#I am not good at planning crafts that far in advance

[tj-crochets]

Crafting forecast! Or update? not sure which lol - The quilt sandwich is assembled* for the rainbow stripes/polka dots quilt, so I should get that finished tomorrow or Monday - all my fabric scraps are neatly put away into either the “needs to be cut to usable size” bin, the “too small for scrap quilt, just right for crumb quilting” boxes (sorted by color), or the “cut to size for scrap quilt” drawer so I’m setting aside the scrap quilt for now - next up I think I might make some fleece beanies to donate? I prefer to donate the knit or crochet beanies, because I think the wool content makes them warmer, but the fleece beanies are way faster to make and it’s still pretty cold where I live so I want to give the shelter a bunch of beanies to give out asap - after that my break from working on my to-do list is over, so my goal for this year is to get at least one item from my to-do list crafted every week until I get them all done. It’s a lot of Bucky Bears, mostly, but there’s also a crocodile Loki, some pride creatures, and a teddy bear prototype to figure out so I can make the Bearvengers (Avengers but teddy bears). If anyone wants to see it I can dig out the actual list? *the quilt sandwich is backing fabric, batting (the innards of the quilt that help make it warmer), and the quilt top, stacked on top of each other and pinned (or glued) in place so they can quilted

[swaps55]

Hi! Sorry if you have already answered this somewhere, I love reading about your writing process for Opus and was wondering if you would talk about how you pick and choose which missions to assign Sam and Kaidan, like Kaidan taking on the Project Overlord mission? Also, lol, will Sam ever have the misfortune of driving a Hammerhead and how much would he hate it?

Hahahahaha, Sam would hate the Hammerhead so much. I will probably spare him that displeasure, given how much else he has to deal with.

This is such an awesome question; thank you so much for asking it, and I am so sorry this answer is probably far more involved than you were looking for.

Stories like Cantata, Fugue, and Kaidan's portion of Mezzo necessitated missions that weren't main plot for the trilogy. But since the codex is so rich and there are so many side missions across the three games, I made it an unwritten rule that I wouldn't make up a mission from thin air if I could help it. Instead I'd pull something from canon and twist it into a new shape. That put less pressure on me to invent something from scratch, and it meant fun Easter eggs for the reader.

This has taken different shapes. In Cantata, the mission where Sam experiences a blood sugar crash in mid-combat was going to be heavy on action, which meant a fairly elaborate "combat chess board." Designing a visual setting is one of my big weaknesses as a writer, so I set it on Benning because I could then use the ME3MP map as a template to craft the rest of the mission around.

The underwater mission Sam does on Proteus is what it is because the codex states that combat diving is part of the N program. I thought that was cool, and while perusing planets in the codex, the description for Proteus included an underwater colony. "Great!" I said to myself. "What if I broke it?"

Virtually every place the Yang Gang visits in Cantata is pulled straight from canon, as well as what they find there. It's something I'm pretty proud of.

(The big exception is the thresher maw on Sharjilla, which is pure artistic liberty, but I am beyond delighted that people have played that mission expecting to find one because of Cantata. At one point I had planned a really great joke where Sam nukes the thresher maw from orbit out of pure spite, so when they come back to Sharjila in ME1 and Kaidan mentions threshers, someone could go, "wait, there's thresher maws down there?!" and Sam would growl under his breath, "not anymore." But I couldn't fit it into Cantata, lol.)

As for all the side missions I've woven in, they provide a neat opportunity to spread the love. They are Shepard's responsibility in the games because Shepard is the player character, so the entire world revolves around them. In fic, I don't have that constraint, so I am free to take missions that have some good narrative potential and give them to other characters.

Side quests like Bring Down the Sky don't offer much to the canon plot, but for Opus it provided an opportunity for some pretty sharp character development while also advancing my reimagined plans for ME3.

In the case of Overlord, I loved the complexity it would add to something like Horizon: if Kaidan got a first hand glimpse at the terrible things Cerberus does right before discovering Shepard on Horizon, suddenly his distrust and anger take on new meaning.

Kasumi became Kaidan's partner in crime because the cast of ME2 is so dense that I went looking for ways to weed down the cast without having to just leave people out or inflict mass casualties. Kasumi's skillset as a thief never made sense to me for something like the suicide mission, but Kasumi herself is a delight. And like Kaidan, she has experienced the death of a partner. They seemed like such a natural fit for each other, and Keiji's role as a double agent with the Alliance also worked narratively in my favor: I got to use him to answer questions like, "how the hell does Cerberus get their hands on the Normandy design docs?"

Fugue also incorporates a few ME2 side missions that, again, just dovetailed nicely into what I was trying to do. Superimposing Keiji over the Cerberus agent in N7: Lost Operative just worked well for what I wanted to do, and N7: Imminent Ship Crash gave me a good segue into it, while also giving me the chance to explore how Kara and Aslany dealt with the loss of the 'Yang.

So how I choose what missions I use comes down to what I need for the story. I have a vague idea of what I need to accomplish, then look for a side mission or DLC that can help me get there. The Hammerhead DLC missions are utterly terrible to play, but there is just enough of an interesting story to them that I was able to weave something useful to future Opus plans while also letting Kaidan grow into his role as a leader.

The DLC and side missions are really fun to work with, and one of my favorite parts of Opus, even if I almost went bald tearing my hear out over N7: Imminent Ship Crash. XD

[ashleywool]

Look...I'm no statistician, but...

I HIGHLY doubt it's a coincidence that Tony viewership dropped 14.6% the year they snubbed the ONLY musical in history that represented and celebrated the most passionate, dedicated, and under-appreciated evangelists of the Broadway fandom.

This isn't a slight against any of the other folks who were represented on that stage. They are my friends and colleagues and they deserve all the recognition they are getting and more. This isn't even a judgment of the Broadway League. I know how this stuff works. I know the point of the awards show is to get national audiences interested in coming to New York, and that the odds of an early-season closure getting nominations in an already-packed season is slim to none, and we were far from the only ones left out. (I'm still especially flabbergasted that Harmony got ignored. It was, in my expert opinion, about as perfect as a musical could possibly get.)

Even still, there were plenty of reasons to tune in, between all the wonderful shows that WERE deservedly represented, and the fact that it's only the second full Broadway season since the shutdown.

I can understand the financial constraints that are still resulting in overall lower grosses/attendance at the shows themselves, but for Tony viewership to be down 14.6% from last year? When it's accessible on more platforms and in more parts of the world than ever before?

You're never gonna convince me that that only happened because of Father's Day, and had nothing to do with ticking off a giant sector of diehard Broadway fans, many of whom had already made active plans to see HTDIO but never got to go.

But, like so many other things I know about the power, passion, and prevalence of the autistic community, I can't prove it. It might not be proven within my lifetime, and even if it is, the people who don't wanna see it will still ignore it. Or try to frame it as a "me" problem. That's just something I have to live with, and my heart and logical brain know that that's okay, even if my ego doesn't like it.

I am optimistic about HTDIO going to London, though. The UK theatre scene has its own set of issues, but "cultural de-prioritization of theatre" isn't one of them, and neither is "everything being controlled by the landlords."

I found out that you don't even need a deposit or show proof of income to rent an apartment there, and credit scores are NOT A THING. The cost of living is still quite high, and the West End actor salaries are not what they should be, but it makes me happy to know that at least none of those actors are going to have to ask for a $9K salary advance just so they can move into the neighborhood. And if they happen to be an off-the-books gig worker on the side, or they're receiving unemployment at the time of the application, it DOESN'T MATTER. The landlords don't care where the money comes from, or how good their tenants have been at paying other people on time in the past, or how much debt their tenants have, as long as they get the rent on time every month. What a dang concept.

At the end of the day, whatever happens or doesn't happen or could/would/should have happened, I'm still deeply proud of our show, I still love the craft and the culture of musical theatre, and I love the Broadway community more than I even realized was possible. I don't think there's any force in the universe powerful enough to make those things less true.

Life is always gonna be hard and unfair, but theatre people are my favorite people to do hard and unfair things with.

[kneelingshadowsalome]

Hey girl! I'm a huge fan of your mortal kombat and COD fics :) I loved every single one that I've read so far (planning on reading your Bodyguard!Ghost fic tonight!) and I really enjoy reading your HCs and your answers to the questions that people send you!! You have such a way with words and I'm just in absolute awe of your writing. Also, the one-shot fic you wrote recently of Konig's POV in the Just Friends AU? I damn near DIED when I read it oh my god. Such a beautiful, deliciously dark, and poetic piece of writing. You've truly outdone yourself, seriously!

I had a question regarding your process when it comes to writing. I really love the idea of writing a fanfic, but I have no idea were to start! I used to write fan fiction for fun when I was younger, but I had a really embarrassing experience that put me off of writing completely. I'm now trying to get back into writing, but it feels so... hard! I tried writing a small slasher fic a few months ago, but it felt like rolling a boulder up a hill. It took a very long time and I was never quite satisfied with what I wrote, so I never finished it.

I really want to try writing a Konig fic, but I have a hard time thinking of an interesting plot that I would be excited to write about. Also, fleshing out a character like Konig (who we have very little canon information about), is something I am struggling with. Which is why I really loved your Walküre and Just Friends series, because you were able to make Konig and the reader these incredibly interesting, really complex, three-dimensional characters!

So, I guess my question (or questions, at this point. lol.) to you is: What advice would you give someone who's trying to write their first, proper fic? What's your writing process like? What do you do to help get your imagination going? What do you use for inspiration and what makes you excited to write? How do you manage to take an idea or a HC and manage to craft a whole fic out of it?

Any advice is greatly appreciated, thank you in advance! <3 <3

First of all, thank you so much! I have actually cried twice just thinking about this ask, your kind words made me so happy and emotional. I’m so so glad that you liked my fics (especially the MK one which I’m not that proud of)!

I’m sorry to hear you had such an experience as a young aspiring writer. I had the courage to share my fics only this year, and I’m over 30 yrs old! So the fact that you’ve put your works out there early on and had to deal with things like that must’ve been upsetting. Creative pieces are always a piece of our soul as well.

