused, her mouth already crammed with gyoza. “Why are you being weird?”

Renji still hadn’t touched his own food. He had circled his right wrist with the thumb and middle finger of his left hand and was rotating it back and forth. He used to make that gesture a lot when he was young, and Rukia realized that she hadn’t seen him do it in years.

“I’m having some surgery,” Renji finally said. 

Rukia froze. After a long moment, she slowly finished chewing her dumpling and swallowed it. “Are you okay? What’s going on?”

“I’m getting my arm fixed.”

Rukia watched him rub his wrist for another few seconds. “Did it not heal correctly after the, um, accident?” “The accident” was when Byakuya had stabbed him through the forearm during a demonstration fight the week prior. Everyone was being very polite about it.

“Wellll…” Renji drew out. “I mean, no, that healed up fine. Very clean cut, Senbonzakura, as always. But, uh, while I was at the Fourth, the topic of my burnt-out kidou ducts came up. Captain Unohana thinks she can fix ‘em. And I’ve decided to, um, let her try.” “Oh,” said Rukia. Her chest was filling up with a lot of strange feelings. “Oh.”

[broodpeas]

19/11

I guess it was bound to happen that because the end of the year is coming, I come back to this empty space and write something down. I had a post on Friday, about friendship and my continuous struggle with understanding and trusting people, but I decided that instead of writing about that, I'd get home and do a bunch of home chores. Once I got home, I sort of did that. By 8 pm, I was in bed, trying to desperatly watch a NBA game, trying to fight the dread of life that has become a constant.

In any case, the urge to write here is because a few weeks ago, I realized I'm turning 35 years old. It feels like a milestone, and in a way, it is. I keep counting and recounting the numbers of people who are not making it to this age, and I am surprised I will most likely make it. The cliché of writing this is not on me. People laugh nervously whenever I tell them I'm not sure I'm going to make it to 35, others give me a look of concern I always shrug off because I really don't understand why people bother asking how you are if they don't want an honest answer (pro tip: stop asking!).

Turning 35 means I'm noticing how tired I am of many things and how little I care about whether I please anyone but myself. It's not a bad selfishness, it's just that I already people pleased for decades and if I can take away something from therapy is that I can't keep bending myself to other's wills and tastes. I am not likeable. I am smart, just enough to roll my eyes when people say dumb stuff, and stay silent when people speak about things I don't know. I know that my opinion is irrelevant and I like silence and my own company. I feel like a soon-to-be 35 years old, and I am not confident nor do am I kinder with myself, I perhaps reached that there's nothing I can do about me and I've given up.

I am tired and wounded, but I guess I'm still alive and in about 12 weeks I'll be 35 years old, which to me is extraordinary, but at the same -thankfully- it really isn't. Paraphrasing Saachi Khoul, one day we'll all be dead and none of this will matter.

*

In the past year, I've managed to write around 500k words in what my sisters call a novel and I call a futile exercise on writing. It took me more than 20 years to actually sit down, day in and day out, and pour out my ideas to craft plots, peoples, dialogues into something- a Frankenstein of words that only make sense to me. It made me realize I really do love writing, and whenever I'm not writing, I am thinking about my writing, about what can I do to improve it, about what things I could write. I don't publish anything- I don't need to, I just need to write.

I open my document and I write 100 words, then 200, rarely get to 500. It takes me hours to write the words. I've written 2 versions, now revising the third. In September, during a Sunday shower, I realized I wanted to write a much more light, flimsy something, and I decided that I would once the third version is rewritten in full. Completing tasks is a big deal, and it angers me that I have to finish this, but that's also the idea: I like knowing that when I'm done with this, I will have something else waiting (and the satisfaction I actually finish a thing).

I have playlists for writing, songs I need to listen to, so I can (try to) achieve specific moods. I read and read again, books and I read authors whose writing styles I like and I spend hours dissecting them, which leads me to ask how can I write trusting what I know, instead of my academic style (that is much more deattached). Learning to not take a distance from what I write, from the things I want to say is difficult. It is the reason why I revise what I write, because I want to see if I'm able to be in the page.

I took a writing course -academic writing- that was supposed to help me to come up with an academic article. That never happened (well, a draft happened and nothing else) but the professor did tell me that I have to be present, not just for the conscious act of writing, but to make myself visible in the page. She said something on the lines of trusting your voices and defend your ideas, and yes it's scary, but it's also exciting. Writing like this lets you be vulnerable, tender, and it is very scary. And so, the struggle continues, in the most 2010 sense of it all.

Whenever I'm done writing, I realize that -like when I teach- I'm glad to realize that it makes me joyful. And, unlike teaching, when I write I feel complete. I like knowing that I get to be in my desk, sit in my pink chair (or purple sofa), drink a very sweet coffee and for a few hours, be with myself in the happiest form I can be.

*

There are places of my apartment and my workplace that I rarely go by. In my house is the living room. I rarely watch tv there, and I rarely go into my husband's office. I just don't find those spaces inviting. The same goes to my workplace, albeit the reasons are different: I have to in specific places because that's the way those places are designed.

How one inhabits a space is an idea I keep coming back to since 2020. It all started when, in a class, my professor of that time discussed about how weird it was for all of us to be in quarantine, and now we had to find places where we could do stuff those spaces were meant for, but not really. That made me think that we set up spaces to be livable, but we rarely live in them.

We decorate the spaces to reflect us. This is a theory, but to me is almost a fact: we reflect who we are through aesthetic and that reflects in the way we decorate (or try to) the spaces we inhabit. It's not just about furniture and pictures and carpets and chairs, it's something much more dense. It's how we make a space a place we can inhabit.

An aesthetic theory actually focuses on this, on the way we decorate our spaces not only from an utilitarian aspect, but from a livable perspective. I enjoy watching spaces that are impolute, minimalist, frugal. White spaces, or spaces with only one or two colors, that some describe as oasis or a refugee. The words to desribe those spaces feels like pepople can be in those spaces but can you live in them? The best example was when Architetcural Design did some editorial work on Kim Kardashian's mansion. A lot of people made jokes, I thought can the kids even play there? I don't think you can describe those spaces as cozy. Clean, simple, elegant, clear, rigid, squared, yes- cozy is a word that -I think- makes us think of spaces that are livable, inhabited by people.

Inhabiting our spaces depends not only in how safe we feel, how comfortable we are. As the internet has become this thing we can only access by seeing what others want to show us -whether we want it or not-, our inhabited spaces look very similar (at least from where I am, I want to firmly believe not a single soul fucks around the decoration of a Nigerian household). It also has to do with how much money we have to decorate those spaces, how those objects make those spaces ready to be inhabit. The reason why I don't spend time in my living room is because I have a sofa that my husband doesn't want to get rid off, a library that he also doesn't want to get rid off and I can't set up the tv the way I want because I'm too lazy (and broke) to put it in the wall the way I want it. It's not a space I want to be but my husband loves laying on the sofa (that cracks his back and ribs), and rise his head every now and then to look at the library and say "oh this is nice" (it's not, but marriage is about accepting if you can't change it, you gotta accept it). Inahbiting spaces is not an experiencial thing, it's also related to objects, to what things we put outisde, that we want others to see, that reflects who we are. Which is why I find so disheartening when the internet tells us that are our spaces should be frugal, minimalist, simple, almost bare.

Who can inhabit such lonely place?

*

Sometimes I feel the taste of tobacco in my mouth and I sigh. I miss smoking even though I know what it does. The last time I smoke I hurt my throat, which to smokes may seem impossible, but the sore pain I had I haven't forgotten it.

The other day, as I was walking by the street, a guy who was smoking literally blew the smoke in my face. He apologized and I said something like don't worry, but I remembered that scene from Friends, where Chandler goes to visit Rachel in her new office and he smokes the cigarrette of Rachel's new boss. It's hilarious, but honestly, I almost did that.

*

As I type this, I realize that what I wanted to write originally was about friendship and the struggle I currently have, trying to let myself be open to others.

But, just like I do with people, I will ghost the need to express my worries and fears. Taylor Swift wrote this song about how, during her longest tour to date, where she sings 44 songs for 3 hours, for over a year, she was able to mend her broken heart, get a fling (and get flung), get a boyfriend, and release a bunch of albums and win awards. She did it to prove (herself, I hope) she could do it, which I guess is the main message of I can do it with a broken heart. She's also turning 35, albeit in November.

I, too, can do it with a broken heart. I break my heart by not letting people in. Yet I live. I can do it.

[lostsunlight]

CHAPTER 8 - GOLDEN THREADS WOVEN BY SHARPEND HANDS

childe x reader, wc: 3.1k, masterlist , Ao3 cw: nsfw, violence, murder

You arrived at Bubu Pharmacy as soon as dawn broke, you had left the house without seeing Childe, you hadn’t seen him since he left you on the couch. You supposed he was busy with his grand plans to gain glory. 

You had spent the night kneeled over the rather large bathtub inlaid into the floor, trying one again to form swords with your Vision anyways. Now with the aid of the borrowed catalyst it seemed easier to form the sharp edge of the blade.

Dr Baizhu stood at the front of the pharmacy alongside Qiqi, he was listing off a few things and writing them in the notebook you had seen Qiqi holding yesterday. You approached the pair, cool dawn breeze gently blowing your hair.

Baizhu hands the notebook to Qiqi and she ambles off without saying much of anything. Changsheng lazily slithers up his arm and then returns to her familiar perch around his shoulders. 

Baizhu addresses you “Y/N, I’m glad you could make it, come inside and we'll discuss your contract of employment”

You nod “Of course Doctor” 

You follow him behind the counter into a small office, herbs and papers meticulously placed and ordered. He sits behind the desk and pulls out a small stack of papers and slides them towards you. Changsheng slides off his arm to curl around a small lantern on the desk emitting heat.

“This covers your pay, hours and scope of practice. It also details what you will be doing while you study under me”

You flick through the pages, you hadn't exactly encountered anything like this but you trusted Baizhu enough to not scam you. After meticulously reading every line you signed the contract. You were required to work at least 4 days a week, but your hours seemed flexible. You swallowed your anxieties about Childe doing something stupid, he would tell you before right? Likely not seeing how spontaneous he can be, he would just have to seek you out at Bubu pharmacy and you would have to feign not knowing him.

You slid the contract back to him, black ink still glistening on the paper. You felt a spark up your forearm, you inhaled sharply, a reminder of Morax perhaps.

Baizhu gave a nod “Now, about Qiqi, you may have noticed she's not quite like a normal human child”

“I was wondering about that”

“She died quite a while ago, the adepti of Liyue blessed her so she may continue to live in the form of a zombie. Unfortunately due to her being a zombie she has very poor memory and she is unable to commence a task on her own”

You nod along, Baizhu continues “Any order you give her she will do and she will not stop until the task is completed, unless you give her a hug with enough conviction”

You smile a little bit, she was still somewhat human under all those frosty layers

“It’ll take a while for her to warm up to you, I would bring her some coconut milk when she asks for a ‘cocogoat’. Poor thing forgets what its called”

You nod, not having much to add.

“One more thing, if a woman by the name of Hu Tao comes around asking for Qiqi, say you do not know where she is. She’s the Director at Wangsheng Funeral Parlour”

“Right, I take it she wants Qiqi because she's technically dead?”

‘Correct”

Your eyes flick back to Changsheng, asleep around the lantern, soft orange glow dancing off her shining scales. “Is Changsheng alright? She seems less… chatty than she was yesterday”

Baizhu glances at Changsheng “She’ll be ok, as a cold blooded creature, the cold mornings in Liyue take a lot of energy from her. She’ll be ok once she's warmed up”

You nod “I see”

With that Baizhu prompt stands and exits the office “With that sorted, lets begin your training. First you must learn to harness your elemental energy more effectively” 

The day seeps into a mix of training and treating, Baizhu starts out by teaching you the fundamentals of Liyuan principles. That treatment involved both the body and soul, he teaches you to harness your elemental energy by using his Dendro Vision as an example. 

Oddly enough every time Baizhu attended to a patient you were sent out of the room, you had heard of his miracle work, perhaps it was his secret to keep. You could help but notice that Baizhu looked a little more weak every time he treated someone. The bags under his eyes grew darker, he seemed more and more tired. 

Soon enough you slip into an easy rhythm like you had back at the cathedral’s infirmary.

✧

Childe was escorted to a private room at the back of Luili Pavilion by a clearly nervous waitress. He stepped into the room, he barely registered the waitress saying she would be back to take orders in a bit. His attention was focused on the brown haired man sitting at the head of the table sipping tea.

Putting on his most outgoing personality he greeted the man “I take it you’re Zhongli? I’m glad we finally have the opportunity to meet” 

He sits himself down to face Zhongli “And you must be the Harbinger that has Liyue wrapped around his finger”

“Hah! You flatter me sir, I’m merely an envoy of her majesty here to oversee the Northland Bank for a while”

“I must say, I’m rather curious as to why you wished to meet me today” he placed the steaming teacup down and made eye contact with Childe “It's not everyday a Harbinger would take interest in a normal person”

“You’re well known around The Harbour for your extensive knowledge of Liyue’s history. I’m curious to learn about it” 

Childe omitted the rumours that he was an adeptus of some sorts. He wasn’t sure how much weight the rumours held or if they held any weight at all, he would have to judge that for himself. 

Zhongli took another sip of his tea “And what is it you wish to know Childe?”

“The adepti, I’ve heard legends of them but nobody here ever mentions them. If it were any other city gods walking among them would be the talk of the town” He looked directly Zhongli, wanting nothing but answers

Zhongli launches into a long-winded explanation “The adepti are bound to protect Liyue by a contract made with Morax, in an age gone by they fought to the death protecting Liyue during the Archon War and The Cataclysm” He pauses for a moment to take a sip of his tea and then continues “The ones who are left with a few exceptions have no interest in humans and their affairs. The adepti have all but left Liyue Harbour to be ruled by the Qixing”

“Where might you find the adepti now?” Childe traced a finger along the edge of his glass

“Juyen Karst. It would be a fool's errand to seek them out however. You would need a Sigil of Permission which have all but disappeared over the ages” 

Childe knew about the Sigils of course, but now the second piece of the puzzle had fallen into place, he knew where to find the adepti. Now all he needed was to find someone to carry out the dirty work. Going to see them himself would be too risky.

Childe continues to let Zhongli ramble on about the adepti and their history in the archon war. Telling a grand tale about something called ‘The Guili Assembly’ and a goddess of dust. After a short wait the food came out, instead of the fork and knife Childe was expecting he was presented with two wooden sticks. 

Zhongli picked them up with ease, Childe tried to replicate what he was doing briefly but after failing to pick up his food a few times he resolved to just stabbing the food with the chopstick. While Liyuean food was great he still missed the food of his home nation.

Zhongli didn't say anything but he could feel his eyes on him. At the end of the meal the waitress bought the check. Childe looked to Zhongli expecting him to pay his half.

“Ah, I'm afraid I do not have any Mora on my person” he confessed

Childe grit his teeth for a second before relenting, he had enough funds from Northland anyways “Don't worry, I can cover it. What's a little debt between friends anyways?” he joked.

“The storyteller at Heyu Teahouse is beginning soon, if you wish to learn more about Liyue’s history then you may accompany me” 

“I would be delighted to”

After paying for the admittedly expensive meal Chide and Zhongli set out. They quickly found seats just before The Teamaster began his tale, a popular epic of one of Morax’s battles during the Archon War. Liu Su cleared his throat and the crowd went silent. 

Master Liu Su was an excellent storyteller, weaving the threads together expertly. Zhongli on the other hand interrupted Liu Su more than once to correct him regarding some details of the story. Childe had expected the crowd to be annoyed at him but rather they seemed indifferent, like they were used to it. 

Perhaps there was weight to the rumours that Zhongli was an adeptus, he spoke as if he was there, in such a matter-of-fact tone as well. There was more to this man, no chance he was just a historian. Childe would just have to figure it out.

Liu Su wrapped up his tale and the crowd broke out into a polite applause, soon the air was filled with conversations. 

“It was lovely meeting you Zhongli, I find myself fascinated with Liyue’s history”

“If you wish to discuss it further and learn more, might I suggest we have another meal soon”

“That sounds delightful”

“Then it’s agreed”

✧

You returned to see Childe in a good mood. You were surprised to see him at home at all seeing as he had been all but a ghost for the last two days. You were still reeling from the conversation you had had. 

Childe looked up when he heard you step inside. He was standing over the stove with a piece of fish in hand. It looked strange to see a Harbinger in all his glory standing over a stove cooking. You approached him, standing next to him as he placed the piece of fish on the iron skillet.

“You can cook?” You question, taking in the scene 

“Of course, my Мама would have killed me and my brothers if we didn’t learn, something about finding a good wife” 

“Your mother, what’s she like?” Childe looks at you for a second before returning his attention to the pan, oil spitting as the fish crackles in the pan. 

“Kind, she's the best mother I could have asked for. She cares for all of my siblings younger and older. She could even wrangle my папа, father, out of a bad mood”

“How many siblings do you have?” You move to grab a thick wooden cutting board and a knife. You begin to cut the vegetables. 

“Six, three older and three younger, I'm right in the middle. The youngest two, Teucer and Anthon, don’t know that I work for the Fatui, they don’t know about my station as a Harbinger either. The others have agreed to keep quiet about it until they’re older”

“You want to keep them in the dark?”

“I want to preserve their innocence for as long as I can”

“That's… Rather admirable”

“Do you have any siblings, blood related that is”

You shake your head “No, and if I do I wouldn't know, all orphans are given to The Church or The Knights, considering the abyssal activity in Mondstadt has been particularly high there's a lot of children with dead parents” 

You wave your knife around for effect before continuing “The closest thing I had was Marianne”

“Marianne... You mentioned her before, another sister I’m guessing?”

“It’s complicated” you sigh “ Once I considered her as a second half of myself, a reflection if you will. But people change, she wanted to follow the path of what she thought was our duty and I didn’t” 

You don’t mention Mona’s prophecy for her, that she would be struck down in her prime, fighting for what she believed in. Marianne had dismissed the prophecy at the time, deeming it nothing but nonsense. 

