#My excellent poetry lol

[specialagentartemis]

Fun fact about me: in eighth grade (age 13 or so) I started writing an epic poem in rhyming couplets retelling the story of Electra. The only part I still remember is:

For this is Electra, Agamemnon’s child, A princess grown vengeful and wild Revenge is now all she hopes for While she waits, life is just a chore.

which just kind of makes me look back and go. 13 year old me 🤝 29 year old me: having big feelings about the women of the House of Atreus. It has always been here and never fully went away. I hadn’t even read any of the plays yet at this point, I just loved this tragic messy family, murder, revenge, dirty vicious feral princesses, and Artemis

[quarterlifekitty]

poetry submission for the class!

P - pussy drunk, because we all know he sinks in after a long deployment and the Avengers themselves can't pull him out

R - rizzler, cause when he buys you a drink and calls you doll and puts his heavy paws on your thigh you know for a fact you're going home with him

I - icky old man who loves to feel you clenching around a cock that's far too old for you

C - cum eater yum yum

E - everything everywhere all at once. As in all the positions, in literally any place he can grab you

PRICE aka my daddy issues goin' brrrr

Literally saw this ask minutes after browsing your blog lol HELLO

Excellent work. Points deducted for avengers reference (JOKE)(but also. I am a hater of the marvel cinematic universe lmao)

LOVE when a man is pussydrunk and lovesick

[willowisdead345]

50 things to do instead of binging!!

coming from personal experience from someone who has lost over 11 kg since I stopped binging a couple moths ago, these have worked for me

Remember binge urges don't last forever. It's difficult to resist them, but if you distract yourself or pass time, the urge can pass without the need for a binge. Stay strong, you can do it!

crafts:

Try embroidery/cross stitching

Make friendship bracelets, even better if it’s red (like the old ana bracelet lol)

Learn how to knit or crochet

Make a pompom

Learn how to make a bead lizard

Paint a clothing item with bleach

Make something out of clay/fimo/foam clay

Learn how to make a new origami design, there are plenty of instructions available

Try macrame, there are loads of easy instructions for it online

arts:

Paint, try painting with a different medium than usual to force yourself to concentrate harder

Draw something, you can use methods like the grid technique

Doodle! Try to fill an entire a4

Try to draw with crayons, have fun. For some reasons crayons make everything lower stakes for me

Make a children's story (not for actual kids though), write it and you can add pictures (bonus points if you make it disturbing)

Make a collage using old magazines, you can include motivational quotes

Make moodboards

Try making found poetry (for example with an old book or magazine)

ed-stuff:

Draw something, you can use your fave thinspo as a reference

Make yourself a diet/weight tracker for the next month (on paper or digitally) you can choose the theme of it yourself

write meanspo/sweetspo for yourself or find some

Try bullet journalling, you can make trackers for yourself (highly recommend one for not binging!)

Make your own motivational quotes, there are lists of “ana quotes” online, or you can go the funny route instead. A tip is to use lyrics from songs you relate to and adding a motivating picture as the background (maybe one day I’ll share my folder of these)

Write down your goals, make it look pleasing to you

Measure your circumferences with a measuring tape, you can write them down and compare later

Make an excel sheet where you can log stats and calories and stuff

Play with excel to make graphs of your weight loss or weekly intake! Lots of tutorials on how to make graphs, learning to use excel is a good distraction (has been really helpful for me to keep motivated and distracted)

Write a haiku/poem about your ed

Listen to triggering music

GROSSPO (ew maggots, mold and stuff like that)

Take bodychecks and compare to older ones

Watch other people binging instead of binging yourself

Calculate the calories of whatever you are craving, this always helps shock me and reconsider

Calculate your current bmr (base metabolic rate, you can calculate it online), calculate your bmr at your ugw too

self care:

Paint your nails/clip your nails. Toenails too

Take a shower or bath (seeing yourself naked helps a lot, and it helps pass time)

Put on a facemask

Do a foot soak

Try a new makeup look, it doesn’t have to look nice, you can even try to make the most ridiculous look ever

Apply body lotion throughout your entire body (again this helps you reconsider by making you self conscious)

get out of the situation and clear your head:

Go outside! And don’t take food or money with you. Just go outside to get yourself out of the situation making you want to binge

Take a walk, motivate yourself with cigs if needed (unless you're a minor). Or go sit and breathe in a forest or isolated area of a park

Go swimming! Yea in the summer, or in the winter. Ice swimming really helps shock your body out of binging

Exercise and do a workout, there are plenty of beginner friendly ones on for example youtube

learn new things:

Learn a new language, make the duolingo bird proud

Learn the alphabet in morse code! Or ASL!

Do your homework if you have any

Play with google translate and learn random phrases in random languages, or try to see what hilarious sentences you can come up with by translating several times

games and miscellaneous:

Play a video game, solitaire and firegirl and waterboy are my faves that are free through google, but find some you enjoy

Word searches! Or crosswords, or sudokus if that’s what you’re into, there are plenty online

Come up with your own list of 50 things to do instead of binging!! making your own list with things personal to you will help better

[tackytigerfic]

Hello dear writer ! I am reading along First Watch of Night and absolutely loving it ! I was wondering about what the title mean or refers to ? Perhaps it is because english is not my first language but it is a mystery to me ahah

Thank you <3

Hello, lovely Anon! This is such an interesting question, thank you.

The title of this fic eluded me for so long. It never had one, in all the years I was writing, and even up until just before I was ready to post, I still hadn't hit on the right one. I usually just *know* when I find the right title, and it wasn't coming to me.

Some early notes I made are: Fierce as Electricity/ A Waste of Breath/ Sunward/ High Flight/ Golden Hour/ Upon Your Wrist/ Not Keeping Still (On the Move) (i was reading A LOT of thom gunn haha).

One idea we came up with in the group chat, which I still really love, was to describe the timespan of the fic in the title. So it's around eleven months in total, so it would have been something like 331 Days of Arrowless Time (because there's a theory that in the multiverse time is arrowless ie it doesn't move in one particular direction, linearly). I still think that is an excellent title but I have such a bad memory for titles and I knew I'd get it muddled along the way somewhere.

Anyway then i started reading a lot of war poetry, and was coming up with some i liked but again weren't right (What is Sunk/ Faces to the Foe/ Small Ways/ An Inward Sword). And then @sweet-s0rr0w started sending me links to poems she thought fit the vibe and one of the first was The Light of Stars by Longfellow, which I actually knew but hadn't considered as it was written before the period I was leaning into.

Within my breast there is no light

But the cold light of stars;

I give the first watch of the night

To the red planet Mars. 

It felt very good vibes-wise: to me, it's about resolution and strength through adversity. I also loved how he describes the qualities of warriors as "Serene, and resolute, and still/ And calm, and self-possessed" (Mars being the god of war in Ancient Roman mythology, thus uniting another special interest of mine) - it's the opposite of how I imagined my Harry lmao. Such bangers as "Know how sublime a thing it is/ To suffer and be strong" sealed the deal. In this fic, the characters are fighting a literal war, but they're also fighting against themselves, to be who they want to be, and both Harry and Draco tend to be hard on themselves, and deny themselves what they want in favour of what they think they deserve. Suffering and being strong is their default setting - in this fic, I look at how they can move beyond that. And despite the Longfellow poem asking "Is it the tender star of love? The star of love and dreams? O no!" - my fic is obviously about love, and the realisation of desires, and I liked the undercutting of the theme.

The first watch is also a military term - being on watch means you're on a specific duty for a set time. First watch I believe runs in the evening up to midnight? So it's quite symbolic, being on the alert into the dark of night, and doing your duty and so on. It felt apt for a fic about a war. And of course, this is a fic about time... so the word watch can have a double meaning 😆

All in all, the title is one I'm really happy with now I've decided to go with it - it's easy for me to remember and captures the mood I wanted.

Here's a link to a beautiful reading of the poem as part of the Poetry Out Loud series. And here's a link to the fic lol: First Watch of Night.

[sauron-kraut]

Get to know your Mutuals

Thank you for tagging me @perlen-gold! 🖤

What's the origin of your blog's title? @lvsifer and I were talking about a certain Middle-Earth cookbook with some truly funky recipes, unfortunately there were none for Mairon so we were like... What would he eat? He would definitely be into eating raw meat. Mettbrötchen are a German specialty, basically a bread roll with butter and minced raw pork (yes, you heard that right), preferably with pepper and red onions. So Mairon's Mettbrötchen was born - doesn't it just fuck phonetically?