Also non-relevant but I love slashers too!! Aahhh!! 🔪❤️‍🔥 I hope you will someday find the passion to finish and publish that fic (I bet I would roll in it).

And umm, I feel I'm kinda poop at giving advice but I'll try my best! ->

Where to begin?

The reason why I wanted to bring the MK work up is because it was my very first proper fic and I wanted to say that I know exactly how you feel with the 'rolling a boulder uphill' -thing! The process with my first fic was exactly like that. I wrote it on/off for 2 years because I felt like the story and my writing sucked.

I don't know if you're suffering from the same thing, but I had a desperate need to make a good story (whatever that means, lol.) Of course we want people to enjoy what we create, but in my case, this perfectionism nearly killed my motivation to write. So the first thing I highly recommend is to shake off the need to be perfect and all the other intrusive thoughts that disturb your writing process ❤️‍🩹

So instead of trying to create a "good" story, I started to concentrate on the things I want to write. What would be the most delicious, cute, smutty or lovable imagine to write if no one was there to judge? What moves me in a character or a trope? What if I ditch all the rules and just write, even if the story and the plot don't yet make sense?

I started to write for myself and create scenes for the simple joy of it. The story became my safe space where I rushed to immerse and indulge after work. It became my guilty pleasure. Writing always becomes fun and inspiring again when I treat the story like it's my own little playground where I can do whatever I want. Everything else in life is compulsory, but my own little imaginary world is there just for me!

What also helped me was to read a ton of fanfics from writers whose style and stories I admired. It doesn't matter if the fics you read are not from the fandom you're writing for, actually, it might be better if they're not! That way you can get a sense of direction on where you want to go with your writing while also maintaining a clean palate for your own headcanons and ideas.

Writing process

This is a tough one because my writing process is very chaotic. I never know what I’m about to write or what the final version of a story will look like.

I usually start by writing the most hedonistic, self-indulgent scene first. For example in Just Friends the first scene I wrote was reader watching König masturbate in the shower. I just thought it was a tasty imagine 🙄 I thought it would be funny if his reaction to noticing her would be to blurt that he was thinking about how tight she is… Like, no one in their right mind would say that!

König's reaction then gave me the idea of him being delusional – this dark yandereish character who's obsessed with women and killing. My hands now itched to write this story. I needed reader to be drawn to him despite his craziness, and thought it could be because of his knives…? And proceeded to put a scene in the beginning where she admires his knife skills and tricks.

Then I had the idea that the knives could play an even bigger role in the story – wait, they could provide one of the main themes, actually! Knives ended up connecting these two characters in a distortedly romantic way. Apparently, it was a compelling read for some, and I got to indulge in my knife kink 🙈

So in a way, I start by self indulging and then kind of let the story tell itself? Allow it to introduce elements organically? I'm sorry if this sounds cryptic, I honestly don't have a method to my madness, at least not yet!

Only after I’ve written a few scenes that "want to come out" I start to see recurring themes, symbolism, classic storytelling components… When they pop up spontaneously, I take note and then add more of that same ingredient if I find it necessary (for example knives in Just Friends).

Only after I’ve written enough scenes to make a story, I start to edit & polish it into fic. See if the sentences and paragraphs have a nice rhythm, replace some words with synonyms that sound better, remove or add things if necessary.

Inspiration/imagination

I personally happen to love myths & folklore and I guess it shows because I sometimes refer to my characters as gods, angels, demons, krakens, tengus and whatnot. I read about classic Greek myths and immediately associate König with Theseus or some other tragic hero. I read about Japanese “dog-men” who live in the wilderness and train people in the art of war, and think about Hanzo Hasashi and how he is a demonic outcast who roams the realms in search of love retribution.

I draw shamelessly from myths and archetypes because they speak to the unconscious and add a fairytale-like touch to the story. I think most people are naturally drawn to these elements even if the fic otherwise is not a mythical/fantasy au.

Real life, real people, real hobbies and experiences are good sources for inspiration too, actually, they're one of the best! Some people are good at humor and make their stories feel an uplifting comfort read, some people have suffered severe depression and can describe the depths of existential pain with astonishing beauty. Some writers can describe with realistic detail how it feels like to shoot an AK-47 because they practice shooting.

So as a writer you can (and should!) draw inspiration from anything and everything you see, hear, smell or touch. Treat your life experiences, big or small, as resources. One time I started to write a short drabble on a rainy day and introduced the scene by describing how the rain batters against the window. So even small, cliche, trivial things like the day's weather can be inspiring and serve the story.

How to craft headcanons

When I try to get to know a character I simply immerse myself in the source material. I try to ignore the fan stuff that’s already been created, even if it's what got me into the fandom in the first place. I try to make my own judgments and interpretations no matter what I've seen or heard up until that point.

For example for König I listened to his voicelines a lot, I watched videos of him and even watched them in slow mo because I wanted to study the way he moves (lol I’m normal about him)

I tried to study things like: What vibe does he give? Does he resemble someone I know irl? Do his eyes tell a story, what kind of a past does this man have? Is he shy? If so, what kind of shy? Or is he arrogant and spiteful? A bully who used to be bullied? Etc etc.

Some of my hc’s come from how I view different people in real life, in yandere!König's case I exaggerate a lot but it’s basically just a mashup of people I associate him with. That’s where I start and then I might get further ideas of "I just know he would do this" or "he would say that", and it’s basically like baking bread and you add flour every now and then until the dough swells on its own? (lol what a metaphor)

I also have to give a shoutout to all the amazing people here who have sent me messages and headcanons and thoughts on König, without the input of other people I would never have come up with some of the things I did! So don’t be afraid to call other people to join & bake the bread with you? ^^ If you have friends in the fandom, brainstorm with them. My asks are SADLY closed atm but anyone who wants to brainstorm about König or Ghost is always welcome to my dms 🩷

Crafting a fic from hcs

My first hc ever for König was that he must be a gym guy because he's so athletic. Then I thought how heartbreaking it would be if he was this stereotypical "battling my inner demons" gym guy, because he kinda gives off this loner energy, right...?

From here, you could already craft a story where poor loner König meets someone at the gym. The first scene could be ripe with pining and flirting and how sweet it is that König forgets about his inner demons everytime he sees his gym crush. Next scene: first date. Is it awkward or cute? Both? What kind of dynamic does this couple have?

Third scene: do you want to write smut? Do they have sex or do you want to add some angst & drama, maybe introduce a third wheel and make König suffer? (Poor guy just went to the gym to escape his inner demons and now he's suffering even more omg)

Hope these were of any help! I wish you all the best with your writing! 🩷💋

So hc's are like breadcrumbs that lead you to scenes, and scenes lead you to a story 💕

[dotsunflowers]

Promo for German-language La Cage aux Folles (2022), ft. Drew Sarich as Albin/Zaza, and Victor Gernot as Georges

English translation below the cut!

[approximate English Translation of German Transcript]:

Georges: Open your eyes! You are in the cage of fools — in La Cage aux Folles!

Victor Gernot (Actor, Georges): My name is Georges— I'm the director of this variety show. I am the boss of the Cagelles, and I'm not just the employer, but also the best friend, lover, husband, and admirer of the star of the show: Zaza on stage, and my Albin in real life.

Zaza, singing Mascara (translation of German lyrics): 🎶 I only feel zest for life, sensual, fabulous, / Because through putting on make up, Albin has vanished, and Zaza is here 🎶

Drew Sarich (Actor, Albin/Zaza): We have a wonderful home, and we have a son, Jean-Michel. And Jean-Michel comes home and tells Georges that he's getting married.

Gernot: Excellent choice. He has chosen the daughter of the party chairman for family, tradition, and morals, and wants to present an idealised/sanitised world for these in-laws—a world that, of course, doesn't actually exist in our household.

Jean-Michel: For the next 24 hours, there will be people here who have a different lifestyle than you do. For the next 24 hours, I am asking that you give up everything that you personally enjoy and everything that you are personally proud of. My future depends on it.

Melissa King (Director and Choreographer): This play is over 40 years old, and even if LGBTPQ rights have made advances, the community still isn't truly integrated. Which is to say, there is a certain level of, let's say, tolerance, but not 100% acceptance.

Georges, singing Look over There (translation of German lyrics): 🎶 Why do you believe that from now on there is just one love? / Think of the affection you have experienced so far 🎶

Lorenz C. Aichner (Conductor): My favourite numbers are actually the quieter ones. The show numbers are done wonderfully—beautifully crafted, dramaturgically well constructed with their high points, and they are superbly scored—but the most honest numbers are the quiet numbers, where there are truly honest interactions, truly honest emotions, and things are happening at a truly interpersonal level.

Georges and Albin, singing the Song on the Sand reprise (translation of German lyrics): 🎶 As the time has passed / I think often of that song there, in the sand 🎶

Aichner: Yeah, I think Georges is a difficult character—difficult for himself. For us, he's not a difficult character, but for himself? I think he sometimes makes his own life more difficult because he wants to be diplomatic toward everyone. I think that's a fine quality to have, but it must be terribly stressful for him.

Gernot: At first, the plan is that you won't be there at all. And then we decide that it would be good if you were there, as a man, as Uncle Albert. And finally, you take initiative—

Sarich: —and save the day!

Gernot: You save the show, you save the day, you save the marriage, the upcoming marriage, you save our marriage, and are the mother.

Zaza and ensemble, singing The Best of Times is Now (translation of German lyrics): 🎶 The most beautiful time is now / what’s left of summer, just an Edelweiss 🎶

King: And I find, that's when you see the perfect blend of Albin and Zaza. Albin, who's perhaps less self-assured, who's jealous, and then you have Zaza, who has power, self-assuredness, will fight for everyone, right? And when he has to play the mother, it's the perfect blend of the two. I think every person has yin and yang, masculine-feminine, and when those are perfectly combined, then the person is...

Aichner: Complete.

King: Complete. Thank you. Thank you. (laughs)

Zaza, singing I Am What I Am (translation of German lyrics): 🎶 I am what I am / and what I am is not a secret 🎶

Sarich: It's phenomenal that we can deliver a message like this without it getting preachy. Where we don't have to point and say "Please please please please please." Um, there's an expression in English, "You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar," and we are smearing honey over everything.

