#I DID NOT ACTUALLY HAVE THAT MANY KIT NOTES????? SO I WROTE THESE JUST FOR YOU BEC

[whoslaurapalmer]

Tell me anything about Kit in college au

-she's a senior and a lit major, with a focus in literary studies

-her classmates think she keeps the most organized and neat notes of all time and they are half-right -- her notes are relatively in order (although she puts in a lot of additions with a lot of arrows pointing to things, and sometimes crosses things out because she only writes in pen, but she titles everything) and her handwriting is very nice but when she goes to study or work. everything gets everywhere. she can be found sitting at a table in a hallway corner surrounded by dozens of open books and notebooks and little pieces of paper from analysis ideas she didn't want to forget and wrote down on the most available surface (she always forgets she can write things down in the notes app on her phone. in fact she just forgets her phone in her dorm a lot) and her hair pulled back by a big claw clip that's missing like. four teeth and only still working through kit's sheer force of will because she's had the clip since she was 12 and likes it

bertrand, passing by: can i.....help you with anything kit: no. kit: but if you're going by the coffee shop, i could use a muffin, thank you.

-her favorite snack from the campus convenience store is a frighteningly cheap box of white and milk chocolates shaped like little dogs; expensive and dark chocolate gives her headaches

-she's in the radio club with haruki and bertrand. i have the feeling i can do something very exciting with this decision but i have not yet figured out just what

-she once fell asleep during class and found out she'd somehow still taken notes. she can't read them, but she took the notes.

[writingbyshiloh]

Medical Drill

Summary: Just more Team Germany stuff in the Toledo House

CW: smoking, FEM! Reader (referred to as “pretty lady”), general Berlin-ness, secret relationships, implied previous smut

AN: I ADORE Moscow so he’s featured in this. If it is disjointed it's bc I wrote half a month ago and another half while making bread. No beta. @soraya-daydreams <3.

WC: 1.65

You rub your eyes, trying to adjust to the darkness of your room and what must have happened to wake you up so fast. The curtain you drew last night is firmly in place, all your belongings are where they should be. You start to lay your head back down. You bolt upright when you hear another knock on your door followed by the Professor stage whispering. 

“Vienna! We need you! Something happened to Moscow! He can’t breathe!” 

There is a high chance it’s a drill. You tell yourself. If something is wrong, he will be in your room shaking you awake. 

With a sigh, you heave yourself out of your bed and start rummaging through the “medical kits” scattered around your room. The real ones for the heist are still being assembled, so you have old books ranging from Care and Keeping of Farm Animals, to Don Quixote, labelled by which kit they are and the supposed contents. The order of them generally goes from the head down, no.1 being head injuries, no.2 and no.3 being neck and heart respectively. You pluck no.4 - lungs - off the floor and sprint out of your room. The hall is quiet, meaning Moscow must be at the checkpoint with the Professor. 

You wince slightly as the steps creek while you run down them. But if you can’t get any sleep, you don’t feel back about the others waking up. Stumbling out the house door you don't even register the temperature change and just keep running. 

Moscow and the Professor are sitting at the outside table quietly talking, while every few seconds the Professor looks at his stopwatch. The night is warm with a clear sky so they don’t seem to mind being awake. You run faster outside, trying to make up for lost time. Slaming the “medical kit” on the table you look up at the Professor (ignoring his wincing at how you treat the medical kit) to get your reaction time. 

“This says number 5 on it.” Moscow tells you. You almost break your neck with how fast you turn your head to look at the book. You see the clear Medical Kit 4 label and look back at Moscow to see if he actually is having a medical emergency. He lets out a small laugh and pats your arm as if to apologize for pranking you. You feel yourself smile despite the early hours of the morning. 

“I’m just messing with you. You did well.” He says. You don’t have it in you to be mad at him, and lightly push his shoulder to let him know you see the funny side. 

“Well, good yes. It’s faster than last week's drill. However, in a heist, every moment is crucial to treat the hostages.” The professor tells you moving his fist to articulate his point. Pulling out a seat you sit next to Moscow, who offers you a cigarette. You nod and he hands you one and his lighter. You force yourself to nod and pay attention to the impromptu lecture knowing you’ll never have to work again in a few months.  

The professor only has a few more comments, things you make mental notes about to try next time before he bids you a good (but quite early) morning and leaves to prepare for the class day. 

“Thanks for doing this,” you say quietly. 

“I used to wake up at 4 in the morning for the mines. This is nothing for me.” Moscow tells you. 

“Mind if I sit with you for a moment? I’m wide awake now, I don’t think I could sleep.” 

Moscow nods and you lapse into a comfortable silence. Moscow is kind to you and praises you in front of Denver for getting an education to gently tease his son. He has ended up being your partner for many heist-related team exercises. At first, it was because his son kept ditching him to team up with Nairobi or Tokyo, but now you prefer to work with him over anyone else. Berlin is a close second. 

“How are things going with your boyfriend?” He asks lighting up another cigarette. You frown thinking over his words while you watch the cherry of the cigarette burn. You don’t tell anyone about previous partners you’ve had before joining the heist, trying to keep going through with the future and ignoring your past. 

“My who?” 

Moscow turns his head to see if you’re joking with him. When he seems you’re not he continues “C'mon, you know. The other half of Team Germany.” He adds extra empathy to the team bit. 

You drop your gaze down to your cigarette in the ashtray. Moscow places his hand on your shoulder and gives it a small squeeze. You like Moscow, he’s like one of those uncles who aren’t blood-related but always there for you. He dances with you after three beers and tells you corny jokes. 

“I, um, we have been ‘seeing each other’ for a few months.” You say, using air quotes to describe the nature of your relation to the leader of the heist. Moscow shows no anger or judgement, just his kind eyes so you keep going. 

“It’s supposed to be causal. And I’m keeping it that way ‘cause who knows what will happen inside the mint. I can see why he was married five times. Part of me wants to go along with it, even after the heist. But I can't risk ruining the money.” 

“Are you going to tell him?” 

You sigh, watching the wind blow through the bushes. You tell yourself you will but there are so many what-ifs it's hard. 

“I’ll decide when we're all on the boat.”

Moscow looks like he has something to add, but isn't sure if he should say it. When he opens his mouth to speak, all that comes out is a bad cough. You rub your hand over his back as he hunches over, carefully watching and waiting before you offer him water or a cough suppressant. Much to your dismay, he resisted, trying to get back to the conversation between you. 

"What were you saying?" he asks. 

"I can't remember." you lie, and Moscow is kind enough to understand the topic of the conversation entirely. 

“Let me cheer you up. Have you heard the one about the doctor and the teacup?" 

You turn to look at him, excited for whatever it could be. 

“Darling, you look exhausted,” Naririobi says joining you at the table for a lunch break. You nod slowly as if each movement is exhausting you, which isn't far from the truth. 

“There was a medical drill last night. I couldn’t sleep after.” You tell her. She nods sympathetically as you reach for another glass of water. 

“Go and nap. I’ll wake you before class starts,” she says. Thanking her you push your chair into the table and start to make your way to the stairs. 

You’re so close to your bed that you can almost feel the soft pillow under your head when a hand reaches for your wrist. Too tired to question or pull your hand back you just follow the hand to an arm clad in an expensive suit jacket, to a handsome face. 

You blink slowly, not to be seductive but to try and get some moisture back into your tired eyes. It helps but also puts you closer to an eye twitch.

“Hey pretty lady, where are you going?” he asks quietly. Everyone else is downstairs eating or outside to enjoy the summer but you appreciate his commitment to keeping it hidden. 

“To bed.” 

You watch his lips curve into a sharp smile, thinking you’re going to take him with you. 

“In the middle of the day? When is everyone awake? That’s risky for you.” He gently twists your wrist so he can kiss the back of your hand. “I like it.” 

“I’m going to my bed, alone, to nap,” you correct him, making no moves to pull your wrist back.

“How much time did the Professor say was an efficient nap? 20 minutes?” he twists his wrist to check his watch, shaking your arm in the process. “You can nap and we still have another 30 to spend together.” 

He chuckles as you shift your weight, seriously considering his proposal. 

The rapid heavy thumps of footsteps on the stairs make Berlin drop your hand and turn around. You bend at your side to peep over his shoulder to see who is coming. Denver comes into view first, with Moscow starting to loom behind him. 

You see Denver nudge Moscow to start speaking, some questions addressed to Berlin, something about the phone that will be wired to the Professor. 

“As you can see, I’m talking to Vienna right now,” Berlin says, turning back to you. He looks apologetic that your time together will have to be cut short. 

You wave a hand in front of your face. “I have to nap anyway. We'll continue this later?” 

Berlin smiles at your words, hearing the subtext in them and nodding in agreement. Turning back to the other men, you’re sure he’s still smiling. As he and Denver descend the stairs, Moscow catches your eye and gives you a friendly wink. One that just screams I was young once too. 

Face burning, you rush into your room, kick off your shoes and settle into bed. Even though you know you won’t be able to fall asleep now.  

[vodika-vibes]

So, just like yesterday, I planned to stop writing at noon, and I did, and I'm proud of myself, but I have a Fives idea, and I need to get it out of my head and down somewhere. So...here it is.