Childe takes the slices of fish and places them on a plate, he grabs the now chopped vegetables and throws them in the pan and adds a little more oil. 

“One day I will cry for her” You said, moving to set two plates next to him and the cutlery on the table, you stripped yourself of your gloves. 

Deciding to change the subject, the fresh sting of Marianne still hurt too much.  “I haven’t seen you for the past few days, where have you been?” you ask

“Fatui business” He responds vaguely 

“Which means?” 

“Just lunch with a contact”

“I find that rather hard to believe Harbinger ” 

“How so?” He takes the pan off the fire and serves the vegetables, placing them on the table, you both take your respective seats. 

“I’m just surprised you haven't killed anything yet” you stab the fish with your fork and take a bite. Merde, It was delicious. 

“You sound so sure of yourself” he snarked 

“Oh so you have killed someone in the three short days we've been here” you glance up at him through your lashes 

“You shouldn’t be so surprised. If it helps it was in self defence” 

You shrug “You’re right I shouldn’t. Suppose its part of your job”

“I’m assuming you got the apprenticeship?” He pokes at the vegetables

“I was wondering when you would ask”

“So you did get it?”

You nod “Yes, with that being said I’ll be at Bubu Pharmacy so if you need me you’ll have to go there. I'll give you my schedule”

“Sounds good. I tend to find myself fighting at night anyways” He stands up and clears the plates “With that being said were headed to Mount Tianheng, there's a few hilichurl camps out there”

“We?” You cross your arms 

“Yep. We” he shrugs on his jacket and shoves on his boots and strides out the door. You resigned and followed him. 

You tail behind him from a distance without him asking you to, knowing the agreement about being associated with each other. After a short while you exit the city and catch up with him once you were sure there was nobody around. 

“Have you still got that catalyst I gave you?” 

You pull the weapon out, its form revealing itself with a golden sheen, letting it float beside you. 

“Good. You see that hilichurl? Shoot it” He points in the direction of the creature, it was hunched over digging in the dirt

You hesitate for a minute, trying to justify it. If you did not strike first it would hurt you. Taking a deep breath you formed a hydro dagger instead of a water droplet. It wasn’t the best but it would do for now. 

“Don’t hesitate in battle, that gives your opponent more time to land a hit on you” Childe comments

Letting it float, you aim it at the stray hilichurl and throw it with all the force you have, leaving a glimmering trail of hydro. It grazes the hilichurl’s blackened arm. It jumps to attention, letting out a screech, turning its body towards you. Without thinking you form a second dagger and throw it at the rapidly approaching hilichurl, bracing your knees getting ready to dodge.

This time it struck true embedding itself in the hilichurl’s stomach, it staggered a little.

Childe walked up behind you placing his hands on your shoulders, he leans in and whispers “Now finish it off” 

Gathering all your energy you throw one last hydro dagger, it lands in its throat. The hilichurl gurgles and dissipates into nothing but black smoke curling towards the night sky. You swallowed, hands shaking. 

“You did well, I like the daggers, very creative” he said jauntily, he keeps on walking not waiting for you. You jog to catch up with him. 

“Why did you bring me here?” you question him sharply

“What I can't enjoy spending time with you?” 

“And you do that by killing things?” 

“Tch- Their hilichurls, If anything its letting off some steam”

“Why would you think I would enjoy that?” you huff “I only agreed to learn to fight so I would be able to defend myself in case someone found out about us or the knights were tailing me”

“You would have to kill them anyways, might as well learn to make that final hit without hesitation”

You bit your lip, he was right of course. Letting a loose end hand was a horribly dangerous idea. Still, the thought of killing anything made you feel sick, you would just have to hope you never got into that situation. 

“Come, there's a camp not far ahead”

“If you want me to fight a whole camp then you would be mistaken”

“You’ll be fine, you have me as backup”

“...Right”

You walk a little further up the path, rounding a large rock to see the rudimentary camp. There were a few hilichirls milling around and one particularly menacing looking mitachurl. Childe draws his dual blades and you draw your catalyst.

Childe rushes into the camp, you stay back more than happy to keep your distance. Childe becomes nothing more than a flurry of movement. Blades converging to make a polearm, splitting to make a bow. The lower part of his red scarf moving like fire.

You summon a dagger and throw it at a hilichurl on the edge of the camp, it hits its back. It charges at you, swinging its bat a trail of flame lighting up the darkness. You sidestep its charge and hit it with a charged attack. It falls back and dies. 

The second time didn’t make it easier, you just wanted to go back to Liyue Harbour. In the time it took you to take down one hilichurl Childe had cleared the camp. His eyes lit up with what you could assume was battle-lust. 

There was a small spatter of blood along his cheek. You approach him, wiping the blood off his face, flicking your hand to get rid of it. 

“I don't understand you, how can you find joy in this?”

“I don’t understand how you can’t, its exhilarating” 

“Let’s go back to Liyue Harbour, I can’t stand the stench of abyssal creatures”

Childe averts his gaze, you notice his eyebrows furrow momentarily and his jaw clench 

“That's probably for the best, I forgot how hard the first few kill were”

Why did he react that way to you saying you hated the smell of the abyss? There was something more here. A problem for later you decided. You were just happy you were finally heading back to the safety of the Harbour.

[saving-word-crawls]

Stay Home Wrimo Crawl

By: auelocks

Stay-home-Wrimo-Stroll

While most of us have had to stay home during the pandemic, our write-ins have gone virtual. This was written with the intention of doing it during a 2-hour write-in with a group. It of course can be done individually and at your own pace.

Challenge 1 You hear a bird chirping outside. You open one eye and see the morning sky is just beginning to lighten. Write for five 5 minutes as you pull the covers over your head and try to fall back to sleep.

ПТИЦЫ Поют ॐ 5 Минут Реклакса Для Вас (2018)

Challenge 2 Your alarm clock goes off at a more appropriate hour, but it’s hard to get up and face another day. Hit snooze and write for 5 more minutes.

5 Minute Timer

CHallenge 3 Ok. You can open your eyes now, but do you really have to get out of bed?

If you know what day it is without looking at your phone: Write 200 words you’re in good shape.

If time has lost all sense of meaning: Write 250, don’t worry you’ve got the time.

If you know you have to start your work-from-home day, write 150 words, you’ve got stuff to do, but you are making it work.

If you are considered an essential worker and are still going into work, write 100 words and give yourself credit for these 100 words:

Thank you for all that you do. From all the people who are able to stay home because you are out there keeping things going and keeping us safe, we say thank you. You have our unending gratitude. You are amazing. You are appreciated. There are a hundred things you do every day that take care of others, get the work done, keep things moving, provide for others, keep things clean, save lives, better lives, feed us, and much more. I hope that over these past few months people have shown you gratitude and appreciation for what you do. Thanks.

CHallenge 4 You drag yourself out of bed to get ready for your day. You pass on the shower and change out of your nighttime pajamas into your daytime pajamas. Write to the top of the next page as you start a new day.

Challenge 5 You shuffle out to the kitchen. Sprint for 15 minutes while you find something to perk you up.

If you want a cup of tea, you’ve got a relaxed pace, try to write at least 250 words.

If you want a cup of coffee, you need a pick me up, try to write at least 300 words.

If you want a protein shake, you are doing good without caffeine, try to write at least 400 words https://youtu.be/hduD18gKVmQ

Break 1

Turn on a youtube workout video with good intentions, but take a break if you need to. Come back when it ends.

5 minute Warm up / Stretching Routine (Dance Tutorial) | MihranTV

Challenge 6

You sit down with your breakfast and check your social media, email, read the paper… lose track of time and write for 20 minutes as you scroll through your newsfeed.

- YouTube

Challenge 7 Roll the die 1 to see how many Tiktok dances you watch. Multiply that by 10 and write that many words.

Challenge 8 Why are you hungry? Because it’s already 1pm! You go in the kitchen and bake some bread. Write for 10 minutes and watch your word count rise.

- YouTube

Challenge 9 You decide to go for a walk. You put on your mask and head out into the world, trying to maintain at least 6-feet distance from anyone. Write for 10 minutes without stopping to keep your distance.

- YouTube

Break 2 You braved the outside world and made it home safely. You fix a sandwich with the peanut butter you hoarded in March and eat on the couch. You check your email and see a reminder for a work zoom meeting, and wonder what day it is one more time. You turn on the tv and check your social media and are bombarded with bad news. Take a moment to watch this fun video on addressing your anxiety.

Taking on ANXIETY with Lilly Singh!! | Sanders Sides

Challenge 10 You are feeling a bit better. It’s time to get ready for your Zoom meeting. Add up how many things you have to do and multiply that by 100 to figure out your word count goal for the sprint. Sprint towards this goal as you get ready for the meeting in 15 minutes.

Things to get ready for meeting: (1 pt each)

Change out of your pajama top only.

Put on actual pants.

Brush hair &/or teeth.

Shave or put on makeup.

Clean up the area of your room that shows on screen.

15 Minute Timer with Productivity Music

Challenge 11 Done with your meeting, you settle in to binge-watch anything besides Tiger King. Perhaps Hamilton? Write to the end of the scene and give yourself the rest of the night off.

You can reward yourself with the Stay-home Wrimo badge on your profile.

[wildbanana]

Mention of alcohol, drugs(weed).

Introduction to Farcus, Nicky and Scarlet.

Farcus: he/it Nicky: he/they Scarlet: they/them

During the early hours of 7 am, Nicky wakes up having to piss. Urgently. He walks to the bathroom still half asleep, which leads him to walk into the locked bathroom door.

“Farcus, man. How many times do I have to tell you, stop falling asleep in my bathroom. You always lock the door and I have to wait for you to wake up from your drunken sleep.” Nicky says mildly frustrated.. Farcus is still waking up. “Did you hear me?”

“Yeah…yeah I did. Sorry, still-“ *burps* “-still waking up.” He responds all slow and groggy.

Nicky sighs, grabbing different bottles from a nearby table. “Open up, some aspirin and water. I even have some liquid I.V…” Farcus gets the door open and Nicky comes in with the bottles. “Here…”

“Thanks Nicky,” he says, voice gravelly. “I don’t know what I’d do with out ya.”

“Probably out in a ditch man, you have got to lay up on the alcohol.”

Farcus sighs. “I know…I know…” he moves himself to the bed to lay down, taking some aspirin and water before doing so. “Can’t deny last night was fun though…” Farcus grins as his eyes start to droop shut.

“Once you’re feeling alright, you should come outside with me. Get you some fresh air, maybe go for a ride?” Nicky asks.

Softly. “Yeah…I’d love that…”

“Hell yeah, I’ve had some ideas actually.” Now excited since writing music is one of his favorite things to do. Once Nicky starts writing, you have to pull him away from the pages.

Farcus smiles sleepily at his friend. He thinks about how grateful he is for the friends he’s got.

“Maybe one day our music will take us someplace bigger and better… maybe we’ll find more people like us Nicky.” He moves to lay on his back to look up at the ceiling that’s still spinning.

“Yeah, me too. I appreciate the few out there who’s supporting us already.” He pulls a stress ball out of his pocket, gently squeezing it. “Would you like some toast? I’ll go make you some toast.”

“Toast would be LOVELY Nicky…thanks.” He sits up to add the liquid I.V. packet to his water. “The sooner I feel better, the sooner we can create…” he grins to himself.

The two take the morning to recoup and discuss what they plan to write next, but let’s take a step back and rewind back to lasts night wild adventure. What led up to Farcus ending up in the toilet this morning…

The day before, 8 pm. It’s a Friday night and the band meets at their local bar.

Farcus and Nicky had met up with the rest of the band. Which was one other person… but hey. You make do with what you got, right?

“Heyyyy, Scarlet!!” Farcus runs up to them. “Hug?” He asks before pouncing. Scarlet gives an approving nod. Farcus gives them a good squeeze before letting go. “How’s the crowd? Is Ben working tonight?”

“Eh, could be a better night. But now that you’re here we can really get this party started! And yeah, Ben’s here.” Scarlet grins. “Come on, I’m already three drinks in. He’s got something waiting for you guys to try. It’s really good!” Scarlet wobbles a little as they turn around but they catch themself before tripping. They’re a bit of a light weight so three is about enough for em.

“Looks like you’re already at your limit I see, ya should’ve waited for us!” Nicky teases putting his arm around them.

The group enter the bar and Farcus steps right in up to the counter.

“Oh Beeennnn, we’ve arrived!” He hollers out.

Ben overhears from the kitchen and comes out and greets the two that just arrived.

“Hey hey hey! How are we doing tonight? I’m sure Scarlet already told ya I whipped up something new to try.” He grins, excited to share.

“Yeah, they sure did. I can’t wait to see what you got back there man. I know it’s gonna be bomb!” Farcus licks his lips, ready to have the best night of his life.

“Well alright! Why wait any longer? I’ll go make them up right quick.” He walks back into the kitchen to make his concoctions. After a few minutes he comes back out with these beautiful drinks.

Nicky’s jaw drops. “AND it’s a frozen drink?? Oooh Ben you did NOT.”

“But I did!” His smile wide. “I’m so excited to start serving frozen drinks now! Especially with summer coming up. It’s gonna be h-o-t HOT!”

“You can say that again. Now lemme get a taste of this! I can’t stop staring at how pretty the colors are too!” The drink is a nice light shade of blues and pinks.

Farcus and Nicky open up their straws and take a sip. Their eyes widen.

“Oh that’s dangerous, you can’t taste the alcohol.” Nicky looks to Farcus.

“Did you put extra in there for me?” Farcus asks Ben.

“I sure did. And I still hid the taste, yes?” He grins.

“For sure, you’re the best man. Really, one day you gotta get outta here and show the world what you can do with these drinks my man.” Farcus encourages him.

“Shucks man, you’re gonna make me blush.” He jests. “But yeah, one day. I’m trying to save up to get out of here eventually…that’s gonna be a long while until then.”

“I feel you there…” Farcus looks to his friends then back to Ben. “One day we’ll get outta here too with our music.”

“Have you guys written anything new?”

“Mm not yet. Still gotta write a new single.” Farcus reaches for his septum to put it back in place. “But I’ve been writing down ideas in my notebook for themes I’m going for when I sit down and write the song.”

“Well I can’t wait to hear what you’re thinking up in there. Now, y’all relax and enjoy those drinks. First one’s on the house!” He turns around and goes back to the kitchen. The group yell out their thanks before finding a table to sit at.

“So…” Scarlet speaks up. “What’s the move tonight? What kind of trouble do we wanna get into?”

“Hm…I wanna make it kind of exciting for the coppers. I’m sure they need something to do around this little town.” Nicky thinks. “What can we do that we haven’t already done thought?”

“Ugh.” Farcus chimes in. “That’s the prob, we’ve already done just about anything we could think of. What’s more exciting than setting that old run down building on fire?”

“That was like, the most exciting thing I’ve seen happen in this town.” Nicky replies.

“Now I want s’mores…” Scarlet’s stomach growls.

“That’s an idea I suppose, we could have some drinks and then set us up a nice little bonfire back at our place.” Farcus suggests.

“Sounds like a good time to me. I’ll stay sober enough so somebody can be in control of the fire alright?”

“More drinks for us then!” Farcus jokes then takes a sip or two from his drink. “Man, Ben really outdid himself huh? Shit is delicious.”

The crew sit, chat and drink for a while before they decide to leave the bar and set up their bonfire in their backyard.

Nicky laid out blankets and bean bags for them to sit on. Farcus sits between the two, Scarlet leaning their head on Farcus’s shoulder.

“Hey, could you make me a S’more Nicky?” Scar asks softly then yawns.

“Sure thing.” He gets a skewer and digs for a marshmallow. “Burnt to a crisp?”

“You know me so well.” They smile.

Nicky sticks the mellow into the fire and sets it ablaze. “One crisp mellow coming right up!” He sticks the skewer in the ground as the mellow darkens. He sets up the crackers and chocolate, blowing out the flame in the now gooey mellow, he squeezes them together sandwiching the mellow to remove it from its skewer. “Here you go Scar.”

They sit up and grab their s’more. “ mmm mm thank you Nicky!” They take a bite. “Perfection!” They munch on their s’more and then begin to drift away to a light slumber on Farcus’s shoulder.

“Looks like they’re out for the night…” Nicky says.

Farcus is sunken into the bean bag that was brought out. “I don’t blame them, it’s cozy out here.”

“Speaking of sleepy… look what I got for us.” Nicky pulls out a special little bag of edibles. “I got these for you…” his face growing red from the alcohol setting in.

Farcus looks him in the eyes, oblivious to his own rosy cheeks. Those drinks are now starting to creep up on him. “Man, whatever he put in those drinks…it’s starting to creep up on me man…”

Nicky laughs. “Would you still like one?”

“Does a fish glubba glub?” Farcus smiles with his teeth real wide.

Nicky laughs. “Man, that’s how you know it’s hitting ya.” He reaches into the bag and holds out his hand.

Farcus leans forward, carefully to not disturb Scarlet, opening his mouth awaiting the gummy. “Aaahhhhh!”

Nicky places the cube onto Farcus’s pierced tongue. “Now these are REAL strong.” He then places one in his own mouth. “Now to wait for these bad boys to kick in. I’ll grab myself another beer from the fridge. Don’t let the fire eat ya!” Nicky walks inside.

“Yeah yeah!” He says before Nicky is out of ear shot. He turns his head to face Scarlet as they start to slowly wake back up.

“How long was I out?” Scarlet yawns.

“Not very long actually…we just took a gummy. Want one too?” He offers.

“I think I’ll actually head home, gotta go check on my ferret.”

“Oh yeah, gotta take care of your little fur -erp- baby!”

“Did that alcohol just now kick in?”

���Sure did, pretty much when you shut your eyes.” A grin is plastered on its face.

“Heh, of course.”

