#I have SO MANY THOUGHTS about hermann

[jtownraindancer]

Hello. I'm Lawrence. I think up clever ideas to make money.

Burn Gorman as Lawrence in BBC Four's 2007 airing of "Sex, The City And Me."

[loumauve]

sometimes you pick up a book and are violently tossed back into remembering past grievances..

[luftwaffeinthenight]

Young Hermann goring x fem reader

warnings: SMUT don't read if you hate smut!!, penetration (P in V) , vulgar language.

word count: 1,405

note: i really like this one!! i saw a picture hermann in ww1 and it inspired me to write this <33

NOT SUPORTTING THE IDEOLOGY IN THIS

The war had been raging for around 3 years now. At first, you thought like many others that the war was amazing however now it was anything but. Your family owned a lovely little bakery in the heart of town. You spent most of your days working there which you enjoyed very much, it allowed you to build close bonds with those in your town, however, due to the war you had difficulty getting ingredients to keep up with the demand. At one point it had gotten so bad you could only had enough to bake 10 loaves of bread. This upset you greatly since you were not making nearly enough money. 

You had been kneading a batch of dough when you heard the bell which hung above the door ring. You quickly paused your work before wiping your hands off on the apron you wore. Your gaze shifted to the man's face when you did so you were completely blown away. He was the most handsome man you have ever laid your eyes upon. You paused for a moment continuing to take in his handsome features. Once you realised you'd been staring longer than you ought to you quickly tried to distract your mind from his handsome face. 

“Hello, sir what can I get for you” There was a hint of nervousness as you fiddled with your hands in the hope he wouldn't notice your nervousness. He looked over to the display case where you displayed the sweet delicacies and pastries.  His eyes roamed over the array of baked goods. As you observed him you realised he had been wearing a military uniform, you'd been so caught admiring his face you hadn't paid attention to much else. The sound of his voice interrupted your thoughts.

“I'll have a cream bun please” You gave him a sweet smile before grabbing a paper bag and picking out the pastry. When your gaze returned to him you saw he had been holding the money to pay for the treat. 

“No sir, it's on the house” he gave you a confused look before taking the small paper bag from your hand. 

"Are you sure I can easily pay? I have more than enough” you smiled once more.

“I'm sure you dedicate your days fighting for the nation, the least I can do” he gave you a charming grin.

“Well, thank you, what a wonderful girl you are,” your face flushed at the compliment. You quickly tuned your head in an attempt to hide your now rosy cheeks. Your eyes met once more before he left the bakery. You moved towards the window, watching him until he was no longer visible. 

You hadn't seen him for around two weeks. You tried to brush it off but no matter how hard you tried his face was etched in your memory. You couldn't deny that it saddened you. You desperately wished he would appear once more. However you couldn't blame him, he was a soldier after all he must be busy fighting for the nation. You decided it would be best to distract yourself from the situation which you temporarily were able to. You had been daydreaming about nothing when you saw him. He had returned you quickly dusted your apron and dress which had been coated in flour from hours of bread making.  You smiled at him trying to hide the clear excitement within you. 

“Hello again sir,” you chirped his eyes scanned your face before smiling back at you.

“Hello” he paused for a second before continuing” I must say that pastry was delightful.” you let out a small giggle.

“Thank you sir” you gave him a flirtatious grin” May I offer you another one”

He returned the favour.

“I think you may”.

Today was your day off. You had been grateful for this rare occurrence since the start of the war as your father and brothers were no longer around to help. You slowly wandered through your town taking advantage of the lovely summer's day. You loved the feeling of the sun upon your skin it truly felt magical. For a moment you forget all the things that worried you. No thoughts of the war, the bakery, money. All that was on your mind was the beautiful flowers and the wonderful sun. You continued to stroll around now wandering further away from the centre of town. So lost in thought you did not notice the man who had been following you for quite some time now. The man who was now within reaching distance from you. Placed a hand on your shoulder before harshly pulling you into him. Your back was now pressed up against his chest, you tried to scream out however you were silenced as he covered your mouth with his large hand. You thrashed about in his grip trying to get away but this only resulted in his grip tightening. Tears began to flow down your cheeks as the mystery man dragged you to a field nearby You desperately tried to turn your head to meet the face of your captor but you were unable to due to his unwavering grip.  Suddenly you were pushed onto the ground, the grass brushed against you causing you to feel discomfort. His hand gripped your hips before flipping you over so you were facing him. 

A gasp left your mouth as he revealed himself. A million different feelings raced through you. Disbelief, fear, lust. Your breathing was now heavy as you stared into his eyes. You took notice of the hungry and lustful look in his eyes. As you continued to make eye contact the look in his eyes only intensified. 

“What is your name” you spoke faintly as your breathing began to calm.

‘Hermann” he replied pressing you further down onto the grass. He was towering over you looking down upon you with desire and need, almost as if you were a prized kill from one of his hunts. His hands move to the waistband of your skirt before sharply yanking it down so it lay around your ankles. You held your breath as you felt his gaze upon cunt. Embarrassment flooded over you, you instinctively tried to move away from him however he quickly gripped your thighs before pushing them wide open, not allowing you to escape. You shut your eyes praying the feeling would soon wash away. The sound of his belt unbuckling caught your attention, you slowly opened your eyes hoping to catch a glimpse of his length. You were in awe of the sight of it. It was far bigger than the average size, a perfect thickness with a slight curve. You gasped as he dragged his length between your slick folds. As his cock brushed against your clit you let out a soft moan. He smirked as he saw your reaction repeating his action to see yours once more. 

“Please” you gasped. His gaze moved towards your face 

“Please what? Use your words darling” he watched as a look of desperation plastered your face. 

“Please fuck me” he smiled once more. “There we go wasn't so hard now was it” He wasted no more time lining himself at your entrance before shoving his fat cock into your aching hole. You let out a loud moan as he did so. He left you no time to get used to his length immediately starting his rough thrusts. You wrapped your legs around him allowing him to thrust much deeper. Now you were a moaning mess. Tears of pleasure flowed down your cheeks as you took everything he gave you. He groaned as your cunt clenched around his cock 

‘Yes oh god, you are incredible aren't you” he paused as another groan left his body “Better than any cunt I have fucked before” You let out a whimper upon hearing his charming words. You moned once more as you felt the coil in your stomach tightening with each harsh thrust. 

“Cum for me darling” he grunted which tipped you over the edge, your back arched as your orgasm washed over you. Hermann followed soon after grunting as he spilled his seed deep inside of you. He waited for a moment before pulling out of you. You stared up at the sky slightly smiling to yourself. Hermann laid beside you before speaking once more. 

“I can now die a happy man” chuckling as he did so. 

[theic-manic]

Greek Deities: The Spooky God-Squad Part 1: Melinoe

I am going to start posting about the lesser-known, chthonic and otherwise monstruous and/or spooky Greek deities, demigods etc. and the first proper post in this series is dedicated to none other than

Melinoe: Goddess of Ghosts, Spirits. Madness, Nightmares, Propitiations to the dead & haunting the living

Etymology:

Melinoë may derive from Greek mēlinos (μήλινος), "having the color of quince," from mēlon (μῆλον), "tree fruit". The fruit's yellowish-green color evoked the pallor of illness or death for the Greeks.

A name derived from melas, "black," would be melan-, not melin-. Melinoe: “Soothing One,” “Gentle-Minded,” or perhaps “of the Color of Quince” (6) (7)

Parentage

Mother: Persephone

Father: Hades* or Zeus disguised as Hades

Melinoe's parentage is giving Maury paternity test episode on mount Olympus.

Normally I wouldn't cover parentage much however the unique story behind Melinoe's paternity helps us to understand her better

(My personal bias for disclosure: my father is a human version of Zeus's unpleasant qualities and Jupiter aka Zeus is in my natal chart as well as being one of my Soul Parent deities)

Grab some popcorn and a cup of tea!

*Hades may have been thought to have been the father but Maury (Mythologists) have some news...

So how did Zeus father Melinoe?

Some say trickery (7) others say reincarceration/ Hades+ Zeus combination (1)

"In literature, Melinoe is known to be the daughter of Persephone and Zeus which seems quite simple but really is not. At the time, Zeus was reincarcerated in the Underworld and had multiple facets. Persephone was impregnated by Zeus in one of Hades’ avatars, a Plouton. This means that Zeus and Hades were two gods in one.

Persephone, therefore, was impregnated by Zeus, in the form of a Plouton, at the bank of the river Cocytus. In Greek mythology, the Underworld had five rivers flowing in and out of it. Among them is Cocytus which is known as a fierce river where Hermes was stationed to escort the newly deceased souls into the underworld. The impregnated Persephone lay there and birthed Melinoe, another one of the illegitimate children of Zeus.

The lust of Zeus had left Persephone stripped of her virginity and she felt angry at what had Zeus done to her. Melinoe who was the goddess of the Underworld, the wife of Hades, and the daughter of Zeus and Demeter was now bearing the child of his father, Zeus. Melinoe was thus born at the mouth of the river and because of her close relation to the underworld, her abilities and goddess powers were also highly influenced by it."

Note: Her brother Zagreus was conceived via more obvious trickery

"He was a son of Zeus and Persephone who had been seduced by the god in the guise of a serpent." (5) Her potential half-sibling Makaria (Goddess of Blessed Death) is considered to be the child of Hades in the Byzantine encyclopedia Suda. I say potential because no mother is ever named however in the Heracleidae, Makaria is the child of Heracles and offers herself to be sacrificed to Persephone to save her family. (8, 9)

Offspring:

None.

"Melinoe did not have any offspring, neither divine nor mortal. Her essence was more intertwined with the spirits she governed than with creating a lineage of her own." (4)

Physical Appearance:

Description of Melinoe further leans into the Zeus-paternity lore as below -

"Her limbs were black on one side and white on the other, a manifestation of her dual chthonic and heavenly nature." (2)

"The translation of Thomas Taylor (1792) has given rise to a conception of Melinoë as half-black, half-white, representing the duality of the heavenly Zeus and the infernal Hades. This had been the interpretation of Gottfried Hermann in his annotated text of the hymns in 1805" (7)

Sound familiar?

While the Hellenic gods have overlaps with many Norse deities (I was previously a Norse pagan) Melinoe is one of the few with a near identical Norse equivalent: Hel

Hel was the daughter of trickster god Loki, a death goddess, and also described as physically appearing to be half dead:

"The entity Hel is depicted as half beautiful woman and half blue, decomposing corpse" (3)

Unlike Hel, she has been described as being clad in saffron. (7)

Having followed Hel as a Norse pagan in the past, I am pleasantly surprised and grateful that Melinoe has approached me during my Hellenic practice which leads me to...

Melinoe's Domains:

Ghosts

Spirits

Nightmares

Madness

Propitiations and offerings to the dead

Fear & anxiety

Necromancy

The Night

Duality (courtesy of her parentage)

The Underworld

The soul's passage

Correspondences:

Caveat:

This list is a mixture of Mythology, what has been reported by others working with her and anything I have experienced I will add personal experiences where relevant however please know that as with all deity signs, symbolism etc. your own personal experiences are what counts, also factoring your geographical location etc.

