#I wonder how she knows that I love Gil this much?!

[fabiolajyx]

[softquietsteadylove]

Me again! I am once again humbly requesting more of the family law au. Anything you wanna do with the story, I know anything you write will be amazing

Thena looked up as a small body plunked down onto the bench next to her. She looked back at the courtroom door, but the child had appeared from elsewhere. "Hello."

The child sniffled.

She looked around them, but court was in recess, currently. "Where is your guardian?"

The kid shrugged.

She could simply ignore the child. She wasn't a bailiff or authority, she was only in court to close a case of her own, it was signatures in front of the judge. But she recognised the deep hunch in her shoulders and the way her feet kicked idly hanging off the edge of the bench. "I know you have one. Kids aren't allowed to just walk into courtrooms alone."

The kid looked around; she couldn't have been older than twelve. "My parents are talking to a lawyer, but I left."

How did a kid walk out and no one noticed? Thena frowned, "who was watching you?"

"My dad's new wife."

Ah, an unwanted stepmother; Thena angled herself toward the young girl. "Hm, the lawyer speaking with your parents, is he...big?"

She looked up at Thena, her face betraying the vulnerability her body language was trying to hide. "Really big."

Thena couldn't help but smile. There was no more way effective way to describe Gil. "Trust me, he looks scary, but he's actually quite nice."

The girl looked back down at her lap again. "I dunno."

If her parents were speaking with Gil, it was some sort of family issue. Divorce - and to some extent, custody - was her specialty, but Gil handled plenty to do with family settlements and custody issues. He didn't always get to see families on their best day.

Thena rethought her approach. She undid her suit jacket and put her arm up on the back of the bench. "My youngest sister is around your age. She also hates talking."

The girl giggled, just a little. "I don't hate talking."

"Well," Thena paused and shrugged strategically. "Tell me why you're here today."

The kid sighed, seeming even more like Sprite. "My dad's new wife wants us to stay at their new house for his weekends with us. But it's really far away, and they only have one bedroom for me and my sister to share."

As much as she was listening to the child, her mind couldn't help but think that - professionally speaking - it didn't sound suitable for at least one preteen, if not two. "Are you parents discussing this now?--where you and your sister should go, that is?"

She nodded, sniffling again. "They got a little nicer with each other after the divorce. But now all they're doing is yelling again."

Thena bobbed her head slowly to show her understanding. The poor child had been through this already and was now reliving the struggle of an ugly custody hearing. "And do you remember what they were saying?"

The girl made a face, scrunching her small features. "I had to go with my dad's new wife when they started yelling. My sister is still in there, though. They were talking about 'confidence' or something."

So, the sister was older. Even more of a reason that the girls sharing a room would be unfavourable. "Competence--it means they want to know who's the better parent."

She looked up at Thena again, even sadder than before. "I like both my parents. I just don't wanna live an hour away every weekend!"

"Okay, okay, all right, sh," Thena attempted to comfort the girl (which had never been her specialty). She patted her back as the poor thing loudly hiccuped and sniffled up her excess snot. "Can I tell you something?"

Children enjoyed knowing secrets.

The girl nodded.

Thena sighed. It went against all her personal rules against disclosing her personal life, family situation, getting close with people in a professional setting. But she sucked it up, as Sprite would say. "I've had to prove my competence before, when I signed up to take care of my sisters."

"You take care of your sisters?" she asked, although she didn't seem so incredibly astounded.

"One is 16, although it feels like she's turning 20," Thena laughed faintly, and at least the girl smiled. It was the kind of thing a parent would say, much to her dread. But she continued. "I told you the other is around your age, she just turned 13 in the spring."

"How old are you?"

She ignored that question. "I had to prove I could take care of them, like a parent would, although I didn't really know how. But do you know what helped?"

She shook her head.

"Hearing from them," Thena said more gently. It seemed a revelation to the girl that someone might listen to her. "They said they wanted to stay with me. That I would take good care of them, and I swore I would. And I've tried my best, even if I'm not perfect. I get things wrong sometimes, like getting them to school late or forgetting about projects they have."

"What do you do?"

"I try again," she shrugged, and if anything the girl seemed to appreciate her honesty. "Because someone who's going to look after you only wants what's best for you. What's important is if you're safe, and taken care of and comfortable. If you're happy, and doing well in school, or with your friends. The person who's going to take care of you will care about that even if it means you're far away."

Something seemed to dawn on the girl. Although Thena didn't want to sway her opinion any, it would seem her assumption that the husband was not doing his due diligence was correct. Or perhaps the wife was pushing too hard for her new role in his children's lives. Either way, if the girls were best off with their mother, it was more than clear to the client, now.

"Thanks," she smiled at Thena, her shoulders un-hunching faintly. "I'll tell my sister that."

Perhaps the older one could communicate that to the parents. It sounded like the parents were a few precarious steps away from hiring individual lawyers for each of their sides as opposed to using one. But Thena regarded the girl, labelling her 'her client' in her mind. And it was her job to keep her client's best interest at heart.

"There you are!"

Thena looked up, catching Gil jogging over to them. She stood out of habit, holding her coat over her arm. "Mister Gilgamesh."

"Hey," he smiled at her before looking down at the girl. "What's the deal, we turned around and you were gone."

The mother and father immediately began berating the daughter for running off. Thena caught Gil's eye aside from the family. She leaned closer, "my client has some concerns about the pending custody battle."

"Oh," Gil blinked, looking from the girl and back to her. He smiled, showing off the charming and warm temperament that made him so popular, especially with families. "She does, does she?"

They drifted further from the family having their own discussion. Thena eyed Gil, who looked both exhausted and also a whole pot of coffee deep. "How is it?"

He angled himself closer to her and away from the family. "It's getting ugly, and I don't know what I can do to stop it. They're ready to hire their own custody lawyers."

Thena also peeked over at them cautiously. The girl was accepting her berating, although when the father's wife appeared over his shoulder she looked away, taking on a more defensive stance again. She really did remind her of Sprite. "Let the girls talk."

"What?"

She shifted on her feet. It was Gil's case, and she had no real right to get involved, even if it did cross into her expertise. She whispered, "let the girls speak. If nothing else, it should sway the parents enough for them to come to a decision."

Gil made a face, crossing his arms. It pulled his suit jacket to the point of strain; ridiculously thick arms, he had. "Or it could be the drop that makes the dam burst."

Thena shook her head though. "It won't. Those girls know the best place for themselves, and I believe the parents do too. Let the girls state what they want. The parents will respond to their needs and settle."

He gave her a peculiar look, and she couldn't fault him for it. She usually didn't offer personal perspectives on cases. She worked solely and completely on evidence, maybe sometimes on how a judge might regard something. But she didn't give personal opinions. "How do you know?"

Thena looked at the family again. The father patted both his daughters on the shoulder as the bailiff ushered them back to where they had been discussing things during the recess. She looked at Gil. "I just do."

Gil didn't look at the family again. He focused entirely on her, unfolding his arms, slipping his hands into his pockets and raising an eyebrow slightly. But he nodded, "okay."

"That's it?"

He shrugged, furthering the rumpling of his suit, entirely by his own doing. "I trust you. If you say the family will settle, I believe you. I'll ask for the kids to talk."

She smiled, genuinely relieved at the idea of the young girl's feelings being heard. Maybe there was something to how Gil made all of his cases personal. "I think it will be best for everyone."

"So, uh," Gil finally did just barely glance over his shoulder as they started walking back as well. "What'd you say to her?"

Thena pursed her lips. "Not much of anything, truly. The girl is quite competent for her age. All she needs is to be heard."

Gil chuckled.

"What?"

"Nothing," he laughed now, furthering her scrutiny. He shrugged, "you're great with kids, which I guess I should have expected."

"I would not say that."

"You just demonstrated it."

"You didn't see it happen."

"You literally have kids."

"I am not a mother," she argued, and it was true, even as a defense of herself. "She's around Sprite's age, and I recall when Sprite first got into her phase of wanting to shout at the world but not wanting anyone to look at her, either."

"See?" Gil gesticulated with his hand before rolling his shoulders to correct his suit jacket (it did not). "You're a natural."

That was not what the courts thought when she was going through her own proceedings a matter of years ago. But she smiled, giving his poor suit jacket a tug here and there to get it to sit right on him again. Why was he so ridiculously well built for a family lawyer? "Your clients await."

He gave her a more grateful smile as she brushed her hand over his lapel. "Thanks--hey, I'll make sure your client gets her fair say."

She waved him off as he went back to his meeting, and then the proceeding hearing. Technically she didn't have any reason to linger--it wasn't her case. But she sat herself down on the bench outside of the main courtroom doors again, pulling out her phone.

Can I go see that new gangster movie with sersi and her friends?

She would never understand Sprite's obsession with foreign, violent gangster action comedies. But she sighed. She had been poised to say no, that she would pick them up from their free roaming at the mall (which she only allowed them when she had court dates anyway). But she resigned herself to her decision.

That's fine, I'm still at court anyway. But don't stuff yourself on movie snacks, you still have to eat at home

With that, she slipped her phone away again, staring ahead at the elevators opposite her bench of solitude. It was silly to wait. She could ask Gil about it later if she was so concerned. It was inappropriate. It wasn't her case.