Gernot: Yes.

Sarich: Ha!

Gernot: At the end of, at the end of the night, we smell a bit like vinegar, but— (laughs)

Sarich: (laughs) But we taste like honey.

Gernot: We taste like honey (laughs).

Zaza, singing I Am What I Am (translation of German lyrics): 🎶 Hey world! I am what I am 🎶

[bigjbonk]

HI!!!! I found you through ex machina!!! I would sell my bones for more of it. It is SO GOOD. i understand if you dont plan on writing more of homestead, but please, tell us what was gonna happen next !!!!! (If you had an outline already, if not its ok)

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa that's a pretty huge compliment, thank you!!!

Homestead, Homestead, Homestead. It isn't that I don't want to write it, really. It's just that the tf2 fixation is dormant at the moment, and has been for a while. And at the time I didn't like writing Melissa lol. I do wanna write more of it, but the issue is that right now I have stuff I wanna do MORE, and that list is always growing. My creative process is kinda just. You know. Hoarding WIPs that I'll "work on later." 😂

I was an even less disciplined writer back then than I am now, so I kind of just had some loosely connected ideas that I would write whenever I ended up feeling like it. So, seeing as at this point the most likely way I'll get back to Homestead is after an Ex Machina rewrite (and who knows if/when I'll get to that), sure, I'll share some ideas I had for Homestead under the readmore. Hypothetical spoilers below.

For starters, Engie is sterile. He and Melissa wanted children, but didn't find out until later that Engie couldn't have kids. It's why there was a room in the house that didn't match the rest, it's why Engie immediately latched onto the idea of caring for Mal (and partially why he didn't always have the best instincts even when his intentions were good; no practice), and it's why Melissa was initially REALLY uncomfortable with the fact that he'd "built a son in all but name."

Speaking of Melissa, she definitely didn't like Mal. She's seen enough of Engie's craft to know it's sound. But this is the first time he's (as far as she knows the situation) BUILT A GUY. Inspired by a coworker or not, that's weird. That might even make it weirder. It doesn't help that she barely gets to see her husband, and now he's brought home what might as well be his artificial kid, and barely pays her any mind because he's so set on advancing the robot's AI and teaching it ABCs. Melissa wouldn't resort to outright sabotage, because she loves her husband more than life itself, but she DOES inadvertently start a petty rivalry with Mal (if a slightly lopsided one) because frankly, she WOULD prefer that darned robot gone. Even if she wouldn't overtly say so.

I was kind of hoping for her and Mal to eventually warm up to each other, but considering Melissa's visceral distrust, and Mal's tendency to be either terrified or vindictive when wronged, to this day I'm not sure what would have spurred them to make up. I think I was just gonna keep writing as I go until an idea came up that kinda felt right.

I'm pretty sure that was it for actual plot stuff. There wasn't a whole bunch, seeing as Homestead was meant as a sort of drabble collection anyway, with a string of AU canon to tie them together. But here's some other random ideas I had for themes and chapters and stuff!

Mal really would find a horse. It wouldn't be HIS horse, but it would be a big enough horse for him to hop on and then IMMEDIATELY realize he didn't know how to ride one. No horses would be harmed in the making of that chapter.

Mal learning about sign language, and wanting to learn it. It would be difficult, seeing as he has three fused fingers and a face that can't emote, but it's close enough to what he and M-146 did that he would want to try.

Engie upgrading Mal's pattern recognition software so that it could run fast enough for him to enjoyably watch cartoons, simply because it bothered Mal that he couldn't make anything out in animated material. He would immediately swear off almost all of it for a variety of reasons (he ends up not really liking slapstick or fantasy violence, for starters), but he would quickly become hooked on shows like Scooby Doo whenever his cooking show wasn't on.

Engie would also work on de-noising his speaker system because Scout would call sometimes, and talking to a robot whose voice is 80% grain is a nightmare over the phone.

Speaking of Scout calling, Engie tended to always get surprised immediately after a call because Mal would have learned like 20 new words, and would have more varied intonation for words he already had. By the time the fic ended, Mal would have been capable of nearly flawless speech, and his intonation and even accent would become startlingly different from Scout's. And no, Engie would never fully get used to it. XD

There was gonna be a chapter of July 4th. That was uhhhhhhhhh gonna be how Engie learned Mal had pretty severe PTSD. This would have led to some newfound understanding of Mal's prior behavior, and that awareness would have in turn led to better management of— and workarounds to— Mal's anxiety. Not using certain power tools in his vicinity, for example, or slowly introducing him to stimuli that he found stressful in other contexts. (I'm no expert in how PTSD is managed, and at that age I DEFINITELY wasn't, so like, I would inform readers not to take my approach as like, a PTSD tutorial fjdkdjddhdj)

Once Mal had the words for it, he would reveal his favorite colors were yellow and green. He wouldn't want to be repainted, but he WOULD start occasionally wearing clothes about it.

Mal likes watching Engie work, but should NEVER be expected to help beyond handing him tools. (Engie learns why after the July 4th incident, when Mal has the words to share some of his backstory. Which got loosely addressed in a side fic because I literally retconned his origin like halfway through Ex Machina lol whoops)

I toyed with the idea of Mal making friends so that he wasn't 100% dependent on Engie at all times forever and ever. But I never came up with anyone, nor the circumstances for how he would even meet them when he barely gets to leave the house.

Mal eventually learns he likes to draw. He's not good at it by any stretch of the word, but he likes it.

Anything else I could put here would be me coming up with modern ideas, but these were some of the thoughts and themes I had in mind when I was first writing Homestead. Or at least the ones I could remember; there's a notebook somewhere that had a few ideas listed, but I have no clue where that is lol.

[tadpoles-and-daydreams]

Hello! I wanted to try the donation-based reading if you don't mind :) My Query is: "is the incense mixture I am planning to work is suitable for my path? and the magical working ramifications of it"

Thank you so much in advance :)

Hello! I absolutely do not mind, I appreciate it! As always my Ko-Fi is at the bottom, but that's not any weird social pressure to tip- it's for you if you want to and are able, and for anyone who sees this and decides that they'd like to check it out.

Is the incense mixture they're planning to work with suitable for their path?

I asked this twice to be sure and got yes both times!

What are the possible ramifications, both good and bad, of working with this incense mixture?

Queen of Swords: Clever, Meticulous, Intellectual. This incense mixture will likely help you detach from situations emotionally to look at the facts and the facts alone. It could help you in terms of being more honest, being fair, and using your discernment to see past any hidden motives. I feel like there should be an emphasis here on the part of seeing past hidden motives and being particularly honest. Some might call it brutal, but it might be needed, especially if there are hidden motives in your life that you need to see and call out. Overall this incense will likely bring a lot of clarity to your craft and your life overall.

Princess of Swords reversed: Contrarian, Annoyance, Motormouth. This implies that the downside to that is, essentially, that it could be really easy to go too far with the blunt attitude. Being more in touch with your intellectual side and detaching from your emotions can help, but be wary of losing your compassion for others. Be aware of your relationships and how you interact with those around you when using this incense; make a point to be kind!

How can they counteract the energy of the previous card?

Ten of Wands reversed: Martyr, Resentment, Heaviness. This card's advice is to take some time for yourself! Don't be so go-go-go, whether that be in your craft or when it comes to others and their expectations of you. Do what you enjoy, and leave behind responsibilities that no longer serve you and are only stressing you out. Obviously, I mean that within reason- but really! Take some time off and don't break your back for other people and quietly hold onto that resentment.

And... this is the part of the reading that I didn't expect, so apologies if I overexplain. Without going over exactly how I came to the conclusion, because that resulted in a huge paragraph- Loki popped in to give you a few cards. I have absolutely no idea why, but they are very intent on saying something and after confirming literally four times that it's for this reading and that I should put it in this reading I decided I'd just section this off. If you don't want a message from Loki, don't read it! I'd love to know how you felt about this part if you're comfortable, since I've never had any of my deities just pop in like this and while for a paid reading I would message my client and just ask if they want it, the free readings work a little different so I have no plan for that. I have, admittedly, been caught off guard. Leave it to Loki to be predictably unpredictable.

Knight of Wands: Ambition, Risk Taker, Action Oriented. The Knight of Wands, in the context of this question and the other cards, feels like a reminder to use that rational thinking to balance out your impulses. Move forward quickly and don't wait for opportunities to come to you, yes, but don't go running ahead recklessly either!

Seven of Wands: Attack, Challenge, Stand Ground. Don't back down! Seven of Wands is a card of perseverance; fighting for what's yours. Go after what you want, and don't let any self-doubt get in your way. Stand up for yourself and sustain your success.

As always here's my Ko-Fi for anyone who's interested, I hope this reading resonated and was helpful!

[eliteprepsat]

Have you been wearing your mom’s USC sweatshirt since you were a little girl? Been cheering “Roll Tide!” and dreaming of studying in the SEC for years? Or always imagined yourself rubbing shoulders with the other Ivy Leaguers at Dartmouth or Yale? Many of us grow up with our sights set on attending a particular “dream” school. And when the day draws closer, it comes time to turn those hopes into practical strategies for receiving that coveted letter of acceptance. To help you, here are 12 tips for how to get into your dream college.  

1. FOCUS ON ACADEMICS

It’s no secret that good grades and high test scores are of utmost importance when trying to win over college admissions committees. To help with this, take Advanced Placement (AP) courses in your strongest subjects. The benefits of AP courses are far-reaching. They introduce you to college-level work, boost your GPA, and (at some schools) even count toward college credit. If there is a subject area that you struggle with, seek a tutor. Finally, find a local program or school that offers SAT and ACT courses designed to help you prepare for these tests.  