And I'm tagging @the-bad-batch-baroness because it's Fives. And because I wrote it for her, lol

It's not fair. Fives grimaces as he sidesteps someone on the sidewalk. Okay, that's not fair. His brothers are good men and they deserve to be happy. And he's thrilled that they are. But it's still just not fair. Dogma found a cute little artist who takes him on dates. Jesse's dating a personal trainer he met at a cafe. Tup is dating a dancer he met...somewhere. And he hasn't found a single person. It's not fair. And yeah, yeah. Life isn't fair, he knows that. He does. He's a kriffing clone. He knows better than most that life isn't fair. He just wishes that it was a little more fair. He sighs and runs his hand through his hair. Whatever. He'll either find someone or he won't, it's not the end of the world. "Excuse me! Excuse me Trooper!" Fives pauses and turns, only to stumble back slightly as a woman crashes into him, "Oh! Oh gosh! I'm so sorry! I wasn't actually expecting you to stop!" "It...it's fine." Fives replies as he holds his hands out, "Are you okay, it couldn't have been comfortable to crash into my armor like that." She's cute, a little plump, and her dark hair is pulled into a messy knot at the back of her head, and she's got a set of round wire glasses perched on her nose. She grins at him, and Fives notices that there's some ink on her jaw. Like, actual pen ink, and not a tattoo. "I'm fine, I have extra padding." She jokes easily. "Ah...well, that's good." Fives replies, slightly awkwardly, "Uhm...was there something you needed?" "Oh! Yes! How much does your armor weight?" "...what?" "Your armor? How much does it weigh?" She repeats. "Uh...about 80 lbs, if I'm carrying my entire kit." Fives says slowly. "And it's plastoid, right?" She asks as she looks up at him though her rainbow colored glasses, "Is it hard to move in? Like when you're fighting?" Her face brightens, "Oh! And that skirt thing you're wearing, doesn't it get caught on things?" "Uh...in order. Yes, it's plastoid. No it's not hard to move in, that would defeat the purpose of us wearing it. And my 'skirt thing' is called a kama and it's a perk of rank, and it only gets caught on things sometimes..." He pauses, and his eyebrows creep up when he notices that she's jotting notes in a notebook, "I'm sorry, who are you?" "Oh...uh..." She smiles up at him sheepishly, and she offers her name. "I'm an author. But, like, when I showed up at GAR headquarters to get accurate information, I was told, very politely, to take a hike, so I thought I'd ask an actual trooper-" "I...see..." He says slowly. "How heavy are your blasters? How much training did you need to use them? What's with the shoulder pauldrons? Do they add extra armor? Ooh! Do they add armor to your neck? Shouldn't everyone have one then?" She rambles. "I...hey...hold on! I can't answer if you keep asking questions-" Fives sputters "Oh. I've been told that I talk too much. Sorry. I will stop babbling in three...two...one..." She presses her lips together, and Fives laughs. "How about, you buy me lunch and I'll answer as many questions you have. And in return you let me read your book?" Her entire face brightens, "You want to read my book!?" "Well yeah, I feel like I should if you're writing about Clones." He grins at her, "I'm Fives-" She takes a deep breath and clamps her hand over her mouth, and he laughs, "Ask your question." "I ran into one of your brothers the other day, and he was super rude, and his name was Frank and your name if Fives and how do you get your names?" She asks quickly. "We pick them ourselves." Fives replies, making a mental note about one of his vod and his rudeness. "You can pick your own names and someone picked the name Frank?!" You blurt, "Oh that's so lame. If I could pick my own name it'd be something awesome, like...Xesh!" At that Fives bursts out laughing, "Alright, alright. You owe me lunch if you're going to make me laugh like this."

[whotookmysenbon]

You've mentioned wisteria and deathcaps so far, so I'm guessing you're more a fan of plant-based toxins than animal- and metal-based ones like what Suna uses. Do you have a favorite to work with?

Ohohoh. Finally, a good fucking ask. Yes! I use mostly plant and fungus based poisons rather than metallic animal sourced poisons. This is for a variety of reasons. I'll break it down by type. (Editing note, throwing this under a read more cut because I got carried away and wrote an essay. Ino says it's rude to clog people's feeds with unwanted ridiculously long posts.)

Metallic poisons.

These are rare in Konoha because of the elements needed to make these poisons. Suna uses them occasionally but mostly it's Iwa and Kumo that are known for their metallic poisons. I don't use them because they're almost impossible for a cloak and dagger assassin like myself to use reliably. I'd be better off just dumping a bucket of acid on someone. They take weeks or even months to show symptoms, but once it's there you aren't stopping it. Metallic poisoning is almost always a 100% fatality. Lead, Chromium, Arsenic, those are all used in infiltration assassinations. The long plan, make it look like an accident type. Although, there was a case in Suna a while back about the Kazekage's brother nearly being taken out by a fast acting Mercury based poison, so I guess there are exceptions. You have to be careful with that though, because it is impossible to build up a resistance to metallic poisons. There is no antidote, no cure other than ripping the poison from the body via either extreme dilution or a prodigiously skilled medical nin.

Animal sourced poisons and venoms

These actually used to be Konoha's calling card, in the second shinobi war. Our huge centipedes are still used for venom occasionally when we want to make an example out of someone and make it clear Konoha did this. There's a problem with them though. The lesser problem is most animal venoms and poisons, while extremely fast acting, are curable with an antivenom or antidote. Still, with how fast they work it's pretty easy to circumvent that. It's not like puff-adder or water cobra antivenoms are included in field kits. No, the real reason this is far more rarely used is because the last real animal sourced poisons expert was Orochimaru. He used poison in everything in the second shinobi war and it kinda became one of his signatures. Then he passed the mantle of venom specialist onto Anko (who still technically holds that title to this day but rarely uses it) and retired to work on his ninjutsu and medical studies and we alllllll know how that ended up. Long story short, venoms and animal based poisons like from frogs and whatnot are far, far more heavily regulated because of how Orochimaru used them (which is stupid, a weapon is a weapon, it bears no hold on the wielder) and a pain to get ahold of unless a mission specifically requests it. So despite Konoha's surplus of venomous giant insects and tree snakes and home to the whole poisonous insect division with the Aburame, we tend to shy away from those stuff. (Except in war time, in which anything goes and if the only thing I have to tip my senbon in is rubbing them on the backs of whatever brightly colored frog I find, I'm gonna use it.)

Plant based poisons:

My specialty! Plant and fungal poisons are many, and easy to misdiagnose. Really fucking easy. Oh you have a fever and some stomach pain? You think you have a cold SIKE IT WAS SHROOMS AND YOUR FUCKIN DEAD-

And! With the forest of death and Lord First's leftover chakra absolutely everywhere, Konoha is great for growing poisonous plants. I personally prefer hemlock and nightshade because they get the job done fairly quickly, and are easy to slip into food. But when I get to have a little more fun with the target... Datura is hilarious, especially when mixed with wisteria. Because what's more fun than killing some asshole in cold blood, when you can make that same asshole wander in circles for three hours screeching at hallucinations and shitting himself and then choking on his own blood. Anyways. There's my little expose. Oh! Chakra poisons are also a thing, but nobody knows what the fuck they are or how to counter them really. Mostly the Aburame are familiar with them and hate them because it kills their freaky bugs.

[heartfullofleeches]

Reader finding Gemini/Gemi's fanfiction

You're helping the demonic scientists clean up their workshop when you trip over a figurine left out in the open; cardboard box tumbling from hand as you fall to the ground. Its contents scattered across the floor; dozens upon dozens of folders with loosely stapled pages about. You pick up the first in front of you; going to pick up another when its title catches your attention.

"TOP SECRET: Seriously do not open this folder or I will kill you and/or cry in either order."

Curiosity peaked, you peel back the folder, reading the first page to yourself out loud.

"Demon Lord X Jimmy. Friends to Lovers, Role Swap." You then go on to read at least four chapters worth of writing about a demon lord taking in a stray human and falling madly in love with them. The human kills off majority of the other love interests, so that limits their choices greatly. The demon also dress up in a maid outfit in one chapter for whatever reason, and shares your name. The human is also surprising very good at poetry.

Before you can turn to the next page, Gemini bursts into the room carrying a first aid kit.

"Y/n! Are you alright? Someone informed me that there was a crash and...."

Gemini's already pale skin goes ghost white at the sight of the booklet in your hand. "W-what do you have there, my dear?"

"I accident knocked over one of the boxes and found these notes. Is there a problem?"

They break into a nervous fit of laughter. "Haha... right... Please put that down."

"But I was just about to get to the part where Jimmy was going to propose at the bakery."

"Please dear tha- Wait, did you say Jimmy? Thats not my character's name.. That must be one of Gemi's.."

As soon as the words leave their mouth, Gemini's head spins around: Gemi's eyes opens and burning with white hot rage. This rage is actually nothing short of unimaginable embarrassment, but to you they look like a blushing bull that was just poked with a hot metal rod.

"Put. That. Down. Now."

You drop the folder, Gemi snatching it up along with as many others as they could carry. That angry beast inside them suddenly becomes timid as they glance at you with a side eye.

"So, you actually read all of those pages?"

"Pretty much."

"Even the chapter one about the garden?"

"Yea."

Their flush worsens.

"Tell anyone about this, and I'll make sure no one ever sees you again."

"That's what Jimmy said when the devil finds the collection of love confessions they wrote under their bed."

[coughdontfeelwellcough]

Sicktember - sick and injured

Fandom: Spider-Man (insomniac game.)

Words: 1484

Authors notes: Welcome to my first sicktemper post for this year! I wrote this after replaying the ps4 game ready for the new one but they're are no game spoilers and both Peter and MJ are aged 23.

I hope you enjoy!

Peter wasn’t going to make it home. He’d just gotten out of a rough fight and Peter was not in good shape. He needed help, he couldn’t exactly collapse on the streets of New York. He refused to go to May, she couldn’t know about he was Spider-Man and that only left one person. 

Peter crash landed on MJ’s balcony, hissing in pain as his body collided with the floor. He’d lost a lot of fights in his time but it had been a long time since he’d felt pain like it. 

“Jesus! Peter!”  MJ was at his side, helping him limp into her apartment. He made it to her couch where she helped take off his mask, wincing at the sight of his bruised and bloodied face. 

“You need a Doctor.” she grabbed her phone and Peter had to reach out to stop her before she dialled 911. 

“Don’t.” 

“I don’t think you’re in any shape to negotiate right now Peter. What the hell happened?” she asked. 

“Met the new guy, calls him Tombstone. Don’t tell Fisk but this guy could give him a run for his money,” Peter replied. 