Nicky comes back out. “Ah, you’re awake again Scar!”

“Was wondering where you wandered off to.” They smile. “I was actually about to walk home.”

“We’ll walk ya! You can walk, right Farcus?”

“Yeah, I’m goooood.” He says as Scarlet gets up offering their hand to help him up.

“Careful now, you’re loooking a bit wobbly.” Scar holds onto Farcus.

“I’m good I’m good!” He shoots up, shooting straight up like he was called to attention.

“Man, what did Ben put in that drink…” Nicky laughs.

“Well I’m surprised he didn’t just collapse just then!”

“I believe him now about being good! But we’ll see how he feels once the gummy kicks in. So we better be quick, good thing you’re right down the road.”

The three walk to Scarlet’s home making sure they make it back safely during the night hours. Nicky and Farcus then make their way back to their place.

“Hey-hic- Hey Nicky…I’m gonna go soak my ass in the tub mmmmmmkay?”

“Haha, yeah sure man. See you in a bit.”

Farcus stumbles his way to the bathroom, fumbling to take his clothes off. His boxers still attached to his ankle, he starts up the tub. He turns to the radio on the counter and turns it on. Tool is playing on a CD.

“Ooooh yes, this is gonna be sooo- hic- nice. And I think the gummy is taking over me.” He kicks his boxers away and takes a seat in the warm water filling up. “Shoot, I just might fall asleep here…” he starts to sing along a little to his music.

After he washes himself he can’t help but relax and begin to drift to sleep. Nicky had been sitting and waiting for such a while now that he ended up falling asleep on the couch.

End part 1.

[eilinelsghost]

🟥How long do you spend in edits?

🏡What is your perfect writing envrionment?

💪What motivates you to write?

:)

(For these fanfic writing asks.)

🟥How long do you spend in edits?

This really depends on the piece. I tend to do a lot of editing while I go (which is part of what makes me such a slow writer) and I really struggle with letting myself have a scene sitting in a first draft state, so quite a few editing hours are hidden away in there. But once a piece is finished, I usually do a thorough readthrough and edit, which usually takes anywhere from 4-8 hours depending on the length of the piece. Then a last read-through before posting that is more for proofreading and fine tweaks, which usually takes slightly longer than the regular reading time for the piece.

🏡What is your perfect writing environment?

At home, on my couch, with the windows open on a spring or fall day where I can hear the wind in the trees outside the window and the birdsong. Well, that's out of the environments I actually write in. As far as aspirationally...hmm. I'm not actually sure. Somewhere with the same fresh air and nature necessity, but I don't have a specific vision besides that.

💪What motivates you to write?

Goodness. This is a great question and I'm not sure how to answer it in the least. When I was a kid, I wrote because it was like breathing - something that just happened without me realizing it and something that felt vitally necessary to my own presence in the world.

Now...? I think it's a combination of things. Fear, unfortunately, is in there - because I had 10-15 year stretch where I couldn't write a single thing and felt utterly loose and aimless during that. Atandil is actually what ended it. And I am regularly in fear that if I don't keep pushing through, it will dry up again and I'll be back in that desert for who knows how long.

But more than that, it's that there is some deep, existential rest that comes whenever I get the words down on the page in a way I know is *just right* and I've never found that in anything else. Creating is sustaining. And the more I've had writing present again in my daily life, the more I see the world around me, the more I notice details I missed before, the more the beauty jumps out from everything. That has been a lifeline as I've worked through depression and anxiety these past few years and has been a source of constancy when so many other things have felt shaky.

Thanks so much for the ask! (And sorry for getting all earnest on main lol.)

[axesilly]

i cant afford therapy so im going to talk about my troubles on here because i dont know what else to do 👍 i dont know if this will reach anyone but it might make me feel better. sorry if its a bit lengthy, ive had these feelings for a while

for the sake of anonymity and my own safety i will not be mentioning any names of people, towns, or schools :]

so im in college, im an art major. im from a small town with nothing to do except go to a mall the next town over and im going to college in another small town 5 hours away from home. this small town also has jack shit to do unless you drive 45 minute to an hour away. im currently in my spring semester of my freshman year and i have gotten so absolutely mentally and physically drained since i got a fast food job. i got a job making pizzas at yknow one of those big chain corporations pizza places, and the store i work at has only been open a few months. its absolutely chaotic and no one knows how to do anything except a few select people. my boss, the general manager, also doesnt know how to do anything because its his first time doing something like this. one of the other managers also only works there because hes friends with the general manager and he is not the greatest person, as he tends to sexually harrass the staff including a friend i made there. now ive already put in my two weeks last saturday, but that doesnt take away from how drained this job has made me.

Since the spring semester started ive been constantly piled with work (one week i was scheduled 6 days in a row when i had a big project to work on, i had a breakdown at work to my general manager), writing assignments, and project after project. (not even kidding my drawing professor gives us a new project the same day we turn one in) in my senior year of high school i loved fine arts and i believed that i wanted to follow in my art teachers footsteps and pursue my love of art and make art for my career. and while i do still love fine arts and making art, i just cannot do this constantly. since just before my spring break i started not going to my classes as consistently and i swore to myself i would start going again after the break. well that break just made it worse it seems because everything has just gone more and more downhill. i have still been missing classes because some days its difficult to get out of bed and i do not have the motivation to go to class just to sit there and not be able to pay attention for an hour/hour and a half. im behind on a project for one of my classes because i havent gone since ive been back from spring break (two weeks). i have an exam for one of my classes soon and im not even close to prepared. i had a 3 page essay due last night i started but havent finished (luckily i can turn it in a little late). it may sound lazy but these are my real struggles with my mental health. i feel trapped here. i do have a license and a car, i do have transportation so i can go places, but its such an old car it has so many problems (one which has arisen recently being if i stop somewhere and turn my car off, it wont crank back up immediately and i have to wait 10-15 minutes, and once it is on i have to revv it to make sure it stays on). so because of car problems and currently living in a small town im frustrated because it feels like i cant go anywhere to do anything fun. i feel trapped in my dorm and in my mind.

now comes the college problem. the college i go to currently is a nice school, i get 8 meals a week on my meal plan included in my tuition. theres several places to choose from the eat at, theres a gym, free health exams i think. but its driving me insane seeing the same old brick buildings every damn day. i currently dont have a roommate so im in a dorm by myself which probably contributes to this feeling of lonliness. i dont really have many friends, i had more last semester but they did not keep in touch. i do have one friend that i appreciate very much and she always worries and wants to help when she sees im upset. shes a real one. but seeing the same things, learning about the same repetitive lessons every single day, has driven me insane. my art history class has been the same topics since the start of the semester, its all been about works of art pertaining to jesus, and mary, and god and the angel telling mary shes pregnant and marys purity and this symbolizing that and i understand why its important to learn about these works of art and how they have shaped art today, but i cannot stand hearing the same things over and over. im not a christian, and i dont believe theres anything wrong with christianity as long as youre not hurting anyone with your beliefs, but these topics are so repetitive ever class i have. the semesters almost over and we havent even gotten to modern art yet, and in my opinion thats what truly matters to learn about because thats what we as artists would need to look at to have a reference for how we should make our art right? art is about expressing yourself and we need to see how others making art in the modern era are expressing themselves as well. and on the topic of expressing ourselves, my drawing class, every single project, my professor has us stick to such strict criteria. one of my projects my professor actually really liked, i liked, but she took points off because i had my girlfriends name written very small where you could barely even see, because we were not supposed to have any text. i feel like i cannot even be creative and truly express myself with these projects. i dont feel like i have any real freedom with them. i love fine arts and i love making art, but not when its like this. i want to be able to make my own art that actually expresses my feelings, not someone elses criteria. because of all of this my grades have been rapidly dropping.

now i have already made the decision weeks ago that i will not be returning to this school in the next fall semester. i discussed this with my mom already as she does the majority of my paperwork and things for this stuff. she wants me to transfer to a college closer to home so i can atleast get a general studies degree. but thats not what i want to do either. she told me not to flunk my classes this semester because that will make it difficult to transfer me to another school, but how do you expect me to get good grades when i constantly feel like im in hell in my mind. i mentioned wanting to maybe take a gap year, she doesnt want me to do that. school is horrible for my mental health like this, i dont understand why society thinks we should just have everything we want to do with the rest of our life figured out immediately out of high school. well i dont. and i dont want to stay in college immediately out of high school. i want to go live my life! me and my girlfriend are long distance (we have met in person several times and shes actually coming to visit me this month, but just seeing each other for a week at a time is not enough) and i really want to go live with her! i want to enjoy living and living with the person i love more than life itself! i currently dont feel like i can do that here or back home. i want to move somewhere else with my girlfriend so we can both be happy and love life. i want to move out of state to a slightly bigger city, nothing crazy like new york or atlanta, but just somewhere bigger than a small town with nothing to do whatsoever. i do have a place in mind but im not going to say where. and when i move, after a year i can qualify for in state tuition and pursue something that makes me happier. ive always loved animals and marine animals so i was thinking i could major in zoology and marine biology and work at an aquarium or something while im working on my degree. and i dont fully know how the paperwork and things work for transferring and such, especially after a break, so i could be in the wrong, but is it really wrong for wanting the best for myself?

and to be honest with myself i know exactly why im in college and its not to get a degree. i was raised constantly being compared to my siblings. my brother is trans (which my parents are very obviously not too fond of) dropped out of college and joined the military. my sister dropped out of college after a semester, got married to a horrible man who she just recently divorced after having two children with him. and being compared to them all my life, especially to my brother, made me want to be better than them. i wanted to be the one, as the youngest, to be the first one to get through college immediately, all four years, no problem. but its just too much for me. and dropping out, moving away, im terrified. im terrified that my parents will be disappointed in me. im terrified of that face my mother makes, that tone of voice, when shes disappointed in me for something. im terrified of getting lectured and told why everything i want is wrong. its irrational. and im terified if i move away i wont have her support anymore. i wont have her to lean on when i need help with something. i was never taught where to go or how to do stuff for applying to colleges and transferring. i barely know how to do my taxes.

now i really dont know what this article-like rant of a tumblr post is gonna do. i know i dont really have a following and i dont really post on here. but i just thought itd make me feel better to collect my thoughts and put them all together like this. so far the only people concerned about me have been my girlfriend and a couple of my friends ive told about these problems. not even my professors are concerned about me, i havent even gotten a single email or question about how im doing. they say theyre all for mental health but when a student stops coming to class as often suddenly and starts failing or not turning in assignments its none of their business and i must just be getting lazy and im a horrible student yknow? anyways i think thats about it for this. again i dont really know what this will do but i hope someone has advice or support or something. im going insane here.

love to anyone else suffering similar struggles <3

[olyia-stories]

A response to @teasockschocolate ‘s AU about the soulmate AUs in the PJO universe. Since this is a companion piece it doesn’t matter which one you read first, but make sure to check out @teasockschocolate and @demigodsanswer out.

Annabeth hated soulmates.

Ever since her dad met his, Annabeth’s life had just gotten worse. Admittedly, she and her dad hadn’t been particularly familyish, but it had been the two of them. He used to let her fall asleep in his arms while he worked on his thesis paper, he took her out for icecream in the park after his classes, and he would ask her opinion on which human models to put on his battle of the Somme replica. They had been fine on their own. They didn’t need Lori.

The only reason her dad even liked Lori was because the first thing she said to him was written on his arm. And not in the “he tattooed it on because he loved her” thing, but because it was a silly soulmate mark. Annabeth just couldn’t understand why her analytical father would rely on a process for choosing who he loved as flimsy as “the universe decided for us.” And clearly, the universe got it wrong. Lori was awful.

All Lori ever did was complain about everything Annabeth ever did: “Frederick, tell Annabeth to stop playing “science” in the living room.” “Frederick, tell Annabeth to stop drawing on herself.” “Frederick, tell Annabeth to go to sleep.” “Frederick, if you don’t tell Annabeth to stop getting out of bed, I will.” Lori only saw Annabeth as a stain that needed covering up.

Then the monsters started attacking. Of course, they were attacking because Annabeth was a half-blood, but it’s not like she wanted them to come. But Lori blamed her.

“There must be something you can do,” Lori was talking to Annabeth’s dad. Annabeth should have been asleep, but the spiders were too much for her. Lori went on, “Don’t look so shocked, I know you tried to get her mother to take her back, all I’m saying is that maybe someone more like her could take her off our hands.” Annabeth stood very still, she had not known that her dad had tried to get rid of her, she thought he loved her.

“Lori, I don’t know what to do, Athena sai-“

“Athena isn’t here!” Lori cut Annabeth’s father off. “Even Athena didn’t want that girl. I think it would be best for our boys if we found a new living arrangement for Annabeth.” Annabeth didn’t wait around for her father’s response; she knew he would give in he always gave in to Lori.

Annabeth was not going to give Lori the pleasure of sending her away, and she didn’t want to live a moment more under the same roof as her stepmother. Annabeth decided to leave.

She didn’t know where she would go, so Annabeth wanted to be prepared. She grabbed a marker and made a packing list on her arm. With the list on her arm, she quickly packed her backpack. She pulled on a hoodie and snuck out her bedroom window. It was on the second floor, but the window opened onto the porch roof and from there she shimmied down the gutter. And just like that, Annabeth was free.

--

“Child, in order to be a successful demigod you must be skilled in a wide-range of activities.” Chiron studied Annabeth from where he stood on the porch. Annabeth had come to complain. She didn’t understand why the camp made them climb lava walls, and swing swords at straw dummies. She just wanted to spend time in the Athena cabin’s library. She had never seen so many books, and she wanted to read them all.

“But Chiron, knowledge is power! Therefore, I should spend my time learning as much as I can.”

“Ah but knowledge is power; you must learn as much as you can, which includes being knowledgeable in fighting and survival tactics. Now I believe your cabin is going to the forge for arts and crafts, you should hurry along.” Annabeth thought about what the centaur had said while she walked to the forge. She decided She would start by learning archery. She wrote it on her hand, so she would remember to ask her siblings to teach her later. For now, she was going to create a masterpiece.

--

Annabeth lived year-round at camp, so she had independent lessons during the school year. Chiron trusted her siblings to educate her, but they quickly realized that she was capable of teaching herself so long as she had the right books. So, they let her alone. Annabeth would read, and write notebooks full of her discoveries, and when she came up on things she wanted to study further she would write a note on her arm to look it up later.

--

Finally, she met him. The person she had been waiting years for. This boy was who Chiron had told her about. He was going to take her on a quest. Well, he would once he stopped drooling in the med ward.

Percy Jackson would get a quest; Annabeth was sure of it. He was the son of Poseidon, one of the major gods, that was the deal. Chiron told her she would go with him on a quest. She HAD to go with him.

So, when Percy was taken to the big house she was right behind him. She had on her magic Yankee’s hat, a gift from her mother when she made it to camp the hat made the wearer invisible. She listened to Chiron explain to Percy the war brewing among the gods. She watched Percy enter the big house and listened for his footsteps recede up the stairs before she took off her cap.

“Blah ha ha!” Grover yelped. “You can’t sneak up like that Annabeth! You’ll give me a heart attack!”

Chiron sighed, “I suppose you were listening to all of that?”

“Yes,” she respected Chiron too much to lie to him. “I want to go on this quest.”

“Annabeth, you know that it’s Percy’s right to choose his companions,” Annabeth was in the middle of formulating a convincing argument when Chiron added, “But, I will tell Percy that you have volunteered to go, and if he wants to choose you, you may go. Child it will be dangerous, and I would rather both of you would stay at camp and train. I fear, however, that peace will only return to the Olympians when the bolt is returned. The quest must happen.”

Annabeth nodded. Satisfied with Chiron’s promise she waited for Percy to come back down. She was going on a quest

--

Annabeth still didn’t regret volunteering for the quest. It quickly went up, down and sideways and veered left from there. They have so far blown up a bus, wrecked a statue garden, ruined a national landmark, almost died by mechanical spider, and now they were heading south in the smelliest truck on the highway.

The animal fumes must have gotten to Annabeth because she found herself talking to Percy about her dad. She plucked at her dad’s college ring as she talked. “I guess my dad never really wanted me. He met Athena while he was working his way through grad school. She admired his dedication and helped him develop his thesis. To reward him, she pulled me out of her thoughts. He wanted her to take me back. But he took care of me. Once he met his soulmate, Lori, he decided he didn’t want me.” Annabeth glued her eyes to the ground. She found it easy to talk to Percy, but she couldn’t look at him and tell him what had eaten at her heart since Lori said those stupid soulmate words. “He had her and then they had their kids and they were that meant-to-be family. I was just in the way from them being perfect.” Annabeth stopped. She needed to collect herself, she hadn’t talked about her dad in years.

“I’m sorry.” Just two little words, and yet they made her heart soar. Percy put so much emotion into his voice, it was clear that he had experience with family issues. “My mom had a soulmate, but I don’t know who it was. It’s not my stepdad, that’s for sure. I think it could’ve been my dad.”

“Gods don’t soulbond.” How could he believe in soulmates when his mom had to put up with his stepdad? Poseidon couldn’t have been his mom’s soulmate. She winced, “sorry, that was mean.” She hadn’t meant to be rude, but she struggled to be anything but critical about the soulbond.

Percy shrugged, “S’fine. It’s true.”

Annabeth thought for a second, then asked. “What about you?”

“What?”

“Do you have a soulmate?”

Percy clutched at his wrist. “Yeah, I do.”

Annabeth wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but this confession still surprised her. She looked into his eyes and asked, “Really?”

“Do you?”

“No.” at least, she never thought enough about soulmate marks to check. “What’s your mark? Do you know your soulmate?” Annabeth didn’t know why she wanted to know, she just had to learn all she could.

“Uh,” a blush crept up his face. “it’s a writing one and no. I’ve, uh, never talked to her.”

“Why not?” If it had been Annabeth, she would have found out who it was. Even if she didn’t believe in soulmates, having someone you can communicate with without speaking or technology, that could be useful.