2. KNOW WHO YOU ARE

Grades aren’t the only thing that colleges care about when considering your application, however. Schools want to know that you are a unique individual who is more than just her GPA or SAT score. When preparing your application, it is important that you paint a picture for the admissions committee of this authentic self. Remember that colleges want talented musicians for their marching bands, awe-inspiring athletes for their sports teams, and forward-thinking minds for their science labs. And they want to advertise to the rest of the world the many accolades of the students in whom they are investing. So, in your application, be sure to explain how you will benefit your dream school just as must as how your dream school will benefit you.

3. GET INVOLVED

One of the best ways to show that you are a unique individual (and not just a number) is by getting involved in extracurricular activities. These can be any number of activities either inside or outside of school. Why do colleges care about extracurricular activities? Your involvement in extracurriculars demonstrates that, beyond your intelligence, you are curious, motivated, responsible, and well-rounded. Colleges also want students who will contribute to the life of the university beyond the classroom. And knowing about your extracurricular activities before college will help admissions committees envision how you will help contribute to the broader campus life during college—from joining clubs and helping plan events to starting new volunteer organizations. In all, by showcasing the activities that you have been involved with in the past, you prove to your dream college that you have walked the walk and are not just talking the talk.

4. PRACTICE YOUR CREATIVE WRITING SKILLS ✍️

When writing your college admissions essays, don’t just draft an “information dump” that lists out your many achievements. Rather, craft a narrative that hooks your reader and pulls them in to the story of your life. Ask yourself: Why am I a compelling character? What has been the most intriguing part of my life so far? And why is my dream school the best next step in my life story? This, ultimately, is what you are trying to convince your reader of in your admissions essays. The task will be far easier if you have practice reading, writing, and thinking about stories.

5. STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD

In an increasingly visual and digital age, we often find that formats outside of the written word better represent us. With this understanding in mind, many colleges have moved to accepting college essays in alternative formats to the traditional essay—such as video or audio documents. Sometimes these are accepted as supplemental application materials, while other times they are accepted in place of a written essay altogether. If it sounds like working within one of these mediums might be more your speed, check to see if your dream school accepts these forms of college essays. And then get to work! This kind of creativity can really help an application rise to the top of the stack.

6. EMBRACE YOUR ORIGIN STORY

Colleges want a student body that represents as much of the globe as possible. So, if your dream school is far from home, be sure to mention in your application how your unique cultural background and experiences can contribute to the richness and diversity of their institution. Colleges are also working to increase access to first-generation and low-income students. So, if you fit either of these categories, be sure to demonstrate your determination and grit by explaining your many achievements in spite of these challenges. Remember, too, the many scholarships that exist, including those for first-generation and low-income students. To get an idea of some of these opportunities, check out this directory from scholarships.com.

7. APPLY EARLY 📆

Another simple—yet effective—way to stand out from the crowd is to apply early to your dream school. According to a 2018 study by U.S. News and World Report, some U.S. colleges receive as many as 84,068 applications. With so many applications piling in every fall season, it’s smart to make an early impression. For more information on early application (which usually happens in early November), check out this post from the College Board.

8. NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK 🤝

Make connections with teachers and other mentors from different walks of your life, such as clubs and religious organizations. College applications often require letters of recommendation. You can ask adults with whom you’ve developed meaningful relationships over the years to speak to your best qualities in such letters. When asking for a letter of recommendation, it’s always best to ask your letter writers early so that they have plenty of time to complete their letters, to give them a copy of your resume as a reference, and to ask at least more than one individual than required as a backup in case someone doesn’t get their letter in on time.

9. SHOW YOU CARE 💕

Demonstrate genuine interest in your dream school by planning a campus visit, a campus tour, or even arranging an interview with someone from the admissions staff. While on campus, ask to be put in touch with current students and alumni to discuss their experiences. Make additional contacts with professors in your expected major. During these communications, share your knowledge of the school—a bit of its history, their sports teams and mascot, etc. This is your dream school after all, right?

10. GO TO COLLEGE BEFORE COLLEGE

See if your dream school offers any “bridge” programs that you might be interested in. These are programs that offer high school students the opportunity to study—and often to live—for a brief time on a college campus. They are a fun way to delve deeply into your favorite subjects alongside other students who care about the same things that you do, and they are often taught by top scholars in their respective fields. A few examples of such programs are The Writers Village program at Sarah Lawrence College (for creative writers) and the Research in Science & Engineering (RISE) program at Boston University. Having attended such a program at your dream school as a high school student will really show the admissions committee your interest and commitment to their institution.

11. DIVERSIFY YOUR DREAMS

Instead of setting your sights on just one “dream” school, shift your perspective so as to consider a trio or handful of “dream” schools. With so many wonderful schools out there, is any one of them truly perfect? While one college may be on the top of your list because of its stunning architecture and proximity to the city, another may be on the top of your list because of its top-tier study abroad program. The point is that every school has its unique strengths. And let’s face it: college admissions are competitive. So, if you open your mind to viewing a number of schools as “dream” schools, you might be less disappointed if you do happen to receive a rejection or two, and even more excited when those acceptances come in.

12. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF 💪

Speaking of the competitive nature of college admissions, it’s an important reminder to stay positive and believe in yourself throughout the application process. Eric Hoover of The New York Times reminds us of the many factors admissions committees must consider when weighing applications and urges us to not get overly upset if we do receive a rejection. He writes, “When colleges choose applicants, they’re juggling competing goals, like increasing diversity and bringing in more revenue. Admissions officers aren’t looking for students who fit just one description— say, those who’ve earned all A’s or won the most awards. So don’t take rejection personally.” Ultimately, since you can’t know all the factors that will go into your dream school’s decision to accept your application, it benefits you to stay calm, believe in yourself, and simply do your best.

[calischarm]

A sequel that is really a prequel!

River in the sand is the story of Kyjia, Tally’s mother.

The story begins in Tally’s time, with a visitor from a far away land called Tyar and a visit from a Grand mother Tally has never met. That must have been a strange conversation for Tally!

The next thing we know, we are in the past learning about how Allenthal was sent to Tyal and his purpose in going there. He takes a companion and sets off on a several weeks long journey to seek out Kyjia and “ deliver his message”, protect her from the evil that will come to do her harm, because Kyjia has possession of something everyone wants! A golden tablet that grants the owner rights to kingship of the land!

But, when they finally meet, she mistakes him for murdering her father! Oh, No! Not Good!

Allenthal tried to help her father, not kill him! He and Kylith are in some serious HOT water! YIKES! Definitely not going as planned! But there is hope, Kyjia comes to the rescue after the group she is traveling with leaves Allenthal and Kylith to burn in the heat of the sun. Ouch!

Allenthal and Kylith meet up with another caravan and follow Kyjia to another city with the hope to rescue her from the group she is with. Chaos erupts and they narrowly escape to a network of caves. When Kyjia is caught, the evil guy demands the tablet. When she refuses to hand it over, he poisons her. Now blind and ill, they must find a cure.

This is a fantastic book! It is energetic, romantic, an adventure, and very hard to put down. The author has a beautiful way of crafting a story that pulls you in and makes you forget about your life outside!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[kensho11]

My dreams

This is about my dreams and how they changed over time.

When I was young they told me I could be anything I wanted to be. So I choose to be an astronaut but not any ordinary astronaut. I wanted to be the first person on mars, Or at least one of the first. I wanted to improve the lives of everyone, I wanted to advance the human race to the next step. But by the time I reached high school that dream of me was destroyed, shot down by the same system that told me I could be anything I wanted. But luckily I had a backup plan and I went in the totally opposite direction. I saw that there was a crisis in the ocean. The coral reefs were dying, species were going extinct, and plastic plagued every depth of the ocean. I wanted to try to do something about it, I wanted to save the world from dying. So I moved to Florida and started studying marine science. That’s when I made a horrible realization, or maybe a good one. I realized that we are the problem. We put the plastic in the ocean, we are the ones that massacred all those species. And we are the ones trying to leave it all behind and pretend like we aren’t the ones responsible. How did we come to this point where we are destroying the very thing that gives us this amazing opportunity to live life. 

So now I thought to myself, “why?” Why did we humans do this? So my dream changed for the third time except this time I wasn’t shooting for the stars or diving to the bottom of the ocean, I decided to stay right where I am, to answer this question. And out of all my dreams that I tried to work towards, this dream is far harder to accomplish. As I explored this question it only got harder, more complicated, and eventually split off into more and more questions. 

All the suffering in this world seems to stem off of us humans. And I know that this is scary to think. That we humans have this amazing power that we possess to create change. And with great power comes great responsibility: Thanks spider man: But this is very true. It means that Humans are responsible for the change in this world. And we have to take action. We made a mistake by destroying the world, Not just physically, but also psychologically as well. Mental illness is on the rise, and most people have these deep struggles that are impossible to overcome by themselves. I know that each generation has their struggles and we are lucky to be living in an age where we don’t have to fight to survive every single moment of our lives. Even if that's what it feels like sometimes. But like I said we have the power to change. We live in a world with exponential growth of knowledge and technology. There is no excuse to not be using this knowledge and technology to help others relive their suffering. It is irresponsible and extremely disappointing with what we are doing with this power. Why are we using social media to spread more products that people don’t actually need, and trapping ourselves on our beds doom scrolling. Social media could have been amazing, connecting everyone all around the world. It's a shame. Look at AI. This is an amazing invention that could have improved soooo many lives. It could have solved problems that humans aren’t equipped to solve. But instead people are trying to use it to create art or videos, or customer service, all of which AI fails horribly as compared to humans who are devoted to their craft with love and determination. People are trying to get AI to do exactly what humans are made to do, exactly what humans are good at doing. So why do we keep ruining everything?

As you can see this question did evolve and it just keeps going but ultimately I came to a conclusion. We take everything for granted. We don’t understand just how precise things in life are like the ocean, or our solar system or our lives. Our lives are the most precise thing that could ever exist. Let me prove it to you. 