Then she would think of how Sprite had tearily asked if she and Sersi would be put in some stranger's house. She would think of that little girl who had sat right down next to her, and she thought of Gil, nervously pacing outside before even she had arrived for her earlier hearing time. He had been poring over this case all week.

Maybe she should do something for him if the case went well--and if it didn't go well, in all honesty.

Thanks thee btw can gil come and cook again it was soooo good

Thena swiped the notification away, decidedly ignoring the leading question. It was nothing but entrapment; as sweet as it was that her sisters had grown a fondness for Gilgamesh, she didn't need them reading too much into her relationship with her colleague.

No matter how amazing his lasagne was, and how often she had thought about it in the past week.

[rey-jake-therapist]

The difference of dynamics between Sauron/Galadriel and Sauron/Celebrimbor is very... interesting.

Sauron never said one word of lie to Galadriel. I mean, at at the end he lied about being the king of the Southlands, but he didn't lie to her, as directly, about it. But to Celebrimbor, he constantly lies through his teeth, without a care in the world.

While rewatching ROP season 1, it became even more obvious than the first time that Galadriel really made it all up without any encouragement from Sauron. And she didn't even have any solid reasons to believe that Halbrand was the lost king of the Southlands. All she had as "proof" was a symbol of long gone kingdom, that he said he found on a dead man, which was the truth. She wanted Halbrand to be special because he was special to her, and she had to find a reason why. And of course, him being the lost king of the Southlands served her interests, so she rode with it.

She's now pretending that Sauron manipulated her, that he "played her like a harp", but did he, really? He never encouraged her in any way. He even outright rejected her. He told her that he had done bad stuff, that he wasn't the hero that she sought. Basically, he just kept telling her "let it go, girl", but she didn't want to hear of it. She created an entire story she wanted to believe in, so yeah, after a while, Sauron being Sauron, he played along...

I believe that Sauron respected Galadriel, maybe even loved her, in his own kind of sick, twisted way of course... He would have never lied to her the way he's now doing with Celebrimbor. That's not the relationship he wanted with her. The connection they had was real, not manufactured by him.

And that's probably why she feels so bad and confused now. I think she wants to believe that he manipulated her, fooled her, because the truth seems much more horrible to her: that she has a unique, cosmic connection with a being that represents everything she hates and stands against. What does this connection say about her? Is she as bad as he is? Why, how did it even happen? Deep inside, she probably knows that Elrond and Gil-Galad are right and that she shouldn't face Sauron again, because there's indeed a risk that what she felt for him when she still believed him to be Halbrand, keeps growing and prevents her from doing what she's meant to do.

And if Galadriel's as wise as I think she is, she probably wonders what is the real reason why she wants to go find Sauron in Eregion: is it only because she wants to fight and defeat him? or is it her heart that wants to meet him again, desperately? The moment when she thinks of the moment they shared at the river, during her conversation with Elrond, is as poignant as Morfyd's performance in this moment... Deep inside, even she'll certainly deny it for a long time, this moment was real. She knew it then, and he knew it as well.

As poor Celebrimbor, well... He's nothing to Sauron. Only a tool, like almost everybody else who crosses his path. As soon as he doesn't need him anymore, he'll toss him away. But he'll probably remain obsessed with Galadriel for the rest of his life. And he will never totally leave her mind either. I mean...

"fair as the sea and the sun, stronger than the foundations of the earth."

4,959 years later...

She repeated his speech almost ad verbatim.

[descendant-of-evil]

Under Her Shadow| Gil LeGume

Pairing: Platonic!Gil x Mal's Sister!Reader

Word Count: 1,667

Trigger warning: this story contains themes of emotional neglect and family dysfunction.

A/N: This is my first attempt at writing a one-shot, so please don't be too harsh on me...

Summary: Basically it's a sad & lonely-reader meeting and befriending the ball-of-sunshine that is Gil LeGume...

༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ

You stand in a secluded alley on the Isle of the Lost, watching as Mal and her friends wreak havoc on the poor inhabitants of this forsaken place. You are Mal's younger sister, but it often feels like you don't even exist to your own mother, Maleficent, who openly favors Mal over you, always praising her older daughter's every move and putting her on a pedestal. Meanwhile, you are left in the shadows, feeling invisible and unwanted.

You watch as Mal struts around with her new friends, Jay, Evie, and Carlos. They are now the most infamous gang of Vks on the İsle, known as the "Core Four", and Mal is the leader. They’ve been inseparable since going on that crazy quest (that you weren’t part of) to retrieve Maleficent’s scepter: The Dragon’s Eye.

As you see them all laughing and joking together, a bitter wave of loneliness washes over you (despite knowing that deep down, you'll never fit in with them, no matter how hard you try). You have no one to talk to, no one to confide in, and no one to call a friend.

You try to approach Mal, to see if she'll pay any attention to you, but she brushes you off with a wave of her hand. She's too busy with her new friends, and you're just an afterthought. As the day wears on, you find yourself feeling more and more isolated. You watch as Mal and her friends plan their next scheme, and you know you'll never be a part of it.

Eventually, you decide to wander off on your own. You find yourself in the docks, sitting on a barrel, feeling sorry for yourself. You can't help but wonder why your mother doesn't love you as much as she loves Mal. What did you do wrong?

As you sit there, lost in your thoughts, a shadow falls over you. You look up to see a boy standing in front of you, his arms crossed over his chest. It's Gil LeGume, son of Gaston.

"What are you doing here all alone?" he asks, his voice surprisingly gentle.

You shrug your shoulders, not really knowing how to answer.

"Are you okay?" he asks, concern etched on his face.

You shake your head, tears threatening to spill over. "No," you whisper.

Gil sits down beside you, and you're surprised at how comfortable you feel around him. You've always been too disgusted by Gaston and his sons to talk to them, but Gil seems different.

"What's wrong?" he asks, his voice soft.

Trusting your instincts, you take a deep breath and tell him everything. About how Maleficent favors Mal over you, about how you feel invisible and unwanted. About how you're always left out and never included.

Gil listens intently, his eyes never leaving yours. When you're finished, he puts his arm around you, and you lean into him. It's the first time in a long time that you've felt comforted.

"You know," Gil says, "Blood-Family isn't everything. You don't need the approval of your mother to be happy."

You look up at him, surprised. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, that you shouldn't have to strive to be like Mal, for Maleficent’s approval. You don't have to follow in her footsteps. You can be your own person, and make your own choices. You can do whatever you want and be whomever you want to be… That’s what İ did and İ’ve never been happier."

You nod, feeling a glimmer of hope for the first time in a long time. Maybe he's right. Maybe you don't have to be in Mal's shadow forever.

Gil stands up, pulling you to your feet with him. "Come on," he says, "Let's go to Ursula’s Fish and Chips, I heard that the fries are on discount today."

You smile, feeling a weight lifted off your shoulders. Maybe today isn't so bad after all. And maybe, just maybe, you'll find your own place in the world, away from Mal's shadow.

As you and Gil walk through the Isle of the Lost, you start to see things in a different light. You notice people and places that you've never seen before, and you begin to realize that there's a whole world outside of Mal's group.

You and Gil sit on a bench, eating your chips and talking about everything and nothing. You tell him about your favorite things, like reading and drawing, and he tells you about his love for pirating and sports.

It's the first time in a long time that you've had a real conversation with someone, and you realize how much you've been missing out on.

When the sun starts to set, Gil walks you back to your home. You thank him for spending time with you, and he gives you a smile that makes your heart flutter.

As you walk into your house, you're surprised to see Maleficent waiting for you. She looks angry, and you feel a pang of fear in your chest.

"Where have you been, Y/N?" she demands, her eyes narrowed.

"I was just out," you say, trying to keep your voice steady.

"Out where?" she snaps.

"Just around," you say, feeling a knot form in your stomach.

Maleficent glares at you for a few more seconds before storming off, leaving you standing there, feeling small and insignificant.

You walk up to your room, closing the door behind you. You sit on your bed, staring at the wall, feeling tears sting your eyes. You thought maybe things were going to change, but now you feel like you're right back where you started.

As the night wears on, you can hear Mal and her friends laughing and having fun outside your window. You try to ignore them, but their voices carry, taunting you with their happiness.

You pull your blanket up around your shoulders, feeling alone and forgotten. You try to remind yourself of what Gil said earlier, that you don't need to be like Mal or her friends, that you can make your own choices.

But it's hard to believe that when you feel so unloved and unwanted.

Eventually, you fall asleep, but your dreams are plagued with visions of Mal and Maleficent, both of them looking down on you with disdain.

When you wake up in the morning, you feel drained and exhausted. You don't want to face another day of feeling like you don't belong.

But then you remember Gil's words, and you decide to try to take his advice. You grab a notebook and start to write, letting your imagination run wild.

As the day wears on, you find yourself getting lost in your poetry, forgetting about the world outside your bedroom window.

You're surprised when you hear a knock on the balcony of your window. You look up to see Gil standing there, a shy smile on his face.

"Hey," he says, "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out again today?"