E.g. Some of the traditional flora and fauna associated with many Hellenic deities may not be present if you reside somewhere these aren't native however local flora & fauna may apply based on their symbolism so please use your own intuition, discernment & research. - Days of the week: Saturday, Monday and the 13th.

Tarot Cards: The High Priestess Death The Moon Queen of Swords 5 of Swords

Animals: Dogs (usually when they're howling), Bats, Corvids (Ravens, Crows etc.), Snakes, Butterflies, Moths, Scarabs, Cicadas, Black cats

Symbols: Grave yards, cemeteries, ghosts, crescent moon. bones, black & white objects and visuals, Torch or candles, Vampires, Dracula, Vampirism (as a spiritual concept) and anything one would associate with death magick.

Foods (can be used as offerings): Milk, Pomegranates, Mint, Poppy seeds, wine, Honey

Herbs (teas and incense): Lavender, Mint

Signs Melinoe may be reaching out:

Disclaimer: Since Melinoe is associated with fear, anxiety, madness and other arguably terrifying phenomenon please ensure that you are ruling out mundane causes such as sleep deprivation, stress etc. & reach out to your treating doctor.

You start seeing her correspondences or feel drawn to them.

E.g. my work-friend's brother-in-law passed away recently and right before it dawned on me that Melinoe was reaching out to me (the Cthonic deities are so damn subtle) I felt called to buy this person butterfly themed gifts to express my condolences.

Also before I realised she was reaching out I had some very vivid dreams of Scarabs which has significance around death 7 rebirth and protection.

My linked tumblr post also includes some other synchronicities, such as on the day I recognised her I saw a lot of random bat symbols, felt drawn to wear my bat bracelet, had the urge to wear black & white, and was approached by a friend regarding topics such as nightmares and necrophilia.

You start seeing Hades and Persephone symbolism or you pull Hades & Persephone tarot cards (linked post on Tarot identification) but the energy/vibes don't feel like either of them.

E.g. I recently kept pulling Hades & Persephone cards while not feeling their energies, however by looking at other synchronicities and using some discernment I figured out that it was actually Melinoe reaching out.

Since she is a "lesser" deity & not a lot about her exists, it can take longer to recognise her since our discernment can be tainted by what we are exposed to, especially when looking up symbols to rule out who is and isn't reaching out.

Prior to this, earlier this year I felt called to create a Chthonic altar which I dedicated to Hades at first based on my knowledge at the time.

Looking back, especially adding my sudden interest in vampirism and other symbols I realise this was me becoming aligned with Melinoe rather than Hades or Persephone.

You have or you feel called to perform baneful magick that causes mental distress, nightmares, madness etc.

(Something I did against a rather unpleasant ex-colleague and HR around the time I felt drawn to Vampirism)

Modern ways to honour Melinoe:

As with all the Cthionic babes: Shadow work

Desktop/device background art you associate with her (unfortunately Hades II game has flooded the image databases)

Consume spooky content, especially horror (if you feel comfortable doing so).

Pray/talk to her, keeping in mind that she is often quiet (it turns out this is very much a Cthonic deity vibe and I will elaborate on this in a post on Neurodivergent deity practices).

Embrace Chaos

Creative expression (art, music etc.)

Create playlists for her or listen to spooky playlists. Personally, I like Ice Nine Kills

Horror & spooky movies Some suggestions based on what I could locate online: Movies that feature ghostly apparitions, necromancy, and the manipulation of the dead. Examples: The Frighteners (1996), The Others (2001), or Only Lovers Left Alive (2013). Blair Witch Project (any of them except Blair Witch Book of shadows imo) The Ring and/or Ringu (Series) Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) - A classic horror movie that explores the realm of nightmares, fitting for Melinoe, the goddess of nightmares. The Witch (2015) - A horror film set in 17th-century New England, exploring themes of witchcraft, folklore, and the supernatural, which resonates with Melinoe's connection to magic and the unknown. Coraline (2009) - A stop-motion dark fantasy film that explores the idea of a parallel world, fitting for Melinoe's association with the underworld and the realm of the dead. The Devil's Backbone (2001) - A Spanish horror film set during the Spanish Civil War, exploring themes of death, loss, and the supernatural, which aligns with Melinoe's connection to the dead. Supernatural Thrillers: Films that incorporate elements of mystery, suspense, and the unknown, often featuring characters who interact with the dead or the supernatural. Hereditary (2018) - A psychological horror film that explores the themes of grief, loss, and the supernatural. Examples: The Sixth Sense (1999),  or The Orphanage (2007). Verónica (2017) - A Spanish horror film that explores the themes of witchcraft, folklore, and the supernatural. The Autopsy of Jane Doe Not an extensive list, go with what feels right.

Video games: Again, not extensive- Soma Amnesia (series) Silent Hill (series) Castlevania (Series) Outlast (Series) Phasmophobia Mundaun

Melinoe's communication style: From personal experience, I have found Melinoe to be non-verbal, and as such her communications tyle with me tends to be via Pendulum/Spirit boards, Tarot & imagery. This seems to align with her portrayal in Lore Olympus as deaf/mute (I've not read enough of the comic to know her full story there). Cthonic Deities in general tend to be fairly quiet and solemn, at least with casual worshippers rather than devotees however that's for another post. i have mentioned my communications with Melinoe recently

Notable posts about Melinoe:

Sources:

1. https://ancient-literature.com/melinoe-goddess/

2. https://www.theoi.com/Khthonios/Melinoe.html

3. https://www.worldhistory.org/Hel/

4. https://olympioi.com/demigods/melinoe

5. https://www.theoi.com/Georgikos/Zagreus.html

6. https://greekmythology.fandom.com/wiki/Melinoe

7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melino%C3%AB

8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaria 9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_of_Heracles

[stupidiocy-somewhere-else]

Hong Lu: The Vessel Theory

(disclaimer; true to form, long as shit)

Yep. I’m back. This is happening.

I just wanna say first and foremost, I have to give the MOTHER of all shoutouts to Netz (@beanie0bird) for both helping with the theory as a whole and hearing me out throughout its gradual development. He's my Hong Lu expert and I absolutely would not have gotten here without him. ily bestie 🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂 /p

I should also probably shout out one @lu-is-not-ok, their own Hong Lu theories were a pretty big inspiration for this one and I encourage y’all to check out their posts, they go way more in-depth than I think I’ll ever be capable of lol

OK, theory time. The Vessel Theory at its core is that Hong Lu is, in actuality, some kind of body double or clone of either his original Jia Baoyu 1.0 body, but with 1.0's trademark Jade incorporated into his eye. The idea was essentially brought around so the Jia family could keep their Most Specialest Lil Boy™️ around for forever, and every time a Baoyu 1.0 dies, they make another vessel for his Jade, take the Jade out, put it back in the new vessel, and act like nothing ever happened because they're rich and rich people can just get away with shit like that. My guess as to what Xichun and Wei are doing out and about is that the method used to bring Hong Lu into the world is faulty in some way, which would explain why it goes dim in C7, that's probably a hardware bug of sorts. Either that, or maybe Baoyu 1.0 is starting to deteriorate himself after so many body replacements. It also explains why Hermann roped Jia Huan into her endeavors; the Human Dough from Canto 6 definitely shows Hermann's interest in tampering with the boundaries of mortality in some sense.

The catch is, though, Baoyu 1.0 – his consciousness trapped in the Jade, at least – is still aware of all of this, even though he can't control the bodies he gets inserted into; though I can imagine his vessels can at least feel his presence or thoughts in some quantifiable shape or form. Explains that little "am I the dreamer" monologue from Hong Lu, and why the name of his Canto in other languages can be translated as "All I can do is watch it"; that's all Baoyu 1.0 can do while his consciousness is stuck in the Jade.

Speaking of which, Hong Lu, when he's starting out as the new Baoyu 1.0 vessel, isn't really adjusting super well to the expectations of being the new prodigal son, not to mention the abusive siblings, but Granny's a little nicer to him and reckons "Ah he probably needs to get to know his surroundings a little bit first, tell ya what sonny, you go out and see the world then come back and we'll see how you fare then" and sends the lad on his way. He bumps into Faust at some point. The rest is history. At least, I *think* it's his grandma who gives him the whole sightseeing mission; could be wrong.

Now then, as for what I think this all means for Hong Lu is going, Netz and I had some hiccups piecing this together, I don't think either of us have a concrete grip on the overarching theme of the book ourselves. My prevailing theory is that because the book itself ends with Jia Baoyu 1.0 becoming a monk and isolating himself, and OUR Baoyu 1.0 is already doing that to some degree in the Jade, Hong Lu's arc will be coming more out of his shell and opening up to the Sinners more about his emotions and opinions. He stops living in a dream world where he doesn't have to worry about anything, and can now utilize his experiences in The City to live life beyond the boundaries of what his family wants for him. I also really hope he pushes back against his abusers some, just to bring it all home. Maybe we get the actual Baoyu 1.0 out of his Jade and he takes over for Hong Lu? Maybe Hong Lu has to move on without Baoyu 1.0? Guess we'll just have to find out.

Again, I can't say I have a whole lot of evidence from, say, in-game dialogue or cross-referencing DOTRC to back me up, but then again, I have a Hong Lu expert on speed dial, it's not like I *can't* find anything.

What I *DO* have, however, is EGOs.

Starting with the big one; Land Of Illusion. My hypothesis is that the EGO art is a hyperbolic depiction of Baoyu 1.0 languishing in the Jade, with the rest of the world lying just outside with him now unable to affect it in any way. It also doesn't help that the walls of the room pictured are red; he's literally trapped in a Red Chamber. That's his dream world in the book supposedly; Baoyu 1.0's retreating to his happy place to escape the pressure of always having to be the Most Specialest Jia Ever:tm:. Five Gloom for wallowing in his melancholic solitude, and a Sloth on the side for willfully ignoring his forced responsibilities.

Either that, or it could be depicting Baoyu 1.0 at some point during his FIRST life, before all the body double shenanigans.

The rest of these will be shorter, I promise.

I've seen analyses for Ambling Pearl that describe the Abno as representing "a place made by you and for you," so there's a dead-on hint right there. Can't say I have much else, but at the very least I like how a common theme with the Abno is that it often just gets bored and walks away if you don't directly do anything to it. More on that in a second.

Netz helped me out with Soda; it's escapism for one, and apparently in LobCorp, Wellcheers rewards you for getting good research results on it. That definitely lines up with having to maintain the prodigal son image, at least to me.

Dimension Shredder represents a lot of things, but chief among them to me is a feeling of being lost. It's a little vague, sure, but I can definitely see Baoyu 1.0 not knowing what to do with his life given how he's not in control of it anymore. That, and Hong Lu was *literally* sent to wander around The City to get more used to it. Netz also tells me it represents not being able to keep up a facade, which DEFINITELY scans, although I couldn't tell you how the Abno represents that lol.

