#I've taken its beauty for granted for so long

[metamorphesque]

In Armenian the word for "monster" is "hresh" and the word for "angel" is "hreshtak". How much love must these three letters possess to metamorphose a creature from monstrous to heavenly!

[flowers-and-pollen]

Sometimes i forget how beautiful the place i live in really is. A few days ago i was walking back home through the shaded path and i looked back at the path and went 'wow' bc i was suddenly hit with realization that the place i live in is fucking beautiful and i never want to forget that

(You can see a bit of my house's green fence on the right side of the photo)

honestly the human brain is so small that you *will* forget how much beauty there is out there to experience unless you leave your house every three days. ik its fucked up but i promise its true

[theguyinthemathexamples]

Guns and... Aeons?

May Aventurine grant his luck upon everyone's Boothill pulls!!!

— C/W : spoilers?, set at the end of the 2.2 quest, boothill is boothill ft. argenti, i forgot what his lore is so take anything i say with a grain of salt, LOTS of yapping, guns and roses sneak, very self-indulgent :3

Boothill never really had much faith in Aeons, much less worshipped any. He already lost it all when he gained the information, that darned rain of fire that destroyed everything, was deployed by a zealot.

Don't get him wrong, he still knew they existed. But he internally wished that maybe, if any Aeon took pity on him on that day, maybe he could have changed the outcome of it all.

Well, that was all in the past now. He'd be a rusted out piece of metal by now if he let himself wallow in bygone events.

A low sigh didn't fail to make itself known, inadvertently catching the attention of the knight just at the other end of the room. Boothill even forgot he was there due to how quiet he was.

"A rose for your thoughts, friend?" The knight inquired, sitting at the other end of the couch. He nearly jumped at the sudden question but was just as quick to regain his composure.

"Nothin' much, just thinkin' and all," he replied, only tilting his head to look at this eccentric friend of his.

Ironic that Argenti was a man quite devoted to an Aeon, especially to a long deceased one, when Boothill was borderline detesting a good amount of them.

"This dadgum pull I've been feelin'... D'you know somethin' about it, knight?"

It was something he'd been feeling for a while now but it's been getting stronger as of late. And the voices... He'll leave those out till Argenti mentions something about it.

To put it frankly, he was worried. Quite more so if nothing else.

"Does it make you feel like wanting to visit the Astral Express, friend?" Argenti inquired shortly after,

Boothill simply nodded, curious as to how this Knight of Beauty knew of such. Sensing his curiosity, said knight certainly wouldn't mind going into the further details.

In fact, he was more than enthusiastic to do so.

"As Idrila's reason to have ascended into Aeonhood, it is only natural that I give high praises to the Aeon of Creation for such magnificence— that THEIR creations have inspired my Goddess to reach THEIR most pinnacle potential."

If this was how he talked about his Aeon and this... well, other Aeon, the two would be here till his batteries run out. And he was just about done recharging to full a few hours ago.

It wasn't till a good amount of minutes into the topic that Boothill kinda got a little impatient. No offense to Argenti, of course.

"And it wasn't till recently that their wondrous consciousness graced the unive—"

"Alright, alright, I get it, knight. Don't mean to offend ya, but can ya get straight to why I felt the pull earlier?" Boothill interjected, looking straight at his companion,

He swore that the way this man shone brightened up even more.

"My apologies if I overwhelmed you, dear friend," Argenti said, giving the cowboy an apologetic bow while he was sitting.

"Simply put, this pull you feel is but the manifestations of the Aeon of Creation! Perhaps your brilliant self captured THEIR attention when you were conversing with the Trailblazer," he continued, yapping up another storm as Boothill thought to himself.

"Seriously? This ol' hunk of metal? Catchin' an Aeon's attention? Colour me fudgin' surprised."

"Ah, this is certainly a moment worth celebrating, don't you think so, friend?" Argenti's voice spoke out, bringing his attention back to the knight.

Yet, before this interstellar cyborg cowboy could even agree or otherwise, a black envelope materialized in front of him, the edges lined with red and gold designs.

One surprise after another, huh?

The knight was quick to encourage him to open it up, taking out a letter opener from who knows where. Well now he's starting to get excited.

A golden Star Rail Pass was the first to get taken out of it, its colour shining in the midst of the room's lights. Next was a neatly folded paper that was probably penned by the Astral Express' Conductor. (Somehow; I mean, look at their itty bitty hands) It reads as follows:

—————————✧—————————

Hello, future Astral Express member, Boothill! This letter has been written by Pom-pom to formally invite you to join the Trailblaze.

By all means, this doesn't mean that you should abandon your faith for any Aeon(s) you may believe in, so long as it doesn't prohibit the other members of the Astral Express from going about their days.

As you may have guessed, yes, the golden ticket provided inside is a very formal way for Pom-pom to ask you to join us, as well as a sign that the Aeon of Creation has taken a liking to you!

To compensate for any forms of distress or trouble their consciousness has caused you, the Astral Express will be willing to offer a living space, electricity, wifi, food, water(gasoline?), as well as any other necessities and wants you may have.

Though if you truly want to seek trouble with the IPC, as the Aeon commented, please leave the Astral Express out of association for any crime you may commit in the future.

If you're ready to take on this journey with the Nameless, as well as many others, please use the ticket once the thought of doing so so much as suggests the notion.

• P.S. : Unfortunately, you don't have much time to mull it over, much less get another letter in this envelope to choose who to cover for you instead.

• The Aeon of Creation awaits your presence. •

—————————✧—————————

As Argenti finished reading the letter aloud, the expectant lilt on his face that he looks at Boothill with catches his attention the most.

"I nearly forgot to mention, dear friend, as a faithful believer of this Aeon, one can assure you that THEY don't mean any harm," he spoke, a smile gracing his lips as he continued. "The blessings THEY give to ones that they favour are quite abundant, and your captivating self truly made its impact on THEM."

"Even THEY couldn't help but praise you endlessly for your courage and demeanor!" Argenti proclaimed, almost making the cowboy in front of him want to tune him out again. ... That last part was a lie.

With a reluctant sigh, finally agreeing with the knight, the golden Star Rail Pass and the envelope in hand, Boothill stood up from his seat and went over to exit his friend's ship— to which Argenti quickly stopped him, hand outstretched for him.

"Need me to lead you there, friend?" He asks, head tilting to his left as his eyes brightened up with that usual glow.

"... Yeah, sure. Ya won't stop botherin' this ol' piece of metal to give ya updates if I said otherwise," Boothill laughed at the end of his reply, taking the knight's hand and letting him lead the way.

Maybe making a decision with a third party beside him won't be so bad.

Note : ong this took WAY TOO LONGGGGG TO MAKEEEEEEE 😭😭

My most sincere apologies to anyone whose patience ran out while waiting for this fic to come out 💔

BUT IT'S OUT NOW SO REJOICE EVERYONE ‼️‼️

Anyways, have a lovely day to all of you !! (disappears for another month)

And yes dw my interp of sahsr/sahsrau will come out maybe around late june once my recognition finally comes to pass

[charlesslut16]

-losing means letting go-

summary : you and oscar realise, that it is over for you...

PAIRINGS : oscar piastri x reader(y/n)

WARNINGS : break up?

note : it took me so so long to finally write something,as i have run out of ideas...

masterlist

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Oscar Piastri sat in his apartment in Monaco, staring at the lights reflecting off the Mediterranean Sea. It was a breathtaking view, one that had once filled him with inspiration and excitement.

Now, it seemed to mock him with its relentless beauty, highlighting the growing darkness within his relationship with YN, his girlfriend, whom always was there for him and always would be

They had been together for four years, a Fary tail romance that had seemed perfect from the outside. But behind closed doors, the cracks were growing wider with each passing day. Oscar was a rising star in the world of Formula 1, and YN was his steadfast supporter, at least at the beginning. The endless travel, the high stakes, and the intense pressure of his career had begun to wear on both of them.

Their once passionate love was now marred by frequent arguments and silent treatments. They still loved each other dearly, but maybe that wasn't enough anymore.

Tonight, Oscar had left the apartment after another heated exchange, and you were left alone with your thoughts. You replayed the argument in your mind. It had started over something trivial, as it often did.

Oscar had returned from another race weekend, exhausted and frustrated after finishing outside the points. He had wanted nothing more than to collapse on the couch, but you had been waiting for him with a list of grievances.

You were tired of feeling like a secondary character in his life, of being ignored and taken for granted. The argument had escalated quickly, voices raised, accusations hurled, until Oscar had stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

You sighed, hugging yourself to make you feel better. Oscar knew you had a point. He had been so consumed by his career that he had neglected your relationship.

But what could he do? Racing was his life, his dream, and it demanded everything from him.

Still, the thought of losing you was unbearable. He loved you more than he could express, but love alone didn't seem to be enough anymore.

Hours passed, and you remained in the same spot, lost in thought. Finally, you heard the door creak open, and Oscar stepped inside. His eyes were red-rimmed, and he looked as tired as you felt.

Oscar walked over to the couch and sat down, keeping a distance between you both. For a moment, you sat in silence, the weight of your unspoken words hanging heavy in the air.

"Oscar," you began, voice trembling slightly, "we can't keep doing this." He looked at you, his heart aching at the sight of her pain. "I know," he admitted. "But I don't know how to fix it."

Tears welled up in your eyes. "I've been thinking about this for a long time. Maybe we're just not meant to be together right now. Maybe we need to let each other go."

Oscar's chest tightened. "No, YN. We can work through this. I promise I'll do better." You shook your head, a tear slipping down your flushed cheek.

"We've tried, Oscar. We've tried so hard, but it's not working. We're hurting each other more than we're loving each other. I think we need to break up."

The words hit him like a punch to the gut. Break up? He couldn't imagine his life without you. But looking into your eyes, he saw the truth. You were both miserable, and clinging to each other was only making it worse.

He didn't want to admit tit, but he knew for a while that the two of you were doing more bad than good. He never wanted you two to end, but the moment his priorities shifted, it was over between them.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. You nodded, tears falling freely now. "I am. I think it's the only chance we have for happiness, even if it destroys us right now."

Oscar reached out and took your hand, holding it tightly. "I don't want to lose you." "You won't, not ever," you replied softly. "We'll always have the memories, the good times. But we need to find ourselves again, separately."

He nodded, tears streaming down his own face. "I love you, YN. I always will." "I love you too, Oscar," you said, your voice breaking. "And that's why we need to do this. For both of us."

They sat together for a while, mourning the end of their relationship. Eventually, You stood up, and Oscar knew it was time to let you go. Forever.

He walked you to the door, feeling like his heart was being ripped out of his chest. "Goodbye, Oscar," you said, giving him one last, lingering look.

"Goodbye, YN," he replied, his voice choked with emotion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She walked out the door, and Oscar closed it behind her, leaning against it as he sobbed. The apartment felt emptier than ever, but he knew deep down that they had made the right decision.

It was the hardest thing he had ever done, but sometimes, love meant knowing when to let go. The months that followed were a big blur for Oscar. He threw himself into his racing career with a newfound intensity, using the pain of the breakup as his fuel.

He climbed the ranks, securing podium finishes and earning the respect of his peers. But no matter how successful he became, there was always a part of him that missed YN, that longed for the days when they were happy and in love.

YN, too, found her own path. She pursued her own dreams, rediscovering passions she had set aside during their relationship. She traveled, met new people, and slowly began to heal. There were days when the loneliness was overwhelming, but she reminded herself that they had made the right choice.

And though they were no longer together, their love had left an indelible mark on their hearts, a testament to the strength and beauty of their time together.

[bengals-barnesbabe]

Imagine your first wash day at Joe's...

word count: 1.1k

a/n: JB9 taglist is now open, if you’d like to be on it comment 'tag me🏈’ and you’ll be added. If you want to be taken off at any point dm me -babe :)

main masterlist

When you first started dating, Joe had only ever seen your hair in a protective style or wrapped in a scarf, granted you met in the summer so those were your safest options.

As time went on and you grew closer, you began to wear your hair out more which required much more work, so you left a mini hair care bag at his place. It only had a few essential items like a leave in, edge control, mini spray bottle, some hair oil and a pack of silk scrunchies. Since you spent the majority of the time at his place he believed that was all you needed to maintain your 4b/4c hair.

You moved in with him a month ago, and today is your long awaited and very much needed wash day. The weather in Cincinnati finally cooled down enough for you to let go of the braids, so you planned to do mini twists. You wanted to start as soon as possible, so when Joe left at 8 in the morning you gathered your bucket of haircare products and locked yourself in the bathroom.

♡ ♥︎ ♡

It was about noon when Coach Taylor let his players out, they had a game that Sunday so he didn't want to run them too ragged. Joe, Tee and Ja'Marr decided to grab a bite to eat before heading to Joe's to cool off.

The moment the 3 men enter your living room is the exact moment you remember that you may have neglected to tell your boyfriend of today's significance.

"Hey babe, we stopped by that place you liked so I brought you- woah." Joe looks wide eyed at the organized mess of different combs/brushes, gels and bottles of hair products with you in the center of it.

You nervously smile at the trio. "Hi." You quickly finish the twist you're on and pause the movie you're 'watching'.

"Are we interrupting something- ohhh yea mhm got it. Let's go, Tee." Ja'Marr says assessing the situation.

"Yo wait, can you do mine next? You know, when you get a chance." Tee asks.

"Man, she aint doing yo crusty ass fade. I'm definitely next."

"There ain't nothing wrong with my cut." The two wide receivers argue on the way out.

You chuckle before turning back to your boyfriend, "I may have forgot to tell you today's wash day." You say sheepishly.

"You think?" He shakes his head and takes a seat on the cleanest spot next to you. "This is a lot, when did you get all of this?"

"I've had it the whole time, most of it stays in the closet a majority of the time." You shrug moving around some of the products so he can stretch out. He gladly scoots in closer and analyses your work in progress.

You had just finished the back before they walked in, your hair is pretty thick and a decent length so washing it took about 2 hours. Then you decided to make your life easier by making the process harder and blowing out the entire thing, that took another hour.

"The line in the back is crooked, but its look pretty nice overall."

You immediately smacked his chest. "Joey, what the hell."

"What'd I do? Do you not want me to be honest?" You glared at him.

"You've been hanging out with Ja'Marr for too long."

He chuckles and presses a kiss to your head, "baby you are the most talented, amazing and most beautiful woman I've ever had the pleasure to meet. And you are doing an absolutely fantastic job on your hair."

"Much better, now let me wash my hands before I see if you actually got my order right." You teased.

"I know you better than I know myself Y/n, you need to stop doubting my 'boyfriend skills'."

While you're gone he couldn't help but look at every single product in his vicinity. Trying not to knock over any of the open bottles of oil, he spots a bright blue gel-cream and reaches for it.

"Doo Gro, well I am growing out my hair." His curiosity getting the best of him, he scoops some out of the jar and sniffs it for safety reasons. Unable to place the scent, he rubs it in his hands then rakes his hands through his hair.

"Joe, what are you doing?" He jumps at your voice, effectively knocking over your bag of combs.

"Shit, baby. What does it look like?" He says now cleaning the mess of combs, in shapes and sizes he'd never seen a day in his life.

"It looks like you wanna be a giant grease ball." You snort picking a handheld mirror off the floor and putting it in his face.

"Jesus, I didn't put that much in." The dollop he picked up had somehow multiplied and made it look like he'd meant to slick back his hair.

"Aww my poor greasy baby, I hope you rubbed it into your scalp as well." You said picking up your plate and shoving the food in your mouth.

"I think I got that covered, does this stuff wash out- Y/n baby calm down it's not going anywhere." He stares wide eyed at the plate that's been half eaten in mere seconds.

"I know, I just haven't eaten since like yesterday. It probably does, just not all of it. At least you'll get thicker hair out of this," You can't help the giggles coming out as you continue to look at your boyfriend's head.

"It's not that funny." He bites his bottom lip as his own start to take over.

"You look like the kids that cover themselves in vaseline and peanut butter." The room's completely filled with your laughter to the point that everything has been forgotten.

"If doing your hair has always been this fun, let me help all the time." He smiles as the laughter subsides.

You shake your head, "I'll let you wash it next time and we'll see if you still wanna be included. Even with your giant football arms, you'll be tapping out before we get to deep conditioning."

He smirks, "all I hear is that you like my arms."

You scoffed and gave him a good once-over, "oh I like more than your arms." Biting your lip, you sit yourself in his lap.

"Oh yea, tell me more." His eyes blazed with desire as your hands run up his arms and down his chest.

"I love how big you are, but you already knew that." You smirk.

"Fuck." He growls pulling your lips flush against his.

₊˚ʚ ᗢ₊˚✧ ﾟ.

a/n: inspired by my HS self making the fact that I learned to do my hair during quarantine and mastered mini twists enough for it to become my entire personality. she was very humbled when they became a trend lol, I still love them tho and my nephew who covered himself in vaseline not once but 3 times. :)

[leakyweep]

Boa Hancock x Reader - Taking Care

Anon; could you please write sub!boa? I've been looking for good ones but cannot find one at all :(( thank you </3.

A/N; anon - YOUR BRAIN it's so big *kisses you* i hope you like! i'm sorry this took so long </3

Warnings; afab reader, fingering, squirting, tribbing, submissive boa, dominant-ish reader, nicknames (my love, baby, my darling)

Words; 0.8k

Minors DNI

The squelching noises of the Empress’s pussy filled the room like a melody, making your core light up in anticipation. Her moans and begs were only spurring you on, encouraging your fingers to propel quicker and curl into Boa’s sweetest spot as she arched her back. You had her pinned between your immovable, strong body and the plush mattress, her legs smothered with your own as you fingered her needy cunt. She was squirming and writhing beneath you, clutching at her sheets for some kind of purchase.

“Didn’t you ask for this, my love? The least you can do is stay still for me.” Your voice was like honey to her ears, her torso quitting its thrashing and taking your fingers deep into her core obediently. She wasn’t used to being at someone’s mercy– but being that it was you, wonderful, beautiful you, she couldn’t help but wonder what your dominant side was like. She had never expected this.

“I’m sorry, darling,” she gasped, running her slender fingers through your hair, “I- I just wasn’t expecting to get such treatment- oh-” Her voice was high pitched and her cunt pulsed around your digits as she came, your fingertips pressing deliciously against her cervix.

You smiled and worked her through her orgasm, admiring the way her eyebrows furrowed, the bow of her back, the pink flush of her porcelain skin. She was as beautiful as she was passionate; and this only drew you closer to her. You enjoyed being taken care of by her, being taken by her fingers or her strap; the dominant woman was more than willing to meet your needs and then some. However, you wanted to return all of these feelings ten fold if only to show her the care she granted you.

With a wet squelch, you pulled your digits from your lover’s cunt and smiled up at her. She returned a hazy, half-lidded look in response, her apple cheeks as red as her satin sheets as she muttered, “M-My dearest, let me–” 

“Shhh…” You filled her mouth with your shiny fingers, an artful smile on your lips. “Let your dearest show you how you make them feel. I want you to get the full experience.”

Boa’s eyes turned bashful, though the way her tongue twisted through your wet-laced fingers gave her away. You knew that she wanted you- to rub her pussy against yours to feel so delicious in her core. It was one of her favorite love-making activities. 

You lifted one of her legs, kneeling above her with a sly smile. Her features were pulled together in a pleasured furrow, her pink bottom lip pressed between her teeth. She was clutching the bed sheets in stark anticipation, gazing up at you as if you were her own deity. Your hand wrapped around her ankle as you positioned your dripping cunt above your love’s, sighing out in relief once you felt her wet press against yours. Your hips seemed to move on their own accord as you began to work her pussy, your glistening folds stroking hers so perfectly. You two always seemed to fit together like a puzzle piece.

Boa’s dark curtain of hair brushed past her tits, mouth agape in an o-shape of pleasure. Grabbing her chin, you forced her lowering gaze to your own bold one, placing a thumb on her tongue and riding her harder.

“So wet for me, baby,” you reveled, using your free hand to pinch her nipple between your thumb pointer finger. They puckered under your touch, skin tightening as she let out a pitiful moan.

“Only for you, darling-” she gasped, feeling your clit bump her own in beautiful harmony, “You’re the only one who can take such good care of my pussy.” She said the words quietly, as if she were too afraid to say them aloud. Also, your thumb was pressing down further towards her throat, causing her words to come out dumbly. 

She was truly at a loss for words until she felt her thighs tightening and her toes curling, her cunt spasming wildly as she cried out your name, uncaring if the whole island of Amazon Lily were to hear. “Yes- there! Fuck me there!” She leaned up to grip your hips, grinding them into her cunt harder, until there was not a smidgen of space or atoms between the two of your cunts. “M’ gonna cum, my darling! M’ g-gonna-”

“Go ahead, my lovely. Just let it out. I’ll be here to fuck you into the mattress all night.”

In an instant, Boa’s cum was squirting onto you, leaving you messy and wet as you finished her off, riding her into the plushy sheets beneath to pull every ounce of pleasure from her body to her core. You smiled proudly at the sticky strands of desire that connected the two of you and thanked the stars for such a wonderful partner, in and out of the bedroom.

While she could be stubborn and self-centered, you two brought out the best in each other, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

[dootznbootz]

At this point i am so sorry Ovid for all the hate you are better than the author that wrote Tele-GONE-ny :')

Like makes no sense for Odysseus story like it's not even canon. I believe he wrote it because of the success of Homer and wanted to make a known book based on something

Hmm this behaviour is oddly familiar with something recently we experience 👀

Honestly, it's not Ovid's fault in a way, just most peoples' taking his work as GREEK mythology instead of Roman. I don't think it's bad to enjoy the Roman Mythology version as long as people KNOW it's Roman and as long as they leave sweet boy Perseus alone.

Tele-GONE-y? That is just a titan of its own and it's so frustrating.

Because if you look it up? That's technically part of the Epic Cycle!

One of these is not like the others~

And it really sucks because we can't just say "It's Roman, therefore technically not Greek Mythology" like we can with Ovid! Why, out of all the myths for Odysseus and Penelope, would you choose this one? Why would you finish such a lovely story with such a trainwreck?

It literally goes against Tiresias' Prophecy! The myth of Odysseus being turned into a horse would've been a better one to go with if people didn't think "dying peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after old age" isn't "exciting enough". At least then it's kind of cute to possibly imagine Horse!Odysseus being pampered by his family or something.

It is so dumb and just WRONG to say that the Odysseus and Penelope that are in the Tele-GONE-y are the same ones we know and love in Homer's masterpieces.

Even to lump the Tele-GONE-y with the rest is laughable. Even without considering the extreme out of character-ness of it, its plot is just messy and almost overly simple. As even with just FRAGMENTS of the others, we can take so much of what is implied and see the beautiful web that's being woven!!!

One of my favorite arcs, for example, is with Palamedes and his effects along the way. He places Odysseus' BABY in front of the plow and ofc, Odysseus saves his son. His sanity is proven and he has to go to war now, after having a prophecy of being the only survivor and not seeing his family again for 20 years.

Odysseus' rage is just boiling under the surface and he frames Palamedes for treason, causing him to be killed. THEN Palamedes' father, King Nauplius, hearing of his son's death plans to get revenge against all the kings. He goes to their wives telling them that their husbands plan to replace them.

Almost all of them either killed themselves or took new lovers EXCEPT for Penelope. While we don't know the exact details, I believe it was likely that:

1.) "You're telling me, my husband, my Odysseus, is planning to replace me? That man is the biggest simp to ever simp, I've never heard such utter bullshit in my life. Get out of my house." 2.) When she realizes that he is Palamedes' FATHER? She's absolutely not believing one word that leaves his mouth. This is the father of the man who nearly got her baby killed and caused her husband to be taken away from her. She does not trust him.

(Silly side thing but Penelope's also probably making sure that Telemachus doesn't meet him lol "Remember that mean man who put you in front of the plow that I told you about? That's his dad. Don't talk to him. We don't know if 'Malice towards Telemachus' was inherited." 😂 )

It's so amazing and ironic that Nauplius got revenge against them all except for the man responsible!!! ALL BECAUSE PENELOPE IS THAT COOL AND SMART!

Granted, yes, he lied to Anticlea causing her heartbreak but still!

It's just such masterful and lovely storytelling!!! The rest of the Epic Cycle interweaves and connects lil stories into the big ones in such satisfying ways!!!

There is nothing like that in the Tele-GONE-y. No little seeds placed along the way to build upon. No "hey, this decision is actually monumental". Shit just happens.

It really does just feel like a young author being like "So, this is my new OC. His name is Telegonus and his dad is Odysseus! No, his mom isn't Penelope! And like, he has a special stingray spear and he kills his dad with it!"

I'm all for supporting and encouraging authors no matter how silly or cringy they get (I'm silly and cringy too!) but imagine from Homer's and the other authors of the Epic Cycle's perspective, that you write a book that you worked so hard on, only for people to take some FANFICTION as canon and therefore affecting how people see your work!

I got really rambly but I'm just genuinely mindboggled that people take the Tele-GONE-y as canon. It's not good. In general.

Another small thing but Homer usually tells us little details even when the characters don't know it. For example, with Helen not knowing her brothers are dead. (in Homer's works)

But I can’t see two of the men’s leaders,                                     Castor, tamer of horses, and Pollux, the fine boxer—they are both my brothers, whom my mother bore along with me. Either they did not come with the contingent from lovely Lacedaemon, or they sailed here in their seaworthy ships, but have no wish                                     to join men’s battles, fearing the disgrace, the many slurs, which are justly mine.” Helen spoke. But the life-nourishing earth already held her brothers in Lacedaemon,                             in their own dear native land.

(Book 3, Johnston)

Homer would have most likely said something in Book 12 of the Odyssey along the lines of "And so he left Aeaea for the final time, not knowing that he will have another son that grew up without his father." or something. HE DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING LIKE THAT. BECAUSE IT'S NOT CANON. It also never says that they slept together in Book 12. All she did was pull him away so that they could talk and she could warn him.

[zynart]

the picture of aubrey dorian grayham

i havent seen anyone else say it yet, but i've often felt like drake had the vibe of a real-life dorian gray, even for years before this and even aside from all the allegations. and if today felt like a slashed painting, let's cover what i mean

it's about an almost 40 year old whose entire online presence for years has been culture curation and memes and celebrity shit and partying and womanizing and more partying on instagram and plastic surgery and trendsetting trend following and making music to make tiktok money and memeing with celebrities for instagram

a slightly dorky looking guy who seemed like a somewhat self-aware and kinda soulful enough dude in his early 20s, who got famous making music about love and emotions or heartbreak or whatever that even got him the "sensitive rapper" moniker (whether the image was real or fake all along, what i mean in how he came across in public) who has now spent a decade as this giant star where i cant remember the last time i've seen him do anything that looked like it showed an actual emotion beyond insecurity and pettiness and self-aggrandizement in all that time, especially about love

guy made songs like marvin's room but when's the last time he seems to have had any actual emotions about any women besides just chasing an endless list of women as status symbols and feeling wronged or slighted or threatened by women over petty shit. guy got famous off a song like best i ever had, made "sweatpants, hair tied, chilling with no make-up / that's when you're the prettiest" into a catchphrase people referenced for years. i dont know what his true self was but just like in the story, we're not arguing about whether dorian was rotten from the start, just talking about how it seems

haven't seen him show genuine emotion in years aside from trolling. flaunting wealth, trying to take taken women getting off on the concept of dominance play over other men. it's like someone who cared so much about looking hard and chasing pleasures that, because they thought real love and heartbreak looked weak, decided it was better to lose the capability at all

"enthralled by the hedonistic worldview that sensual fulfillment is the only thing worth pursuing in life... dorian expresses the desire to sell his soul. the wish is granted, and dorian pursues a libertine life of varied amoral experiences while staying young..."

someone whose entire life is vacationing with drinks beautiful settings or clubs or mansions or posing with celebrity women or trolling for memes, shown no actual emotions except pettiness and resentment in years. plastic surgery to look fitter and younger. life that's not lived as much as meticulously crafted and curated for instagram

circling back and seeing its a reverse dorian gray situation. one might think that instagram is the real-life painting, but the drake that we see and know is the drake on instagram, the carefully curated hedonistic party animal billionaire with a parade of celebrity friends and women, ab etchings and pout and photo filters and vacation settings for a look curated to be unchanging, constant, the biggest star on the planet. the drake we dont see, the drake in the attic, is the real drake. the person behind the curation

tbh maybe it's not that deep, it's just. a certain dorian gray feeling is something i've always gotten. this drake is something that in theory can't last, you would've expected any given billionaire playboy to have wound down and found love and settled by this age, there's only so long you can stave off time until you're actually old without a family around you, unless you're dorian gray and you can just keep going. but at some point someone's still stabbing that painting

[bluehourbucky]

Ice breaker

pairing: Steven Grant x reader

summary: the first date awkwardness

a/n: I'm still new to writing for Steven so bare with me <3 sorry about the tt reference but I just thought it be funny fhdjdhd

main / moonkinght

_______________________________________

Steven was getting nervous his first date with you is tonight.

He has changed his outfit four times already and if he changes his tie once again he'll be late which won't leave a good impression.

You and Steven met at a library you both often visited, and one time, it just happened that you both wanted to borrow the same book. Unfortunately, there was only one available. Steven and you both wanted to let the other person take it, and in the meantime, someone else had taken it, you had laughed about it and did rock paper scissors to decide who gets it the next time it is available. Steven won, so he promised to let you know when he finishes it so you could borrow it. That's how you exchanged numbers.

You have texted only regarding the books you were reading at the moment and only saw each other at the library. However, last time you had managed to gather courage to ask Steven on a date. Fortunately for you and him he had accepted and you were really excited. Steven is unlike any other man you've met.

He's so sweet and considerate but can be sassy when he wants to, it desn't help that Steven is extremely handsome.

Steven was kind enough to choose the place even though you were the one to ask him on a date. He had told you that he is vegan and you really didn't want to choose a restaurant that had nothing for him so you asked him to do it.

Steven actually blushed when you asked him that, he really appreciated your consideration to his needs.

Steven takes one last look at the mirror and finally manages to get out of his apartment a bit later than he originally wanted to, but he can still get to the flower shop nearby and get you flowers.

"Good evening, I know it's late and you're closing in five but could I please get some flowers." Steven asks as the bells on the door still echo through the flower shop. The lady sighs but nodds.

"Thank you so much I appreciate it. I was wondering if you have dark pink carnations?"

The lady shows him what she has considering it is the end of the day.

"Ah, these are quite light. Do you maybe have some darker ones?"

The woman goes to the back and comes out with the exact ones Steven was looking for.

"Thank you so much." Steven pays and quickly heads into the direction of the restaurant.

He sees you've already arrived and are waiting for him, so he approaches you awkwardly. He hasn't been on a first date in so long.

"Hello, love, sorry I'm late." you turn around and flash him a smile and Steven thinks its the most beautiful smile he's ever seen.

"You're not late I just arrived a bit early because I thought I was late."

"Here these are for you."

Your mouth forms and O before you cover them with your hands.

"I- Thank you Steven so much! It's been so long since I've gotten flowers! They are so beautiful!"

you look at the flowers in awe.

"No problem, darling. Uh shall we go in?"

"Oh yes, please." you're still blushing and when Steven gently rests his arm on your back to lead you in, you can't help the butterflies in your stomach.

The restaurant isn't particularly crowded it's just that all the good spots have been taken

"Bullocks, I should've reserved a good table I'm sorry."

"It's alright I don't mind where we sit." and you really don't you're just excited to be with Steven.

It doesn't take long for you to decide what to drink, with food It's a bit different all of the options look very tasty.

After some consideration and Steven's help you finally decide what to order, but as soon as the waiter leaves its silent.

The silence isn't that awkward but it also kind of is.

Steven's mouth are quicker than his brain so in order to break the awkward silence he suddenly blurts out a random fact.

"Did you know the ancient Egyptians belived that the most significant thing you could do in your life was die?"

Firstly you look at him blankly but then you laugh.

"That's really interesting and an awesome way to break the ice. Tell me more." You say, and Steven let's out a sigh of relief. Needless to say, there were no more awkward silences.

[the end]

not really happy with this but oh well

[amorgansgal]

So it's been a while since I've written any fanfiction (sorry RDR2 lot) but I've definitely been captured body and soul by Baldur's Gate 3 and I bashed this out this morning. I appreciate fully not many might read this as it does concern my own named tav, Vanya, and I just fancied doing a little creative writing. But if anyone does, hope you enjoy. It's from Astarion's perspective.

Gods, she was annoying

Gods she was annoying. Astarion gritted his teeth as somehow, despite the exhausting fight they had just been through and long day of walking, Vanya babbled on! Gale walked by her side, smiling at her observations on nature, the dinner they had last night, the gnolls they had just fought, her thoughts on whether she would keep her long plait or do something different with her hair tomorrow. Astarion had assumed that all elves were some form of stoicism or stillness, he and Halsin certainly were, but Vanya seemed all too keen to prove the opposite was true!

She scurried around camp, a giddy smile on her lips, greeting people as she went and they would infuriatingly beam back at her, which he was sure just encouraged her. It had taken them goodness knows how long to get out of the druid’s enclave because Vanya had stopped to chat with anyone and everyone, even the bloody animals! She’d almost been pickpocketed by one of the tiefling’s kids to boot because she had to stop to speak to the lad’s sister and Astarion managed to grab hold of the child’s arm before he could wriggle something out of Vanya’s pocket.

‘Really? I didn’t know there were many coastal druids,’ Gale’s comment to Vanya interrupted Astarion’s musings. 

‘Oh no, not many. It’s a bit of a strange calling, most elves like the forests or freshwater lakes or rivers, but we’re there! But I do like the forests too, there aren’t so many animals you can really adopt from the sea, I can’t keep a pet fish on my travels, though I did have a crab. He was very sweet, if a bit nippy.’

Gale’s laugh made Astarion clench his teeth. The greater annoyance Astarion had was somehow, for some unfathomable reason, he was beginning to like Vanya. She did everything seemingly to irritate him, launching herself into fights without so much as a by-your-leave, chaotically flinging around firebolts and laughing joyously as she did! She evidently, rarely ever thought a little tact, decorum and deception would go a long way to avoid a battle, but such things were impossible for Vanya if she thought someone was being wronged or hurt. 

And yet, despite all of her many faults and flaws, she was winning him over and he wasn’t even sure how or when she had begun to do so. Well, he knew what had triggered it, him telling her he wouldn’t sleep with her the night of the tieflings’ party. But the fact he didn’t find her desirable didn’t seem to bother her - she had gone round the entire camp flirting with anyone and everyone, leaving Gale flushed and Shadowheart wryly smiling and Halsin’s eyes following after her and even godsdamn Lae’zel looking at her differently. For him, she was too soft and round for his tastes. Round moon like face, messy red hair that swung behind her in its usual braid, freckles on her cheeks that put him in mind of someone splattering paint over a canvas, she did have beautiful blue eyes, he’d grant her that. And a fine neck. And he supposed that her body was… pleasing to most, but he wasn’t fussed by it. But in any case, it wasn’t finding her attractive that seemed to bother her, what seemed to niggle at her was him just not liking her. No one had to sleep with her, but she wanted everyone under the sun to like her. 

He thought she might learn what he liked, someone who bit back, who could be playful and sharp and acerbic, who might spar with him. But she didn’t, she just was… sweet and nice and kind and it was sickening. She’d rifle through an abandoned box or bag in the old goblin camp and find him a dagger or a lockpicking kit and exclaimed excitedly, ‘Oh, Astarion! This is perfect for you, here you go!’ She happily passed him a book on necromancy, though even that made Gale and Wyll sigh with exasperation. Astarion found himself talking to her about Cazador, admitting to things that he hadn’t told anyone else and- How in the gods’ holy arses had she done it? She’d just been her usual self and slowly worn him down. Was this how she did it with everyone else? Did everyone, who didn’t like her initially, get a concerted effort from her in winning them over? There must be someone who it hadn’t worked on, someone who still didn’t like her however much of a joyful, excitable pup she was. Astarion was tempted to hunt them down and demand they tell him how they resisted.

‘How is it Vanya that you have gone through life, adventuring and fighting, without someone taking advantage of your good nature and naivete?’ Astarion asked pointedly, making Gale and Vanya look around at him. Gale gave him a look and Astarion smirked back at him. Yes, your precious little druid is foolish and overly familiar and one day she’s going to get herself into a mess because she can’t keep her mouth shut or diving head first into situations where she isn’t wholly sure on what’s going on, Astarion thought to himself.

‘Hmm,’ Vanya said, because gods forbid she couldn’t even think quietly! ‘I don’t know.’

Astarion scowled. ‘You don’t know, what do you mean you don’t know?’

‘Do we really have to squabble before getting back to camp?’ Shadowheart asked. Astarion clicked his tongue with irritation. He would’ve thought that even Shadowheart would remain a little contemptuous and irritated by Vanya too, but somehow the druid had worked her charm spell on everyone and Shadowheart had long given up on being cool and sharp with her, except on rare occasions. Too rare for his liking. Only Lae’zel was left, his remaining ally, who would deride Vanya’s softer side. And even then, the githyanki seemingly enjoyed Vanya’s wild attitude when it came to fights. 

‘I guess people like me enough not to take advantage of me and the rest of the time it’s luck!’ Vanya said, turning back round to continue her conversation with Gale.

Astarion sputtered - which was the first time he had done such a thing, but how on earth could the woman be flippant about that too? ‘It’s just luck! No one has ever double-crossed you or used your good nature against you?’

Vanya pursed her lips in thought, then gave him a bright smile. ‘No, not yet. At least, not as far as I know, maybe they did and I just didn’t know about it!’

Gale burst out laughing and Vanya quickly joined him, though Astarion was sure she didn’t quite fully grasp on why such a thing was funny. Astarion glared at their backs and then at the ground. Godsdamn stupid druid with her stupid smile and stupid laugh and careless, thoughtless attitude and everyone in camp encouraging her.

‘You wouldn’t know half the time you had a parasite in your head from the way you take absolutely nothing seriously and waste time gadding about!’ he snapped. The laughter died immediately and while he kept his eyes fixed on Vanya, a tiny flicker of guilt crept into his stomach when he saw the small amount of reproach in her expression. 

‘I do take things seriously,’ she said, her voice suddenly even tempered and cool and measured. It had been what he wanted for weeks, but the tone of it felt wrong and so unlike her that he felt compelled to look away from her unfaltering gaze. ‘I’m worried about the tadpoles, i’m worried about all of you. It would kill me if anything were to happen to anyone here. But I spent a lot of my life not being able to laugh or find joy in things or meeting anyone new and getting to know them, and it’s no way to live, Astarion. So if I seem foolish or irreverent, it’s only because I don’t wish to wallow. I don’t wish to be serious and unable to crack a joke and make people laugh. And what is the good of being stoic and serious all the time? We are infected and there’s not much we can do to change that until we get to Moonrise towers. So I’m not going to sit in camp, feeling sorry for myself, languishing and getting upset when I can’t do anything about it. I may as well find joy where I can.’

‘Hear, hear,’ Gale said, and Astarion could have ripped his head off, but more because he felt… bad… for making Vanya feel bad. When she had spoken about not being able to laugh or meet new people, it didn’t sound like something she had chosen for herself or a malady affecting her in that way, it sounded like she was… coerced, controlled, ordered and he knew all too well the pain of that. Maybe she hadn’t suffered quite like him, but it sounded like whoever had done that had tried to crush her. 

The serious, sorrowful look on her face rapidly shifted and she smiled at him once more, though it looked a little forced and tired for once, and the guilt in his chest blazed hotter, tightening around his heart and throat. He was grateful they were so near camp and Vanya whipped round as Scratch (one of her blasted pets she had picked up) barked and came running up to greet them.

‘Scratch!’ Vanya cried happily and charged off, ruffling his fur and laughing as the dog licked her face and playfully bounced around. ‘I missed you! I missed you so much, how’s my good boy, my goodest of boys? You want to play? Come on, let’s go play! I left your ball in the chest, come on!’ The dog eagerly bounded after her.

Shadowheart left them to take off her armour and to wash, so Gale and Astarion were the only two left of the party who were still watching Vanya hunt through the travellers’ chest for Scratch’s ball. Astarion was about to make his way to his own tent when Gale caught hold of his sleeve.

‘Look, I know you don’t like her,’ Gale began.

‘I never said that,’ Astarion muttered, because the frustrating truth was he did like her.

‘But don’t hurt her in order to bring her down. She might handle things differently and sometimes her relentless optimism can be… a little much, but we need a cheery sort around camp. I think we’re all too serious sometimes. And I get it, someone will hurt her eventually and it might sour her and make her less willing to laugh and trust others, but I like her the way she is. So leave her be.’

And before Astarion could say anything in reply, Gale had already began walking over to join Wyll and Halsin by the fire, and Astarion didn’t know how to explain that he both couldn’t stand Vanya, but also liked her far too much.

[jonnysinsectcatalogue]

Oil Beetle - Meloe campanicollis

When the autumn season arrives, I always try to seek out this specie of insect given it's size and uniqueness. As a reminder from earlier posts, this Beetle may be somewhat strange looking, especially if you consider the other members of its large family (Meloidae), but it is a Beetle nonetheless. At least it is easy to recognize given its bulbous abdomen, reduced wingcase and Ant-like head. Other Blister Beetles may have an Ant-like head, but they will possess functional elytra with wings and a long abdomen that protrudes from behind the wingcase (but doesn't bulge out). Keep an eye for these traits in the insect world, as the Beetles that possess them also come loaded with a burning hot defense. As such, handle with extreme care and make no attempt to agitate them. However, today's post won't cover the cantharidin defense of Oil Beetles (you can find more information by checking out this post here). Instead, we have two wandering female individuals (as confirmed by the antennae shape) to explore as they go about their dya. In Pictures 2 and 5, a hardy Beetle was crawling on some stones, and marched forward without a care for the impending chasm between the stones. Granted, insects are not stupid and can decide to turn or change direction if they detect their travel can go no further. In this case, I placed a leaf in her path to bridge the gaps and she crawled across to the other side. After crossing, she traveled the full length of the stone.... and then tumbled into the grass below after reaching the edge. I suppose there wasn't much to see/do from such a height.

For the second individual, she was likely searching for a suitable location to place eggs. Soil-filled and sandy environments are great places to look, but the chosen earth has to be a suitable depth in order to ensure that the many eggs have a degree of protection from predators and colder conditions. The sand she was traveling on definitely wasn't deep enough, and so she kept walking. She may be arching her body and placing her abdomen in the sand in Picture 7, but she's not testing for depth; this is a warning posture. After I backed off, she calmed down and resumed her walk, (and maybe you've noticed this already) she left a trail in the sand from where her abdomen touched the ground. This is a unique moment to how an insect makes tracks as it travels, both from her abdomen, and the three legs on each side making little indents (but mostly the former). As such, if you find trails like this, you may be able to follow the journey of such a beautiful insect as it moves. The trackway seems so small compared to the vehicle tracks next to her, but it's a real marvel. Unfortunately, it's also a necessity given the abdomen's size, so there's no lifting it off the ground. Of course, predators can follow this trackway, but they - assuming they followed the right direction - may not be prepared for the burning defenses that this Beetle possesses if caught!

Finally, having seen this Beetle specie a few times now, I've made small interactions with them on those occasions just to see how they react. While smaller insects tend recoil and retreat from the placement of a finger in front of or near then, the Oil Beetles I've found are always curious and begin to vigorous crawl up my finger, after which I pull away. If I find them next year, I'll try this again, but I'll be sure to have gloves on. I cannot emphasize enough that it is unwise to agitate or corner these Beetles since they can exude blister-inducing, cantharidin-saturated liquid from their joints. In addition to protecting yourself, don't allow dogs to prod or lick them while walking them.

Pictures were taken on October 17 and 21, 2024 with a Google Pixel 4. Next time this Beetle is showcased, we'll look at what happens after their eggs are placed in soil. It'll be a wild ride, unless you have to be a Bee!

[barelytolerabled]

Lost Chances

Spencer Reid x fem!Reader

Summary: you finally express your feelings toward spencer not expecting anything

Warnings: none, not an happy end?

WC: 634

Taglist: @envraijesaispas @rosecentury @taygrls @thisismeraki @thenerdthatwrites @bigbunnygucci @jordie-gvf @cynbx @saturnstringz

a/n: let me know if you guys would like a part 2!!

As the moon cast its soft glow over the empty BAU office, you found yourself alone with Spencer Reid. It was an unusual occurrence, given the chaotic nature of your work and the constant presence of your colleagues. But tonight, the two of you had stayed behind, caught up in an intense discussion about the latest case.

Sitting side by side at his desk, the familiar warmth of friendship lingered between you, but so did an unspoken tension. You had been best friends for years, sharing everything from laughter to tears, but there was always something more lurking beneath the surface.

"I'm not in love with you anymore," you breathed, the words escaping your lips before you could stop them. Relief washed over you like a cool breeze, but it was tinged with sadness, knowing that you had carried this hidden affection for Spencer for far too long.

Spencer's expressive eyes widened, searching your face for a sign of deception. The flicker of confusion on his features was soon replaced by a tinge of sadness, and the realization settled in his gaze that he had been oblivious to your feelings. "I didn't know you ever were," he replied softly, his voice laced with regret and a hint of longing.

His response cut through you like a knife, leaving you feeling exposed and vulnerable. The connection you shared, the unspoken bond, had led you down this path, but now it seemed you had taken a wrong turn. Perhaps it was too late to salvage what you once thought could have been.

"I never said anything," you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. "I was afraid, Spencer. Afraid of losing what we had. But now, it feels like I've lost something anyway."

His eyes never left yours, locked in a gaze that held years of memories and unspoken words. Slowly, he reached out and placed a hand on top of yours, offering a gesture of comfort in this bittersweet moment. "I'm sorry, I never knew," he murmured, his voice filled with regret. "I never realized what we could have had. If I had realized, I would have done things differently, so differently..."

A tear slipped down your cheek, betraying the depth of your emotions. "I didn't want to risk our friendship," you confessed, your voice trembling with the weight of missed opportunities. "But now, I can't help but wonder what could have been."

Spencer's thumb gently brushed away your tear, his touch tender and full of unspoken longing. "I understand," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "It is hard not to feel a sense of loss. To know that we could have had something amazing, something beautiful, and it slipped through our fingers."

Silence hung in the air, heavy with unspoken words and the remnants of shattered possibilities. The night stretched on, the only sounds filling the room were the soft hum of the air conditioner and the steady rhythm of your hearts.

In that moment, you both realized the depth of your connection and the pain of lost chances. The road not taken haunted you, but it also held a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, this conversation was the catalyst needed to explore the depths of your feelings.

As the night drew to a close, you found solace in knowing that even though the timing may have been off, the bond you shared would always be there. It would take time to heal the wounds left by unspoken confessions, but the foundation of your friendship would remain steadfast.

And who knew? Perhaps, in the future, the stars would align once again, granting you both the chance to rewrite your story with a different ending—one filled with love, courage, and the possibility of a love that had been silently yearned for all along.

[quartzhearted]

Lambert’s records didn’t include much of the academy’s faculty- at most some of their names and positions, nothing more. Anything else would have to be learned through interaction at best and mild eavesdropping at worst, though in this case it didn’t take too long for him to figure it out. Not when the subject in question already had a shining reputation among some and…well, was one of his closest friends.

“There you are. For a man so loud, I must admit finding you was quite the challenge for me. I did not think that I would be invited for a hunt when I set out to locate you, my friend.” He approached the other with arms crossed and a fond smile in his features. A demeanor that by now had already changed so many times that Lambert even felt bad for it, in part. But this was the norm he was meant to follow, this was a fraction of who he was meant to be. “Have you had a good day so far? You look quite good, so I assume yes.”

“But I hope I may be able to make it even better, in this case.” A wink, coupled with a smile bordering a smirk, before Lambert unsheathed a blade that had been quite well concealed under his cloak. 

Bright silver with a crimson holster, the sword was offered to Morion.

“Whatever it is that blocks your path my friend, carve your way with this blade. Allow this to manifest a future for you, your family and your nation that you can be proud of.” Another smile. “And perhaps think of me while you do it, will you?” A light chuckle became laughter. The blade actually used to be a rather rusty, old one that he had found in the Abyss. But after befriending the local blacksmith, Lambert was able to have it be completely restored and reinforced.

Ironic, how much like himself and the man before him, that blade too was allowed a second chance at life. “Happy Birthday, Morion. May the Goddess bless your every step.”

drinks with his son, a dragon's pendant. a beautiful gemstone star... morion never wants for anything, but the small things he's received make him happier than what should be possible. he's a man that knows the joy of marriage, the joy of fatherhood... really, little things like these should be minuscule, but...

aw, fuck it. it's nice to get cool presents from people that like you. anyone can agree on that.

he's taken some time to fish out in a remote section of the pond, thinking about life, death, and sweet, sweet fish. the waters are calm, the sun is deciding whether to set... ahh, it's nice.

it's made nicer by the arrival of a friend; lambert approaches, and morion turns his head to meet the voice. " ho there, lambert, " he greets, returning lambert's fond smile with one of his own. " didn't know you were lookin' for me. i would've tried harder to hide! heh heh.

" i've had a fantastic day so far. i got all my work done, got some nice presents... m' supposed to head out for a father-son thingy later tonight, and boy am i ready for that! " there's genuine joy radiating from all over his body. in all his time at the monastery---from his highs to his disastrous lows---he has never felt so happy to be alive again. to breathe, to see, to smile... he sure took those for granted back then. now he treasures each moment.

when lambert next speaks, morion's smile turns a little coy. " oh? you're gonna make it better, are you? and how's that? " his shoulders tense, waiting. if they're gonna start wrestling on the bank, then he's for sure gonna be ready for that!

but it isn't wrestling! at first, when lambert unsheathes the new sword on his person, morion reaches for his own ( which, as it would happen, was replaced by a fishing rod ). but the stance is wrong---he's not ready to fight. if not to clash, then why would he...

...

...

morion blinks a few times. looks down at the sword presented before him, thinks about lambert's words.

the sword is beautiful. its blade boasts a lustrous silver whilst its carrier burns a deep red---such weapons are expensive, made up for by their sheer power. it could not have been easy to get the sword to such a condition, and here lambert is presenting it on the bank of a pond.

the two of them have seen each other in many, many states. there is a lot lambert does not remember, and some that morion doesn't, too; each have made discoveries in each other's presence, expanded their worlds with each other inside them. where morion goes, lambert does not follow---he crash-lands, now with a big smile and a fiery attitude to match him.

morion is grateful to know him, now and forever. the man who has cut a path for him in this world, when he was alone and confused... how could he ever repay someone like him for all of that?

" ...lambert, " morion finally says after an eternity of silence. the breeze blows over crystal waters, sleepy sunset reflected off the mirror. " i'll always think of you. you've always been there when i needed someone most and... well, i... " dragons. he really is at a loss for words. " i just don't know how i'll ever thank you.

" so, yeah, i'll do what you said. use this sword to find my way... but you've gotta be there, too, all right? this thing's awesome and all, but it'll never replace you! " he pats lambert's cheek once, twice with the back of his bare hand. morion smiles gently.

" now, i've got an extra rod down here. you gonna sit down and fish with me or what? "

Morion has obtained the Wolf King's Sword!

[thenighthouse]

Aftersun (2022) and grieving what's still there

I'd been saving (read: avoiding) Aftersun because I knew it would make me cry a lot. I knew it portrayed a father/daughter relationship, and that's also a theme that leaves me in shambles. Yeah, no. Nope. I could never be prepared for the reality of what I experienced.

It feels disingenuous to write about something I don't even want to call a movie. Aftersun was like a memory to me — the kind that isn't mine, but one that I lived through in other ways, other places, with someone else. It was the most heartwrenching, painful, beautiful, spiritual experience I've had watching a movie.

Aftersun is perfect because, in its simplicity, the very subject of the film can either ride on or get lost in the viewer's experiences and sensitivities. As someone who's struggled with mental illness from a very young age, as well as been surrounded by people with the same struggles for that long as well, the way we slowly see more and more of Calum's depression was jarring.

The scene where Sophie speaks about being so sad after a good, fulfilling day was when I went "oh." I't such a relatable feeling, why does he seem so taken aback, so worried? So guilty? Oh.

And as we slowly see more of his disdain for himself (crossing the street without looking, standing on the railing), it hurts even more to see how present he is with Sophie. He lives for her! Why would he care about himself when he could dedicate himself to her? Granting her time in the sun, protection, food, live music, a carpet she'll get to keep forever. Why would he care?

I can't help but wonder if part of his hurt was due to how much she openly loved him. Sophie loved her father very loudly. When you loathe yourself, it's very hard to fathom why or how someone else would even look at you, much less like you... love you? That’s ridiculous.

"Happy birthday, Dad."

"Sing for my dad's birthday."

"It’s fine, Dad. No big deal."

The juxtaposition of all the strangers singing happy birthday to Calum (lead by Sophie) and Calum crying, retching alone in the hotel room was genuinely terrifying to me. The whole movie, actually, it's like I was there, a fly on the wall watching helplessly as Calum's pain ate him up from the inside out. Knowing Sophie would eventually be left with a gaping hole in the shape of her dancing, smiling father.

There's truly no words that could ever make this movie justice. I feel like I’m grieving.

The resentment in Adult Sophie’s eyes throughout all her scenes is fascinating because it’s also recognition. She’s sifting through her memories of her dad and picking up on things she now, unfortunately or not, understands. Stuff she feels as well.

I haven't spoken to my father for 6 years. He knows nothing about me, who I am, who I grew up to be. I had just turned 21. I hated him for a long, long time — long before we even cut ties. He made many bad choices, said many terrible things, hurt a lot of people.

I’m 27 now. I don’t know who he is anymore either. As I finished the movie, I felt at peace with him for the first time.

[violetjedisylveon]

One Hundred Days, Time To Move On

Little Star chapter 6

Summary: Wukong and Liu'er celebrate their little one's Hundredth day and set up a memorial for their lost children.

Word count: 4k

Warnings: implied self harm and self loathing, there's nothing too explicit, but there is a whole lot of talk about miscarriage, infant/child death, guilt and grief.

A/N: This chapter is less about celebrating Chao-Xing's hundredth day and more about the monkeys moving on from their losses and focusing on their living child. The hundredth day is more a background setting for the sadder stuff. And fair warning, it is a little choppier than usual. The first section and last section are alright but the middle sections are kinda jumpy. I'm sorry.

Happy New Year!

Shadowpeach Family AU Masterpost

________________________________________________________________________________

Wukong set the small stone down and inspected every inch of it.

The carving was nearly identical to the egg he had lost. He had taken Jiāng and Yīng's advice to make something to remember the lost child.

He and Liu'er had agreed to each make their own little memorial object, and then set up something special for their lost children.

His small replica was ready just in time.

Big things were happening today.

It was Chao-Xing's hundredth day.

I can't believe I've been a father for one hundred days.

He chuckled and tucked the stone into his pocket where it would be safe then headed out to the kitchen where he could smell Liu'er making some breakfast.

His moonlight was far better at cooking than he was, Chang'e had taught him more than a few things about cooking over the course of their long friendship. He had always liked the whole cooking process a lot more. Cooking and especially baking (gods he hated baking) took way too long  for his liking.

Liu'er had a much better handle on their more modern appliances.

He was more comfortable at an open flame. Obviously not a viable option inside, with a baby, so he usually helped his moon with food preparation.

He entered the kitchen and spotted his moon busy cooking. He flicked his tail in acknowledgement of his presence.

He “snuck” up and wrapped his arms around his waist. The petal shaped ears fluttered as he nuzzled his mate's cheek.

“Morning.” He whispered, keeping his voice low so he wouldn't hurt his moon's beautiful, sensitive ears.

“Morning Peaches.” Liu'er cooed, nuzzling him back.

Wukong gladly wound his tail around his mate's with a pleased purr.

“Are you okay?” He asked softly, not just because of his moon's hearing this time.

Liu'er let out a heavy sigh and let his shoulders slump. He didn't need to speak for Wukong to know how he was feeling.

He still blamed himself for it. It was his friend who they were visiting that horrible night, and he hadn't heard anything when it happened even though he was keeping a keen ear on their nursery.

Liu'er wasn't nearly as bad as he used to be, he had refused to even look at Chao-Xing's egg for a solid month afterwards, granted, they had both been an absolute mess in those perilous first few months after the incident, but that guilt still clung to him. Some part of him still believed it was his fault.

Which was stupid. He could have let Liu'er go alone to his friend and stayed with their children, preventing the whole thing from happening, or he could have put better, stronger seals that reacted to intrusion unlike the ultimately ineffective ones.

He should have been more proactive in taking out potential threats to their children. He should have known that they would be targeted, he should have expected that some spiteful, vengeful enemy or eager social climber would somehow manage to get into their domain.

He was Sun Wukong! The Great Sage Equal to Heaven! No one should have actually acted on any of those ideas.

If it was Liu'er's fault, then it was his too! They were in this together!

Wukong closed his eyes for a moment, letting the old rage work its way out of his system. They had already been over all of that, today was the day for putting it all behind them.

“I think I'll feel better by the end of the day.” Liu'er said.

“I think we all will.” He agreed and kissed him again.

He pulled away from his mate when he had to get back to cooking. He hopped onto the counter to watch Liu'er work his magic. As his tail swished behind him, he heard a series of intrigued coos and felt sticky little hands brush against the fur of his tail.

Peering over his shoulder, he found the culprit sitting behind him with a plate of lychees in front of her. She watched and tried to catch his tail for a few seconds longer, then she forgot about it and went back to stuffing her face with fruit.

"Chao-Xing?" Wukong cooed.

She immediately stopped eating and looked up at him with a big smile. Her ears did their adorable little happy wiggles as she tried to chirp around her mouthful of food.

She had recently learned her name and always had the cutest reaction whenever they said it.

She reached for him with her sticky hands and chirped again. He scooped her up with his tail, her delighted giggles bouncing off the walls.

He plopped down on the counter and (gently) dropped her into his hands. She still fit snugly in his palms. It was as cute as it was concerning.

She wasn't growing right. She obviously wouldn't be the right size for her age since she was born so small, but she was growing slower than she should too. It was taking her longer to gain weight and she seemed to be having trouble keeping it, and she ate a lot.

She tugged roughly on his fur, shaking him out of his thoughts. The little monkey had her uncomfortable, scrunched up face. Ah, she needed a diaper change.

“I'm gonna give her a change. I'll be back in a minute.” He told Liu'er as he hopped off the counter.

“Wash your hands!” Liu'er teased after him.

“I forgot one time!” He refuted, rolling his eyes at his mate's snickering.

He got Chao-Xing changed quickly, the cub was much happier with a fresh diaper, washed his hands very loudly, then went back out to see Liu'er plating up breakfast.

Chao-Xing's little nose wiggled eagerly with the exciting new smells. She squeaked and chirped at him, urging him to walk faster to get to the source of the tasty smell.

Liu'er had made jian bing and jiaozi for today.

If they actually cooked something for breakfast, it was usually congee, with a heaping side of fruit. More often than not they just ate fruit, neither of them hadn't done much cooking at all for the last three years. They were still getting used to not doing that.

He put Chao-Xing into her seat and set her plate down in front of her. His moon had already cut the food up into bite sized pieces, and she had a cup of sliced fruits. So far she had proven to reliably like lychees, plums, peaches and mangoes. She hated bananas, she had hissed at the one they had tried to give to her. It might have been a texture thing, Liu'er couldn't stand the mouth feel of certain foods either.

Once they both sat, Chao-Xing squealed happily and mashed her hands into the pile of chopped up food, stuffing her mouth without hesitation.

“I think she got my appetite.” He said.

“Oh you think?” Liu'er snickered.

He laughed with his mate.

Breakfast was quiet except for his daughter's little chirps, there wasn't much to talk about today.

“Are you getting used to your eyes?” Liu'er asked him quietly.

“You looked less upset about it today.” he added.

He glanced down at his reflection, the burning red eyes staring back at him.

“There's not really anything I can do until she figures out object preeminence.” Wukong shrugged.

“You know, they're kinda growing on me. They look nice.” He said with a soft smile.

He blinked up at his mate. His moon hated his eyes almost as much as he did, when had that changed?

“Oh… thanks?” He guessed.

Thankfully, he was saved for having to address his awkward response by a slice of peach hitting him in the face. The culprit was innocently minding her own business eating her breakfast, she gave herself away regardless. Her twin tails wagged excitedly as she pretended she hadn't done anything.

Celestial primates started getting into mischief at a very young age.

“Chao-Xing.” He growled playfully.

His daughter looked up and gave him a cheeky little grin before tossing another slice at him.

Her delighted giggles cut off with a squeak as a chunk of mango dropped out of a shadow portal onto her head. It plopped onto her plate and she reacted like it had just appeared out of nowhere. She picked it up and started eating happily, mischievous intent forgotten, for now.

Wukong glanced at his mate, who looked equally as innocent as Chao-Xing had a few moments ago.

“Nice one Mango.” He said.

“Don't know what you're talking about, Peaches.” Liu'er shrugged.

XXX 

Chao-Xing tugged at her boots again and chirped insistently at him to take them off.

“You don't like shoes much, do you?” He asked the cub.

She just chirped at him again. Outside of her name and food related words, she didn't understand much. Wukong sighed and leaned forwards to fix the knot she had untied.

“Nope. You can't just boss people around. You gotta do things you don't like sometimes.” He told her.

She gave him a blank stare and chirped.

“Whoa, that's rich coming from you, Peaches.” Liu'er called over his shoulder.

“I'm aware.” He sighed.

Chao-Xing was chewing on her boot, apparently deciding she would chew it off now.

“Chao-Xing.”

She paused and looked up to him with a little chirp and ear flick, then immediately started chewing her boot again. With a heavy sigh, he picked her up and sat her on his lap to get her to stop. She squealed indignantly and pulled on his fur to make him put her back down.

“No, you can't take the boots off.” He told her again.

She glared up at him with an adorable baby scowl and stuck her tongue out.

He tipped his head back onto the couch and ignored her tugging on his fur to the best of his ability.

He scanned the upside down entryway, waiting. He wanted this whole day over with as fast as possible. He wanted it done and over.

Unfortunately, for his situation, the hundredth day was a very important day.

A day that traditionally served as a celebration for parent and child who had survived this far, a day to give wishes of luck and good fortune for the future and asking spirits and ancestors for protection.

It used to be the end of the isolation period after birth for humans, though to his knowledge they did it a little differently now, he hadn't paid much attention to the activities of humans outside of their ever increasing ways to entertain themselves.

They were doing it a little differently too.

They hadn't invited anyone, they had sent out the traditional gifts, but they weren't comfortable with so many powerful gods and demons being near their baby at such a young age.

It was different, sure, but demon monkeys had always had different celebrations, 

The majority of their friends understood and respected their decision.

After so much loss, they were taking extra care with their daughter.

Now all there was left to do was wait, get the gifting over with and move on to the hard part of this day.

XXX

Something landed gently in front of the door, his ears caught the soft sound. It could have been a prank from the younger monkeys, or it could have been something else. Liu'er opened the door to check it out.

A box wrapped neatly in red paper sat in front of the door. A card was tapped to it with a little rabbit drawn on.

The box carried the pleasant scent of fresh mooncakes, flour, sugar and an undertone of charcoal. A gift from his sister Chang'e.

He picked the gift up and brought it inside.

Over the next hour, a few more gifts arrived.

Iron Fan’s gift smelled of ash, coal and cold mountain winds with a strong hint of spices. Guanyin’s gift carried the scent of salty seas and pure water, and Nezha’s gift smelled just like the Lotus Prince.

Yuanhou and Mahou’s gift shared the scent of their cold, snowy mountain home, and raspberries. Their gift had a letter specifically for him, his older brothers wanted to meet Chao-Xing soon and celebrate the momentous occasion.

Given that a celestial primate hadn't been born in over a thousand years, it kind of was cause for celebration.

Near the end of the hour, a gift with a very interesting mix of smells arrived. Freshly baked bread, salt, firewood smoke and a very light touch of fox, a gift from his slightly chaotic former student and her wife.

He chuckled to himself and brought it in with the rest of the gifts.

Once they were done with these, they could get on with what this day really meant. Today they would stop looking back and their mistakes and start looking forward. They just had one last thing to do before they turned their full attention to their daughter.

They were going to set up a memorial shrine on top of Mount Huaguo.

Wukong had been born there, they had chosen to make their nursery there, they had made many attempts there, their lost child had died there, and Chao-Xing had been both born and named on the peak as well.

It seemed a fitting place to lay the memory of their lost ones.

The peach pit had sprouted enough roots to be safely transplanted, and they still had to clean up the remains of the nursery, no one had been up there since they named Chao-Xing.

That was all for later in the day.

XXX

Cleaning up the nursery wasn't easy. Almost anything got him tearing up and feeling like a failure all over again. 

Liu'er picked up the red blanket that had once been wrapped around his eggs. It still held a faint stain from the incident. The damn stain wouldn't wash out no matter how hard he had tried.

A surge of guilt has him tearing up staring down at the blanket in his hands. He closed his eyes and tried to remind himself of what everyone had been telling him since.

It wasn't my fault. It wasn't my fault. I couldn't have known. I couldn't have known. It wasn't my fault…

I should have. I should have been more proactive in protecting them. I should have seen it coming. Useless-

“Plum?” He felt Wukong's warm hands on his.

Concerned burning red and gold met his eyes when he opened them. 

“You're doing it again.” He whispered.

Liu'er registered little pricks of pain in his palms and blinked.

“Oh…” he opened his hands and let Wukong check the damage.

“It's not too bad this time, shouldn't take more than a few seconds to heal.” Wukong said, gently kissing both of his hands.

Liu'er would have shoved him away, but his idiotic mate was still holding his hands.

“Do you have to do that every time?” He rolled his eyes.

“Yep!” he chirped with an eagerly wagging tail.

“You're so cheesy.” He scoffed.

“You love it.” Wukong argued.

“Eh, I-” Wukong cut him off with a quick kiss.

“Wukong! You can't win every argument by kissing me!” He snarled.

“I bet I could.” Wukong teased.

“Oh shut up.” He growled lightly, shoving his annoying face away.

“If you say so, your majesty.” Wukong said with a cocky little bow as he slipped away to go do whatever he was doing.

His face burned.

“I hate you.” He called after his mate.

“Love you too!” Wukong called back.

He crossed his arms in a huff and noticed Wukong had taken the blanket from him, probably to clean it. He busied himself with other things until he heard Wukong speak up again. 

“Think we could use this blanket for them?” 

He stopped folding one of the other blankets.

“We can probably fit it in somewhere, what were you thinking?” He asked, heading over to him.

“Maybe this will make it more comfortable? It's just stone after all.” Wukong said.

Liu'er glanced at the blanket in his hands, a thick strip of the blanket had been ripped off during the attack, and this blanket was overall just another reminder of their loss.

It was highly unlikely that there was anything left of their child, but if there was something, maybe they would like it.

“That sounds good.” He said.

Wukong nodded and set the blanket aside with the other shrine stuff.

“Are you alright?” He asked softly.

“I'm fine, just got stuck in my head for a second.” Liu'er assured him.

“I-”

Chao-Xing's happy squealing interrupted his mate and he took the opportunity to slip away from the topic for the moment.

His little cub was still playing with the sparkling stardust that coated the top of the mountain, she had been playing the whole time they were cleaning.

She swiped her left tail (which seemed to be her preferred tail) through the dirt and giggled madly at the dust cloud she created. She clapped her dirty little hands in the dust cloud, giggling madly at the mess she was making.

She heard him coming and leaned back far enough that she fell over, sending up a cloud of shimmering dust. She giggled again and reached up for him. Liu'er sat her back up and let her go back to playing.

The stardust served as an excellent distraction for their baby.

Her hatching had turned the shell of her stone egg into a billion small specks of stardust. The wind hadn't blown any of it away in the three months since they'd been up here.

I guess it's staying. He patted Chao-Xing's fluffy head, shaking a decent amount of stardust and dirt out of her hair, and got back to clean up.

XXX

By nightfall, the nursery was fully packed up, the only thing that showed something important had recently happened here was the stardust.

“Are you ready?” Liu'er murmured softly.

“No.” Wukong admitted.

“Me neither.” He sighed.

Wukong took his hand and squeezed it tightly.

“Let's do this.” He said.

Together, they carefully constructed the small stone shrine next to the rock that their eggs had rested on. It was a very simple thing, but it would serve its purpose well. It wasn't like there was much of a spirit left to object to the simplicity of it.

Once the main structure was built and secured, a process that was made slightly more difficult by a curious cub sniffing around it, Liu'er scooped his daughter up and sat her down between them.

She squealed at him and shook her fluffy head, sending up a little puff of stardust into his face. He scrunched his nose and waved the stardust away with his tail.

“You need a bath tonight.” Wukong cooed, ruffling more stardust out of her hair.

She grabbed onto his hand with a gleeful giggle and cheered when he lifted her up a few inches off the ground. He set her down on her back and Liu'er ignored her disappointed little whine, he pushed her upright with his tail and faced her towards the shrine.

She cooed curiously and scooted towards it.

“That's for your twin, so we don't forget them.” Liu'er said somberly.

Chao-Xing cooed sadly, she didn't understand words yet, but she understood tone and emotion enough to know this was something sad.

“They won't ever be lonely, we can come visit whenever we want.” Wukong told her.

She chirped softly in response to his words but didn't look away. He exchanged a glance with his mate and shrugged, who knew what was going on in her little mind.

Liu'er got out the memorial object he had made, a little shadow puppet in the shape of Wukong's descriptions and drawings of their lost child. He had constantly peeked on them with his gold vision.

He set the little puppet inside the shrine to keep it safe from the elements. Wukong set a small replica of their egg on the opposite end.

Liu'er leaned into his mate's side and rested his head on his shoulder. His sun took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

When Chao-Xing was older, they could explain that this shrine was a memorial for all her siblings. All the little ones who never came, never even developed a soul, and of course her twin.

Chao-Xing glanced between the shadow puppet and egg for a few minutes, then she scooped up a handful of stardust and dropped it into a little pile in the shrine. She chirped in satisfaction and nodded assuredly to herself.

“Guess she wanted to give them something too.” Liu'er chuckled as he patted her head.

“I'm sure they'll appreciate that.” Wukong said.

Wukong carefully draped the stained blanket over the shrine and tucked the edges in around it, making the shrine look like it was wearing a scarf.

They sat in front of the shrine for about half an hour longer.

“The day’s almost done, should we plant it?” He asked.

“We probably should, Chao-Xing will fall asleep on us if we don't.” Wukong said.

The little monkey was curled up on his lap and not quite asleep but she was going to be soon. Wukong got up and passed him a very displeased Chao-Xing. Liu'er took her and quickly calmed her down before she could start crying.

“We'll go to bed soon, starlight, we have to plant your tree first.” He told her.

She just whined and curled up in his arms with a grouchy baby face until Wukong held the sprouting peach pit out to her. The shimmering pit caught her attention immediately and she stopped pouting. She chittered curiously and tried to grab the pit.

“Ah, this isn't to play with, we're going to plant it and one day it will grow into a big, strong tree that you can climb whenever you want.” Wukong told her.

“It'll grow fruit that you can share with whoever you want.” Liu'er added as Wukong dug into the soft soil that filled the rock.

The idea of planting an immortal peach tree here was as old as their idea of having children, so Wukong had hollowed out the rock that sat at the center of the peak and filled it with enough soil to sustain the sapling decades ago. The roots of these trees grew incredibly fast and could grow into any surface, like solid rock.

The stardust that had originally covered the soil like snow had mixed in with it over the last three months. It was definitely a little odd, but odd came with their kind.

Wukong placed the pit in the hole, he had learned a few things about tending to immortal peach trees back when he was working in heaven so he knew what to do.

Liu'er set his baby down on the edge of the rock pot and helped Wukong cover the pit. Chao-Xing even tried to help, dropping little handfuls of soil onto the planting spot and patting down the dirt when it was covered.

Then she let out a big yawn and laid down in the dirt to take a nice nap. Wukong picked her up out of the dirt before she could get even messier.

“You know, she's old enough to make the journey to the Diyu now. We can get her name taken off the books of the dead.” Liu'er said as they began their trek back down the mountain.

“We can get Xuěhuā’s name off too.” Wukong nodded in agreement.

“And I'm sure Yuze would like to meet her grandkids.” He added, shooting a pointed look at his mate.

Wukong paled at the mention of his mother, for a good enough response: the old monkey demon had been very upset when she learned what her son had been doing since her death.

“You can't avoid her forever.” he said.

Wukong raised an eyebrow in challenge, he sighed.

“You shouldn't avoid her forever.” he rephrased.

“Yeah, I know.” Wukong sighed.

“… how mad is she?” he asked timidly.

“She was more mad at you then anyone else ever has been last time I was down there.” Liu'er said.

“Ah. … do you think she's calmed down with time?”

“Definitely not. You haven't visited her. Ever.” Liu'er reminded his sometimes idiot mate.

Wukong gulped and gave him a fearful glance.

“She's gonna kill me.” he stated

“Yep. Ma and I have a bet going on how long she screams at you.” Liu'er nodded.

Wukong shoved him off the path.

________________________________________________________________________________

This chapter took so damn long.

Anyway Happy New Year 🎊.

I hope you all have a good day whatever that is for you!

VJS Out!

[tauberpadraws]

goodness, it's embarrassing the way i fangirled aloud when you answered my ask 😅

i just wanted to tell you - and know that this is in no way me rushing you or trying to bug you - that your wind waker hd series is my literal favorite series ever. like above any tv show, franchise, etc. your wind waker hd abridged is so beautiful and unique and touches my heart so much.

i work a really boring food service job at a place no one goes to so i usually just have an earbud in and listen to movies and shows, so i've listened to the entirety of the wwhd abridged series every day for about a month now. not in a creepy way, it just grants me a lot of comfort.

your characterizations really shine, i think medli's is the most creative. i love the relationship between the king of red lions and link, it warms my heart a lot. and i love how tetra's obsession with link has been spun into the angle of her genuinely caring about him and his safety. i love the spin, also, on the typical "stupid link" archetype seen in a lot of abridged series, and the way your ww link is just so ruthlessly optimistic, even at his own expense, but also just very compassionate and positive to other people, especially komali. it's a huge contrast to most abridged series and the way they go solely for crude, mean, and crack-y.

yours has so much substance and love put into it in comparison (not to bash other abridged series, i've just never been touched by one the way i have been by yours).

on another note, you're an amazing voice actor, and i love you incorporating your own artwork into episode 9.

i just wanted you to know how much your series means to me, and how unique, phenomenal, and special it is.

Thank you so much. I always try my best when working on my episodes so its always great to hear how much people appreciate them.

Sorry that it has taken me so long to get back to it. This last year was rough for me. Everything is going a lot better now and I'm hoping to get the next episode out soon.

Hope you'll continue to enjoy it once its up.