Did you know that most people who could ever exist will never be born. When you look at our total combinations of alleles on human chromosomes that makes 70,368,744,177,664 unique humans. Only the total number of humans ever born is around 117,000,000,000. That is only .17%. That means that 99.83% of humans don’t get to be born. And that’s considering eventually humans will evolve and have different varying alleles. But that’s not all, that is just the possibility of our genetic code. Think about all the things that had to line up perfectly for your genetic make up to even get the chance of creating you. From the big bang all the way to that sperm fertilizing the egg had to go exactly the way it did for you to be born. The chances of this happening are practically 0%. Not exactly really because you are here reading this book. You have defied the odds of impossibility. You see this makes everything you do the rarest and most precise thing you can do because the odds of that very thing happening are practically 0%. It's not supposed to be possible. Imagine finding an item in a video game that has a 0% chance of being found, or winning the lottery every single time you played. The odds are practically 0% which makes them so precise yet so many of us don’t treat our lives as the most precise thing we can have. We are given the most valuable thing we could ever ask for, the moment we are born and that is the opportunity to live life. The craziest part about this is, it's not just you, it's your mom, your dad, your brother sister, all your friends, all your teachers, pets, animals, every tree, and blade of grass gets this same opportunity. So don’t waste it and never take it for granted. And don’t take it away from anyone or anything else. It would be a shame to lose or give away the most precious thing in the universe which is this world we live in and everything that inhabits it. 

[hydralisk98]

Sid Meier Civilization 5 Complete Edition still is my comfort game in 2024. Get to know how (second WIP draft-y)

Greetings fellow humans, and welcome to my N'th explainer on how Civilization 5 CE (aka G&K+BNW+mods) being my passtime contributes to my well-being. Today we shall discuss at the very least my whole modpack setup (with game fixes), my reference resources to get better, my speculative (not science-fiction, not fantasy... speculative "Isekai" as in shifting realms worth my energy) worldbuilding workflows and my plans for the future.

This map I reuse very often is derived from a "Endekrieg" advanced information era start campaign called "Alef" due to the kinda overly exeggerated "Domination" goal of having absolutely no competition on the map, not even barbs or minor civs (city-states, sure...); Where the big fun was simply to annex I mean to nuke everything to pieces and record that. I kept the map layout for a bunch of purposes and while I lost some initial save, I still can edit the map within Civ 5 so yk, that's a good why to preserve it.

Anyway let's us actually start infodump-ing.

First and foremost, I am kinda... mediocre skill-wise at this game as far as competing with the AI "players" are concerned (beyond the "Settler" diffuclty, I get smashed to pieces fast by aggressive Civs despite being familiar enough with the game mechanics). But you know what? That is a really good problem to have, as it enriches my worldbuilding on every attempt because "Losing is F(u,n)". And to be truthful, I really desire to endure a Marathon-length (somewhat faster paced though, I stick on the dateTime system...) campaign for mostly worldbuilding, speculation & "shifting"? scenario crafting purposes.

Second of all,

Thirdly,

Fourth,

Fifth,

Maskoch Curated Collection / MODPACK

~

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[lumifly]

→ Imagine: Critical Hit! You’ve been critically injured, how will they react, and more importantly, will you survive?

✦ Characters: Kaeya, Itto, and of course Y/N! ✦ Possible Triggers: Angst, Blood, Mentions of grief and death. ✦I live for angst my friends >:) I’ll write more fluff soon though to ease the pain <3 ✦Part 2 will be linked here when done, it will likely have Diluc, Albedo, and Childe!

✦Kaeya

You were a capable, quick witted knight so when you had asked Kaeya to join his squadron, he didn’t hesitate to allow you to join his ranks. Blending nicely with your peers, it had been a smooth transition into a strong section of the knights.

There was only one tiny problem, you were quick to jump into dangerous situations if you thought that Kaeya needed your help. When asked why you did this, you always answered something about loyalty and that you’d do the same for anyone else, but it was clear that you were literally putting your life at risk for a man who hadn’t returned your advances yet.

Truly, Kaeya had planned to talk to you about this, to warn you about your behavior. To look at your sweet, determined eyes and explained that he’s easily able to hold his own in battle and that you didn’t need to go to such lengths to protect him, but that chance never seemed to come up yet. Perhaps he had avoided it? He had to admit, it was always a bit cute to but in the heat of a battle and hear frantic footsteps followed by a shout, “Just wait on me Kaeya, I’ll help you!”

Yet, those thoughts were the last thing on his mind right now, his frame leaned against the bar of Angel's Share, a wonderfully crafted ale in front of him. While he was supposed to be reporting for duty right now, he knew that nobody would complain if he was an hour or so late. He lifted the glass, taking a few sips and was about the order another before the door to the tavern was slammed open, the wooden hinges creaking a bit.

“Sir!” An obviously distressed knight was out of breath as he approached the Cavalry Captain, “we’ve been looking for you for ages!” he spoke in a frantic tone, causing Kaeya to immediately put his drink down and place more than enough Mora on the bar to cover his tab.

“Am I that important suddenly?” he tried to muse over their worries, but the lower-ranked knight was quick to continue. “We were worried because we got a ransom letter demanding mora for your return from captivity.” Well, obviously Kaeya wasn't in captivity.

Kaeya couldn’t help but shrug a little, seeming to not understand why this was such a big deal until he seemed to connect the dots, “Archons, [Y/N] went didn’t she?”

All it took was a breathless nod from the knight for Kaeya to spring into action.

Whenever you heard the news you couldn’t believe it, Kaeya had always talked about how strong he was! But somehow he had been captured and taken as leverage by the Fatui? Your ears didn’t want to believe what they were being told, but the letter in front of you and your pounding heart didn’t want to leave anything up to fate.

That's why, whenever Jean desperately tried to smooth over your worries and compel you to stay within headquarters, you were quick to turn around and leave. It's not that you didn't respect her, you really did, but you cared for Kaeya more and if you were the only one going to save him then, so be it.

The fight had been going on for far too long now, you were tired beyond belief, you had originally tried talking to them like a diplomat but whenever you didn't offer any mora words fell upon deaf ears. Really, you did enjoy a good fight, but you weren't sure if this would be considered one.

A mirror maiden was enjoying trapping you within her ice while an electrohammer vanguard and a pyroslinger bracer seemed to take turns inflicting you with their designated elements. To be honest, it hurt like living hell, and with each step you took, it felt like your body was burning.

They refused to tell you where Kaeya was, possibly if your judgment was better you would've abandoned the personal rescue mission. Yet, in the back of your mind, you thought about Kaeya getting the same treatment as you, and that thought alone was enough to allow you to block their relentless attacks.

"Where is he!? Just tell me please!" You parried successfully as you asked, but there was a falter in your steps for a moment, stumbling back against the dirt some of it kicking up into your eyes. The larger vanguard took this opportunity, landing a critical hit on you and the hammer sending pulses of electricity through your veins as your body fell to the ground.

Your eyelids were fluttering violently and it felt like you didn't have much control of your body, you didn't know why you felt warm and wet but you did as your body lay on the dirt. You were desperate to push yourself up but you couldn't muster the strength.

The scuffling of feet and desperate yelling were causing your ears to ring, forcing your eyes to open you looked through the haze at Kaeya himself defeating them rather quickly, though it seems he sustained injuries as well.

You thought you had only closed your eyes for a moment, but when you opened them again, his face was in front of yours, an icy orb gazing worriedly at you. "Kaeya," your voice was barely above a whisper, and whenever you spoke it hurt something inside your chest.

"I'm..I'm so glad you're safe," this single sentence caused tears to flow from Kaeya as he overlooked your body, he was desperately trying to mend your wounds but he was only trained on fighting, not healing. "Stop talking! Barbara, Jean, and some other knights should be here soon, they can help you better than me!"

His words were desperate as he clung to your hand, sneakily having a finger kept on your wrist to feel your fleeting pulse. He was scared, the guilt coursing through his veins leaving him almost numb in his brain as he stared at the near corpse of you on the ground. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry [Y/N]."

You gave him a weak smile, shaking your head though the pain seemed unbearable as you did, "You have nothing to be sorry for, love," you gave a small sigh as your eyes seemed to focus on the background before closing. Kaeya's heart racing, he shook your shoulders, desperately calling your name over and over.

When Barbara and Jean arrived Kaeya was inconsolable, his words spitting at them like venom.

"What do you mean you can't do anything? Jean, help her!"

Jean sighed softly, placing a hand on Kaeya's shoulder, "Kaeya, she's already dead."

✦Itto

It was no lie that there were tensions between people and oni, stereotypes were strong and some people just refused to let go of prejudice. Whenever you first were open about your relationship, people had openly asked you why and if he had coerced you in some way which you had taken great offense to.

You tried desperately to convince them that Itto was actually a great man who treated you better than most humans had, but there was still a belief that in some way you had been forced into this relationship.

Itto honestly didn't seem to care much, he simply laughed off most things, but if anyone were to ever say anything to insult you it was like they had committed the worst crime in the universe.

Somehow, you hadn't noticed the growingly dark intentions behind some of the human's words, saying that they didn't want 'half-breeds' within their world in the coming future thanks to you.

This is what had led to your current situation, taken from your home in the middle of the night, being tied up, and brought to a hidden chasm in the depts of Inazuma.

Your neighbors had watched as you were dragged from your home, kicking and screaming. They couldn't help but feel sympathetic to your struggles, their love had too be questioned, albeit not to this extent. This is why, whenever they made their way to Itto, they were quick to explain the situation to the man who loved you.

"They what?!" his voice was booming, his hair was standing on ends with stress as he looked at the two humans in front of him, confused as to why they didn't help you but he didn't bother to ask. "Where is she?"

Your struggles were harsh and as you were dragged down, you bit at the hand of your captors, causing them to yelp before retailing with a harsh slap against your previously untainted cheek.

"We wouldn't have to do this if you didn't get involved with him," they chided as you were momentarily freed from the ropes that had kept you imprisoned. "Stop struggling," a burly man grasped your arm as he forced you towards a wooden totem in the corner of the room.

"Then don't do this!" your confusion about the situation only caused your struggles to be more frantic as you desperately tried to free yourself from his grasp.

As you were tied to the pole, your mind was running wild with scenarios, your anxiety growing with each passing second. That's why, whenever your captors approached you with cans of fire starter and a match you were horrified, "No, no, do not do this please," you begged them as they poured the stinking liquid over you and the pole.