Roseate Desire — Rosie, as Netz and I call it — represents Baoyu 1.0's repressed and locked-away emotions, especially given that his mouth is tied up in the EGO art.

Lasso is… fairly loose, all things considered, though I do think there are some ties specifically to the apple from Rose Hunter's encounter. I'm sure we all know what it's implied that apple will become later, and Rose Hunter is actively enforcing that prophecy. An aspect of the EGO is being willing to let bad things happen so long as you feel it's what is best. Granted, in Baoyu 1.0's case, him letting the siblings treat his vessels like shit is beyond his volition, but a clue's a clue. Plus, if nothing else, we can always tie it back to Hong Lu and how nonchalant he seems to be regarding his family and the abuse they put him through in the past.

Lastly there's my personal favorite, Frog Lu (AKA Cavernous Wailing). There's… a lot, lmao.

One: Disobedience. I mean, I reckon getting sent off by your gramgram might go against the family grain some if they had no idea about it. That, and as we've established, Baoyu 1.0 is getting a little tired of the pressure to be perfect all the time.

Two: Obeying the wishes of family after said disobedience. This one I'm a tiny bit fuzzier on, but you could say that Baoyu 1.0 still does feel love for his family, or at least his elders, despite all he's been through, the hangup is he wants to express it in his own way without being forced into it.

Three: Wanting space to tackle your emotions yourself. This is where I was going with that thing about Ambling Pearl wandering off. Leave it alone, it leaves you alone. Let the toad cry, and you get an EGO gift. Baoyu 1.0 stays in the Jade and is thus the only person who can actually grapple with his feelings. Hell, he gets sent out into The City *alone* in an attempt to better his understanding. This man just wants a safe space to cry, goddamn it.

I’ll definitely be developing this further along as we go through the next two Intervallos.

[ilovemybishies87]

The Vacation from Hell - Chapter Two

Chapter two is now uploaded to AO3! It is also below the cut, in case anyone prefers to read on tumblr.

This chapter is VERY loosely based on the response sketch from @damntheyare's original 'human hotel' fanart. Because some tropes will never die (nor do we want them to).

Despite the numerous changes since Alastor was alive, he could more or less navigate thanks to a few familiar landmarks, like the old Hermann-Grima place. Back in his day, it had been a boarding house for single women. He slowed as they passed its faded blue shutters and gated front door.  

“What is it?” asked Charlie. “You know this place?” 

He shook his head. “Not exactly. I know about it. This house has quite a history, spanning back to before I was even alive! The families who owned it are well known around here.” 

“Speaking of, where is here? I didn’t ask since you seem to know the way.” 

“New Orleans.” Alastor paused. “Home, I suppose.” 

Charlie’s eyes widened. “This is where you lived when you were human?” 

“Born and raised!”   

“And the hotel we’re staying?” 

He didn’t answer. He could only hope it still existed.  

Their suitcase wheels clacked on the brick sidewalk as they strode down Saint Louis Street and turned right. Many of the businesses were from after his time. He didn’t care for their newer architecture: some flashes of style here and there, but mostly it simply existed. Functional without any flavor.  

They crossed over two more streets before reaching their destination.  

Alastor allowed himself to drink in the sight. The name Hotel Monteleone was embellished in bold cursive on all three sides of the sign above the main portico. Festoons and cartouches, worn with age, adorned the hotel’s facade. Flower-filled planters lined a set of windows, and sky-blue flags waved on poles attached to metal guards.  

Charlie’s jaw dropped, and her bag nearly so. “This is . . . wow.” She laughed. “Good choice, Al!” 

“Thank you, my dear!” he said, and found his mood marginally improved. 

A solitary footman stood before a pair of golden doors. His attire was more suited to the weather—a short sleeve button down—but the black hat couldn’t have been comfortable. As they approached, he swung the door closest to him open.  

Cold air wafted out from the lobby.  

“Maybe we should have someone greet our guests at the entrance, too!” she whispered, nodding her head in thanks as they entered. “Nothing says hospitable more than a friendly face greeting you when you arrive!” 

“Oh? And who would you suggest for our doorman?”  

“Angel Dust?” 

“Not the worst suggestion.” He thought she might suggest Vaggie, but Charlie seemed to realize her dour expression would deter sinners seeking redemption. “Though I can’t say the types of guests he’d attract are what you’re hoping for!” 

“That’s the point, Alastor! Everyone is welcome,” she insisted. “The problem is whether Angel would agree to it. He already works for Valentino. But maybe this will be a step in the right direction!” 

The lobby was even more impressive than the hotel’s front. Their suitcases glided over parquet marble floors. Framed paintings of the founder, along with other men Alastor couldn’t place, decorated the walls. Above them, gold inlayed panels adorned the bases of crystal chandeliers. The lighting filled the entrance with a soft glow, making the place feel otherworldly.  

To their left, a rose centerpiece stood in the middle, bench-like seating surrounding the arrangement. A set of stairs, most likely heading to the establishment's rooms, lay before it. Another smaller set of steps led to the entrance of a restaurant. Alastor filed that away for later. Once they were settled in, food would no doubt be a priority. They passed more seating in the form of sofas and upholstered armchairs, along with a grandfather clock ticking away the seconds.  

Charlie lingered behind as he approached the counter. 

The receptionist was a completely average woman. Not too tall or short, heavy or thin. Completely unremarkable. Her only standout feature was the short reddish locks framing her face. Her smile screamed ‘customer service,’ but she didn’t appear to be in a mood either. 

“Can I help you?”  

Alastor read the tag pinned to her blazer. “Why, yes, I believe you can, Marie!” he said with a flourish. “My companion and I are needing a room for the duration of our stay.” 

“Of course, sir.” Marie began typing and glanced between him and a screen that suspiciously resembled Vox’s head. “Do you already have a reservation?” 

Fuck.  

Yes, he did. Decades ago, when they were supposed to arrive. Alastor was left with quite the conundrum. Did he take a chance on the hotel having an open room? Or did he use his magic to . . . turn the odds in their favor? The latter was the obvious choice, but he had expended more energy than planned to transport the group and their belongings. 

Alastor lightly tapped the top of the machine and infused it with his magic. A green glow came forth from the monitor along with thread-like tendrils. They reached out toward the receptionist and infused her pupils with the same green glow.  

“Yes, indeed!” he gritted out. “It should be for Alastor Malveaux and Charlotte Magne.” 

Marie blinked; her eyes returned to normal. “Thank you, sir. One moment while I pull up that information.” 

“Was that your last name?” whispered Charlie, joining him at his side. 

Alastor shrugged. “Who knows?” he replied, his voice low. “Whatever it was, it’s lost to the wind. The Radio Demon is what I’m known as now, and I have no complaints.” 

“Okay, but what about my name? Charlotte Magne. Really? What’s wrong with Charlie Morningstar?” 

“Your last name might . . . raise a few eyebrows,” he said, smirking, “and Charlie Magne is too obvious.” 

“How so?” 

Marie interrupted before he could explain. “Okay, so I’ve found your reservation.” Her face twitched. “But I’m afraid the room you requested was double booked. Another couple has already checked in.” 

“I see.” Charlie turned to him. “I guess we’ll have to cut our trip short?” 

"No, no, Miss Magne!” said Marie. “This was entirely our fault! We do have another room available, though. Fortunately for you, it’s an upgrade!” She started furiously typing away. “How long did you and Mister Malveaux plan on staying again?” 

Alastor struggled to keep his grin. “Six days.” 

“And what time were you planning on returning home? Check out is before noon.” 

So many questions. “We can be out before then.” 

“Perfect! So, that will be five nights total—” 

“What a relief!” Charlie scooped Husk off her shoulder and held him in her arms. He had somehow managed to remain affixed the entire trip to the hotel.  

Alastor wholeheartedly agreed. “We’ll have to decide who gets which bed once we are in the room.” 

“Oh, you wanted two beds?” asked Marie, the clacking on her keyboard slowing.  

He blinked. “I beg your pardon?”  

“I’m sorry if I wasn’t clearer.” She held up her index finger. “The room only has one. If it’s any consolation, it’s a King.”  

He would not murder the woman for doing her job, even if she was getting on the very last of his nerves. Alastor forced the violent urge down and laughed. “It would be quite improper for an unmarried man and woman to share—”  

“We’ll make do,” Charlie answered, much to his shock. She looked up at him. “Is that okay?” 

“As you said,” he stated with a deep breath, “we’ll make do.” 

“All right! That’s five nights total with two pets,” Marie said, eyeing Niffty and Husk in their arms. “They receive their own little welcome package for free. Trust me, everyone loves it! And did you want any add-ons or upgrades for your stay? We offer overnight valet parking, along with a wide selection of wines and hard liquors—” 

“That won’t be necessary.” 

“Maybe some macrons for you and Miss Magne—” 

Charlie watched their exchange with rapt attention. No doubt she was mentally taking notes on what could be added to their hotel. That was the purpose of this visit. And while he appreciated her passion in theory—the more invested, the more satisfying it would be to see her dreams torn to shreds—the only one suffering at the moment was him. 

“Just the total,” Alastor ground out. “Please.” 

“That’ll be $2,204.60.” 

Alastor turned to Charlie and handed her Niffty, who let out a small ‘Yip!’ of dismay. Charlie gasped. She barely managed to catch the other demon—now dog—and juggle both her and Husk in her arms. 

Alastor unzipped the bag sitting on top of Niffty’s luggage and made a show of rummaging around. As he suspected, Husk had packed nothing but alcohol. He was grateful for once. A bottle of whiskey was calling his name. Hopefully the staff didn’t check the contents before they settled in. With his last bit of magic—at least until he could get some food and rest and alcohol—he conjured a stack of bills and zipped the sack closed. 

He pulled out the cash and began counting.   

Marie’s almond eyes widened. “Wow, don’t see that too often!” She stared at him grimly. “You’ll want to be careful. You’ll be a target for sure.” 

Alastor chuckled as he placed the last bill down. The remainder was shoved into his pocket. “I’m not worried.” He took Niffty from Charlie, much to her relief, and held the small dog under his other arm.  

Marie picked up the bills and double checked the amount. “Suit yourself. We don’t keep change here, but—” 

“Don’t worry about the extra. Consider it a tip for your hard work! Otherwise, we’d be looking for another hotel or returning home.” 

“Thank you, Mister Malveaux!” This time her smile was genuine. “If you don’t mind me asking, where is home for you anyway?” 

“I'm technically from around these parts, but it's been years since I’ve been back. Things have changed quite a bit.” 

Marie nodded. “You’ll find yourself at home in no time. Change doesn’t happen that fast here.” She turned to Charlie. “What about you?” 

“Well . . . ,” said Charlie nervously, “where I’m from is pretty big. And dry. And hot! Not to mention very . . . intense! It’s nothing like here.” 

Marie raised a brow. “Huh?” 

“California!” said Alastor, and he felt Charlie relax.  