“And he did this to you?” 

Peter nodded, wincing at the movement. “Him and his thugs.” 

“Did you stop him?” she asked. 

“No, but I imagine Yuri is hot on his tail.” 

MJ sighed and put her phone away, it wasn’t like she’d been able to explain to the paramedics anyway. They’d danced this dance before and Peter hated how defeated she looked every time. 

“What hurts the most? Because to be honest you look like hell.” 

Peter tried to laugh but it just sent stabbing pain through his ribs. “Right shoulder is definitely dislocated, I’d say at least six broken ribs, a few dozen cuts and bruises oh and I’m pretty sure my left leg is broken.” 

“Fuck sake Peter, anything else? Any limbs hanging off I should know about?” 

“I’m all good.” “I highly doubt that.” 

MJ went to fetch her first aid kit, one she kept specially stocked up for the many Spidery related injuries. He remembered the first time he’d drought Curtis Conners and had stumbled into her apartment with claw marks across his chest. She’d screamed and almost driven him to the hospital before he’d managed to calm her down. 

“I’m going to start with your shoulder, just deep breaths and it’ll be over.” MJ grabbed his right shoulder and forced it back into the socket. Peter whimpered and leant back against the couch, heart pounding. No matter how many times she’d done that it never hurt any less.

“I’m just going to rest your leg for now and then we’ll get you changed in a bit, let me first clean you up a bit,” she said. 

MJ took a damp cloth and started cleaning the blood and sweat from his face.

“Peter, you’re really warm.” she said, touching his forehead with her wrist. “In fact you’re burning up, are you ill?” 

“I dunno know, maybe? I wasn’t feeling so great earlier but then the whole Tombstone thing happened and I kinda forgot about it.” Though now she’d mentioned it Peter was suddenly aware of how achy and clammy he felt, a headache forming behind his eyes. 

MJ sighed, pushing her hair back from her face. He knew that look, she was disappointed in him. 

“MJ I’m..” 

“If you say sorry right now Peter Parker I will end you. It’s just how do you go out and fight mob bosses without realising you have the flu?” 

Peter shrugged and coughed roughly into his fist. Each one sending a stabbing pain through his ribs and tearing at his throat. 

“You sound awful,” MJ said, patting his back as the fit ended. 

“Well, I feel great,” he replied, wincing. 

“Shut up so I can take your temperature and see how high your fever actually is.” 

Peter did as he was told, only coughing lightly as she placed the device under his tongue. A minute later and it beeped a red 103.4 flashing up on screen.

“You don’t do anything by halves do you?” MJ asked, frowning. 

“One of the joys of being me, I might heal quicker than most but it means I get sick quicker too.” 

“I remember, we were sixteen and on the ferris wheel in Central Park when you suddenly and violently came down with the stomach flu…” 

“Ew, don’t remind me.” Peter groaned. 

“Well it’s burnt into my memory, I’ll never be able to wear strappy sandals again.” 

Peter wanted to laugh but only ended up coughing, thick and chestily into his elbow. 

“Okay, I think it’s time to get you out of your suit. You can’t be comfortable and it can’t be doing anything for your fever.” 

“Whatever you say Doc,” Peter sniffed. 

“Do you think you can stand?” MJ asked. 

“I once fought Rhino with my leg broken in half three places and a concession, I think I can manage this.” 

It took both of them to get Peter on his feet, MJ had her arm around his waist as all remaining colour leaving him face the moment he tried to put weight on his injured leg. 

Getting him changed was a challenge, Peter couldn’t stand for any length of time and could barely go a minute without coughing. By the time he was dressed in some spare comfy clothes he was exhausted and trembling. His flu symptoms were truly starting to hit him, his head felt fuzzy and he could feel the congestion starting to settle in his chest. MJ joined him on the bed, rubbing his back as he coughed miserably into his wrist. 

“How are you feeling? Honestly,” MJ asked. 

Peter sighed, his voice weak and shaky with pain and illness. “Not great.” 

“Can I get you anything?” 

“Some tea would be lovely,” he rasped, the pain in his ribs was the worst and he struggled to keep the tremble out of his voice. 

“Okay, tea coming up,” she replied, kissing the top of his head. 

“Can you help me back to the couch?” he asked. 

“Are you sure? I thought you might like to lie down.”

“I’m not taking your bed MJ, the couch is fine.” 

MJ gave him the look again but he refused to back down, it was bad enough he’d dumped himself on her in such a state. He wasn’t about to make her give up her bed as well as everything else. 

“Okay,” she sighed. “Come on.” 

They stumbled back to the living room, MJ managing to get Peter back on the couch as he coughed and struggled to catch his breath. She helped him get comfortable and even got a stack of pillows to rest his broken leg. 

“Do you have a blanket? It’s freezing,” Peter asked, 

“That’s your fever talking,” MJ replied, still she returned with a blanket. 

She wrapped around his shoulders before running her fingers through his hair, checking his fever.

“You’re getting worse,” MJ sighed. 

“It’s a talent of mine,” Peter rasped. 

MJ gave a weak smile and kissed his forehead. “Do you want to try some medicine? You’re really burning up.” 

Peter gave a stuffy groan. “You know it won’t do anything.” 

“Humour me okay?” she said, putting a couple of Tylenol in his palm. 

Peter nodded and did as he was asked, and he leant back against the couch, his expression miserable as he failed to mask the pain. MJ squeezed his hand, he knew she hated it when he got hurt and even though he had healed faster than most it didn’t stop her from worrying.  

MJ finished making the tea and returned to Peter hacking up a lung, the sound as harsh and congested as ever. He barely managed to calm his breathing, a nasty wheezing coming from his lungs. 

“Here, drink your tea,” she said, passing the steaming mug.

“Thank you,” he croaked.

“Losing your voice? I never thought I’d see the day,” MJ teased. 

Peter pouted, giving her his best sad puppy eyes. MJ just laughed and brushed his hair out of his face, running a hand over his feverish skin. 

“I hope you’re feeling a bit better.” 

Peter nodded, coughing pitifully into his wrist and almost spilling his tea.

“You know, you are terrible at looking after yourself.”

Peter smiled, leaning over to rest his head on MJ’s shoulder. 

“It’s okay, I know you’ll be there to look after me.” 

MJ wrapped her arm carefully around his shoulders, kissing the top of his head. 

“Of course I will,” 

Unfortunately getting injured on the job was just part of being Spider-Man, it never lasted long but it was always good knowing he had someone to go to. Peter rarely admitted it himself but he needed Mary-Jane Watson, she was his other half and he could always count on her to put him back together. 

[truebluewhocanoe]

The Doctor Who FFXIV Glamour Collection - Masterpost + Commentary

Alright, here it is. I’ve teased it, I’ve talked about it, and now you’re getting it: the Doctor Who glamour collection. In case you didn’t know, two of my most persistent hyperfixations are Doctor Who and Final Fantasy XIV. Heck, I even wrote a crossover between them. Then, I made a meme post assigning a job (in-game class) to each Doctor. Which of course, planted an idea in my head: why not make an outfit for each of those jobs I assigned, each based on the corresponding Doctor? And thus the Doctor Who glamour collection was born.

Note that while the outfit is based on the respective Doctor, changing your character’s design/race/gender (beyond switching haircuts and minor stuff) costs real-life money, so you’re stuck with my Au Ra gal as the model. I did make an effort to at least have a matching hair color, though. (With occasional highlights for spice.)

I’ve made each outfit its own post (mainly because tumblr image cap), and will be linking them from here, the “masterpost” (which will actually come out last.)

First Doctor - Scholar

Second Doctor - Bard

Third Doctor - Monk

Fourth Doctor - Dancer

Fifth Doctor - Paladin

Sixth Doctor - Red Mage

Seventh Doctor - Black Mage

Eighth Doctor - Dragoon

War Doctor - Dark Knight

Ninth Doctor - Astrologian

Tenth Doctor - Gunbreaker

Eleventh Doctor - White Mage

Twelfth Doctor - Sage

Thirteenth Doctor - Summoner

If you just want to see the pretty pictures, click on those links! Everything below here will just be explanations and details.

A lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into acquiring the gear for each set, leveling each job to a high enough level to use said gear (can’t glamour a higher level gear’s appearance onto a lower level gear), and of course, taking the pictures. Taking the pictures was difficult for several reasons, but the major lynchpin was the fact that I used external tools (aka mods, which are kind of a no-no) to give an era-appropriate look for some of the shots of each Doctor. Hopefully it comes off well!

Oh, and if you’re curious: the most expensive single gear pieces were War and 9’s chest pieces. Damn modern-looking gear is always pricey! I dropped a lot of money at the Aesthetician to change haircuts, too.

The specific setup for the eras was as followed:

1st/2nd: Monochrome, RetroCRT, Film Grain, sometimes Cathode

3rd/4th: VHS_RA (chroma blur at 20), Colourfulness, LumaSharpen, Radiant GI

5th/6th/7th: VHA_RA (chroma blur at 10) Colourfulness, LumaSharpen, Radiant GI, Film Grain, sometimes Cathode

War: LumaSharpen, Colourfulness, Tint (Sepia)

8/Nu Who: LumaSharpen, Colourfulness, Radiant GI, and occasionally HexLensFlare

The gear and dye used for each glam will be listed in its corresponding post.

If people are interested, I might consider doing glams and photo shoots for the Fugitive, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and/or any other extended universe Doctors! I also have some ideas for some companions that I might use.

Here’s some extended reasoning on the job choices for each Doctor, including both lore and in-game mechanics:

First Doctor as Scholar: Scholar is a healer, and in fact one of the first healer jobs in FFXIV, so I figured it would make sense to give the first Doctor a job that closely aligned with the fact that they’re, y’know, the Doctor. But, with regards to gameplay, Scholar’s kit is considered by many to be a little janky. So, perfect, for the wobbliest-set days of the First Doctor!