You smile, feeling warmth in your chest. Maybe things are starting to change after all.

Together, you and Gil explore the Isle of the Lost, discovering new places and things to do. You feel like you're finally starting to find your own place in the world, as your own person.

As the sun starts to set, you and Gil sit on a rooftop overlooking the Isle of the Lost. You talk about everything and nothing, and you realize how much you've come to value his friendship.

"You know," Gil says, "You're pretty fun to hang out with."

You laugh, feeling a blush rise to your cheeks. "Thanks," you say, feeling a happiness that you haven't felt in a long time.

As the night wears on, you and Gil walk back to your house. You say goodnight, feeling a sense of contentment that you haven't felt in a long time.

But as soon as you open the door to your house, that sense of contentment disappears. Maleficent is waiting for you, her arms crossed and a scowl on her face.

"Where have you been, this time?" she demands.

You feel a knot form in your stomach as you try to come up with an answer. "Out with a friend," you say, your voice barely above a whisper.

Maleficent glares at you, her eyes narrowing. "Out with a friend? Fool! Villains don't have friends, only allies… Your sister is a leader with three minions, why can’t you be more like her?" she says, her voice dripping with disdain.

You feel tears sting your eyes as you realize that nothing has changed. Maleficent still sees you as inferior to Mal, and nothing you do can change that.

But then you remember Gil's words, and you find a newfound strength inside of you. You stand up straighter, looking Maleficent in the eye.

"I'm my own person," you say, your voice steady. "I don't need to be like Mal to be happy."

Maleficent's expression softens for a moment, but then it hardens again. "You'll never be as good as Mal," she says, her voice cold.

You feel a sense of defeat wash over you as Maleficent walks away, leaving you standing there, alone and forgotten once again.

But then you remember the happiness you felt with Gil, and you realize that you don't need Maleficent's approval to be happy. You have your own interests and your own passions, and you don't need to live in Mal's shadow anymore.

From that moment on, you start to embrace your own identity. You spend most of your time with Gil, exploring the Isle of the Lost and discovering new things. You draw and read and write, finding joy in the things that make you unique.

And even though Maleficent still sees you as inferior to Mal, you now know that you don't need her approval to be happy. You have your own place in the world, away from Mal's shadow, and you've finally embraced the fact that you don't need to be anyone but yourself to be happy…

[buffyfan145]

Episode 2.5 of "Rings of Power" was fantastic!!! 😀 One of their best, if not the best of the season with all those twists, performances, and Easter eggs. Going to put the spoilery stuff behind a cut but loved that a post jokingly made last year about how I thought Sauron was going to start acting like Spike from "Buffy" actually happened with that one scene. LOL 😂

Both the Charlies did amazing last night as Sauron/Annatar and Celebrimbor!!! 😀 From seeing how Sauron is manipulating Celebrimbor and getting him to make the 9 rings for the men now too, and then Celebrimbor is starting to regret this and it's getting so sad knowing what's coming. I still think we won't see who the 9 men are till next season with Battle of Eregion being the next 3 episodes, but nice to see this storyline starting and Sauron also talking about Numenor and knowing he'll go back there at some point.

Then the scene with Sauron and Mirdania where he compared her to Galadriel and touched her hair was crazy to actually see happen!!! 😀 A lot of us wondered if something like that would and also show that Sauron still thinks about Galadriel all the time with how much the actresses look alike. I know it was also to get Mirdania on his side, but that's the scene I mentioned about Spike from "Buffy". I jokingly wondered if something like this would happen as on that show Spike was in love with Buffy but she hated him and wanted nothing to do with him, so he started dating Harmony who also looks like her. There was even one moment where they role played with her as Buffy. LOL Eventually Spike's ex Drucilla kidnapped both Buffy and Harmony and forced Spike to admit he was in love with Buffy. So this brought back a lot for me being a Spuffy shipper, and seeing the similarities with Haladriel. I don't think this show is going to go any further with it like "Buffy" did, but I do think this showed more about Sauron's feelings for Galadriel and that they are real.

Then great storylines with the dwarves and showing how the rings are both helping and corrupting them. Then Disa finding the balrog, and the Doors of Durin being made. Also the Numenor plot is getting better but also tragic as the war has started and Kemen killed Valandil!!! 😲 Sad to see them destroy the temple too and arresting Elendil and going after Miriel. Plus, teasing Ar-Pharazon already thinking about Valinor.

Also great to see what visions Gil Galad is getting from his ring and Elrond trying to get him to help Eregion. And glad the see the ep end with Galadriel with Adar and the orcs and setting up the begining of their alliance. Can't wait to see what they talk about next week, and again the Battle starts next week too.

[ghostlymarauder]

MONSTER HIGH G3 IS NOT AS INCLUSIVE AS MONSTER HIGH G1

EDIT: THIS IS JUST A RANT, DON'T TAKE IT SO SERIOUSLY LOL

Maybe that sounds crazy. Maybe it's been said a million times. Anyway, I'm just ranting about my 3 am thoughts.

I know in G3 we have non-binary Frankie (who also has a prosthetic leg), and the Draculaura doll is more curvy. But as far as I'm concerned, they took everything else that made Monster High inclusive.

For starters, and I know it was never actually confirmed, but still, Clawdeen is lesbian (bisexual at best). Once again, it was never confirmed, but in my opinion is a theory popular enough for the Monster High management to hear about it.

If they really wanted to make it more inclusive, why did they not confirm Clawdeen sexuality and give her a female romantic interest?

No, they had to break up one of their best couples. This leads me to my next point, what the fuck are Cleo and Deuce doing being separated?

The first G1 dolls literally came as a package. If you got one, you got the other. That's how much of an obvious couple they were. And not only that, in the Boo York movie, they broke up for like five minutes before realizing they didn't want to be without each other.

Which, in my opinion, it's so fucking cute because they come from completely different worlds. Cleo is royalty, Deuce is just a normal guy. Cleo is a little too superficial, and Deuce looks like he never showers. But they love each other and that's enough.

And you know who else loved each other and that was enough? Clawd and Draculaura. What do you even mean with "Clawd likes Cleo"? That man was in love with Draculaura, that man would've done anything for her, and you're telling me they also broke them apart?

Especially since they made Draculaura curvy, it would've been beautiful to see them together. Because it would've been a great plot point to have jock, almost-bully Clawd evolve into falling in love with curvy, smart, witchy Draculaura. But no, they just separated them.

On a completely different note. What the fuck is Gil doing without his tank? Do I even have to explain why this is taking inclusivity out of the Monster High concept? He couldn't live without his tank outside the water. Ergo, he was limited without his tank. If you ask me, this is Monster High equivalent to something like hearing aids (and this is just an example, there are many other things you could compare Gil's tank to)

Also, Ghoulia talking bothers me a lot. First of all, she was the smartest of the group, but we couldn't understand what she was saying, which added a lot of comedy since us, the spectators, were only pretending to know what the fuck Ghoulia's plan was. And I repeat, she was the smartest of the group.

The smartest of the group couldn't communicate like everyone else. I won't even explain why that is fascinating in itself, because it just is and it added so much depth to whole story. And to add more to my problem with G3 Ghoulia, why is she standing straight and walking at a regular speed?

Ghoulia standing like a zombie was, again, to me, a form of inclusivity to all the kids out there who had some walking impediment, or, in general, had any chronic illness that stopped them from moving around. And her walking slow as fuck was just straight-up funny (especially that one web episode where she got a motorcycle).

There's a lot of things I do like about G3, as I think it improves the brand in wonderful ways, but they definitely took some of the most essential things that made Monster High what it was.

[d3sertdream3r]

I've been loving trop this season!! I am wondering how the whole SauronxGaladriel thing is going to play out though I'm nervous it won't be very satisfying with everything they've built up and all the marketing hype it's gotten. I'm worried they're baiting shippers to get more people to watch. Thoughts?

Oh boy, I have MANY thoughts!

I am absolutely DEVOURING this season, anon! The first episode in particular really blew me away. As a Saurondriel/Haladriel shipper, I thought all the direct parallels shown in Sauron and Galadriel’s journeys were PERFECT! 

I was worried they were going to retcon Sauron’s genuine feelings of despair and questioning if he should “repent” or not due to the amount of hate and toxicity from the usual suspects on the internet. Instead they really leaned into it, and I loved seeing The Dark Lord having nightmares. It’s a side of him we’ve never seen explored before! And that Annatar reveal… holy moly! Celebrimbor and I were both like: 

Galadriel has been breaking my heart in each episode. Elrond and Gil-Galad need to give my girl a break! Morfydd Clark’s acting is stellar. She is so heartbroken over not recognizing Sauron for who he truly was and even worse… catching feelings for him! She’s really going through it and it hurts, but it’s also brilliant on the writers’ part. 

Everyone else’s acting and stories are great too. Arondir was a favorite of mine last season and continues to be this season. Disa is FANTASTIC and I love her and Durin so much there aren’t any words to describe it. Isildur and Estrid are cute and I’m interested to see how their story plays out. I hardcore ship Elendil and Miriel, and his daughter needs to take a seat before she helps Pharazon destroy their home! I know the story, but MAN was it killing me to see how Eärien is contributing to its downfall in this show (in a good way… I think having her be involved with the opposite side of her father makes for great drama). 

As to the second part of your ask… I have been involved in many online fandoms for about 13 years now, and I gotta say that 98% of the time fans come up with way more interesting storylines than the creators of any show. A lot of the time they just don't deliver. I’ve been burned over and over again, so my bar is pretty low at this point. 

They’ve done a fabulous job with the Saurondriel dynamic so far, and I’ve seen some really interesting fan theories about Galadriel briefly joining Sauron or being taken prisoner by him. As truly fascinating as that would be, I’m not holding my breath. I think it’ll be a rehash of season one’s ending with more violence since they have swords this time around. After that, I’m guessing they’ll focus on Sauron gaslighting, gatekeeping, and girlbossing his way to the throne of hell while Galadriel and company work together to stop him. They’ve hinted at Celeborn a bit, I’m sure we’ll see them reunited at some point. 

I’m sorry if this isn’t very reassuring! I wish I could be more optimistic about Saurondriel in season 3, but I honestly don’t think Tolkien’s estate would go for Galadriel falling to the dark side in any capacity. Sauron taking her prisoner could happen, but I highly doubt it simply because as I said before, fans tend to have better ideas than a lot of creators in my opinion.

I could be completely wrong! I have just learned not to trust creators to handle things the BEST way, but that doesn't mean it won't be handled in a GOOD way. Hopefully that makes sense, lol. I think some people will be satisfied and some people won't, just like every other story. The shippy photoshoots and marketing have been delightful! I can't tell if they're baiting until I see the last episode. I think they were just having fun, but some comments from cast and creators would definitely seem a bit baity if the payoff is underwhelming. We'll see!

I really hope the season goes out with a bang and we all have something to love about it; especially Saurondriel shippers!

[magicaldragons]

'in the name of pain and outrage'

an analysis of the ending

I say this with utmost love, but episode 16 was a shitshow.

i walked into this show accepting it at face value – a show that would take itself lightly, with a compelling subplot marinated in humor, and a dose of sweet romance.

this show tried to include very mature, sobering themes with slapstick humor, which is definitely possible if balanced properly, but i feel this show was not able to achieve this the way do bong soon or others could.

to get some of the discrepancies out of the way:

they never told us that the women's senses were connected, geum joo should not have been able to feel namsoon's thirst – that's something they abruptly added to fuel the tension of the situation.

there is absolutely no reason nam soon would react like that to the drug, when you compare it to how every other user was affected by it.

the strength exerted by gil-joongan did not feel like enough to knock her out like that

and with how easy it would've been to leave the situation, it's very obvious that nam soon taking the drug was an ill-planned way to raise the stakes and increase suspense

the homeless couple truly had nothing of value to add to the show or it's message

none of the show's themes or messages were delivered properly towards the end, and it went against everything it preached.

the immediate tone change after ryu si-o's death did not do any justice to the effort put into his characterization

i do not understand how nam soon became a cop, all technicalities considered

why was she throwing humans out a window from the second floor, even if they're criminals??

they REALLY cheapened the whole marriage conversation by bringing money, property, and heirs into it. that was NOT romantic or wholesome. hee-sik deserves better parents, tf.

side note: i'm pretty disappointed with namsoon's character arc, but lee yoo mi worked within the purview of the script to give us honestly wonderful acting, especially in episode 15.

now, to get into the ending, i'll start with this:

what we got, felt like an empty victory. hollow and out of place.

i've always been an advocate for all parts of a show coming together to create an experience – there's usually no single keystone.

but as soon as si-o died, the rest of the episode felt like a blur, with all loose ends being succinctly wrapped up and prepared for season three. byeon woo seok, and his characterization really carried the show as a unit, and added to its cohesiveness. i did not find myself rooting for geum joo and nam soon's successes afterwards

because they had failed the ONE thing most of us had been hoping for them to do:

to save people who were victims of oppression from those with the power of money, and empower them, including to save si-o from his oppressors, and help him take down pavel.

there is no satisfaction in geum joo doing it by herself, because she has no emotional investment in destroying pavel.

losing hwaja and si-o, watching namsoon & heesik become one dimensional all of a sudden, and seeing tertiary unrelated characters having their loose ends tied, is extremely unsatisfactory – for a show that had an incredible cast and so much potential.

at the same time: i loved the portreyal of gil joongan's mission to help the elderly and her enthusiasm for her future, and the addition of binbin + looking into their past from an additional angle also really elevated the emotional context of si-o's character arc.

i loved each character, truly, and to not see the plot and writers give them the detail and care they deserve, is wholly disappointing.

the show took me on a whole journey, emotionally,,,but to know exactly what would make it better, and be aware of its discrepancies makes me grieve the potential it had to truly leave an impact on its viewers, with a solid takeaway message.

[vaile-elenya]

Look I may be completely wrong, I don't cliff jump into bodies of water on the regular so forgive me if I'm wrong, but how is Elrond not injured by the fall?? The pan down from the waterfall to the cliff made the cliff look incredibly high. Not to mention the possibility of rocks at the bottom of the waterfall. My first reaction to it was “YOU’RE GOING TO DIE!” (let’s pretend that we don't know he lives)

How afraid of Galadriel and Gil-galad was he to think that was his best option? Especially if he didn't know if he'd survive.

People do cliff jump for sport but the difference is how they land in the water. I don't know if Elrond is a seasoned cliff jumper because the surface tension could kill you. Yes, he is a half-elf but I don't gravity or the water cares that much.

Can someone smarter than me figure out how tall that cliff was and see if it was survivable? If it wasn't, then he really parallels Elwing, she didn't know that she'd survive. It was Ulmo that saved her. It was a suicide attempt to keep the silmaril away from Maedhors and Maglor.

If I am right about the cliff being high enough to kill him, then maybe Ulmo saves Elrond too. In my brief-as-hell research, Ulmo knew Eärendil’s father so maybe he's fond of the family. Ulmo is said to dwell in deep rivers, so it could be possible that he saved Elrond. What a parallel if I'm right

This is just a headcanon and massive speculation on my end, so I'd love to hear your thoughts. Like this me screaming at the sky type of headcanon, I’m not expecting to by right 😂

Ohhh, I had the same thought when Elrond made that jump! To me, it looked deadly. But what struck me the most was how the other Elves seemed so... unbothered? It might not be the perfect word to use here, but neither Galadriel nor Gil-galad seemed very concerned that Elrond might have been killed by that jump. I can’t tell if it's because they have this unwavering hope and goodness in their nature, or if they just knew the jump wasn’t as fatal as it appeared, but something about Gil-galad stationing guards at every crossing and Galadriel almost immediately assuming Elrond had gone somewhere else, rather than imagining him at the bottom of the ocean, makes me think the jump might not have been that dangerous—at least not for someone with Elven heritage 🤔

(Also, it did make me a little sad we didn’t get a moment where Gil-galad or Galadriel expressed concern, like “I hope he’s alright,” or even better, “We’ll deal with the rings after we find Elrond. First, let’s make sure he’s safe.” 💔)

But! With that said, I totally see the parallel to Elwing here. Elrond might know this waterfall by heart, but in a situation like this, you just can’t help but wonder if things might not go as smoothly as planned. I think you can see that fear on his face—his eyes show so much pain:

This is the look of someone painfully hurt, painfully scared, and painfully disappointed—knowing it's either give up the jewels or, possibly, face death. You can almost feel the pain of this realization in his expression, especially in the first two shots 💔

The moment we see Elrond from behind, with Gil-estel on his cloak, it feels like we're meant to draw a mental comparison to Elwing and the Silmarils. I can only imagine what that must have felt like for him 😭 I’m seriously tempted to write a fic exploring everything going through his mind in that moment. If this was a book, I'd want an entire chapter from Elrond's POV, just to know what he was thinking 😭

And! I love the idea of Ulmo saving Elrond!!! I was going to say that when I read your tags on my last answer. There’s something so beautiful about Ulmo quietly watching over Eärendil's family centuries later 🥺 It honestly makes so much sense!!!

[littlelesbianintern]

My thoughts on episode seven of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies:

- Rizzo being Gil’s younger sister makes so much sense. no wonder she’s such a menace in the original films if she’s got him for a brother!

- also does this make his name Gil Rizzo?

- i loved having an episode which focused on the boys but definitely want my girls back next week. I miss them <3

- this episode gave so much more depth to the guys though and I really appreciate that. Gil having loads of sisters and having to be the man of the house and support his family, Potato trying to care for his father, Shy Guy realising he doesn’t have to be who his father wants him to be, Richie’s unhealthy coping mechanisms, THESE BOYS MEAN EVERYTHING TO ME

- including Buddy in the boys episode was a great idea because it presented this interesting dichotomy of Buddy vs the T-Birds. Obviously Buddy’s feelings are valid, but presenting the issues he’s facing vs the problems the T-Birds are dealing with really puts it in perspective.

- BUT BUDDY DIDNT TELL JANE ABOUT THE ELECTION!!!!! WHY????!!! EVERY TIME HE HAS THE CHANCE TO DO THE RIGHT THING HE DOESNT ITS SO SELFISH

- look I appreciate that he likes Jane but his intentions seem selfish. the difference between richie and Buddy when they turn up at janes door. Richie turns up with a genuine apology and gives her the chance to answer on her own terms. Buddy almost does the right thing (which would be giving Jane a genuine choice) but then does what he knows benefits him even if we can tell he feels guilty about what he’s doing

- the comedy between the t-birds is unmatched

- the scene where they’re all comforting each other was so sweet <3 it really shows how loyal to each other they are. it also gave me the same vibes as the scene between Kenickie and Danny in the original film (you know the one I mean???)

- all that was Richie trying to work out he was in love with Jane??? DUDE WE COULD HAVE ALL TOLD YOU THAT IN EPISODE ONE

- gil likes olivia so much i need them to get together soon please!!!!! the guy is down helpless

- the guys helping shy guy with his one line was adorable. and then them being his biggest supporters at the play 🥹

- also that last shot of richie vs buddy??? This is going to be so interesting i can’t wait for next week

[giggly-squiggily]

Just Tell Her, You Fool! (Cupid Parasite)

Heyo! Cupid Parasite has a chokehold on my heart and my GOD do I love these characters! Today I bring you a fic I wrote on a whim cause yes :3 I hope you like it!

Summary: Gill's got it bad for Lynette but struggles on actually telling her how he feels. Allen and Raul decide to help in unconventional ways.

“Wahhahait, wahahhait wahhahahahahahaihihihihihit guhuhuhuhuys!”

~~~About five minutes earlier~~~

“So- when are you gonna do it?” Allen asked out of nowhere, propped up on an elbow as he smirked in Gill’s direction. It was one of those rare evenings where he, Raul and Gil were free- thus leading to their impromptu movie nights. What started as them actively watching quickly melted into background noise as they grew to enjoy each other's company.

“Eh…do what, exactly?” Gill- who had been half watching the movie, half typing away on his phone, met Allen’s gaze with a quirked brow.

“You know. Tell her.” The dark haired man smirked more, amused as he watched the other blush scarlet. “Come on- it’s not exactly a secret you love Lynette.”

“Huh-I- what- how-” Gill stammered, wide eyed and flustered. Raul, the only one still watching the movie, quickly turned his attention to the new developments around him.

“Who’s in love?” Seeing Gill’s red cheeks and Allen’s playful gaze, he whistled. “Wow, I never thought you two would be a thing. Oh, it’s like Achilles and Patroclus! History said they were best friends, but we can clearly see-”

“Not me, you twit. Lynette.” Allen threw a pillow at him, shutting up Raul’s ramblings. “He’s in love with Lynette!”

“Not so loud! She might hear us!” Gill cried back, taking the pillow Raul discarded and hiding his face in it.

“Isn’t that a good thing? You like her- why wouldn’t you want her to know?” Raul pawed at the pillow until Gill’s eyes were visible. “Heh, you really were hit by Cupid’s arrow, huh?”

“Shush. Of course I want her to know- it’s just..it’s been 2 years! She never noticed my feelings before, and she isn’t going to notice them now.” He groaned pathetically in his pillow, laying back against the red of the sheets. “She’s just not into me, guys.”

The two grew quiet as they thought it over. Then..

“Did you ever tell her?” Allen asked, poking his arm. “Like- directly, I mean.”

“Erm..”

“Oh my god! You never told her outright!?” Raul gasped in shock. “I’m no romance guru, but even I know if you want a girl to like you, you gotta let her know your intentions! It’s like that one story in mythology with-”

“You never flat out told her? No wonder you’re the lovelorn parasite.” Allen laughed, no real malice in his voice. “That can change, you know? You just have to tell her now. Make it clear to her what your feelings are.”

“You're just saying that so you can steal her away.” Gill glared mildly at the other, irritated when Allen lifted a shoulder. “Even if I did, there's no guarantee she’ll feel the same. I’m…scared of rejection. What if she says she wants to be friends? Or tell me it’s too late? What if- what if she hates me after and tells me to leave her alone?” Tears burned behind his eyes, much to Gill’s embarrassment. “I can’t…I don’t want to face that…”

Raul and Allen shared a look over him, conversing with their eyes. Then..

“WHA!” Gill yelped when his pillow was yanked away, vision filling with Allen’s form as he threw himself on top of him. “Allen- what are you-” His hands were quickly grabbed by Raul, strong and stubborn as they were pressed into the sheets above. “What’s happening?”

“Scared, eh? Looks like we’re gonna have to help you get over that.” Allen grinned down at him, dripping with devious intent. “Right, Raul.”

“Of course! Get ready, Gill- this is for your own good!” He flexed his fingers, sending shivers of anticipation up the trapped man’s back as he realized just what was about to happen.

“Wait- waahhahahahahhahait!”

~~~Current time~~~

“Wait nothing! The longer you hold out on telling her, the sooner she’s gonna fall in love with someone else. She won’t wait for you forever, Gill.” Allen chided, fingers flying over Gill’s stomach with ease.

“Maybe not, Allen-there’s a chance! You're the Penelope to her Odysseus- in the tale, she waited 20 years for him.” Raul sighed some in romantic swoon, one hand keeping Gill’s wrist trapped as the other dug into the crevices of his neck- making him squeal. “That’s some serious dedication. Of course- you’re not going to war and there isn’t a whole array of suitors waiting for her to give in; your odds are still rather thin.”

“I knohohohohow thahahahhahat! Aheahhahaha, cohoohohme ohohohohon! Leheeheht mehehe uhuh-EHEHEH!” Fingers digging into his lower ribs made Gill all but arch off the bed- nearly sending Allen flying. “AHAHHLEHEHEHEHN!”

“Yehehehs?” The brunette mocked him with a grin, delighted by the reaction.

“DOOOHOHN’T NOOHOHOT THEHEHEHHERE!” Gill pleaded, kicking his feet against the mattress as he squirmed and thrashed beneath both of his friends. “PLEAHHAHSE!”

“Hm…alright. I suppose I can stop tickling here.” Allen did as requested, giving Gill a second to breathe. “How about…here?”

“Al- wahIIHIHIHIIHIHIIHIHT!” Gill all but cackled as one of his armpits were attacked, his laughter renewing by tenfold. “COOHOHOME OOHOHON!”

“Oo, he’s so ticklish!” Raul giggled from above, moving from his neck to the other armpit, further driving the other boy up a wall. “Coochie coochie coo! A coochie coochie coo!”

Gill could feel his soul threatening to leave his body- a death by tickles in a home that didn’t even belong to him. At least he was surrounded by good friends.

Sure- they were the ones causing his demise but like- good friends.

“Are you gonna tell her?” Allen asked, dropping his hand to his upper ribs. Still a tickle spot, but the feeling of immediate demise started to fade.

“YEHEHEHEHS!”

“Promise?” Raul asked, going back to his neck. “We’ll be asking her questions to follow through if you don’t.”

“YEHEHHS I PROHOHOMISE! I PROHOHOMISE!” Gill cried back, eyes wet and cheeks bright red as he swore his word to finally confess. The tickles came to an end, leaving him to curl up and gasp for breath as Allen and Raul laughed. “Goohohd, you two are tehheehrrible.”

“Nah, we’re necessary.” Allen ruffled his hair as Raul giggled in his hands. A water bottle was pressed against his cheek at some point, the chill much needed against his warm face. Before long, he was able to sit up once more, stuck between his two friends as he nursed the icy drink. “Feel less scared now?”

“Honestly..not really.” Gill admitted, flinching when they poked his sides. “Dohon’t- I’m not done!” Raul and Allen laughed. “Ugh. What I’m saying is- I’m scared, but…I’ll go for it. I’ll tell her.” He nodded firmly to show his resolve, suddenly too scared to look at either man. “Even if she breaks my heart…I have to tell her.”

“That’a boy.” Allen patted his back. Raul cheered and ruffled his hair. Gill smiled in his drink.

He was grateful to have friends like them.

Thanks for reading!

[tamurilofrivendell]

Sleeping Beauty | Chapter 8

Previous Chapters [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7] Read on AO3 [x]

Pairing: Thranduil/Fem. Reader Summary: A Sleeping Beauty inspired tale with Thranduil the Elvenking, and a female elf living in Mirkwood under the care of Radagast, who is actually the ‘lost’ daughter of the late High King Gil-Galad. Taglist: @hufflepuff1700​​​​​​​​​​ @jinlizz-dragondrama​​​​​​​​​​ @firelightinferno​​​​​​​​​​ @bubbleyukismile @coopsgirl​​​​​​​​​​ @achromaticerebus​​​​​​​​​ @sleepyamygdala​​​​​​​​​   @smalltownbigheart​​​​​​​​ @qmabailor​​​​​​​    

Much like Radagast assumed, when Thranduil heard the actual details of his encounter with the Enchantress, the Elvenking tipped his head back from where he sat high upon the throne, and laughed aloud.

He laughed for so long, in fact, that Radagast began to wonder if he had perhaps broken the Elvenking.

Not a feat to be accomplished by mere information, of course, and thus Thranduil eventually ceased his laughter and turned his attention back upon the wizard, though the ghost of an amused smile still played upon his lips.

“Oh, Aiwendil.” He shook his head, looking down at the wizard once more. “You have so lifted my spirits.” The smile disappeared altogether next, however, for he knew it could not last. “Yet, I fear you could be about to dampen them once more.”

Radagast shook his head. “I come only to tell you what happened and inquire how you might be planning to deal with her.”

Thranduil regarded Radagast a moment longer before he spoke once more. “We will drive her from the forest. One way or another.” His eyes seemed to have darkened. “She will not stay here.” The king went quiet again then, thoughtful for a long moment, before he opened his mouth once more. “Do you know why she has come?”

Radagast looked up at Thranduil then and did not see the Elvenking. He saw the young prince, son of King Oropher, looking back at him and his heart jumped at the sight.

The wizard wished that he could tell him the whole truth. Oh, how he wished it. But he held firm. The less people that knew, the better. Only he and Gandalf now remained who knew that the princess had survived and this was how they must keep it, especially with the Enchantress so close. Not even Elrond of Rivendell was aware, though not telling him had pained the High King greatly.

“I do not.” He shook his head as he looked up at Thranduil, the image of the prince fading away and leaving the mighty Elvenking in its place once more.

Thranduil gritted his teeth in frustration. He wanted this witch out of his forest and he wanted her out now. “It cannot simply be to bother me over my father’s imagined slights.” He snapped, shaking his head. “I refuse to believe it.”

Radagast thought back over the encounter, recalling the anger she had displayed even now over something that had not even been. Something she imagined she had been deprived of but had not truly been given in the first place.

Thranduil, in the silence, shuddered at the mere thought of her ever even entertaining such a fancy. To be his wife! His queen!

He had known, of course, his father had not shielded it from him. However, he would have thought she would be long over it by now. Though he supposed some grudges went so deep for some they were nearly impossible to remove - like a splinter sitting just beneath the skin, yet somehow irritatingly out of reach.

Still. It unsettled him. Could she truly be here for such a thing? To release her anger, after all this time, at not being Queen of the Woodland Realm?

Thranduil had never taken a Queen.

The thought caused his mind to drift back through time, to the little elleth that his father and Gil-Galad had hoped he would one day, when they were both old enough and hopefully in love, take as his wife. The little baby had been beautiful, he could remember her face clear as day. The brightest little eyes as she had gazed up at him from her cradle. Thranduil remembered peering down into it and making a face. He remembered telling his father it was silly to think he would one day want to wed the elfling! Forgetting that the little one would grow and that they would both live so long that the gap in their years would come to not really matter when it came to affairs of the heart.

He did not care or appreciate, at that time, the true weight such a union would have brought. He was too young, they all were. Even the Enchantress had been young then, he recalled.

Then his mind drifted, seemingly of its own accord, to you. The strange elleth living somewhere in the forest. He still couldn’t figure out where you had come from, where you lived even. Not in one of the settlements, he knew that already, you were always too far from them and you had specified that you lived with your uncle. Just you and he. When he first met you, you had seemed like you had never before even spoken to another. It had not been difficult to figure out that you didn’t spend much time with others.

He frowned suddenly, wondering why he was thinking of you at such a moment? Had he not just been thinking about queens, of all things?

Blinking away the memories and thoughts, Thranduil rose from the throne. “Come, you should rest. Stay the night before you return to your home, I will have a room made up.”

However, before Thranduil could move to do so, Radagast shook his head quite quickly. “No!” He did not mean to sound rude but by the look on the Elvenking’s face, he had been. “It is much appreciated.” He added hastily. “I have to get back tonight.” He did not miss Thranduil’s brows drawing together in slight confusion, however the king graciously inclined his head in agreement.

“Very well. Then I shall see you out.”

Quite a few hours had passed since Radagast’s abrupt disappearance and you were still inside as you had promised, sitting with the same book on your lap and frowning softly at the pages. It was a book of history, one you tended to come back to over the years. One particular section tended to grab your attention quite often, almost pulling you in - The Fall of High King Gil-Galad. For some reason, it made you so very sad. It was always just this... cold ache deep in your bones. You had never told Radagast about it, deciding it was strange you would be so upset about some king you had never even met. He would only tell you how empathetic you were, how sensitive to the tragedies of others, and he would tell you it was an admirable quality. However, you did not wish to hear it. Something about it simply made you uneasy.

With a heavy sigh, you eventually stood and replaced the book on the shelf. The messy stack of books directly next to the shelf that Radagast had decided not to put back in their place made you roll your eyes, both in mild frustration and fondness. You decided you would tidy up later, turning and moving over to the front door.

You would just... look outside. Get some air.

Easing the door open, you peered out into the garden. Well, if you could call it a garden. You stepped outside and tilted your head backwards, gazing up at the shafts of light coming through the trees overhead. In many places, it seemed as though the trees were beginning to twist to cover the very sky above. It hurt your heart to see the Greenwood changing.

Turning your mind away from such thoughts, you wondered where Radagast was. He had been gone a while. You could feel yourself getting quite fidgety. It was hard to stay still... so you turned, closed the door to the little house, and hurried off through the forest.

A familiar bluebird swooped down and tittered by your shoulder, seeming to be telling you off, and you laughed. “Oh, shh! He isn’t here, is he?” You chuckled, moving through the trees as the birds pace slowed, watching after you. “You all worry too much. I’m not going far.”

The little bird did not tell you that they were worried because the Enchantress had been in this very wood not long ago, and had faced down Radagast. They could not, for even the animals knew that this would put you in even more danger. Half of the safety was in the not knowing.

You came upon the clearing again, sighing in relief as you tilted your head back once more. The sky was much more visible here than in Radagast’s little corner and you hoped that it would last. That whatever appeared to be creeping closer would leave this place untouched. It was your own little sanctuary.

How long you sat there, you were not sure, though it was quite obviously growing darker which meant that the night was closing in. You sat thinking of Thranduil, but he did not come this evening, and you found that his absence disappointed you. Sometimes when he came here, the two of you would simply sit in silence, on opposite ends of the clearing. You reading or thinking or picking your berries. He tending his elk or looking to the sky... or at you. You found that he looked at you quite a lot and you did not mind.

Still. He was busy, you were sure. You had gathered that he must be some kind of soldier or guard from the King’s Halls. He hadn’t told you as much, but you could see the warrior in him without him needing to say a word. In the way he stood, the way he carried himself. A far cry from your apprehension over his sudden first appearance, you found that you were now quite charmed by him and you thought of him often.

You would tell Radagast... you would. Soon... some day. You just had to figure out how to tell him without him getting all worked up over your apparent ‘safety’.

As the thought of the wizard entered your mind, you idly wondered if he would be back at the cottage by now, but then suddenly your attention was caught by a sound from through the trees. Fast footsteps storming across the leaf covered ground, heading straight towards you.

[softquietsteadylove]

Secret Lovers AU???

Heyyy

I just wanted to know if you could write an AU where Thena and Gil have to keep their relationship a secret? In this AU I imagine that Arishem is Thena’s father, and he is very controlling. He keeps Thena in the house all day and has decided that on her 25th birthday she will be wed to Kro. Thena hates this

(Bc she’s already in love with Gilgamesh, Duh)

And she has to sneak out the house to see Gil.

So what do you think?

Tysm Byeeeee 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼

"Delivery!"

"Gil!" Thena rushed to the windows, opening them fully for him to climb in and onto her window bench. "I told you not to come tonight."

He just smiled at her, setting down his picnic basket and pulling down the hood of his jacket. "Yeah, but that's when I know you need me the most."

"I thought Father took the lattice down," she frowned as she helped him into her room.

"Yeah, but Karun did us a solid and left the ladder out for me," he chuckled, completely unbothered by her father's efforts to keep them apart. Not that he knew that Gil used it to sneak in. He thought Thena used it to sneak out.

If he knew Gil used it to sneak into her room at night, he would sooner burn down the whole estate.

Gil had been using it for years, though, even when they were just children, whispering about books on Thena's roof under the stars. He had scaled the wall lattice as a pre-teen just trying to get to know his rich and mysterious neighbour. As a teenager, working up the nerve to ask Thena if she'd ever had a boyfriend before. He had scaled that lattice and recited the speech he had memorised from Romeo and Juliet, just to get told that it wasn't exactly Shakespeare's most romantic, despite popular belief.

She had kissed him anyway, though.

"Hey," he smiled, leaning in and kissing her gently. He ran his hands down her arms, "I know you're scared."

She sighed, plunking her forehead onto Gil's chest, laughing when she felt the traces of leaves and bristles from the ivy leaves. "He won't give up on this 'Kro' business, you know. He's determined to marry me off to that monster."

"That won't happen, baby, I promise," Gil attempted to assuage her worries, rubbing her back over her satin robe.

She shook her head, "we got in another fight about it. That's why I told you not to come; if he gets even the slightest idea you're here, he'll have me shipped to the Antarctic."

Gil shrugged, holding her by the waist, "I'd still visit you. Wouldn't have to climb a lattice to do it, either."

She laughed, toying with the strings of his sweatshirt hood. "You shouldn't have to, though."

"I would anyway."

