#These both stories are shared by our subscribers.

[mattsobvimyfav]

roommates (matthew sturniolo)

the final.

It had been four years since that chaotic, heartbreaking day. Four years since Charlie and I had stormed out of the dorms, and left behind Matt, Chris, and Nick and that entire chapter of our lives.

In the years that followed, the little fame we had garnered from appearing in the triplets’ videos became a stepping stone for something much bigger. Charlie and I threw ourselves into creating content, documenting everything from our college experiences to our spontaneous adventures, and even sharing vulnerable moments about personal growth and moving on.

The hard work paid off. Our YouTube channel blew up, amassing millions of subscribers. On TikTok, we were even bigger, By the time we graduated college three months ago, we had become well-known influencers in our own right, working with major brands and having multiple other influencers collabing with us.

But through all of that, there had been one rule we both followed without question: we didn’t speak about the triplets. Ever.

At first, fans flooded our comments asking about them. There were edits of Matt and me, of Charlie and Chris. Some even romanticized our fallout. But over time, the questions faded as our own content overshadowed the past. For over a year, there hadn’t been a single mention of them on our platforms.

In those four years, I rebuilt myself. I learned to let go of the hurt, piece by piece. And now, I was happy. I even had a boyfriend, Leonard, who I’d been dating for eight months. He wasn’t flashy or overly romantic, but he was dependable, and kind. He grounded me in a way I didn’t think anyone could after Matt.

Today, Leonard had helped us load our bags into my car before kissing me goodbye. Charlie and I were heading to the airport, about to embark on a new chapter of our lives in Los Angeles. We’d been offered incredible opportunities to work with major brands, collaborate with influencers, and expand our content. We’d also decided to live together, finding comfort in the bond that had carried us through so much.

As The uber drove us to the airport, Charlie was buzzing with excitement, scrolling through Pinterest for decor ideas. “What do you think about a gallery wall in the living room?” she asked, turning the phone to show me.

I smiled, glancing at her briefly. “I love it. Just don’t let me handle the measurements this time. Remember the disaster with the string lights?”

She laughed, shaking her head. “I still can’t believe you used duct tape.”

We pulled into the airport parking lot, and for a moment, the reality of what we were doing hit me. This wasn’t just a trip. This was the start of something huge, a completely new life.

As we grabbed our bags and made our way to the terminal, Charlie grabbed my hand, squeezing it tightly. “Can you believe we’re doing this?”

I looked at her, my best friend who had been through everything with me, and nodded. “I can’t believe we made it here.”

Four years ago, I thought I’d lost everything. But now, as we boarded the plane to Los Angeles, I realized I hadn’t lost anything that truly mattered. Charlie and I had built something incredible out of the ashes, and this was just the beginning.

A week into our trip to LA, Charlie and I stood outside a beautiful two-story blue house on a quiet, tree-lined street. The kind of street where you could hear birds in the morning. It wasn’t overly fancy, but it had charm, and as soon as we saw it, we knew. This was the one.

The house had a wrap-around porch with white railing, The blue siding gleamed under the California sun, and there were flower boxes under the windows, some with blooming plants that added pops of color. It was perfect.

“I can already see it,” Charlie said, her eyes sparkling as she stood on the porch. “Us sitting out here, sipping coffee in the mornings. You editing videos, me thinking of video ideas… This is it.”

I smiled, looking up at the house, trying to picture what our lives would look like here. It was hard to believe how far we’d come. From two broken heart eighteen year old girls to traveling across the country to start fresh, this felt like the reward for every hard decision we’d made.

Inside, the house was just as inviting. Hardwood floors, big windows that let in so much light it felt like you were outside, and a kitchen with just enough character to feel homey without being outdated. There were two bedrooms upstairs—one for each of us—and a small extra room we immediately decided would be our “creative space.”

As the real estate agent handed us the paperwork to sign, Charlie nudged me with her elbow. “You sure about this?”

I nodded, a grin spreading across my face. “This is ours.”

By the time we walked out with the keys, the sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange. Charlie unlocked the door, pushing it open dramatically and yelling, “Welcome home, baby!”

We laughed, running inside like kids, already talking about where we’d put our furniture and how we’d decorate for Halloween.

That night, as we sat on the floor eating takeout in our empty living room, it hit me. This wasn’t just a house; it was a new beginning. A place for us to grow, dream, and finally let go of the pieces of the past we’d been holding onto.