“It’s where we met,” Charlie added, smiling at him.  

“Oh, so you must be an actor,” said Marie to Alastor. “You sure are dedicated to the craft, not breaking character! It explains the accent. The glasses and cash too. Those Hollywood eccentrics sure have rubbed off on you.” 

Alastor quirked his head. “Pardon?” 

“I’ve never seen you in anything before, but I'm not much for historical pieces.” She reached for the safety deposit box below the counter and locked the cash away. “But I’m trying to branch out. I’ll watch for you.” 

He and Charlie shared a look. A smirk graced her lips. 

“Not a word, Miss Magne,” he said under his breath. 

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Mister Malveaux.” 

“Your room will be ready in a few minutes. Our bellhop will take your luggage for you.” A stout man with curly black hair approached. He wore the same outfit as the doorman, though his dark pants still held the crisp line from when they were pressed earlier that day. “Olivier, could you take their things to room 606?” 

He tipped his hat in her direction, then piled their bags onto the luggage cart. “I’m on it!” 

Alastor eyed the sofas in the lounge, but before he could move, he heard the shuffling of papers from behind the counter. 

“So,” said Marie, “what do you two plan on doing while you’re here?” 

No. 

Charlie bit her lip. “I’m not sure honestly. I was only interested in the hotel,” she admitted. “Alastor did all the planning.” 

Absolutely not.  

“I see.” Marie nodded. “Any sites you wanted to visit with Miss Magne?” 

He was not having any small talk. 

“I hadn’t given it much thought,” he said, his tone clipped. 

Marie’s expression brightened. “In that case, would you mind if I made some suggestions?” 

“Not at all!” exclaimed Charlie. 

“The Phantom of the Opera is in town,” Marie said, handing over several brochures. “Not sure if you’ve seen it yet. Broadway is probably better, but it hasn’t been to New Orleans in about a decade, so we’re all excited.” 

Charlie turned to Alastor and placed Husk on his shoulder before he could say a word. She took the pamphlets from the receptionist and flipped through one.  

“Is this any good?”  

Marie leaned over to see what Charlie was showing her. “The Voodoo, Witchcraft and Vampires tour? If you’re into supernatural stuff, sure. There's no shortage of that around here, even at this very hotel.” 

"How so?” Charlie asked.  

“There’ve been countless unexplained happenings over the years. Doors that open on their own, elevators that go to the wrong floor, even shadows of kids playing in the halls! Eyewitness accounts from different times, guests, and staff. Hard to write it off as coincidence!” 

What drivel. Charlie seemed to think so too, judging by her incredulous expression. If anyone knew what happened to a soul after they passed, it would be the Princess of Hell. They were either in her domain or they weren’t. It was as simple as that. 

“What about this, Alastor? They have jazz bands and even a jazz museum!” 

“I wouldn’t mind hearing a live session again,” he said. “It’s been ages! But I also wouldn’t mind some place . . . quieter.”  

“Then you have to go to Oak Valley Plantation,” said Marie. “It’s about an hour away from here, but if you want to get away from it all, that’s your best bet! It’s like stepping back in time.” 

Alastor considered her briefly. “Maybe before we leave, to wind down.” 

“Excellent! I can help get you tickets for any or all of those excursions. Give me another ten or fifteen minutes to calculate—” 

“We’ll do them all.” He glanced at Charlie, who couldn’t have looked more thrilled than if every sinner in Hell had been redeemed in one fell swoop. Alastor pulled all but a couple of bills from his pocket and placed them in her hand. “I trust you with the schedule, my dear.”  

Charlie grasped the cash tightly. “Thank you, Al! I won’t let you down.” 

“Yes, yes.” He sighed. “I’m taking a breather until our room is ready.” 

“Olivier should be nearly finished if you would like to head up, Mister Malveaux. Here’s your key,” Marie said, handing him a piece of plastic. “I’ll give Miss Magne the other so she can join you when we’re done.” 

Alastor held the rectangular thing awkwardly between his fingers. What odd material to use for a key.  

The elevator was several paces behind them on the other side of the stairs. Leaving the two women to hash out their plans—a decision he hoped he would not come to regret—he stepped into an empty lift and pushed the backlit button with the number 6. 

Husk pawed at his head, nearly knocking his glasses off. 

Alastor turned, his glare ice cold. “You’re trying your luck, Husker! I’m not in the mood to be messed with. Unless you care to find out if cats really do have nine lives, I would suggest you mind yourself for the rest of the trip.”  

Silence filled the compartment for the ride up to the sixth floor. The elevator’s ding! notified them of their arrival, and the doors slid open. A gold cart was parked in the hall several doors down. He could see the last of their luggage—pink, in all its shameless glory—being picked up and transported inside. 

“Thank you for your hard work, my good sir!” said Alastor, steadfast in keeping the last of his remaining patience in check. He handed the man a crisp . . . twenty? Fifty? He didn’t look. “Much appreciated!” 

Olivier’s eyes widened. Had he slipped him a hundred by mistake? “You’re too kind, sir! Thank you. Let me know if you need anything!” He pushed the cart back toward the lifts. 

The room’s door remained open long enough to slip in. Alastor allowed it to close behind them as he placed Niffty on the ground beside him. Husk jumped from his shoulder and landed on the carpeted floor. They surveyed their accommodations. 

White. It was very white. Alastor crossed over to the king-size bed and upholstered headboard, a wallpapered inset behind it. They were white. So was the bedding. As was the much smaller, more rustic chandelier hanging up above. The nightstands, the single-seated sofa, and the vanity and set of chairs at the foot of the bed.  

The carpeting. The floors. The ceiling. 

Everything was white. Even the bathroom gave him no reprieve. 

Was this what Heaven was like? 

Alastor felt like he was going mad. The only hints of color came from the trio and the baggage they had dragged along for the trip. Charlie’s and Niffty’s luggage were a sight for sore eyes against the colorless landscape that was their room.  

Husk’s was too, but for very different reasons. Alastor picked up the leather bag, placed it on the vanity, and pulled out a seat. A small glass was set upside down beneath a mirror. He grabbed it and quickly zipped the bag open. The bottle of whiskey he eyed earlier clinked against a bottle of gin, and without hesitation, he twisted the cap off with his thumb and poured out a healthy amount.  

Husk jumped up and hissed.   

Alastor tipped his glass and downed the drink. “Even when you can’t pour, you make an excellent bartender, Husker old pal!”  

An almost imperceptible beep alerted him to Charlie’s arrival. “That receptionist really knows her stuff!” She dropped a handful of brochures on the vanity, along with a much thinner stack of cash, and pulled out the seat next to him. “So, I know we’re here for research—” 

“You are,” said Alastor, pouring himself another glass. “I am but the chauffer.” He picked up the money, returning it to his pocket. “And sponsor, clearly.” 

Charlie hesitated. “Are you okay, Al? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you drink before.” 

“Well, we are on vacation, aren’t we?” This time he didn’t down the liquor in one gulp. He allowed it to linger on his tongue before swallowing, relishing the slight burn. “You were saying?” 

“R-Right. I still plan on getting the full hotel experience while we’re here. Even checking in has given me so many ideas! I’ll need to take notes, so I don’t forget anything.” She took out a notepad and pen from her purse. “Everything is so luxurious, don’t you think?” 

If someone enjoyed the ‘padded room’ aesthetic, then certainly. 

“But I figured, we might as well take in the sights too! I can only imagine how much has changed since . . . .” 

Alastor allowed the silence to hang between them.  

Charlie looked around awkwardly. “I’m sorry about the bed. We can ask for more pillows to create a wall between us. If that helps.” 

“You needn’t worry about me.” Alastor took another long sip before grabbing a different bottle from Husk’s bag. He read the label and realized he didn’t care what he was drinking, so long as it was strong. “I will make do.” 

“I don’t want you sleeping on the floor, Al. Or in the chairs. You should be comfortable!” 

“We’ll burn that bridge when we get there,” he said, fumbling over the words. His accent slipped as well. “In the meantime, you should do what you set out to do! There’s a whole hotel waiting to be explored.” 

Charlie stood and tipped her luggage onto the floor. “What about you? You’re not going to spend the whole day drinking, are you?” 

Alastor made one last drink and toasted to her. “Well, you could say I have some research of my own. But until then”—he tipped the glass back and grimaced—“I’m starting this trip off with a bang!” 

[sailingfireshipz]

My 13x15 download ✨️This one is going to be long.

1. Opening with the Pascals. The foreshadowing was so damn thick with these two. Do we think we'll see Olivia(Monica's sister) at the funeral? Monica mentioned mending fences, so if she does appear, will we finally find out what happened in Miami?

1a. Monica to Pascal. "Well, thank God it'll be a dark day when it doesn't." ohhh.. dark days ahead, i fear

2. STELLARIDE. Omg their nervous energy. The freaking sweaters. Their faces when scary Terry was making notes. Kellys face when he mentioned the corners not being covered.

2a. "How is that more stressful than fighting an inferno?" Oh dear, you just wait 😆

3. Jenner is a DUCKER. Leaving Damon & the victim because he's got a wife & kid. I'm really surprised the rest of the firehouse stood behind him?

4. Is that Kelly Severide saving his broooother!? AAAAAAAAH really enjoyed seeing Squad assist another house on a rescue

4a. Damon really is a wise ass "you're missing overhaul. I know that's your favorite part"

5. I'm actually surprised by the advice Kelly gave Damon to keep his head down as it relates to Jenner. Definitely not the tone he took last season with Lennox or any other firefighter that's not fit for duty.

6. Novak & Damon... giiiiirl please 😵‍💫

7. STELLARIDE. Kelly Severide, the man that you are. From reaching for Stella's hand when she was talking to the "my little one" 🥹🥹🥹🥹

8. Cruz & Hermann coming in & immediately wrecking shit. This entire comedic storyline was absolutely hilarious!

8a. Hermann & Cruz, in front of Stellaride asking about the video conference, definitely gave off their kids coming to them when they knock over a vase or get in trouble at school. Kelly immediately shutting it down & Hermann shrinking behind Cruz! HELP!

8b. Bringing Tony & Capp to the meeting was definitely something I know they told them to just smile & wave when they were in the hallway 😆

9. "Riddle wrapped in a mystery. That's Pascal for you" ok, yes, but are we going to unravel this mystery 🤔

10. Violet dodging Flynn... Missing Carver more than she thought she could... & so it begins 🙂

11. Mouch & Pascal conversation about the open lieutenant position. Honestly, yall & i can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually agree with Pascal. I don't think Hermann wants it! 😕

11a. Random thought. Did anyone notice how many times the episode title was used in this episode? I counted 3x. Is that normal? I've never noticed it before.

12. Boden mentioned! We wiiiin. Honestly, I'm so against Damon being brought back to 51. I get it it's Stella making the recommendation, but I think at it's core if Damon were any other person not connected to Kelly, they wouldn't be entertaining the idea. Outside of that, there's a deeper conversation that needs to be had about how they've been moving with the representation & stability on 81 since Stella took over as lieutenant. Because where is Mason & is Gibson ok on this recovery journey!? More on that later.