Favorite Fandoms: The Silm fandom 🖤 I have never been truly active in any other fandom.

OTP(s) + shipname: Angbang (Mairon/Melkor). Most other ships I love/like are fucked up in a way that makes OTP sound wrong to describe them (not that an OTP can't have a fucked up dynamic of course!).

Favorite color: red, black, gold, rusty colors, yellow

Favorite game: Not a a gamer person.

Song stuck in your head:

Weirdest habit/trait? Super randomly talking to myself when I'm alone at home? Could be pieces of dialogue I'm planning for a fic, could be imaginary discussion scenarios with friends or coworkers... you name it.

Hobbies: Writing.

If you work, what's your profession? I'm a linguist specializing in language change, particularly grammatical change. I don't currently work in that field though; I work at a technical university in event management and student recruiting.

If you could have any job you wish what would it be? I'd work as a linguist and teach at university again.

Something you're good at: Learning languages quickly, imitating native accents in languages (other than English, probably due to my idgaf attitude when it comes to that, so have a weird mix of different accents in English mixed with a very slight German and Dutch accent. lol), teaching, public speaking, being thoughtful with gifts, cooking

Something you're bad at: Remembering birthdays, sometimes texting back, sometimes cleaning, MATH (oh god)

Something you excel at: being anxious, overthinking, understanding how languages are structured and applying this to learning them

Something you love: reading, poetry, writing, my apartment, partying, various altered states of consciousness from time to time, dancing, 80s music, techno, prosecco, cooking, food, Berlin, fandom, my mom, my friends, traveling

Something you could talk about for hours without off the cuff: linguistics, language change, The Silm

Something you hate: coriander and water melon

Something you collect: Nothing really that comes to mind.

Something you forget: birthdays, appointments

What's your love language? The concept of love languages has its problems but if I just use this to describe how I do express my love: giving cute gifts, cooking for people, listening to them, open communication, spending quality time together

Favorite movie/show: LOTR and MANY more, show: DARK, Sense8, The Sinner

Favorite food: so many different soups, kebap, pizza, STEAK, schnitzel, peruvian food, birria tacos

Favorite animal: three-toed sloth

Are you musical? I know how to play the saxophone and I did so decently. But I wouldn't say I'm musical.

What were you like as a child? I have to quote @perlen-gold here: An insufferable know-it-all.

Favorite subject at school? German, English, philosophy, biology

Least favorite subject? MATHS. And PE.

What's your best character trait? I'm honest and good at communicating openly.

What's your worst character trait? Avoidant behavior, procrastinating literally everything

If you could change any detail of your day right now what would it be? I would make the sun rise again so it doesn't feel like another of those depressing winter nights.

If you could travel in time who would you like to meet? I can't think of anyone I'd genuinely want to meet.

Recommend one of your favorite fanfics (spread the love!):

elektra by @lvsifer. What a masterpiece. Also please have a look at the fanfics I recommended here!

Last but not least, show your favorite fanart of your favorite character(s) (please remember to credit/add links!):

Mairon by @lvsifer

So many more art from talented and skilled artists that I love, but I had to make a decision here and this one will haunt me forever 🖤

✨Tagging @crackinthecup, @cilil, @elevenelvenswords, @admirably-abhorrent, @tauw-nu-fuin, @peasant-player, @blauerregen and @lvsifer

[fuzzygoblin]

2024 Fic Roundup

Thanks @cheeseplants for starting this ask game and for the tag! What an excellent way to celebrate a year of creativity!

What fandoms do you write in?

Good Omens

How many words have you published in 2024?

Minus collabs my total is 202,481. How is it that many words? That's a lot of words...

What is your greatest achievement this year?

Finishing my first longfic! We All Scream for Ice Cream! It's silly and funny and fluffy and enemies to lovers with Shax shenanigans.

What are your favourite top three fics you wrote this year?

We All Scream for Ice Cream!

The war of the ice cream stands erupts as the weather warms up in St. James’s Park, London. Competing vendors Aziraphale and Crowley engage in a battle of shenanigans to see who comes out on top in this enemies-to-lovers venture.

I learnt so much about storytelling and arcs and started posting before it was complete so the pressure was on! It was also the first time I used a workskin on AO3!

Aziraphale and Crowley's Spooktacular Adventure

A Choose Your Own Adventure collaboration with 30 writers and artists. I learnt so much about workskins, html and worked with so many great creators, beta readers and amazing individuals who came together to create something terrifying amazing (it is a Halloween fic after all lol).

You Had Me at Halo

Anthony Crowley, manager of the trendy queer Nightingale Club in Soho, finds himself inexplicably aroused by the appearance of the pastel-clad angel’s arrival on the dancefloor. It doesn’t take Crowley long to woo the angel and take him upstairs to his office.

This was such silly fun to write. There are so many cheesy pickup lines packed into exactly 3999 words, I love it.

What was your biggest pit of despair moment?

Had to think about this one to find something I was comfortable to share. One of the lower moments was my own fic for the Songs and Poetry Exchange, it took a while and several tries to find inspiration. Thousands of words written that are discarded because it wasn't working out is a tough reality, but i was happy with the fic I ended up writing in the end.

What have you learned?

I've learnt more about grammar and punctuation in the last year than in the last several decades.

HTML coding and workskins. Even improved my spreadsheet skills.

Dipping my toes into digital art and making things again (it's been so long and yet so lovely to make something creative)

What fic did you want to do but never made it off the ground?

Never say never, my personal motto for life in general has always been I'll finish that, eventually. And a fair amount of the time it actually does happen. In saying that I think my vampire AU is one that I would like to go back to and work on again.

Did you beta any fics? Any favs you want to shout out?

I beta'd many fics for many different writers. Shout out to @isiaiowin's Infernal Tango, @demonsandpieohmy's The devil's water, it ain't so sweet and @sixbynine-da's Against all Expectations

What three fics have you read this year that you love?

A Little Life  by @gaiaseyes451

An amazing fic by a phenomenal writer, Gaias wrote this for me as part of the Good Omens Poetry and Songs exchange, even anonymously reaching out to confirm if I was alright with the themes of the story (I said go for it and boy did she go for it). It's a heartrending tale that broke me in the very best way possible and has a place forever in my heart.

Our homeward steps were just as light by @on1occasionfork

Based on a reverse trope prompt, a nursing home AU that is so sweet and fluffy it's a definite favourite comfort fic that I've recommended many times.

Stuck On You by @zin-lynn-c

A wonderful story in a historical setting that held me captive right from chapter 1.

What ideas are percolating for next year?

So. Many. Ideas. Ones that I definitely intend to continue:

Gladiator AU

Vampire AU

Two Aussie AU ideas (The Block Reality Show AU and a Bondi Rescue AU)

Who do you want to thank?

@goodomensafterdark for fostering such a wonderful creative community. @isiaiowin for the cheer leading and betaing, you are amazing. @fishey-me for betaing and making my writing (and history and smut!) so much better.

Tag, answer any Qs that suit and play along!

@fishey-me, @phoen1xr0se, @alphacentaurinebula come join the fun!

[borgialucrezia]

okay i know you've mentioned/answered this a million times but i would love to get your top recommendations for borgias published books and content.

i haven't really ventured into those selections but i really want to take the leap into that realm and buy/borrow some books and read them..!

(also i'm curious if you read many fanfictions for the borgias, and if so do you have any good recs?)

💞

hi <33! no worries at all! i love being asked questions about everything related to the borgias, as i get very enthusiastic about them. now, let's start with my favorite borgias biographies:

maria bellonci's 'lucrezia borgia' because i'm very obsessed with accuracy and avoiding cliché biased narratives. it's such a solid read really! it also portrays lucrezia in a way that i've always believed she was—a completely misunderstood woman who is a pawn in the power and ambition games of her father and brother. but deep down, she's just a silly, pretty poetry lover who's guilty by association. this book also debunks cesare's supposed "jealousy" towards juan as the shows how much he loves him (based on the letters to each other) and that rodrigo has always loved his children equally, which is a cherry on top lol.

emma lucas's 'lucrezia borgia.' while it's not entirely accurate because it satisfies my beloved (but not accurate) 'lucrezia is a femme fatale and not saintly' narrative (which i love, by the way), i'm fascinated by how it unexpectedly delves deep into her family, especially rodrigo, cesare, and juan. it also provides great anecdotes about the characters so there's that. despite having negative reviews, the biography is actually very well-written and highly entertaining! fuck the gossip!

christopher hibbert's 'the borgias and their enemies.' for some reason, i keep forgetting to recommend this book to my friends. i tend to get easily investedwith any borgia book that focuses on the pope and his children, providing narratives without forcing you to choose what to believe. the author obviously conducted extensive research before publishing it because when reading a biography (not historical fiction), i prefer to avoid biased perspectives that can be heavily misleading. i also appreciate the fact that machiavelli (and other important figures) plays an important role in this biography because i'm always excited about him.

ferdinand gregorovius' 'lucretia borgia according to original documents and correspondence of her day'. it's also a very unbiased excellent piece of history that is full of validated source. and i just adore how the author is pro-lucrezia as well.

samantha morris' 'cesare and lucrezia: brother and sister of history's most vilified family' is also well documented and well researched! while cesare was given more depth than lucrezia, still, lucrezia's character in this biography is more colorful. obviously the most popular narrative for the borgia family is them being incestuous, corrupt and violent, a family to be feared, but the author suggests otherwise as she sets out to prove this is not the full story and she does make a good argument! as she detailed how they've been portrayed by mainstream media as well as detailing what happened to their descendants.

sarah bradford's 'lucrezia borgia.' okay, so this one isn't a favorite of mine, but i'd recommend it to you or anyone who's a huge fan of ceslu. it's written like a love story biography exclusively about them. while i like how she wrote about ceslu, i heavily dislike how she wrote about juan and rodrigo and how she portrayed them based on narratives from the family's enemies. the author also manipulated a letter about the envoy boccaccio, which is supposed to praise both brothers. but instead, the author just one-upped him with cesare by dunking on him, which i personally find lame and intensely inaccurate since juan borgia was pretty much loved by his wife, his family, and his friends based on the retrieved documents and letters. that being said, i do enjoy the ceslu parts, of course, and i believe any fan of showtime's 'the borgias' who ships ceslu would enjoy this book and its fluent writing and can easily ignore the negatively inaccurate narratives about the other members of the family.

that's all for the biography books! now let's start with historical fiction:

sarah dunant's 'blood and beauty'. one thing about me is that i'm never gonna stop praising this book because it is absolutely my favorite historical fiction book about this extraordinary family! again, i get so invested in any book when the author does extensive research. also, if you're looking for a book about this family that reads like an episode of showtime's 'the borgias,' then this book is your go-to! full of interesting dynamics, and yes, cesare is as cruel and megalomaniacal as history and machiavelli portrayed him, lucrezia as a victim of her father and brother's political ambitions game, and juan as the flawed kid who was eventually sunk deep when he got dragged into his father's ambitions game. while the book doesn't provide a deeper exploration of the characters' psyche, it's more focused on the story by making it very engaging and sheds light on their complex relationships and their rise to power. and every character is highly sympathetic as the author brilliantly humanizes them. in short, it is emotionally intriguing and a must-read for the borgias enjoyers.

mario puzo's 'the family'. you know, i wasn't even surprised a bit that this book's writing and story being groundbreaking because after all, it is written by the author of 'the godfather'. the family is such a compelling book, such tender writing when it comes to lucrezia and cesare. the story becomes intriguing the more you read. i also loved puzo's portrayal of rodrigo as this family man who deeply loves his children yet he uses them as pawns (which is also similar to jeremy irons' portrayal). while i gotta criticize that the characters have no depth and his version of lucrezia as this damsel angel for her father and brother is, uhhh… quite boring. i like her when she's multilayered lol. i also think the way he tried to present cesare and give him the "from zero to hero" trope in order to make him relatable is also lame because cesare's success as a historical figure is because he was calculating and wicked, and definitely not a bitter loser. i mean, i could absolutely ignore the bitterness part, but at least françois arnaud's cesare added so many layers and swag in the characters, therefore you could ignore it. but i can overlook all that when there's an engaging story and great writing, no matter what the characterizations are like. so overall, it's impressive and entertaining, and you will definitely enjoy it.

regarding fanfiction; i'm sorry but i never read any because i feel quite satisfied by all 'the borgias' show canon that we have and all these historical books. i wish i could help with recommending fics :/

thank you very much for the question, and i hope this post answers it. have a great day 💕🫶

[willameena]

13 books

What’s up readers?! How about a little show and tell? Answer these 13 questions, tag 13 lucky readers and if you’re feeling extra bookish add a shelfie! Let’s Go!

this is such a cute idea! thanks for the tag, @magnusbae <3 all your recs sound awesome!

Last book I read: the last one I completed was Machines Like Me, by Ian McEwan. I'm on the last chapter of 5 Tuesdays in Winter, by Lily King, right now, and it's excellent. Machines Like Me had a cool premise, but I thought it really fell flat and got bogged down in the hypotheticals of 80s British politics, which I don't know much about to begin with, and while I thought it was cool that it explored what could have been if Margaret Thatcher weren't elected PM, it seemed like the book could have just done without that entire subplot, as the premise was advanced AI. Anyways.

A book I recommend: Fight Club, by Chuck Palahniuk. A great movie, of course, but I love the book even more and my best friend recently started reading, at my recommendation so I'm very excited to hear her thoughts when she's done. I want to do a reread myself!

A book that I couldn't put down: Unfortunately, I don't have the amount of free time to be able to sit down and read uninterrupted. I haven't read an entire book in one day in a very long time, although I devoured them daily as a kid. In a less literal sense, Revenge of the Sith and Labyrinth of Evil. I have those downloaded to my phone, in the Kindle app, and I couldn't stop reading them. Having it on my phone made that easier to achieve, haha.

A book I've read twice or more: Again, I haven't done a reread of any books in a little while :( I read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo a few times though, pre-kids, when I had more time. Now, I prefer to move onto something new. It's one of my favorites, and the trilogy is so excellent.

A book on my TBR: I have quite a few that purchased from my favorite used book store that I haven't gotten to yet! Dune is one of them, and I'm excited to start that, although I think I'll read something shorter when I finish the book I'm currently on.

A book I've put down: I don't often put down a book I've started, just because I'll either hold out hope that it's going to get better, or I'll want to be able to explain in detail why I disliked it, haha. Sometimes, I'll put one down and return to it if I feel like it is too heavy for me at the time. I did try and read Lord of the Rings when I was a kid, and I just couldn't get into it... I'm hoping this doesn't make me any enemies lol

A book on my wish list: I really want a paper copy of Revenge of the Sith! I'd like paper copies of a few other Star Wars books that I have on the Kindle app, but that one's top of the list.

A favorite book from childhood: I was such an avid reader as a child! I didn't go anywhere without a book, or two. I loved A Wrinkle in Time, the Inkheart series, The Chronicles of Narnia, Roald Dahl's books, a book called Mandy, which was written by Julie Andrews. I loved Harry Potter, but everything that's happened has left a bad taste in my mouth.

A book you would give to a friend: The Almost Moon, by Alice Sebold, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Bell Jar, if they hadn't read any of those yet.

a book of poetry or lyrics that you own: If They Come for Us, by Fatimah Asghar, I can't recommend this enough!! It is absolutely gorgeous and very powerful. I believe they have also written a novel, which I haven't read yet. Where the Sidewalk Ends, and Falling up, by Shel Silverstein, which are my old copies from childhood and very worn and treasured <3 I have a book of Rupi Kaur poems as well.

a non-fiction book you own: quite a few! Spiritual Midwifery, Birth Without Fear, a couple books about Kurt Cobain, Anthony Keidis' memoir, Scar Tissue, a multitude of parenting books, a half marathon guide book, and some books in the "Highly Sensitive Person" series, which I really recommend for those who consider themselves a highy sensitive person

What are you currently reading: I've got 1 chapter left of 5 Tuesdays in Winter, which is a collection of short stories and has been a beautiful read. I'm also working through "The Highly Sensitive Parent" and "Half Marathon, You Can do it!" which sounds ridiculously corny, but is actually really informative and helpful, because I'm training for a half marathon

What are you planning on reading next: I think either Choke, by Chuck Palahniuk or The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, by Mark Haddon. My best friend bought it for me and said I would love it, so I'm guessing I'm gonna love it!

Soooo this was incredibly long and if anyone has read all of this, wow, haha. Thanks again for the tag @magnusbae this was super fun!

No pressure tagging: @cottonraincoat @sendpseuds @piecesofeden11 @wandering-not-lost04 @dragon-on-ice

@kenobster

@lesbianakins @tideswept @unspuncreature @sky-kenobye @betweensaintsandmonsters

@hausofroxann @kato-neimoidia

Also, a shelfie? A shelf selfie? A bookshelf picture? That's so adorable. I recently put up these shelves and while they don't hold all of my books, I really enjoy them and I am 100% taking the opportunity to show them off

[idontwanttospoiltheparty]

which solo songs by the beatles would you say are their "best"? as in, great production, great structure, it shows off their strengths as musicians, etc... although i get it's totally subjective, which ones would *you* pick?

this is SUCH an interesting question, thank you so much!!!!

My Sweet Lord is genuinely like my favourite George song, but given its semi-plagiarizing and how simple it is, I think I can't call it his best outright, although it's his most iconic slide guitaring for a reason. A very strong contender would be Isn't It A Pity, which I think is absolutely gorgeous lyrically and incredibly effective musically. I've also always loved When We Was Fab as a Beatles pastiche and think it's amazing melodically and production-wise. I'd also say Run Of The Mill, which is emotionally and lyrically incredible and rhythmically very interesting. It keeps switching time signatures!!! I also kind of wanna say Someplace Else but I can't fully defend it, though. I'm also super partial to Who Can See It though I don't find that a typical George song at all, so I'm not sure it fits your criteria. (also bear in mind I haven't reached Brainwashed yet!!)

For Ringo, tbh I am going to say Vertical Man. this is a GREAT song that I feel really captures his character so well, the light whimsy and the dark undercurrent. It also really works for his voice and the drumming rocks. It's still not on my Spotify!!!!! KMS!!!!!

For John, I think the three songs I'd say my three favourite songs are (in no particular order) #9 Dream, Nobody Loves You (When You're Down And Out), and I'm Losing You (okay and also (Just Like) Starting Over) and I think those all demonstrate John's different lyrical strengths – the dreamy imagery, the sad resignedness, the bitterness – incredibly well, while all having quite excellent production. I think John is kind of underrated as a producer and a lot of the stuff he's credited on (and Spector is not credited on lol) has a great vibe and shows a lot of vision. I also might throw in Scared which I think is super overlooked and to also add a more stripped back song, I'd go with Isolation, which to me is kind of the core of Plastic Ono Band.

Paul has my definite favourite solo career, so it's hard to narrow it down fully. Band On The Run is probably my most basic answer but I do think it's just that good and definitely one of his most effective suites. I would also say Junk, which I think is pure poetry and musically perfect. Tug of War is probably my (co-)favourite Paul solo song but I've seen a lot of people call it too melodramatic. I sort of see what they mean, but I love the central image so much, how complicated it is. I also think Here Today is one of his strongest songs lyrically, actually. Okay, let's throw out a few more: My Brave Face is like peeeeeaaaak upbeat but sad breakup song and I love it to bits. It'll definitely end up on my spotify wrapped. I also think Distractions is one of Paul's most gorgeous melodies and the production is so cool to me. It also feels so sincere and romantic idk. ALSO, circling back to Tug of War the album, I wanna say: I think The Pound Is Sinking would 1000000000000% be a universally recognized masterpiece had it been on a Beatles album. It is the absolute sweet spot of Paul's abstract yet impactful lyricism. I also kind of wanna say Heaven On A Sunday though I find that, like Who Can See It, not that typically Paul per se. It and Warm and Beautiful are perhaps my favourite songs about Linda he wrote.

I'm interested in your thoughts, anon!! and what do others think?? does anyone agree or strongly disagree with any of my takes?

[i-am-a-living-god]

hello! what’s your current project you’re working on? and what’s something you’d like to work on in the future? (gimme all the details you want, i love hearing about others’ stuff!)

Greetings!! Oh god where do I even start I have like 20 ok so first, fanfics!

Tello— co-writing this one lol have you ever read ghost in the shell by AmevelloBlue? It's like that but reversed, like rise Donnie ends up in 2003 when they're kids, and becomes like an older sibling to them lol (we're going really slow with this one lol)

Wukong (placeholder name)— a sequel of a sort to this really shitty one-shot I wrote about sun wukong killing macaque! This one shot serves to set up toxic Shadowpeach later on, I'm planning on turning this into a shitty self indulgent one shot series.

Art-wips!

Caseynardo— a cute lil comic strip of this ship because someone I know likes the ship and there isn't nearly enough of it. (I'm slowly getting sucked into it send help, this ships actually really good—)

Su arcane crossover— been in the works for awhile, I really just need to convert it to digital. It's a comic strip where Peridot and Jace interact, because someone requested it.

Isha Jinx poem— not actually a poem, I can't write poetry. It's a comic strip where jinx thinks about Isha.

Oc stuff!

—figuring out where each oc stands in this universe, trying to decide if I should keep Maria in this oc universe, or create something different for her.

SHOULD I KILL THE ONE WITHOUT A NAME??? AND SHOULD I GIVE HER GLASSES??????

Does max have any hobbies? Do they just exist?????

SHOULD I KILL NAMELESS???

WAIT WHAT SHOULD I EVEN CALL HER??? ARE NAMES NECESSARY??? HELP

*ehem* something I'd like to work on in the future! Excellent question!

The actual ninja iteration I stopped working on due to failure.

A–Cross the room— I said I would continue this like a year ago, I even have most of the second chapter written, but alas, never gonna happen, rip dust sans.

Ok now actual things I'd like work on:

A web comic of some sort. Maybe a fan comic, maybe not. I wanna do that, I wanna actually succeed in doing it tho. I don't care if it's good, I just want it to actually exist.

A long fic that I actually finish! Wow that would be awesome! Imagine, me- actually finishing a fic for once! Oh I would celebrate forever.

I'd like to make an au that I actually work on without moving on to something else almost immediately.

I want to make a jinx cosplay at some point in my life.

Ok so, not something that really matters online much, but I want to crochet a Mabel sweater at some point.

And that's probably it, thank you so much for the ask! <3

[moreespressoformydepresso]

TBOSAS Assassination Classroom where the tributes are Class E and the mentors are Class A because the vibes are there and the tributes deserve to beat the mentors at absolutely everything and win a stupid amount of money for learning how to assassin.

For the uninitiated: the basics of this manga/anime’s universe is that there’s this private school named Kunugigaoka Junior High that’s separated into two campuses. The main campus, holding classes A through D, and the old, lowkey broken down, up on the mountain campus for class E. The end class, where the “worst” students are placed (A has the best students, ranking’s based on grades) though you can be sent there for rule violations too. One of those rules is that students aren’t allowed to have jobs during school terms, by the way. Class E is treated very badly and gets bullied because the school’s principal has the philosophy based on ants (yeah I’m sure that’s applicable to humans, dude…) where the E Class is shunned as “undesirables” so the rest of the school will do anything to not be sent to E Class and thus perform better in academics.

The basic premise of the actual story is there’s a dude who was transformed into a yellow octopus thing that can move at impossible speeds and do all sorts of wacky things who destroyed the moon once so now it’s permanently a crescent moon and he managed to make the government make him Class E’s teacher for sad backstory reasons and he’s threatening to destroy the whole world if the class can’t assassinate him before the year is over. Whoever kills this state secret gets a massive cash prize and the class gets two other new teachers to whip them into shape and teach them how to be assassins. While whacky hijinx are ensuing, Class E gets opportunities to show the school they can measure up to them despite being the “worthless” ones. Fun times.

I’m gonna make Snow the Asano character while the principal is Gaul. In the show Asano is the son of the principal and the leader of the Big 5, the top students of the school. I won’t give either Gaul or Snow the redemption arc though, they don’t quite deserve that. Idk who to make the rest of the big 5 but I think Io as Koyama (science), Androcles as Araki (Social Studies, announcer guy throughout the show and president of the broadcasting club), Festus as Seo (top English student), and I’m keeping Ren open because he’s a poetry dude and idk who to give that one to (the subject’s Japanese)

All of the Big Five have an E Class student who matches up to them in the fight for the top spot so my lineup rn: Circ or Teslee for Math (against Coryo) and science for fairly obvious reasons. Either Treech or Lucy Gray for Japanese (because songwriting is poetry to me and theater kid Treech will never die), Treech could also go for Social Studies because he’s kinda similar to Isogai in my headcanon (the male class president of E Class and the one who excels in Social Studies) but if it’s not him I’d give it to Reaper. I need a bookworm for English so I’m tempted to say Lamina because of Table Of Contents by @ylvisruinedmylife but it’s semi-open for now.