"Gil," Thena insisted, looking up at him, her in bare feet and him still wearing his heavy steel toed boots. "I mean it. I thought now that we were graduated he would have let this go, but-"

But Arishem had only pushed even harder for Thena to form an alliance with his chosen protege and CEO-to-be.

"What did he say?" Gil asked her softly, guiding her to sit with him on the plush window seat, where they'd spent some of the most important moments of their lives, by this point.

She sighed, wilting against Gil's side. "On my 25th birthday he'll announce our engagement to his associates and the whole world. And if I don't go through with it, he'll disown and ex-communicate me completely from the family."

Gil scowled, "that's a bit harsh, hon. I know your dad's a psycho, but we were pretty sure he wouldn't actually kick you out, right?"

She sighed even more heavily, her shoulders dragging down so far it hurt. "Apparently, I thought wrong."

"Oh, Thena," Gil made a sympathetic face, which was all it took for Thena to move closer, clinging to him. He held her just the way she liked. "I'm sorry."

Perhaps she hadn't been hoping that he would suddenly change his mind on things. But was it so foolish to think that he would want his daughter in his life in some way? And he still didn't know anything about her and Gil, and she intended to keep it that way for Gil's safety.

"I shouldn't be surprised," she conceded quietly as Gil pulled her into his lap. "Father has never hesitated to choose his work over me before. I just thought...I thought for once-!"

Gil kissed her temple, "I know, honey, it's okay."

Was it, though? Not that she had any intention of going through with marrying Kro, but her father was far more powerful than she cared to admit. Even if she didn't want to go into the same line of work, she wasn't sure there was any field of society where she could be guaranteed safety from him.

"Hey," Gil whispered again, tipping her chin back to him. "What do you wanna do?"

Thena sniffed, pressing her tears into his shirt and then shaking them off. "I'm not marrying that cretin."

"Great start, babe," he chuckled, and even got a smile for his efforts. He brushed the last of her tears away, "what else?"

Thena inhaled, trying to wrap her mind around things. "I have my own job prospects, although I'm afraid I wouldn't be surprised if Father was capable of rescinding those, given his influence. I might have to start over, maybe even...somewhere new."

This was her most dreaded reality.

They had always known her father would never let her so much as be alone in a room with him, even as children. It was against all odds they had managed to steal what time they did. They had faced being in different classes in school. They had faced Thena's extracurriculars and Gil getting a part time job to help support his family. They had faced her going into university and Gil starting trade school.

They had even faced her being entrapped into a date set up by Kro and her father.

"Okay, where would you want to go?" Gil asked gently. Despite his smiles and joking tones, he was serious. Because wherever she went, he would follow.

"Gil," she shook her head, new tears arising. "Your mom and Sersi are here, you can't move just because I'm getting thrown out."

"They know I'd go anywhere for you."

Thena smiled against his lips as he kissed her again. For all her father's efforts not to let any love into her life, she had been able to sneak Gil her heart, and he had kept it safe for her ever since.

"Really, Thena, you say the word and I'll pick you up, we can go to Mom's until we figure something out," he suggested with a shrug of his shoulders. His tone was light, but his hand on hers was solid. "You don't have to be scared of him, honey."

She rolled her eyes, "I'm not scared of Father, or Kro."

"That's my girl," he winked at her.

Her smile faded slowly, but it did eventually. She squeezed his hands, "But I am scared to not be with you, Gil. And if Father has me thrown out and cuts off all my accounts?--I struggle to think of how far I would have to go just to find a firm willing to let me intern."

Gil tilted his head at her, letting himself smile again. "You say that like you like being rich."

She rolled her eyes again. She hated when he called her 'rich'.

"You already don't use any of that money you have hidden away," Gil shrugged. It was him who had told her that if she took out a little at a time in cash and stashed it away that she could use it without him knowing about it. "So, take what you can and get outta here. He's gonna kick you out anyway so just...come with me."

Thena stared at his outstretched hand. How many times had she dreamed of this?--Gil offering to help her run away from her father and her gilded cage of a home. The delusional and romantic notion of running away with the boy she loved (now the man she loved).

"You're your own woman, Thena, you don't need his name, or his money, or anything!" Gil urged, eager to pull her spirits out of the pit he could see her spiralling into in real time. "I always knew you'd be a badass lawyer, whether he wanted you to or not!"

Oh, Father wanted her to be lawyer, but one that would make good money. He wanted her to be a corporate lawyer, or even a criminal defense. Not a divorce lawyer who worked pro-bonos all the time.

She shook her head, "I'm just done law school, Gil. I haven't even taken the bar, yet."

"Which you'll nail!" he shrugged like it was nothing at all. "I always knew you would, and your dad knows you will, too. That's why he wants you to marry that creep! Because you're too badass on your own and you could take him any day of the week."

"I do not want anything to do with either of them," she shook her head and pulled her robe tighter around herself. She looked around her room, immaculately cleaned for her, full of expensive clothes picked for her. It was a very personalised hotel room, as far as she was concerned. "I should pack."

"I'll help you."

"It's okay," she whispered, kissing his cheek. "You came for a date, not to help me uproot my life."

"Actually," he chuckled as she stood and went to her desk. "I came after you told me not to, because I knew my girlfriend needed me."

She attempted to contain her smile but couldn't. She loved it when he called her his girlfriend.

"And because I will always be right here, babe," he finished more softly, kissing her hair as she collected up what little of her possessions she actually cared about. "You wanna leave tonight, we'll go. We can go anywhere, do anything. I'll go downstairs and fight your dad bare handed if you want me to."

She gave Gil a dry look. He was big, and strong in every sense of the word, but her father was like an eldritch horror out of a fantasy book.

"Okay, fine," he conceded, pulling out the bag she'd used to sneak herself over to his house plenty of times before. "What else do you need?"

She shoved her work materials into the bag. Her textbooks she could access online, and it wasn't like she could keep them physically after the bar, anyway. She bundled up her laptop and phone charger. "Just the stuff in the top drawer."

Gil unceremoniously opened her dresser and shoved everything from the top shelf in. "We can get you new stuff, too. You know how mom loves to go shopping with you."

Thena smiled; Gil's family always felt more loving than even her most fond memories of her father. "Yes, she does."

"Cash?"

She turned and smiled. Gil had no discomfort with the idea that he was going into carpentry and contracting while she came from an ivory tower. As far as he was concerned, she could rob her father for all he was worth and then be happy to sneak cheap snacks into a movie for a date. "Underwear drawer."

"Ooh!"

"Gilgamesh," she drawled, needing to remind him to grab what was necessary, and not whatever of hers was his favourite.

"Feels kind of exciting, right?" he grinned at her as she zipped the main section of the bag closed, including the cash that could keep her comfortable while she was literally finding her footing. "Like we're running away together?"

"Well," she raised her brows at him as she grabbed her hairbrush, "we are, aren't we?"

"Always said we would," he whispered before kissing her again. "You wanna put something else on or go like this?"

"And climb down that ladder in this?" she scoffed, gesturing to her silky little night dress, "no."

"Aw," Gil faked pouting before laughing, "I'd carry you down if you wanted me to."

"I know you would," she answered from her walk-in closet. She truly wouldn't miss anything from in here. Anything of hers that she liked and Gil liked was in that top dresser drawer, for all the other times she had left in the night like this.

Karun had helped them many, many times before.

"Okay," Gil smiled as she stepped out in a perfectly normal looking white sundress. "Ready?"

"Ready," she nodded, her resolve continuing to firm up with everything they packed. She looked up, "what?"

Gil shook his head, setting the bag down, "you look beautiful."

How she loved him. Thena smiled down at her feet shyly before slipping on the sandals she kept hidden in here. They were her only decent walking shoes. "Okay, let's go."

"Hey, you need one more thing."

"What?" Thena blinked, going over everything they'd packed. She had been planning this escape in the back of her mind for years, she was absolutely certain she wasn't forgetting anything. She looked at Gil.

He smiled at her, equal parts terror and excitement. His hands were shaky as he reached into his pocket and knelt down in front of her. He pulled out the ring box, gulping. "You'll need this."

[fistfuloflightning]

So. Someone a bit ago commented on one of my fics (or here, not sure) about my penchant for odd Tolkien rarepairs. I myself forget just how many I have, so here’s the rundown and why I like them:

Maedhros/Maeglin (just. the angst. of being buried under your mistakes and finding a kindred soul to share that same burden and heal together. soulmates. who might’ve even met during the nirnaeth. and they’re definitely switches your honor)

Celegorm/Aredhel or Celegorm/Dior (or Dior’s reckless/headstrong stubbornness reminds him of Aredhel and there’s a lot of angry/bittersweet proxyfucking and guilt and ‘I don’t know who I truly love anymore’)

Maglor/Luthien (beauty for beauty’s sake. and honestly anyone but beren. luthien getting involved with the war to protect her murderbard boyfriend and actually putting a dent in morgoth’s forces. mags trying his hardest to protect her as much as the silmaril she won back for him)

Curufin/Finrod (sending your husband to his death (that he knew abt but didn’t tell you) and screwing up your sons and living the rest of your shortened life regretting soooo. many. things. and then having to deal with them after mandos. a bitter beautiful chaotic mess that can only end in tears)

Fingon/Varda (don’t ask: even I’m not sure—something something gil galad’s associated w/ stars and no one knows who his mom is and I like me some valar with greek god leanings)

Aegnor/Haleth (battle bros to lovers, bc haleth won’t take no for an answer like andreth did 😒)

Argon/Amarie (falling in love with your cousin’s ex was not the intention after being the first one killed/sent back. but she’s finally moving on from finrod and you’ve grown to care for her company more than you thought…)

Daeron/Beren (beren didn’t deserve luthien—this started as a joke but these two seriously deserve each other in all their squabbling glory)

Mablung/Nienor (they just. deserve happiness and peace. and lots of adorable peredhel kids. please)

Eowyn/Merry (same as above, but they have the benefit of having an entire shire to rebuild and different cultures to find wonder in and grow to love as much as their own)

idk I might be missing some but these are my thoughts on my main Tolkien rarepairs

[she-of-seidhr]

I have so many thoughts about The Rings of Power S2 SDCC trailer and some of the news that came out from the SDCC panel, but I am so unwell after watching it that I don't remember it all. Here's what I recall though:

The trailer is absolutely the best we've had of all their releases going back to S1. The difference is night and day. I like that this trailer has clear direction of what the general plot is going to be instead of just a bunch of clips that makes no sense whatsoever.

The Rhunic masks looked a bit futuristic to me. It reminded me of some background race in an MCU film, can't remember if it was in Thor 3 or Ant-Man 3, but yeah it looked a bit out of place and silly.

I really am quite puzzled at their insistence in dressing Gil-galad in gold hues when we have Pharazon and/or Sauron, or even the dwarves for that. I am hoping they are saving the silver and blues for the later seasons if we're not getting it now. That would look so striking since they went with the dark hair. Remember Thranduil's silk orange robe from The Hobbit? Now make it deep blue. Ah, a girl can dream.

I know this is a trailer so there's misdirection, but I wonder if that scene where Galadriel asks Elrond to promise he will not stop who I am assuming is Sauron is an indication that she's going to put up her sword (at least in S3 onwards) to do other things, bringing her closer to the Galadriel in the books in terms of character and also what we know she was doing during the Second Age. That will give Elrond and (as it should be honestly) Gil-galad the space to be the actual main protagonists along with the other prominent Second Age characters.

I wanted more of Cirdan instead of just a hand, and I got a different shot of his hand, this time going underwater. Exciting.

Entwives!!! I'm glad to see them featured, but I'm also terribly afraid they're going to show us how they were wiped out lost.

The Siege of Eregion looks fuckin' amazing. The shot of Sauron walking away with an explosion on the background? Sign me the fuck up.

Gil-galad's banners flying amidst the elven charge scene. Fuck me sideways.

Charlie Vickers was the best actor for me in S1, I have no doubts he will serve in S2. Owain Arthur, Charles Edwards, and Peter Mullan too.

I love Gil-galad to death but to be perfectly honest I kinda don't like how Benjamin Walker portrays him. That said, it definitely is also because of how he's being written. I imagine Gil-galad to still have warmth despite the burden of his position that has a 100% mortality rate.

Pharazon better not be fuckin' stabbin' that eagle.

Daniel Weyman's line delivery sounds so Ian McKellen, but I am still hoping he is a Blue Wizard. Then again, maybe he is just taking inspiration from the most iconic wizard portrayal we've ever had (that's not up for debate).

I know I said Robert Aramayo as Elrond is ok, but for some fuckin' reason I'm convinced that those curls is going to make him better in all aspects.

I love Elrond's hesitation about the Elven Rings because it deepens the mystery of just how much of everything we know so far has been by Sauron's design.

Really curious to see what Sam Hazeldine will bring to the Adar because he's got BIG shoes to fill. Joseph Mawle was born for that role. The subtleties and the quiet menace he brought to the Adar was just incredible.

Look, I like Tom Bombadil alright? But am I ever really hyped to see an adaptation of him onscreen? Not really.

Barrow-wights. Why, but yeah cool whatever.

I like that every ring has a different design and we're going to see all of them in their full glory.

Celeborn will show up, as he should. When and where, no idea but at least there's confirmation.

Glorfindel can show up. If I talk about this any more than I already have (although it's to my family members who don't give a single fuck about any of this), I would really start losing my shit.

Lloyd Owens who plays Elendil made some eyebrow-raising remarks in the SDCC panel in regards to Elendil and Miriel's relationship, so it has me worried about them going for a romantic route between the two. Theirs could be a story of friendship, loyalty, and steadfastness in the midst of all the unrest and danger, and it honestly cheapens the last scene they shared in S1, so I really hope they don't try any funny business with them.

Somebody did ask the showrunners if there's going to be LGBTQ+ representation which one of them answered along the lines of maybe we've already seen one. Is it really necessary? Is it really proper representation? Does it serve the story? There's so many additions to this series already that it's going to be one more thing that takes away from the lore characters who really should be the focus.

I know I'm still missing some shit, but yeah this list is long enough. Lots of good, maybe a little bad, but overall I feel good about this new season and I can genuinely say I'm excited again even after the meh that's S1. August 29 can't come soon enough!

[thephoenixandthecrocodile]

Thoughts on Episode 6 - Part 2

I didn’t realize one could just summon a sea worm, haha

Seriously, what the hell is wrong with Numenor’s legal system? XD

Poor Earien ☹ She just wants her father to comfort her, to acknowledge that he feels her pain. That hug nearly broke my heart

So basically Isildur’s stupidity kept both Elendil and Earien so distracted, they somewhat worked as father-daughter but now that he’s gone, they’ve lost the one thing uniting them and all their pain, loss, and anger is coming through.

Also, Elendil, can’t you see how much Earien loves you? She went to the woman she blames for Isildur’s death to save your life!

“What about my heart?” Just kiss already, Miriel and Elendil!

Disa, I love you so much!

I don’t know if the cape swish and interpretive dance was required to call the bats or if it was just Sophia having fun with the scene, but either way I adore it!

And it’s confirmed: Disa is canonically Batman in the Rings of Power universe

Also those bats are fucking huge!

Disa and Durin: official power couple of Middle-Earth

“They’ll be back and they will be more of them” Well, I guess you need to find more bats and soon.

My gods Miriel’s dress is fucking gorgeous! Whoever designs her wardrobe has been on fucking fire this season

I wonder if the kaiju creature was screaming, “AH IT’S MIRIEL. I LOVE YOU!!!”

“Strange worms tossing women out of the sea is no basis for a system of government.”

Seriously though MIRIEL IS MY QUEEN AND GODDESS. She’s such a bad ass and fearless. I love her so much.

Ooo Pharazon and the Palantir

Poor Adar already knows that Galadriel and Gil-Galad would gladly wipe him and his children out. He can’t fucking trust anyone

Soooo if Adar knows that Elrond has Nenya, then does that mean we’re getting an Adar/Elrond scene? I need Adar to have at least one scene with every cast member before he dies. It’s a requirement, JD and Patrick! You hear me?

Not sure what you thought you were doing there Galadriel revealing everything

So Adar basically emptied all of Mordor to take on Sauron?

One thing I really love this season is how paranoid everyone is about doing what Sauron wants, when doing nothing may even be worst. It makes us, as viewers, understand why Sauron is so dangerous even when he’s at his weakest (no army, no stronghold, etc.)

Poor Eregion ☹ Under attack and thinking their lord has abandoned them because he’s currently trapped in Sauron’s lala land illusion

Celebrimbor: Don’t mind me. Just drawing rings, lalala

Also, again Celebrimbor missing a siege because he’s so concentrated on his pet project is understandable.

Just drawing rings, lalala

Oh my god I died laughing when Sauron slid to the window and asked “How’s your progress” XD

Yes, Celebrimbor fight back and push that deceiver to the wall! You will not regret that later

It looks like Suaron hurt Celebrimbor when he grabbed his arm. Poor Brimby ☹

Sauron, you fucker. When bullying doesn’t work, time for some hocus pocus and flattery

God the relief on Celebrimbor’s face when he “sees” that everything’s “ok”.

“I came to Eregion, not because the Valar needed you. I did.” Knife stabbed directly into heart and twist. This is why Celebrimbor goes back to work. He is needed, he is needed by this majestic, scary, powerful being beyond anyone on Middle Earth. He is needed and wanted because he can make true beauty, beauty that will rival the most beautiful thing in the world: the Silmarils. Sauron is such a fucker for saying this to Celebrimbor, but also I need Celebrimbor and Annatar to have one on screen kiss before the end. Please?

Celebrimbor looks at Sauron so hopefully during this speech, it’s heart breaking.

And Feanor’s fucking hammer! Ahhhhh

That fucking transition from illusion to reality is fucking terrifying and amazing and I can’t believe it was all practical

And then you focus on Sauron’s footsteps and his welcoming of the attack with outstretched arms. Fucking beautiful

I’m really excited to see how JD and Patrick handle a siege. They obviously have big shoes to fill considering the siege of Minas Tirith and Helm’s Deep, but I’m excited. ^_^