13. STELLARIDE. Approved as adoptive parents!!! The way Kelly kept looking at Stella yall, he lives to love that woman. Which makes the parrales that the Pascals have with Stellaride so very eerie sometimes.

13a. Random observation. Did they change Stellarides' theme? Because last week they used it in a Novak & Violet scene but have not used it during the adoption scenes. It's been similar but not their original theme. I'm just curious 🤔

14. Oooh, Stella... running & tackling that man, giiiiirl. Kelly immediately running straight to her. I do have a question. Was Stella supposed to let the man walk into oncoming traffic & get hit? How could she have handled that situation better? 🤔 "we run towards the danger, not away from it" pretty sure Pascal said that to Novak earlier this season.

15. Mouch stepping up, saying he'd call the chief & asking to ride with her to Med. He's going to make an amazing lieutenant. Question for you all, though..WHERE IS CAPTAIN HERMANN!?

16. Monica in the ambo, her arms flailing. Pascal at the restaurant waiting fidgeting with her perfect anniversary gift. His little smile before checking the time. Him telling himself that she's going to be ok because she's strong. Telling Violet that she's wrong even though she didn't say a word. Stella appearing & holding onto Vi because she knows how triggering this is for her. OMG! Idc call me dramatic, but this scene gutted me.

Pascal is about to spiral & I'm curious to see how it impacts the house. Who will go to bat for him & who will go against him. I'm also curious to know if his leadership & recent behavior will play apart into the E18 synopsis. For the commissioner to send a deputy commissioner out to investigate, I'm sure HQ has some concerns with Pascals' behavior post Monica's death. Which is interesting as the episode title is literally post-mortem. Whew! Idk about anyone else, but I'm bracing for impact. I have a feeling these last 7 episodes are about to be madness.

As always, let me know your thoughts! Did i miss anything?

[bluecr0w]

Okay here we go with another list of things that DBD characters would like, this time is books (? I'm a reader so I thought it could be interesting, this time I separated it into 2 parts:

Edwin, obviously i think he would read a lot of books once he discovered some good contemporary writers but i think a book he would enjoy would be the picture of Dorian Gray, it has everything; crime, discussions about evil, sex and lust, as well as male characters of the time being attracted to men. Now as for more modern books, i would say "The midnight Library" by Matt Haig or "The frugal wizard's handbook for surviving medieval england" by Brandon Sanderson, both have a storyline that i feel edwin would love and could also be an episode of DBD honestly, he would probably also enjoy Almond.

Charles would absolutely love "Percy Jackson", would feel very identified with Percy, his story, his feelings and how he relates to the world, After Edwin's confession (he would read Niko's recommendation) "The Sun and The Star" and would discover some things about himself and his relationship with Edwin. Another saga that I would love is "Six of crows", especially the story about kaz and the crows, he also reminds me of Jesper.

Niko, our BL lover, would say "The song of Achilles" (? A gay love story with Greek mythology totally her type, she would probably recommend it to Edwin, is the fairy of recommendations. Another book that I feel she would read is "Yumi and the nightmare painter" A very sweet romance story about two different people who have to come together to save their worlds.

Now I thought a lot about what books Crystal would read and many ideas came to me, I think she would be the type of person who would read Twilight ironically. And I feel like I would be a lover of Stephen King's books such as Carrie, Pet Cemetery or It. Another book she would read after spending a lot of time with gay ghosts, and discovering a thing or two about herself is "Afterlove" by Tanya Bryne an LGBTQ+ story about two girls whose love breaks the boundaries of life and death. I think that after recovering her memories and what happened with David, she would enjoy Hermann Hesse's "Demian", and the conflict that the protagonist has with the concepts of good and evil.

Ok, here is part one, I hope you give me new recommendations that them would read and that you like some of mines. In a couple of days I will upload part 2. Also Netflix Renew DBD!

[synthapostate]

@lastdaysofwar, Day 30: Last Man Standing (Mako Mori, Raleigh Becket, Hermann Gottlieb/Newton Geiszler)

Raleigh is alive. Alive and breathing, and so is the rest of the world. The world has survived. They’ve saved it.

Mako can hardly process the truth of this, when so many people she cares for are gone. People who have become her family, these last few years. And others she could have loved if she’d had the chance to know them better.

She’s left orphaned—fatherless—for the second time in her life. And she nearly breaks down at the thought that, if Jake had finished his training and become a ranger, she almost certainly would have lost her brother, too. For the first time, she’s happy to think of him bumming around somewhere in California, a petty criminal who won’t take her calls.

She’ll have to find a way to tell him that his father is gone.

But for now, Raleigh is here, almost a tangible presence in her mind, as good as telling her he isn’t going anywhere. And when the medics insist on loading him onto a stretcher and wheeling him down to medical, she goes right along with him, because no one here would dream of separating drift partners at a time like this.

He’s a little out of it just now, giddy with the thrill of a victory no one was sure they could pull off. Mako is not much better, herself. Nothing around her feels quite real, and she has the strangest feeling she’s going to wake up in her bunk any minute now, and that she’ll still be a J-tech supervisor with a refurbishment project she’s scrambling to finish before the next opening of the breach. Not a ranger. Not one of the last surviving rangers, surely.

“Newton Geiszler, if you would only just once listen to me—!” Dr. Gottlieb’s voice rings out as the medical entourage nears their destination. That much feels real; Dr. Gottlieb is always shouting, and usually at Newt, but there’s something odd about it now. Every other word comes out muffled, like something keeps pressing over his face.

As they wheel the stretcher through the door, Mako sees why. Her two dear scientist friends are pressed up against the wall, waiting to be seen by a doctor, if their appearance is any indication. They both look every bit as battered as Mako feels, and she doubts either one of them would be standing if they weren’t supporting each other. They are also simultaneously arguing and furiously—there is no other word for it—snogging.

“Oh!” Raleigh yelps. “They’re eating each other’s faces!”

Mako smiles. It’s about time.

“Shut up, Herm-mmmmm…” Newt becomes unintelligible for a moment before he pulls back enough to say, “I’m not doing jack shit unless you come with me!”

“You nearly died, you vile man! If anything happens to you now, I’ll never forgive you!”

“You drifted, too!” Newt yells. Then he notices the group rolling by, and pokes Hermann in the shoulder to get his attention.

“Oh! Mako, dear girl, magnificent work out there,” Hermann says, beaming.

“Yeah, great job, Mako,” Newt agrees. “You’re a hero! And you too, Guy.” He turns his attention back to Hermann. “You are going in there with me, you’re getting checked out, you’re getting taken care of, and then you’re going to…” The rest of what he wants to say is lost as Hermann kisses him again.

“It’s like walking in on your parents,” Raleigh says faintly as they leave the scientists behind.

“You don’t even know them,” Mako points out.

“I don’t, you do. It’s like walking in on your parents. Somehow, that’s even worse.”

Mako takes his hand and gives it a squeeze. He’ll have to get to know her scientists before much longer. They are not like parents to her, but they are family, and now Raleigh is, too. They’re in this together, no matter what.

Raleigh squeezes her hand too, giving back what she’s giving him: the unspoken promise that neither of them will ever be alone again.

The world goes on, and this is the beginning of the rest of their lives. And they’ll see it through together.

[idonotbitemythumbatyou]

Writer Interview Tag

Thank you for the tag @wisteria-lodge!

How many works do you have on ao3?

29

What's your total AO3 word count?

415,216

Your top 5 stories by kudos?

The Regular - Arcane, Sevika/Reader. With ~ 1900 kudos. Sheesh. Not surprising because Arcane is a huge new fandom, and it was the second Sevika/Reader ever posted. But also the people are right, I love this fic.

Her Deady Hands - Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Randvi PoV Eivor/Randvi. With ~ 800 kudos. I’m sorry I’ll never finish it.

Still Mine - another Eivor/Randvi. With ~ 650 kudos

Bites - Star Trek DS9, Garak/Bashir. With ~ 250 kudos. I’m super happy one of my DS9 fics made it! I’m relatively new and it’s a smallish tight-knit fandom. Surprised it was this one though! (You guys should read Prologue!)

In an Effort to (help) Save the World - Pacific Rim, Newt/Hermann. With ~240 kudos. My first long fic. My first to break 100k words. I’m still very proud of this one.

Do you respond to comments?

Yes! Always! I love connecting with other people in the fandom and comments are the most fun way to do so! Sometimes it takes a while though because I want to reply with the same level of care the comments were given.

What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

On the Subject of Alice - because it’s about Newt being Kaiju possessed, and it ends with Newt still being Kaiju possessed. Heaven for the Soulless will steal this crown once it’s done.

What's the fic you've written with the happiest ending?

Definitely Effort. But it’s a rough ride to get there, and bittersweet. The Seven Year Prologue will probably take this one too.

Do you write crossovers?

Nah.

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

No thank goodness but I have had some impolite comments, as well as some that were unintentionally hurtful (and the people were incredibly kind when I pointed it out) and some that are a bit entitled (I just ignore those).

OH I did once get a series of “you should take this off the ship tag if they’re not together” comments which was very confusing because the characters in question were regularly having sex and in love with each other. I think one of two things happened: 1: they stopped reading after chapter one wherein a highly unreliable narrator is like “nah I don’t think they’re fucking.” Or 2: They didn’t think it “counted” because the characters wouldn’t admit they were in a relationship and the married one was never going to leave his wife. Why am I dancing around this? It was Tomgreg. It was fucking Tomgreg.

Do you write smut?

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* yes *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Unfortunately my oldest, worst characterized fic is now also available in Russian.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, but I have had close writing relationships with @avelera and @xpityx. I credit them both with vastly improving my writing skills.

What's a wip that you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

The Great Work. I feel guilty because I was literally the only person writing that ship in English. But I just can’t. I started writing it in a different lifetime.

What are your writing strengths?

In-character, plot propelling dialogue. And F/F smut.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Grammar. And executive dysfunction baybeeee. Oh and M/M smut.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

I try to do my research but mostly I just write it in English and explain that they’re speaking in a different language now. Especially now that I’m dealing with alien languages. I’ll put in an alien word or two but it’s not consistent to write all the alien language in English and then whip out the French, you know?

What's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to?

I have a Succession/Severance crossover in my heart that I’ll never write.

I’m tagging @maeselc @sapphosewrites @dreamerdrop and @onwhatcaptain

[alone-on-takodana]

Day nine of @lastdaysofwar - Why we fight

Hermann/Newt - Rated G

Set many years in the future, sweet, short and fluffy

Why we fight

‘Why’d you do it? 

‘Do what?’ Hermann mumbles, half awake. 

‘Why did you get involved in the jaeger project?’ Newt turns on his side to look at his husband, sleepy in the golden light of a Sunday morning some twenty years or so from K-Day. 