“This is gonna be good,” Charlie said, raising her smirnoff bottle in a toast.

“To us,” I replied, clinking mine against hers.

As Charlie and I sat cross-legged on the living room floor, laughing over our plans for the house, a sudden knock at the door startled us. We both froze, exchanging wide-eyed glances.

“Who could it be?” Charlie whispered, her voice barely audible.

“Maybe the real estate agent forgot something?” I suggested, though my stomach churned with unease.

We stood up, the mood shifting instantly from lighthearted to tense. Slowly, I made my way to the door, Charlie right behind me. My hand hesitated on the knob for just a second before I turned it and pulled the door open.

My heart stopped.

Standing on the other side of the door, looking older but all too familiar, were Matt, Chris, and Nick.

Matt’s eyes met mine first, his expression dropped, Chris looked like he was trying to form words but couldn’t, and Nick mouth was hanging open.

“Y/N”-

a/n- THANK YOU ALL SOOO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT ON THIS SERIES I LOVE YOU ALL🩷 ITS BEEN A FUN RIDE

tag-

@ch0llies @namelesssav @christmastreecake @mattsturnii @larnieboox88 @izzylovesmatt @tbfaptbfae @2muchofaslvt @sturnioloshottiekay @rockstarchr1s @simply-a-simper @realuvrrr @sophia-77n @christophersstar @mattscore

[twogazans]

A Couple Dream Was Burnt, But Hope Is Still Alive.

✅️Vetted by @gazavetters, my number verified on the list is ( #324 )✅️

Dear friends and family,

This is us Hadeel and Abed❤️

And this is our new link with 0 donations‼️

GFM has removed our previous link with no reason, and we lost all the donations😩

https://gofund.me/7d692896

Without any further ado, this is what happened to us, literally.⬇️

All of the above happened to us from the IDF and we lost our dreams, money and business equipment💔

Have you ever loved someone and wanted to live a perfect life with her or him but fate had another opinion for both of you?

Us? War has prepared a surprising plan for us💔

We are Hadeel and Abdelrahman, two gazan couple who, just like many others, dreamed of building a better life. For years, we poured our hearts and souls into our company, dreaming of a future full of possibility, independence, and success. But in an instant, everything was destroyed.

One phosphorus bomb took it all. Our tent, our belongings, our dreams—all turned to ashes.

But what hurt the most was not the loss of things, but the loss of our future.

While fleeing for our lives, we had to choose between saving our loved ones or saving our work. I chose my sister. And as I ran, I looked back at the burning remnants of everything we had worked for. My heart shattered.

This is a picture of the burning and remaining money:

Now, we find ourselves rebuilding—not just our company, but our lives. The war took so much from us, but it hasn't taken our will to fight back. We decided to share our story through YouTube, showing the world what life is like in Gaza, and how we are trying to rise from the ashes.

We need your help to restore our hope, our business, and our lives.

Your money will help us to:

Travel out of #Gaza to rebuild our future.

Buy laptops, cameras, and equipment to continue our work.

Secure a safe place to stay and rebuild our lives outside #Gaza.

Support our families, who are also struggling to survive.

Reclaim our dreams and, someday, our wedding.

Even one Euro can make a huge difference in our lives.

You can be part of something meaningful. Your support will not only help us rebuild, but also allow us to keep helping others achieve their dreams, just as we once hoped to do. Together, we can make the impossible possible.

Our work place and equipment before war:

Thank you for being part of our journey.

This is our YouTube channel, please subscribe and have a look at our content❤️

https://youtube.com/@twogazans?si=-ZpyftxRxzNmSsGg

With love and gratitude,

Hadeel & Abdelrahman

[curiouspupsicle]