They didn't say anything, simply believing that they were doing the right thing as they lit the match and then evacuated immediately, knowing that if the fire didn't kill you then the smoke certainly would.

Screams of agony were echoing from the cave entrance as your captors disappeared into the night. Your clothes were getting charred along with the heat emitting towards your skin at a rapid pace. Once the fire started to creep along your skin, you couldn't help but continuously cry out, your tears doing nothing to ease the flames as they ate away at your skin.

Itto was sprinting into the cave, your screaming only quickening his pace. The smoke was thick and he could smell burning flesh, whenever he reached the opening he saw the wall of fire that surrounded you. Self-preservation wasn't a word in his dictionary as he made his way to you, sprinting and jumping through the flames before grabbing your now slumped-over frame.

"[Y/N]?" He slapped lightly at your face, realizing that you had probably passed out from the pain, he was quick to pick you up, "C'mon, I've gotta get you outta here," he knew you couldn't hear him, but he was desperate to provide any comfort to you. Coughing from the thick smoke and sprinting out of the cave, not caring about the burns that now were all over his exposed skin.

He was quick to rush you back into town into your parent's home where they had been waiting, you were still out cold and your pulse was fleeting as he examined where your clothes had melted into your skin. He was scared to touch you, to hurt you in any way, but for now, you were alive and in front of him.

Your parents were frantic with trying to contact the right people and by some stroke of luck, Kokomi was within the area and could provide her services.

Throughout the night, both she and Itto provided intensive care to you, multiple times you were on the brink of death and they had to desperately pull you back off the ledge. Once stabilized, you would regain consciousness and whimper in pain, trying desperately to speak but from inhaling the spoke it burnt to talk, simply only being able to say Itto's name.

He would shush you softly, pushing back the hair from your face and offering water that Kokomi had nearly sprinted, tripping over herself to get.

"I'm here hun, I made it in time."

[owlpartytime]

Days of Thranto Past Appreciation Post Day 9

Rather than writing new this Thrantovember, I am featuring the works of others that I love. Most of these are probably well known already, but it's always someone's first time seeing a fic! Rules were: 1. Story must be completed, and 2. Thranto must be the primary focus of the story. I'm featuring 3 a day (because I couldn't cut the list down) at random - I'd love to hear your thoughts on the selections (and please give the authors some love, too!)

Today's featured stories:

"Good Day, Lieutenant Vanto": A Thranto Tale by @wantonwhale

If Admiral Ar’alani was to be believed, each moment with his erstwhile brother that was not immediately occupied by battle was spent interrogating her on the condition of his former aide:

How was he sleeping?

Was he taking to the food alright?

Was he being kept warm enough?

Was he properly appreciated by his comrades?

Was he given sufficient opportunities for advancement?

Was he being allowed the extended sleep cycle required by his species to thrive?

Was his delicate human skin having any adverse reactions to the energy-absorbing fabric of the CDF uniforms? Was it itchy? Was Eli itchy?

Was he experiencing any nutritional deficiencies? Should he be sent back with supplements? Vitamin D, perhaps?

Should I procure a sunlamp for him? Stay here, I am going to go get a sunlamp from medical.

And, according to a very peeved (though reluctantly amused) Admiral, that had just been her first day aboard the ISD Chimaera.

Random decided it was time for more Whale, and I'm not complaining. This was my first Thrass fic and I fell in love with their version of him. This whole longfic is very funny, clever, and creative, and one can't help but feel for Thrawn and Eli as Thrass makes them both dance to his tune for their own benefit.

--

Beginning by DistantStorm

Thrawn has planned for this interaction, knows that of all the others, he perhaps owes this man the most by way of explanation. He will lead off with a traditional greeting, the handshake used by the Chiss to indicate close personal friendship, and then, time permitting, will finally speak candidly with his protégé. He has had his mission, his purpose, and he does not regret it, but honor demands he recognize Eli Vanto’s contributions and sacrifices, as well as Thrawn’s treatment of him.

He is not good at expressing himself. He has little doubt his attempt at explanation will be disastrous, but Vanto deserves to hear it anyway.

Of course, very few plans survive the opening salvo of battle.

Thrawn goes home to the Ascendency and reunites with his friends and associates. Brief but well crafted, a minimum of words expresses a maximum of emotion.

--

Contingencies. by DistantStorm

Thrawn is obsessed with Ivant. Obsessed in a suspicious kind of way, not a curious, inquisitive kind of way like Thrawn gets about most things.

He insists that Ezra introduce them.

Ezra does.

As far as introductions go, it's weirdly normal.

Ivant is, as far as Ezra can tell, an honest person. He's from a planet in Wild Space. His family owns a shipping company. Ar'alani keeps him around because of his skills with numbers.

Thrawn pushes him. Wants to know what makes him tick. Wants to know why he is trusted with the Navigators, why he is conducting all this research. Why is he so special?

An excellent story that shows the consequences of dealing with Palpatine, even for someone as capable as Thrawn, and how it affects Eli and the rest of his former comrades told through the eyes of Ezra. This story directly inspired one of my own Halloween horror stories; clearly it stuck with me long after I read it.

[wannabegwenstacy]

Eden's Favorite Fic's (BTS Fic Recs)

Updated Version: Here!

Note: In the past I haven't indulged in tumblr fics often but I recently (past 3 months) have been reading quite regularly & am planning on branching out a bit. To keep track of the ones that I have enjoyed & the ones that I have even came back to I'm making this list. Again, I haven't been digging into the tumblr fics world for long so for right now its a very short list. I'm hoping with time I can get more fics of different types on here (btsxbts, some gender neutral xreader ones, & more ones that I genuinely like)

About me to understand what's going to be on here:

Age: 21 (99' liner)

Sexuality: Bisexual

Pronouns: She/Her

Ult Bias: Yoongi

Trio: Rap Line

I am OT7. I do enjoy smut but don't think it is necessary to FF. Overall I just want a well-crafted plot that makes sense. I read for entertainment & to escape. But I still need some form of realism (just me personally) to follow the trail of events. PSA: I'm trying to find a broader scope of writers I like but for right now I don't have many. There are gonna be some repetitive writers for now.

______________________________________________________________

Kim Namjoon:

- Librarian Namjoon Universe by @jungshookz

Beauty & the Bookworm (I love this concept SO MUCH)

Pairing: Cute, Good Boy, Nerdy, University Librarian Namjoon x Bratty, Semi-Popular, Procrastinator, University Student Reader

Word count: 20.8k

Summary: You're a procrastinator big time and you may or may not be failing. To get some extra credit you begrudgingly take the library assistant opening where you work under strict dorky Namjoon. Passive aggressiveness, cuteness, fluff, & some smuttiness arises.

Jealous-Boyfriend-Librarian Namjoon (Drabble)

Pairing: Jealous Boyfriend Librarian Namjoon x Oblivious Cute Girlfriend Uni Student Reader

Word count: 3.4k

Summary: You take an Art History Course and end up needing a tutor. Joon offers to tutor you but he doesn't know shit about Art History so you end up getting tutored by an ArtHoe Taehyung that may or may not like you but you are oblivious to this and Joon gets super jealous.

Kim Seokjin:

- Hockey Player Jin by @ve1vetyoongi

HEART OF GOLD (BLADES OF ICE)

Pairing: Sweet Hot New Hockey Player in Town Jin x Ex-Figure Skater (who has a history with jin) Reader

Word count: 20k

Summary: After a fall during figure skating practice dashes your dreams of competing at nationals, you vow to hang up your skates for good. That is until you cross paths with Kim Seokjin, captain of the ice hockey team, who is determined to get you back out on the rink and melt the ice in your heart. (Jimin is a bully in this and their other k-pop idols as characters. Very Very Fluffy and Hallmark Christmas Movie-ish so be aware of that. Overall, it's just cute :) )

Min Yoongi:

Note: these are all but one by the same writer @jungshookz & are written from the pov of a female reader. I'm gonna try to find some gender-neutral fics but for now, if you are female-identifying I really enjoyed these! :)

- Mechanic Yoongi Universe by @jungshookz

Baby, You Can Drive My Car (My favorite AU Fics I've read so far on Tumblr!!)

Pairing: Tatted, Mic Drop Era, Mechanic Min Yoongi x Spoiled Rich, Inexperienced, University Student Reader

Word count: 24.6k

Summary: Welcome to Min Mechanics - What can I do for you today, doll?

Maybe She Can Drive His Car

Pairing: Oblivious, Hot, Boyfriend, Mechanic Min Yoongi x Adorable, Spoiled, University Student, Jealous Girlfriend Reader

Word count: 11.6k

Summary: Yoongi's ex is back in town for a visit and you would be lying if you said you weren't slightly envious of a) how knowledgeable she is about stupid cars and b) how well she gets along with literally everyone.

- Uni Yoongi x Nerdy Reader (mini series) by @jungshookz

Note: these are all drabbles I'm gonna link my favorites in the series. I'll probably add more later.

Cocky Uni Student Yoongi x Nerdy Reader:

^^This is the start of the mini-series, recommend you read it first!^^

The One with the Scrunchie:

Contains: smut, a super cute scrunchie turning into a kink of sorts, slightly insecure Yoongi, experienced Yoongi, slightly inexperienced reader, shy about their own body reader.

Yoongi always had an Overactive Imagination:

Contains: talking about sex, implied smut, reader trying to be productive while also being horny, Yoongi being super distracted and horny.

"I'm gonna need you to shut up now please"

- CEO Yoongi Universe by @jungshookz

Suit&Tie (First Fic in the series)

Pairing: CEO Min Yoongi x Secretary Reader

Wordcount: 21k+

Summary: Young Intimidating Hot CEO Yoongi, Clumsy Secretary Y/N who loves Sugar, Best Friend Jimin. Funny Awkward Meeting that sets up the whole plot, was like reading a Kdrama in book form.

The One Where Augst D makes a Comeback (Favorite Fic in the series)

SPOILERS READ PRIOR DRABBLES TO CATCH UP!! (I recommend The First Date, The One Where Yoongi is Just a Little Jealous, The Proposal, The Wedding, Baby Makes Three, Baby Min's Timeline, The Birth of Baby Min, Daddy's Little Girl, Who the Hell is Augst D.