Second Doctor as Bard: Bard is very much a support class, which keeps with the theme of sticking close to Doctor-y jobs early on. Otherwise: yeah, it’s because of the recorder. Also, the Second Doctor is a bit more trickster-y, and Bard is a job that involves planning ahead and also keeping well on top of all your cooldowns, which I think Two would be able to pull off!

Third Doctor as Monk: It’s because of the Venusian Aikido. And all the spirituality in his era, as well, but mainly the Aikido. Monk is considered to be one of the more difficult jobs to play, to the point of your computer’s frame rate factoring into extreme high-end play, but if any Doctor could manage that, it would be the Third.

Fourth Doctor as Dancer: I will freely admit this is one of the more arbitrary choices. Overall, I think the Dancer job’s vibes and flow fit well with Four’s Bohemian spirit and flowing scarves. 

Fifth Doctor as Paladin: Paladin is seen as kind of the most vanilla job in the game with the most straightforward flavoring, which I thought fit Five’s vibes. Paladins are the typical sword-and-board job, but I chose to not display the shield, to better evoke a cricket bat. And, as Paladin’s name implies, it has better party defense buffs than, say, Dark Knight, which does fit a Doctor with as crowded a TARDIS as the Fifth.

Sixth Doctor as Red Mage: Totally not biased here, Red Mage is one of my two mains, but regardless of that it’s a perfect fit for Sixie. Red Mage is a damaging caster job, but is actually consistently the weakest caster in exchange for great utility, including the best resurrection spell in the game. A flashy mage with a support focus is perfect for our loud technicolor shouty man with a heart of gold! Red Mage’s Limit Break (big super move) is kind of infamous for being so bright that for the few seconds when it’s going off, it’s difficult to see what’s going on in the fight, sometimes leading to deaths… which is very funny and fitting.

Seventh Doctor as Black Mage: Probably the easiest and most obvious job choice on this entire list, Black Mage is considered a difficult job that takes a lot of time to master, and often requires you to plan out your movements and attacks in advance to react to the mechanics of the fight. (In some of the most difficult fights in the game, Black Mages will often plan out every button they push for the first several minutes in order to maximize the effectiveness they’re getting out of every resource in their kit.) This makes Black Mage the no-brainer choice for our favorite little master manipulator. (Alas, no umbrella staff in FFXIV… yet.)

Eighth Doctor as Dragoon: I originally had Eight as a Reaper, but in trying to take the pictures, the vibes just didn’t match. So I pivoted him to the job that shares Reaper’s gear: Dragoon. Gonna be honest, this one was just vaguely gothic, and also what are vortisaurs if not time vortex dragons?

War Doctor as Dark Knight: Dark Knights have the aesthetic of a brooding edgelord, but lore-wise, they gain their power from their desire to protect the innocent and punish the wicked: a desire born from love. Fitting for a vilified Doctor who only ever wanted to do what was right…

Ninth Doctor as Astrologian: Astrologians use magical power channeled from distant stars to cast time magic, predict the future, and heal the wounded. Fitting for basically any Doctor, but especially so for the one who delivers the line about feeling the turn of the Earth. Furthermore, Astrologians deal the least damage of any job in the game: perfect for the most pacifistic and peace-seeking Doctor of them all.

Tenth Doctor as Gunbreaker: Here’s a fun one, a gun “breaker” for the “Man Who Never Would [Fire A Gun]”. What weapon does a Gunbreaker use? Oh yeah, a Gunblade. More like “The Man Who Totally Would And In Fact Has.” I think this juxtaposition highlights the Tenth Doctor’s emotional, even vengeful nature… and to add another layer: while Gunbreaker is a flashy, high-damage job, it is, at the end of the day, a Defender job. Calling back to Five’s Paladin, perhaps? (Also, Gunbreakers wear long coats, and the Tenth Doctor wears long coats.)

Eleventh Doctor as White Mage: White Mage is my other main, so I mean it with love when I say White Mages are the epitome of healers with a god complex, who mainly only keep the party alive to feel that sweet sweet satisfaction of saving peoples’ lives… and also to charge up their super big attack that can only be charged by healing. Meant to be a bit evocative of Eleven as the epitome of the Lonely God idea. Also, White Mage is a dead easy job to play, that even Eleven’s hyperactive brain could handle.

Twelfth Doctor as Sage: Okay, now we’re getting into the juicy stuff. Sage is the other shield healer in the game, the first being Scholar. But Sage is newer, flashier, more anime, and smoother to play. Are you thinking Twice Upon A Time yet? Sages, flavor-wise, are the epitome of combat medics… just as the Twelfth Doctor is the one to make the title of “Doctor of War” his own. Time is a flat circle! Thirteenth Doctor as Summoner: Also tying in with the First Doctor, Summoner and Scholar share an experience pool: so long as you have both unlocked, leveling one also levels the other. But while Scholar is a healer, Summoner is a (damage-dealing) caster that focuses on summoning entities to help you out. As the Thirteenth Doctor was born of the Twelfth Doctor’s resolution to his character arc- and with a chance meeting with the First- Thirteen being a Summoner would show how she carries that legacy but also has a fresh start with some fun new friends. (Also, Summoner is the easiest job in the game, and while Thirteen isn’t the most ADHD Doctor, she’s definitely up there.)

[bleachbleachbleach]

9/24/2023

WOW HAHA the last two weeks have involved many things, some of which were really upsetting!! And irrespective of those, I am so tired! So very tired! And I wanted so very badly to give myself writing time this weekend; that desire is what kept me pushing through and working and working, but seeing as it is 10pm on Sunday and I remain extremely behind on work, I was unable to make this happen. But due to losing the will to live and procrastinating, I did organize the tea cabinet, the pantry, and the car emergency kit, and went to Costco, so not a total loss. And I did catch up on many Tumblr posts I wanted to write tags for, which was very nice. And just now, I wrote down some shower thoughts for the fic that would follow the WIP I'm writing now!

There isn't really an "intentional" sequel, in the sense that I've planned for there to be a written-out fic after my current WIP and have committed to writing it. It's mostly "scene bleed stuff I know exists in the universe of this fic but is not actually IN this fic." The notes I wrote tonight ended up getting a bit more specific, though. They also feel incredibly campy, so we'll see if that ever ends up being exciting to me, but I WILL say that Rukia's storyline in the would-be sequel would make Kira's having a chapter in my current WIP make a lot more sense. How Rukia's and Kira's storylines would connect practically in addition to thematically, god only knows. XP It's also very unclear to me who the primary characters would be in such a fic. There's a version of this post-WIP that is narrated solely by Hinamori and Matsumoto, though if Rukia has one of the main storylines that's not going to make any sense unless they all suddenly become much better friends. Which (and not I'm just free associating right here as I type this post) could be kind of fun, if the three of them were narrators. I don't know if I'd want it to be a straightforward adventure plot like this one is, or something weirder, though.

Before I decided I wanted to write a reasonably straightforward adventure story, there was a version of my current WIP where instead of 8 characters telling sequential parts of a long story, 8 characters told the entirety of the story eight times over--except it was never actually the same story because their experiences/foci were so different. I don't think that specific conceit would make sense for a Matsumoto Hinamori Rukia story, but feel like I could get behind some kind of other weird thing for them.

BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER

THAT IS SO FAR INTO THE HYPOTHETICAL FUTURE

IT LITERALLY DOESN'T MATTER

FIRST THINGS FIRST

I'm going to try again this week. Work on Renji chapter. Wednesday night, maybe? Friday night, maybe? Sunday, I hope!!

[wc-wild-rewrite]

Into The Wild Reread!

Its actually been like 6 years since i last fully read this series, so it was fun going back through! Overall i give it a 9/10, one point removed for slightly clunky writing and scene changes.

HOWEVER, Every single sentence that includes Spottedleaf is awful and uncomfortable, so it's actually getting an 8.5/10

Please note that i wrote the notes as i read it and have not edited them

My chapter by chapter thoughts and notes are under the cut!

Prolouge

Iconic opening prologue, but we're really stretching the definition of bracken-colored for mr reddish-brown oakheart here.

When did the clans meet otters

I wonder how Mousefur feels about the last fight alongside redtail being the one where tigerclaw saved her

"Fewer kits than normal" bluestar theres 5 of them i'd say thats a decent number, 6 if we're counting Lynxkit

I dont remember many of the prophecies but i hope they use more star ones, the shooting star is a cool one

Chapter 1

They really love their full stops huh, its slightly jarring, as someone who writes with so many commas

I still love their descriptions of the enviroment

I like how they show Rusty's ignorance towards the necesscity of prey by having his first scene be him toying a live mouse, and that being why he lost it

Rusty, collars are not supposed to pinch, your being mistreated

I dont think ive ever seen anyone remember to add the 'lightly raining' part into an animatic or comic or anything

I like to think he spotted Bluestar in the trees when he says it feels like something's in the woods

I like that rusty's sorta mean, real tween energy

They better bring this fox back

This is painfully lore-dumpy but i love greypaw's total disregard for rusty's anger. And for his disregard for clan code, talking to a kittypet when he shouldn't be. Sets up his later code breaking.

I'm always really concerned about rusty's "just sit there and look hungry" comment, like buddy why do you know that??

Lionheart is canonically handsome

I really like how majestic and respectable bluestar is shown to be in this scene, i can feel her power

Bluestar has been keeping an eye on rusty for a while, spurred by the prophecy, i'd imagine

Chapter 2

I cant tell if bluestar snapping at him so fast is because of how despserate thunderclan is in that moment, or if its a hint to how fast she can turn against people.

Rusty's willignness to look a wildcat in the eye and argue is very interesting, i see where squilf gets it from

'Young kit' i love lionheart

Chapter 3

I like to think the yellow eyes in his dream are yellowfang's

Kittypets know what hours are, i wonder if the clans do

I love smudge, poor guy

They have pine trees on thunderclan territory

I kinda like asshole longtail, hes fun

Great job longtail, you got your ass kicked by a fresh apprentice

Only finished his training two moons ago means longtail is 14 moons, and was probably a solo apprentice. I can see why Bluestar is afraid of not having enough, if the last batch of apprentices only had one.