‘I should like to be significantly more awake before you ask any questions that require any more than grunting on my part. ‘

‘You gonna tell me if I make you some coffee, Captain Caveman?’

‘Leave me be, you awful beast.. ‘

‘No but like, I was just thinking-’

‘There's a first time for everything.’ Hermann interjects, rolling onto his side. 

‘I was just thinking-’ Newt persists ‘Like, I just wanted to get closer to the Kaijuu. I mean, where was I ever gonna get that sort of opportunity? They were so cool, and I could actually be in their guts, in their skin, in their brains-’

Hermann opens one eye, and blearily fixes Newton with a look that suggests he get to the point a little more quickly. 

‘Okay, okay, coffee first..’

He returns ten minutes later with two steaming mugs, and Hermann is sat up in bed, putting his glasses on. 

‘Thank you, liebchen. Now, you were saying?’

‘Why did you join the jaeger programme? And once stuff got bad, once you needed to like, drift with the kaijuu brain, or once we thought maybe we weren't gonna make it, why didn't you tell me to get lost? I mean you really could've taken the money and run, made out like a bandit. And then you carried on working through the PPDC, even when I'd gone, even when I was working for Shao and…y’know’. It still hurts to talk about, like an invisible hand is twisting his guts tighter and tighter. Hermann lays a hand on his, squeezing his fingers. 

 ‘Well, that one was easy. Two main reasons really..’ He takes a sip of his coffee. 

‘Yeah?’ Newt perches on the edge of the bed, cautious of Hermann's leg, which always aches before he has had the opportunity to stretch. 

‘Well firstly, I knew I couldn't live with myself if I didn't. If I'd survived, that is. The guilt would have consumed me. So, I suppose I believed I was doing the right thing by staying. And the second, and more important reason, in my view, was for you.’

‘Yeah but like, you didn't know that then. You didn't know how you felt about me back then, right? During the Hong Kong attacks?’

‘Who says I didn't?’ 

‘Seriously, man? Then? Well, you sure were quiet about it, I figured you hated me’

‘I've never hated you. Sometimes you irritated me to the degree that I wanted to feed you to a Kaijuu myself. But no, I never have. I was never any good at explaining how I felt. And by the time I knew, and couldn't bear not telling you, I thought I had lost you for good. I loved you. Even back then.’

Newt is looking at their joined hands, thoughtful for a moment.

‘I loved you too.’

Hermann shifts, putting his coffee cup down to reach out his arms to his husband. Even now, still dressed in dinosaur boxers and an ancient Rush t-shirt, he's perfect. They both have more than a peppering of grey, and are a bit softer and squishier around the middle. But Newt's never lost that mad twinkle in his eye, and has never gained the ability to shut up, not even for a second. He loves that, too. 

Newt settles into the offered embrace probably too quickly, burying his face his shoulder to breathe in the soap-and-toothpaste clean smell of him. Ten years married, and it still feels like it's gone by in a heartbeat. Like it's never going to be enough. Like he'd better memorise that smell, the way the skin of his neck feels against his cheek, and his steady heartbeat and his hands, god, those delicate, clever fingers, the way he places his long feet just so on the cold tile when he walks to the bathroom in the morning, the tap of his cane on the floor when he gets home from work, his voice - he'd better memorise them all quick because it could so easily be taken away. Anyone brave and stupid enough to fight for him isn't going to be sticking around.

Hermann murmurs close to his ear, disturbing his racing train of thought 'I know you did, liebchen. I'm sorry it took us so long.’

[sevcasejay1chicago]

Welcome home- Matt Casey x Darden!Sister

Authors note: Sorry that it’s been so long since I posted!!! It’s been a crazy few weeks and I honestly just haven’t had the motivation. This is a continuation to a story I wrote a while ago containing these two love birds.

Summary: Kelly and Stella finally bring you back home.

Warnings: NONE; possible spoilers maybe.

———————

You and Matt Casey kept your relationship going even through your move to Portland to be with your nephews, the Darden boys. When Matt had the weekend off, he would often fly over to Portland and help you out with whatever you needed. Sometimes, all you needed was him.

About three years later, Stella called you and told you about her engagement to Kelly. You were thrilled. You always knew that they would get married. You never knew Kelly to love someone and to be so devoted to them like he was to Stella Kidd. That woman had Kelly Severide wrapped around her finger.

When you got a call from Matt later on in the night, you were surprised to find that this FaceTime was filled with many familiar faces.

“Hey Darden!” Kelly yelled over Matt’s shoulder.

Clamoring could be heard as Jay Halstead, Mouch, Hermann, Sylvie, and a few others from intelligence and 51 tried to get in the frame to say hi. You giggled as you watched Kelly take Jay in a headlock and demand your attention. Everyone was clearly VERY drunk.

Matt chuckled as he watched the scene unfold on his end, but most of his attention was on you and your giggling self. He has never heard a sound more beautiful than your laugh or seen anything brighter than your smile.

Once Matt was able to break away, he stepped outside and sat at a picnic table far from the outdoor bar. He stared at you for a moment as you wrote something down, biting your lower lip in concentration. All he wanted in that moment was to rub the knots, that he knew were on your shoulders from stress, away and catch your bottom lip in his.

You noticed him staring after a minute or two and immediately blushed, hiding behind the sleeves of the hoodie Matt left you the last time he came out to Portland. “What?” You giggled, pushing your reading glasses up while you hid behind your hands.

Matt shook his head and chuckled. “Nothing. Nothing. You are just too damn adorable.” Matt smiled shyly at being caught, but he was also doing his best to hide what you were doing to him just by being you. “God. I miss you.” Matt breathed, leaning against the picnic table and setting his phone against the napkin dispenser to rub his hands together in an effort to warm them back up.

You smiled sweetly back at him. “I miss you too honey.” You whispered, flopping back into your pillows. “Sooooo, did Kelly ask you to be his best man?” You asked, wiggling your eyebrows.

Matt chuckled, missing your antics. “Of course he did! Who else would be able to deal with Groomzilla?!” Matt joked, causing you to burst out laughing.

“True. True.” You said, struggling to catch your breath. “Stella asked me to be a bridesmaid, but I don’t know what things will look like around the time of the wedding, so I had to decline.” You explained, pouting slightly.

Matt hummed. “Well, I’m sure it’ll all work out. We have time.”

You nodded in thought before flipping onto your side and settling in for the night. You placed your phone on its upright charging port as you stared at Matt. “If you can, leave me on. It’ll be like I’m part of the fun.” You whispered, hiding a yawn behind your sleeve.

Matt knew you wouldn’t last much longer, so he easily agreed, standing up and carrying his phone around as he re-entered the crowded bar filled with your family.

———————

The day was here. Stella and Kelly were finally getting married. As far as Matt knew, you had to stay in Portland because Ben got himself into some trouble. Matt was kinda thankful for you not being here in this moment as everything seemed to be falling apart and he just knew you would be frantically trying to fix everything if you were here.

“Hey guys! A party boat just opened up and we can have the wedding there!” Cruz yelled from halfway down the block.

The wedding party all went running, eager to get there and get everything arranged. Once they arrived, Matt was pleasantly surprised and confused with how nicely the boat was decorated in line with Kelly and Stella’s wedding theme. That was, until you popped up behind him.

“Hey handsome.” You whispered, wrapping your arms loosely around his waist.

He knew those hands and that voice anywhere. He immediately turned in your arms and lifted you into his own, twirling you around. “Oh my God!” Matt yelled, chuckling as he spun you around. Once he sat you down, he swooped in to kiss you deeply. He only pulled back when he was desperately in need of air. “Wha- how?!” Matt asked, still trying to understand how you were here.

“Welllll.” You drawled out, leaning back slightly to get a better look at him. “I was really busy moving my stuff back into your apartment while you were at Kelly’s last night. Stella held her bachelorette party there while we unpacked my stuff.” You smiled, proud to have pulled one over on him.

Matt gawked at you, absolutely speechless.

“Then, when I went to start decorating this morning, I realized that the church was double booked and had this set up. Everyone helped get you here. We figured you deserved some good news after the tough year you’ve had.” You explained, smiling as everyone around you agreed.

“Plus, this is like the best wedding gift EVER. THE BAND IS BACK TOGETHER!” Stella yelled, pumping her fist in the air.

Everyone chuckled and immediately agreed.

Matt wrapped his arms tighter around your waist, burying his face in your hair. After a few moments, Matt pulled back and kissed you on the forehead before shouting, “LETS GET KIDD AND SEVERIDE HITCHED!”

As everyone began to walk to their seats or to their places, Matt pulled you into his side and gave you one more kiss. “Welcome home baby.”

———————

At the reception, Matt has you sitting in his lap with his arms wrapped around you. “So, where are Griffin and Ben?” Matt asked, kissing the side of your head.

“So, here’s the thing.” You began, turning in his lap to look Matt in the eyes. “Griffin got accepted into Northwestern and Ben was okay with moving home with you, so I brought Ben with me and Griffin is staying on campus.” You explained, toying with your necklace as you spoke.

“Wait, so Ben is here?!” Matt asked, immediately ecstatic.

You chuckled, calming down now that the biggest secret was out. “Yeah. Griffin is at the apartment with him now. He will be staying for the night before going back to his dorm so that we can have the night out. He expects Uncle Matt’s famous eggs in a basket tomorrow morning.” You chuckle, shaking your head at the fact that Griffin remembered his favorite meal that Matt made him as a kid.

Matt beamed, kissing you on the temple. “He can have anything he wants.” Matt assured, smiling proudly at the fact that Griffin remembered things from their time together. For the first time since you left, Matt was finally content.

[ipkkndlovescenes]

Gadbad or Attraction

Gadbad...or attraction

Nothing will be the same...

*****

“Love must not entreat,' she added, 'or demand. Love must have the strength to become certain within itself. Then it ceases merely to be attracted and begins to attract.”― Hermann Hesse,

“He liked her; it was as simple as that.”― Nicholas Sparks,

"Gadbad ho gaye di, tum ne uska naam le liya..." It feels wrong di as you have said his name, and now I won't be able to sleep. Behind closed eyes, there was none other than her Rajkumar and Rakshas. Khushi had a new way of remembering him, to call his name. Payal was right; the number of times Khushi called or remembered him, it was apparent she was overdoing that more than ASR. 

But again, Payal had no idea about ASR and his feelings yet. Because he was going through the same. A simple glass of water was on his mind, which touched her lips. Was he imagining or urging to have her right in front of her, savouring her with his eyes as always?

“Mysteries of attraction could not always be explained through logic. Sometimes the fractures in two separate souls became the very hinges that held them together.”― Lisa Kleypas, 

The new day starts with each others' thoughts. Oh, a new gadbad. She forgot her Devi Maiya, for real, just like Buaji.😆 Another excuse to go to Lion's den is to say whatever she wants because she isn't done yet.😆

ASR started his day with his happy family, but they couldn't stop him at home on Sunday. Like...for real.😆

Arnav reaches his office on Sunday as this is his space, his escape, where he can gather. But today, he cannot escape from her thoughts, her face, and her words. He still keeps thinking of Khushi. She didn't want to talk to him, which was bugging him. There was an overwhelming urge to talk to her, see her, and clarify himself from the incident, which shook him like no one. He could've lost her forever. Even today, when he crosses her table, Devi Maiya's statue and Khushi's things halt him again, but her memory of closing the door behind her after the resignation makes him change his mind. He tells his peon to deliver Khushi's things to her, but the timbre of her voice reflects his helplessness.