Pairing: CEO Min Yoongi x Secretary Reader

Word count: 6.5k

Summary: Yoongi finds out you faked an orgasm and he's going to gi-give it to you more ways than one.

- Demon Yoongi by @jungshookz

Hellish (I got some feelings for incubus Yoongi not gonna lie)

Pairing: Bratty, Super Sexy, Sex Demon, Mint Min Yoongi x University Student, Non-Supernatural Believer Reader

Word count: 22.1k

Summary: Jungkook is your clueless, energetic best friend. Wonho is a character in this fic, You are dragged into summoning a demon one night by your overly excited to be summoning a demon? best friend Jungkook. Spooky but Kind of Sexy Shit Happens! (This is probably my second favorite Yoongi Fic I've read!)

- Basketball Captain Yoongi by @jungshookz

Basketball Captain Yoongi

Pairing: Cocky, Popular, Charming Captain of the Basketball Team Min Yoongi x Water girl University Student Reader (who has been crushing on Yoongi hard for some time)

Word count: 18.4k

Summary: Jungkook is your athletic bro of a best friend that signs you up to be his replacement as the water boy (girl in this case) after he makes the team. You have had a pathetic schoolgirl crush on Yoongi for a while and is basically the only reason you agreed to be the water girl aside from spending time with Jungkook. It's fluffy & smutty!

- Android Yoongi @jungshookz

Technologically in love (..I cried! but I also smiled a lot so you know this is well written)

Pairing: Personal Assistant Prototype but SUPER Lifelike Android Min Yoongi x Messy, Junkfood, & Cartoons Loving Reader (basically your early 20s living alone kind of vibe)

Word count: 24k+

Summary: You live in a Detroit Becoming Human type universe but prior to a lot of the advancements. Androids are already a thing but not to the level the M1N Y00NG1 is yet. You are best friends with all the boys and they happen to be engineers which is how you ended up with Yoongi in the first place. Namjoon created Yoongi as a personal assistant prototype android & you are told to live with him. Things get fluffy, SUPER ANGSTY, and super smutty!

- Listen Closely by @avveh

Listen Closely ( sexiest Yoongi fic I have read so far, I kept wanting to go back and read again)

Pairing: Tsundere Office Worker Min Yoongi x Hardworking Office Worker Reader

Word count: 12.2k

Summary: Unintentionally, you stumble upon something that makes you view your coworker Min Yoongi in a whole new light. (SMUT 18+: Masturbation, voyeurism, exhibitionism, breathplay, spanking, degrading names.)

Jung Hoseok:

- Secret Boyfriend Hoseok by @kpopfanfictrash

Keeping a Secret (this took me places...Idk about you but I have trouble finding really good Hoseok fics and this one was perfect. One of my favorite fics on this website)

Pairing: New Relationship Dom Hoseok x New Relationship Tease Reader

Word count: 3.7k

Summary: You and Hoseok have been hooking up for a few weeks now. No one in your friend group knows. What happens then, when he shows up at movie night looking better than anticipated? SMUT!

- Studio Sex Hoseok by @joonbird

Studio:

Pairing: Boyfriend BTS Hoseok x Girlfriend Reader

Word Count: 5k

Summary: Hoseok is stressed about his upcoming mixtape, so you decide to swing by his studio and help him relax. (Hobi being the beautiful glorious sexy man he is and putting those ungodly hips to use!)

Park Jimin:

- Jimin and His Pregnancy Kink by @boymeetsweevil

ME, YOU, AND THIS THING WE HAVE BETWEEN US (NSFW)

Pairing: Sweet Caring Domestic but Horny Jimin x Pregnant Hormonal Reader

Word count:~3.7k

Warnings (aka what to prepare for): everything is graphic and gross lmao, blowjobs (face f*cking), boob job (not the one w/ silicon inserts), cunnilingus, dom!jimin if u squint, cumplay if u squint again, dirty talk/degrading language, penetrative sex (doggy style), unprotected sex, PREGNANCY KINK that’s a big one

Summary: You’re pregnant and Jimin is…happy about it (If I remember correctly this one is 25% cute domestic Jimin trying to calm his hormonal pregnant partner and 75% pure filth aka Jimin having a pregnancy kink and trying to hide it but not well at all. This is however my ultimate fav Jimin smut I have ever read!)

- Crush/Neighbor Jimin by @sketchguk

Lover to Lean On: (I absolutely adore this fic. Overall it's just really well written and I felt like I was watching a show in my head rather than reading a short Tumblr fic. Highly recommend it!)

Pairing: Cute Customer & Neighbor Jimin x Florist Reader

Word Count: 19.9k

Summary: For months, you can hear your no-face neighbor and his ‘girlfriend’ singing and dancing and laughing and falling in love. Above all, you can hear their bed banging against your shared wall, and they won’t ever let you sleep. You’d much rather stay up at night worrying about your own problems, like the weight of an unrequited crush, so of course, you’re bitterly single. But one day, the apartment is radio silent. And one day slowly turns into one week and then into an immeasurable amount of time since you’ve heard his laugh. So on Valentine’s Day, when you’re missing it the most, you beg your neighbor to open up to you with cookies in one hand and two broken hearts in the other.

Kim Taehyung:

-Roommate Taehyung Universe by @jungshookz

Stuck with You

Pairing: Frat Bro bit of an asshole Roommate Kim Taehyung x Clean Organized bit of a Pushover Reader

Word count: 37k

Summary: Kim Taehyung becoming your new roommate is definitely up there on the list of the worst things to ever happen to you. Librarian Namjoon is your Best friend and ex-roommate. Frat bro Jeon Jungkook makes an appearance. There is so smut and implied smut.

The One with the One Year Anniversary (Drabble)

Pairing: The cutest domestic boyfriend Kim Taehyung x girlfriend reader

Word count: 4.6k

Summary: NO SPOILERS! so I'm going to give you a quote: "well, um, look! I made breakfast for you. f-for us!" Also, SFW

Jeon Jungkook:

- Gamer Jungkook by @softyoongiionly

PRESS START (this is the cutest fucking smut type fic I have ever read! it is so pure and is the exact type of relationship I want! IT MADE ME SIMP SO HARD!) gender-neutral I believe!

Pairing: Night owl Gamer Domestic Boyfriend Jeon Jungkook x Witty Domestic Cutesy Relationship Reader

Word count: 5.5k

Summary: A night in with your boyfriend Jungkook includes all kinds of things: anime, witty banter, snacks from 7-Eleven and, you know, sex. (GREAT READ!! I AM A SIMP FOR THIS FIC!!)

[alister312]

✨🎶👀

✨ This is something I've known and heard from many people over the years but goddamn I feel like I always nail dialogue!! It's definitely one of my strongest points as a writer at least— part of why my capstone project was an experimental TV pilot. In saying that, I feel I should mention that I have a degree in Creative Writing? Which sometimes I feel lessens my work but also absolutely doesn't. I studied the craft and got good. It's most obvious when I look back at my old fics that I've removed from FFN. I feel really proud of how far I've come :)

🎶 I do!! ADHD brain needs things happening constantly or I, personally, will die. Call me insane, but I don't have (and won't get) Spotify Premium so I listen to all of my music through YouTube videos. As of late, it's been a lot of Penelope Scott, MCR, Ado, Carly Rae Jepsen (specifically the EMOTIONS album), and The Mountain Goats. One or two songs from other artists peppered in there for extra flavor (i.e. earlier it was "San Cristobal" and "Crying at the Wawa" by Mal Blum, currently it's "Someday" and "What You Know" by Two Door Cinema Club). If I ever need to REALLY focus though, I pop on BLOOD👏RIGHT👏TEN👏HOURS and crank the volume so high that people get concerned for my well being. Something about it puts me in a writing trance.

👀 Oh I'm sitting on so many WIPs right now. Partially finished chapters for my two long form fics, for instance. Many stories I've plotted out that will likely never see the light of day outside my planning notebook. A fic for a non SP fandom that I will never release. What's currently on my mind which is to say what I am currently procrastinating while answering this ask is fics for Gregstophe Week! I'm trying to get them done way in advance so I can focus more on running the week when it comes around. I can't talk much about them without also giving away the themes of the week (those will be publicly announced in due time) BUT here's bits from two of the ones I've got:

(the initial "he" in the second one is Gregory if that's not obvious)

[genshin-impact-writings]

Request for your special event-

Character: Albedo

prompt: 'I love you, my little prince"

Song: Once upon a dream: Lana Del Rey

If it is possible, Can the reader be the one to say the prompt and is a fatui harbinger [or someone that the knights are just wary off] ?? (I am a sucker for forbidden love but the reader is just "screw u, Imma date them anyways) I apologize if this is too specific.

Thank You in advance and Congrats on your milestone!! <3

First of all, thank you very much for your request. I love this song and Albedo, so it really was the perfect combination. Also, this turned out a lot longer than I originally planned, and I really hope you like what I came up with. Have a good day/night and take care! <3

Once upon a dream – Albedo x gn!Fatui!reader

I know you, I’ve walked with you once upon a dream

I know you, the look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam

And I know it’s true that visions are seldom all they seem

But if I know you, I know what you’ll do

You’ll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream

Mondstadt was beautiful at night. Although most of the shops were already closed, the streets were still filled with people, sitting in front of the taverns where they enjoyed a few drinks and the balmy breeze that blew gently through the alleyways. Everything was peaceful and somehow quite idyllic, and you stopped in your track to take in all the impressions that rained down on you.

In your life, you had barely experienced moments like this. As a member of the Fatui, you were always on the road, traveling wherever your Archon sent you and fulfilling every mission she gave you. It was a restless life, dangerous too, but you had never been one to complain, especially since you had always dreamed about exploring Teyvat, seeing other cities and meeting new people along the way. Without the Fatui, you probably would still be stuck in Snezhnaya where you would be doing the same things every day, always wondering if this was all life had in store for you.