Good Omens Fan Fiction Friday (12/6/24) - Illustrated Stories

Whoever decided that adult books didn't need artwork? I enjoy reading 19th century stories with line art from when they had been serialized (Dickens, Doyle, etc.) And who doesn't love Howard Pyle's beautiful illustrations for Robin Hood and King Arthur? So today I'm pleased to share a few of my favorite fan fics (but not all; some I've shared previously) accompanied by illustrations or in comic form. Like many illustrated fics, Butterflies in a Bell Jar (T) came about when a Big Bang united a writer and an artist. Writer Still_Not_King and artist @wyvernquill tell the story of co-workers Crowley and Aziraphale who team up at karaoke night and feel a spark. But it turns out, the company's no-fraternization policy is specifically directed at them and no one else. A surprising story that flies under the radar despite being truly unique and quirky. Rain in Avalon (M) by @snowfilly1 is set in Wessex after the death of King Arthur. Heaven wants peace. Hell wants war. Aziraphale and Crowley make a plan to keep both happy and themselves out of trouble. Start of The Arrangement. Sadly, I can't make out the name of the artist of the beautiful kiss illustration at the end. But worth stopping by to check it out. The latest from @klikandtuna, Naked and Afraid: Jingle Hell (T), is a Human AU in which Crowley and Aziraphale are competitors on reality show Naked and Afraid. This one-shot has great banter. I laughed out loud. And the writer also created the illustrations. Bonus is that it's set over Christmas for those looking for new holiday reads. Fan favorite @mrghostrat, wrote and illustrated Big Name Feelings (E) in which Crowley is a big name fan fiction writer who invites artist Aziraphale to pretend to be his boyfriend at a fan convention. Love the story and the style of the illustrations. Stalwart sun, wily moon (M) is a long, twisty tale in which Crowley is an art thief at the top of his game and Aziraphale is the former art conservator swept up into his world. Can't give much away without spoiling this tense and engaging story. But the writer/artist @dustandhalos decided that both our heroes are serious clothes horses. And provided stunning illustrations of their amazing outfits in the form of magazine cover art. Loved it!

I adore the style of @dreamdust who has been releasing two illustrated stories on tumblr. The first is Six Thousand Years in Love (NR) in which we see the developing relationship of our favorite pair starting in Eden. Each story comprises about 6 parts before going to a new setting. If you liked the cold open of episode 3 of the first season of Good Omens, don't miss out on what it inspired in dreamdust. And the second is Charmed (and Witch) (NR). A beautiful femme depiction in which Crowley is a witch and Aziraphale is the maiden caught in her enchanted grove. It is a WIP updated regularly. Purrchance to Dream (M) is a lovely collaboration between writer Calico and artist @vavoom-sorted-art. It's a WIP on hiatus but absolutely worth reading and subscribing in hopes they're able to get back to it. Crowley is suffering since Aziraphale returned to heaven. But he finds himself being stalked by a fluffy white cat who won't leave him alone. The comic form of One Night in Bangor (and the World's Your Oyster) is by @anotherwellkeptsecret based on the original fic by Atalan (found here - rated E). Heaven and Hell hold their annual joint meeting. But this time, the demons have made a bet about which hellish employee will be first to bed an angel. Both versions are hilarious. Do you have any favorite illustrated fics? Bonus points if the writer is also the illustrator. Please leave them in the comments. And please follow if you want to keep up with my weekly recs based on a different theme each time.

[ginnyruin]

Altered State by ginnyruin announcement:

TL;DR: I’m rewriting my fic and will be posting two chapters a week until we reach the new update, Chapter 55. I’m excited to share the changes, including new characterizations and scenes, and new artwork by Nurchie.

long message:

Hi everyone,

I’ve been working on a rewrite on and off since I took a break last year. There were times when I wasn’t sure I’d continue — burnout can be tough— but revisiting the old chapters slowly drew me back in. What started as fixing a few things I wasn’t happy with eventually turned into a full rewrite. 

I initially intended to release Chapter 55 without sharing the rewrite first, especially since I know some readers have been waiting for a continuation of the story. I really didn’t want to disappoint. However, I realized that wouldn’t do the story justice.

I thought it might be best to release two chapters a week until we reach the new content with Chapter 55.

Subscribers on Ao3 won’t be getting any emails about these updates.

Just one email when the fic is first taken out of the collection because Ao3 does that automatically, and another when Chapter 55 goes live. I’ll be updating the date of the fic whenever a new chapter of the rewrite is posted, so it may appear in the tags for anyone who’s looking for it.

I might post update news here... but I really don't want to annoy people.

I won’t be deleting the original chapter webpages (since I deeply treasure your comments), but for now, they’ll serve as temporary pages even if it's empty. I know the word count and chapter count might look odd, but I hope you all understand.