“The mind has a powerful way of attracting things that are in harmony with it, good and bad.”― Idowu Koyenikan

 In his cabin, he keeps himself busy, but she has full control over his mind and heart. He leans back and closes his eyes, trying to keep his thoughts at bay, but his tensed facial muscles reflect the opposite.

She is on the other side, struggling with her own fears... she reaches and gets halted for a while. She is hesitant and conflicted, and this is such a true human brain and its survival mechanism that she justifies her decision to leave by remembering all the bad things he had done to her.

She gathers the courage and opens the door when he closes his eyes.  She is also lost in his thoughts and justifies her fears that he can't be there this Sunday."Dar mat Khushi" Don't be afraid, Khushi.

 

The office has been their battleground of everything. Their feelings, the war of heart and mind, brought back so many memories! He opens his eyes as he feels her presence, stronger than ever. An urgent urge makes him slowly rise from his chair. The wind blows his hair, like kissing him with her essence.

On the other hand, he has this gut feeling that she is here. He gets up from his chair and lets this feeling simmer down into reality. It's like the wind delivered him the message before even she was close to his eyes.

It was overwhelming and something he could not ignore, just like her as she felt it too, but it was Sunday...Ah, he can't be here. "Office main koi nahin, aaj to ravivaar hai.."

"Khushi!"

. His lips whisper her name, and he walks to the glass doors and looks down. Here she was...Disbelief takes over.

 Is she really there, or does he imagine her?

 He watches her every step as she walks to her desk and then sits, completely lost in her world...

Khushi is confabulated with her internal conflict, fighting with that unnamed feeling that is taking shape and control of her or consuming her. The memories of the rainy night come back. At the same time, he looks at her from above and sees her in the red saree during the calendar shoot. Ah, the day his heart learned to beat. Both of them are churned by a feeling so strong with a flame that is consuming them slowly, and both of them cannot control or tame it…It is something deeper that neither of them could accept, deny, or even explain.

She closes her eyes to tame her feelings and her thoughts but in vain. She looked up like her eyes wanted to see the ruler of her imagination, and here he was. Both directly face each other. He was looking at her without blinking. Their eyes speak volumes of their heartbeats as always; their minds were trying to acknowledge it.

Two people were getting overpowered by these overwhelming feelings and emotions which were affecting them, gulping them, drowning them in this ocean of love. But at the same time, it was scary, too, especially for Khushi.  How can anyone be normal to have normal behaviour in such conditions? The friction was inevitable to regain their senses. They all have just anger and conflict to offer because that’s how they can express the intensity of their feelings for days.

He was always attracted not by some quantifiable, external beauty of her but by something deep down, something absolute. Just as some people have a secret love for rain, for the moon, or for flowers, he liked that certain undefinable something directed his way by her. She was the moon he stared at every night, the rain he was getting drenched in every minute of his life, the essence of flowers touching his soul and body with every clap of wind. For want of a better word, call it magnetism. Like it or not, it’s a kind of power that snares two opposite people and reels them in.

“But I knew the second she opened her eyes and looked at me. She was either going to be the death of me . . . or she was going to be the one who finally brought me back to life.”― Colleen Hoover,

It seemed his world got its colors back when she looked back at him without taking her eyes off of him...He calls out to her and asks her to come to his cabin because he wants to talk to her. She ignores him and walks to the storeroom to get her Devi Maiya. 

“Oh no, I know that look. What are you thinking? That this is the ridiculous declaration of attraction I've ever heard”― Jennifer L. Armentrout,

Oh, once again, she is leaving him hanging there in this vortex. She knows exactly how to push him, and he lets her but not today. She had no idea if she had enough; he was done fighting with this guilt track too...Did she really think he would let her walk away like that easily today? 

Well, she threw a challenge-filled look, and he accepted it. 

He is furious, and the way he jumps and turns on one of his feet, you can calculate the calibre of his anger. He walks out of his cabin and follows her to the store room. All he cares that how he can get her to stay and listen to him. His long strides around his own office are worth watching.

Khushi enters the store room and delivers her anger..."Hume kya pata tha ki yeh Laad Governor ravivar ko bhi logon ko satane ke liye ghar se nikalte hai" [ How the heck, I knew that Laad Governor gets out of his home on Sunday to mess with people.] She is clearly referring to herself.😆

“I accept the hard reality that I maybe might possibly be just the slightest tiniest littlest bit kinda sorta interested in him.”― Sarah Ockler

Finally, Devi Maiya brought them together.  Devi Maiya is a pillar of faith in her life… the one thing that is most important to her in her entire world… On Mazar she fought with ASR for Devi Maiya..as nothing can happen without Devi Maiya's wish. It seems Devi Maiya is really writing their story, bringing them back to each other whenever they try to go away from each other. 

Go to Part 2

[hermannsthumb]

Power outage and popsicles for the summer prompts...."dude, why not? They're gonna melt otherwise."

27. Power Outage + 30. Popsicles

from summer prompts meme here

i finished this & checked ao3 and realized that i techhhhnically filled a prompt like this a little while ago, but they're different enough it's ok. giving this a light M rating for some Suggestive Content because i tweeted about this concept and couldn't stop thinking about writing it

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

Look, Newt’s no stranger to a hot, humid summer, least of all a hot, humid summer that he’s left to tough out with nothing but the jankiest old window A/C unit in the world and t-shirts he’s badly modified with a pair of scissors to be a little more breathable. He got used to it back in Cambridge, where his apartment was the top floor of a creaky historic house built back before anybody really thought about things like central air or air circulation or living comfortably in general. But this is just ridiculous, man. Even if his broom closet of a bunk did have a window it wouldn’t be helping him much.

Yesterday’s kaiju attack took out the city power grid and most of the electricity to the Shatterdome with it. They’re not totally fucked, because relying on somewhere prone to frequent assaults from ten gazillion pound monsters to power local PPDC operations would be kind of an insane—if not, like, admirably ballsy—move, but the on-base generators they have as back-up are reserved for critical functions only: LOCCENT, the jaeger bay, and—well, yeah, basically that. Newt would estimate roughly twenty percent of base operations outside that are deemed critical, so whatever electricity is left is diverted directly to the mess hall refrigeration systems (so they can eat) and overhead lights in most of the common spaces (so they can walk down the hallway without falling down an elevator shaft or knocking over something expensive).

Basically, their little k-science team of two ranks comically low on that critical function list no matter how many complaints Hermann lodges with facilities about his precious little computers, or Newt does about the extremely necessary and much more important preservation of his kaiju samples. Under duress Newt will very begrudgingly admit this is not without some reason. It’s still annoying.

Hermann spends the first hour of the Black-Out trying to, essentially, pirate some of that diverted power (admittedly very cool of him) to get his computers back in business and cursing very loudly when it fails. Newt, meanwhile, thanks his goddamn lucky stars that it’s been a lackluster few weeks for kaiju harvesting and every viable sample he has is small enough to fit in some coolers with ice packs he keeps around for emergencies. Problem solved. They’ll want to hose them down before their next picnic so they’re not packing sandwiches in with kaiju guts—Newt’s kidding, mostly, Hermann wouldn’t be caught dead on a picnic with him—but it’ll work for now.

The main problem arises around hour two. On the average day it’s genuinely freezing down here, thanks to the lethal combination of the lab’s somewhat subterranean nature (stickin’ the geeks in the damp basement) and Hermann’s weird habit of keeping the A/C blasting so he can comfortably dress like he's strolling across Antarctica without breaking a sweat. With the A/C casualty to the outage, it doesn’t take long for the muggy humidity of the Hong Kong summer to creep up on them, and by the light of the comically large flashlight he’s very nicely holding for Hermann Newt watches it hit his colleague in waves: the exponential increase in handkerchief-swipes-across-forehead, the unbuttoning of his collar, the blazer shrugged off and tossed at a chair, then (egads!) the sweatervest following.

“Hold that still,” Hermann snaps when Newt lets the beam of the flashlight wander from the functionally useless computer he’s poking cables into to the scandalous display of button-down and wristbones he’s putting on right now instead. Talk about a strip tease. Newt ignores him and wolf-whistles instead.

“I’ve never seen you so naked,” he says. “This is definitely a new record. How many layers of pants do you have on? I’m guessing eight, nine.” He trails the light down one alluringly baggy slacks leg—because what is he hiding under there, man—and then back up to Hermann’s face. Hermann shields his eyes and recoils with a small affronted noise. His choppy bangs are sticking to his forehead.

“One,” Hermann says from behind his hand, “that is a completely inappropriate question to ask, and you are very lucky I’m used to that sort of thing enough by now to not file a complaint with Human Resources straightaway. Perhaps I will anyway. Two, that is categorically false. Please get that out of my face.”

“You’re right, I was being way too conservative. Ten pants?”

Hermann grinds his teeth together. “You saw me with significantly less clothing than this when you accidentally—allegedly—spilled a large amount of neutralized kaiju blood on me last year.”

The decontamination shower incident. Of course. How could Newt forget? Hermann looked like an angry wet cat in there, and Newt made a beeline for the exit the second he confirmed there weren’t any imminent biohazards and/or threats to Hermann’s health and/or threats to Newt's health before Hermann could get out and make one for him. Newt hid on the roof all afternoon.

A cold decon shower sounds pretty nice right now, actually. He wonders if the water in here is still running. A bead of sweat rolls down the back of his neck. “Which you’ve yet to apologize for,” Hermann continues, because Newt guesses they're still talking about this. “Get that out of my face.”

He tightens his fingers around Newt's wrist and yanks Newt’s hand back to shine the flashlight where he needs it, and, conspicuously, doesn’t address the whole pants question, which Newt assumes has to mean there’s at least three different things going on down there. Hermann strikes him as an old-timey long underwear kind of guy. The kind you'd see flapping on clotheslines in old cartoons.

A minute later he throws down the cables and hits the side of his computer with his cane. “Bugger,” he snarls, pushing himself to his feet. “I have work to do, and now I'll be behind by a whole day. This is completely unacceptable. I have submitted no less than four notices about the importance of—”

“Aw, no luck,” Newt says. He wipes his own forehead on his rolled-up shirt cuff. Would Hermann notice if he took his shirt off? It’s gettin’ hot in here, he thinks. Hermann’s temper is gettin’ hot, too, and he thinks if he doesn’t shut his mouth his foot might find out firsthand how that walloping Hermann’s computer just got felt. “Soooo, can I go now?”