I have so many plot ideas already but the basics of all of them are Class E consistently outclassing the rest of the school and I’ll leave it at that for now lol.

[suzannahnatters]

LOTR re-read, FOTR chapters 9-12: Keeping My 2024 Tolkiennaissance Burning All the Way To TROP S3

CH 9 - AT THE SIGN OF THE PRANCING PONY

love the rhythm of this book: we travel to a new location, learn a detailed history, and then have an adventure before moving on. wish I knew how Tolkien makes this feel like the best tour ever instead of a total yawn the way it does with most secondary world fantasy!!!

with a sense of petty satisfaction, I note that in Bree the races of Big and Little People live together in harmony and Tolkien calls it an "excellent arrangement"

Future King Elessar of Gondor Spotted Sneaking In Over Bree Gate

don't know what is sillier: that Tolkien spent hours reconstructing the lost OG Cat and Fiddle, orrrrrrr that this is the biggest appearance in the literature of Tilion, Chaotic Loverboy of the Moon

calling it now: nothing Merry and/or Pippin does is anywhere near as chaotic and silly as Frodo doing a vanishing act in the taproom of a crowded inn

CH 10 - STRIDER

wow Aragorn could you BE any more suspicious

"they are very terrible" this man obviously has trauma, somewhere out there must be a rich vein of Dunedan torture fic

STOUT AND FAIR, DIDN'T I TELL YOU FRODO WAS A CHONKY BLOND

our boy Strider wishes he could have been trusted on his own recognisances 🥺🥺🥺 he is my baby I would protect him with my life

also, speaking of himself in the third person has never seemed odd to me, tho you don't question much when you're 11 years old. but thinking about it now, I perceive it kind of as an acknowledgement that there's a scoundrelly reputation around this persona that Aragorn feels does not fit him super well. the Strider identity is one of many, as we know, and not one he fully embraces.

"not much use is it Sam" he says of the shards of broken Narsil THEN WHY CARRY IT ABOUT WITH YOU lol

CH 11 - A KNIFE IN THE DARK

at this point Fatty is streets ahead of all the other hobbits in this book in terms of discretion and not playing the fule. Sam is second place.

don't let Bill's insults get you down, Strider, not one but TWO princesses will have fallen in love with you at first sight before your story is over

always loved the moment when they see lights on the horizon as Gandalf is battles the Nazgul on Weathertop. It's a cool moment, fun to remember that Gandalf is having his own adventures not far away, but it also foreshadows the narrative polyphony in the second half of the plot.

"it is said that Elendil stood here" - screaming obvs

the Fall of Gil-Galad stanza is a top ten LOTR poetry moment, I know it by heart and cry every time. but??? for the first time I notice that it uses the Lay of Leithien tetrameter? maybe that's why I respond so strongly - it's so reminiscent of my Favourite Poem Everrrrr.

as the landscape changes, we've moved out of the misty, uncertain history of the old forest and the barrow downs into the recorded epic history of Middle Earth - the kingdom of Arnor, the Second Age and beyond to Luthien and Beren; and I'm just so fascinated by how Tolkien does his exposition and how interesting he makes it.

in addition, Tolkien makes a calculated choice to tell the Tale of Tinuviel right before the attack of the Nazgul; it's quite an unforgettable juxtaposition of light and darkness. before Sauron's most dreadful servants attack we're told the story of the woman who beat him AND his master in the Elder Days; one of the ways that Tolkien keeps the darkness from overwhelming his story is not just to keep emphasising the light, but putting the light FIRST, assuring us that the darkness can be beaten and healed from before we even experience the darkness.

the confrontation on Weathertop is the first moment there's actually been a FIGHT between the Black Riders and our protagonists and it doesn't disappoint, it's super epic as Frodo slips into the spirit world to see the Nazgul as they really are, but on top of that...like, there is SUCH a psychological element to the Nazgul threat, it's their power over mind and spirit that is most dangerous, and I feel this is both Tolkien's faith and his trauma enriching the story.

CH 12 - FLIGHT TO THE FORD

the elfstone on the bridge!!! it's so nice to know that Glorfindel is lookin out for them

but also: this bridge crossing is to my mind so extremely closely related to the bridge crossing in THE SILVER CHAIR where they meet the Lady of the Green Kirtle. the same sense of liminal threat

trolls? Aragorn is the real troll here, he's known all along which trolls these are. ngl it's one of Tolkien's hallmarks that he'll write a person of ineffable significance and dignity and then have them come out with the silliest practical jokes, it's something I really wish they'd put in TROP but do they???? nope

Tolkien is always so dignified but this chapter sees two people whacking a troll on the backside in close succession, amazing

Sam's song is so hilarious but my favourite bit is Tom recognising his uncle's shinbone at a glance

"his bootless foot" is the most gorgeously silly pun it kills me EVERY time ("bootless" archaic meaning = futile or ineffective, in case anyone didn't know)

it is so incredibly important to this book that Glorfindel is someone the Nazgul run away from crying for their mummies - it's absolutely vital to Tolkien's vision that there are people like Glorfindel, Tom, and Faramir who have the power to resist evil and I consider it one of PJ's primary failings as a Tolkien adaptor that he purposefully eliminated nearly every instance of this.

"by Elbereth and by Luthien the fair" not me realising for the first time that he swears by Luthien because she famously faced Sauron and won

okay so I can appreciate the reasoning behind PJ's decision to introduce Arwen, a character of great importance to Aragorn, here in place of Glorfindel; and I don't think that decision by itself broke anything in the story. but what does still rankle is the decision to take Frodo's moment of agency and molten awesome away from him and let him spend the whole scene drooling in Arwen's arms, when Tolkien found a way to orchestrate the scene in such a way as to emphasise the agency both of the elf and of the hobbit.

ANYWAY THIS SCENE IS MOLTEN AWESOME.

thus Book 1. I think that the main thing I have to say about it in terms of its place in the larger story is that I think it's VERY important to the entire rest of the book that the hobbits get a chance to have adventures on their own before becoming a part of the fellowship. because the Fellowship is not going to be around forever. by the end of FOTR Frodo and Sam need to set out on their own, and Merry and Pippin are going to be kidnapped by orcs. book 1 prepares them for that. book 1 gives them the opportunity to make plans, change their plans on the fly, learn exactly how much trouble they're in and how many dangers threaten them in the wild, and start learning who to trust. book 1 lets them experience the consequences of their small size, weakness, inexperience and folly. book 1 also shows them that they are NOT helpless, even on their own; that they can appeal to allies for help; that Providence is looking out for them; that evil CAN be beaten.

I just love it a lot :')

[rocketturtle4]

Don't mind me I'm just collecting evidence for Ray's complete lack of self-esteem self-anything

(I'm shadowbanned which means that fact that I'm tagging everyone is USELESS (although I may have someone to help me out) but maybe it won't be useless later. Also I also cannot reply to comments, and you will not see in your notes if I reblog your post...fun times) @waitmyturtles should thee wish)

Finally pushed over by this post (@burnsuncomet @dewtu @plantsarepeopletoo) because @thegalwhorants that's right, it is VERY SAD

Because is this scene funny and ironic? Yes!

Do I think people (me, I'm people) are going to swing around in 1-11 weeks time pull out screenshot one and comment not on the irony of this shirt but it's poignancy? ALSO YES. (Screenshots stolen out of this post @chickenstrangers)

So I'm starting my evidence collection now...

Poor Boy Gifs (a selection) (in no particular order)

His t-shirt and reactions @khaotunq

Drunk boy this gifset by @gunsatthaphan

More Drunk Boy this gifset @heretherebedork

This gifset @gunsatthaphan

Also this scene again because it's so awful it deserves to be included twice:

this gifset by @userneos

speaks for itself:

this set by @sunsetandthemoon (whose ENTIRE set here is just good evidence, but I promised myself I'd only steal one gif per post)

Ray's face when he sees Top and Mew dancing

gifset here by @plantsarepeopletoo (multiple parts of this gifset have flashing lights)

this gifset by @nick-nellson

Look how happy he is surrounded by his friends!!!

Oh and I'm sad again...

I gave in and grabbed 2 from this one @raypakorn

Since I already broke my rule I'm grabbing another one from @sunsetandthemoon:

This is clearly just the (shit)icing on the (shit)cake of his (shit)life.

Finally thanks to @plantsarepeopletoo

His pure excitement at the idea of doing this project with his friends help...

verses everyone else...

Other Posts:

You're a burden screenshots (by @heretherebedork)

Information about Ray's subtitle/label "the one who [abandoned/discarded/threw away/cast out] himself" @lurkingteapot

Interesting thoughts on Sand and Ray by @bird-inacage - Ray's Fear of Inadequacy

Someone else who is sad with excellent screenshots @poetry-protest-pornography

I feel like this line might come back to haunt us lol @sparklyeyedhimbo

Trajectory of relationships and sex by @thatgirl4815

also by @thatgirl4815: Ray and apologising

Body language notes @captain-xandis

More random thoughts worth noting (Sand & Ray) @clara-maybe-ontheroad

Tweets

this post by @thatgirl4815

(directly referencing the scene where Ray wakes up and doesn't seem to mind the fact that he thinks he got roofied and kidnapped for sex)

Plus:

originally posted here by @elliebirdwrites

Thoughts

(I'm not really taking it THIS seriously, just apreciating all my feels...also I don't think I've ?EVER actually watched a show from week 1...I normally have 2-3 episodes to obsess over by the time I start. This one ep business is not taking up enough time)

How much of Ray's identity revolves around making his friends (Mew) happy?

How much is he going to break when the ?rich? hotel owner moves into the only space he feels like he has value in?

(and how much is his breaking going to break our best boy Sand?)

Let's see how much Ray(and Sand) can singlehandedly make me cry for the next 11 weeks...It is afterall, a FirstKhao specialty.

(now do I make a similar collection about Sand...or wait till next week hmmmmm....)

I'm going along with the masses and loving the poor boy and his rich (poor) boy.

[bibyshitsuji24k]

probs very late to send this in but I loooove your WestonAU idea with Lizzy!! random questions if you’d like to answer:

-would her parents be “in” on it? surely they would panic if she just disappeared lol

-what subjects does Lizzy prefer and dislike, or what is she “majoring” in? would she be a year ahead of ciel since she’s a year older than him?

-does she still fence while at school, or does she try another sport like cricket or crew? (and is she any good lol)

thank you for your creativity!! muah <3

Hi! I can’t believe how much this headcanon has grown—I’m thrilled that others are enjoying this AU as much as I am! So, first off, thank you so much!

Here are my thoughts on the questions:

Would her parents be “in” on it? They’d probably panic if she just disappeared, right? Only Frances would know. She was initially against it but later understood Lizzy’s decision and covered for her with Alexis, saying something like, “She’s going on a short educational trip for young ladies.” Frances’s assertive (unnatural strong personality as Sebastian might recall) nature likely convinced Alexis without further questioning. Besides, we all know she helped Vincent... right?

What subjects does Lizzy prefer and dislike, or what might she “major” in? Would she be a year ahead of Ciel since she’s older? I haven’t specifically chosen Lizzy’s favorite subjects since the canon doesn’t really dive into her intellectual interests, but I imagine she’d hate math and logic-based subjects! She might enjoy literature and poetry, though. As for her being a year ahead, I think she’d lie about her age; being the same age as Ciel helps her blend in, especially as boys her age tend to be taller and more masculine due to hormones, which might otherwise attract attention.

Does she still fence at school, or does she try other sports like cricket or crew? (And is she any good at them?) Definitely! In the canon, Lizzy has a high level of motor skills, which is why she’s excelled at fencing and even embroidery, as we saw in the twins’ tragic birthday arc. Though she might try to keep a low profile in other sports, she can’t resist fencing. I imagine she gains quite a bit of popularity because “Elliot” is both talented and striking, a total “bishounen” figure, much to Ciel’s annoyance!

[furymint]

Edgy/misc OC ask meme! thank u @karoiseka 💖

What's an AU that would be interesting to explore with your OC?

these are my current AUs!! they're all over 8 years old so i kind of need new ones:

Elliot Dies AU

I like this one a lot. before eli dies of the red throat, he writes about 2 dozen letters and makes josseloux and ephemie hide them around. nol becomes obsessed w finding these post-mortem scraps of elliot

Nolanel Dies AU

p much elliot moving thru the fallout of arranging a funeral that's part state affair and part tearing him into excruciatingly tiny pieces. he also has to guide their daughter thru it

Inquisitor AU

aka 'nol gets too much nerve dmg from the vale and becomes evil to cope.' he becomes an inquisitor bc he cant be a drg, and tortures ppl with magical rings and gloves.

Bloodborne AU

eli is a blood saint afraid that hes gonna die of bloodloss, so he run away w the hunter he just met (nol) and who has like, 2 weeks to live before he turns into a monster. also l'selle is there

WWI AU

nol and eph (disguised as a man) are in the french trenches getting shellshocked until nol finally gets institutionalized. eli is a nurse who constantly harasses him with gay references nol can't understand lol. l'selle is also there. i talked abt it here n here before.

Modern/Cruise/Coffee Shop AU

jumble of 'its new england, jos runs a coffee shop with a community art board that eli lords over, nol is intermittently on leave w marines, also they met on a cruise ship w the rest of the gang' (l'selle. also rothe)

oh i just remembered phantom of the opera au, tangled au, and first au (which is particularly excellent), but at least those are documented on my blog.

If you met your OC, would the two of you get along?

elliot would be a rly cool friend to have. i feel like ive become more like him as i grow older (im absolutely not an aesthete but the 'physical pain when confronted to ugliness' is becoming more real lol). i enjoy pianos, poetry, and pacifism, and i wouldnt steal his spotlight, so we could def be easy friends

nol............... not the greatest person. hes too much maintenance. the reward of knowing him does not outweigh the pains of it tbh LOL. all the stuff he Actually enjoys doesnt interest me at all other than music. ehh no thanks

[daenysthedreamer101]

Youngest Original ~ TVDU

Ch 13 - Hell hath no fury

Mikaelson!OC

Warnings: death, blood, blood-drinking, physical fight and injuries, Kassie goes off the rails, making shit up about witch lore lol

A/N: This has been sitting in my drafts for a long time, hope you enjoy it! Please read my PS at the end.

Set during TVD 3x17

Masterlist

October 26th, 2010 - New Orleans 

Kassandra watched as a group of tourists and their guide passed her by. "...The French Quarter - jazz and jambalaya, romance and poetry. Not to mention things that go bump in the night, monsters that feed off human blood, vengeful spirits of the dead-" 

Suppressing a chuckle, she walked across the street to a stand where a woman was shuffling a deck of cards. She sat down, surprising the middle-aged woman. "How may I help you?" 

"Read me my fortune," Kassie said, offering her palm to the woman. Once the woman reluctantly took her hand, she gasped and let Kassie go. 

"You're-"

"One of the Originals. And you're a witch, the real deal. If you weren't, you wouldn't have sensed what I was."

The woman, who Kassie later learned was named Agnes, looked around nervously. "What do you want?"

"You seem experienced. I need a witch to do a simple locator spell. I'll pay you if you want." Kassie explained, leaning her head. 

"I'm sorry, I can't help you."

"You're a witch. Surely you can do one spell for me. Please, I want to find someone dear to me. I have one of his belongings, you can use it as an anchor."

"I'm sorry, but I can't help you. I can't break the rules." 

Kassie furrowed her brows. "What rules?"

"The vampire won't allow it. The last thing I need is to get on Marcel's bad side."

The gears in her brain turned. "...Marcel? Marcel Gerard?"

"The one and only. He rules the city with an iron fist. I avoid him as much as possible."

Kassie nodded. "That is a name I haven't heard in years...I won't trouble you anymore." 

She leaned over the table. "Just one more thing. Tell me, where can I find Marcel?" 

~

Walking into the so-called Rousseau's bar, her ears were filled with an upbeat song performed by someone she hadn't seen in over a century - Marcel Gerard. She watched as he sang on the small stage. Soon after, he finished, jumping off the stage and going to who she assumed were his friends. 

She leaned on a nearby pillar, waiting for him to notice her. After a couple of seconds, he turned his gaze toward her direction. He observed her in obvious surprise, looking her over. She saw the exact moment it clicked for him. 

"Kassandra?"

"Marcellus. It's been a while. " She greeted politely and approached him. 

His men got up at once, but he stopped them. "No need for that, boys. Kassie is an old acquaintance of mine."

"Can I just say, wonderful breath control. Excellent pitch. I wonder, who taught you how to sing?" She asked rhetorically, her eyes shimmering with mirth. 

After a second a smile broke on his face and he hugged her tightly which surprised Kassie. She kissed him on the cheek and he kissed her back. 

"What are you doing here? C'mon, let's have a drink." Marcel led her further into the bar. 

~

He brought her into one of the private rooms at the back of the bar. They sat down and he poured her a drink. "So, what brings you to the Crescent City?"

"I'm just passing through. I won't stay for long." She informed him, taking a sip. 

"No? Why not?"

"I'm looking for someone. The witches of the French Quarter are known for their skills so I thought one of them could do a locator spell for me. But, from what I've heard, they are not allowed to practice magic because of your rules."

"No, they're not."

Kassie cocked her head. "Why not? And how can you control whether they practice or not?"

"That's my business." He responded sternly. 

Kassie looked him over. At that moment, he sounded just like Klaus, which sent a shiver down her spine. "Look, I'm not here to cause trouble. I'm just looking for answers, clues, anything I can find."

"Who are you looking for?" Marcel asked, leaning over the table. 

She sighed. "Someone I knew a long time ago. A man. He is...very dear to me. He was taken from me and for the past 900 years I've been looking for him."

"So, an old flame?" Marcel asked with a smirk. 

She looked down, smiling. "He's more than that, Marcel. He's the love of my life. My husband."

Marcel's face twisted in confusion. "You...were married?"

She nodded. "Still am. Since 1004."

"Wow." He exclaimed chugging down his drink. "I forget sometimes how old you lot are."

Kassie chided. "You know, you should never comment on a lady's age." He chuckled. 

"What can I do for you? How can I help?" 

"His name is Axel. Perhaps, you've seen him. Maybe he passed through New Orleans at one point."

"I've met a lot of people over the centuries, Kassie. You oughta be more specific."

She sighed. "I haven't seen him in almost a millennia. I don't know what he looks like right now, but, if you allow me, I can show you my memories of him. Perhaps, you'll recognize his face."

He thought about it for a second. "Alright, just keep it PG. I don't need to see you macking on him or worse."

She rolled her eyes but refrained from commenting. Taking his hand into hers, she took a deep breath and showed him her favorite memory she shared with Axel, their wedding ceremony. It was a cold yet clear day when she bound herself to him in the woods of Norway. 

The memory felt so fresh in her mind like it was yesterday she spoke her vows. His deep brown eyes, his dark curls, his dimples...god, she missed him. 

"Sorry, Kass. I don't recognize him." Marcel said as she let go of his hand. 

Her smile dropped and she drew her lips into a tight line. "It's alright, Marcel. It's not your fault."

"I will tell you this. In the 50s, I studied law. On campus, I met a girl. Some Russian chick, Talya, fled to the US after the war. Turns out, she was a witch. Apparently, she left cause her family was entangled with this old, powerful vampire."

"Entangled? How?"

"Centuries ago, one of her ancestors was seconds away from death when a mysterious vampire rescued her. Seeing how she was now indebted to him, she struck a deal with him - he would protect her bloodline for centuries to come and her family would keep him away from the eyes of the world. Perhaps, he is the same person as your husband."

"Why would he want to hide? Who was he running from?"

"That's all she said to me. She was on campus for a couple of months and then she disappeared. Never saw her again."

Kassie nodded as she put the pieces together. "Because she was pregnant."

"What? How do you know that?"

"Because I met her daughter a few months ago." She said as she rose from her seat.

She took Marcel's hand. "Thank you, Marcel, for being so cooperative and honest. It means the world to me."

"You not gonna stay? We're having gumbo for dinner! The best one in town." He offered. 

She smiled sadly. "Maybe some next time. Take care, my dear, and stay out of trouble." She kissed him on the cheek and left through the back door.

~

Richmond, Virginia

Kassie parked her car in front of the old apothecary. She was stopped at least half a dozen times while speeding on the highway. Compelling her way through Louisiana and Virginia, she finally reached the place she was looking for. 

Walking up the stairs, she carefully opened the door. Slowly walking in, she used her supernatural hearing - no one was there. She went around the store, trying to find some clue that would lead her to the witch, but she found nothing. "Damn it!" 

Just as she turned around to leave, something stopped her in her tracks. She tried moving her feet, but they didn't budge, nor did her arms. She was stuck. "What the-" 

Then, her skin started burning and sizzling in the waning sun. Her ring stopped working. She hadn't had this problem since her mother made that ring for her a thousand years ago. Screaming in pain, she closed her eyes and tried moving once again. Nothing. She knew the sun wouldn't kill her but it hurt regardless. 

From behind her, a shadow appeared, and the painful sensation of her head being stabbed with a thousand needles hit her like a truck. Magic, she immediately realized but it was too late to react. 

~

A bottle of wine fell to the floor, the glass shattering everywhere as Elijah grabbed his head in pain. He felt like someone was splitting his skull in half, his ears ringing as he barely stopped himself from crashing to the ground. Something was wrong with one of his siblings. 

Which one of them was dumb enough to anger a witch? Elijah quickly pulled out his phone. 

~

"What do you want, Elijah? I'm busy." Klaus asked, irritated that someone was interrupting his painting session. 

"Where are you? What are you doing?" Elijah asked, his voice erratic. 

Unusual, Klaus thought. "What are you on about? I'm in the house, painting." 

"Where's Rebekah?" 

"Not here. Why?" 

"Did you not feel it?"

"Feel what?"

Elijah sighed. "The pain, Niklaus. We're still connected. Just moments ago, a head-splitting migraine hit me. It was magic. It means one of us was dumb enough to anger a witch." 

"And you thought it was me?" Klaus said, offended.

"It was either Kol, Finn, or...Kassandra." 

"Kol is in Denver keeping an eye on Elena's brother, I don't think it's him." Klaus reasoned.

"I don't think it's Finn, so it must be Kassandra." Elijah deduced. 

"Yes, how is she? I haven't heard from her since she destroyed my house." Klaus inquired, his voice haughty.

"She had every right to be upset with you. What you did to her was..." Elijah sighed. "I don't know where she is. She hasn't responded to any of my calls or messages."

"Well, I'm not her brother anymore, so she's not my problem anymore."

"Niklaus..." 

"She said it herself. I wouldn't want to infringe on your family business or keep you away from saving your little sister. Good luck," Klaus said and abruptly ended the conversation. 

On the other end of the phone, Elijah sighed again, his head churning with ideas about finding Kassandra and where she could be. 

~

Kassandra woke up to find herself on a small couch, her hands bound with vervain-soaked rope. She hissed as the rope cut into her skin. She sat up and looked around—she was in a small, dingy-looking room filled with big, dusty books; grimoires, she realized. 

There was an old-looking oil lamp hanging from the ceiling, providing faint light. 

"You're awake." A soft voice reached her ears. She turned around to find the person she was looking for - Natalya, the witch she visited with Klaus months ago. 

"Yes...Look, you really didn't have to do all of this." Kassie said gesturing to her ropes. 

"Oh, that was just precaution." The woman said and unbound her hands. 

"Did you have to knock me out?" Kassie asked as she rubbed her wrists. 

"...Perhaps not, " the elderly lady said apologetically, sitting on a chair opposite Kassie. "I know who you're looking for."

Kassie furrowed her brows. "How did-"

"I read your mind while you were unconscious."

Rude, Kassie thought. "Oh...So, can you help me?"

Natalya sighed. Abruptly, she stood up, her long blond hair billowing behind her. "I'm sorry, I can't help you."

Kassie rolled her eyes. "Tell me, you must know where Axel is. I know your bloodline was entangled with him. It seems to me your mother ran away. Why? " 

"Because she never wanted to be a part of it. Once she realized she was pregnant, she ran away to the US. I've never stepped foot in Europe lest the remnants of my coven sense my presence." 

"Why would you be so afraid of them?"

"By leaving and in the process taking me with her, she disrupted the balance that was set in place centuries ago. My mother was supposed to take over after my grandmother as the guardian of the tomb but she ran away in the middle of the night, never to be seen again."

"The tomb? What tomb? Is my husband inside it? Where is it located?" Kassie asked, desperate to get some answers. 

Natalya chuckled. "You're desperate to find him, aren't you?" 

"Yes, I am. I've been searching for over 900 years. Please."

The witch sat down again, playing with her necklace which glimmered blue. "I grew up listening to my mother tell me stories about our coven, how our bloodline's fate was entangled with that of an old, powerful vampire. It is a shameful past, one my coven hid from the world. 

In the 1400s, my ancestor, Talia, fell in love with a vampire. Despite her coven's warnings, she continued her relationship with him. One day, he killed her. Why? Nobody knows. Anyhow, this sent my coven into a fury; they found him, desiccated him, and entombed him deep in the caves of Siberia. Talia's bloodline was cursed, and her descendants were forced to guard the tomb. With my mother leaving and after my grandmother's death, the tomb was left unguarded."

Kassie took all of this information with mixed feelings. The story didn't match what Marcel told her, and she wondered why. The knowledge that her husband was (unknowingly) unfaithful to her broke her heart a little bit. The fact that he had been entombed for centuries also hurt her. Not only was he not by her side, but he was stuck in time, unable to experience the ever-changing world. 

Kassie nodded. "What of my husband now? Do you think he escaped?"

"I don't think it. I know it." 

"How?"

"My mother could feel my grandmother passing. She could feel her spirit leaving her body and passing on to the Other Side. My mother was supposed to be there in those crucial moments, to make sure the tomb would stay closed. But she wasn't." 

"Where is your mother now?" Kassie asked. 

"Dead." She answered matter-of-factly. 

Natalya stood up and started picking up the leftover grimoires. Kassie continued looking around the small room. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling, and the scent of burnt sage was in the air, but something else caught her attention—a wooden box on the table in front of her. Kassie picked it up and realized it was filled with dry soil.

"Did your mother ever tell you anything about my husband? Does she have any idea where he could be?" She asked as she put the box down. 

Natalya continued rearranging the grimoires back onto the shelves. She smiled to herself. "He was tall and handsome. He had the most beautiful hazel eyes and the cutest little dimple when he smiled." Her voice was nostalgic, almost like she was recollecting an old memory. 

Kassie's brows furrowed. "How would your mother know any of this? He's been desiccated for centuries."

Natalya finally turned around, and in her hand was a folded piece of paper. She took a lighter from her pocket and lit the paper. Kassie's alarms started ringing. 

"Don't worry, just sending a message."

"To whom?" Kassie asked as she slowly got up. 

Natalya stared her straight in the eye as the paper was completely engulfed by flames. "Your mother."

Kassie's eyes almost popped out of their sockets at the mention of her mother. "What!?"

"How do you think I knew you would come to me? I knew you would be dumb enough to come here all by yourself. I knew how desperate you were for any sort of sign or clue. Stupid little girl." She spat, her voice full of venom. 

Kassie backed away. "What are you talking about? How do you know my mother?"

"Your mother is an infamous figure on the Other Side. There isn't a witch dead it alive who doesn't know the Original witch. I know she's looking for her children, so I made a deal with her - I turn you over to her, and I get what I've always wanted. " 

Kassie's brain was churning, what was this woman on about? "What was your mother's name again?"

"Talya." The witch said. 

"Talya, Natalya, Talia...Oh my god-" Realization hit Kassie like a truck: she was not talking to Natalya or her mother, she was talking to the witch that slept with her husband 500 years ago. 

"Took you long enough to realize." The witch mocked as she picked up the wooden box and started sifting the soil through her fingers. 

Kassie ran to the hallway but an invisible forcefield kept her in. "Seriously!?"

Natalya started throwing the soil around the room, muttering under her breath. 

"You didn't think I would actually help you? Why would he ever want you back? You abandoned him, left him to fend for himself. You've no idea just how lost he was. He was so lonely, so depraved of any love and affection. I could tell his heart was set on someone already since he wasn't reciprocating my love.

I asked who was it that held his heart but he couldn't tell me. I wanted to know who was it that had him so whipped he would be able to resist me. I probed into his mind from time to time and I could tell there was a fog in it, something was hiding behind it. I dug deeper and deeper each night until I saw a face pop up in his dreams - your face!

I asked him who was she but he didn't know. He couldn't remember, no matter how hard he tried. All he knew was that there was emptiness in his heart and he didn't know why. He was broken and I was so close to fixing him until he realized what I was doing. He ripped my throat out when he found out. I've been set on destroying both of you ever since!"

This lady is crazy, Kassie thought. She must have been possessing her descendants for some time, which meant she practiced ancestral magic. The soil in the box must be the soil from the graves of her past bodies. She needed to destroy it somehow. 

"What are you on about? I never abandoned him. He was taken from me! By no more or less than my crazy brother! And why were you so hell-bent on him loving you? You're a witch. Shouldn't you be against vampires?" Kassie asked as they circled each other. 

"I think we're done with the chit-chat," Natalya said and raised her hands, hitting Kassie with another head-splitting magical migraine. The Original collapsed to her knees, the pain blinding her. The witch took this opportunity and poured vervain on Kassie, making her scream in agony. 

She quickly rose and sprinted backward, her back hitting the invisible barrier. She took erratic, shallow breaths as her skin healed. "You little bitch!" She was cornered, with no way to escape. Her only chance was to kill the witch and hope the spell would lift. 

~

Elijah rode past every single red light, breaking at least half a dozen laws by now. He phoned a couple of people, blackmailed a couple more, and finally got Kassie's location - Richmond. 

The sun had already set when he arrived at the apothecary where, from what he's been told, Kassie was being held. He didn't know who was keeping his sister hostage, but whoever they were, they wouldn't be alive for much longer. 

The blinds were shut and the door locked. Oh well, he thought, looking around to see if anyone was around - with experienced precision, he easily pushed the door, breaking it off its hinges. The front of the shop was dilapidated and the distinct, bitter smell of vervain filled his nostrils, making him wrinkle his nose in discomfort.

Using his supernatural hearing, he detected his sister's voice coming from beneath him. They must have her in the basement; with urgency, he followed the voices. 

"NO! NO! NO!" A woman's voice screamed in agony. 

He sprinted down the stairs, heading for the open door but was stopped by a magical wall. He looked up and was met with a most curious sight - Kassandra holding a middle-aged woman in a chokehold.

Before he could say anything, Kassie plunged her fangs into the woman's neck. 

Blood coated her tongue, a moan of pleasure and anger escaping her throat. She wanted nothing more than to suck the witch dry, prolong her suffering. Now was not the time for that, she thought and unlatched herself from the woman's neck, blood pouring down her chin and neck. She kicked the witch to her knees, grabbed her jaw and neck with both her hands, and popped her head off. 

Sighing, she looked up, only to lock eyes with Elijah. 

"Brother." She addressed him unnervingly calmly. 

"Kassandra...What happened here, if I may ask?"

Instead of answering she walked over the body, grabbed the oil lamp from the ceiling, and smashed it; a small fire started burning. 

"All in due time, brother. We need to get out of here. She was in cahoots with Mother."

He furrowed his brows. While he was processing what she said, Kassie was quick to find a half-full bottle of whiskey. "You have a lighter?" She asked calmly and started pouring the alcohol all over the place.

"Kassandra-"

"Do you?" She cut him off, her voice rising. 

"Are you alright, doll?"

She looked up at him, her face covered in blood, her eyes wide and glassy. "Me? I'm fine. What are you talking about?" 

It was obvious she wasn't but he was not about to argue with her. He rummaged through his pocket for a second, pulled out a lighter and handed it to her. 

She took it and crouched down picking something up from the floor - a daylight ring. 

"I can't believe it..."

"What?"

"They took off his daylight ring..." She flipped on the lighter and threw it to the ground. She watched as the fire quickly spread and engulfed Talya's body. "Bitch."

With that, she turned to Elijah, taking the handkerchief from his suit pocket and wiping her face as she walked away.

Elijah wasn't sure if he was terrified or impressed.

~

Hey guys, it's been a long time.

This chapter has been sitting in my drafts for months now. A lot has been going on in my life and I haven't had the mental strength or the patience to write. For weeks I would write little by little, but could never finish the chapter.

I'm not happy with the last part of the chapter but it has almost 4k words and honestly, I don't care at this point lol

I wanted to describe Kassie's fight with the witch but at one point I just gave up and turned the POV to Elijah. 

Also, I suppose that when Kassie was hit with that spell Rebekah was sleeping with Sage and Damon lol so she wouldn't have felt it 

As always tell me your thoughts and opinions. Thank you for being so patient with me and for reading and supporting me! 

XOXO

Bonus (tw blood)

Kassandra 'NO I'M NOT UNHINGED WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT' Mikaelson

Taglist: @ashaluuler