Percy shrugged, “I don’t know…”

“You should.”

“Maybe someday. I’ve got enough going on now.”

“That’s true.” She paused, then added, “I think soulmates are pretty dumb.”

He gave her a strange look. “Why?”

She felt his defenses rise. “Believe in them all you want. But wouldn’t you rather choose who you be with? The universe shows you one person and that’s it. And isn’t it doomed to fail? The expectation of who someone wants their soulmate to be is always going to be so big that they’ll never live up to it. It’s just setting both of them up to be disappointed.” She had thought this argument through more than once.

“But it’s the one person that the universe is saying is perfect for you. I think that’s pretty amazing.”

Annabeth knew she wasn’t going to change his opinion. “Good luck. I’ve never seen a soulbond work out.” Feeling like her last sentence was a bit gruff she offered, “I don’t mean to… discourage you.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I mean, that doesn’t encourage me.”

She knew it, she had let her bitterness show. “Maybe the people I’ve seen just haven’t cared as much about it. You haven’t given up.”

He smiled. “I’ll make sure mine works. Even if it’s just so you can be wrong about something.”

--

Annabeth didn’t think much about that night on the zoo truck. The summer passed, and the school year came. She decided to try living with her dad again. She studied like she was back at camp, writing notes on her arm, reminders, and doodling to pass the time in class.

San Francisco felt calmer than when she was little. Her dad’s house felt normal. No monster attacks at first, but Annabeth couldn’t help but feel on edge. She was just waiting for the bubble to pop.

She was in her Algebra class when she felt it, a burning sensation on her left palm. It felt like she was bitten by a spider. Annabeth yelped. The classmates gave her a weird look, but that was normal. She was the only seventh grader in a high school class.

Annabeth looked down at her hand and saw a little blue dot on her palm. It looked like a pen mark, but Annabeth hadn’t put it there. Annabeth thought back to the summer, when she had shared a hay-filled ride with Percy, and he had shared what his soulmate mark was with her.

Annabeth couldn’t be sure, but perhaps she did have a soulmate. She needed more evidence; a stray pen mark didn’t prove anything.

Perhaps she should pay Percy a visit.

--

Getting up to Percy’s fire escape was the easy part. Calculating which window was his based on the outside of the building was more difficult. Annabeth climbed the fire escape ladder and peaked into his window, she had her Yankee’s hat on, so he wouldn’t see her watching. She had to know.

Annabeth pulled the cap off her pen and drew a little flower on her arm, while she drew, she watched Percy’s arm. There it was, her little four petaled flower. She smiled. Why did this knowledge make her happy? Percy was her best friend, but she didn’t like him like that… did she?

--

Stupid! Annabeth that was stupid! Why did she charge the manticore? All she had on her was her Yankee’s hat and her dagger, and she jumped a monster. She should have known better, but when she left the gymnasium and saw Percy there. His shield up and his sword out, she knew in that moment that if anything happened to Percy, she would never forgive herself. She did the only thing she could and distracted the manticore. She didn’t realize that he would simply take her. That Luke wanted her, but he didn’t want her like Annabeth had always hoped. He was using her as bait. She was how he would catch a goddess.

Annabeth needed a plan. But she could barely breath, let alone think. The weight of the sky was literally threatening to crash down on her, and all she could do was kneel under the pressure and hope Luke would come to his senses. She felt a prickling on her arm, when she looked the words were written out in red pen, “We’re coming.” Her arms surged with strength. Suddenly the weight of the world felt lighter. She knew who that was writing on her arm. Percy knew she was alive. He was coming for her. She wouldn’t give up. She couldn’t.

--

Annabeth knew Percy was in trouble from two blocks away. She could see the smoke billowing up from Goode high school. Annabeth and Percy were supposed to go on a date to the movies, she had taken the LIR from camp into the city that morning to meet Percy after his high school orientation.

Unfortunately, plans were void whenever Percy was around. She saw the smoke and hurried up the block just in time to see Percy jump out onto the street from a window, followed by a red-haired girl. She had freckles everywhere, and paint stains on her clothes. Annabeth wondered who she was while she watched the girl pull a marker out of her back pocket and felt the tingling sensation as the girl wrote her number on Percy’s arm, and Annabeth’s right arm copied it.

She stared dumbfounded at Percy, before turning on her heel and leaving the red-haired girl behind. She hailed a cab and waited for Percy to catch up. She crossed her arms, hoping to hide the thick black numbers. The cab came. They sat in silence.

How could she be so stupid. Soulbonds never worked out. She was a fool for thinking maybe they could overcome all the evidence she had collected saying otherwise.

Percy cleared his throat. “Could I… call my mom?” right, she had probably heard about the fire, his mom would be worried. Annabeth wished she had someone to worry over her. She fished her phone out of her pocket, careful to keep her right arm at her side. He quickly finished the call and handed Annabeth her phone. She again kept her arm close to her side. “Cold?” His voiced broke through her thoughts.

“What?”

“Just… since you’re…” He gestured to her folded arms.

She had hoped to quickly pass the cab ride in silence. “No.” she answered truthfully, hoping to stop the conversation there.

“Oh.” Percy continued. “I, uh, have a jacket in my backpack if you want.”

“No.” she couldn’t let him see the stupid number on her arm, and she didn’t want to talk to him. She turned towards the window and watched the familiar landscape of Long Island to take shape.

As soon as they got to camp she ran to her cabin. And pulled on a sweatshirt. She only hoped the marks would soon be gone, and that she hadn’t been too obvious.

--

The mountain exploded behind Annabeth. She didn’t let herself cry. Percy was a powerful demigod, and resourceful, and just plain lucky. He would make it out. She was sure.

She made it back to camp on her own. Hoping the whole way that Percy had beat her there. But no one had seen him. She tried not to notice her friends giving her pitying looks and hoped every day to see her seaweed brain crest the hill or walk out of the ocean. It got harder to hope as the weeks came and went. Annabeth pretended she was fine. She led her cabin through their activities always glancing towards the ocean, hoping to be the first to spot him. He didn’t show up.

The day with its tasks kept her mind busy, but the night was hard. She couldn’t sleep. She tossed and turned, trying to make a plan that would bring Percy home. She decided to write him a note. She put the pen to her hand and tried to think of what to say. But everything she wanted to write down seemed to swirl in her head. She instead wrote, “Hello?” That’s as far as she got before she couldn’t see with the tears welling in her eyes.

Two weeks passed, and still no word. Chiron decided to hold Percy’s memorial, to send him off properly. Annabeth stood at the fire pit and put the green silk cloth on the flames. She choked on the words, “He was probably the bravest friend I’ve ever had.” And the stupidest, “He…” she looked up at that moment and saw the impossible. What she had been waiting to see for weeks. “He’s right there!”

Annabeth vaulted up the amphitheater steps. And hugged him tight. He was alive!

--

It was August eighteenth. Percy’s birthday. Annabeth paused for only a second before writing out on her arm, ”Happy birthday.” She knew who was on the other end of this connection now, and she didn’t care about her data that said otherwise. She wanted Percy to know, she wanted them to work out.

“Thanks.” Was all he replied, and somehow that was all she needed. She couldn’t wait to see him again; they were going to make it through together.

--

Annabeth couldn’t believe this boy! How could she have ever liked him. They were standing near the tetherball court. She couldn’t believe he wanted to talk to her about his mortal friend Rachel. Sure, last summer she’d been helpful in the Labyrinth but that didn’t mean that she and Annabeth were friends. “What do you want me to say?” he seemed to put a lot of trust in this Rachel girl. How could he be so ignorant. She was a mortal, mortals don’t have visions. And besides he was just using this as an excuse to run away. She looked him in the eyes and spat out what she was thinking. “You’re a coward, Percy Jackson!”

Why had he never said anything. She was certain he knew, and their world could end any second. Beckendorf was proof of that. Why couldn’t he just talk to her! Why did every conversation turn into a shouting match? Why did she open her heart and let him in, when she knew that soulbonds never work. She couldn’t look at his green eyes anymore, she stormed away towards the strawberries, giving the tetherball a good whack as she passed it.

--

The war was over. They had won! And Rachel was now the new camp oracle. More importantly, Percy had turned down immortality. She was sure. She wanted to him to be her soulmate. She found him in the pavilion, lost in thought. She got out a pen and wrote out, “Hey.” He looked down at his wrist, then turned around to find her.

“Hey.” He had a little grin on his face, she smiled in return.

“Happy birthday.”

“What?” he looked puzzled.

she silently cursed herself, did she get the day wrong? “It’s August 18, You’re birthday, right?”

He nodded, and she let a breath out, she offered him the misshapen lump of birthday cake. It was delicious.

After a few minutes she couldn’t keep herself from asking what had been on her mind all summer. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“About what?” Annabeth couldn’t look at him, she was too scared. “I… I didn’t know for sure. If I was yours. And then last year… There was just so much else going on.”

Annabeth finally looked at him, she softly said, “I know, I thought I didn’t have one. I mean, I wrote on myself all the time when I was little.”

“I know,” he laughed, “I thought I was going crazy.”

“Why didn’t you write back?” She had to know. “When you said you had one… I thought it was someone else.” She didn’t say all that she was thinking, that she had hoped he didn’t have one, that she had liked him even all those years ago in that truck.

“I didn’t know what to say. But no, it was always just you.” Those words, the same way she had felt. Now she knew, Annabeth through away her caution and kissed him. He tasted like salt.

**Edit: I read the original fanfic on @demigodsanswer‘s blog but the AU “Whatever Souls are Made of” is by @teasockschocolate

[peasofgreeniguess]

Hello! I saw that you were needing request, so could you possibly write some fluffy comfort headcanons with the horrortale skeletons?

either their datemate or close friend (you can choose-) hasn't been sleeping very well lately, and ends up texting the skele around 4 in the morning because they're extremely bored/tired, but can't sleep. As the conversation goes on, the horror brothers find out that reader hasn't slept at all in almost three days. How would they react?

Yes!!! Thank you <3

HT SANS

He responds to your text within 5 minutes, he isn’t asleep. Either if it was guilt keeping him up or a nightmare he wasn’t sleeping so why not come over? He sets up a nice comfy blanket covered couch and you grab some warm drinks and sit together, the dark house lit by the bright leds of the tv you turned on so it wouldn’t be so silent. You two sit together for a good 20 minutes before sans asks for your reason being up this late… or early since by now it’s around 6am… you explain and sans listens with a understanding ear, he nods his head and pulls you closer rubbing your back as you lean into him. It takes a minute for him to proses a response but he does eventually, “You… haven’t slept… for three days?… I think… humans need more… than that” he says genuinely, you chuckle and nod saying “probably” he turns to you, his single eye light staring into yours “want to.. sleep with me?” You pause for a moment and burst out laughing at the connotation of the sentience as sans looks away and responds “you know what… I meant…” After you catch your breath you agree and he pulls the blanket over the both of you as you lean onto his side, turning the tv off and taking a deep breath your whole body relaxes.  whether you sleep or not is a mystery but god knows sans enjoyed every moment.

HT PAPYRUS

After a few hours you decided to text somone, that someone was papyrus, your tall lanky friend with braces and a love for pasta. He immediately responds and to your suprise arrives at your home moments later, exclaiming “ONLY COOL SKELETONS NEED TO BE AWAKE AT THIS HOUR” and scoops you up leaving you hanging in his arm like longcat- you look at him with heavy baggy eyes and he immediately becomes more worried, he sets you down and brings about a large human health book with many sticky notes in almost all pages, he flips to a page assumidly about sleep and asks. “Have you had at least 8-10 hours of sleep and slept exactly horizontal on your back with no pillow to allow your back to have optimal posture?” He looks up at you and then writes down something before looking back to you waiting for a answer. You shake your head and she snaps the book closed making you jump. “That will not due, come on” he says pulling you to your bedroom, he points to your bed with a stern motherly aura and you have no choice but to obey, he tucks you in and pulls a book of the shelf. One of your favorites you told him about, he turns to the first page and brushes your hair out of your face, “now we will see if this works! The book also says warm milk and a warm house help! We can try those next” he says before starting to read the book, he does have a nice reading voice…

This was fun :)

[boldlyvoid]

was it you who reblogged that post saying 'masturbate in front of me and let me lick that pussy clean' ????? even if it wasn't you, can you write this for an Eddie fic?

i've seen it on the tl omg! yes i can bestie

cw: eddie has a weird relationship with his guitar, masturbation, porn, implied bi + plus sized reader, rough sex, pet names (princess, baby), oral sex (f recieving), unprotected sex

he has been just sitting there in his computer chair playing the same song over and over and over again for hours. there was only so long she could watch his long fingers play the same cords before she was dripping wet for him. he was just trying to learn a new song and she was helplessly horny for him.

"eddieeee," she whines as she gets up from her spot and stands behind him, she wraps her arms around him carefully and kisses his cheeks, "it sounds good, you can take a break, right?"

"Why? are you that bored with this song?"

she shakes her head, "not really... I just think there are other things you could be doing right now, with your hands..." she whispers into his ear and runs her hands over his shoulders seductively, "come on, baby."

he shakes his head, "you just want me to do all the work, lazy girl."

"so what if I do? normally you love that?"

"but I'm busy today," he references his guitar. "both my girls need the same amount of love and attention, I can't go giving it all to you, now, can I?"

she laughs, "seriously? you love your guitar the same way you love me? your living breathing girlfriend with a tight pussy?"

he bites his lip, trying too hard to not give in to her. "how about you get yourself all warmed up for me, yeah? I'll lick you clean and fuck you into the mattress when I'm done here."

she doesn't have to be told twice. she only ever had permission to play with herself on nights she didn't sleep over at his place and the only stipulation was that she had to think about him and tell him later... and telling him always led to him doing exactly what she imagined. it was an easy way to get him to fuck her in new and interesting ways without having to outright ask.

she pushes her pants down to the floor before climbing into his bed and opening up the side drawer where she knows he keeps his porn magazines and the few photos he had of her in compromising positions.

she flips through the pages slowly, appreciating the small smutty stories and the photos of naked creatures; elvish women with huge tits, devilish men with long hair and even longer tongues, she couldn't help her hips from grinding on their own as she looked.

eddie was still playing, only he kept fucking up more as he watched her get off using his magazines. he gets a front-row seat to a show he usually put on 8 times a week, seeing his understudy on the stage was new for him but he liked it.

with one knee raised, she rests the magazine on her leg and slips her hand into her panties, teasing herself the way she knew she liked and warming up ever so slowly. she wants him to break. she wants to edge this on so long that he throws the magazine across the room and tears her panties off to get at her.

She's so impossibly wet already that she glides over her clit effortlessly, tossing her head back with a sigh, "fuck, finally..."

"tell me about it," he lets out a breath he was holding in anticipation. the room has been silent for a while, she was wondering when he'd speak.

with the flats of 3 fingers, she rubs her clit in a circle, thinking the faster she gets this done, the faster he can complete his side of the deal. even if it was a shitty, rushed orgasm, she didn't care because his mouth would feel even better in a few minutes.

his eyes are fixated on her, his cock is hard as a rock in his pants, rubbing against his guitar slightly as his hips rock along with hers. he was hypnotized by her, he knew she'd look hot when she masturbated but he never imagined it would be this fucking hot watching her unravel like this.

shes not even looking at the magazine anymore, her head is tossed back while her hand works fast, tight, circles around her clit with beautiful friction he can see burning inside of her. her legs quake, her hips sputter, she holds her breath before she cums and then she lets it out with a glorious moan. she rides through it, shaking on his bed just enough to make the springs squeak.

his guitar is off him and on the hook again before she can even look up.

he kicks his jeans off, and almost rips his shirt as he tries to get it off his head before he chucks it to the ground. he's so riled up, its like he just took something strong, but the only drug he was high on was her. she made him go fucking wild on a normal day, but this? this was him on feral mode.

he does indeed throw the magazine across the room, and he absolutely tears her panties in two instead of simply pulling them down her legs and taking them off, but she doesn't care. they were ugly anyway. and she really doesn't give a fuck when she feels his hot lips, his wet tongue and the slight stubble he's accumulated over the last few hours altogether on her cunt. it's so much better than her fingers, which are now firmly gripping his hair out of the way for him.

he moans into her like she's his favourite meal and he's been starved for days prior, he mumbles something, but she's too fucked out to know for sure. it was probably some profanity and compliment all rolled into one like normal, she didn't need to hear it to know he loved eating her out.

he loved the way she screamed, the way she pulsated on his tongue, the way her grip tightened when he sucked on her clit, and most importantly, he loved when she was about to cum so hard that she squeezed his head with her thick, beautiful thighs. he was happiest when she was cumming and he was close to death, being smothered to death by her pussy would be a blessing in his books.

when she comes down from her orgasm, she's pliant and lifeless, her chest heaves and her ears are ringing, "sweet fucking chirst..."

"he's got nothing to do with this," Eddie smirks as he wipes his face and sits up, "ready to get fucked into the mattress?"

Still feeling like an overcooked spaghetti noodle, she only nods, "'m not lazy... i just can't move."

he laughs as he drags her to the edge, and makes her sit up so he can take her out of her shirt and bra and make her take a sip of water from her glass, it was still on his night table from the night before. "I'm not fucking you till you snap back into it, baby."

she gulps down the water and comes up for air eventually with wide eyes and a smile, "'m good, see?"

he laughs as he kisses her nose, "i love you, princess. you're so fucking cute."

"better than her," she points at his guitar on the wall with a smirk.

"fuck off, you know what i mean," he takes the cup from her and puts it back on the table before pushing her back down against the bed, watching her boobs jiggle.

he grips her legs and flips her over with all the force he has, she plots down against the bed with an 'oof' but settles quickly. he slips a pillow under her hips, bringing her up a little bit more as he lines his cock up with her aching hole, "please?" she begs.

"What was that?"

"Please!" she begged louder. "I've wanted this all day!"

"Remember when we started this?" he leans over her back, whispering in her ear. "you were so innocent, prudish even--

"I was not!"