I’ve deleted and rewritten entire chapters, reworked characterizations (Abraxas Malfoy for one, is so much more the original Death Eater you expect him to be). The atmosphere has become a little darker, everyone is slightly more miserable, but there will be some more humor too. While the essence of the story and most of the narrative progression remains the same, it feels like a deeper, more complete version now.

I’m also incredibly excited to share that Nurchie has repainted some of the older artwork, adding new details that reflect how her art and the story have evolved together. She’s also painted some jaw-droppingly gorgeous, brand-new pieces for the rewrite scenes, which I can’t wait for you to see. I’ve been eagerly following her progress with each new piece, and her work never fails to inspire me. She’s also my beta reader and has been such a huge source of encouragement and joy, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

Nurchie and I are both doing this purely for the joy of it in our free time. It’s a passion project for us, and we’re genuinely excited to share it with you. We’re not active on social media and aren’t making any money from this. It’s just something we love to create. 

Thanks so much for your ongoing support—whether you choose to revisit the rewrite or wait until it’s all finished, or not read the rewrite at all, I truly appreciate every bit of engagement. Your comments and thoughts here and on Ao3 have motivated me more than you know, and I’m excited to share this updated version with you.

[snaccpopstudios]

SnaccPop 2024 Agenda - New Focus, More Content!

2023 was fun-- but rough.

Now, SnaccPop is headed more than ever by a whole collective of impressive people from not only all over the world, but all over the creative spectrum! And in assembling the SnaccPop crew, we've been adjusting during the end of the 2023 year.

2024 is where that adjustment turns into progress!

OUT WITH THE OLD!  (Old projects, that is-)

While SDJ has seen delays and a new episodic structure, we are in the process of pushing for a 1/2 release (demo included) by the end of the year! We hope a single-time purchase with free content updates will keep the game fresh for longer in the hearts of players. And we're hoping to have at least 1/2 of that story out by the end of the year!

Audio Drama Content and BoTM Returns!

Audio drama and BotM content both did very well with audiences during their limited appearances last year! With Project Drama Boy (a non-series roleplay audio initiative) and BotM returning, we're hoping to have more content available to fans this year too!

More Free Content!

We see that we have an ever-growing free-tier fanbase forming. We, at one point, used to make audio dramas free after a certain period! And while this model did take some effort, we'd like to make it our goal to put out additional free content for our subscribers to enjoy, regardless of their financial situation!

More ART!

With additional artists on hand, we're hoping to bring you more accessible art content (SFW or otherwise--) to go with your games, audio, updates, and posts! We'd like to see comics, artist collaborations, and more going forward!

AphroDesia FINALLY

Due to voice actor scheduling mishaps, sick leaves, and more, AphroDesia sadly saw 2023 with minimal updates.  But we'd like to see the series fully revived with an audio pilot and a comic series!

---

We'd like to take a moment to thank everyone who supported us through 2023. We understand that we fell short of our goals, but this year we'd like to take this year head-on!  

We'd like to MAKE MORE. More art, games, and stories-- we'd like to entertain and share. We'd like to spend 2024 telling more diverse stories with diverse characters! And we'd like to make more men with fat honkers, butts of all sizes, and weird, weird themes and genres.

Let's get this year, together. Let's just get all the men, every man, together. v - v

Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, and thank you from SnaccPop Studios!

[mysebacielblog]

In Depth Analysis: Sebastian and Elizabeth

I love the relationship that Lizzy and Sebastian have. If you know the fact that Sebastian is the Main Character of Black Butler (it’s in the title) and subscribe to the romance/intimacy that he and Ciel share, then this would make Lizzy one of the Biggest Antagonists of all of Black Butler. On the level of antagonism to the Undertaker, perhaps even more! Which is funny because, just, just LOOK AT HER. She’s just this preteen girl!! Who the heck would consider her an antagonist?!

These two have gone up against literal immortal forces that pose a great threat to them physically. The only person who holds this kind of sway is the real Ciel. However. I would consider him to be more of an antagonist to both Ciel and Sebastian, whereas Lizzy is an antagonist and a threat to Sebastian alone. And while Ciel’s Brother (R!ciel) reminds Ciel of his past, Lizzy reminds Ciel of his Future that he will never have. Although she is a bit of a nuisance and a hindrance to Ciel and his plans, Lizzy isn’t a full fledged antagonist for him.

She’s even a sweetheart to everyone, even Sebastian, despite how weird the entire Phantomhive estate is. Their cordial passive aggressiveness and pleasantness between them compared to more direct characters (such as Aunt Francis) is fascinating to watch.

But she has him absolutely TREMBLING in his leather boots, because not only is she the Main Antagonist, but no, a Love Antagonist Even. Because even though our Ciel still keeps her at an arms length and treats her more like family than a proper fiancé, he still cares tremendously about her and her emotions. She represents a life where our Ciel Lives, grows up, has a future, and doesn’t pursue his Revenge. Which is the biggest threat to their contract entirely. As a narrative foil, she’s sweet, loud and angelic, and based on the original story, could be the very salvation that could Save Ciel’s soul.

And the best part of it is she is also really, really good at fighting and can go toe to toe with Sebastian in a fight- and he Can’t even lay a finger on her!

The envy these two have for each other is palpable- each wants what the other has of Ciel’s Time and Affections. It’s the difference between wanting a Public Relationship for Appearances and desiring a private relationship for sharing one’s secrets.

I think the most interesting aspect of their relationship is that even though they’re rivals, Sebastian Lets Lizzy GO, going completely against Ciel’s Wishes, knowing that was “impossible to shackle one’s heart”. Was this some small mercy of growth or sympathy, distance the two from interacting, or simply a way to move the agenda forward?

The only character that would consider her an antagonist of any type would be a demon.

[tiasha-sims]

🌳 Creating a Family Tree | TheSimsTree

Keep your family history and precious moments!

ㅤ

If you're a dynasty lover who cares about your sims, you’ve probably been looking for a way to recreate your family tree in digital form.

Today, I am with the team want to share a young project called TheSimsTree, which has been a real lifesaver. We genuinely recommend it based on our own experience 💫 ㅤ

ㅤ

🌿 TheSimsTree.com

This site will become your go-to helper for creating and managing your family tree. It makes it easy to save and visualize the stories of your Sims, share them with other players, and enjoy a ton of unique features and customizations that will make storytelling even more fun.

💌 And if you’ve used PlumTreeApp before, you can import your family tree with just a couple of clicks, so you won’t lose any precious progress.

We’ve shared with links to our family trees ⇣

🐇 Tosy | The story of a little green one sim

🐾 Slooo | A dynasty by chance

🥐 Cladkaya_bulka | The Lauder dynasty

━━✶━━

The main features of the site are available for free, which is great and doesn't feel awkward like when payment is forced on you.

If you genuinely want to support the project and enjoy some premium perks, you can sign up for a subscription. The team has offered a really sweet bonus for our subscribers as a token of appreciation :3

⭐️ The promo code TIASHA gives you a discount of 4$ on an annual subscription!

━━✶━━

Site features:

✍🏻 Creation and management ° A multifunctional family tree that lets you go both up and down. No limits on characters, pets, or generations. ° Displays relationships, allows you to highlight the heir’s line, and even add your partner's family for a complete picture. ° Personality traits can be entered manually, allowing for custom traits. There are also icons for occult affiliations. ° The parent function highlights only the specified parents on the card if the child has different parents. Biological parents won’t be shown in cases of adoption. ° You can keep a personal diary for your sim, adding photos, stories, and details. Uploaded avatars are saved, which helps track the character’s development throughout their life. ° Markers show the completeness of the diary and the avatars of each sim.

🎨 Customization ° A creative space for crafting and designing a unique vibe. ° Lovely wallpapers for every taste, including custom ones from your favorite simmers. ° Dark mode for the interface, along with photo and text editors. ° Options for fonts, colors, tables, lines, highlights, and other elements. ° You can share your social media links in the author’s profile and add a video widget for YouTubers.

💭 Community ° Several privacy settings and the option to share your family tree. ° A public gallery where you can read others' stories and find your audience. ° The ability to like and comment on diaries. ° A blog with articles where you can publish and share your own stories.

━━✶━━

It's clear that the team puts a lot of heart into their work and listens to player feedback, constantly making improvements. It's a wonderful and responsive project that truly deserves support! 💚

[animalceramics]

Young Daniel: Bad at sex?

I’m writing a new fic, set in the San Francisco stalking/obsession phase of Daniel/Armand’s relationship. In the latest chapter Daniel picks up a girl from a bar. The comments on the chapter really made me laugh. Specifically:

I’ve actually given an inappropriately large amount of thought on why I portrayed him as bad at sex here (and of course it’s something that will change/develop through the story via his interactions with Armand).

So here is my own HC on why Young Daniel is a bit shit in bed..

I was inspired by how he conducts himself in the interview with Louis in the show. Like he won't shut up, he's talking over him, he's only really focused on his own interpretation of the story, not listening to what Louis is actually saying or appreciating his feelings. I applied all that to his bedroom moves.

Also young Daniel is extremely attractive and charismatic, so I don't think he has to work that hard for it or put in so much effort if he is not inclined to do so. Here he is not inclined. He’s very distracted and he’s using this girl as a way to not think about his stalking situation.

I also wanted to draw some parallels between what Armand is doing or will do to Daniel and things Daniel himself does to others. Specifically that he is also very curious about people in (maybe) a sort of detached way and can use that insight to manipulate others to get what he wants. I think part of why A/D work so well is that they are very similar, sometimes in quite dark ways.

Because this story is very strictly from Daniel’s POV, I’m not able to show Armand’s internal thought process or motivations. So I'll share a bit of it here instead; There is the ‘must find out why this boy is fascinating’ thing from the episode, BUT I think he’s using that more as an excuse or distraction. Distracting from the shit-show with Louis, the things thrown at him in that argument, the fact Louis chose death over him (his words) etc.

Stalking and obsessing about Daniel gives him that distraction, just as in this fic, Daniel uses the girl from the bar. It gives them both a sense of control and power, something they’ve both just taken a hit on.

My additional HC for young Daniel regarding who he is sexually, is that he doesn’t really know himself that way yet (not many of us do at that age I suppose). He’s happier being led by others or adapting to their wishes (he was ready to jump in that coffin!) and he’s needy for approval, so that’s an easy way to feel ‘successful’ at sex i.e. by giving the other person what you think they want. This is obviously not helped by the way he uses/sees sex as transactional at Mary’s. My whole thinking is that Daniel actually doesn’t really know what HE wants yet. That applies doubly to sex with men because he is perhaps not being honest about his motivations for that.

I’m going to expand and develop all these ideas over the course of the story, as Armand directly challenges him on a lot of it. But of course he doesn’t do it in a nice romantic safe or sane way, because that’s not who they are to each other here, it’s in more of the psychosexual torture way. It’s the early devil’s minion brand and I subscribe happily to it.

Anyway if you want to enjoy Daniel being bad at hetero sex it’s in chapter 3..

[metaphorical-goblin]

So You Want to Start Reading Fanfiction

Hello! So, if you're here, chances are you already read fanfiction. However, it's possible that you don't, and you want to start! I hope this guide will give you a little bit of info to help you get started.

A. Where to Read Fic

We'll start with the basics: where to start? I prefer Archive of Our Own, (colloquially known as AO3), but others use other sites, such as fanfiction.net, Wattpad, and even DeviantArt! But I prefer AO3 because of their comprehensive tagging system.

B. AO3: A Primer

Let's go over some brief definitions and explanations.

Fic: Short for 'fanfiction'.

Tags: labels that people put on stories. Most people think of these as "trigger warnings," but that's not an all-encompassing label, since tags are also used to indicate different types of stories or relationships (for example, Fluff, AU, or Hurt/Comfort).

AU: Short for 'Alternate Universe'. This refers to when an author takes the characters and... well, puts them in a universe that's different from canon. Alternate Universe tags can also come with more specificity (Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops and Cafes, or Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, to give some examples).

Canon: short for "canonical." This refers to what actually happened in the original media, as opposed to popular fan theories or headcanons.

MCD: short for "Major Character Death."

Dead Dove: Do Not Eat: this is a term often used on fics with more "extreme" contents. It is meant to be a warning for readers to take the listed tags seriously; i.e., the author means it when they use the listed tags! What you see is what you get, so take time to review the tags and summary carefully.

No Archive Warnings Apply vs. Creator Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings: I won't go into detail about the Archive Warnings here, since AO3 has a very extensive page about this, but the brief summary is: "No Archive Warnings Apply" refers to media that doesn't require any of the warnings (that is, Major Character Death, Graphic Depictions of Violence, etc.). "Creator Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings" means that the creator may have included some content that isn't tagged or listed. It's always wise to proceed with caution!

Character/Character vs. Character & Character: This is a very key distinction! The slash refers to romantic relationships (dating, sex, marriage, etc., like Phoenix Wright/Miles Edgeworth) and the ampersand (&) refers to platonic relationships (friendships, parents, siblings, etc., like Trucy Wright & Apollo Justice). Some fics even use both (Franziska von Karma/Maya Fey; Franziska von Karma & Maya Fey); this is simply used to indicate that these characters might interact in both romantic and platonic ways, or it explores other aspects of their relationship. It's not uncommon to see groups of people all listed together, either as a platonic group or as a polyamorous coupling.

Now, what is an "archive?"

You may be apprehensive (or even nervous!) to read, like, or comment on something that's a few years old. This isn't something to worry about on AO3! The expectation is that you'll be searching for something to read based on your preferred tags (plus, any creator would probably be thrilled that someone is still reading their story a year, five years, even fifteen years later!).

The purpose of an "archive" is to hold all of these stories to share. You wouldn't avoid picking up a book at the library just because it's been there for a while, would you? The archive is the same way!

Getting an Account

AO3 has a bit of a waiting list when it comes to getting an account. This shouldn't deter you from applying to get one! Having an account on AO3 has all kinds of benefits, including:

Access to many other fics that authors have chosen to show to registered members only

The ability to Subscribe to fics and receive emails when they update

The ability to save your favorite fics with Bookmarks for easy access

Keeping a "marked for later" list (instead of having 73 open tabs of fics you want to read at all times)

A record of your history (so you can find the fic you forgot about!) that can be cleared with ease (so... other people can't find the fic you forgot about)

A presence in your fan community (something stellar about being recognized by an author you love...)

And more! ...probably

C. Navigating AO3

There's the occasional critique that AO3 is a bit hard to get around. However, I'd like to show you that this isn't the case!

Finding a Fandom

AO3 has... thousands of fandoms. Probably hundreds of thousands. So, the easiest way to find something that you enjoy is by starting at the fandom page!

If you already know what you're looking for, it's easy to just click on it's corresponding category and Ctrl + F for the title you're looking for (Cartoons & Comics & Graphic Novels -> Ctrl + F -> Owl House). However, if you're not sure what you're in the mood for, I like to click on "All Fandoms" and just see what's popular.

For this example, I'll just use Ace Attorney since... that's where I live.

Narrowing down...

Alright! So you found your fandom... and there are a hundred thousand fics to choose from. What do you do now?

The next step is to find your fic! One idea (and the method that I used when I first started) was simply to scroll through the landing page and see what was recently published.

However, you may want a little more specificity... let's say today that I'm looking for a multichapter fic with a Coffee shop AU where Miles and Phoenix get together. Now, how do I find something like that?

Well... that's where Sort and Filter comes in!

As a side note, if you're on mobile, you'll have to hit the "Filters" button at the top of the screen to open this panel.

Here is where we start adding specifics to what we want to read! Include and Exclude are sort of self-explanatory... "Include" looks for fics that have the tags you asked for, whereas "Exclude" hides everything that you list.

Language Settings are also useful! Selecting the language you want to read fics in (for me, English) also helps narrow down the numbers.

"Relationships" is useful to narrow things down for the specific ship or group that you want to read about. You can include or exclude multiple relationships, as well (personally, I really enjoy stories that explore both romantic and platonic relationships, so I tend to use multiple!).

I don't often include Word Count, but it can be handy if you're looking for a shorter fic (for example, sorting with a max of 5,000 words) or a longer fic (using a minimum of... 10,000 words, I guess).

At the top, you have "Sort By"! This is a very handy tool if you want to change up how you're seeing what the archive pulls up. I tend to sort by Date Updated (if I'm looking for something new) or Bookmarks (if I want to find something popular), but take time to explore all the options!

Now, let's see how the fic numbers change after I put in my filters...

Wow! So just a few filters took my choices from over 38,000, all the way down to 7! There are all sorts of other tags you can use, too, to look for the story you want to read! (Getting together, Family Fluff, DIVORCE!!!)

D. So, You Found a Fic!

Well, you sorted through the tags, read the summaries, and picked the fic you want. What do you do now?

What's a Kudos? Well, 'Kudos' is AO3's version of a 'like'. It's sort of custom to leave a Kudos if you finished reading the fic!