Interesting that they were so quick to accept Firepaw, but only after he proved himself in a battle. Very telling of their culture.

Graypaw never describe Spottedleaf ever again, its very uncomfortable, "not bad looking either" you are a child

"Neither young nor pretty" this line is especially funny now that grey and dark are brothers, like yeah, thats peak little brother energy

Chapter 4

Ok whos this ginger queen, shes been mentioned twice now

Firepaw stop asking for lore a cat just died

Now i wanna see a redstar au

I like how sassy spottedleaf is with tigerclaw

Tigerclaw in this scene feels so much like Scar, i wish they kept this

I like the lore of the leader's den being carved from a river, wonder if DOTC is consistent with that

Love the sharing tongues and eating lore, the idea of older warriors inviting younger ones to eat with them being an honor

I like that the elders are perfectly fine with firepaw

Interesting that sandpaw isn't actually described as cream or sand colored, but 'pale ginger'

Again, loving the eat rituals with the apprentices eating by the stump

Sandpaw's such a bitch i love her, such a tween mean girl, i can only imagine her with a high, bratty voice

Chapter 5

Two toms sitting in a hollow a few tail lengths away cuz their not gay

Birch, ash, and oak trees are added to the 'trees thunderclan has' list

"Thats treachous talk, kittypet" says the guy who tried to take over all the clans, thus sharing a territory

I like that lionheart supports firepaw's thinking

Thunderclan smells warm, Shadowclan smells sour, Riverclan is...pungent, i guess?

Dust and Sand are such brat siblings

Love the implication that windclan and thunderclan have different stalking types due to their difference in prey, light footed for thunderclan, and maybe heavy on the back legs to make a better kick-off for a run for windclan?

Ravenpaw has been an apprentice for 2 moons, meaning hes 8 moons old, and he probably became an apprentice on the tail-end of longtail's apprenticeship, or just after his warrior ceremony

Chapter 6

Two moons passed, 8 moons old, Raven should be 10 moons

Firepaw can scale ash trees with ease

One of lionheart's favourite phrases is "surprise is the warrior's greatest weapon"

Ok good, the fox was relevant

Thunderclan cats apparently climb trees often, given that halftail apparently used to

Chapter 7

"Easy prey for yellowfang" girl why are you in third person

2 moons in and he already doesnt want to feel pity towards a clearly unwell cat, i can totally see an au where he becomes one of tigerclaw's followers

"You seem in an awful hurry to die" is one of my favourite lines

Arch-cat of stench

Chapter 8

Patrol of tigerclaw, willowpelt, darkstripe, lionheart, and bluestar. One hell of a combo

Yellowfang was spoken of for her bravery and wisdom as a medicine cat, interesting

I like the respect Spottedleaf gives Yellowfang, aware that shes another medicine cat. They've no doubt met before this.

Sympathetic eye narrowing

"We found no bodies from either clan" i call bullshit

"Usually she only trains the kits of her deputies" again, bullshit, but interesting concept

Leaders talking with all their senior warriors and not just their deputy for advice

Cultural respect for healers and elders

Chapter 9

They know the word breakfast

Little grey-and-white kit and a tabby kit, probably swift and one of the frost brothers

"Certainly no hardship being around spottedleaf again" you've exchanged about 3 sentences with her

Willowpelt in patrol with her son again

The double mouse eating scene is always so funny to me

Chapter 10

Queens line their nests with balls of down, which are apparently duck underfeathers

Wow, two-ish moons and firepaw doesnt remember smudge at all

I like the parallel between rusty & greypaw and smudge & firepaw

Its actually kind of unsettling how fast he's forgotten his old life, like wow the cult indoctronation really worked huh

Chapter 11

Ravenpaw tripping over his snake, baby boy

Fluffy gray kit, likely cinderkit, no more than 2 moons, meaning they were newborn when rusty joined

Also a tiny black kit and a tortieshell, mystery kits

Rusty's been there for almost 3 moons

Bluestar has serious trust issues huh

"I think i could grow fond of her" ok yeah i see why bluestar x yellowfang exists

Clawface and Stonefur are considered great warriors, at least to Greystripe

Chapter 12

I forget at this point in the book tigerclaw isn't actually known as a bad guy, hes just grumpy and mildly suspicious

Crookedstar is bigger than Lionheart, which means hes fuckin massive

Brokenstar has been leader for 4 moons as of this chapter, meaning he probably became leader around the time spottedleaf got her prophecy. Causation, perhaps?

Eugh can we stop describing spottedleaf as sweet scented

Ough, littlepaw was definitely lying about his age there

Lionheart banter!

Ravenpaw being a good storyteller is my favourite thing

Ah, brokenstar, you mangy bastard

I like that he paused for dramatic effect though, drama queen

I cant tell if Smallear really is deaf or if hes playing it up so he gets left alone

Chapter 13

"But even he will obey bluestar" only for 3 more books

I like that travelling to the moonstone is one of the apprentice milestones

Spottedleaf get your nose off that apprentice

Chapter 14

Leaders cannot eat before the moonstone journey, interesting

Wow, what a dickhead twoleg, also possibly drunk driving

Chapter 15

Love the idea that tigerclaw is just fucking terrified of the moonstone

So bluestar just implied tigerclaw is spiritually weak, interesting

I love the description of the moonstone, it makes it sound so ethereal

Chapter 16

Barley is short and knows Bluestar

"You are tied to your clan like a queen to her kits" oh you have no idea barley

Barley i love you and your inexplicable rat fighting skills

Firepaw knows how to put cobwebs on

This chapter implies coming back from losing a life can take hours

Chapter 17

Blackfoot you asshole put those kits down!!

Yellowfang i adore you

R.I.P rosetail, we didnt know you existed until this chapter

Nooo grandpa lionheart, poor guy

I think its this point that starts the beginning of bluestar's fall, honestly

Chapter 18

Ah, here's tigerclaw's beginning of evil, starting with appointing his cronies as bluestar's bodyguards

Ooo yellowfang still has pain from that leg injury

Wow Yellowfang just called Blackfoot a stupid tank

Darkstripe really just got call shitstripe, huh?

Oh shit, i always thought darkstripe and longtail were aware of tigerclaw's actions from the start, but hes playing them too

Chapter 19

Spottedleaf you cant just tell apprentices about prophies and not give any context

The authors really dont know how to do a scene change, huh?

Firepaw fights light-pawed

Chapter 20

I cant tell if its clunky writing or intentional but the way ravenpaw describes redtail's death is very storyteller-y

Never use the word suppleness again

Brindle really just had her kits silently huh

Elders wash their ears when their expecting rain, more lore thats never mentioned again

Really cute that whitestorm is sitting guard for his mate and kits

Its been like 4 minutes since firepaw stepped out of the nursery, brindle's in there, how the fuck did the kits get stolen

Firepaw you shared 7 sentences with her, why are you so furious

Chapter 21

Can these grown adults stop sending minors on dangerous missions

"Goodbye, my sweet spottedleaf" EW. EUGH. AUGH.

"One of brindleface's kits has a cough" considering tulipkit dies, yeah, she wasnt lying

Something something clawface being a warrior greypaw respected only for him to kill the med cat and kidnap kits

Frostfur's kits are three moons old

Chapter 22

Brokenstar makes them apprentices at three moons and warriors at five

Marigold and Mint were four moons old

Chapter 23

Third time Willowpelt and Darkstripe are in a patrol together

Oh Whitestorm, your not the smartest tom in the clan, are you

Chapter 24

Brokenstar nearly got scar-at-the-end-of-lion-kinged there

It'd be cool if mr lil tabby kit kept the ear scar, i know he doesnt tho

Chapter 25

Tigerclaw really putting on the sad dramatics there

Fireheart and Greystripe, iconic and fitting names!

My thoughts

Solid 9/10, not perfect, bit clunky, but iconic and nostalgic. Im shocked i remembered basically all of it, even tho last time i read the whole thing was about 6 years ago

I think the chapters are too short in places and cut in weird parts, and the authors cant do a scene change for the life of them, but this was 2009, so its fair. Lets just hope they improve (said the fool, foolishly)

Oh, and the spottedleaf thing was terrible and uncomfortable.

[faithfromanewperspective]

you are my unfinished business: prologue

so i did a thing! i'm still figuring out a03 so i hope the link works:

or read the prologue here! below the cut. just wanted to thank @ibrushmyteeth-donttellanyone for the initial inspo behind it, as well as convos with @thevagabondexpress and @daisymydaisycarstairs and @luciehercndale for helping me realise what i could contribute by actually posting the fic i half wrote while procrastinating my thesis that ended up being longer than my actual thesis

more notes on why i wrote it etc on the a03 site, but hope it can be something someone more than just me finds healing so here goes:

p r o l o g u e

Christopher Lightwood was a scientist, and he observed things. When he was a child he had observed his uncle Henry in his laboratory mixing things together, and was first struck by conviction: I am meant to be doing that. He loved the feeling of invention, the feeling of possibility and wonder. He loved how he could lose himself in a method, in the tedious steps that together would make up a new way of putting the universe together and yield results no one had ever seen before. Of course, often the thing no one had seen before was just different coloured explosions. He supposed someone else might grow impatient with the lack of results, but Kit had never felt that. He found that doing nothing new was the most frustrating experience of all, and after all, he had started his scientific career by knocking down a wall in the Fairchilds’ house. And that was just the first of what some might consider failures. He had a lot of experience with patience.

Yet the summer had brought something new to him: an invention that had not only worked, but saved countless lives, including his own. He wasn’t one to relish praise like Matthew, but the satisfaction of having made a difference warmed his soul. It quietened his worries when he wondered if he should spend more time in the training room like the other Shadowhunters. He had a purpose, and a useful one at that. And being recognised was just the cherry on top.

Christopher thought suddenly of the event that had prompted his need to use his interest in science to help others. It was a fuzzy memory, but he had recalled it so many times over the years that he was sure he remembered the important parts. It was when he first realised the world could be a cruel place where pain wasn’t so easily fixed. It was when he had learned his cousin Jesse had died. He remembered the twisting of his stomach at the sound of the pain in his father and his uncle Gideon’s voices; he remembered his father’s sobs when he spoke of how his aunt Tatiana wouldn’t let them do anything to comfort her, but instead withdrawn, cold, bitter and vengeful. Christopher hadn’t known what that meant at the time, having only known kindness. But that had been years ago. In the last four months especially he’d applied his observational mind to people—since James had been in love and he hadn’t known it—and now he fancied himself almost as good at reading people as his sister Anna.

And he saw a trace of that bitterness in James.

It was ironic, really, how in the end his inventions had helped Jesse. Christopher was still reeling from the shock he felt when the green-eyed boy sitting next to Lucie in the Institute had introduced himself as Jesse Blackthorn. And when Lucie had pulled him aside after the meeting with all their aunts and uncles, and confessed she’d lied to him about making a beauty potion and all the ingredients she’d asked for had been for Jesse. And whatever she’d done had been successful: she’d brought him back to life. Or he apparently hadn’t been properly dead to begin with? Christopher longed to investigate how that could be possible.

But now his attention was on James. He’d come straight to Curzon Street when Lucie’s letter had arrived at the Fairchilds’ London house where he and Thomas had been further working on his fire messaging project. James had just received the second semi-successful fire message ever and Christopher longed to gush about that with his friend. When he was passionate about something he could talk about it through a fire or a demon attack—he’d done both on multiple occasions—but the words died on his tongue at the look on James’ face answering the door. Instead, he’d simply taken note of the doily he'd destroyed and stumbled over his words and now they were upstairs in the armchairs in James and Cordelia’s study. He felt the familiar ache in his chest he associated with conflict between the brothers closest to his heart. And he’d messed up already: James thought he and Thomas had done this simply for information, like he and Math were some sort of science project they needed to collect data for. Christopher couldn’t have James think of their friendship like that.

“It’s not like that—” Angel, no matter how much attention he’d paid it since the summer, talking about feelings was much more delicate a tool than any he had worked with—“we’re the Merry Thieves, one for all, and all for one—”

“I think that’s the Three Musketeers,” James interrupted, and was Christopher imagining it or did his shoulders relax ever so slightly? Maybe it was wishful thinking, book references usually cheered James up, but now…

“There were four musketeers, if you count D’Artagnan.” He didn’t even know why James looked so awful, but failing to think about a metaphor long enough to figure out its relevance was a bad sign. Christopher vaguely heard James say his name, exasperated, as he took a breath to calm his thoughts and approach the issue more directly.

“We’ve never had a fight,” he began. Saying it out loud felt like announcing some very important science was no longer at their disposal: the age of blissful childhood was over, and now they had to join the real world where happiness was sparse and time or money spent on anything had to be accounted for. Still, he forced himself to keep going. “I mean, none of us with each other, at least nothing serious. If you’ve had a falling-out with Math—” he knew he was diving into unknown territory now, a project that couldn’t be solved by science and magic, but who would he be if he didn’t try? He felt his voice lower to a whisper, “we want to help repair it. We need each other, especially now.”

“Oh, Kit.” James shut his eyes and shifted in his seat, before suddenly relaxing again as if he’d thought of getting up and decided against it. “Math and I are not at each other’s throats. It’s not like that. Nor are either of us angry with Cordelia, or she with us. Things between us are just—” he put his face in his hands for a moment then opened his eyes again— “complicated.”

“We need Cordelia too,” Christopher said, and then they were talking about Belial and Lilith again like they were ordinary Shadowhunters trying to protect their city and the ones they loved. James still looked haunted when he talked about Jesse—Christopher still found it hard to believe his enigmatic cousin was alive, he’d met him, all thanks to Lucie—but he managed to get up to write some messages. Even if he didn’t share Christopher’s enthusiasm for the opportunity to utilise his fire messaging project, their banter felt almost normal. Still, Christopher had arrived with something to do, and he was going to properly attempt that conversation. The way he hadn’t had a chance to ask Thomas about the letter he’d written to Alastair when the two of them had come to see him and explain it yesterday morning, but the way he thought he had gotten across to Grace that she hadn’t been forgotten when he went to see her immediately after. He wanted to show that kind of friendship to James, too.

“Why are you writing to Lucie and Jesse?” James asked. Christopher stopped writing mid-sentence and stared at him. Had he done something wrong? “I’m staying at the Institute,” James clarified. “I have to head over before sunset, I’m just here to get my things.”

“Oh, I can help with that,” Christopher said. He quickly sent the unfinished letter to the Institute as a fire message (after all, none of them had stayed complete when they arrived, so why should they need to start complete?) before James could complain about him setting fires in his house, and started on a letter to Cordelia and Alastair. James stared at him but turned back to his writing once the flames were gone. Christopher decided it wouldn’t do any harm to let the rest of the messages be taken by runners instead.

“All done,” he said to James, who took the pile of letters and went to find some coins. Then, remembering his previous offer, he added, “What do you need for the Institute? Socks? Books? Spectacles?”

“I’ll do—” James broke off, then ran his free hand through his hair as he turned around to look at Kit. “You’re right, Kit. You know me. And right now I can’t even find any—I’ll have to ask Effie—” he sighed and closed his eyes. “Thank you, Kit. I’m sorry. I’ve been so rude and you’ve been so kind, coming over and offering to help.”

Kit was already scanning the room for James’ favourites, he swept them into a pile on the table next to his reading glasses and their discarded ink and notepaper. James was still rummaging through the drawers, for money apparently, Christopher reaching into his pocket and added a shilling to the pile.

“James, it’s okay. I’ve got it all here.” He held up the coin and tried desperately to think of what his mother would say. “I know you’d appreciate it, that’s what friends are for. And you weren’t rude, not really, well if you were it just means—” James was staring at him now, not even bothering to close the drawer he was looking in. “I just wanted to know if you’re okay. And I can see that you’re not, and I wish you would let us help, but we can’t unless you’d tell me why.” There. He’d said it, and he thought he hadn’t done too badly. Christopher smiled a little to himself: a success was still a success, no matter how dire the circumstances.

“I’ve done something awful,” said James. “I’ve hurt Cordelia—why couldn’t I just tell her I loved her as soon as I knew? And I’ve failed Matthew and hurt him too in my negligence. He’s suffered so much—I had no idea just how bad it was until now—and I now have a chance to make it up to him. But the prospect of doing that all alone, without Daisy—”

“You won’t ever be alone, James, you have Tom and I and Anna and Lucie and Daisy does care about you as a friend at the very least. Shall I carry this downstairs?”

James nodded blankly and Christopher noted the hunch in his shoulders as he turned to exit the room. He shouted some things to Effie and thanked her for taking care of the house before turning to Kit.

“Thank you. It is easy to forget sometimes. I am lucky, I suppose. But Daisy, I don’t know if I could ever go back to seeing her as a friend only, or if I ever did, Kit, I don’t know how to assume how all-consuming it is and you don’t have to understand it, I know you’ve never been in love but I hope when you are that it isn’t nearly so complicated—Kit, have you been in love?”

Christopher thought of the Curies, a couple in love he’d longed to one day live up to, which made him think about his purpose and the science that he did. It really made his soul feel complete, but James wasn’t talking about being in love with the life he lived, but someone. He thought suddenly of Grace reading his notes and wondered—but wasn’t Grace in love with James, and him her? People could change, he supposed, but hadn’t James said he never saw Cordelia as a friend or had Christopher put his words together wrong, like he did sometimes?

“You’re not in love with Grace then?”

“No, by the Angel, not Grace, I can’t believe—” He broke off again and Kit noticed the panic in his voice. He shuffled his pile of James’ belongings into one hand and reached out awkwardly to touch his friend’s shoulder. “It’s okay, we’ll work it out, I know you can do what you need to do and I know that I believe in you every step of the way, it might take several attempts but things work out alright eventually.” He thought that was something Henry would say to him in context of laboratory experiments but it was all the same wasn’t it?

As if James’ arms, which had been frozen at his sides, were suddenly released from a spell, he reached up to hug Christopher. “You and Tom always know what to do. You’ve been keeping Math and I in line long before we knew we needed it. You’ve always believed in us far too much.”

Christopher would take these words to heart when he saw Thomas with Alastair in the library. Life and love were complex, but they would work it out. And when Grace confessed to him and Cordelia, she said it was because of his simple belief in her to be able to put things right she had been able to do it. Maybe it was possible to combine more than just science and magic. Maybe he could expand his purpose in life: after all, what good was the work he did to help others without friendship to be able to reach the people he wanted to help to start with, and find people he could make discoveries with to be an even better scientist?

[wigster07]

Wigs.. you’re FEEDING us!!

But seriously, I think this was perfect. And what an interesting thing that the adults at the beginning of her trial went lighter on her - adults probably understanding the sacrifices of war more than a child would. A child would be angry. A child would be confused. A child would resent the redemption trial.

And also very poetic that the children went harder - a call back to the little girl Kit murdered. Is this a cosmic coincidence or brilliant writing? Brilliant writing methinks.

Anyways, I think her punishment from the bone reavers absolutely fits, and I think it’s clear that Kit will never forgive herself at this point - it will never be enough. But sometimes you just have to live with that. Figure out a way to survive.

Overall these themes are just really well done Wigs, I love the complications and I love feeling torn and uncomfortable with Kit’s past actions. But I’m still rooting for her to be brave and loved. I’m still rooting for her heal and find something that lets her have a little bit of peace.

And finally, an actual question: do we find out the details of Kit and Scorpia’s actions to ensure the Crone was killed? I need to know about all the double agent shit.

(Also, I can’t wait till Kit’s hand is healed and she hugs Jade. That is all.)

((Last thing: I wish this was a fucking book I’m obsessed with this story))(((imma email George Lucas to get you and Kris on a Willow book series or something)))

Oh my goodness…just all of this!

The adults knew the cost of war but knew really what Kit did; saved them from the Trolls, the scavengers, and ultimately the Crone. A few lives lost was nothing compared to that. So they hit softer and in harder places so when the kids stepped forward her back (being the biggest target) was mark free and the kids just had to make the hit hand. Some were mad, heartbroken, and wanted it to hurt but most everyone knew and it was more ritual than wanting to hurt her.

The note that Kit wrote out to Scorpia essentially detailed what her goals were at each stop. Kit wasn’t going to kill Mims but Willow showing up forced her hand. Kits goal was to kill as many Gales as she could before getting to Tir Asleen. Kit and Scorpia were going to maneuver the Gales into positions they could kill them. She also revealed how to poison the Trolls (they can’t eat spices). Lori was the cook at the Mothers Gate where the Reavers and Trolls were and basically gave them all food poisoning so the Reavers could kill them easier. Scorpia also knew Kit was going to make the sacrifice play for Elora if it came to it. Scorpia was in position to help keep Boorman and all the others alive in case they couldn’t handle whatever Gales were left.

[livvyofthelake]

remember when i mention the gay character bubble effect the other week (ok i know i brought it up in the wildest most useless context i possibly could have but still. you know it’s that thing where there’s one gay main character in the main cast and so for them to do romance they have to get cordoned off into a gay little bubble with some guy we don’t know or care about. we’ve all seen it) anyway i think cassie is the master of this phenomenon, because you’d think the way to do the gay romance right is to not bubble it, but cassie will fully do the bubble, and then immediately critique herself and deconstruct why she’s done it and make it good. she’s so great at it it’s actually unbelievable she’s so smart. people never give her enough credit for being really genuinely actually smart it’s crazy to me. anyway. examples of BAD the bubble: whatever the hell rick riordan did with nico in the blood of olympus, sooo many instances from shameless, frankly ghosts cbs did it in s1 but it wasn’t that bad, some could say this is currently happening to my friend gay kevin, BBC ATLANTIS, julie and the phantoms, etc. we have all seen it i’m serious. and it’s annoying every time… examples of the deconstruction of the bubble: most movies centered on a gay romance, the wilds, holly black’s the darkest part of the forest, and most importantly, cassandra….. oh my god random side note remember when her and holly co-wrote that other series. and i read it and never finished. wow that was crazy i need to get back to that bitch fr how has it not been bothering me that i don’t know how it ended… also it gave ty livvy kit vibes with the main three characters. whatever we are not here to do this. ask me about the magisterium later tho. anyway i like that cassie will put the characters in The Bubble, but then make sure to also blow it up. and also her bubbles have never been Main Character x Random Guy We Don’t Give A Shit About…. she’s just very good at this i enjoy it i love her dedication to never half assing the gay people just because she could get away with it. well except mark and kieran but that was fine. and i also really don’t let her get away with that one do i. anyway. yeah

[shimizysam]

Miki's fanfic is completed!

I wrote a fanfic of Miki in Kyuushi.

If you’re interested, I hope you can read this!

This note contains afterward of my fic. That means you should read my fic before you proceed below the description, right?

Afterward

I wanted Miki to be spoiled by Yoshida and Bob.

Here is Miki’s backstory by Bon (even though that’s kinda au)

I read it and knew that Miki had a lot of hard experiences. I’ll say that’s an au again, however, it contains what original Miki actually experienced, like:

—He was grown up in poor conditions.

—He had only his gramma and his younger brother Nozomi, not having any parents, in his childhood.

—He became a workaholic after his bro got sick in his youth.

—He became a friend of Shinji when he was in high school.

—He was desperate when he realized that he was no longer needed by his bro and Shinji.

—He nearly died when he saw a hallucination of his father.

…that's why I can’t quit being one of Miki's fans, dude!!

Well then, after a several branches, he made himself as right now, like:

—He got a serious injury on his neck when he just started working as a vampire hunter.

—He read Shinji's manga, which encouraged him to create Mutsu in Aijyameshi (Shinji's famous manga in Shin-Yokohama).

—He was at home when his grandma collapsed.

—He was punched by Nozomi, who said, "Thanks for ever, but I'm an adult and I'm saying you don't give me money now. Rather, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, YOU IDIOT!!!!!!"

—He began living in a useful mobs' apartment with financial assistance.

—There was a person who could assist him when he chased a truck.

That's why I can’t quit being one of Miki's fans, dude!!!! (again)

These were said by Bon:

In my fic, I planned to write after Bob came to Yoshida's room, but the flow of the story didn't go so well and I didn't have motivation to write, I canceled the after story. Still, I guess they played video games, ate tasty dishes, and talked about trivial topics.

I forcefully solved any problems to say, "He was really tired." lmao

but I suppose his N-value is very low even now. In my headcanon, his N-value will be incredibly declining when he gets exhausted.

In my opinion, he felt severe guilt when he found he hurt his friend because caring for other people is his life. Thus, what he did to Yoshida was like a body blow or fatal scars to Miki's mind.

I didn't ever expect him to sob, that's the same as Miki himself and Bob thought. I didn't mean to make him cry since he is a 35-year-aged man, but I never regret it!!

He wouldn't be the way all the same if he was against other people or if he wasn't so shattered.

Yes, next: Yoshida.

He exists for real, but in Kyuushi, he is one of the mobs.

In real life, he allows himself to be a half-free resource. Thereby, Bon could get him to appear in his manga.

In Kyuushi, he is the boss of Vampire Passionate Kiss. His hobby is playing games and making giant dishes. He has three cats, maybe he is 40s.

In my fic, after he argued with Miki, he went home and fretted. He tried to distract himself from his concerns, taking care of his cats and making too many dishes. But he couldn't, so he left a kit.

I hope he has a habit of drinking in order to flee from his bad memories, but the fluency of the story was jammed, so I didn't write it.

Finally; Clergy.

He acted kind of the adviser of my fic since he is usually taught by Miki and Yoshida. He is somehow one of the old vampires, I guess he could deal with many problems he confronted in human age.

I haven't made a complete interpretation of his character yet, so if I can, I'd make a fic of him.

Anyways, thank you for reading it or my fic!

[kimmysurveyblog]

50

Do you like to cuddle with your S.O. or do you prefer your space? I prefer space.

What TV shows do you watch on a regular basis? None.

What is the last thing you scribbled down on a Post-It note? Uhh... I use a white board/app for notes. I wrote down the time I gave my daughter Tylenol.

Do you care if your produce is organic or not? No.

Do you have any children? If so, how old were you when you had them? If not, do you think you ever will? Yes, one. I was 30.

Do you get enough calcium? Probably not.

Are you nosy? I'm super nosy.

Are you happy with the size of your bedroom? Yes.

Where was the last place you went that was totally new to you, as in, it was the first time you’d been there? A zoo last week. We apparently have a zoo in the region I live in but I've never been there.

When was the last time you used someone else’s computer? Noo idea. I use my boyfriend's occasionally.

What’s the relationship status of the last person you talked to? Single.

Do you say sorry first? Sometimes.

Who will you be spending Christmas with this year? Christmas day we spend just the three of us. Eve and boxing day will be spend with my boyfriend's family.

Did you go to high school with your current best friend? No.

Have you ever been a passenger in a semi-trailer truck? No.

Whose was the last funeral you attended? My mom.

Do you avoid using public restrooms? Nopeee. My bladder is small. Impossible.

Have you seen any extended relatives in the last month? No.

Do you like eggnog? No.

Who is the person you dislike the most? I don't know.

Do you take part in paying the bills for your household? Bills, no. I pay for everything for our daughter though.

Do you know anyone with celiac disease? No.

How many siblings do you have? Are they all full siblings? One half brother. What’s the weather like today? Cloudy and chilly. Fall is COMING and I'm soooo here for it. :)

How do you usually celebrate New Years? I have a toddler so I do not. There is a 0% chance I'll be awake at midnight this year.

Do you currently have any alarms set? No. I set it before bed.

Do you like whiskey? No.

What type of milk do you like to drink? We have whole milk in the house because toddler, but I don't drink milk.

Do you have a first aid kit at home? Yes.

Are your parents dog or cat people? Is that different or the same as you? My parents were dog people. I am also a dog person.

What’s your favourite flavour of potato chip? Dill pickle.

Would you ever get a matching tattoo with someone? My boyfriend and I want matching shrimp tattoos.

What is your Chinese zodiac animal? Ram.

What form of communication did you last use to talk to the person you're currently interested in? Text.

Do you want to see someone right now? Always,

What was the last thing you looked up on YouTube? No idea.

Did the last guy/girl you kissed have any piercings? No.

Do you actually love your parents? Yes.

What pattern do the sheets on your bed have? Plain.

Where did you get the underwear you are wearing right now? An underwear sub service. My boyfriend gifted it to me so I'm not sure the brand.

Do you feel uncomfortable sharing drinks with other people? No.

Have you gone through a lot emotionally, or has life been easy thus far? I've gone through a lot. I hope the rest of my life is a lot easier on me.

Do you spend more time outside or inside? Inside.

Would you rather give up the computer or the TV? TV.

Last person to make you seriously mad? Neighbour.

Who have you recently made up with after fighting? No one.

What kind of toothpaste do you use? Sensodyne.

What were you doing this morning at 1am? Sleeping.

Have you used a tissue today? Yes. I've cried a bit today.

The last person that slept in your bed gets arrested, what do you do? He wouldn't get arrested.

When people ask "how are you?" do you say "good" even if you aren't? If I'm not actually good I say, "I'm okay".