Needless to say that you still felt incredibly honored that the Tsaritsa had chosen you, alongside with a few other Fatui Diplomats, to accompany Signora, one of the Eleven Harbingers, on her trip to Mondstadt. So far, the trip had been everything but fun, every day filled with work and duties, including spying on the Knights of Favonius that were understandably weary of every Fatui who set foot in their city. Most of them kept their eyes on you twenty-four-seven.

Even now, during your rare free time, you could feel the guards watching you as you made your way back to the market district. A couple of people were standing outside of Cat’s Tail, laughing and joking around, just like they usually did. By now, you recognized most of them since you came by here every day. It was one of the few spots in Mondstadt where nobody payed attention to you because they were too busy with minding their own business to wonder about a Fatui Diplomat passing by, eyeing them curiously before walking on.

Your destination was the upper square, the one with the pretty fountain, right in front of Good Hunter. You had enjoyed a few meals there over the past few days (people where rightfully proud of the restaurant) but at this late hour, the shop was already closed, promotional signs neatly stored away.

You sat down on one of the benches near the fountain and crossed your legs as you let your eyes wander. During the day, this square was a popular meeting spot but now, there were only a few people here. The perfect opportunity to see him again.

During the few meetings with the Knights of Favonius you had attended, he had stayed in the background, only speaking when someone addressed him directly and even then, his answers had been quite brief. It hadn’t taken you long to figure out that he preferred to keep to himself, hence why he almost exclusively came here long after dark to inspect the Crafting Bench for any damages and to have a quick conversation with Timaeus, the alchemist who supervised the Crafting Bench throughout the day.

Usually, you kept your distance, admiring him from afar, but today, you had promised yourself to finally introduce yourself to him. Not only because it was rude to stare at someone you barely knew but also because a considerable part of you really wanted to find out who the Chief Alchemist truly was.

You didn’t have to wait long. Propping up your head on your hand, you watched him as he talked to Timaeus. His bright teal eyes almost seemed to glow in the warm light of the street lamps, and you couldn’t help but smile at the sight. It really should be illegal to be that pretty.

About twenty minutes later, Timaeus made his farewells to the Chief Alchemist, leaving him with a bunch of notes. It took you a brief moment to realize that this was the moment you had waited for but then, you jumped to your feet and took a deep breath before walking over to him.

“Excuse me,” you said, your heart starting to beat frantically as he looked at you, a slightly confused expression on his face. “Yes?”

“I’m sorry to bother you,” you continued and cleared your throat when you realized how squeaky your voice was sounding. “But I think you might have dropped this.”

You put out your hand, showing him the tiny gemstone you had bought at With wind comes glory a few hours ago. The stone’s color perfectly matched his eyes, the same bright teal that you saw in your dreams sometimes. You were absolutely sure that nobody else on this earth had eyes so pretty that you even thought about them in your sleep.

“No, I’m afraid you’re mistaken,” he replied softly, snapping you out of your thoughts. “It’s not mine.”

“Oh,” you mumbled. Well, that didn’t go as planned, you thought and let out a quiet sigh. So, what else could you say to him?

Usually, you had a quick tongue and always managed to figure out a topic to talk about but right now, you felt like every statement that came to your mind was either incredibly stupid or completely irrelevant. Think, you urged yourself, think!

But he had already lost interest in you. His attention was back on the clipboard Timaeus had handed him earlier, his brows slightly furrowed as he studied the notes from his assistant.

“So, um- can I perhaps ask you a few things about alchemy?” you asked when the silence between the two of you got uncomfortable. He didn’t look up from his notes but at least, he nodded which you took as a good sign.

“I mean, not now,” you added, painfully aware that you didn’t even know enough about alchemy to ask him a simple question. It definitely would have been better to prepare for this conversation but now it was too late to turn back. “I just – I wanted to make sure that you’re okay with helping me before I deluge you with my questions.”

Finally, he looked up, his gaze meeting yours for a brief second. “Ah, it’s you. I saw you at the meetings. You’re one of the Fatui Diplomats,” he said but unlike others, he didn’t seem to judge you. He simply stated a fact, nothing more. If anything, he sounded a bit curious.

“My name’s (Y/N),” you replied, in an almost desperate attempt to keep the conversation going because a part of you really didn’t want him to leave. When you saw the small smile that flashed over his face, you felt like your heart stopped for a second.

“I’m Albedo.”

But if I know you, I know what you’ll do

You’ll love me at once, the way you did

Once upon a dream.

That’s when it all had started. Whenever you weren’t busy with your mission or other tasks Signora assigned you to, you spent every minute with Albedo, listening to his musings about alchemy and the secrets of the world he desperately wanted to disclose. You didn’t understand half of the things he was talking about but you didn’t mind. It was enough for you to just listen to him, watching how his eyes lit up whenever he made progress in his research, and every time he sheepishly thanked you for keeping him company, you found yourself falling for him a bit more.

Of course, you knew right from the beginning that it was stupid to develop feelings for him, given the fact that you had to leave Mondstadt at some point to return back to Snezhnaya – but there was nothing you could do to stop it. Everything about Albedo was adorable. He was a gentle soul, curious and kind and so beautiful that it still took your breath away every time you look at him. And you wanted to be with him, against all reason. There was just something about him that seemed so familiar, so wonderfully familiar that you simply didn’t have the power to resist him.

And before you had even fully realized what was happening, you were already head over heels in love with him.

You didn’t tell him, at first. After all, he was still the Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favionius and you were still a member of the Fatui, someone the knights didn’t trust at all, and you didn’t want to spoil the precious time you could spend together.

But eventually, you didn’t want to keep it a secret any longer. You wanted him to know how much he really meant to you. It had been an awkward confession, your face hot from embarrassment when he didn’t respond immediately but as soon as he softly asked if it would be alright to kiss you, you fell in love with him all over again.

I know you, I’ve walked with you once upon a dream

I know you, the look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam

And I know it’s true that visions are seldom all they seem

But, just as all good things, your relationship with Albedo came to an end about three months later when new orders from Snezhnaya arrived, recalling you and the other remaining Fatui Diplomats back to your home country immediately. Signora and the vast majority of her team had already left Mondstadt quite a while ago, and it would be a lie if you said that it hadn’t raised your hopes up that you were allowed to stay for a little longer.

Now, all your hopes were shattered to pieces. You could feel tears burning in your eyes as you stared down at the letter in your hand, reading the orders over and over again as you tried to understand that it was really over this time. There was no way you could convince your superior or even the Tsaritsa to prolong your deployment in Mondstadt.

How were you supposed to tell Albedo about this? How were you supposed to say Goodbye to him?

You should have stayed away from him right from the start. Then, you would have been the only one who got his heart broken by your new orders but no, you had decided to drag Albedo into this mess, and now you were forced to leave him.

You buried your face in your hands. This was slowly becoming just one big nightmare, one that threatened the wonderful, silly dream you had about your future. A future you wanted to share with Albedo. But of course, you couldn’t, not as long as you were a Fatui. And you couldn’t leave them either because you had sworn an oath to the Tsaritsa; you had sworn to be true to her and Snezhnaya, no matter what happened, and to break this oath had never been an option for you. Heck, you probably wouldn’t even survive betraying your Archon like that, let alone get the happy ending you wished for.

So, no matter how you put it, you had no other choice than to return to Snezhnaya.

*

You couldn’t sleep, contrary to Albedo who was sound asleep next to you, all snuggled up to you and completely unaware of the emotional rollercoaster you had been experiencing for the past few days. You had waited for the perfect moment to tell him that you had to leave but of course, it never came. There simply was no perfect moment to tell the person you loved that you couldn’t stay with them any longer, that you had no idea when you’d be able to see each other again. If you would ever see each other again.

And with that in mind, you had decided that it was for the best to just leave. Albedo would be heartbroken, yes, but he would be angry, too. And maybe that anger would be enough to make him move on from you. But for now, you wanted to enjoy the time the two of you had still left. The Fatui delegation would leave Mondstadt in the early morning, as agreed with the Acting Grandmaster, so you still had another two, maybe three hours you could spend by Albedo’s side.

You turned your head to press a soft kiss to Albedo’s cheek. He mumbled something in his sleep, and when you heard your name, your heart dropped. He was dreaming about you.

He was dreaming about you and you were about to leave him without even saying Goodbye.

*

Dawn came and with it the moment you had feared for the past few days. But you had made your decision, and it was too late to change your mind.

Carefully, you tried to pull away from Albedo who was still clinging to you, his arm wrapped tightly around your waist, almost as if he had sensed that this would be the last night you would spend together. You felt terrible as you pushed his arm aside, freeing yourself from his hug, although every part of you screamed to stay here with him.

But you had to leave. And until now, everything went just as you had planned.

Until you accidentally knocked the small lamp on the bedside table over when you gathered the few belongings you hadn’t packed up yet.

Albedo stirred awake, his eyes fluttering open, confusion clouding his eyes.

“(Y/N)?” he asked, his voice still heavy with sleep. “Where are you going?”

You bit your bottom lip, trying to fight back the urge to tell him the truth, and leaned back down to brush a strand of hair from his forehead. “Nowhere,” you reassured him softly. “You’re just dreaming, my love. Go back to sleep.”

Your fingertips caressed his skin, gently tracing the outlines of his face as you watched him slowly drifting off to sleep again.

“I love you, my little prince,” you whispered and pressed a soft kiss to his lips one last time before you turned away and quietly left the room. Please forgive me.

The walk to the town gate gave you enough time to regain your composure. By the time you joined the others, you had carefully locked away your emotions, putting on that blank expression that didn’t show how much it hurt you to leave this city.

Lyudmila, one of the other Diplomats, gave you a brief smile. “Looks like we’re all here,” she said. “Let’s go home. We’ve spent way too much time here already.”

You nodded, although you couldn’t help but flinch at the word home. Snezhnaya would never be your home again, not when Albedo couldn’t be there with you.

Maybe one day, you thought to yourself and granted yourself one more look at Mondstadt and the town walls that almost seemed to glow in the warm light of the rising sun, we will meet again.

But if I know you, I know what you'll do You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream.