#Lynn watches Cherry Magic

[theflagscene]

I really feel like Karan and Achi’s boss would not approve of Ms Kem sexually assaulting Karan, like he just seems the type that would not approve of that. The boss might be a hard ass but he doesn’t seem like he would approve of the harassment his top sales rep.

Oh, look at that, I was right. I love it when that happens.

[passivenovember]

Thinking about Steve’s glamorous southern Grandmother teaching him haircare and the ways of men.

--

Louisiana Girl.

On wispy Saturday afternoons she sat under the hooded dryer in a world made of candy. 

Bubblegum walls upon which pastel images of women in shiny blue makeup oversaw the hustle and bustle of women in Eden. Magazines open in their laps, gum smacking between cherry red lips, talking a mile a minute about the intricacies of life. 

Husbands and kids away at college, building a world that Steve hoped he could understand someday. And, in that twangy southern drawl that he knew came from this same place his mother did; Louisiana, where women were spun of gold the color of corn fields, his grandmother shared her secrets.

She was called Boo Boo because it made her feel young, and that was the first lesson Steve learned in his life. Women should always be made to feel young and beautiful. His mother’s mother was not nanna, or grandmama, or even Cheryl, which the ladies at the beauty parlor disclosed to Steve with smiles on their bright pink faces.

She was Boo Boo because she looked like Dolly Parton and smoked Marlboro golds like Johnny Cash, and always said that Steve was her greatest love. 

Everything about her was plated in gold, from her strawberry ringlets down to her heart.

Boo Boo never had much of a taste for Midwestern life. 

She thought of it as some special sort of hell Steve’s mother had been exiled to when she married Patrick Harrington. A desolate wasteland far from the molasses bayou's of the promised land. Displaced from the twangy guitars of Crosby Steels and Miss Lorette Lynn. 

Boo Boo never understood why Delilah couldn’t bring Steve home, to New Orleans. Why she insisted on keeping him in the world of men, content with a life devoid of magic.

Everything about Hawkins confused her. The way women wandered the streets with flat hair and unpainted nails was somethin’ else, she said, curious how they went without their armor. 

That was one of Boo Boo’s best kept secrets; women need their chainmail when they go out into the world. Any southern lady worth her weight in hairspray wouldn’t be caught dead with chipped polish, and she taught Steve how to be a southern woman through and through after the first time she caught him playing in his mother’s high heels.

Boo Boo called it what it was, from the very beginning. “Got to look pretty for your man someday, baby doll.” 

Steve watched as she slipped one long, golden finger nail under the hooded dryer, checking highlights trapped under waves of aluminum foam. “Daddy says I won’t ever get a husband.” Steve said, frowning. “Daddy says--”

“That man thinks Lemon Pepper chicken wings come wet, darlin’, I wouldn’t listen to a word he says.” Boo Boo smiled down at him, her long eyelashes fluttering. “Pretty little thing like you? I bet the boys will be swarming like honey bees in the springtime.”

Steve shook his head. “I’m not pretty. My knees looked like baked potatoes.”

“Potatoes?” Boo Boo declared. “I don’t think so, you just gotta grow into that figure. And you will, someday.”

Steve never found it much use to argue, never found his footing even as the stylist came and removed Boo Boo’s hair from the dryer and they migrated, as all birds do, south for the winter. 

To the mint green chair in front of the big mirror where the spells were cast, boxing them into that perfect little dollhouse wonderland.

Steve watched in awe, leaning against the palm of his hand as Boo Boo grew more and more beautiful by the minute.

He wished that could be him. He hoped, someday, it would be.

--

Boo Boo said that being a lady lived in more than just the spray that went on in the morning. 

It was easy to be beautiful. To paint yourself up like a Barbie doll and gain attention of all kinds from good and bad men alike, but it was harder to keep a level head. To do the right thing, the way God intended.

He took her word as truth. As he grew up, Steve realized a lot of girls would never be ladies and it was evident, Boo Boo said, in the way they treated each other. Always tearing the next one down to make room for themselves, providing compliments that sting and bite back, taking chunks of invaluable flesh with them as they go.

That was the mark of Cain. 

The undoubtable truth that they would never grow into something worthy of respect.

When Boo Boo came to town for Christmas the year Steve fell in love for the first time, he had to know.

“How do I get girls to like me?” He asked, posted up in front of his mother’s vanity as Boo Boo went to work on his hair. “I mean. How do I get them to understand that I don’t want to hurt them, and I’m not a threat to them--”

“Why would you be a threat, baby doll?”

Steve thought of Billy. 

Billy Hargrove, who made his bones turn to pudding cups and his heart burn red with fire and heat under the light of eyes so blue Steve felt like Dolly probably wrote that song about him.

I can see the light of a clear blue mornin’--

“There’s a boy.” Steve said.

Because. “There’s always a boy.” Boo Boo began mixing the bleach in her little green bowl, smiling to herself. “And these girls feel threatened by you?”

“He likes me.” Steve thought of Billy’s lips, so pink they tasted like strawberry bubblegum, pressed against his under the bleachers during fifth period. Before he could stop himself, Steve’s fingers brushed his bottom lip, remembering.

Feeling the way Billy’s teeth had pulled that sensitive flesh, almost like he wanted to--

“I think he likes me.” Steve shook his head. “And they’re mad at me. Like maybe I took Billy from them, or something.”

“As long as he wasn’t kissin’ some poor girl while he’s kissin’ you, I don’t see how they hold any claim over him.” Boo Boo said, pinning Steve’s hair down as she added highlights to his soft brown locks. Highlights the exact shade of her own. “Real women see strength and they applaud it. Tearing other women down ain’t gonna get you nowhere.”

Steve knew what she meant. He wasn’t a woman, he was old enough to know that now, but in the matter of love?

Steve might as well have been a thirteen year old girl, the way he wanted to fight for this boy. The way he’d develop that killer instinct, to take what was so clearly his. What Billy had given to him. 

“If they try to tear me down first, what do I do?”

Boo Boo took a drag from the cigarette between her lips, fingers never stalling as they wrapped Steve’s head in aluminum foam. “If they’re weak enough to go after what’s already done, they aren’t worth your time, darlin’.”

Steve thought about his mother. His shining star. He thought, too, of Mary Bell. The pretty redheaded girl who sometimes held his father’s arm too long at the office. 

He thought of what his mother was always saying on the phone, to other women her age, a glass of wine in one hand and a funny smelling cigarette in the other.

She’s trying to take my man. Delilah Harrington, who was just as pretty as a magnolia in may and who was tough as steel, crumbled with the weight of that sentence. She’s gonna take him.

Steve stuck his lip out in thought. “What if they try to take Billy away from me?”

Boo Boo cackled, lifting her perfect fingernails to snatch and snub the cigarette into a pretty pink ash tray. “Honey,” She said, smiling. “I don’t care if that girl is God’s gift to this Earth, she ain’t woman enough to take your man.”

[drabsyo]

Hey! I’m new to the fleurmione fandom and I’m loving it here. I just stumbled upon the ship while scrolling through tumblr. Are there fleurmione fics that you would recommend I read? I would really appreciate your recs

So far I’ve read Aucune Defense Pour Toi, Saving Souls & Healing Hearts, and the Dusk of Summer series- all of which where amazing

Ah! Certainly, anon ;) Also welcome!!

Fleurmione fic rec p.2 💙💖✨📚 p. 1 here.

What We’ve Missed by lipeviez

(Oh gosh, this one. Beautiful. Angsty. Passionate. Hello?? I raved about this for an entire week, and had to reread it twice after reading it the first time. I think this one is definitely one of the best. Rated M for My Favorite and MMMM.)

Summary: Hermione detested failure. She hated entering a new situation where she wasn’t absolutely confident in her abilities to succeed. Dating women was one such new situation. She decided to arrange a no strings encounter but was not prepared for the feelings and memories it dredges up, feelings she thought she’d buried after she lost touch with a certain Frenchwoman.

Falling Towards Something (It Might Just Be You) by thewaywedo33

(Hello angst-trip! But so, so worth it. Into that high stakes, high tension setting? Well this one takes the cake. Beautifully written in Hermione’s third person perspective. You won’t regret reading this one. Fleur Delacour has never been more alluring, magnetic, enigmatic.)

Summary: At the Battle of Hogwarts Hermione discovers Fleur is not who she thinks she is. As they are drawn together again and again, Hermione might just discover she herself is no longer the same person either.

The Dress by waxwing_Saint

(Fleur and Hermione, happily married. Married couple things. Shortest one in the list, but the idea of these two living a blissfully domestic life is 💖. Please know that this is Rated E.)

Summary: The Minister For Magic and her lover secret away in the middle of a gala and find a quiet little stairwell all to themselves.

Cherry Blossoms Across Your Lips by Sosh_022

(This one is new and on-going, but I’m already obsessed. The culture. The plot. The rivalry. The characterization. HERMIONE. Brilliant. One for the bookmarks definitely!)

Summary: Hermione, Harry, and Draco have been nominated to represent Hogwarts in the biggest wizarding competition of all time - the Triwizard Tournament. Teams of three from nine wizarding schools all around the world will gather together to compete for a chance at eternal glory, fame, and money. It's here within the jade green walls and everblooming gardens of Mahoutokoro where Hermione and Fleur meet again. AKA an HP AU with HP characters. Voldemort never happened. Everyone is a seventh year student.

Witnessed here in Time and Blood by whistle.the.silver

(Definitely one of the classic Fleurmione reads. Poetic, painful, intricate. Shell Cottage has never felt more like home, has never felt this safe before, has never felt this torturous. I’d listen to To Build A Home by The Cinematic Orchestra while reading this. The fic is written in Hermione’s POV, but To Build A Home grants us a glimpse into Fleur’s perspective, at least that’s what I think! Not a lighthearted read but worth reading every word and so much more.)

Summary: When Shell Cottage receives a motley group, Fleur and Bill do their best to ensure their safety. In the weeks that follow, wounds are healed and plans are concocted. Fleur and Hermione find themselves coming to a new understanding of one another.

Our Minds Work in Mysterious Ways (But We Like It Like That) by  InsomniacAndBi

(Another awesome AU by InsomniacAndBi. Always been a fan of investigatory crime documentaries and series, and if you are too, then this is perfect.)  

Summary: Fleur was always an observer in life, choosing to watch and not get involved. So, she wasn't entirely what she was doing in a dingy old cottage with five other students whose minds worked in the same, odd ways as her own. An Au inspired by the Naturals book series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

Hear No Evil by The_Lochness_Monster

(Another on-going fic, but absolutely brilliant. I just love this so much.)

Summary: There were three things that Hermione knew with absolute certainty: she despised ungraded homework, her front teeth were too large for her face, and she would never hear. Deaf Hermione AU.

Oath of Silver by i_shall_wear_midnight

(Because I can never get enough of the Witcher franchise, and this fills the void of longing for a wlw Witcher story.)

Summary: Fleur hires a witcher and then decides to keep her.

Cruel Intentions by Perpetual_Nonsense

(Okay, so... you know those rather cliché The Bet, I-Dare-You-To-Woo-This-Person stories? Well here you go. I swear. With this one, you’re in for a ride. This entire fic plays like a MOVIE, and if that isn’t everything, I don’t know what is. Watching those coming of age/teen romance films a guilty pleasure of yours? Read Cruel Intentions.)

Summary: Fleur Delacour is a seductive, manipulative heiress who gets what she wants when she wants it. Bored with her life, she decides she needs a challenge and sets her sights on Hermione Granger, the golden girl, during the Triwizard Tournament. She plans to take Hermione's virginity by the third task; Hermione has other plans.

I did my best to compile complete ones, except for the other two because I’m already so in love with those. I excluded the other classics like the ones you’ve mentioned but I’m pretty sure there are tons more out there, these are just the ones I’ve completed reading and tend to reread a lot. It got a bit long again... But please, I hope you have a happy reading! :)

[royallyprincesslilly]

Title: Gemini Flanagan {Three Shot}***

Chris Evans x Reader

Warning: NOTHING PURE AND INNOCENT, STRAIGHT FILTH! 

**DO NOT READ @ WORK. If you do take caution**

Words: 2.9k

Summary: NOPE!

Note: Day 1 of Lee’s Valentine’s Extravaganza!!!!!

**Loosley Edited/Proofread**

**Interactive**

🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌

{Part One}

“Gemini Flanagan. Look the FUCK out! Gemini Flanagan. That’s a great name. God damn.” He laughs while shaking his hands beside him. You could tell he was really enjoying this interview. By the look on his face, you knew just where his mind was right now.

“He’d probably be good at a lot of things, Lynn. He’s cleaning’ up at those awards.” His laugh was adorable and sexy at the same time. Only Chris could get away with that combination. You bit your bottom lip and just sighed. You missed him. You revered and looked at the clip again, your belly did backflips as your mind went nowhere and everywhere sinful.

 “Gemini Flanagan huh.”

 You took out your phone and sent him a message.

 MSG: Gemini.

 A few minutes went by with no response. Then your phone fired off.

 MSG Chris: Oh god. You’ve seen it.

MSG: Seen what?

MSG Chris: the interview.

MSG: I saw a clip. I have to say it suits you.

MSG Chris: 😏 oh does it now?

MSG: Makes me wonder just what things he’s good at.

MSG Chris: God you’re killing me. You enjoy it don’t you?

You laughed and sent the shrugging emoji and went back to work. This house wasn’t going to design itself. For the next few hours, you and your team busied yourselves designing your latest project, a mansion of one of the A-listers. You worked tirelessly trying to put the finishing touches on the house you’d planned to be finished with this evening.

 Though you were busy, you couldn’t stop thinking about Chris and how sexy he was as he said, “look the fuck out”. That one part should not have turned you on as much as it did, but it had. Now that you’d seen and heard it you couldn’t forget it. By the time you were done for the night with the job done you were pleased the owners approved of the finished product. Once the business portion of your day was finished you made your way home.

 After a shower, you relaxed with a bottle of wine and some fruit. When you heard the door open and close you straightened and allowed your excitement to unfurl. The butterflies in your stomach were going crazy and you had to fight every urge to get up and run to him and leap into his arms. Instead, you remained where you were in the living room on the chaise you usually fell asleep in. Your legs were stretched out.

 “Gemini Flanagan is here baby, look the fuck out!” Chris walked into the living room in something that was a staple in his closet, a Henley shirt and a pair of dockers. The look on his face was a dubious one, one that said he was hungry.

 “Did you miss me, baby?”

 “Baby? I think you have the wrong girl, Mr. Flanagan.” Chris arched a bow. “My name is Lucky--,” you began before Chris interrupted.

 “Bush.” You smiled then bit your bottom lip. He knew the name of your first pet and the street you grew up on. “Well Lucky Bush, we’re both here—alone--,” he let hang in the air.

 “So we are. Quite alone.” You crossed your stretched-out legs and noticed his eyes fall to them. Deciding to play it up you rubbed your black thigh high stockinged limbs together thanking God you’d just gotten waxed the day before.

 “Maybe you should come a little closer, Gemini. I don’t bite.” Chris walked closer to you like a real predator. You could see his tattoos peeking you from underneath that tempting Henley. “Unless you ask me really, really nicely,” you finished and bit your bottom lip for emphasis. Before he reached you, he stopped a few feet away.

 “I don’t know. I have a girlfriend, who I love with everything in me. Not sure me coming closer is a good idea.”

 It was a great answer. An answer that deserved a reward—the best fuck he’d had in weeks. You lifted onto your knees, crawled to the end of the chaise and spread the open material of your charmeuse robe and gave him the full view. In prep for his return, you put on one of the many pieces of lingerie you’d bought over the years. Tonight’s was a new piece, a daring one at that.

 Placing your hands on your hips you immediately recognized the look. His jaws were clenched, eyes intensely focusing on the choice of skin. Slowly they raked over your flesh, first stopping at your partially exposed and perched nipples, then moving further down to stop at the many straps that hugged your waist and hips. When his eyes finally fell to your crotchless panties you knew you had him.

 “Jesus Christ.” It was strangled and gave away the pain he was in.

 “Are you sure? I have a boyfriend too and he’s my world, but—it’s one night and what they don’t know--,” you left hanging, allowing the words to float between you as you let the robe fall from you.

 Chris groaned the groan of a tortured man but still, he didn’t move. You smirked and turned to face your back to him. Like clockwork, his eyes dropped to your strapped up and exposed ass. Taking a peek back, you smirked and slowly crawled back to where you were sitting minutes before all the while accentuating every move with a tempting sway of your hips to the right, then the left.

 “Fuck!” With that, you sat back down and slowly spread your legs giving him a view he hadn’t seen in weeks.

 “One night with Lucky Bush and Gemini Flanagan. The possibilities are endless,” you said in your best a seductive voice, resting your hands on your knees.

 Chris closed the space between you, kneeled on the chaise and leaned to you claiming your lips as his. He tasted like home and you’d missed everything about him. The kiss didn’t take long to turn hot and passionate. Your moans melded together, and his hands gripped both sides of your waist. Chris firmly held onto you as he expertly kissed you, stealing the breath from your lungs.

 When he pulled his lips away in seconds they were on your jaw, then your collar before he cupped both your breasts. The scalloped floral lace pattern only allowed your nipples to peek through just a little but that was all he needed. Chris used his thumbs to trace circles around your areolas before he flicked your already hardened nipples. A breathy gasp escaped as you watched his every move. He lowered his head to your nipple but before he could give you what they wanted he paused and stared in your eyes.

 “You know I couldn’t really do this to you right?” you smiled at his sweetness. He wanted to assure you that he wasn’t a douchbag that would cheat on you for any reason.

 “I know.” A devilish glint sparked in his eyes then he finally gave you what you wanted. Arching back, you closed your eyes and enjoyed him sucking, licking, nibbling and teasing your breasts. You’d always known he had magic lips and he loved proving it to you every chance he got. He moaned and bit down on your tender flesh making you hug his head to you.

 “Oh God,” you whispered.

 “Not God,” Chris added trailing kissed down the center of your body, and across your stomach. He pressed your legs further back onto the chaise completely revealing you to his eyes. Locking eyes with you he quirked his lip up then spoke. “Gemini Flanagan.”

 Chris lowered his mouth to your sex and set the pace from the beginning, sucking your clit into his mouth and eagerly slurping against your already wet core. Upon impact, you hissed and locked your thighs around his head. He wasn’t having it though, he pried them open and held them right where he wanted them—spread open. Chris’ lips moved frantically across your skin and when he slurped and shook his head you lost it.

 “Fuck, Gemini!”

 Your hands buried in his luscious locks of their own accord and pressed his mouth onto you keeping him where you wanted. Your hips bucked against him and felt the first sparks of a fire he was quickly kindling, and you knew it was a matter of seconds before it flamed out of control for even him.

 “Ah, yes, yes, right there. Oh my god, I’m gonna come,” you announced. Chris mumbled on your pussy and that sensation only made your release that much more intense. Your body shook and as your hands flew back to grip the back of the chaise where your head rested. You held on tight needing some stabilizing force to keep you from lifting into the air.

 After what felt like an eternity you opened your eyes to see him kneeling before you lifting off his shirt. Though he wasn’t in Captain America shape anymore, he still kept most of his muscle mass and lean definition. Chris grinned while licking his lips.

 “Pineapple, cherries and mango, yum.” He arched a brow and squinted his eyes. The look gave off pure, unadulterated big dick energy. Moaning you slid to him and quickly began undoing his pants. Your hands move so quickly that the way you flicked open his belt sent the tip smacking you in the face.

 “Someone’s hungry for this dick.” Yanking down his pants and underwear at the same time you peeped up to him with just your eyes.

 “Famished.” You looked down to his length that was bobbing between you and moistened your lips all in prep to show him just how hungry for dick you were.

 Once your mouth was wrapped around him you wasted no time guiding his tip to the back of your throat. Chris let out a loud groan that stretched out for several seconds. You felt his hands lace behind your head and in the most loving embrace. As you pleased him his moans became louder and louder. You didn’t doubt that he could be heard in the forest that backed your house. You attached your hands to his shaft and worked them in unison with your mouth occasionally twisting them in different directions. Every time you did his grip tightened as he sent even more of his hardness down your throat.

 After only a few minutes he held your cheeks keeping your head still and plowed his hips. You could see the unriddled desire in his eyes and also saw that he wanted to lose control. You moaned and relaxed your throat taking him even further. His body shook just before he pulled back and stroked his dick.

 “Mmm, that mouth of yours is sinful Lucky Bush.”

 “There is another part of me that is sinful Gemini. Would you care to sample it?” You turned your back to him again and poked out your ass. When you felt his hand drop to it with a loud slap you moaned and bit your bottom lip. A new rush of wetness settled at your core making you want him even more.

 “Fuck!” Your voice was a surprised croak.

 “You like that? You like when daddy slaps your ass?”

 You nodded your head as he slapped it again, this one was a bit harder.

 “I can’t hear you. I know those lips are good at sucking but lemme hear you.”

 “Yes, baby I like it,” you responded then groaned from the third slap.

 “Yes who?” Your eyes met and again that devilish smirk returned.

 “Yes Gemini, I fucking love it.” He slapped you once, then twice and rubbed his dick through your wet folds. Each pass of his flesh had goosebumps rippling over your body. You held your breath in anticipation of his intrusion, but it never came. You were getting anxious. You tried to nudge back to take him into you but every attempt you made he evaded.

 Chris slapped your ass again but not with his hand. The heaviness of his dick on top of your ass cheek made you moan.

 “Shake it for me.” It was an order that was emphasized by another “thwack” of his dick.

 Thinking of your twerk playlist you shook your ass from side to side then bounced up and down sending his dick up only to drop back down onto you. Every heavy smack made you wetter. Chris looped his fingers through the straps of the panties and just stood there while you continued to shake your ass for him. You knew the second it became too much, the second he’d reached his limit. His hands tightened on the straps and positioned you just the way he wanted then snapped his hips forward burying himself to the hilt in your sopping pleasure trove. You screeched out and gripped the chaise trying your best not to fall.

 “Fuck yeah!” He didn’t slow down, not one bit. Every few seconds his hips thrust into you sending shiver after shiver through your body.

 “Oh, fuck yes baby. Fuck me Gemini!”

 As if that was the permission he needed Chris pounding into you with reckless abandon. You could barely catch your breath every time he withdrew before he was again stealing it by trying to split you in half. Chris grunted and groaned behind letting you know just how lucky your bush was.

 “Mmm, whose is it?” His voice was rough and deep. When you didn’t answer after the third thrust he changed his angle and depth and brutally rammed into you making you scream.

 “Whose lucky bush is this?”

 “Yours!” Gritting your teeth, the words barely made it out. It wasn’t enough for him. He pummeled you again pulling yet another scream from you.

 “Whose!”

 “Gemini’s!”

 Chris jackhammered into you surprising you with the sheer power his body held. You knew you were about to fall apart, and he knew it too. Chris pressed his hand into the back of your head sending your face down to the chaise, so your ass was the only thing in the air. The new angle had you seeing stars, rainbows, unicorns, and sparkles.

 “Fuck right it’s Gemini’s. This pussy is Gemini’s. This ass is Gemini’s. You’re fucking mine!”

 You didn’t care how loud you were screaming, didn’t care about anything but what you knew was going to be a killer orgasm. Chris slammed into you once then circled his hips and stroked your g-spot. That was the hammer that broke the dam. You clamped around him and screamed and let go of everything including any shame or embarrassment. You didn’t know what was coming out your mouth, you’d lost control of it all. Chris grunted and pulled you back onto him trying to bury even deeper as he filled you up. Each spurt of his love only sent you higher and higher until you were soaring above the Earth itself and into the next galaxy. 

When your bodies stopped shaking Chris was lying behind you on the chaise with one of his lanky legs draped over yours. He was still sheathed in your heat. You could feel that he was not done. He kissed your ear then your neck.

 “Mmmm. Jesus. That was incredible,” you hoarsely whispered. His smile could be felt on your skin.

 “I told you, Gemini Flanagan’s probably good at a lot of things.” You busted out laughing then turned your body to face him. Chris groaned as he slipped from you and gazed into your eyes.

 “Maybe you should bring him out to play more often,” you suggested. His smile was wide.

 “Oh, you like Gemini huh.”

 “I love Christopher Robert Evans.” You softly kissed him twice, each time adding a little bit more tongue. He moaned and gently caressed your back down to your ass. His hands felt so good on you, you loved when he touched you. “Gemini—eh, he’s all right,” you added.

 Chris snorted. “Oh whatever; says the one who was incoherently babbling as if they were a mute.” You giggled knowing he was damn right. Chris imitated what you’d sounded like while rolling his eyes to the back of his head.

 “Oh my god, stop it.” You playfully slapped his chest while you giggled.

 “Oh my god I’ve heard plenty of times. Stop, is a first.” You smiled then rolled onto him and slowly slid onto his length. Chris arched back and groaned letting his hands fly to your hips. You stifled a moan wanting to show him that you controlled him. he was yours.

 “Jesus, Lucky Bush is—just as incredible,” another grunt escaped him before he moaned. His mouth fell open as he watched you slowly wine against him.

 “God baby,” Chris whispered squeezing your hips. You laid across him and went to his ear.

 “Is Gemini up for round two or do you want Lucky Bush to do all the work?” Chris crashed his lips to yours and kissed you with an urgency that had a taste of seduction.

 “I think Lucky Bush better show me how she got that name.” You smiled and rose up accepting the challenge.

 You knew this was not the last you’d seen of Gemini Flanagan and you couldn’t wait till he made his reemergence. 

Tag List:

@airis-paris14 @thiccdaddy-mbaku @wakandas-vibranium @wakanda-inspired @theunsweetenedtruth @ashanti-notthesinger @reignsxjackson @halfrican-heat @ambthegamer @simplyyamberr @mejustme06  @ilcb7 @leahnicole1219  @destinio1 @maliadestiny @drsunshine97 @blowmymbackout @purplehairgawdess @thehuntoyobun @wakandamama @wakandawinning @profilia @zxddy-panther @h-challa @babygirlofwakanda @misswakanda2018 @ororowrites@hutchj @myfavemarvelfanfics @lavitabella87 @afraiddreamingandloving @autumn242 @purple-apricots @skysynclair19 @hersheyskissesss-blog @blue-ishx @90sinspiredgirl @tchallaswife @tchallamakesmeh0lla @turn-thy-paige @blackchickfics @blackpantherismyish @inlovewithmakeupcomicsanimelove @naturally-bri @flawlesslybeautiful14 @qweentbh @lunaerly @theoutereffect@twilight-sapphire-lover @pupyluv247 @stark-red19 @cockyboysandsugarism@maverickabull @madbadsiren @aykanna @myaw731 @ruruly20 @mixedmelanin @brittyevans @bezzywazhere @laketaj24  @soulsparker @theresnomoregoodones @syreanne @heybriheyyy @wakanda-bcth @uhlxis  @maliadestiny @dadinhas-heat @yaachtynoboat711 @geeksareunique @bultalongthewayside @ajspencer1892 @captiansaveasmut @imaginewhoever @terrablaze514 @starsshines-blog @scrumptiouslytenaciouscrusade @darkandlovely94 @sithlordslut @wavyyc @naturalistamisslyn @nigarachi15 @madamslayyy @blackandfair @kreolemami @mylastnameisthe-fish @kaykay0829 @chaneajoyyy @tequilajay27 @blacklotus-of-the-black-kingdom @slimmiyagi @im5ftbutmythroat66 @jaeee-http@madhatterhelsing @sunflowerpsalms @wakanda-shit-is-that @deliciousstreetkidcroissant @jecourt @vebner37 @disneysdarlingdiva @melaninmarvel @alanastormborn @dolphinpink310 @yourwonderbelle  @ohleucothea @queentearra @bitchbetterhavemydinner @fentybabyy @kaykay4454fan @priya212 @kitkit1690 @chrismarcs @beautycomesindifferentformsworld @blackpantherimagines @ovohanna24 @sweetpeachjones @kslo000 @nubian-queen18 @omgsuperstarg  @mejustme06 @ilcb7 @leahnicole1219 @destinio1 @drsunshine97 @blue-ishx @inlovewithmakeupcomicsanimelove @prettyprincessushio @treeondrea  @ursapharoh05  @blackpinup22 @kaytauru @big3gocandykahn @kissingpineapples @wildaboutchrisevans   @fitfineandstayingalive @misspooh @michele-onel @gorjiss @blacklotus-of-the-black-kingdom @muva-milaje @limbo-limbo-limbo @awkwardlyabstract @blxck-brxndie  @meeky-imagines @inlovewith3 @metalarmlover @mellowjellow6 @scrumptiouslytenaciouscrusade @thatrandomhetaliachick @missdeerstalker15 @ursapharoh05 @treeondrea @ovohanna24 @marvelheaux @romanceoftheeveryday @mufasathatniggatho @cltex84 @sweetbearcolorgarden @msincognito67 @mosagram @lunaerly @mar-ta-3 @ljstraightnochaser @lewatigress @akimi-youngblood @bekahdean87 @jasmindaughteroftheworld @cocooned-butterfly @emoniclark22 @chereedrop619 @theblulife @niggarachi15 @drsunshine97 @msincognito67 @missdeerstalker15 @wakandamama  @avenger-marvel-fan @arieljamiyla @vibranium-soul @monae-boss @queenxchallaxkillamonger@amirra88 @jaeee-http @omg-itsnadi @fonville-designs @sydneebleu @cherrystainedlipsbaby @behindthesehazeleyes27 @areubeingserved @kelbabyblue @academic-glowup  @patzammit @yourwonderbelle @pennywisesmistress @squeackygee @noramushrooms @titty-teetee @ab-baybay @kreolemami @impossiblegiantrebelbasketball @dangerouslovefanfic @heladoom @renesmeeharelds @zaddysqueen7 @alyxkbrl @hello-therree @taylorveebee @a-dizzle777 @deidrashouseofpain @coldmuffinbanditshoe  @evemej  @chaselovinggert @ben-wyxtt @designerwriterchic @chrisgalore @jennmurawski13 @rynabarnesrogers @yunggyeezyy @kemkem101 @dearkyrainez @minton131@momobaby227 @jesseswartzwelder @briellableu @browneyes9125 @mjey12 @magdelen69 @hannahholland1811 @lo-cheu @cocooned-butterfly @firstangeldragonranch  @jovanaprime @kemkem101 @gladiatrix14 @soapjay  

[callunavulgari]

Scrapbook 2021 | Part I

For anyone that’s new to this, this is how I keep track of all of the things I enjoy and/or create throughout the year. I have literally been doing this since I had a livejournal. I think the first one was 2011? Maybe? In which case, woohoo, ten years of scrapbooking!

It’s a nice little snippet of my life and helps to organize my brain.

A reminder:

Normal font - Indifferent/Neutral Italicized font - Enjoyed bold font - Loved with an asterisk* - All time favorite (bracketed titles) - Re-watches/Re-reads strikethough - Disliked

Goals are: read 80 books, finish five video games, write more than 20 fics or something larger than 20k, and write either an original short story or start a novel. 