How was your Friday? It was 3 days ago but I honestly don't remember lol. Fun, I think!

Did you speak to your father today? -

What was the last thing you drank? Water.

How did you wake up this morning? I woke up naturally 15 minutes before my alarm.

Some people were really destructive as a child, were you? No.

Who was the last person you were in a car with? Boyfriend and kiddo.

Who was the last person you cried in front of? My boyfriend.

Do you know anyone that is gothic? No.

Have you seen UP? No.

How is your mom? -

Do you feel comfortable getting up and giving speeches? No.

Have you ever dipped french fries in a frosty? Yes.

Would you prefer eating jello or pudding? Jello.

Last time you ate a salad? Yesterday.

Have you ever been described as “adorable”? Yes.

Are you a moody person? Sometimes.

What are you listening to? I'm watching Good Mythical Morning.

What video game could you waste the most time on? ACNH.

[umichenginabroad]

Post 1 (Week 0): Managing The Flight

Intro

Bonjour! This is Andrew, a rising sophomore here at the UofM. As you’ve probably already guessed, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to come to Paris for a one-and-a-half month study abroad experience, and I’m here to tell you all about it! Quick note, I wrote a lottttt of stuff in this post, and it can get really boring, so feel free to just pick a section to read and skip along. Also feel free to just read this paragraph, it’s chill and all up to you!

This will be my first blog of the trip, and I will be beginning with the process of managing your flight. As an international student, flying has already been something I have done countless times; when some people simply hop into their cars and drive themselves home, I have to spend a LUDICROUS amount of money to pay for a HORRENDOUS 13 + 5 hour flight back to Taiwan just to see my dog. Ranting aside, what I really want to say here that I think will prove useful to those of you who are interested in pursuing a study abroad experience of your own is that there are many things that have to be taken into consideration when arranging your trip, especially your flight there. In this post, I’d like to focus on how you can (and should) prepare your transportation to whichever country you wish to visit, using myself as a terrible example for you to NOT follow~  (All photos used were taken by me so no credentials provided)

#1: Booking The Flight

Assuming that your destination is somewhere other than America, it is probably a very good idea to book your international flight at least 3~4 months before your projected departure date. I recommend using google flights to track ticket prices and book at the best time possible. Me personally, despite knowing this, booked my tickets a bit late, at around 2.5 months before my program start date. You might be thinking, “Well that’s still ok right?” It kind of is, but I forgot something really important. The Olympics are this year, and yes, they’re in Paris. Which means? Airlines become scammers and quadruple their prices. (Exaggerated, but still you get my point.) So I think the bigggg takeaway is that you should note any significant event, natural disaster, or things like political conflicts that may influence the prices of your plane tickets. Start doing this as soon as you decide to do a study abroad program, and you’ll be saving yourself some big cash, all while ensuring your own safety.

#2: Packing For The Trip

Traveling is very different from living at home. You can’t really bring everything with you, and you’re gonna have to choose which teddy bear comes with you and which stays in your room. My recommendation when it comes to determining what to bring is to look up checklists for packing. Yes, I know, so unoriginal, but hear me out. The people who make these lists don’t know who you are, what you do, or where you’re going. That’s why their lists only include things that are absolutely essential to ANY travel experience. An example of this can be seen here. Following these guides will ensure that you don’t get stranded in an airport, get sent back to America, or get yourself in messy situations abroad. After you’ve gotten all the essentials packed, you should still have plenty of space for other items. Now you can start throwing in your extra shoes, frisbees, idk, whatever you think you’re going to use during your trip. Checking things such as the weather, geography, and local culture could be very helpful when packing these non-essentials. Don’t be like me, bringing half my furniture and two thirds of my clothes just to have them sit in the suitcase the entire time. I kinda didn’t have a choice because I didn’t want to spend money on storage back at Ann Arbor, but still, try not to let yourself tow 80lb worth of junk around.

#3: The Actual Flight

Like I said, I’ve flown quite a few times. I still get panic attacks at the airport. “Where’s my passport? Where’s my gate? Did I pack a kitchen knife by accident (Don’t)? Where did I put my batteries???” So regardless of whether you’ve flown 100 times or never once flown, it’s normal to feel pressure at the airport. What’s not normal or okay is feeling like flying is just like a normal walk in the park, unless you’re fine with losing a passport or two when taking a stroll (you’re not). Some things that I recommend paying attention to when flying are as follows. First, have your passport(s) on you at all times. Whatever you lose, never lose your passport. Actually no, just try not to lose anything lol. I have a passport case that I always keep in my hoodie pocket, always in reach and felt. If you lose it or them, it’s kinda gg for you. Second, if you’re transferring flights, book them with at least 2~3 hours of layover time. I booked mine with 50 minutes of layover. Don’t do that. I repeat, DON’T do that. Whichever teacher who’s checking this post, I know what you’re thinking. “Wha-how-nahhhh, 100 bucks he didn’t make it.” I made it, but I’m thanking the airport god every day for this miracle. A quick note is that if you’re transferring from a domestic flight to an international flight and you booked your two flights together from the same airline, you “might” be able to just head straight over to the next terminal and hop onto your next plane. If you’re making an international flight before a domestic flight though, there will likely be a re-check-in and/or additional security check as you enter the new country, which will take up more time. Plan for the worst, which is the latter. I learned this the hard way, as I missed my second flight back to Michigan last year after a slight delay in my first. Almost missed the CFB Finals, wouldn’t have forgiven them if that happened. Finally, ask questions. Different airports have different layouts and security procedures, different airlines have different regulations and offers. It’s never a bad idea to make sure you’re doing the right thing, especially when something like a 1 lb overweight checked bag will set you back $200 for United Airlines(Really United?). That’s a lot of stuff, and I sound like a teacher, I know. But I hope these little unnecessary mistakes that I made won’t be a problem for any of you during your trips!

#4: Arriving At The Destination

Yay! I’ve finally arrived in Paris. I’m so excited to start my journey at my studio that’s a 35 minute drive away from the airport! More likely than not, you won’t be having or even be allowed to have a car when studying abroad, so transportation can be a big issue. First one you’ll need to take care of is your drive to where you’ll be living. In my case, CEA CAPA, the study abroad program, was very helpful and arranged transportation services for students who arrived within a certain time frame (I believe roughly between 8:00 and 18:00 on 05/13), but that may be different for other people. Make sure you won’t be stranded at the local airport after finally making your way there because trust me, you won’t have the energy to worry about too much after your long travel session. After my flight to Paris, I struggled to find the CEA CAPA driver, and therefore had to call the emergency contact line, which successfully helped me resolve the issue. This is all thanks to a pre-bought e-sim from orange travel that allowed me to use my French number as soon as we set foot on Parisian soil. Finally, after all that work, and of course after making sure my luggage was with me, I was able to safely make it to my studio. Now, the fun starts! 

Hsien-Cheng Chou (Andrew Chou)

Mechanical Engineering

Engineering in Paris

[zoueriemandzijnopmars]

hoi

a question to consider

What is the most memorable book ending you’ve ever read? Did it leave you satisfied or wanting more? 

(there will be more)

Maybe it's because I finished it Monday but I am not over the ending of An Unauthorised Fan Treatise. Like I won't spoil anything because I want people to read it and while I will reread it, I think people should go in blind the first time. Just. The main narrator, Gottie, is very unreliable and lies a lot. The ending was WILD and raises so many questions that I want to bring out my imaginary detective kit and comb through the story again for clues about what is the TRUTH.

Oh oh wait. I think my favourite ending of all time was from And Then There were None by Agatha Christie, because the mystery there kept me on the edge of my seat all the time and the ending clarified everything and was so perfect with the tone of the book.

Also shout-out to This Woven Kingdom which I read last month and ended with a dragon showing up in the last chapter (there were no dragons mentioned before), the main character flying off on it and the final sentence. Was. That she fell off.

I didn't like it but it is memorable.

(I pasted your other questions here for convenience)

What fictional world would you love to visit and explore if given the chance? 

Y'know? I think Narnia. I'm currently rereading the books and honestly it's a world with honestly very few problems and TALKING ANIMALS! Do you think they would have talking Elephants and Dolphins too? Like in Prince Caspian it is suggested that all talking animals only live in Narnia so maybe not as the climate doesn't seem to be ideal for them, but I would want to find out. Like almost all other cool fantasy worlds have war and monsters and are just scary overall, but Narnia is fun and save for children I wanna be there.

What quote from a book resonated with you deeply?

I cannot choose so have a selection (roughly from less to more serious):

"Het is moeilijk te geloven maar er zijn mensen die immuun zijn voor de aantrekkingskracht van chocolade. Je moet het zien als een van die dingen waar de wetenschap geen verklaring voor heeft." (David Grossman, Het Zigzagkind) (It is hard to believe, but there are people who are immune for the attraction of chocolate. You should see it as one of those things science doesn't have an explanation for.)

"Kijk daar doe je het voor, die zes jaar Latijn: wijzen op je pinpas" (Paulien Cornelisse, Taal voor de leuk) (Look, that why you take six years of Latin: To point at your debit card)

"It is enough - I think it is no sacrifice to join occasionally in evening engagements. Society has claims on us all." (Jane Austen, Pride & Prejudice, the most relatable sentence Jane Austen ever wrote)

"No, you don't understand. Most of all I'm afraid that the more I fight her and the stronger I become, the more I'm turning into her." (Marissa Meyer, Cress)

"I so totally missed class the day all required information was handed out." (Jandy Nelson, I'll give you the sun)

“If you accept others as equals, you embrace them unconditionally, now and forever. But if you let them know that you tolerate them, you suggest in the same breath that they are actually an inconvenience, like a nagging pain or an unpleasant odour you are willing to disregard.” (Arthur Japin, In Lucia's Eyes) (I read this in Dutch but didn't find my note of this quote, but I found it in English on Goodreads)

Thanks for asking!