"Whatever you say," he laughs and begins slipping in slowly just to hear her whorish moans up close and personal. "but I remember you blushing and stuttering when you wanted my cock, now look at you? masturbating in my bed, using my porn?"

she had to give him that... this wasn't anywhere in the realm of her imagination before she started seeing him. thank god that boring part of her life was over.

she turns her head to face him as best as she could, "fuck me."

it's not a request, it's an order.

he laughs, it's dark and maniacal, he's not normally one to take orders well, but he knew she could take what he had to offer. he starts to fuck her hard and fast, hand on her back as he pushed her onto the mattress and lets the force of it push her back onto his cock. she moans into the mattress, muffing the sound to spare their poor neighbours from thinking he was blasting a porno he rented off Steve Harrington...

only her sounds were real. she couldn't help herself, it was involuntary at this point, she was being fucked like a rag doll, she was so high on his cock she felt brainless and the string of nonsense when was moaning just added to that.

he got so much pride out of fucking her stupid, "fuck baby," he growled, "take it! such a good fucking whore now, better than I ever imagined, and you keep getting better by the fucking day! fuck!"

the sound of his skin slapping against hers was loud enough that anyone could tell what was going on in their trailer, he wouldn't be surprised if the whole house was shaking, he was absolutely giving it to her.

she starts to tremble again, so close to her third orgasm, he knew that was one they had to chase, it was hard to get it but they never gave up. he'd fuck her all night just for one more, he always wanted just one more. like an addict, nothing would ever be as euphoric as the first time he made her cum, but they were all fucking fantastic.

he slaps her ass, making her yelp but she knows what he wants. he slows his movements and pulls out, making her flip and get more comfortable on the bed before he gets between her legs. he plunges two fingers into her to gather up her wetness before replacing them with his cock.

he drops down to her level, chest to chest with her finally, he rubs her clit gently with one hand as he starts to pick up his pace again. fucking her at a decent speed, not like before, because now he was staring into her eyes and watching her breathing change each time the head of his cock kissed her cervix. that beautiful little spot inside of her that only he could reach.

she runs her hands up his back gently before pulling him down more, kissing him with passion and lust to match his thrusts. moaning in tandem, he could feel her tightening around him, closer to the edge, he worked her clit faster, wanting her to cum around his cock before he did deep inside of her.

she played with his hair while they kissed, holding it out of the way and off his sweaty forehead. teeth clashing, they kept moaning into each other's mouths, tongues touching, she bit his lip and he sucked on hers. they were handsy and desperate, right there on the edge. "let go, fuck, princess. please. cum, cum for me?"

with that, she was gone.

her back arched her head pushed back deeper into the pillow as she came with a shout. tighter than ever, he fucked into her a few more times before he caught up. his hips stilled and sputtered as he released deep inside of her, he buried his face in her neck, tears slipping down his cheeks with how powerful his orgasm was, he drops against her.

another great fuck in their books

[be-ready-when-i-say-go]

A Moment's Surprise--Chapter 11

Whether it’s called an accident or the fates of the universe, you and Calum find yourselves taking on the next level of your relationship: parenthood.

Reader (Gender Neutral) X Calum. Multi-chapter Series.

Series Note: Across this series, pregnancy is discussed thoroughly. While I have made this series specifically a reader insert and have done my best to avoid coding for cis women, I am taking this moment to acknowledge that this content may not be suitable for every reader. I want to acknowledge even if I’ve been careful some things (like uteri) are still mentioned and if that causes you discomfort please DO NOT read this. You may keep scrolling (as there is a read more) / skip this as necessary.

Series Masterlist

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7| Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 | Epilogue

Calum’s hands shake. The last question sits blinking up at him. His answer highlighted in the not even dark enough to be considered black, but possible gray circle to fill in the outline. It’s not this question that he’s worried about. But the next submit highlights in blue. Next means he’ll review. If he reviews too much, he’s sure to second guess himself. But he did flag a few questions. Maybe he ought to review those. Maybe he ought to just hit submit and save himself the worry of this nature. 

Calum brings the arrow down to hover over the blue next button. Someone in the room, sounding somewhere to the left of him, coughs. He glances up but only sees the gray dividers surrounding each of the computers designated to a testing station. No time like the present, he thinks to himself as he glances back to the screen. It only takes a tiny press of his index finger and the screen fills with several dots in a circle. The cycle light to dark as the data loads. And in a blimp the screen shows him his question list. 

A prompt comes up alerting Calum that while he has answered every question, there are eight that are flagged for review. He can proceed and submit fully or he can review them item by item. Every single time he’s taken a practice test, the majority of the questions he second guessed on too much and changed answers, he got wrong. Occasionally, he’d get one of the ones he switched right. But now, Calum stares at the choices. Review or Submit With No Review. 

He moves the cursor on screen over just a hair to the right. He clicks on the now highlighted blue box. 

Saving and Submitting Answers…the screen reads, more gray dots darkening and lightening. Successful Submission. Your results will be viewable in your GED online account in 3 to 4 hours. If you do not see your results after 24 hours, please contact our Help Desk. A number is provided at the end and Calum’s quick to find one of the scratch pieces of paper to write down the number. 

Once he has the number written down, he looks back to the screen. Three to four hours somehow feels incredibly long and incredibly short. He exits the screen, and then gets back to the home page. He’s able to log out and then he stands. Others are still testing so he’s quiet as he walks out and then passes the two proctors. They take back all the scratch paper and two pencils. Calum thanks them and then heads back to the lobby. 

It’s cold--the building--and it only really dawns on Calum that it is cold when his arms catch a chill. He had to leave his hat, sunglasses, jacket, wallet, phone, and keys in a locker in the lobby. He finds his ID from his back pocket after grabbing his wallet from the locker and slips it back in the slot it always resides. 

You insisted on driving Calum to give him the chance to fret and study, but now Calum would have to call and see how close or far you were from him. Still, he appreciated the offer and did use the hour in traffic to sort through some of the nerves. The attendant at the front smiles as Calum leaves and Calum returns it, pulling the hat down onto his head. Calum squints as he steps fully back out into the day. The afternoon sun beams brightly above him against the dim and barely window filled building he just exited from. 

Calum presses the power button on his phone and his chest feels like it’s barely containing his heart. What if he turned it on and an email alert was already ready for him? What if he failed the test? Worse than the actual test itself was the waiting for the results. Just as the screen fills with Duke, you, and Joy on his lockscreen, Calum hears his name. 

A few couple feet from him, you sit, waving one out of the car window. You’re grinning as you peek your head out. “I got your favorite,” you call out. 

Calum laughs just a little at your pure excitement and starts towards the truck. He stops right outside the driver side window. The tint of the sunglasses makes you slighter darker than he knows you to be, but you’re still grinning so wide and so bright as you push your sunglasses up and on your head which makes Calum temporarily forget about the fear. 

“You got me the cutest partner around who’s baking my baby boy? Is that what you got me?” he laughs. 

“Yep. That too.”

Calum leans in gingerly through the window and you stretch out to meet you in the brief kiss. Against your lips, Calum speaks, “What did you get then in addition to that?”

“Your favorite McDonalds and a Dr. Pepper. And,” you stress, pulling away just a little from him, “an apple pie.”

“You’re spoiling me,” Calum whispers. 

You shrug. “It’s getting late in the day and you couldn’t eat much for breakfast. Could you take the peppermints in with you?”

“Peppermints did come in handy,” Calum returns. He brings one hand in through the window. His finger graze over your cheek. “‘C’mere,” he commands softly. 

You duck in closer to Calum and he greets you with another kiss. He breaks the seal first and pinches your cheek softly before walking around to the passenger side. He’s careful while handling the brown paper bag. From the cup holder, Calum spies an empty apple pie holder. “I see you got yourself a treat too.”

You shrug. “Sure did.”

It’s a quick exhale of his laughter before Calum peers down into the bag. He’s hungry, he knows intellectually, even his stomach grumbles in desperation. But he worries the second he goes to eat anything, it won’t stay down. 

Your hand is soft on his knee. “It’s all going to be okay. And I know you might hate me for saying that. But you’ve done really well on all the practice tests.” 

To you, it’s not even like Calum needs to pass it now. It’s barely two weeks into August and with a due date in November, Calum still had plenty of time to take the test whenever he felt certain about it. And not to mention, he still had time after the baby. But when he wanted to test during the break and before the baby shower, you let him make the call. You took a step back and let him do whatever he felt was best. 

Calum nods at your statement and tries a few fries to see if his stomach will allow him  that much. As the truck rolls back out of the space, Calum watches the building. He’s sure it’s going to disappear from view. He’s sure that when the building falls behind them and you carry the two of them over the winding roads and highways the whole building is going to dissipate like a bad dream and there will be no results in his email. There will be no test that he’s actually taken. 

Calum’s silence from your right does worry you, but you are cautious. “Do you want to sit at the beach for a little bit?” You took the day from work and while there’s always something to do--you two still had your birth plan to finalize and there was the baby shower--you still want to give him the opportunity to relax. To take however long he desires to let the stress of one thing roll down his back. 

“Sure,” Calum returns around the last bite of another handful of fries. “The results are supposed to come today--within a few hours. I’m scared I might piss myself.”

“We’ll twin,” you joke. 

“You’re not going to shit yourself,” he counters. 

“And you’re not going to piss yourself.”

“Touché,” Calum returns and finally goes in for the filet-o-fish. The first bite though he’s worried it won’t stay down makes Calum realize just how hungry he is. Before you can even take the exit for the beach the sandwich is gone. You don’t say anything though as you watch Calum go digging back into the bag and pull out the apple pie. 

The beach comes into view. There’s no shock that there’s people already on it, or maybe they’ve been here for a while. Neither one of you knows for sure. But you pull into a spot closer to the benches off to the side, near the boardwalk. Calum’s out first, to throw out his trash and when he comes back to the truck, you’ve gotten down and out. Calum offers an arm for you to take. It’s not the first time you’ve been out in public. Most of the time when you two were out in public and Calum did get spotted, you managed to be elsewhere and came back after he’d already been approached.

Now there’s not much hiding you can do as your walk has turned a bit more into a waddle. Up the short set of stairs, Calum leads the two of you over to a picnic table underneath a tiny bit of shade. He makes sure you get seated first and then he slips onto the bench behind you. The two of you sit, straddling the bench. Calum slips his arms around your waist. There’s a gentle breeze that caresses your skin and you slip your glasses back down over your eyes to watch out over the water. 

“How set are you about having two kids?” Calum asks after a minute of silence. 

“I’d say pretty set. What about you?”

“I was going to say less set. Because maybe three doesn’t sound so bad,” he laughs.

“We don’t even know what one kid is like yet.”

He hums at the response. “You’re right. But we’d be more equipped after Pumpkin.”

“Let’s see how we feel in a year. But I do think you’re right. Things are all new this time around and they wouldn’t be as new with later children.”

“Did you ever hear how the conference went?” Two months ago, you were tasked with getting materials together, even though you wouldn’t be able to attend due to flight restrictions by your doctor. 

“It went well, yeah. It was basically just a networking event. So I think negotiations and things are in the works. But that’s mostly in legal’s and in the public relations’ corner for now. If anything were to change, I wouldn’t be notified until well after agreements were made and signed.” 

Calum notices you readjust your position once again and slots in a little closer to you to give you more support from behind. “I hope nothing changes too much if anything does come as a result of this. Policies just changed at the start of this year--I’d hate for not even a year later more changes keep coming down the line. 

“If they really want to change something, they will,” you laugh. 

“Ain’t that true.” 

For the next stretch of time--which neither one of you can really keep track of or cares to keep track of--there’s just the sound of the crashing waves and the distant chirp of voices. Calum smiles to himself when you rest a bit more against him. Like it doesn’t matter if you two get spotted, like it doesn’t matter that you don’t say anything for a while. Because the only thing that really matters is taking in the company of each other. 

As you shift again, Calum slips his hands from around your front to your back. His fingers are firm as they knead into the muscle. You hum gently at the feeling. “Can I run an interesting game for the baby shower?” 

Calum’s not sure what sort of game you’d be proposing for a vote. But he’s intrigued. “Which would be?”

“So it’s a couples game,” you start. “I saw this on Instagram so like, blame them if it’s terrible. But each couple has a balloon that they have to pop. But the goal is to pop the balloon is a progressively spicer or sexual position.”

Calum raises his brows as the idea mulls over. He drops his gaze just a little to make sure you’re still okay as he gently massages your back. “Well, I know if you weren’t already pregnant we would win the game.”

You snort. “Calum.”

His name is meant to be a warning, but Calum hears the laughter behind it too. “Oh, tell me I’m wrong,” he whispers against your ear. 

“You’re not,” you sigh. “But what do you say?”

“I think it would make for a hell of a game, but I’m telling you right now if we have any more kids, we’re going to have new ways to top this.”

You turn just a little and pucker your lips for a kiss. Calum is happy to indulge in your silent demand. “We will,” you whisper against his lips. “I’m sure we can steal more ideas from social media when kiddo number 2 comes along.”

“Call me biased, but kid number 2 needs to be a girl. Wouldn’t that just be the complete cycle of life?” 

“Given your luck, I think the universe might listen.”

The beach holds your company for another half an hour before you two climb back into the truck. Calum takes over the driving. It’ll keep his mind off the test scores and he won’t be able to check his phone at all during the traffic. You don’t fight him and as the two of you start out on the way back to the house, Calum offers a pit stop to do some baby shopping. 

“Don’t tell me you’re looking for a jersey already?” you tease. 

“Have you been spying on my online purchases?” Calum laughs. “I just want to grab one more thing of diapers. And see what else catches our eye. What do you think?” Calum does keep glancing down to the radio and there’s still half an hour before the 3 hour mark. He fears not doing something will make him go insane at home. 

“Can’t hurt,” you agree. 

Calum pulls up into the Target parking lot. “Plus, I’ll let you drag me to the Ulta next door so you can finally get me the deep conditioner.”

“Finally,” you exhale, having been trying to convince Calum to try the new brand. The old one wasn’t bad, but with his constant hair changes you know that he needs one that’s just a bit more color and bleach friendly. 

Calum grabs a basket and you take over pushing it. It’s quick for Calum to grab the box he wants and put it under the basket of the cart. But he can see your gaze drifting over all the clothes and he gently directs you in that direction. He admits, as much as he wanted to listen to his Mum, and wait just a little bit longer on getting the clothes, it was hard to resist. You hold up a pair of green onesies and he sighs as he nods. 

“You’re killing me. I can’t say no,” he huffs. “Michael’s buying socks out of the ass, just to let you know.”

“Michael does seem like a sock guy. Do you think we should have a few more extra long sleeves and stuff for winter?  Since we are expecting a winter baby and all.”

Calum looks over the selection and notices a lot of it is summer stuff. “If we can find it, a little extra doesn’t hurt.”

The two of you flip through the racks for a moment or two in silence before Calum remembers that focusing too much on one size would do more harm than good. “What do you have in your hands?” Calum asks. 

“Like what style or what size?”

“Size.”

“I’ve got some 3-6 months and then a couple 6-9 months.”

Calum looks at his pile. “Hm, majority 3-6 for you?”

“Uh, yeah, I’d say so,” you return. 

Calum puts back the 3-6 pile he has and swaps a couple out for a larger size. “Thanks, babe.”

“Yeah of course.”

A few more moments, or maybe minutes, pass. Calum bypasses the crab longsleeve that he sees and continues down the line of racks. There’s tie-dye and he’s sure you’d coo at it, but it doesn’t cause him to pause. That is until you call out his name. “Calum, look!” 

He glances up to see you hold a two piece in front of your chest. The top reads, Rad like Dad with gray short bottoms. “Oh,” Calum sighs. Would he be a rad dad? Would he do a good job? Surely he’d learn from his parents parenting style with him and he’d learn just from having to be a dad, being the one to change diapers and tend to wounded knees and watch his child learn some lessons the hard way. 

“I’d be honored to be considered rad,” Calum finally gets out. 

“I think you’re rad,” you return. “Which means this is automatically accurate.” You then add the outfit to the cart without further discussion.

“Seems final,” Calum teases. 

“I’m coming up on a bust other than what I already found. What about you?”

Calum nods, feeling partially the same. “Lot of nothing if I’m honest.”

“Did you need more of those under shirts, by chance?” you ask, throwing your thumb over to the left. “Only remember now because there’s a display right in my face.”

“Uh, I think I’m okay. But I should probably get more underwear,” Calum answers a little quietly. “Either our washing machine hates me or my sweat is literally acidic.”

Your laughter escapes you even behind the rolled together lips. You confirm his size and start over in the direction of the men’s section. Calum trusts you--as you’ll either find something utterly ridiculous or a basic pack of solid colors and neither can really go wrong. He’ll wear whatever because at the end of the day it’s either you or him taking them off. So it doesn't really matter. 

Putting away the last of the clothes that don’t make his final cut, Calum dares finally to pull out his phone. His home screen is littered with a few notifications but he swipes through them--none are for the GED results. Right as Calum thinks he’ll be the cursed one to have to wait 24 hours, his phone shakes in his hand. A Gmail notification, too. He looks at the subject, GED Test Results are Ready. 

“Fuck me,” he exhales. 

A glance in your direction lends Calum a few seconds of distraction. Something red is already in your hands and he’s momentarily more focused on assessing if the underwear is a ridiculous pair or a neutral pair. But then he looks back down to his phone. The results wait; they are only a passcode and a few swipes away. Calum inhales deeply as he enters his passcode and opens the mail app. It takes only a moment for the email to populate at the top. 

Oh, he can’t do this. Not with you an aisle away. So Calum pushes forward and navigates over to you. “The scores are in.”

You snap your head in his direction. “Like in in?” you ask. 

He nods. “I don’t want to look.” Calum starts to hold the phone out to you, but then brings it back to his chest. “Or should I be the one to do it?”

“Whatever you want,” you return, dropping the four pairs of boxer briefs in your hands into the basket. “I’ll do it if you want.”

Calum spins in a circle and a frustrated groan escapes him. He drops his head and then re-enters his passcode. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he chants. “Okay, okay.” It’s just a test score. It’s one test. He can take it again. There would still be time. 

He taps on the email--at the top is an introduction that helps break down what he needs in each section to have a passing score. “I swear to Christ,” he hisses. “Okay, 145 or higher. That’s all. I don’t need a college equivalent or anything.” He’s talking to himself but his gaze stays on you.

“145-easy,” you return. But your fingers are wrapping around the plastic of the cart so tightly that you’re sure that you’re going to draw blood. 

“Yeah, easy,” Calum returns trying to match your confidence. He looks back to his phone and scrolls to see the individual scores. “Mathematical Reasoning 165. Science 163.”

“Okay, okay! Two of four,” you grin. You still know that social studies could be his undoing so you’re praying to high heavens that it’s a passing score. 

“Social Studies. 149.” How close he was to not passing makes his chest squeeze, but it was a passing score. He passed. He actually fucking passed the Social Studies. “I might faint,” he teases, looking up at you. 

“Three of the four,” you beam at the end of the cart. 

“Reasoning Through Language Arts. 166.”

“You passed!” To be as far long as you are, you are still quick to make it around the basket and wrap Calum up in a hug. “You did it,” you exclaim again. The laughter falls in waves as you celebrate. 

Time feels thick around Calum. Like he can’t quite move through it to comprehend fully that he passed. No matter how tight it seemed for him, he passed. He wants to celebrate alongside you but he gets choked. When did he have time for tears? Why does it feel like crying is the only emotion? Maybe it’s overwhelming. Calum’s not sure. 

“Calum Thomas Hood, you fucking passed,” you whisper. Your hands ground Calum--he can feel your thumbs wiping at his cheeks and he knows he’s actually crying. You swim in his vision too. 

“I passed?” His voice sounds so soft, so in disbelief to his own ears. 

“Yeah, you did. You passed. You did it.”

“I-what?” Something soft lands on the end of Calum’s nose. Then he feels it on his lips. Then again on his cheeks. “Holy shit,” he exhales. 

“You should be proud.”

Calum finds the flesh of you with his hands. And you’re real. The rattle of a cart passing is real. He blinks and you’re still there. You’re still smiling and still gently cradling his face. “We’re still in Target right? I didn’t die.”

“Nope, you didn’t die. We are still at Target.”

Calum wraps his arms around your neck in a hug. “Thank you. For believing in me.”

“Of course, love. Always.”

___________________________

Calum’s careful about not spending too much time on social media searching for tweets about him or the band. But when he opens Twitter later that night, he’s shocked to see his own name trending. Usually he can anticipate when it might come up. He can figure out what might be causing the trend. But nothing’s happened recently. Though for a brief moment, he wonders if it’s tour photos or a tour diary that’s causing the trend. Something in his gut contradicts the guess and tells him to check. When the tag opens on Twitter there is shaky video of you and him from Target. From the angle the video is shot, it’s clear it’s him. But then you bolt around the basket and hug him and in those moments, he knows just as much as he had kept this little secret close to the chest, it would soon be unraveling. 

Nearly 6 months, Calum had this pregnancy to himself. His child was only for him and that’s the way it would stay until he wanted otherwise. Though the video is no doubt making rounds on platforms outside of Twitter, Calum knows that the thing that matters more than anything is that his private life does actually stay private. People are of course going to argue that they wanted to know sooner. Others will not care. But it matters--it matters to Calum that his growing family stay in his private sphere.

Over the years, I’ve learned to share what’s impactful and learned to keep what’s too much of me to myself so that my loved ones always get the best of me. My family and loved ones are growing and that is something that I’d like to keep close to me for their sake. 

Calum stares at the tweet. There’s more to say. That he doesn’t want pictures of you posted. That he doesn’t want people asking if you two are married, or going to marry, or why he didn’t say anything sooner. Calum could say he’d rather not share this at all, but he knows part of him will share what he feels like he can afford to share. But it’s never a lot. He could say that he wished it didn’t have to go down like this. But the bottom line remains--this is not for the world and it will never be for them. 

Send. Calum watches the bar load as the tweet loads. Once it’s sent, Calum swipes out of the app and sees who he can reach at the nearing ungodly hours. 

Tagging: @busstop @wonderlandiswhereitsatyo @fandomfoodiedancer @carma-fanficaddict @icelily13 @markaylafruitcup @one-sweet-gubler @sunflowercalum @wiiildflowerrr @rosie-posie08

[bakuhoes-dumbass]

Aberration - Chapter 1

MHA!Various x Fem!Reader

Thriller/Horror/Drama

Criminal!AU

Words: 2.3k

A/N: Yay, here’s the first chapter of my new AU! It might be a little slower at first but it’ll pick up the further we get into it. So I hope you like this!

Warnings: Yandere Themes, Mentions of murder, blood, felonies, bullying, swearing.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of MHA, just this story. In no way does this reflect the characters, writers or VAs of the show/manga. MINORS DNI.

~~~

Aberration Masterlist/Character profiles

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In this world, mutations, renamed as ‘Quirks’, are abnormal. Only about 5%-8% of the world population are known to have these so called ‘Quirks’. You are a graduate of one of the most prestigious science tech schools in the country. You’ve been selected to work for a secret scientific research facility that houses some of the most notorious criminals in the nation. Besides their crimes, what makes these individuals incredibly dangerous are their mutations. After meeting these individuals, they seem to have taking a liking to you. That should make your research and search for the cure all that much easier…

Right?

~~~

Before you stands one of the largest facilities you have ever seen. You take a deep breath, attempting to calm your rapidly beating heart. Adjusting the strap on your bag, you make your way into the research center.

Upon entering, you gasp in wonder. The inside is huge, tall pure white walls that meet at a double paned glass ceiling. In front of you is a wall of security, stretching to accommodate the vast interior of the lobby. You walk up to the nearest security officer and give them your information. Thankfully, you were on a list and after checking you over, you're granted entrance to the building.

That's where you meet a man and a woman, both dressed in white lab coats and carrying clipboards. You bow your head to the two of them and they return the gesture.

"Ms. Y/N, I presume? My name is Shota Aizawa and this is my assistant, Momo Yaoyorozu." The older of the two speak.

You smile at the two. "Yes, nice to meet you. I'm Y/N, L/N, graduate of UA science tech. I am so happy to be here and look forward to working with the two of you."

The younger girl nods and smiles, gesturing behind the two of them. "If you would kindly follow us, we can get started."

~~~

"Ms. Y/N, here's the list of the inmates you will be working with from this point on."

Momo hands you a clipboard containing pictures and descriptions of each individual. Your eyes scan the information on the page in front of you, your brow raising with each word you read. "There is… quite a bit of information on these individuals."

Aizawa nods. "Considering how dangerous the subjects are, it's best to have every detail we can."

You internally cringed at the term 'subject'. These were criminals, yes, but they were still living breathing people. Noone deserves to be dehumanized, no matter the reason.

Shaking your head of those thoughts, you continue to look over the notes in your hands. One in particular catches your eye. " 'Multiple counts of 3rd degree murder by reason of insanity' and yet he's only deemed as a level 4 danger?"

The doctor looks over your shoulder at the character profile. "Ah, yes. Fumikage Tokoyami. He's an interesting one, to say the least." You wait for him to continue, but seeing as it doesn't seem like he will, you gesture for him to elaborate. "Tokoyami himself is actually fairly harmless and incredibly cooperating, which is why he gets a level 4 only. However…" Aizawa looks down the hall of the facility to a door near the end. "Dark Shadow is deemed a level 9."

Your eyes shoot up in shock. "Dark Shadow? A level 9? Explain."

"Dark Shadow is his mutation. It's a completely sentient being that he harbors inside of him. Highly dangerous, more so if there is darkness." He looks back at you. "I'll let him explain the reason why he was instituted. He always prefers to explain the story himself."

The more Aizawa explains Tokoyami's situation, the more your excitement builds up, wanting desperately to meet this man. This was such an interesting mutation and you couldn't wait to hear everything he had to tell you. You take a breath to calm your childish manner and clear your throat.

"If it's alright with you, sir, I'd like-" You look down at your clipboard once again. "'Inmate 06' to be the first one I meet with."

Aizawa nods and writes something down in his notebook. "Very well. Follow me this way please."

You follow the doctor down the long white hallway, your excitement growing with each step. Along the way, you notice each door on the facility that lines either side of the stretched hall. Each door had a narrow window towards the top and a small number engraved underneath. You don't take too much notice and keep following the doctor to your destination. However, an eerie feeling makes you freeze in your tracks.

You slowly rotate your head and look at the inmate's door you stopped next to. The color drains from your face as you see two ice blue eyes peering right into yours. It felt like your breath was stolen, a hint of fear and anxiety built up within you from this intense gaze. After what felt like hours, you snap your gaze back to Aizawa and Momo, who were standing in front of a door you were also supposed to be at.

"I would highly advise you to keep cautious while you are in this facility. While we keep all inmates in cuffs that neutralize their mutations, the technology has not been 100% perfected yet and parts of their powers may leak out. That is why we have additional precautionary measures in place for each inmate." Aizawa gives you an impartial look as you walk over. "Now. The only special precaution with Inmate 06 is the lights must stay on at all times. There are no light switches in his cell, so nothing should go wrong. But like I said, always stay cautious."

You nod your head at the doctor's words and turn to face the door. Aizawa places a hand onto the keypad next to the door, scanning his prints before buzzing and opening the door. You give the man one last nod before making your way inside the room. The room itself is bare. White floors, white walls and an equally white ceiling. Nothing was in there except a desk with a chair and a bed.

On top of that bed sat a young man with the body of a human and the head of a crow. Your eyes widen in awe at the beautiful being in front of you. Tokoyami tilts his head and gives you a curious look.

"Oh. Hello, there. I've never seen you before."

The deep voice of the man shocks you. You bow your head and give the bird man a smile. "Hello, Tokoyami. My name is Y/N. I'm the new scientist at this facility. I'm here to get to know and observe you all to help further our findings for a cure. I hope we can be friends."

Tokoyami blinks. "You want to be… friends? With us?"

"Yeah, of course. Why not?" Your smile never leaves your face.

"Well, maybe because we're all… felons? The greater majority of us being murderers?"

"I truly believe everyone deserves a second chance." You gesture to the desk chair, silently asking if you could sit. The man nods and you greatly take your seat. "Now, would you ever be so kind as to answer a few questions for me, Tokoyami? I would like to get to know you a little better." You take out your pen and notebook, opening to a fresh page.

Tokoyami nods again and you give him a smile. "Just a few standard questions first. Can you please state your full name, age and date of birth?"

"Fumikage Tokoyami, age 22, October 30th."

"What is the name of your quirk and how does it work?"

Tokoyami fiddles with the quirk-cancelling cuffs around his wrists at the mention of his quirk but answers anyway. "It's called Dark Shadow. It's a fully sentient shadow that resides inside my body. It can come out when I call call it or it can show itself on it's own. But it's always connected to me and cannot be separated. It…" Tokoyami takes a breath. "It gets stronger the darker my surroundings are. So the less light, the less control I have over it. If it gets too dark, it completely takes over me, no longer under my control."

The longer you listen to him, the wider your eyes get and the more they shine in wonder. "That is incredible! To have that kind of quirk is truly fascinating!"

Hearing your words of praise would have made Tokoyami blush, if he could. He clears his throat in embarrassment. "Why, thank you for those kind words. Though, I doubt having this...quirk, as you say, is all to be impressed about."

You shake your head. "You may not think so, but really, I've never seen anything like it." You excitedly write a few things down before making eye contact with him again. "Now onto my final question of the day. Can you please tell me the reason why you are here?"

Tokoyami stays silent for a moment, staring at nothing in particular, residing in his thoughts. You clear your throat and he looks up to you. You give him a small, comforting smile and it causes Tokoyami's heart to beat harder. For some unknown reason, he suddenly feels like he can trust you with anything.

"I've been charged with multiple counts of 3rd degree murder." He sighs, recalling that day. "I was invited to a college party on a date, by someone whom I had grown quite infatuated with. I never really was one to socialize and never really had any friends. But I really liked this person, so I went. At first it was going okay, nothing too out of the ordinary. Then, the host decided that playing truth or dare was the way to go.

 So my date dragged me to sit down and join them. Every time I was asked, I always chose truth. And everytime, their questions were about my appearance, my mutation. Laughing at all my answers, mocking my looks, talking about how unnatural I was. The more they asked, the more my anxiety and anger built up. But my stubbornness didn't want to show any weakness, so I stayed. 

Finally, I decided to just choose dare instead. At that point, I decided that nothing could be more humiliating than what they've already done." His sharp, red eyes flickered to yours. "Oh, how wrong I was. They dared me to go into the closet with my so-called 'date'. We were shut in and from then, they decided to tell me how this whole thing was a set up, just to humiliate me. That anyone with mutations like myself should just disappear because of how disgusting we are." He spits out that word like it was rotten food. "Remember how I said Dark Shadow gains control in the dark? Well, with my anger rising and the fact that it was almost pitch black in that closet, I lost control of myself and Dark Shadow took control of me. Next thing I remember, I was standing in the middle of the college dorm party, blood painting the floors, the walls, and the entirety of my class slaughtered."

You almost dropped your pen in shock but regained your composure. You give the poor young man a sad smile. He sighs and finishes off his explanation. "I was arrested and charged with multiple counts of 3rd degree murder by reason of insanity, considering I was technically not in my right state of mind at the time."

The two of you sit there in silence, basking in all this new-found information. You close your notebook and set your pen down, facing Tokoyami directly. "Listen to me. There is nothing wrong with the way you look or your quirk. Just because it isn't the societal norm, doesn't mean it's disgusting or wrong. Remember that."

Tokoyami blinks in surprise."Um, thank you." Those were the only words he could say, as how shocked he was at what you said.

You tilt your head and stare at him. "If I may ask, would I be able to feel your head? I'm very curious as to what your feathers feel like. It would greatly help my research as well."

"Oh. U-um, yeah. Sure."

You move to gently sit next to Tokoyami, so as to not startle him too much. You slowly lift your hand and place it on his head, eyes lighting up as you card your fingers through his feathers. "Oh wow, they're so soft!"

Tokoyami's heart speeds up, his feathers ruffling at your touch. He gazes at you with something akin to admiration. No one was ever gentle with him like this before. After another few seconds, you retreat your hand, Tokoyami almost whimpering at the absence.

"Well, I better get going. I have quite a few more things to do today before my shift is over." You gather up your things and bow your head at the half bird boy. "I greatly appreciate your time and look forward to our future sessions. Have a good rest of your day!" You smile at Tokoyami before heading back to the door and signaling Aizawa to open it.

"Goodbye, Ms. Y/N. I look forward to meeting with you again." Tokoyami watches you leave his room. Once you're gone, he runs his hand through his feathers, imagining they were your fingers.

As the door closes, you turn to Aizawa who gives you a disappointed look.

"What?"

"You touched the inmate. Why in the hell would you do that?"

You place your hand on your hip and give the doctor a stern look. "I was curious about his mutation and wanted to see how it felt."

He sighs and runs a hand down his face. "We try to avoid any physical contact with any of the inmates, as it may trigger something deep within them. Remember, Y/N. Every single one of these individuals are dangerous and unstable. Any abnormal behavior could result in catastrophic consequences."

You sigh and shake your head, giving him a chaste nod. "Yes, Sir. You're right. I promise to heed your warning and modify how I work."

The doctor looks satisfied as he turns on his heel and walks further down the long hallway. You quickly follow to keep up. "Now, on to your next subject. Inmate 04, Eijiro Kirishima." You flip the page of your inmate profiles to see a picture of a red-haired man. "He is of a higher danger level, so make sure to keep your guard up. And for the love of God, under any circumstances…

Do not touch him."

~~~

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[always-outlander]

A Formal Review of “Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone,” Outlander Book Nine - SPOILERS AHEAD

As I finally have a moment to sit down with my laptop, and have also taken an adequate 12 hours to decompress from finishing this book, I am now ready to write up my formal review. 

So with that said, if you are not caught up on books 1-8 (and/or read at a normal pace so you haven’t quite finished Go Tell The Bees), please proceed with caution as there will be spoilers! 

First I will start with a very surface level review, which is that I did very much enjoy this book. Is it my favorite of all of them? No, but I also have a hard time pulling out a favorite (because I think we can all agree book 1 is the best, but beyond that, they are all strong in my opinion). As with all of Diana’s books and true to her writing in general, there were many moments of absolute genius. I found that this book heavily referenced previous book events, and also quite a few of the novella’s she has written over the years. One of my favorites was Claire retelling Jamie of eating her peanut butter and jelly sandwich on the bench in Edinburgh right before finding him again in the print shop, and letting her cellophane wrapper float away in the wind, a moment which we actually saw in season 3 on one of the title cards. Call backs to moments like these in this book felt like special little Easter eggs, and when I read them I was intimately reminiscent of Jamie and Claire’s origin story and just how far they’ve come so far. It raised the stakes, but also provided the nostalgia that gets me every time. 

And while there are many, many good moments here, there are also mediocre moments. I will say that by now I am used to Diana’s writing style, which is highly descriptive and takes the time to explain even the most minuscule of details. This can sometimes make the chapter (and book) feel like it is being dragged on forever - and this book is nearly 1000 pages long - but it is also why I feel so strongly for this book series. Those details paint an incredibly detailed and complete picture, and she paints with that broad brush in every scene, not just the scenes with Jamie and Claire present. There was not as many intimate scenes and conversations between Jamie and Claire in this one either, which was palpable. They are the heart of this story and I personally felt like they were not central this time around. It wasn’t until the third act that they made there typical exclamations of love for one another known and felt, and that did feel odd to me. Jamie was “quiet” in this book, more than ever before. I found myself wishing for chapters from his point of view, so that I had a few more moments with his thoughts.

What also tended to frustrate me, was that there were moments which are insignificant to the plot and somehow earned pages of prose, and I found myself dying for certain scenes or conversations to be longer. Specifically, all of the moments shared between Bree and William. These scenes and chapters were the highlight of this book for me. There is SO MUCH to be said there, and while I do understand that William is still in a state of denial/frustration over his true parentage, its also been YEARS since he last saw Bree. Surely by now he would have questions for her. And surely Bree, as outspoken as she is, would initiate those difficult but necessary conversations with him. I loved the two of them together and their dynamic jumps off the page, but damn it give me more! 

Bree & Roger

Similar to the previous books, this one does take a while to get going. The first half+ of the book does not feel like a true ascent, but rather re-establishes the plot and explains the landscape in which we will move forward in the story. Bree and Roger are back, and we do not get to take part in the hard conversations between Bree and her parents regarding her attack. It is instead implied those conversations take place, and we do get far less of Bree and Roger in this book than I thought we would. Given the events of the last book I was surprised by this, but I also don’t know that we needed to, now that they are back on the Ridge. When they returned, Bree brought a number of books back with her. One of them is written by her late father, Frank. This book becomes significant to Jamie, as he feels it was written directly to him. 

Jem and Mandy are growing so fast, and I loved their dynamic with Jamie, Claire now that they have more to offer to the storyline. As they grow older I feel that they will become some of my favorite characters. Along with Germain, who we got more of this book, but still far too little of Fergus and Marsali. Give me more Farsali! 

In this book, many big moments take place for both Bree and Roger. But because we don’t spend a whole lot of time with them, those moments feel slightly glossed over. Roger formally becomes a minister and takes part in two major battles (one in Savannah, the other alongside Jamie at Kings Mountain in 1780). Bree is diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat, which she thinks might be a side effect of time travel. She also becomes pregnant with their third child, and delivers him (David William Ian Fraser MacKenzie) on September 16th, 1780 at Frasers Ridge. 

William

We also had far less Lord John that I expected, but he is at the center of the plot by book’s end. I am glad that instead, we got more of William in this book. I won’t lie, in the overarching story I didn’t really care for him so far. He came across as incredibly immature in MOBY, and I had a hard time finding anything redeeming in him. When you have a father like Jamie (and Lord John, for that matter), you wouldn’t expect him to be such a damn baby. In this book, however, he is 21 and thankfully the increased age has made him more likable (at least for me). He starts off the book similarly to where we left him, heartbroken over Jane, angry over Jamie Fraser, and looking for his cousin Benjamin despite reports that he had been killed. He has also resigned his commission in the British Army, having decided that he does not wish to be the Earle or Ellesmere now that he knows he is actually a bastard. I found his storyline in this book far more entertaining than in the last. It felt like he had a true purpose for his meandering up and down the east coast, in search of his cousin who (in an exciting and interesting plot twist) is a turncoat, who faked his own death so that he could take up office in the American military. 

This therein creates the subplot, involving Ben’s estranged wife (and fake widow, seeing as he is actually still alive), Amaranthus. She is in Savannah with her newborn son Trever, taking refuge with William’s uncle Hal. Amaranthus tries to entice William with an offer to provide him with a male heir so that he no longer is obliged to be the Earle of Ellesmere. William is attracted to her and wrestles with this offer for the first half of the book. In truth, I hated Amaranthus and thought William should know better than to fall for someone so calculated, but alas. He is a stupid boy, who needs a woman not a lassie, as Murtagh would say. I really hope he does not end up with this woman for a wife.

William meets Brianna in Savannah by the middle of the book, the two of them having been conveniently set up by Lord John and Jamie to be in the same place as the same time so that they can reconnect. Bree has come to Savannah to commission a portrait of a wealthy heiress, and she and William later end up traveling to the American camp so that she can paint the portrait of a fallen general. William stays with her all night, and repeatedly refers to her as his sister in public, a moment which tugged at my heart strings and felt incredibly significant for both him and Bree. As I said before, the scenes with the two of them together were my favorite. I could read a whole book of them getting to know each other.

In a later encounter with Ezekeil Richardson - the Captain under which William performed several intelligence missions for in MOBY - Richardson makes mention that he knows Williams sister, which makes William uneasy. He sends a letter to Brianna, warning her of him and providing her with a sketch of his face. Brianna recognizes the man as one of the men who attacked her at Lallybroch, and informs Rodger that he must be a time traveler. 

Lord John

As mentioned above, we did have far less of Lord John than I would have liked (he is one of my favorite characters), but he is very important as we head towards the tenth book of the series. For most of this book he is with his brother Hal, offering him aid and assistance as he tries to wrap his head around the questionable events surrounding his missing son, Benjamin. He spends much of the book in Savannah, and in the beginning of the book he and William reunite after a long time apart at his house on Twelve Oglethorpe Street. William brings his friend, John Cinnamon, with him as Cinnamon is convinced that Lord John is his true father. This is obviously a point of contention for William, having found out that the Earl of Elsmere was not his true father himself. 

Lord John informs Cinnamon that sadly he is not his father either, but uses William’s time in Savannah to try and re-establish their relationship. He has also spent considerable time with Ben’s widow, Amarathus, and introduces the two of them. Hal eventually receives a letter from Denzell Hunter, the Quaker Doctor who had married his daughter, Dottie in MOBY. He informs Hal that he has been arrested, and that Dottie fell ill in the prison while with him. He asks that he come retrieve her and bring her home so that she might recover, and Hal sends William to Virginia under the protection of a British Commission. 

When William returns to Savannah without Dottie, he informs Lord John of the truth he uncovered; Ben is very much alive, in New Jersey, under the alias of General Raphael Bleeker. Ben is a traitor, and when she realized there was no talking him out of it, Amaranthus suggested Ben fake his death so that Hal would still take her and their son Trevor in. Lord John informs Hal, who later leaves Savannah in search of Ben in New Jersey. While Hal is away, Lord John receives a suspicious letter from a ship captain claiming that his Tomas Byrd (his former Valet from the Lord John Grey Novellas) is in need of monetary assistance aboard a ship in port. Lord John goes to investigate, and is kidnapped by Ezekiel Richardson. 

Richardson has blackmailed John with written confessions from both Neil Stapleton and Percy Wainwright (both from the Lord John Series), claiming they had intimate relations with John. Richardson’s plan is to use John as leverage in an effort to prevent Hal from returning to England and advising the House of Lords to withdraw from the war. He asks John if he is aware of what Claire Fraser and her family are (i.e. time travelers) and tells him that he too, is one of them. 

It seems Richardson’s true mission is to try and abolish slavery. If Britain remains in America and wins the war, then America would remain a British colony and would not engage in slave trading. Existing slaves would be freed under the Slavery Abolition Act in 1833, and the civil war will be prevented. I am unsure how this plot line will tie in with Brianna, as at first it seemed like Richardson came back in time to go after her, and this appears to be an all together different storyline. When John thinks all hope of being found is lost, he asks one final request of Percy; that he find William, and tell him that he loves him. Percy does find William, and in an act of bravery and love for John, tells William where he is.

Jamie

Oh Jamie, the poor guy can never catch a break and this book is no exception. After having been banished from his own community, Jamie is back on the Ridge and set to build his new house with his family around him. All appears to be going well on the surface, but for the duration of this book Jamie is dealing with the inner turmoil caused by Frank Randall and his book, ‘The Soul of a Rebel.’ Jamie reads it and feels as though Frank wrote it to him. In it, Frank calls out many signifiant dates which Claire, Jamie, Bree and Rodger refer to throughout the book. For Jamie though, it is the chapter in which Frank calls out the death of a Jamie Fraser on October 7th, 1780 at Kings Mountain that has him convinced that this is the day and place he will die. 

In the meantime, Jamie is also dealing with Captain Cunningham, a former member of the British Navy, who has hatched a plan to aid the growing Loyalist militia right under Jamie’s nose. It later comes to Jamie’s attention that Cunningham plan to arrest Jamie and see him delivered to Patrick Ferguson (leader of the Loyalist Militia, who will eventually lead the battle at Kings Mountain). Jamie is attacked and wounded but not killed in Cunningham’s effort to capture him, and Cunningham is paralyzed. 

In an effort to protect his family and tenants, Jamie begins to raise his own Militia and seeks out other allies in the backcountry. All the while, Frank’s book is in the back of his mind. He does not tell Claire of Frank’s account on Kings Mountain, as he is still unsure that the James Fraser Frank refers to is actually him. 

He has Bree and Rodger smuggle guns to Fergus and Marsali in Charles Town, and continues to train the men of the Ridge for much of the book. In a turn of events, Ulysses makes a reappearance and is now a Captain in the British Army. It is not a friendly visit, however, and he informs Jamie that according to the Secretary of State for the American Department, Jamie’s land grant had been fraudulently obtained and he is to surrender Frasers Ridge and leave his home immediately. Jamie follows him after he departs and attacks him in an effort to obtain the document and destroy it, but with no such luck. In the attack, one of Ulysses men, Sergeant Jackson, breaks his leg and Jamie brings him back to Claire to help aid him.

When that fateful day at King’s Mountain finally arrives, Jamie is shot multiple times and does in fact die, but Claire is able to save him with her blue healing powers (something I am very curious about and hope we get a more detailed explanation on in the next book). I won’t lie, I cried when he left her for this battle having been inside his head leading up to this moment and watched him draw up a will and testament in the previous chapter in preparation for the end of his life. I did think that if he was convinced he was going die, we would have at least had a scene with him and Bree before he left, but that’s just me being nit-picky. 

In our last scene with Jamie, he is standing on the front porch of the New House, having just discovered that Sergeant Jackson obtained the land grant documents and sent them to Claire as a thank you for tending to his leg. The Ridge is safe, and for a moment it appears that all is resolved. William then rides up to the house in search of Jamie. The ship on which Lord John has been help captive is no longer in port, and William needs Jamie’s help once more.

Claire

Like Jamie, Claire starts out this book with a strong desire to find a sense of normalcy again. With Bree and Rodger back, she knows that something in their time must have gone horribly wrong, but is selfishly grateful that her family is by her side once more. Brianna brought her back a medical book from the future, which she uses throughout this story to help heal the injured on The Ridge. In the first half of this book, we also see Claire take Fanny (who was given to Claire and Jamie by William at the end of the last book) under her wing. Fanny is still struggling with the death of her sister, Jane, and Claire is able to provide her with reassurance, love, and comfort. Fanny proves to be a great help to Claire and Jamie. To me, she is the only real link we get between Jamie, Claire and William in the entire book (save a few comments and internal monologues by them both throughout the book). 

It is in the early part of the book that we see Claire receive her bees from John Quincy Meyers, and begin her relationship with them. Evidently it is tradition to speak with your bees and inform them of the ongoings of your house, so that they feel a connection with you and don’t flee to build a new hive somewhere else. Throughout the book I find her moments in the garden really lovely, as it is a call back to her love of plants and to previous comments made by Jamie, Bree and Frank that she would live in her garden with her plants and herbs if she could. This sentiment is a really sweet part of her storyline, and I love that it serves as inspiration for the title.

When Captain Cunningham starts to rouse trouble on the Ridge, Claire finds a rather odd friendship struck between herself and Captain Cunningham’s mother, Elspeth. The two find a mutual respect between them, and when Captain Cunningham’s plan to capture Jamie is discovered, Elspeth and Claire spend the night together in the living room of the New House, waiting for the outcome. When Jamie arrives back at the house, he is wounded and Cunningham has been shot in the back. Claire is able to help Cunningham as best she can, but unfortunately he is paralyzed. This relationship with the mother of the enemy serves as insight into one of Claire and Jamie’s strengths as a couple - despite the growing tensions and lines being drawn between the sides, they still treat the people around them with respect. Jamie did not need to bring Cunningham to Claire, but he is an extension of her and knows her desire and ability to heal anyone in need. This is echo’d again when he brings Sergeant Jackson back to the house, and Claire and Jamie’s kindness towards him is what ultimately saves the Ridge. Jackson repays them by recovering the land grant, and saving their home from Ulysses and the British Government. 

There are two instances when Claire uses her “blue” healing powers in this book, the first of which when Agnes Cloudtree appears on their door. Her mother is in labor, and is having trouble delivering the baby. When Claire arrives, she discovers that Susannah is having twins, and one of them is stuck. When she is able to deliver the first baby, she discovers the second (a girl), is stillborn. This immediately gives her flashbacks to Faith, and is one of many mentions of Faith in this book. I always disliked that Claire and Jamie do not think of or talk about Faith more, but they certainly do in this book. Together, she and Jamie morn over this baby girl, reliving the loss of Faith together again. For Jamie, it is the first time he truly sees the loss of an infant, as he was not with Claire when she delivered Faith. In her sadness, Claire refuses to put the baby down, and eventually breaths life back into her with her hands. 

The second instance is on Kings Mountain, when Claire joins Jamie on the battlefield and discovers him shot and dying on the edge of a cliff. Some of my favorite Claire and Jamie moments come just prior to this battle, when Jamie shares with Claire that he believes he will die and Claire, in her stubborn way, informs him that he is not allowed to. It was a call back to the first book after Wentworth, and again when Jamie was bit by a snake and nearly died. Diana’s writing in this scene is very vague and so the way in which Claire is able to heal Jamie is not clear, but she lays with him on that cliff face for days, refusing to let go of him and once again, uses her hands to breathe new life back into his body. She had been told by the Native American healer that when her hair is all white, she will come into her full power. By the end of this book, we are nearly there.

Honorable Mentions

- Roger met young Jenny Fraser in MOBY, and he tells Jamie about that day at the beginning of this book, and of meeting his father Brian and Jack Randall. Roger feels that Jamie should should make Jenny aware of their time travel situation prior to seeing him again. This is a scene that I wish we got. We never see Roger and Jenny talk about this together in the book. In fact, we never even see them talk to each other at all.

- Fergus and Marsali begin this book separated from Germain following the death of Henri-Christian. The family needed time apart, as Marsali couldn’t look at Germain without seeing Henri-Christian and Claire volunteered that he stay with them. Marsali eventually sends Germain a heartbreaking note asking him to return to them, and informing him (and the rest of the family) that she has given birth to twins. When we do meet up with them, they are continuing their work for the rebels through print, and Fergus sends a letter at the end of the book stating that he “cannot leave undone the Work of Freedom to which I am called.” I hope we spend more time with Fergus in the next book, and that he can elaborate on what it is he is being called to do. 

- Ian and Rachel are raising their son, Oggy alongside Jenny at the Ridge. Ian is later informed that the village of his former wife, Works with Her Hands (aka Emily), has been attacked and her husband killed. Ian is compelled to travel to New York to see that she and her children are safe, and brings Rachel, Oggy and Jenny along with him. The scene were Rachel meets with Ian’s former wife was very heartwarming, and my love for Rachel only grows in this book. While there, Ian discovers that he has a son by Emily, and is asked to take him with him back to the Ridge. Emily also asks that she be able to name Ian’s son for him (since Ian had named hers), and chooses the name Hunter. 

- Jamie does have a handful of dreams in this book, though it is unclear if any of them are dreams in which he appears in the future. He does have a couple of dreams of Culloden, and a conversation with Jenny where he remembers more of that day. Specifically, seeing Murtagh on the battlefield right before his death. We had not been given this closure in the books like we have on the show, so this passage was really special to me. 

- Jenny meets an Indian known as Sachem while in New York, who immediately takes a liking to Jenny. He travels back to The Ridge with Ian and their family, and meets with Claire. He tells her that he died from a snakebite and was brought back to life, wherein he now sees ghosts. He tells Claire that he sees Ian Murray (Sr.) follow Jenny around often. He also sees a small child following Claire around, though she is faint (implied that it is Faith), and a man with round glasses and a strange hat (Frank Randall). He tells her that it is the ghost of a man who loved her, and means her no harm. Sachem also tells her that this man often follows her husband Jamie, too. 

Final Thoughts

All and all, it was another good read. This book was engaging, descriptive and dense, filled with the characters and writing that make Outlander so special. It did feel like its main purpose was to set up the finale, and I do hope 10 is not the last book, but if it is, ‘Go Tell The Bees’ certainly laid solid foundations. Unlike previous books there aren’t as many open-ended storylines here, and the direction heading into the next book is clear for everyone, not just Claire and Jamie. I just ask that Diana provide us with plenty of moments and conversations shared between Jamie and William, William and Bree, and Claire and William in the next book. Basically, we need William to get to know this family, and they need to get to know him. I think having had William become a man independent of the Fraser influence will make this dynamic incredibly engaging, and now that William is not quite as malleable as he would have been as a young child, they will all be able to teach one another and converse as adults.

I also know that the world building is ongoing and there are hundreds of characters to write about and weave into these books, but we all read because we fell in love with Jamie and Claire. They are of course central to this story too, but I do hope that the next book really zeroes in on them, their love, and their dynamic. Claire’s chapters are always in first person so I feel connected to her always, but I wanted more Jamie in this story, especially considering he is now connected with Frank in such a significant way via his book (and evidently his ghost).

I can’t wait to see how this dysfunctional and ever growing family turn out in the next one. Let’s all pray it won’t take 7 years to find out. 

[saving-word-crawls]

Disney Movie Word Crawl

By: meganwayxo

This is a long crawl. As in, “8 pages in my word processor” long. Therefore, there are two ways to tackle this crawl. You can either complete the entire thing, which may take more than one day, or you can pick your favorite movies and just do those. Either way, you’re going to get a lot of words written because there are so many Disney movies.

I went by a list I found online, so I know some of the eras might not be quite right.

Any hand writers who want to adapt this to their own use – instead of sprinting, just write at your own pace; word war with a fellow hand writer, or simply write for those minutes.

As always, keep track of the number of words you write.

You’re on vacation, and you absolutely aren’t leaving the house. Nothing anyone can do can make you. With no plans to leave the house, you decide to finally do it. You’re going to watch all of the Disney animated movies in the order of their eras, in the order they came out. It’s a lot of Disney to watch in one sitting, but you don’t care! Write for 5 minutes to get started.