He wants to take his shirt off very badly. And more importantly he has a hot—he means that very literally—date with a battery-operated fan and a minifridge of melting popsicles in his bedroom ASAP, and he’d like to get to the popsicles (and take off his shirt) sooner than later. “Fine,” Hermann says. He takes the flashlight and waves Newt off. "Get out of my sight, you wretch."

Newt’s bunk is darker and stuffier than the lab, if possible. His first order of business is to strip down to his bare chest stat before fumbling with the switches to his fan and the shitty little rechargeable nightlight he keeps on his desk. His legs are so sweaty that the denim of his skinny jeans is clinging to him for dear life, and it takes him twice as long to wriggle out of them. He succeeds, finally, flopping flat on his ass on the mattress in his boxers. After a few more uncomfortable minutes of wriggling he kicks those off too. Definitely a dick out kind of afternoon.

Tiny as it is, the fan feels fucking great. If Hermann wasn’t such a dick Newt would’ve considered inviting him over to bask in how great it feels with him. The popsicles are great, too, and mostly still intact, but—given the distressingly liquidy state of his little minifridge freezer—they won’t be for long. Newt unwraps two of them at once and eats them in alternating bites as quickly as he can without giving himself brain freeze. He’s just unwrapped a third when there’s a brusque knock at his door.

“Uggggh,” he says. “What?”

He rolls over on his side and squints at the door, wishing vaguely for some variation of x-ray vision to see who’s there or (better yet) telekinesis that could just open the door for him. He’s hot. And lazy. Basically, getting up and opening the door is at the very bottom of the list of potential activities he could engage in right now.

“It’s me,” Hermann says.

Pretty presumptuous of him, seeing as there’s a whole Shatterdome of me’s who aren’t Hermann that could’ve been at Newt’s door and who would totally love to enjoy Newt’s company, and frozen desserts, but Newt will let it slide, given ninety percent of the time the me in question actually is Hermann. He peels himself up from his sheets and shuffles over to the door to open it. “Yeah?” he says around his popsicle.

“Did you take my,” Hermann says, and then his mouth abruptly stops moving, and he goes a shade of red that’s impressively visible in the low lighting. “Oh,” he says.

Newt takes a bite out of the popsicle and swallows with a wince. Too cold, overly ambitious of him. “Probably,” he says. “I mean, whatever you’re missing, I probably took it. The sandwich you packed today, yes, your sticky notes, yes. I was hungry. For the sandwich I mean. Not the sticky notes. Didn’t you see my note?” By my he guess he technically means Hermann’s, because he wanted to do the polite thing and leave an IOU for the sandwich like a good little colleague but ran out of his own sticky note pads three months ago and keeps forgetting to order more.

“Do you want a popsicle?” he says. “I’m trying to finish off the box. I’ve already had two so far,” he sticks out his blue tongue as proof, “and I think I might get sick if I eat anymore after this. I guess I could just, you know, stop, but I spent a ridiculous amount of money on these, Hermann, you wouldn’t believe how much, and it would physically pain me to toss them out.” The snack food black market—hyperbolically speaking, it’s not actually a black market, just a handful of convenience stores who have managed to wiggle their way around rationing—doesn’t run cheap, and he paid for roundtrip bus fare on top of that.

“Er,” Hermann says.

He sounds confusingly confused over the offer. Historically, they eat each other’s food all the time, or at least Newt eats Hermann’s, but Newt has never been stingy when it comes to sharing his black market snacks with Hermann. It’s nothing new here. “They’re gonna melt, dude, why not?” Newt says.

Hermann is breathing hard and looking even more like the Gottliebian equivalent of a pin-up calendar right now: button-down undone to the collarbones, sleeves rolled up, slack cuffs rolled up, belt MIA, flush high on his cheekbones. And with his dumb little glasses to top it off, too. It’s working for Hermann. It’s working for Newt. He wonders, if he was to sabotage the lab A/C again in the near future, if it would be worth Hermann’s fury to see him like this again.

Newt sucks on the popsicle. Hermann suddenly thrusts an arm out, catching himself on the doorframe like he’s about to topple right over, and Newt realizes now that he’s looking a little sick in the face. The poor guy must be overheating. A wave of guilt instantly washes over him—Hermann might be a dick, but Newt really should’ve mentioned the fan thing, which makes him equally a dick for not doing so. Basically their dickishness is cancelling each other out here, which he thinks makes them both pretty stand-up guys.

“Okay, fine, you wanna come in?” Newt says. “I have a fan. It’s not, like, good, but it’s better than nothing. Also, obviously, popsicles.” A droplet of melted popsicle rolls down the stick and onto his fingers, and Newt licks it up. He gives Hermann’s sleeve a little tug. “Gotta say though dude, you’re looking preeeeetty indecent right now. I mean, forearms? My God, this is a military base, not a gentlemen’s club. Don’t flash me any sock garters, I won’t be able to take it.”

“I’m indecent?” Hermann chokes out. "Do you not—?!"

His eyes fall to Newt’s lips as Newt sucks the rest of the popsicle off the stick, and as Hermann digs his teeth into his own bottom lip, Newt thinks oh, man. He thought Hermann would be above the whole tragically juvenile popsicle=phallic thing. Very low-hanging erotic fruit. He’s almost disappointed in the guy. Newt can name ten different ways he could seduce Hermann right now, hypothetical success rate aside, that would be way more interesting. Newt chews on the wooden popsicle stick just to shake things up a bit.

“Okay, so are you coming in?” he says.

Hermann’s throat bobs as he swallows thickly. “Newton,” he finally says, and the next bits out of his mouth are a confusing semi-coherent jumble, “I am extremely—what I mean is, I’m not sure—the repercussions of it all, in terms of our working relationship—and loathe as I am to admit it, I do consider you my closest—though of course I find you exceedingly attractive, and I want to, only…”

“Um,” Newt says.

Hermann hovers in the doorway for another ten seconds, weirdly and uncomfortably silent, before shaking Newt’s hand off his sleeve. “I have to do paperwork,” he says.

He books it out of there.

Hermann’s a weirdo, no use trying to figure it out.

[hermannsprecursors]

How my pacrim birthday went!

So the Pacrim community on here helped me plan my 17th birthday party, and I wanted to tell you abt some of the results!

I didn't take as many photos as I would've liked, but it's alright! I was too busy having fun with my friends tbh, and that's the more important part.

So, without further ado-- a complete list of what I did at my Pacific Rim birthday party!

Starting off strong with my cringe-ass, hand-made invite

BIRTHDAY GIRL DRESSED UP AS NEWT!!! With shorts because it's Michigan summer, but still!

Started by watching Pacific Rim. I, my sister, and my friend Kai were the only ones who had any kind of pre-requisite on what Pacific Rim was, so naturally I started them off with the movie.

Newt and Hermann were well loved, and I gave my QPP a new hyperfixation because he, a transformers nerd, liked the giant robots

Played a game called "[Hermann] or Charlie Day, in which my friends were forced to guess whether it was me or Charlie Day that said the quote. Surprisingly, they won.

Presents were opened! I got 3 handmade drawings, a patch, a pillbug stuffed animal, and several fun toys and collectibles, including a Leatherback toy >:3 he came w a little building made of 4 pieces so you could stack it up and have him knock it over. Now I gotta get a Striker Eureka to fight him.

We had drift compatibility tests! I paired everyone with someone I thought they would coordinate well with and had them play kahoots. They all made their own Jaegar names too!

One of the only pictures I got 😔 you can vaguely see me all the way on the right in my lil tie.

Once drift compatibility tests were complete, our Jaegar pilots were sent out onto the field to take down a Kaiju (me)! I was thusly covered in silly string as my friends teamed up to fucking destroy me, and had to change my shirt. No more Newt :(

Cake.

We played gartic phone! I've included some of my favorites

I made everyone watch the Newmann supercut of Uprising as I explained in detail how they MASSACRED Newt's character but it's ok bc at least the yaoi is now toxic and I love that shit.

Had a campfire. Talked more about Pacific Rim until everyone went home

In conclusion, everything went really really well! Thanks so much for your help in planning! Can't wait to do it again next year when I turn 18!

[missanthropicprinciple]

Fic Self-Recs

Tagged by @sharky857 <3 Thanks!

Fic authors self rec! List your favorite five fics that you've written, then tag at least five other writers! Spread the self-love 💞

Take to the Skies by cephalopod_groupie

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 23,055 Fandom: Pacific Rim (2013) Characters: Newton Geiszler/Hermann Gottlieb, Stacker Pentecost, Hannibal Chau Summary: A Pacific Rim WWII AU where Hermann Gottlieb is a Squadron Leader in the R.A.F. and Newton Geiszler is a Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. Angst and romance ensues in a time of war.

2. A Hunting We Will Go by cephalopod_groupie

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences (basically G) Word Count: 6,206 Fandom: Crossover: Ghostbusters (1984)/Granada Holmes Characters: Egon Spengler, Sherlock Holmes, Dr. John Watson Summary: Egon Spengler suddenly finds himself in Sherlock Holmes' London, but before he can work out how to leave he may have some busting to do. (Please note, Granada Holmes is not a category on this site, but even though I sought to emulate Sir. Arthur Conan Doyle's style of writing I had Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke's Sherlock and Watson in mind.)

3. Spikethwaite Hall by cephalopod_groupie

Rating: General Audiences Word Count: 5,269 Fandom: Pacific Rim (2013) Characters: Newton Geiszler/Hermann Gottlieb, Mako Mori Summary: For the 2020 Newmannn Secret Santa exchange. I decided to go with the Jane Eyre AU. The novel is set between 1760–1820 but I’ve set this story in about 1847, the year Jane Eyre was published. Needless to say I’m not copying the plot of the novel and Hermann isn’t problematic and/or keeping a wife in the attic. Significantly less angsty than a Brontë novel.

Hermann Gottlieb is the mysterious and peculiar master of Spikethwaite Hall located on misty moors. Newton Geiszler is the cheery new gamekeeper who arrives upon the scene who disrupts everything from Gottlieb's niece's schoolwork to the master's own brooding.

4. The Ghost of Gottlieb Mansion by cephalopod_groupie

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 9,826 Fandom: Pacific Rim (2013) Characters: Newton Geiszler/Hermann Gottlieb, Mako Mori, Tendo Choi Summary: Halloween AU where Hermann is the ghost of the old Gottlieb mansion. Newton with his usual lack of self preservation visits the mansion and decides/has to stay the night. He's kinda scared but he copes with a running commentary like the ghost is real and can actually hear him. Hermann's been kind of lonely so he actually just sits around and listen to Newt prattle on. Started with an old pinkieblues prompt.

5. Just a Thought by cephalopod_groupie

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 27,985 Fandom: Pacific Rim (2013) Characters: Newton Geiszler/Hermann Gottlieb Summary: Newton and Hermann have many fantasies about each other. [Originally published October 10, 2014. People actually made fan art of this one, which made me so happy.]

Tagging: @dollsome-does-tumblr @spengnitzed @problemwithtrouble and whoever else I forgot!