Past Years

MOVIES

January

(Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring)

(Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers)

(Lord of the Rings: Return of the King)

Robin Hood

(Hook)

Wolfwalkers

February

(Age of Ultron)

From Up On Poppy Hill

(Tangled)

(Onward)

(The Mummy)

(Hercules)

(Promare)

March

Raya and the Last Dragon

(My Neighbor Totoro)

April

(Hunchback of Notre Dame)

(Tarzan)

(Beauty and the Beast)

Weathering With You

BOOKS

January

A Deadly Education | Naomi Novak [Fin]

Home Body | Rupi Kaur [Fin]

The Sunken Mall | K.D. Edwards [Fin]

Bloom | Kevin Panetta [Fin]

The Angel of Crows | Katherine Addison

All the Stars and Teeth | Adalyn Grace [Fin]

The Adventure Zone: Vol 1 | McElroys & Carey Pietsch [Fin]

I Hope You Stay | Courtney Peppernell [Fin]

Pillow Thoughts | Courtney Peppernell [Fin]

Piraneesi | Susanna Clarke [Fin]

The Ex Talk | Rachel Lynn Solomon [Fin]

February

The Adventure Zone: Vol 2 | McElroys & Carey Pietsch [Fin]

The Adventure Zone: Vol 3 | McElroys & Carey Pietsch [Fin]

The Angel of Crows | Katherine Addison

Alice Isn’t Dead | Joseph Fink

March

Winter’s Orbit | Everina Maxwell [Fin]

Fireheart Tiger | Aliette de Bodard [Fin]

Alice Isn’t Dead | Joseph Fink

Fire | Kristin Cashore [Fin]

Bitterblue | Kristin Cashore [Fin]

The Witch’s Heart | Genevieve Gornichec [Fin]

Winterkeep | Kristin Cashore

April

Alice Isn’t Dead | Joseph Fink [Fin]

Winterkeep | Kristin Cashore [Fin]

The Memory Theater | Karin Tidbeck [Fin]

These Violent Delights | Chloe Gong 

(Red White and Royal Blue | Casey Mcquiston) [Fin]

Rule of Wolves | Leigh Bardugo [Fin]

Alice Isn’t Dead | Joseph Fink [Fin]

Not the Girl You Marry | Andie Christopher [Fin]

The Echo Wife | Sarah Gailey [Fin]

The Midnight Library | Matt Haig

Catherine House | Elisabeth Thomas [Fin]

Séance Tea Party | Reimena Yee [Fin]

Lumberjanes vol 1 | Noelle Stevenson [Fin]

PODCASTS

January

The Unseen, Christmas and New Year Special

The Penumbra Podcast, Juno Steel arc, Heart of It All and What Lies Beyond

The Penumbra Podcast, Second Citadel, Strong Arm of Justice and The Priestess’ Fortune

I Am In Eskew, Episode 16

Welcome to Night Vale, Episode 67, 68, and 69

The Magnus Archives, Episode 190 and 191

February

The Magnus Archives, Episode 192-194

The Adventure Zone, Episodes 15-60

March

The Magnus Archives, Episode 194-200 [Fin]

The Adventure Zone, Episodes 60-TAZ BALANCE ENDING

MBMBAM, Episode 1

I Am In Eskew, Episode 17-22

April

I Am In Eskew, Episode 23-END

Alice Isn’t Dead, Episode 18-END

TV SHOWS BY SEASON

January

His Dark Materials, s2 [Fin]

Watcher Entertainment

Buzzfeed Worth It

(Black Sails, s1)

The Queen’s Gambit**

February

Cherry Magic

Wandavision, s1

Watcher Entertainment

The Owl House

(Little Witch Academia)

Star vs the Forces of Evil, s3, s4

Bridgerton

Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime

Heaven’s Official Blessing

March

Wandavision, s1 [Fin]

Watcher Entertainment, Puppet History & Watcher Weekly

Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Word of Honor

April

Word of Honor, s1

Watcher Entertainment, Puppet History

Falcon and the Winter Soldier, s1

Kim’s Convenience, s1, 2, 3, 4

Leverage, s4

Shadow and Bone, s1

The Great, s1

VIDEO GAMES

January

Hades, 37 hours [Fin]

Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, 35 hours

February

Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, 35 hours

Hades, 75+ hours? 

Animal Crossing: New Horizons, 16 hours

Persona 5 Royal

March

Animal Crossing: New Horizons, 45 hours

Persona 5 Royal, 141 hours

Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, 35 hours

Concrete Genie, 3 hours

April

Concrete Genie, 6 hours [Fin]

Animal Crossing: New Horizons, 65 hours

Persona 5 Royal, 160 hours

Monster Hunter Rise, 2 hours

Civ, 5 hours

DELIGHTFUL FIC

January

Modern Rustic by beethechange | Buzzfeed Unsolved | Ryan/Shane | 22k | “I think,” he says, finally, “that if we looked around this place hard enough, we’d find a rose underneath a—a glass thing, what’s it called—losing petals. Metaphorically.”

easy livin' by sarcasticfishes | Buzzfeed Unsolved (Fallout AU) | Ryan/Shane | 6k | The Wasteland - and Ryan - through Shane's eyes.

(in nocte consiliam by oxymoronic | Bartimaeus | Bartimaeus/Nathaniel | 4k | London, 2003. Britain is on the brink of war, and someone is trying rather hard to kill John Mandrake.)

made of glass the way you see through me by uneventfulhouses | Buzzfeed Unsolved | Ryan/Shane | 19k | Will it always be like this? Ryan wonders, watching Shane lope up the snowy walkway and pushing his way through the front door, humming some jolly old tune in that way Shane’s prone to do. Theatrical, performing for an audience even though Ryan is the only one around.

All Your Stars In View by alpha_exodus | Harry Potter | Draco/Harry | 18k | Life after the war is difficult for Harry, especially when the only thing that makes him feel better is, oddly enough, being around Malfoy. So when Malfoy asks to paint his portrait, Harry can't refuse, even if it means baring himself in more ways than one.

13 Genuinely Awful Things About Steven by thefourthvine | Buzzfeed Worth It | Steven/Andrew | 10k | Andrew’s learned to like cake, he’s learned to like oysters, and he’s learned to like Steven.

we’ll make a brand new start of it (in old new york) by misantlery | Buzzfeed Worth It | Steven/Andrew | 10k | “Just to be clear,” Andrew says. “You want me to pretend to be your boyfriend at a party to spite your high school bully and your high school girlfriend and possibly the entire state of Ohio?”

Russian Roulette Croquembouche by misantlery | Buzzfeed Worth It | Andrew/Steven | 9k | “Get that on your business card,” Andrew advises. “Steven Lim, video producer, world traveler, fancy dessert boy. Human cream puff.”

rose-colored boy by juniperProse | Buzzfeed Worth It | Steven/Andrew | 2k | Andrew’s eyes are pink.

Like Wildfire by makemadej | Watcher Entertainment | Shane/Ryan | 20k | “Is this gonna be a thing with you?” Ryan demands. “You can’t keep committing to stuff that no one else knows about! When people online say they want you to be more open and vulnerable, this is not what they mean.”

Scratching the Itch by bendingsignpost | Doctor Who | Rose/Ten | 20k | Her mum had always told her that blokes had only one thing on their minds, but this was taking it to an entirely new level.

lie back and let me unlock you by Lise | The Untamed | Xiao Xingchen/Xue Yang | 7k | Xiao Xingchen, reluctantly, admits to certain fantasies that he has. His friend is happy to indulge him.

in our respective ways by Lise | The Untamed | Jiang Cheng & Lan Wangji | 6k | Jiang Cheng has his golden core back. But he seems to have lost Wei Wuxian.

By Proxy by Lise | The Untamed | Jiang Cheng/Lan Wangji | 12k | Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji, looking for comfort in all the wrong places.

some good mistakes by Lise | The Untamed | Jiang Cheng & Lan Wangji | 18k |  Or, the one where Wei Wuxian vanishes and Lan Wangji, reluctantly, asks for Jiang Cheng's help tracking him down.

efforts in a common cause by Lise | The Untamed | Xiao Xingchen/Xue Yang/Song Lan | 12k | Everybody's walked out of Yi City alive. Now it's just three badly adjusted adults (and one badly adjusted teenager) trying to make things work - a project somewhat derailed by a night hunt that turns out to be something else.

swinger of birches by astronicht | The Untamed | Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian | 23k | Lan Zhan is a little witch in the house on the hill, whispering out a love curse. Wei Ying is a witch undead, undone.

let me desecrate you by hkafterdark | The Untamed | Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian | 6k | “Dangerous words.” Wei Wuxian drew back. The flickering candlelight gave him an otherworldly appearance; that, and his beauty, unchanged since the first time Lan Wangji had seen him. “You aren’t afraid to be at the mercy of the fearsome Yiling laozu?”

The Demon Affair by stereobone | Yu Yu Hakusho | Hiei/Kurama | 9k | Kurama accidentally seduces Hiei into a relationship.

i came to win (and i won) by paperclipbitch | The Queen’s Gambit | Beth/Benny | 3k | They play chess, and they fuck.The two things are not the same.

February

Sylvain Gautier Would Love To Try To Solve All Your Problems Through Sex (Hey It Might Help) by Fall Out Boy by harriet_vane | Fire Emblem: Three Houses | Sylvain/Felix | 22k | In which Sylvain wakes up on the wrong tour bus, and refuses to be their sex therapist (unless Felix asks nicely)

Turnabout and Start Again by runningondreams | The Untamed | Wei Wuxian/Lan Wangji | 34k | WIP | Wei Wuxian lives. The siege fails.Thirteen years later, Lan Wangji wakes in a body that is not his own.

μήτηρ, in the Greek by antistar_e (kaikamahine) | Hades | Nyx & Persephone, canon relationships | 37k | At the end of this recounting, she tilted her head and asked politely, Is this not how you have children?Uh, no, said Persephone.

that voodoo that you do so well by veterization | Buzzfeed Unsolved | Ryan/Shane | 18k |  Ryan buys a voodoo potion oil at Voodoo Authentica meant to attract Yummy Boys. Appropriately, things happen.

A Bridge Between by Runespoor | Spirited Away | Gen | 3k | Years later, Chihiro moves into a new apartment; her parents help.

the ghost king's bride by arahir | Tian Guan Ci Fu | Hua Cheng/Xie Lian | 10k | Ghosts won't stop giving Xie Lian flowers, Hua Cheng won't stop teasing, and Xie Lian is out here doing his best, man.

Side bitch out of your league by rohkeutta | Captain America | Steve/Bucky | 3k | “I tried to call Sam,” Captain America says, bewildered. He’s sprinting like Usain Bolt and doesn’t sound even a little out of breath. Fucker. “Who’re you?”

cause in your warmth (I forget how cold it can be) by madnessandbrilliance | Promare | Lio/Galo | 7k | Lio is always freezing. Galo is always warm. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the rest.

backdraft by broments | Promare | Lio/Galo | 32k | It happens in an instant, Galo gaping like an idiot while Lio presses forward to defend against the perceived threat, the weapon sparkling but not burning as it kisses Galo's throat.

your perfect crime (& how you laugh when you lie) by aroceu | The Untamed | Lan Zhan/Wei Wuxian | Death Note AU | 8k | The first time a convicted murderer dies of a heart attack in their jail cell, no one thinks anything of it.

Yosuke will now die for you! by DragonBandit | Persona 4 | Yosuke/Souji | 5k | ...This, causes problems.

dramamine by brawlite | The Untamed | Song Lan/Xue Yang | 7k | Song Lan is having a bad morning. Help comes from the last person he'd expect: Xue Yang.

Hearth and Home by lady_ragnell | Leverage | Alec/Eliot/Parker | 1k | When Eliot goes to a temple, or when he’s in one place long enough to build a shrine, he doesn’t do it for Ares. He does it for Hestia.

Where One Ends and the Other Begins by kalliopeia | Leverage | Alec/Parker/Eliot | 30k | Nobody’s particularly shocked when the job goes spectacularly sideways because their loot turns out to be magic. Parker and Eliot begin reading each other’s minds, accidental sharing happens, and shenanigans result.

Hungry Thirsty Roots by coolkidroland | Persona 5 | Akechi/Akira | 56k | In which Akira absolutely does not learn to leave well enough alone. **

Without Grasping Yet by Angelic_Ascent | Persona 5 | Akechi/Akira | 8k | Akechi and Akira end up far too cramped for comfort in the Morgana bus. And then they're left alone in Mementos.

Falling Up by KivaEmber | Persona 5 | Akechi/Akira | 2k | “If it helps…” Akira spoke up suddenly, his tone morbidly amused, “I forgive you, for shooting me in the face.”

March

Touch of Forbidden by tirsynni | LoZ | Ganondorf/Link | 2k |  Nabooru warned him not to travel to the Spirit Temple. So of course Link went to the Spirit Temple.

breaking the same old heart by tardigradeschool | The Adventure Zone | Magnus/Taako | 11k | Taako and Magnus in triptych: before, during, and after the Bureau.**

your head is good, it��s loyal, it’s clean by Anonymous | TAZ | Magnus/Taako | 4k | "Here, I do this all the time."Too quickly for him to react, Taako plucks away one of his golden rings and slips it onto the ring finger of Magnus' left hand.

bruising kisses, whispered confessions by tangerine_skye | TAZ | Magnus/Taako | 3k | The trio stop over at an inn for the night. Taako and Magnus share a bed.

i can see what's coming (but i'm not saying it) by pansywaist | TAZ | Magnus/Taako | 3k | His breath is still hot on Taako's lips, distracting enough he almost misses the strained whisper: “I thought I was gonna lose you.”

Emergency Consolation in the Pocket Spa by Anonymous | TAZ | Magnus/Taako | 3k | If Magnus wants to hug a wizard, Magnus gets to hug a wizard.

together for the long haul by kismetNemesis | TAZ | Magnus/Taako | 6k | Magnus and Taako were married on a bright spring day in the year after they saved the world.

thin skin, bruises, and a cold cup of tea by GayFrankensteinsMonster | TAZ | Magnus/Taako | 3k | Sleep is for the weak, and Magnus has no weaknesses, except for his own natural curiosity.

tender is the night by dollylux | TAZ | Magnus/Taako | 10k |  “It’s just…” He runs a hand through the thick bramble of his hair, gripping the crown of it to anchor himself. He sighs, slumping back against the footboard. “I guess I’m just not very good at one on one. Like, not… not in any way.”

a note is attached to the top of the vial by GayFrankensteinsMonster | TAZ | Kravitz/Taako, Magnus/Taako | 5k |  Elves have a lifespan of up to six hundred years. The people that you know don't even come close to that.

Pieces of Memory and Heart by ellemaris | Raya and the Last Dragon | Raya/Namaari | 1k | Raya isn't sure how to heal everything between Heart and Fang, but returning something important to Namaari seems like a start.

the gods laugh by miss_aphelion | The Untamed | Wei Wuxian/Lan Wangji | 11k+ | WIP | Wei Wuxian is just getting used to being alive again when he's ripped from the world he knows. He wakes in a place where his sister and her husband live, where his brother doesn't hate him, where the Wen remnants have all survived.

In Your Room, In Your Bed by giraffeter | The Untamed | Wei Wuxian/Lan Wangji/Jiang Cheng | 25k | After Wei Ying is disowned, Yu Ziyuan forbids Jiang Cheng from letting Wei Ying live with him. Jiang Cheng lets him stay anyway because Fuck That. He tells his parents Lan Zhan is his new roommate instead.

in the blossom season (in the pouring rain) by varnes | The Untamed | Wei Wuxian/Lan Wangji | 14k |  “Doctor Flowers,” Lan Zhan repeats, pointing at the tiny plum tree, just to confirm that his son is suggesting a magical tree named Doctor Flowers sprouted overnight and made their tame family project turn into a verdant jungle.

34 years old - 5'8" - DL - no-BB by withpractice_ff | Ace Attorney | Edgeworth/Phoenix | 3k | Phoenix finds Edgeworth’s Grindr profile

spinning with the stars above by tardigradeschool | The Untamed | Wei Wuxian/Lan Wangji | 7k | Wangji returns home to Vulcan for the first time since he left for Starfleet Academy, this time with Wei Ying at his side. He’s not expecting Wei Ying and his uncle to be fast friends, but things go poorly in a very different way than he was expecting.

every breath that comes before by tardigradeschool | The Untamed | Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian | 10k | Or, what if that cup of wine Wei Wuxian drank for Lan Wangji after the Phoenix Mountain hunt wasn't just wine?

never love an anchor by tardigradeschool | Wei Wuxian/Lan Wangji | 31k | A fisherman and a selkie fall in love beside the sea. Regretfully, things are never quite that simple.

Be Careful by giraffeter | The Untamed | Song Lan/Xue Yang | 5k |  Song Lan and Xue Yang try to survive a week in their shared apartment without Xiao Xingchen as a buffer.

  won't you let me know you now by tardigradeschool | The Untamed | Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian | 12k | WIP | “Have you ever heard of a mind meld?” Wangji keeps his voice as level as possible, as if he is not revealing foremost Vulcan secrets.

April

running for a soft place to fall by tardigradeschool | The Untamed | Lan Xichen & Lan Wangji | 10k |  As he leaves for his coming of age test at age twelve, half-Vulcan Xichen has a goal in mind. The rules of the kahs-wan prohibit taking food, water, or weapons. In accordance, Xichen is bringing none of those things, but he does have a compass tucked into his pocket. He is going to find his father.

an act too often neglected by Ariaste | The Untamed | Lan Xichen/Meng Yao | 60k | The single faceless, anonymous photograph on the profile that catches his eye is shot in elegant black-and-white, and there’s something about the crispness of the focus and the markedly off-center composition that says art, for once, rather than mugshot.The caption below is equally sparse: “5’6. Demanding.”

where you go, I'm going (so jump and I'm jumping) by Aria | The Magnus Archives | Martin/Jonathan | 6k | "I don't think so," Alex said. She looked at Martin. "Is this really how it went?"

Morning, keep the streets empty for me by feyburner | The Untamed | Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian | 6k | Ghosts were drawn to the ring roads.