The first era of Disney animation is known as the Golden Age. Sprint for 10 minutes as you prepare yourself for the first five films from 1937-1942.

Starting off your binge is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It’s no wonder that this movie won an Academy Award. The animation in this is just spectacular. That scary forest? The details in the cottage?What’s not to love? Well, the Queen certainly didn’t love Snow White. She ordered for the girl’s death for the sake of vanity. Word war for 5 minutes.

Before you know it, you’re off to the second film – Pinnochio. A marionette comes alive and wants to be a real boy, but he has so much to prove that it’s almost too difficult. And how crazy is that scene when they’re inside the whale? Write 200 words.

Don’t mistake this next movie for it’s 2000 remake! Fantasia is the third film of the Golden Age, premiering in 1940. Mickey Mouse is heavily featured in this one, his first time starring in a major Disney movie. Did you know that this is one of the first Disney movies that combined live action with animation? One thing is certain – the quality of the music performed is amazing. Flip a coin on random.org 21:

Heads – Write for 20 minutes.

Tails – Do a fifty-headed hydra.

Oh, Dumbo. Who doesn’t just love that adorable elephant? He didn’t deserve the torment he received from having those ears. Dumbo also serves as a reminder that having fame doesn’t automatically make you happy, as evidenced by how miserable he is when he becomes a clown. Poor little guy. At least he proves everyone wrong when his true talent – flying – is revealed. Write for the duration of the video of the Pink Elephant song 16. Was this movie always so trippy?

Bambi. Why does this one have to exist? We all know why this movie is so difficult to watch. Who wasn’t deeply affected by what happens to Bambi’s mother? Generate a number between 150 and 400 and write that many words as you wipe the tears from your eyes. No matter how old you get, that scene never gets any easier to digest.

And there you have it! More than seven hours have passed since you started watching. Break for 10 minutes to finally stretch those legs.

Six films lie ahead in the Wartime Era, which spanned from 1943 to 1949. Write 60 words.

The first film from this era, Saludos Amigos, was commissioned by the US Department of State. This was a part of a Disney goodwill tour of South America. Mickey Mouse was very popular, and they actually used this movie to counteract South American ties to Nazi Germany. The things you learn throughout the years! Sprint to the next thousand.

The Three Caballeros was another movie that combined live action and animation. Like the previous movie, this one has various segments, a not-so-difficult plot to follow, and a few new characters only seen in these films. The premise is that it’s Donald Duck’s birthday, and he gets presents from his friends in Latin America. That’s a quality concept that you can get behind! Roll a die, multiply by 25, and write that many words.

Another segment film, Make Mine Music is one of Disney’s war propaganda films. Surprised? Probably not, as that does seem to be the theme of this era. Do a Three Digit Challenge.

Fun and Fancy Free is next, and it strays from the segment film format. Instead, this follows two different stories and is yet another example of a mixture of live action and animation. Jiminy Cricket is a key character in the first portion, Bongo, while Mickey Mouse and his friends all star in Mickey and the Beanstalk. Write for 15 minutes. Are you having fun? Do you feel fancy or free?

The first time Melody Time hit theaters, it was a flop. Described as the pop version of Fantasia, it had a $1.5 million budget, but only made $1.8 million. Oh well. Disney can’t win them all! Write 500 words.

The last movie of the Wartime Era is The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. This models the same format used in Fun and Fancy Free, featuring two stories. This movie went on to win Disney a Golden Globe in color cinematography. Do the Carrot and Stick challenge.

Despite having one more movies than the last era, a little over six hours have since elapsed. Take a 5 minute break.

More princesses are on the horizon, as we’re now entering the Silver Age of Disney, spanning from 1950 to 1959. Eight movies are a part of this era, so write 800 words to prepare.

Cinderella is a beautifully created movie with an extremely tragic heroine. Most of the princesses have heartbreaking stories, but who doesn’t cringe when Lady Tremaine sticks the stepsisters on Cinderella, when they tear up her dress? If it weren’t for her mice friends, Cinderella truly would have been alone in the world. Roll a die.

1 or 3: Write 300 words.

2 or 5: Word war for 20 minutes.

4 or 6: Do a song sprint to a song of your choosing.

Another wacky Disney movie is Alice in Wonderland, and it’s not just because the author of the book it’s based on was rumored to be on drugs when he wrote it. Like the Pink Elephant part of Dumbo, this is a truly trippy, truly crazy movie. Sprint to the next 500 as you digest all the characters and situations Alice goes through after falling down the rabbit hole.

There’s obviously a bit of controversy surrounding the next movie in this day and age. Peter Pan’s portrayal of Native Americans definitely goes against politically correct culture. Fast forward through this cringe-worthy part, and write 200 words as fast as you can.

Animals, specifically dogs, take a front seat in Lady and the Tramp. The most iconic scene from this movie is the restaurant part. Try to resist the urge to tear up while these two lovable pooches have a great first date. Write 300 words.

True love’s kiss being the cure for what ails people is a recurring theme in Disney movies, most specifically in Sleeping Beauty. This cartoon version certainly glosses over the darker parts of the Grimm Brothers’ story. Thankfully so, too, as it truly would have stolen the innocence of many of us had we known what some of the missing details are. Write 1,000 words in 30 minutes as you try to forget what you may now know.

Dogs take center stage once again in One Hundred and One Dalmations. From Pongo and Perdy to the crazy Cruella De Vil, there is a lot to love about this movie. The challenge for this movie should be easy – write 101 words!

The Sword in the Stone is a play on the Knights of the Round Table story. It begins with a young Arthur, who must vie with other people in England in an attempt to become the King of England. Oh, did I mention that Merlin himself is also a character? Write for 20 minutes.

If you get less than 500 words, sprint for 5 minutes.

If you get more than 500 words, rest for 10 minutes.

The Jungle Book is the last movie in this era. Once more, animals are brought out to be the stars, even if the main character is a human. How fitting that he would be one who can speak with these animals! Flip a coin.

Heads: Song war to I Wanna Be Like You.

Tails: Song war to Bare Necessities.

Ten more hours have passed! When was the last time you ate a vegetable or went to the bathroom? Break for 20 minutes.

We now enter The Bronze Age, which lasted from 1960 all the way to 1988. That’s a difference of 28 years. Write 280 words.

Cats take center stage in the first movie from this era, The Aristocats. Duchess was always such an amazing mother to those kittens. And who didn’t love the positive portrayal of Madame Adelaide, an old, unmarried woman who loves cats? She isn’t insane; she’s just rich and wants to provide for her beloved pets. If only Edgar wasn’t the world’s most greediest butler, trying to get rid of the animals so he can inherit a fortune. Write 500 words as Thomas O’Malley helps get the kittens back home. Don’t forget to do your scales and arpeggios!

Everyone knows the story of Robin Hood. He robbed from the rich to give to the poor. Is this the right thing to portray to kids? Well, that’s for a parent to decide. After so many hours watching movies, you’re in no position to make decisions for other people. Pick a character and do that challenge.

Robin Hood: Write 1% of your word count.

Maid Marien: Write 200 words.

Little John: Word war for 30 minutes.

Friar Tuck: Do 5 song sprints.

Prince John: Sprint for 10 minutes.

Time for the movie about everyone’s favorite willy nilly silly old bear. That’s right, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Did you know that this is technically another example of segment film? The stories in this were all previously released featurettes that were merged together with extra footage with a fourth feature added to bring everything together. Who knew? Write 100 words.

Older Disney movies have a habit of casting the same people in their films. The man who played Baloo in The Jungle Book also voiced the role of Little John in Robin Hood and Thomas O’Malley in The Aristocats. Our next Silver Age movie, The Rescuers, recasts Eva Gabor, who previously voiced Duchess in The Aristocats, as Miss Bianca. You’re learning so much Disney trivia during your binge that you don’t even know what to do with yourself. Write 600 words, one hundred words for every word in rescue. After all, what would the world be without the Rescue Aid Society?

If it wasn’t for The Fox and the Hound, Disney World in Orlando, Floria wouldn’t have such a famous ride as Splash Mountain, which takes riders through the story. Write for the duration of this view from the ride 8.

The Black Cauldron is a rather different kind of movie, you’re now noticing. Given all the movies you’ve watched so far, you can’t help but notice how much darker this one is. The movie is based not on a Grimm fairytale, but on the first two novels of a series based on Welsh mythology. The series it’s based on has five books, so write 500 words.

The Great Mouse Detective tries to bring a mouse that isn’t Mickey into the spotlight. And it certainly succeeded, as it made back the money spent on it, and then some! The folks at Disney must have been pleased, as it pulled in more money than The Black Cauldron. None of these money things matter to you, though. Not when you’re 25 movies deep on this crawl! Write 250 words as fast as you can.

Write it in less than 10 minutes: Write 100 more words.

Write it in more than 10 minutes: Write 200 more words.

Inspired by a Charles Dickens novel, Oliver & Company is Disney’s musical buddy comedy. The movie stars Billy Joel, one of the most famous singers of the the 1980s. Some might even say he is the epitome of the 80s. Write 80 words, then 160 words, then 240 words.

Another eleven hours have passed by you. How are you even still functioning? Take a 20 minute break.

Welcome to the Renaissance! The Disney Renaissance, that is. The ten films that came during the period between 1989 and 1999 brought us lovable princesses, exceptional songs, and hit after hit. Write 100 words, 10 for each movie.

The Little Mermaid is the first you’re watching from this era, so right off the bat you’re off to a great start. Pick two songs and do the tasks associated with them.

Daughters of Triton: Write 700 words.

Part Of Your World: Sprint for 10 minutes.

Under the Sea: Sprint the duration of the song.

Poor Unfortunate Souls: Write 200 words in 5 minutes. If you fail, sprint to the next thousand.

Kiss The Girl: Write 500 words.

The Rescuers Down Under, while a solid sequel, is the worst performing movie of the Renaissance period. The movie came out on November 16, 1990. When you add up the digits from this date, you get 28. Write 280 words as you try to figure out what went wrong with this film.

Disney was back on top with the release of Beauty and the Beast. This gave us such memorable characters as Lumiere and Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts and Chip, and who can forget Beast? He really needs to work on those anger problems. Word war for 10 minutes, and hope that the last petal doesn’t fall from the rose!

There are two types of fans of the next movie, Aladdin: people who like it, and people who only like it for Robin Williams. It’s true that his genie is legendary. Have you ever read about all the problems between Williams and Disney, though? You should one day. It’s a fun feud to read about. As the movie made over $504 million at the box office, write 504 words. Time yourself!

In 10 minutes or less: Genie grants you one wish. Do any sort of writing challenge you want.

In 11 to 20 minutes: Genie is unsure, but he still grants you a wish. Word war for 15 minutes.

Over 20 minutes: Genie won’t grant you a wish. Sprint to the next 500.

The time has come. It’s finally time to watch one of the greatest Disney movies ever made – The Lion King. Try not to cry during that scene. Oh, you know the one. Write 120 words, 10 for every letter in Hakuna Matata. Don’t worry about how long it takes you to do it. Don’t worry about anything. Apply that problem-free philosophy to your own life.

Pocahantas is a Disney film that’s actually based on a real person, not on a fairy tale. Granted, artistic license was greatly used when portraying her life, but isn’t that the case for many movies made about famous people? The movie is set in 1607, so write 1607 words.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame did well at the box office. By now, though, you’ve begun to not really care about those statistics. You’ve watched so many movies, and you’re barely awake. The film is set in France. You start fantasizing about a European vacation. Where do you want to go? Click here 6 to generate a random country. Refresh until you have a European one, then write 10 words for every letter in that country’s name.

Switching things up to something mythical is Hercules, a film based on Greek mythology. Despite this being a Greek story, Hercules is actually this god’s Roman name; his Greek name is Heracles. Who knew? Roll a die.

Even number: Look at the fundraiser bar on the NaNoWriMo website and write the last three digits of the amount that has been raised.

Odd number: Generate a number between 200 and 500 and write that many words.

Mulan is another Disney Renaissance film that is based on an amazing woman. Again, artistic license is used, but the premise is true. Mulan was a Chinese woman who went to war in place of her father. She brought honor to her family by helping to defeat the Huns. Do a song sprint to I’ll Make A Man Out Of You, one of the most popular Disney songs ever.

With Tarzan coming after such a great movie like Mulan, some might feel a bit disappointed. While it is still a quality film, you can certainly tell that the Renaissance period is drawing to a close. Sprint for 5 minutes.

15 more hours have elapsed. What day is it? Where are you? Rest for 30 minutes because things are about to get weird.

Now that we’re in the new millennium, the period between 2000 and 2009 is known as the Post Renaissance Era. Eleven whole movies fall in this category. By now, I know. You must be very tired. But a Disney movie marathon knows no bounds! You have to keep going. Write 100 words.

Fantasia 2000 is the remake no one asked for and yet we got it anyway. With new music and new stories, though, this is decent enough. With 8 different segments to it, write 80 words.

Disney’s first computer-animated movie, Dinosaur, is up next. This movie follows a group of dinosaurs trying to survive. It’s an extremely intense movie, as some of the dinosaurs are frightening for young children. After so much regular animation, this computer change up is most welcome. Pick a dinosaur.

Carnotaurus: Do a fifty-headed hydra.

Parasaurolophus: Write 300 words.

Iguanodon: Write 1,000 words in 30 minutes.

Pteranodon: Carrot and Stick challenge.

Velociraptor: Do a Three Digit Challenge.

Who doesn’t love the next film, The Emperor’s New Groove? The characters are memorable, it’s a return back to 2-D animation, and the story is hilarious. Running at 78 minutes, write 78 words as you watch this comedy unfold.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire is when things really start to get strange. In this movie, eight explorers with eight very different personalities search for the fabled lost city. Be careful not to drink the nitroglycerin! Write 800 words.

Lilo & Stitch is one of the most successful, most popular movies to come from this animation era. Stitch became a phenomenon! Disney even began to edit him into other Disney films as an ad for the movie. Sprint for the duration of each video. 1 10 2 10 3 10 4 10

Treasure Planet ended up being a box office disappointment. Trying to model the slight success of Atlantis, Disney failed. They ended up losing $31 million! That’s a lot of dough. Sprint for 31 minutes as you cringe your way through this.

By the time Brother Bear came out, Disney animation was basically doing whatever it was that they wanted to do. Rotten Tomatoes gives this movie a rating of 38%, just to give you an idea of what you’re dealing with. Write 380 words.

Disney’s Home on the Range is billed as an animated musical western comedy. That’s a lot going on for just 76 minutes of airtime. This was not the hit Disney was looking for. Movies in this era hadn’t done nearly as well as movies from the Renaissance. With names like Roseanne Barr, Dame Judi Dench, and Cuba Gooding, Jr., surely they had higher hopes for this movie. Write 400 words.

Things are still weird, but Chicken Little proved to be a small hit amongst a few years of slumps. Everyone knows this story, a play on The Boy Who Cried Wolf, so how exactly it warranted 81 minutes of film is something you don’t understand. You’re really getting tired of watching movies. Time for an impromptu, mid-era 10 minute break.

Meet the Robinsons came next. Disney stepped their game up for this one. There were talks of a sequel to this film, that’s how good it was. However, when John Lasseter became chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, he canceled this sequel, as well as sequels to Chicken Little and The Aristocats. Thanks, John Lasseter. Write for 5 uneventful minutes.

Dogs have always been popular characters in Disney films, so it’s no wonder that Bolt did so well in theaters. Who would think to pair John Travolta and Miley Cyrus in a movie? Only the people at Disney. Write 160 words, the amount of profit (in millions) this movie brought in.

Take another 10 minute break. You’re on the home stretch now, and you don’t even know how much time has passed.

We’re now in the final era, the Revival Era. This began in 2010 and is happening right now! Holy cow. That’s exciting. No challenge now, let’s just go.

The Princess and the Frog did so much better than most of the movies from the previous era. Not to mention that this is the first Disney movie where the main characters are people of color. Disney finally caught up with the times… in 2010. Write 270 words.

Continuing with the hits came Tangled. Disney is certainly on a high with these amazing movies. Based on the story of Rapunzel, catchy songs and memorable characters like Mother Gothel make this such an unforgettable movie. Word war for 5 minutes.

Winnie the Pooh, released in 2011, was one of the last movies to feature the classic 2-D animation that the company was known for producing. This was a low budget movie and didn’t earn too much more. It seems as though Disney was simply putting a movie out just to put it out, but that’s their prerogative. Generate a random number between 100 and 200, and write that many words.

Brave deviates from the norm set by most Disney princesses. Merida does not want to get married. Her only ambitions are to live a relatively normal life. All the power to her! Who doesn’t love a girl who knows what she wants? Set your own goal, just as Merida would do her own thing.

Who knew that one of the highlights of this era would be a movie about video game characters? People just can’t get enough of Wreck-It Ralph. Who didn’t find it heartbreaking when Ralph confessed to not wanting to be the bad guy? Wipe those eyes and write 500 words.

Frozen proved to be the best movie Disney ever decided to make, as it’s proved to be such a financial success. Children can’t get enough of it! The challenge to this movie has to be an obvious one – Sprint the duration of Let It Go.

Any movie coming after such a big hit as Frozen has big britches to fill. Big Hero 6 did not bring in over a billion dollars like its predecessor, but it did hold its own and turned out to be fairly popular. People fell in love with Baymax, a health care robot. Write 600 words, 100 for every letter in Baymax’s name.

Finally, the last movie is here! Zootopia capitalized on something that’s always been a big hit with Disney – animals as characters. There’s just something about talking animals that people adore. Financially, this movie did almost as well as Frozen. To have two huge hits in one era, so close together? Disney sure was lucky. For every thousand words you’ve written during this crawl, write 10 words.

You did it, and you’re absolutely exhausted. How much time has passed? What day is it? When do you have to go back to work? You don’t know, and you don’t care. It’s time to sleep for the next 12 hours!