2am on a saturday by detectorist | The Untamed | Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian | 11k | In which Lan Zhan gets high, slides into Wei Ying's DMs, and somehow ends up having the harmonica played to him at 2am in the morning.

Grief Kindly Stopped by ShanaStoryteller | The Untamed | Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian | 5k | Nothing leaves the Burial Mounds alive.

superhero love triangle by Asuka Kureru (Askerian) | Bleach?! | Grimmjow/Ichigo | WIP | 17k | You know those classical superhero-genre love triangles that actually only contain two people? Yeah.

Boat Basin by downjune | The Falcon and the Winter Soldier | 5k |  He thought the 21st century now maybe suffered from an overabundance of classifications for all the different ways to fuck and/or romance a person, but the most important thing—and his therapist had emphasized this—the most important thing was connection.

my touch magnifies by isozyme | Word of Honor | Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu/Ye Baiyi | 7k | Wen Kexing gets hit with fuck-or-die sex pollen on the way to Longyuan cabinet. Everything would be fine, except Zhou Zishu’s been keeping an unfortunate secret: the nails in his chest mean he can’t get hard anymore.

DELIGHTFUL FANVIDS

January

2020 || Multifandom Mashup

Hades - Official Animated Trailer

Hades Mini-PMV: This Year

2020, I guess

MARVEL || Energy (ft. Easy McCoy + Black Hydra)

obi-wan || give it

2020 ll Multifandom Mashup

Multifandom | Goodbye 2020

Multifandom | Goodbye 2018

2018 Multifandom | MASHUP

His Dark Materials - No Sanctuary

Lyra & Mrs. Coulter | Hurricane

► mrs. coulter || way down we go [hdm]

Wonder Woman || BORN READY 

Vikings | The End of the Journey

February

MARVEL || Ready Set (ft. Vo Williams)

MARVEL || Here We Go (ft. Chris Classic)

MARVEL || Is You Ready || The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Never forget || Hualian - Hua Cheng x Xie Lian AMV 

【魔道祖师 / MDZS】Animatic - The First Siege | Safe & Sound

The Jedi Way | THE MANDALORIAN

Multifandom || Going Bad (feat. Drake)

March

Broccolli Casserole--The Untamed

Hey Brother - The Adventure Zone Animatic/PMV

The Adventure Zone: Balance trailer

The Adventure Zone: Balance Arc Trailer (Animatic)

13 Year Olds (A MDZS Animatic by Arcxus)

Multifandom || Die In This Town

DNA | shadow & bone

(Marvel) Wanda Maximoff | Grief

Defying Gravity | MDZS/CQL Animatic

It’s Quiet Uptown | MDZS Animatic

To The Stars

(Marvel) WandaVision || Awaken

Walt Disney Animation Studios | A Magical Journey

We don't have forever.

stop living a fake life.

► Wanda Maximoff | PAINT IT BLACK (+15k)

Multifandom || Take It (c/w Quang Truong) ft. @SEIGE WORLD​

Kylo Ren | STAR WARS

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

April

MARVEL || Natural ft.ImagineDragons

​ xue yang & xiao xingchen ➤ gasoline

WEN KEXING || GASOLINE

Wen Kexing ✘ Zhou Zishu || Dandelions

Play With Fire - Wen Kexing

TOXIC ~ Wen Kexing ~ word of honor ~ 山河令

(Marvel) Bucky Barnes | Free

Bucky Barnes | Feeling Good

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier || Next Level ft. @7kingZ​ || (Marvel)

Eternity looking down on us.

The complexity of reality.

Captain America

✗ The Crows | Trouble (Shadow&Bone)

Shadow & Bone | Paint It Black

The secret fate of all life.

DELIGHTFUL MUSIC

January

A Better Version - Jessie Shelton

Start a War - Klergy, Valerie Broussard

Meet Me in the Dark - Melissa Etheridge

ily - Surf Mesa, Emilee

Space Man - Eurielle

To Be Loved - Aurora

In the Blood - Darren Korb

Can’t Help Falling in Love - Tommee Profitt

Astronomical - SVRCINA

Oh Comely - Neutral Milk Hotel

In This Shirt - The Irrepressibles

goblincore + cottagecore

moonlit love letters 🌙💌 (sailor moon-inspired lofi mix)

Moonlight Densetsu Lo-Fi Remix 1 hour version

Peaceful Meditation

February

Never Forget You - Zara Larsson

Is You Ready - Migros

Recomposed Four Seasons - Max Richter

The End - JPOLND

Love Yourself - Sufjan Stevens

Deja | Daniel Roure

Used To Like | Neon Trees

Material Boy - Sir Sly

Willow - Taylor Swift

Overture - Apashe

Evangeline - Josh Garrels

Gris, pt 1 - Berlinist

Inferno - Hiroyuki Sawano

March

BAMBAM - Angie

Dictator - Rei Ami

Demons - Hayley Kiyoko

Runaway - Rei Ami

Deep Blue - Marcus Warner

Brave New World - Kalandra

Nero - The Speed

The Path of Silence - Anne Sophie Versnaeyen

Tuleloits - Kerli

Soft to Be Strong - Marina

Relic - Reeder

Ascension - Gorillaz

Will You Follow Me Into the Dark - Klergy

Voidfish (Plural) - Rachel Mitchell

Raya and the Last Dragon soundtrack

Unicorn Wizard - Ninja Sex Party

Me Too - Meghan Trainor

Umbrella - Rihanna

Colors Flying High - Lollia

Wake Up, Get Up, Get Out There - Lyn

lovely - khalid

Burn My Dread - Lotus Juice

Progress - The Dear Hunter

My Mother Told Me - Rachel Hardy

Savage Daughter - Sarah Ross

Four - Sleeping At Last

April

The Other Side - Amarante

Predator & Prey - Griffin Puatu

As the World Caves In -Matt Maltese

Tell Her I Wasn’t Scared - Dan Thiessen

Esmeralda - Adriel Genet

Woods - AfterInfinity

So Human of You - Shireen

Flags of Rome - Jesper Kyd

Do It All the Time - I don’t Know How But They Found Me

Hummingbirds - Venus Hum

On and On - Curtis Harding

Grand Escape - RADWIMPS

my ex’s best friend - machine gun kelly

Sofia - Clairo 

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Charlotte Lawrence

Next Level - 7KingZ

Tell Me - Johnny Jewel

Get Out of Town - Firefles

Music for Anglo Saxes

I See Darkness In You - Red Mecca

Satan Is His Name - Holly Golightly

Rocky Trail - Kings of Convenience

Story - NF

Because the Night - 10,000 Maniacs

Use to Be (L.O.V.E.) - Chelsea Collins

Bird on a Wire - Simone Istwa

Huzzah - Nathan Barr

POSTED FIC

January

gonna make you feel, boy | Hades | Megaera/Thanatos/Zagreus | 1,101 words | “You can touch, you know,” she murmurs, satisfaction and anticipation warring within her. Her pulse pounds. Zagreus’s eyes have darkened, his pupils eating up all that color. He looks good enough to eat.

February

how long do we have? | She Ra | Adora/Catra | 1,539 words | “The war is over, Adora,” Catra tells her. Adora hums. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

March

only fools rush in | The Adventure Zone | Taako/Magnus | 5,209 words | “Okay,” Taako says, sitting down heavily. “So. Ancient ritual to… bring people together?”

til my lungs both billow out | The Magnus Archives | Jon/Martin | 748 words | The knife goes in. The tape runs out.

the echo, as wide as the equator | The Untamed | Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian | 2,927 words |  “Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying whispers after it is done.

April

N/A

WIPS | UNPUBLISHED | ORIGINAL

January

1685 words of Buzzfeed Unsolved, tattoo AU

February

N/A

March

3121 words of Magnus/Taako, Stolen Century verse Posted!

April

852 words of Steve/Billy

FANMIXES/GRAPHICS

January

got the morbs: sad/somber songs for sad/somber people

2021: a mix for the year that comes after 2020

Sahara Baby: a mix for songs that sound like Spanish Sahara

Fire Baby: a mix for songs that sound like Play With Fire

Consequences Baby: a mix for songs that sound like Consequences

Paradise Baby: a mix for songs that sound like Paradise Valley

Real Boy: a Zagreus playlist

February

N/A

March

only fools rush in: a taako/magnus playlist

pomegranate seeds: a persephone playlist

make them bow: a megaera playlist

fuck feelings: a taako playlist

til my lungs both billow out: a jonmartin playlist

April

i am my mother’s savage daughter: a playlist for the girl

[artificialqueens]

The Diner (Branjie)- im-good-ty

a/n: Hello ppl! So I was listening to Todrick Halls “Play” (ft. Jade Novah) and I got really inspired to write this VERY VERY cheesy lesbian AU fic. I hope y’all like it and once again feel free to send some feedback ——————————

Vanessa was late again. When is she not honestly? Now that everyone had jobs and college and stuff meeting with the dreamgirls once a week was Vanjies highlight of every week. The little diner where they met up was Vanessas favorite place(as well as Silkys and A'kerias). She knew all the staff like her own family and if someone would hold her at gunpoint and asked her to tell the menu from the heart that wouldn’t be a problem. And Vanjie also loved the atmosphere that it had. Turing daytime it was just a fun place with a lot of colors- you literally could not walk in there without a smile. But as soon as the sun went down the place lit up with a lot of neon signs. And this was the moment Vanessa enjoyed it the most. Not only did the neon signs made a cute selfie light it also made her feel like she was living in a movie. Vanessa stepped through the door being greeted by the owners daughter Nina “Hey Vanessa, late again?” she smiled “Hi Nina, yeah you know traffic was a mess” Vanessa said with a smile while rolling her eyes. They both knew it wasn’t traffic that made Vanessa late but the fact that she just couldn’t choose what the fuck to wear. V walked up to Silky and A'keria who both greeted her loudly. “Giiiirl I thought that you died or something,” Silky said teasingly “was literally about to call the police.” , “It was the traffic” V quickly answered. “Yeah sure keep telling yourself that maybe one day it actually will be true” A'keria muttered. The girls continued chatting and catching up. Silky talked about her new college crush. It as some art student who Silk had seen only once or twice but was certain they’d get married someday. A'keria talked a about her new job and about her boss who was apparently a horrible human being. Making her work over hours without extra payment. “What can I get y'all,” a voice suddenly said next to them. Silky and A'keria had already ordered and Vanessa being so into A'kerias story without even looking at the waiter she just waved her hand “The usual,” “And that would be?” Now Vanessa snapped out of A'kerias story and looked at the waitress. Standing next to her was someone V had never seen before and she knew every single person working here. She was a tall girl with long blond hair. And she was absolutely gorgeous. For a moment Vanessa forgot what are words “Shake… cherry… milk” she just stuttered “Is that all?” the girl smiled, Vanessa just nodded and watched her walk away. Turning back to her friend she was greeted with puzzled looks. “Vanj you have a lady boner” A'keria joked as Silky jokingly looked under the table “Ooh and a big one too”. Vanessa just shook her head and rolled her eyes, acting like she had no idea what they were talking about. “So where were we with your boss?” she quickly tried to change the topic. “You should ask her out,” “Your boss?” “No! The blonde waitress you dumb bitch!” “What? No I don’t like her or whatever” “Well the drool on the side of your mouth is telling a different story” “And the lady boner” Silky joined in. Vanessa just but her middle fingers up and shook them in front of her friends’ faces. Nina brought them their shakes and Silkys food. From time to time Vanessa looked over her shoulder to see the blonde girl again. She didn’t know why but that stranger made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The blonde was talking with Nina and Vanessa just got lost when the girl giggled. She wished she could hear that giggle all the time. “Oh my fucking god, take a fucking picture it will last longer,” A’keria said being clearly annoyed with Vanessa not paying enough attention to her friends. “No, I was looking at Nina” Vanessa quickly said “Good save” Silky snorted out laughing. “I wanna order a coffee” V rolled her eyes again. The rest of the evening V was focused on her friends or at least that’s what it looked but in her head, all she could think about was the strangers’ beautiful face and that cute giggle. Because Akeria had work in the morning and Silky had a lecture they wanted to go home to get some sleep. Vaness decided to stay a little longer to chat with Nina. But Silk and Akeria both knew there was a totally different reason Vanessa wanted to say. They hugged and said goodbye. V went to sit down in front of the cashier. “They left early today,” Nina said “Yeah they both have a busy life now” Vanessa smiled and looked around to see if she would spot the blonde girl. “Who is that new blonde working here?”, “I’m Brooke Lynn,” a voice said behind Vanessa. V turned around to see the blonde girl standing behind her. “Like the borough?” , “No two different names, Brooke and Lynn” the girl smiled. “I’m Vanessa. Friends call me Vanjie”, “Nice to meet you Vanjie,” Brooke said stretching out her arm. They shook their hands and Brooke left to take more orders. Vanessa turned back to Nina who was grinning broadly. “Oh stop” V smailed back. She didn’t even wanna defend herself cause she was absolutely smitten by this Brooke Lynn. * Next week couldn’t come faster. Vanessa didn’t have time to go back to the diner before the dreamgirls meetup. But no matter what she was still running late. The moment she stepped out of her house she got a text from A’keria. *Hey Girl! Sorry, can’t make it today. My boss made me do over hours again. Texted Silk too. How about tomorrow? -A * *Tomorrow sounds fine - V* Although Vanessa missed her friends and couldn’t wait to hear about their week she was still hella excited to go to the diner. The diner was almost empty with just one lady drining coffee and eating an eclair. “Hey! Are you here first today? I can’t believe it.” Nina said. Vanessa shook her head “The others couldn’t make it,”, “Oh okay. Well, Brooke is outside having a smoke break” Nina said with a wink. “Just give me a coffee please” V shook her head. Vanessa took her coffee and sat down by the window. She had a book with her so she just started reading it. Vanessa hated reading but she needed to look like she was busy and not there to enjoy the sight of Brooke. “Hey Vanjie.” a soft voice said. A blonde girl was standing next to Vanessas table now. “Hi Brooke” V said with a big smile gesturing her hand for Brooke to sit down. “How is the most beautiful person on the earth doing?” Brooke said with a smile making Vanjie blush. “I’m not sure, how are you?” V flirted back. A huge group of people walked in wich ment Brooke had to go back to work. “Oh before I go” Brooke looked at Vanessa “I lost my phone number so can I have yours?” Vanessa just looked at the blonde with confusion “You can’t lose… oooooooh… that… is very cheesy” V smiled after understanding the pickup line a few seconds late. V took a pen from Brooke Lynns aprons pocket and wrote her phone number on a napkin. Yes, she could have written int directly into Brookes phone but it would have taken the movie magic away. When Vanessa got home she sat down on her couch placing her phone next to her and eagerly checking every notification she got. Finally a text from an unknown number. *Hey V! I need your help. There is this really cute girl that I wanna ask out but I think she might say no.- Brooke* Vanessa was very confused. Wasn’t Brooke just flirting with her at the diner? *Oh. I don’t know just call them or something.-V* *Can I call you first to practise?-B* *Sure- V* Immediately her phone rang. “Hi Brooke!” “Hey Vanjie. I was wondering would you like to go out with me?” “Haha sure. See it wasn’t that hard. Now you can call her.” “But I am calling her.” Vanessa could feel how her whole face turned bright red at that moment.

[accountingfortaste]

Favorite Films of 2017

by Clay Keller

I’m finding it difficult to write something coherent about Olivier Assayas’ Personal Shopper, partially because the more I watch it, the more I’m convinced that I’m not meant to try; that its power lies in its complete lack of interest in being “coherent.” Just as a life, especially one thrown into grief-stricken chaos, only has the coherence that we arbitrarily apply to it, Personal Shopper is a series of strange and beguiling instances, full of un-explained oddities, horrors, and loose-ends. Instances that capture, better than any movie I’ve seen, that ephemeral feeling of existential entrapment; of being not stuck in place, but captive somehow. It’s a maddening, inexplicable, feeling, and that a film could dramatize it so well is deeply impressive.  

Speaking of captivity, Kristen Stewart delivers a performance in Personal Shopper that is so unvarnished, so unencumbered, that one has a difficult time conceiving that it was delivered at all, and not just simply lived. Each time I revisit this film I find it more difficult to turn away. It’s only a matter of time before Americans accept what the French celebrated a few years back: the fact that Kristen Stewart is fucking terrific. 

Anyway, I don’t know. Maybe everything I wrote above is rambling pablum. A bunch of nonsense my mind concocted by way of trying to intellectualize (or excuse) an instinctual love of a weirdo movie in which Kristen Stewart has a dramatic imessage conversation for twenty minutes and gets attacked by a Victorian ghost, which is just audacious and great. Is Personal Shopper a brilliant work by a genius and his genius muse? Is Personal Shopper bullshit? 

Or is it just me?

HONORABLE MENTION

(In Alphabetical Order)

Baby Driver (Edgar Wright)

The Big Sick (Michael Showalter)

Get Out (Jordan Peele)

A Ghost Story (David Lowery)

Lady Bird (Greta Gerwig)

Lady Macbeth (William Oldroyd)

Molly’s Game (Aaron Sorkin)

Thor: Ragnarok (Taika Waititi)

Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri (Martin McDonagh)

Win It All (Joe Swanberg)

Anticipated 2017 Films Not Yet Seen: The Post (Update: I loved it!), Phantom Thread (Update: Favorite PTA since TWBB), The Florida Project, mother!, Good Time

MOST ANTICIPATED IN 2018

Annihilation (Alex Garland)

- Behind the camera: our premier sci-fi screenwriter. In front of the camera: Portman, Thompson, and Isaac. In the audience: me. 

The Happytime Murders (Brian Henson)

- The director of two of the best Muppet movies making his first feature in 20 years is definitely something to be excited about. 

E-Book (Olivier Assayas)

- Assayas has been so contemplative lately that we’ve forgotten that he’s also a total goddamn genre-mixing weirdo (see: Demonlover, Boarding Gate). Now he’s making a “full-blown comedy” with Juliette Binoche, one of his oldest collaborators, and I am here for it. 

Underwater (William Eubank)

- My favorite subgenre + my favorite Kristen Stewart = a movie I will probably love regardless of objective quality. 

You Were Never Really Here (Lynne Ramsey)

- If this trailer doesn’t ignite all of your senses, you are dead to the magic of cinema: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMqsd7Umxy8

FAVORITE CLASSICS FIRST SEEN IN 2017

How on earth did I not see Do the Right Thing until I was nearly 30? It’s almost unfathomable how colorful, funny, and heartbreaking Spike Lee’s 3rd film is. It has myriad memorable scenes and characters. It creates a sense of place in a way that is almost unparalleled in film history. It’s entertaining as hell. It also has a pulsating heart of essential humanity and righteous anger that vibrates at such an honest frequency as to make you feel literally connected to the screen as the narrative unfolds. Do the Right Thing shook me, and is one of those “as good or better than its out-sized reputation” films, alongside The Godfather and Casablanca. 

FAVORITE TELEVISION

Me, at the beginning of 2017: “I’ve never seen Twin Peaks, mostly because I’m worried I’ll hate it, I’m not really a David Lynch fan.” Me, in August of 2017: “HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT THE ZIG-ZAG FLOORS IN THE BLACK LODGE ARE THE SAME AS THE ZIG-ZAG FLOORS IN THE LOBBY OF ERASERHEAD’S APARTMENT BUILDING?! AND THERE’S A PHOTO OF A MUSHROOM CLOUD ON THE WALL?! IS IT ALL CONNECTED?!” 

If I could retroactively make one of my 2017 resolutions be “do a total 180 on David Lynch and get super into Twin Peaks” then I would have accomplished something in this God-foresaken shit-ass year. I don’t know if it was age, or context, or what, but this year found my eyes suddenly opened to the genius of well-known genius David Lynch. I went from avoiding Twin Peaks for years to devouring and loving both of the original seasons. From “Mulholland Drive is weird and boring” to “Mulholland Drive is weird and a stone-cold modern masterpiece.” My former podcast co-host Darren Franich maintains that one needs to learn how to watch David Lynch, by watching David Lynch, and I couldn’t agree more. Watch just one of the elliptical missives that Lynch has released into our miasma and you will be left befuddled and possibly angry. Watch five and you’ll unlock the mysteries of the universe. 

Hyperbole? Perhaps. Then again, did you see episode 8 of Twin Peaks: The Return? 

It would have been so easy for Lynch and Frost to thrill Twin Peaks fans with The Return. After all, these are people (myself now included) who get goosebumps every time Kyle MacLachlan is so much as in the same room as a cup of coffee. Put a cherry pie on front of him and they (again, me now included) need to change their shorts. Instead, and, in retrospect, predictably, Lynch and Frost decided to use the eighteen hours Showtime gave them to thrill their audience in a different way: by creating an audio/visual experience the likes none of them had ever seen. Was it frustrating to wait nearly the entire season for our beloved Agent Cooper to return (if he does at all)? Yes. Were there storylines and characters that seemed meandering and pointless? Yes. Who the fuck is Freddie and why does he have a green glove hand? Yes. But none of that matters, because, for an entire summer, I rushed home on Sunday nights, needing to immerse myself in the wild juxtapositions of image and sound and performance that Lynch plucked out of the cosmos and so graciously delivered to us mere mortals, as soon as I possibly could.  

When Cooper finally did come back, well, Lynch nailed that moment too (goosebumps! shorts-changing!), of course, because he’s just as good at giving you what you want as he is at giving you what you need. And nostalgia goosebumps are lovely and all, but it’s a testament to the success of Twin Peaks: The Return that the nostalgia goosebumps are not what I’ll remember. What I’ll remember is when Cooper (?) asks what year it is, Laura Palmer (?) screams, and the lights go out in Twin Peaks (?), and my skin basically tore apart at the seams.  

[bike42]

IAT 5/20 thru 5/24/2021

So excited to be back on the trail - seems likes it’d been a long time since we’d been up north, and finally we are into full spring.

Earlier in the week, we got the sad news in that Lynn’s father passed away, so she and Kent had to cancel.  George Sanchez, BrightStar owner from Austin who is joining us in Tanzania, had already made plans to travel to Wisconsin to hike with us, so we decided to go ahead with the trip, and several of us have offered to Lynn that we’ll travel back up there in June to repeat those segments with her. Gary, Dan and Tam had met George in October of 2019 when he was in Wisconsin for the BrightStar owner’s conference, but Lynn and Kent still haven’t met him.

George flew into Madison Wednesday evening. Jeff and I picked him up, had an easy dinner at home and probably too much wine and bourbon since we had an early departure Thursday morning!

As we were approaching Antigo Thursday morning, Gary sent a text saying the meeting spot didn’t have a clear spot for parking, so he drove around and found the Town of Rolling Town Hall building with a large parking lot. The Knickmeier’s joined us there, and we shuttled to the Town of Polar to start our trek for the day.  The weather forecast called for good chance of rain the next 4 days, so we were prepared with rain gear, and had to stop to don our poncho’s after just about 3 blocks!

Much of the next 12-15 days of walking will be on CR’s (connecting routes) with just a few segments (trail) here and there. We can walk faster on the roads, and when they’re quiet county roads, its also easier to carry on a conversation – so they’re not all bad.  Once again, I was grateful for our group decision to hike the whole trail in consecutive sections – otherwise it’d be tempting to cherry pick the nice trail segments and procrastinate on completing the CR’s.

I like to walk the CR’s in my “trail runners,” and I use a fanny pack with water bottle holders.  It also has space for snacks and rain gear.  Today, I’d strapped on an umbrella, and that along with a light poncho worked great.  The rain came and went – generally, if you took your poncho off, it’d come back!

At one point, Dan and Tam and I were walking three-abreast.  I was on the left side, and to my left, I heard a deer crashing through the trees.  To our dismay, she bolted onto the slippery asphalt right in front of us.  Her hooves were slipping and she fell hard, onto her side – and then slid across the rest of the road.  When she reached the right-side shoulder, she righted herself, stood, and bolted back into the woods.  Other than gasps, we were all speechless.  We walked to where she fell as there was a white swath left on the pavement – it was hair!  Besides that, her hooves had made grooves in the asphalt.  What a shock, but we were so relieved that she was able to get up and run off into the woods – no doubt, with some severe road-rash!

The rest of the trek was uneventful – quiet roads, some farms, mostly wooded areas.  Our plan was to take a break and drive back to the Dixie Diner in downtown Antigo for lunch.  Our original plan was ten miles, but we’d covered thirteen to our new parking spot.

As the Dixie Diner, we were greeted by the young waitress that said she remembered us from last month – not sure if that’s good or bad!  It was fun seeing the menu through George’s eyes – but there we a lot of questions that we couldn’t answer.  We’re not completely sure our waitress correctly answered the questions, but she got points for enthusiasm!  She described “broasted chicken” as “like deep fried pressure cooker – like Kentucky Fried Chicken but better.”  The oddest thing was a “Hot Hamburger,” which was white bread with a cooked hamburger patty, mashed potatoes on top of that, and gravy over everything.  George also wanted cheese curds, and most of us had regular cheeseburgers or BLT’s.  Food was so so, but it was great to have a break from walking the road, and as usual, we had lots of laughs.

After lunch, we picked up the Knickmeier’s car, then dropped it at the end of our route.  We walked an additional 3 miles, of course with the rain coming just about as soon as we’d set out!  Then a quick drive to the Dells of Eau Claire county park where I’d reserved a campsite for the next three nights. We knew it was going to be a rustic site (no showers, and vault toilets), but we were surprised to hear they still had the water turned off “due to COVID.”

Dan and Tam made dinner while we set up camp. Jeff and I took our Big Agnes two-person and gave the three-person to Gary and George (although before night fall, Gary decided he was going to hotel it in Antigo, as Dan and Tam had already planned that.  It was a yummy dinner, and great together time anyway.  Jeff and I had this blue sofa-thing that we’d gotten as a reward from MS fundraising.  We had a lot of laughs watching Gary try to fill it with air.

Dan and George had started a fire, and we had a beautiful evening with no bugs.  Only issue was I’d forgotten the chocolate for the S’mores!

Before the hotellers lefts, we scrounged all the water everyone had from their bottles and gave them the empties to fill at the hotel – needed enough water to make coffee and breakfast!

Just before dark, I saw a black cat walking down the road. As he/she approached, we could hear her meowing. I went out to see if she would approach me, and she was very friendly - rubbing against my legs. She followed me back to our site, and stayed with us about 20 minutes - jumping onto our laps and also onto our picnic table - sampling the left-over cheese curds and macaroons! Then she moved on. Jeff checked with the other campers to see if she belonged to them - they said no, but she’d visited them too. She seemed well groomed and healthy, not like a feral cat, but comfortable in her surroundings!

We retired to the tents about 9:30p, it was mostly quiet, save a hot rod truck now and then zooming down the nearby highway.

Overnight there was rain, mostly light, but some heavy. We stayed dry and snuggly in our two-person tent.

I awoke just before my 6am alarm, and dressed for the day, donned my raincoat and left the tent. It was a beautiful peaceful morning, with no one else up and about from the 4-5 campsites that were occupied.

Due to our limited water supply, first priority was a French press of coffee - then we used a little water for instant oatmeal (mixed with yogurt and homemade granola). Just a little water left over to do the dishes, and Tam brought water for our bottles and camelbacks for today’s hike.

We set out in two cars; really nice that the car shuttles are easy this section of our trek! We walked a quick 4 miles of CR before entering the Plover River segment. Of course, we got about a quarter of a mile and the rain started. We quickly donned our ponchos, yet the rain remained light.

Shortly after starting the segment, most people stashed their rain gear. The canopy of the trees was thick enough, and we got a few drops, but not much to worry about, and the day was heating up.

The segment had varied terrain - hills, beautiful large granite erratics, swamps, boardwalks, areas that had been logged. I’d thought the spring wildflowers along the road were amazing, but in the forest, it was truly magical.  I found myself dropping back to just get lost in the beauty of the day:  flowers, a cacophony of birdsong, and a comfortable warm day.

We crossed the Plover River a few times, once with a rock-hop, and I know I wasn’t the only one in the group that wished it had been more challenging!!  Towards the end, we walked across really cool boardwalks, twisting around the trees. We lingered to look at the swamp a bit, but it was just starting to get buggy so we kept moving.

After the segment, we drove back to camp and ate lunch, which gave us the energy to push on to do the easy 3-mile CR and Dells of Eau Claire River segment.  Its always fun to be camping on the actual route!

The Dells of Eau Claire was beautiful, but on a gorgeous Friday late afternoon, it was overrun with people!  Few were walking on the Ice Age Trail, but there were dozens gathered along the river – some fishing, most just messing around in the water.   Many of the rock formations reminded us of Devil’s Lake – but the beauty was accompanied by the awesome sound of the water rushing over the rocks.  We lingered along the river, then a footbridge brought us to the other side, where we picked up the pace as fast as we could over rocks and roots.  That side of the river reminded us a lot of the Grandfather Falls segment along the Wisconsin river.

Back to camp for dinner – Jeff and I had made the fixings for a burrito bar, so there was time to have a beer and snacks and unwind before dinner.  After two long days, Jeff and George decided to head down to the “beach” above the dam and bathe in the Eau Claire River – they came back refreshed.  Tam took a shot at inflating the “air sofa,” and the video Gary took was hysterical as the smoke from the fire gave it a mystical effect. We had a great dinner and lots of laughs. We got a text from Lynn letting us know that she and Kent were going to join us for the next two days – great news!!

The hotel gang left, and Jeff, George and I enjoyed some time around the fire – turned into a gorgeous evening.  Friday night, and the campground filled up, but nothing too rowdy.

Saturday morning, we had a little more time since we were meeting Lynn and Kent at 9AM at the start of the Thornapple Creek Segment. We had a plan to make eggs and pan bread for breakfast, but there was an issue with the stove (gas leak in a valve?) and we were lucky just to heat a little water for oatmeal and coffee.  When the hotellers arrived, Dan and Jeff borrowed some tools from the neighbor and took the stove apart, but it’ll still need some work.   We shuttled two cars to Hatley, and drove back to meet Lynn and Kent.  Hugs all around – so great to have the gang all together.

Kent is doing well mending his shoulder, but still playing it safe skipping the segment treks – he’ll join us tomorrow on the CR. We had 0.8 mi of road and we started out fast.  When we turned to walk an easement along a farm field, I stopped to put on my low gaiters – good thing because we were soon slogging through a swamp.  The swamp had 18” high grass, and soon we were picking ticks off our legs – ugh.  We always joke that Dan is a “tick magnet,” but George gave him a run for his money today! We probably had about a mile of the ickyness, but soon we were out to logging roads and farm fields and it was better.

Being Saturday, we encountered 5 people – that’s a lot for the northern sections of the IAT.  We stopped to chat with two folks for a bit – a women from the Twin Cities and her brother from Sheboygan.  It was their first day of hiking the IAT, but they were excited to hear our tales and are going to try to do the whole thing too.  

We moved seamlessly to the Ringle Segment, and were disappointed in no segment signs on either of todays sections.  We encountered some boy scouts that were doing trail maintenance – fun to chat with them a bit and thank them for their work. The Ringle Segment was well maintained, with sections of thick woods with eskers, and also sections that went close to homes and farms.  We went past a house where a guy named Tim was on his riding lawn mower.  He stopped to entertain us for a bit with stories and jokes.

Eventually, the sound of the birds was replaced by the sound of heavy machinery.  At first, I thought we were hearing Highway 29, but it was actually the sound of equipment at a landfill.  The trail skirted the edge of it, and as we got downwind, the smell was awful.  From there, we turned onto the Mountain-Bay State Trail and walked that to Hatley.  The day was sunny and warm – well above 80, and the trail was in the sun. By the time we got to Hatley, we were parched.  We got into the cars and went in search of cold beer – which we found around the corner at the “Barrell Inn,” along with some local color.  We had a beer, and Jeff and George bought a six pack to go and we headed back to camp with a plan to meet the gang for pizza in Antigo that evening.

I joined Jeff and George for a river-bath – it was cold, but refreshing and felt good on my feet and sore muscles – three days with long miles so far!  We had a beer at our camp, then drove to meet the others at BB Jacks in Antigo (recommendation from the bar earlier).  We had fried appetizers, salads, and too much pizza.  None-the-less, we followed it with a DQ stop anyway.  Lots of laughs.  On the drive back to the campground, we checked out an auto museum as well as a yard with some really bizarre sculptures.  Both were attractions that we’d buzzed by a few times already, but this time I was driving!

Back to camp, I opened a bottle of wine and we had S’mores with dark chocolate – yum.  We stayed up around the fire for a bit, yet its no wonder that I had trouble falling asleep when I did go to the tent (beer, pizza, ice cream and s’mores!!!).

Sunday morning, we had a plan to meet the gang at 8am for a few hours of road walk.  We got up early, packed up the tent.  Jeff was getting the stove ready and I found that the French press had broken in its box into many little pieces of glass.  I grabbed my phone and found a café 10 miles away – so we woke George up, packed up quickly and headed to Trucks Place in Birnamwood where we found a friendly waitress and great food.  

Perfect timing – we all arrived at our meeting place at the same time.  Quick shuttle back to Hatley and we were trekking along County Highway Y – which will be a CR that we’ll have to complete next time, but we knocked 5 miles off today.

Dan and Tam, and Lynn and Kent were going to drive back to what we’d hiked on Thursday so catch them up a bit, we headed back towards Madison to get George to the airport.  Along the way, he actually found he could switch to an earlier flight which would get him home at a decent hour.

During these few days, I reflected on how awesome it’s been to experience the northern IAT for all 4 seasons now.  I don’t have a favorite – there are things I like and don’t like about each of them, but what I like best I guess is the variety.

It was neat to share with George and find that I do have a pretty good knowledge of many plants and the forests in general. I can recognize an old native forest, and can easily see when one has been logged and replanted.  I’m sad when I see invasive species introduced to pristine forests, but I know how easily it can happen.  I’m not so great at the geological terms that go with the glacial landscapes, but I’ve learned a few things (eskers, erratics, kettles, moraines). As we walked along the edge of quite a few farms, we saw great examples of fields with rocks – some that look like they’re being “farmed” for landscaping boulders.  Farming in northern WI is tough – not just due to the shorter growing season, but wow what a lot of rocks!

We had a great variety of IAT experiences for George over these 4 days, everything but a beaver dam crossing and hiking in the dark!  It feels like an accomplishment to be getting closer to home.  We have five days planned in June, and after that we should be able to make day trips.

[samayla]

Alphabet soup tag

-Rules: Answer the questions in a new post and tag 10 blogs you would like to get to know better

I was tagged by the lovely @court-0f-dreamers

Age - 27

Birthplace - Minnesota

Current time - 12:49am

Drink you had last - 7Up

Easiest person to talk to - My dad.

Favorite song - Fight Song/Amazing Grace by The Piano Guys

Grossest memory - I was taking tickets for the junior high dance when one of my brother’s friends came in, sloppy drunk, and puked all over me while arguing about crashing the dance. I think he’d been into every bottle in his dad’s liquor cabinet. It smelled so bad...

Hogwarts house - Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, depending on the quiz and the day.

In Love - with books and reading and getting lost in those worlds (Pri, you said it so well!)

Jealous of people - who don’t seem to have bad hair days. My curls do what they want. 

Killed someone -  nope.

Love at first sight or should I walk by you again - nah

Middle name - Lynn

Number of siblings - 3

One wish - a magic thingamabob that can transcribe my thoughts onto the page as fast as I can think them. I have so many great ideas, but I can only type one word at a time, and I get foggy sometimes, so I lose track of what I was thinking about.

Person you called last - my coworker, who covered for me last night so I could sleep off a doozy of a migraine.

Question you are always asked - Is your hair naturally curly? One time, this little old lady came into the store and absolutely insisted I was the illegitimate child of this local guy whose family is known for their curls, and she got really offended when I told her no, it wasn’t even a possibility. 

Reason to smile - That thing my cat does when he wants a kiss, so he races me into the living room to jump up on his perch, at perfect kissing height, but he loses faith halfway there and has to stop to check and see if I’m still coming because I’m not running nearly as fast as him, and then he doesn’t have the momentum to make the jump in one go, so he misses and has to dramatically claw his way up onto the perch, and then he stands there like he’s been there all day and nothing’s wrong while he waits for me to kiss him on top of his head.

Song you sang last -   Phil Collins’ You’ll Be In My Heart because it was on the radio and I learned all the words in junior high watching Tarzan.

Time you woke up -  1:30am. 

Underwear color - sea green because they came in a pack with some pretty cherry blossom ones.

Worst habit - dropping my clothes all over the floor when I get ready for bed.

X-rays - hand a couple of times, foot

Your favorite food - hmmm... quite possibly cauliflower at the moment, or tomatoes, or naan, or fresh mozzarella, or PASTA. Ooh, definitely mostly pasta, but also those other things too...

Zodiac sign - Aries

I have no idea who to tag... erm... @aelinashgalathynius, @skirtswithpockets, @valhallatourism

[theflagscene]

I just had to stop watching episode 6 for like 45 minutes because I was helping my nephew with our Minecraft Realm, just thought I would share. Anyways, onwards!

Lol! Rock just wants to be part of the excitement, don’t pout Pai.

I love that Duj protects her babies from the boss instead of telling them off for leaving work early, best work mom ever.

Cue the frantic race to get there on time!

She knows, she’s not stupid, she knows. This is a love confession, or well, an ‘I kinda sorta like you too’ confession.

Oh look, another product placement. Is it just me or are they becoming slightly less intrusive and eased into a scene a bit better?

Okay, so maybe she doesn’t know. But it’s still sweet.

Rock, you sly dude you. You’ll win her over soon enough.

Run Achi! I like that they had him lose the blazer for his epic run down the freeway, Adachi kept his blazer on for his and it looked very uncomfortable lol.

Karan! Look how cute you look in your cardigan, very muted colours this episode, a lot of browns.

That was a very sweet monologue, and Karan crying with happiness while having a completely quiet mind is so sweet.

Onto episode seven!

[monsterlibrarian]

Title: Traitor’s Moon

Author: Lynn Flewelling

Genres: fantasy, spy, mystery (?)

Source: online novel site

Rating: ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

Comments: be still my beating heart, i haven’t read a book with so many of the things i’m weak to in a good while! as a well known fan of fantasy and sneak-thief men, this series has been right up my alley all along, but this one particularly came up my alley, knocked on my door, and took a seat at my kitchen table. i loved aurënen with all its different customs and dragons and faie magic, and really enjoyed learning about it through the political intrigue taking place there. i also liked learning more about seregil’s history, and watching how the relationships between characters have changed both during the pre-story time gap and over the course of the story itself. i can’t say too much about the mystery without spoiling parts of it, but the complexity of it was the cherry on top for me. i highly enjoyed this book and i hope the next in the series can live up to it! give it a read!

[b-reads-books]

I read 230 books in 2017.

Down fifteen from last year...I am a math genius and initially miscounted by ten somehow, so I though I had hit 240...this was not so. The fluctuations tell you when I was studying for exams. (I’m done with all my fall exams now so I only have one scheduled for next year!) I did not make a new year’s book-of-the-month resolution and did not really expand into audiobooks more either. Oh well. This was a tough year for me all around and I’m hoping for a better one to follow.

Standouts:

Sorrow’s Knot, Erin Bow

Strange the Dreamer, Laini Taylor

A Conjuring of Light, Victoria Schwab

The Hating Game, Sally Thorne

Always and Forever, Lara Jean, Jenny Han

Thick as Thieves, Megan Whalen Turner

The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas

Now I Rise, Kiersten White

History is All You Left Me, Adam Silvera

Genuine Fraud, E Lockhart

Less, Andrew Sean Greer

In the Wreckage, Hailey Turner

Far From the Tree, Robin Benway

Complete list with more favorites in bold below the cut.

January – 23

The Lovely Reckless, Kami Garcia

The Quiet Gentleman, Georgette Heyer

Bad Blood, Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Soundless, Richelle Mead

Trouble is a Friend of Mine, Stephanie Tromly

A Great and Terrible Beauty, Libba Bray

Rebel Angels, Libba Bray

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling *

The Sweet Far Thing, Libba Bray

Beautiful, Christina Lauren

My Sister Rosa, Justine Larbalestier

Take the Key and Lock Her Up, Ally Carter

Timekeeper, Tara Sim

The Operator, Kim Harrison

Sacrifice, Cindy Pon

Declare, Tim Powers

Zinnia, Jayne Castle

Orchid, Jayne Castle

Trouble Makes a Comeback, Stephanie Tromley

The Hogwarts Collection, JK Rowling

After Dark, Jayne Castle

After Glow, Jayne Castle

Armed and Magical, Lisa Shearin

February – 21

Of Fire and Stars, Audrey Coulthurst

Infini, Krista and Becca Ritchie

Ghost Hunter, Jayne Castle

The Ghoul Vendetta, Lisa Shearin

Blood Red, Snow White, Marcus Sedgwick

Sorrow’s Knot, Erin Bow

The Infinite, Lori M Lee

A Darkly Beating Heart, Lindsay Smith

Dragon’s Bait, Vivian Vande Velde

By These Ten Bones, Clare B Dunkle

Girls on Fire, Robin Wasserman

The Trouble with Demons, Lisa Shearin

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Mark Haddon

Magonia, Maria Dahvana Headley

Blood Vow, JR Ward

Cherry, Lindsey Rosin

The Female of the Species, Mindy McGinnis

Ella Minnow Pea, Mark Dunn

Cousin Kate, Georgette Heyer

King’s Cage, Victoria Aveyard

The Bear and the Nightingale, Katherine Arden

March – 15

The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider’s Guide, JR Ward

Before the Fall, Noah Hawley

The Killer in Me, Margot Harrison

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, JK Rowling*

Bewitched and Betrayed, Lisa Shearin

Difficult Women, Roxanne Gay

Our Own Private Universe, Robin Talley

One Blood Ruby, Melissa Marr

The Swan Riders, Erin Bow

Passenger, Alexandra Bracken

Silver Master, Jayne Castle

Dark Light, Jayne Castle

Etched in Bone, Anne Bishop

Cowboys Are My Weakness, Pam Houston

Strange the Dreamer, Laini Taylor

April – 13

Aerie, Maria Dahvana Headley

Into the Fire, Jeaniene Frost

Obsidian Prey, Jayne Castle

Midnight Crystal, Jayne Castle

Canyons of Night, Jayne Castle

A Conjuring of Light, Victoria Schwab

Listen to the Moon, Rose Lerner

Beheld, Alex Flynn

Wayfarer, Alexnadra Bracken

The Song Rising, Samantha Shannon

Silence Fallen, Patricia Briggs

Because of the Sun, Jenny Torres Sanchez

The Hating Game, Sally Thorne

May – 19

Big Little Lies, Lianne Mortiarty

Crown Duel, Sherwood Smith

Spindle, EK Johnston

Always and Forever, Lara Jean, Jenny Han

The Bone Witch, Rin Chupeco

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, JK Rowling*

Empress of a Thousand Skies, Rhoda Belleza

The Thief, Megan Whalen Turner*

The Queen of Attolia, Megan Whalen Turner

The King of Attolia, Megan Whalen Turner

A Conspiracy of Kings, Megan Whalen Turner

Thick as Thieves, Megan Whalen Turner

Tales of the Peculiar, Ransom Riggs

It Ends with Us, Colleen Hoover

Hunted, Meagan Spooner

The Chosen, JR Ward

The Girl from Everywhere, Heidi Heilig

Lord of Shadows, Cassandra Clare

A Crown of Wishes, Roshani Chokshi

June – 23

Girl Out of Water, Laura

Radio Silence, Alice Oseman

The Lost Night, Jayne Castle

Caraval, Stephanie Garber

Cold-Hearted Rake, Lisa Kleypas

Starfall, Melissa Landers

Marrying Winterbourne, Lisa Kleypas

How to Be a Person in the World, Heather Havrilesky

Devil in Spring, Lisa Kleypas

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, JK Rowling*

Stranger in My Arms, Lisa Kleypas

Grunt, Mary Roach

Again the Magic, Lisa Kleypas

The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas

A Court of Wings and Ruin, Sarah J Maas

The Cold Eye, Laura Anne Gilman

Secrets of a Summer’s Night, Lisa Kleypas

It Happened One Autumn, Lisa Kleypas

The Devil in Winter, Lisa Kleypas

A Scandal in Spring, Lisa Kleypas

Stiff, Mary Roach*

Damaged Like Us, Krista and Becca Ritchie

Deception Cove, Jayne Ann Krentz

July – 19

White Hot, Ilona Andrews

Now I Rise, Kiersten White

The Distance Between Us, Kasie West

As You Wish, Cary Elwes*

Wintersong, S Jae Jones

Our Dark Duet, Victoria Schwab

A Wallflower Christmas, Lisa Kleypas

The Hot Zone, Jayne Castle

Not Your Sidekick, CB Lee

All-American Girl, Meg Cabot

Indigo, Beverly Jenkins

Mine Till Midnight, Lisa Kleypas

Unnatural Deeds, Cyn Balog

Avenged, Amy Tintera

The Upside of Unrequited, Becky Albertalli

Seduce Me at Sunrise, Lisa Kleypas

Tempt Me at Twilight, Lisa Kleypas

The People We Hate at the Wedding, Grant Ginder

The Ship Beyond Time, Heidi Heilig

August – 15

History is All You Left Me, Adam Silvera

Love in the Afternoon, Lisa Kleypas

Frogkisser! Garth Nix

Dating You, Hating You, Christina Lauren

Wildfire, Ilona Andrews

Swarm, Scott Westerfeld et al

Split the Sun, Tessa Elwood

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, Mackenzi Lee

Night Hawk, Beverley Jenkins

Unleashed, Sophie Jordan

Masquerade, Laura Lam

The Wish Granter, CJ Redwine

In Other Lands, Sarah Rees Brennan

Married by Morning, Lisa Kleypas

Gem and Dixie, Sara Zarr

September – 14

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, JK Rowling et al

The Angel of Losses, Stephanie Feldman

David, Johnny Worthen

Down Among the Sticks and Bones, Seanan McGuire

Carve the Mark, Veronica Roth

Slammed, Colleen Hoover

Silver Silence, Nalini Singh

Genuine Fraud, E Lockhart

Girl Mans Up, ME Girard

Dreaming of You, Lisa Kleypas

Crazy Rich Asians, Kevin Kwan

Then Came You, Lisa Kleypas

When Dimple Met Rishi, Sandhya Menon

Topaz, Beverley Jenkins

October – 15

Vanguard, Ann Aguirre

The Pearl Thief, Elizabeth Wein

The Ruby in the Smoke, Philip Pullman

The Debt, Karina Halle

Point of Retreat, Colleen Hoover

Crystal Storm, Morgan Rhodes

The Courtesan Duchess, Joanna Shupe

The Harlot Countess, Joanna Shupe

The Lady Hellion, Joanna Shupe

Turtles All the Way Down, John Green

Good Behavior, Blake Crouch

Sunshine, Robin McKinley

Warcross, Marie Lu

Someone to Watch Over Me, Lisa Kleypas

Lovers Like Us, Krista and Becca Ritchie

November – 26

The Scorpio Races, Maggie Stiefvater

Tower of Dawn, Sarah J Maas

Iron Cast, Destiny Soria

Lady Sophia’s Lover, Lisa Kleypas

Worth Any Price, Lisa Kleypas

Where’s My Hero? Kisa Kleypas et al

Roar, Cora Carmack

Somewhere I’ll Find You, Lisa Kleypas

China Rich Girlfriend, Kevin Kwan

Less, Andrew Sean Greer

Because You’re Mine, Lisa Kleypas

All the Dirty Parts, Daniel Handler

Jane, Unlimited, Kristin Cashore

Where Dreams Begin, Lisa Kleypas

The Shadow in the North, Philip Pullman

In the Wreckage, Hailey Turner

10% Happier, Dan Harris

Archangel’s Viper, Nalini Singh

Suddenly You, Lisa Kleypas

The Possible, Tara Altebrando

In the Ruins, Hailey Turner

Before the Devil Breaks You, Libba Bray

Ringer, Lauren Oliver

When Strangers Marry, Lisa Kleypas

Terminal Alliance, Jim Hines

Only with Your Love, Lisa Kleypas

December – 27

The Way I Used to Be, Amber Smith

Want, Cindy Pon

Midnight Angel, Lisa Kleypas

Rich People Problems, Kevin Kwan

Dress Codes for Small Towns, Courtney Stevens

Prince of Dreams, Lisa Kleypas

In the Shadows, Hailey Turner

The Knowing, Sharon Cameron

Release, Patrick Ness

A Line in the Dark, Malinda Lo

Love, Come to Me, Lisa Kleypas

Con and Conjure, Lisa Shearin

Always Hungry? David Ludwig

One Dark Throne, Kendare Blake

In the Blood, Hailey Turner

Rosemary and Rue, Seanan McGuire

The Language of Thorns, Leigh Bardugo

Heat Wave, Karina Halle

Far From the Tree, Robin Benway

All Spell Breaks Loose, Lisa Shearin

The Girl in the Tower, Katherine Arden

A Local Habitation, Seanan McGuire

An Artificial Night, Seanan McGuire

Late Eclipses, Seanan McGuire

One Salt Sea, Seanan McGuire

Wedding Bells, Magic Spells, Lisa Shearin

The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan

[romanoartsless]

These two chapters are on the longer side so that’s why it’s a little late but you get more content, so I guess the pros out way the cons I guess.

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

Chapter 36

    This area of town was rarely busy, Blackwing of all people knew this firsthand, but with the previous night’s events anyone and everyone gathered to gawk at the scene of the attack. The girl and the body were gone, but there were still dry puddles of blood and plenty of gossip going around. She’d heard people spreading rumors that the last magic user was the one who killed the man. Oh how these people were so ignorant to the killer in the crowd.

Throughout the day she tried to think more like Jackie might think. Right now she thought about how her gentle exterior made her seem so unassuming to everyone around her. No one would ever guess this innocent little girl would even think to step on a bug, let alone kill a man. Blackwing grinned at the thought. Maybe she was more like her sister than people assumed.

 Blackwing sat and people-watched for a few minutes before she had to take a second to look at something she saw. Long onyx hair, too familiar to be a coincidence, walked by, flowing gracefully on the dark green jacket and gold dress. The dress shimmered when the light hit it and held stark contrast to the jacket it accompanied. She swore it was Silvertongue.

 She wanted to reach out and touch her, talk to her, see if she really was her other sister. Blackwing missed her sister in a similar way as Caterina did. She wanted Silvertongue to come back, come back and be part of their quartet like nothing ever happened. No one understood how lonely a trio could feel.

“Funny seeing you here. It’s not like I came here expecting to run into you.”

Blackwing jumped at the sound of his voice. “Oh my gods, Crispin! You scared the shit out of me!”

“Were you busy staring at hot guys or something? Did I interrupt your man hunting?”

“Crispin!”

“Don’t worry, sweet little Blackwing, I’ve done my fair share of man hunting.”

She chuckled at his comment; both the part she was expected to laugh at and the fact he called her “sweet little Blackwing”. It wasn’t meant to be condescending and she didn’t take it that way. She just found it funny how ignorant he was to what she had done last night. And she was still sweet little Blackwing, just sweet little Blackwing who happened to have a body count.

She noticed Crispin watching her as they walked together. It hadn’t even crossed her mind why he might be until- “Blackwing, are you limping?”

“Oh!” Blackwing had almost forgotten about her limp until he brought it up. “I had an accident last night. It’s just more comfortable to walk like this.”

 “Can I carry you?”

“What?”

His face turned as bright red as a magic user’s eyes might be and a stutter was every other thing to come out of his mouth. “I’m sorry- I just thought you might want to take pressure off your foot. And like you’re small- well, not really, it’s more so that I’m big, you’re closer to average- so I could just pick you up and like-.”

He stopped in the middle of his statement when she answered his question by opening her arms in front of him. It took her aback when he did pick her up because she expected him to just throw her over his shoulder, but instead he picked her up bridal style.

Her face flushed and she thought maybe by hiding in the nook between his neck and shoulder, but the contact between their skin only made it worse. “Do you want me to-.”

“Yeah.”

Shit. She hadn’t been paying attention to anything he was saying, so now Crispin could be taking her to the castle and she wouldn’t even know, since she still had her face in his neck. She wondered if he could feel the heat from her cheeks on his skin. Dammit! She should stop thinking about this all together. Crispin probably didn’t even notice the contact. She shouldn’t be making as much of a big deal out of it in her head.

* * *

Crispin wanted to scream. She was touching him. Her nose ever so slightly nudged itself into his neck. It was the sort of nonsexual, intimate contact he always craved- the kind he questioned if he was even worthy of when he sat in the bathtub with a razor blade in his hand. The touch was barely there, but it was so comforting just to feel that small bit of affection.

“Crispin.”

The way her mouth moved on his neck sent chills down his spine. Was this what sexual people felt? Was this attraction? Was he attracted to Blackwing? No. He shoved that thought so far down in his mind. He didn’t want to undress her or have sex with her, and the thought of doing so almost made him sick, but he did smile whenever he thought about talking to her again. That wasn’t attraction, that was friendship.

“Crispin!”

     Her face was no longer in his neck and her big brown eyes looked up at him. “Huh?”

    “You just walked past our building. At least that’s where I think you were going. If it’s not then you can just keep going where you’re going. Sorry if I-.”

    “Oh shit you’re right. I was- uh- distracted. Sorry.”

    The two of them might as well have had cherries for heads with how red they were. He finally set her down and she limply walked to the door, opening it for him, but avoiding contact between their eyes. Tension had grown between them and the room turned awkward.

    Blackwing plopped on the ground only a few feet from the door. Crisping followed suit, but sat a good distance away from her. “So… what happened to make you limp?”

    “I uh… fell. Yeah, I fell.”

     “Ah, yes, and all those bruises on my mother’s arms are there because she’s clumsy.”

    “Well, about last night… that was me.”

    “Wait what?”

    “I, you know…” She drifted off, charading a stab with her right hand. “... that was me.”

    “That dude who attacked Amber Lynn? You’re  the one who killed him?” He paused then fell into laughter. “Gods, you’re hilarious. You?! You couldn’t hurt a fly!”

    She was almost offended at the sentiment that she could not be kind when she needed to be and fight back when she needed to. It was bittersweet. The things she needed to take down went easy on her but when she won, her credit was given elsewhere. “I couldn’t hurt a fly? Hmm. Are you sure?”

    “Hundred percent.”

    “Give me your gun.”

    “Okay okay okay, so I’m not going to lie, some days I want to die, but today is not necessarily one of those days. So like, I’m just going to keep it to myself.”

    Blackwing slid closer to him, batting her dark eyelashes as he hand began to caress Crispin’s face. He wanted to melt into her touch. That touch was so warm and welcoming. His stomach like fireworks. He put his hand on top of her’s and linked his green eyes with her brown.

    Oh gods, her eyes were gorgeous this close up. Most would say they were boring, average brown. They didn’t glow amber in the sun or shimmer gold when the light hit them. They were brown. But why didn’t the gods let people romanticize brown eyes? Her’s were beautiful and comforting and-

    “Ha ha!”

    She was already on the other side of the room when he snapped back into reality, twirling something around in her hand. “Jackie really was right. You men are so easily distracted by romantic tension. You probably thought I was going to kiss you.”

    Shit. It was his gun in her hands. She aimed it around aimlessly, causing anxiety to fill Crispin. “Blackwing! Be careful with that!”

    "You act like I’ve never wielded a gun.”

    “Have you?!”

    “Get some cans.”

    “Blackwing!”

    “Let’s go shooting!”

* * *

    “If you accidentally end up murdering me, please carve, ‘Fuck Shaw Petrov,’ into my forehead.”

    “I won’t accidentally murder you.”

    “You sure?”

    “I swear it on my life.”

    They had set up six cans on top of a bookshelf in one of the rooms. Crispin was hesitant, but when a girl has a gun, you don’t ignore what she tells you to do. He gave her six so she’s have the odds to shoot at least one done.

    Blackwing took around five minutes to shoot and aim. Crispin laughed. The gun was probably alien in her hands. But when she finally fired, it took her only a few seconds to shoot the first five down. She turned around and smirked back at Crispin. With her back to the last can, she stretched her right arm back and shot it down. All were down with perfect accuracy. “Blackwing Crow couldn’t hurt a fly my ass.”

    Crispin was utterly speechless. He never thought a sweet girl from east Novak would know how to shoot, let alone shoot that well. He wasn’t even going to lie, he found it sort of attractive. She now stood right in front of him and handed him back his gun. “We’re speaking in hypotheticals though. I wouldn’t want to hurt a fly, but if I needed to, I could.”

She waited a second for him put the gun in his holster before hopping onto his lap. He grunted. “There goes the Petrov line.”

“Oh my gods! I’m so sorry! Did I-.”

“Crush my dick? Yes.” She went to stand up but he grabbed her to stay. Crispin so rarely received affection and he wanted to savor every bit he got. “You’re fine, though. You can stay.”

He wondered if his voice always sounded this desperate. If maybe Blackwing secretly hated him and was only friendly towards him because she felt as though she had to. He knew it probably wasn’t true, but his mind always told him he was a burden. “Are you sure? I don’t want to hurt you-.”

“You’re fine. I swear.”

The two of them had only been hanging out together for a month or so, but he’d grown quite attached to her in that time. It wasn’t a romantic attachment; it was closer to two souls who had been lifelong friends in a past life meeting again. He didn’t want to say she was his best friend because she still cared for Thomas, but Blackwing understood him in a way no one else did. He wanted to keep her as close as he could before his father found out about her. She’d be dead in 24 hours if Shaw knew about her.

This time it was Crispin who had his head in the nook of her neck and she ran her fingers fingers through his sandy blond hair. “I’m glad you killed him, Blackwing.”

“You’re glad?”

“I’m assuming it was a kill or be killed situation. I’m glad you’re here and not him.”

“But he was a Petrov man, he worked for you.”

“He’s not one of my best friends though.”

He felt her fingers stop and he realized what he just said. It wasn’t like he said he was in love with her, but it was still significant. “Oh shit- I’m sorry I- I didn’t mean-.”

Blackwing took his face into her hands and his face went burgundy. She pulled him closer and planted a kiss onto his cheek, then put his head back back into her neck and her hands went back to playing in his hair. “You’re one of my best friends, too, Crispin.”

As Crispin thought about it, he realized no one had called him their best friend out loud, to his face. It warmed his heart to hear it come out of someone’s mouth, in a genuine way.

The boy who thought he wasn’t worthy of love and the girl who loved too much; on paper they seemed incompatible, but the world worked in strange ways and sometimes knew what you needed even more that you did.

Chapter 37

    Even though, in the end, their meeting ended much sooner than he wanted and they got practically nothing done, Thomas was still elated to finally get his hands on the files. After Crispin left to visit his mother, Thomas headed out to the forest. Now knowing where to go much better than the months before, it only took him a few hours to reach the cabin. Through the window near the door he saw a head of purple hair walking around aimlessly. He tapped on the glass and Caterina jumped in surprise. He could see her mouth moving and anger on her face; he imagined she was cursing him out.

     Her black eyes looked straight at him through the glass. She walked closer and he began to hear the muffled sounds of her swearing. He awkwardly smiled and held the two files up to the glass which halted her yelling. Her eyes lit up and she ran out of view to where he assumed was the door.

    He was right. The door swung open and Caterina walked out in what looked like pajamas. She wore a pair of baggy pants and shirt and half her hair was pulled up into a ponytail. “You have my files?”

“Yep!”

He held out the papers for her and she grabbed them out of his hands like a child might take candy from their mother’s hands. She walked back into her house and Thomas to walk back out of the forest before he heard, “You coming in or what?”

As he walked behind her, he noticed the scars on the back of her neck that looked like they spelled out something. He didn’t dare to ask what it said, not wanting to open that can of worms. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you with your hair up.”

“Because I don’t wear it up.”

“Why though?”

She rubbed the back of her neck where he assumed the scars were. “They don’t make purple hair ties.”

“What?”

“Hair ties come in normal hair colors and, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I don’t have a normal hair color. All my hair ties are brown and shit. I don’t like that.”

Thomas knew it was only partially true. He never thought about how simple things like hair ties might be a struggle for Caterina. It seemed like a superficial curse, to make someone look unnatural so they weren’t desireable, but it was a constant annoyance that couldn’t be covered without intense work.

Caterina sat down at the desk in her room and spread out the papers next to a large stack of files already there. She laid out maybe five or so next to the new ones to do what he assumed was compare them. Thomas stood back a few feet to give Caterina her space in case she found anything.

* * *

     No. No. Why couldn’t she just recognize his face? Why did her mind have to block out the things that mattered and only remembered a meaningless color? She was so frustrated, she wanted to take the table in front of her and flip it over. Her eyes began to wet and blurred her vision. “No,” she mumbled in her cries. “No! No!” She clenched her fists and a little bit of magic seeped out. “No! I just want to find him! I just want mother,” she was full blown crying at this point, “to be proud of me!”

She heard Thomas talking behind her, but couldn’t understand what exactly he was saying since she was still in her bubble of anger and frustration. Her fingernails cut into her palms and her hands hurt through the magic she didn’t mean to use. “I just want to make you proud! Will I ever make you proud?”

 Thud.  

“Thomas?”

Caterina turned around to see the captain’s unconscious body on the floor, his face as purple as his uniform. Shit. The magic she accidentally used must have sucked the air out of his lungs. This couldn’t be happening. Not another person. Not another life.

“Thomas!”

She crawled onto the floor next to his body and cradled it in her arms. Even with her weak magic, she knew she had to use it to save her friend- acquaintance.

 Her hand rose and fell over his chest in breathing like patterns. She tried to control the air around them and transfer some of it into his lungs. Sometimes she’d mix healing into the energy she put into him. “Please,” she’d occasionally whisper into the wind.

His breathing wasn’t quite steady yet, but it eventually came. She slowed down her magic so she wouldn’t overuse and now that he was breathing again she felt more comfortable doing so. She didn’t even notice when her fingers ran through his curly brown hair. It was a way she’d cope with stress if others were around. Jackie, Silvertongue, and Blackwing didn’t mind it at all, and sometimes found comfort in it as well.

A caramel hand went up on top of her pale one. “Is my hair soft?”

Caterina couldn’t help but have the corners of her lips curl up into a smile. She didn’t want to do it too hard, but she pushed him a bit and a laugh came out of him between coughs. “This isn’t something to joke about!”

“Then why are you smiling?”

“Fuck you!”

He couldn’t help but chuckle. “But is my hair soft? You didn’t answer my question. It’d be embarrassing if a pretty girl was petting my hair and it felt like straw.”

Her inked face turned bright ruby. He was probably just trying to butter her up, but she took that compliment and sent it off to the girl who broke every mirror in sight because she couldn’t stand the person who looked back at her. “Yes, it was soft.”

* * *

    It took Thomas a while to recover, but when he did, he headed to the door of the cabin. “Are you sure I’ll be fine?”

    “The magic has settled in by now, you’ll be fine.”

    “You sure?”

    “Thomas Arthur Dubroin, I am absolutely positive you’ll be fine.”

* * *

    He was not fine. It wasn’t the magic that was the problem, more so the pack of wolves that had him surrounded. He tried to pull out his gun, but with every inch he moved they would hover in closer. They growled every time he’d look around to collect his surroundings.

    He was trapped. He didn’t know what to do. He wanted to shoot at them but he couldn’t- he couldn’t. “Caterina!” he cried. “Caterina!”

    The wolves were angered at his yells. They moved in closer, their growls louder. Thomas could see the drool hanging off their teeth. This was when true panic set in. He couldn’t do anything to save himself. Even if he could grab his gun and shoot some of them because the rest would go in for the kill. He could give up or die trying, until-

    A rock came flying and crushed the head of the leader of the pack. The others went to sniff the dead body and turned their rage to something behind him when they realized their leader was dead. Half of them had shards of stone thrown into their eyes when they ran which stopped them so they could scratch them out. The others were drowned out of water, choking on nothing. When all of them were stopped in their tracks, the tree closest to them began to fall directly onto them.

    Some of them tried to run, but a force kept them still as it fell onto them, blood spilling everywhere. “Thomas!”

    His head spun around to see Caterina who seemed like she was about to faint. There was something in her eyes that drew him to them. He wanted to stare into them forever and listen to every word that came off her lips. He had to listen. He had to obey. When she did speak, he voice oozed of magic and he couldn’t not obey. “Thomas, take me back to the cabin. Make sure I don’t smash my head when I fall-.”

    He flew over to where she was and caught her now unconscious body before it crashed into the ground. Something in his body wouldn’t let him not do it. Without a thought, he picked her body up and carried it back to the cabin. When he got there, he opened up the door to her room and set her down on her bed.

    There was no force telling him to do so, but he felt the need to care for her. He didn’t know if she could get infected through this and he didn’t want to risk it. She was lying on the bed and he took the blankets and covered her with them. His hand pushed away her purple bangs and checked her temperature on her forehead. It was burning hot. He took out a cold pack, put it on her head, and sat in the nearby chair, waiting.

* * *

    When Caterina woke up, she felt the cold burn of ice on her head. She reached up to where it came from and landed on a cold pack. “What the hell?” she mumbled to herself.

    Thomas practically jumped out of his seat, waking from his nap when he heard her voice. “You’re up.”

    “Yeah?”

    “You overused on magic and passed out. I carried you in.”

    “Oh I know.”

    “Wait- how?”

    “I used compulsion on you, Thomas.”

    “Oh.” He sat rocking in the chair for a second before he asked, “How do the Crows get around if there are rabid wolves running around in the forest?”

     “Victor taught me to shoot when I was ten. When they came into my life, I taught them. After a while the wolves and other animals began to fear them and leave them alone.”

    He nodded in the chair and before the environment grew awkward he moved closer to her to aid her, but Caterina felt herself leaning away, uncomfortable with the closeness. It didn’t make her uneasy when she held him or when he held her because one was unconscious in each situation. Now they were awake and close- too close. “Let me ask you a question.”

    “Yes?”

    “Tell me how you, a Wrie boy with a Nell name, are the captain of the Novan guard.”

A nervous laugh came out of him. “You want long story short or long story long?”

“How about long story long.”

He went back to the chair and began. “Obviously, I’m Wrie, but how how it all began was with my sweet little Nell father making a business trip to Wrieland. While there he met Marianni Campirano and, to put it nicely, got her pregnant. Months after he went back to Arnell, a set of twin boys was born. And my mother just gave us Nell names to keep up with Nell tradition- hence Thomas and William Dubroin.

“When my brother and I were five, he came back to Wrieland, not expecting to be the father of twins. I was sitting at the counter watching my mom cook when he busted through the door. I remember so vividly his red eyes just staring at me sitting there.”

“Wait. Red eyes?”

“Oh yeah, my father and my brother are magic users- healers. Since William and I are twins, and it’s fairly common for twins born to a magic user and a mortal to have one mortal and the other magic user, so I’m mortal.

“He took all three of us and shipped us out to Arnell. We hated it. William was put into extensive magic training and my mother and I were not as lucky. We weren’t given an ounce of respect- not that William was, but he had it slightly easier. He had magic, he got respect, that’s how it worked in Arnell. Polar opposite of Novak.

 “We were all abused by my father- William for different reasons. On our sixteenth birthday I was just done. I found a body that looked like me and faked my death. Before I fled I killed my father. Made the whole ordeal look like a murder-suicide.

“I came to Novak to escape magic. When I got here, I met Victor and he took me under his wing, that’s how I got in the guard. A few months he- you know- and that’s why I’m captain.

“So there, that is why I, a Wrie boy with a Nell name, am the captain of the Novan guard.”

 Caterina didn’t know how to react. She had used the question as a way to keep him from getting close, but he ended up doing so in a different way. An indistinguishable feeling sunk in her stomach. Thomas had said everything so casually as if he wasn’t abused for his lack of magic for more than a decade in his life. “Do you hate me?”

“What are you talking about, Caterina?”

“Your father, he was a magic user. You came to Novak to escape magic. I’m a magic user.”

“The man who killed your mother had green eyes, but you don’t hate Jackie.”

He was right. She didn’t hate Jackie, nor her eyes. In fact she envied them, the freedom the Crows were given in their mortal eyes. She wanted to tell Thomas how he was lucky to have his brown eyes, but she couldn’t. He was abused in the same way she was. All because of something he couldn’t change. “I’m sorry he did that to you.”

“Don’t be sorry. He told me I would amount to nothing and I became captain of the Novan guard. I’ve gotten my revenge, it’s time for you to get yours.”

[hailtothepumpkinqueen]

Got bored and made a list of pretty much every major OC I've ever put on paper. Under the cut so as not to take up too much room lol

(Edited because I found characters I forgot existed)

Acaia--original character for a short lived RP. Don't remember much about it other than it was fantasy themed.

Ace--Alice in Wonderland inspired. Ace of Spades specifically and ended up beheaded by the Red Queen.

Aiden--Ouran High School Host Club OC

Alice--original character for a story I wrote freshman year. She was a living puppet of sorts and a prisoner to her stage.

Ariel--Legion OC turned sort of original character. An angel that lost one of her wings in a fight with another angel

Ava--X-Men OC. Code Name is Echo. She can remember and mimic any sound she hears but has no voice of her own.

Azazel-- original character. Fallen angel and one of the boys that lives with Jacqueline.

Belladonna--The Devil's Carnival OC. Named after the poisonous plant that's nicknamed "devil's cherry".

Burton--Undertale OC. Pumpkin headed monster that tries to be scary but is a total scaredy cat.

Catherine Chambers--Bioshock OC. Has one of the most effed up tragic endings of all my OCs

Camryn--Repo! The Genetic Opera OC.

Chiyo--original character. Protagonist for a comic I never got to called I Wanna Be A Magical Girl!

Daemon--original character. Crystal hearted, soul eating Dad Friend.

Daisuke--I Wanna Be A Magical Girl! character. Secretly a magical boy and has a crush on Chiyo.

Deanna--original OC. Can manipulate and travel through shadows.

Drakir--Atlantis: The Lost Empire OC apparently?? I don't remember much about him

Elijah--original OC. Half angel based on a dream I had and love interest to Gwendolin.

Eva--Doctor Horrible OC. Wannabe villain in training.

Evyn--Homunculus turned original character. He can mimic a physical trait of someone else by touching them.

Fehl--A character for a book my friend is writing. I remember her being afraid of heights.

Gwendolin--original character. Came from the same dream as Elijah and has beautiful lavender hair.

Hattie--Alice in Wonderland inspired. Decapitated by order of the Queen but later resurected by the March Hare.

Haru--I Wanna Be A Magical Girl! character. Chiyo's best friend that keeps her from getting hurt on her quest to be a magical girl.

Haruko--original character. Demon girl from the days of Neopets RPs.

Ira--original character. Man made demon full of rage and chronic pain

Izz--Invader Zim OC. In charge of scouting out unconquered planets and gathering data.

Jacqueline--original character. Started as my persona but gained a life and story of her own.

Jaelah--Labyrinth inspired oc. Born from my friends calling me Jareth's Sister and Queen of the Labyrinth

Jakob--original character. Inspired by a Kesha song and likes eating men both sexually and literately.

Jezebeth--Supernatural OC. Fallen angel turned demon and likes flirting with everyone

Jill the Killer.exe--"original" character. Parody and clusterfuck of Creepypasta OC cliches

Katherine Sparrow--original character. Vampire pirate, goes only by her surname and has severe self hatred issues

Kiinamare--Arc the Lad OC. I literately just found a doodle with her name on it mystery effin' solved.

Kiki--Bleach OC??

Kitty--Digimon OC. Basically just a self insert lol

Kyli--original character. Only one with a tragic backstory that isn't angsty about it

Kylixant--Kingdom Hearts OC. More specifically an Org. XIII character using my full first name. her weapon is a giant incense ball.

Liam--OFF OC. Never sure if he was an Elsen or not but his scarf became snakes when he freaked out

Luna--Fullmetal Alchemist OC. One of my oldest and most revamped characters to date.

Lunah--possible D&D character. White Dragonborn sorcerer that came to me in a dream.

Luune--.hack character. Used for a middle school RP and really nothing else after.

Lylith--D&D character. Half-Elf ranger with chaotic red hair and a hatred for Gnolls.

Lynn--Soul Eater OC. I was obsessed with scythes at the time so she could become a scythe like Soul :P

Medera Flamel--Homestuck OC. Pumkin's Dancestor and known as "The Alkemist" Post Scratch

Michael--original character. Abusive, angry and entitled older brother to Willow and vengeful spirit.

Mikazuki--Inuyasha OC. THE oldest and most revamped OC I have memory/proof of.

Mizuki--Vampire Knight OC. All I remember is she was a half blooded vampire.

Muse--Rise of the Guardians OC. Responsible for giving children their imaginary friends and  encouraging an active imagination.

Nerys--original character. She's an elf with slicked back hair and purple tipped ears and thay's all I remember about her

Nova--original character. A fallen star in human shape and absolute cinnamon roll

Olivia Wimberly--Welcome to Nightvale OC. Severly underdeveloped but I think she was blind?

Phoenix--original character. He truely believed he was a 300 year old vampire but this was not the case

Pink Tourmaline--Steven Universe OC. still working out her backstory

Pumkin Flamel--Homestuck OC. Pretty much a trollsona obsessed with alchemy and dead things

Quill Wimberly--Welcome to Nightvale OC. Olivia's brother and possibly mute.

Reese--Supernatural OC. Actually well adjusted for a hunter and both parents still alive.

Rei--original OC. Part of a story i never got around to writing

Rika--The World Ends With You OC. Never played the game  but watched my friend play and loved

Rune--+Anima OC. She's a +Anima that had wolf like features because I liked wolves lol

Saia--Tsubasa OC. I never even watched the anime but my friend showed me bits of it so I made an OC

Samhain--original character. Hypothetical child for my character and a friend's character inspired by Samhain in Trick R Treat.

Sammie--Being Human OC. Werewolf girl that loves making wolf/dog puns and inside jokes with herself

Spite--Fullmetal Alchemist OC. Specifically a Homunculus OC who I had a RP blog for for a bit

Tinker--Steam Powered Giraffe OC. So named because I couldn't stop messing with and tinkering with her design every few months

T.V.--Don't Hug Me I'm Scared inspired. Literately had a TV for a head and a liking for turning people's brains to mush

Ulyssa--Fullmetal Alchemist OC. Spite's creator and eventual cause of death

Vance--Soul Eater OC. Lynn's meister and best friend

Vigdis--original character. Asgardian warrior inspired by a friend calling me "Warrior Princess of Asgard" whenever I killed a bug lol

Wendy--original character. One armed pirate and that's all i really remember about her

Willow--original character. Murdered by her older brother and her spirit was trapped in the house she died in.

Wren--Cirque du Freak OC. From a RP between friends that didn't get very far lol

Xylia--Adventure Time OC. Vampire with a pet penguin that loves bright colors

Yin--Avatar the Last Airbender OC. Firebender living in the shadow of her much more talented sibling.

Yukito--I Wanna Be a Magical Girl! character. Mistaken for a magical boy and Chiyo's initial love interest

Zirces Dimter--Homestuck OC. Blue blooded and first fantroll I made when i first got into the comic

[sekai-no-koi]

Bold the muse’s favorites!

tagged by: @reinagoochirorp

tagging: Anyone who wants to do it

For Lynn

[ COLORS ] red. brown. orange. yellow. green. blue. purple. pink. black. white. teal. silver .gold. grey. lilac. metallic. matte. royal blue. strawberry red. charcoal grey. forest green. apple red. navy blue. crimson. cream. mint green.

[ ELEMENTS ] fire. ice. water. air. earth. rain. snow. wind. moon. stars. sun. heat. cold. steam. frost. fog. lightning. sunlight. moonlight. dawn. dusk. twilight. midnight. sunrise. sunset. dewdrops.

[ BODY ] claws. long fingers. fangs. teeth. wings. tails. lips. bare feet. freckles. bruises. canine. scars. scratches. wounds. burns. spikes. feathers. webs. eyes. hands. sweat. tears. feline. chubby. curvy. short. tall. normal height. muscular. piercing. tattoos. tiny. thin.

[ WEAPONS ] fists. sword. dagger. spear. arrow. hammer. shield. poison. guns. axes. throwing axes. whips. knives. throwing knives. pepper sprays. tasers. machine guns.slingshots. katanas. maces. staffs. wands. powers. magical items. magic. rocks. mud balls.

[ MATERIALS ] gold. silver. platinum. titanium. diamonds. pearls. rubies. sapphires.emeralds. amethyst. metal. iron. rust. steel. glass. wood. porcelain. paper. wool. fur. lace. leather. silk. velvet. denim. linen. cotton. charcoal. clay. stone. asphalt. marble. dust. glitter. blood. dirt. mud. smoke. ash. shadow. carbonate. rubber. synthetics.

[ NATURE ] grass. leaves. trees. bark. roses. daisies. tulips. lavender. petals. thorns. seeds. hay. sand. rocks. roots. flowers. ocean. river. meadow. forest. desert. tundra. savanna. rainforest. caves. underwater. coral reef. beach. waves. space. clouds. mountains.

[ ANIMALS ] lions. wolves. bears. eagles. owls. falcons. hawks. swans. snakes. turtles. ducks. bugs. birds. whales. dolphins. fish. sharks. horses. cats. dogs. bunnies. praying mantises. crows. ravens. mice. lizards. werewolves. unicorns. pegasus. dragons. rats.

[ FOODS/DRINKS ] sugar. salt. candy. bubblegum. wine. champagne. hard liquor. beer. coffee. tea. spices. herbs. apple. orange. lemon. cherry. strawberry. watermelon. vegetables. fruits. meat. fish. pies. desserts. chocolate. cream. caramel. berries. nuts. cinnamon. burgers. burritos. pizza. ambrosia.

[ HOBBIES ] music. art. watercolors. gardening. smithing. sculpting. painting. sketching. fighting. writing. composing. cooking. sewing. training. dancing. acting. singing. martial arts self-defense. electronics. technology. cameras. video cameras. video games. computer.phone. movies. theater. libraries. books. magazines. cds. records. vinyls. cassettes. piano. violin. guitar. electronic guitar. bass guitar. harmonica. harp. woodwinds. brass. bells. playing cards. poker chips. chess. dice. motorcycle riding. eating. climbing. running.

[ STYLE ] lingerie. armor. cape. dress. tunic. vest. shirt. boots. heels. leggings. trousers. jeans. skirt. jewelry. earrings. necklace. bracelet. ring. pendant. hat. crown. circlet. helmet. scarf. brocade. cloaks. corsets. doublet. chest plate. gorget. bracers. belt. sash. coat. jacket.hood. gloves. socks. masks. costume. ruffle collar. cowls. braces. watches. glasses.sunglasses. visor. eye contacts. makeup.

[ MISC ] balloons. bubbles. cityscape. light. dark. candles. war. peace. money. power.percussion. clocks. photos. mirrors. pets. kisses. diary. fairy lights. madness. sanity.sadness. happiness. optimism. pessimism. loneliness. fear. family. friends. assistants. co-workers. enemies. loyalty. deception. smoking. drugs. kindness. love. hugs.

[elizabethplaid]

batch listen playlist - ladies

In addition to my usual “new to me” batch listen playlist, I have one with just female vocalists. Most of them have appeared on some of my old playlists or the more recent batch listen posts. I think the majority of the songs are ballads, though some are more high-energy later in the list.

Again, be cautious when watching the videos. Some might feature nsfw visuals. I just listen to the videos in another tab, so I usually don’t watch ‘em.

Vienna Teng - "Recessional"

Christina Perri - "A Thousand Years"

Festival - "Fair and True"

HAIM - "Falling"

Agnes Obel - "Riverside"

Delta Rae - "Bottom of the River"

My Brightest Diamond - "We Were Sparkling"

Birdy - "People Help the People" (Cherry Ghost cover, live)

Nataly Dawn - "Book of Love" (The Magnetic Hills cover)

Dawn Landes - "Straight Lines"

Natalie Walker - "Right Here"

Portishead - "Wandering Star"

Joanna Newsom - "Sawdust and Diamonds" (live)

Grouper - "Call Across Rooms"

Meg Myers - "Monster"

Lynn Hilary - "Melody of Life"

Susanna and the Magical Orchestra - "Condition of the Heart" (Prince cover)

Miriam Stockley - "Perfect Day"

Bat for Lashes - "Glass"

Eliza Rickman - "Pretty Little Head" (heard on “Welcome to Nightvale”)

Evi Vine - "Porcelain"

Veruca Salt - "Volcano Girls"

Paula Cole - "I Believe in Love"

Grimes - "Go" (featuring Blood Diamonds)

Yaël Naïm - "Toxic" (Britney Spears cover)

Hindi Zahra - "Stand Up"

Paula Cole - "Gloucester Harbor Shore"

FKA twigs - "Pendulum"

Daughter - "Youth"

Dolly Parton - "Jolene" (slowed to 33rpm)

FKA twigs - "Water Me"

Grimes - "REALiTi"

Sarah Jaffe - "Clementine"

Birdy - "1901"

Princess Chelsea - "Yulia"

Princess Chelsea - "And I Love Her"

Willow Smith - "Female Energy"

Daughter - "Smother"

Sevdeliza - "Marilyn Monroe"