What should I comment? I won't go into detail about comments here, because that's a whole post on it's own. Comments are a step up from Kudos; it's your chance to tell the author what, specifically, you liked about their work (or that you just really, really liked it!). You shouldn't be afraid to leave comments, no matter how old a fic is. In fact, unless the author says otherwise, a Kudos and comment are appreciated at any time!

The Difference between Subscribing, Bookmarking, and "Mark for Later"

Note: All of these features are only available for registered members, so if you don't have an account yet, just slide on past this section!

Subscribing with the Subscribe button is a feature that emails you whenever the author updates that particular fic. Subscriptions are private; the only person who can see that you're subscribed to something is you!

Bookmarking is a tool you can use to save fics you really love. It's like putting your favorite book in a special place! It's important to remember that, unless you mark private, all of your Bookmarks are publicly visible! This means that any comments or notes you leave can be seen both by other users and the author; keep this in mind before you write something mean!

Mark for Later is a button you can use to save a fic that you want to come back to later. It saves it to a special page on your account in your history (in the Marked for Later tab). Like subscriptions, "Mark for Later" is private, and no one will see it. However, you will not get notified if your "Mark for Later" fics are updated, unless you are also subscribed.

E. What now?!?!?

Well... that's kind of all I have to teach you! You can keep modifying tags or fandoms to find things to read, but the best way to learn the website is by exploring it yourself!

After you read a fic, I highly recommend you leave a comment. Aside from the fact that it encourages the author, it also helps you build community with other creators! It's just fun to leave comments, and you can start some great friendships like this!

You might also want to explore the author's other works! This is easy to do; just scroll to the top of the page and click on the author's name, which is listed right under the title. If you liked this fic, odds are you'll probably like their other ones!

If you really really want to go wild, you could even share the fic on other sites (like tumblr!)! I don't do this often, but it's a good way to ask for or give recommendations for fics that you love.

Well... if you read all the way to the end, congratulations! I'm by no means an expert, but if you have any questions, I'd be happy to help you out. Good luck!

[tvlandofficiall]

Ralsei: *some real fucked up shit about their nature as darkners*

Lancer: "I'm 8 years old"

Ralsei: "emotionally yes, physically you're just as old as your fountain ^_^"

Lancer: "what?"

Ralsei: "what?"

(Idk if you subscribe to the Last Thursday theory about darkners, tho I don't think it changes how real they are, nor do I think it makes them lesser than the lightners since I think the Last Thursday theory can be applied to the light world too)

i get what you're going for, but i don't subscribe to the "last thursday" theory at all! the way i see it is this – the dark worlds have existed for a long time on a lower plane of existence, influenced by the lightners interfacing with them through their object forms. a dark fountain "creates" an instance of that world shaped by the knight's will where the lightners can interface with the darkners and the dark world itself face-to-face. (think of it like how although the game we call the light world is influenced by us interfacing with it as a video game, we cannot talk to kris or susie face-to-face or interact with the light world the way we would the places and people in our world. we'd need some kind of magical power to do that.) this is why we have things like the spamton q&a taking place before the knight arrived, darkners knowing about other darkners from future dark worlds (ie; jevil referencing queen, spamton&seam referencing darkners from ch3), and both the characters in the game and toby fox explaining that the dark fountains change darkners' behavior. those worlds have always existed and there is currently more indication in-game for that than there is against it.

that said, i do think being around ralsei (and being friends with the lancer fan club in general) is almost certain to drop some sort of light world (or even our world) knowledge on lancer. his and susie's shared arc involves questioning the status quo of closing fountains and destroying dark worlds (and i imagine the weird inconsistencies in the roaring story, too, judging by how lancer'll likely keep turning to stone the more he comes along on adventures), and so i'm sure both of them will butt heads with ralsei when fate and the power it has comes to take the trio (and kris, too, of course) all to task. themes!

[cryptidcorners]

Old Friend — Prince!Derek Danforth x GN!Reader [ Part 1/? ]

Description: A royal ball celebrating the end of a decade of pure isolation between Houses brings you and an old acquaintance together once again.

# No Request

# A.N: I'm literally gushing over DND here, lol! There's sm story shit. it's more lore explaining than actual romantic stuff, SOOO. sorry. hope you enjoy the AU pfft

Media: The Beekeeper [ AU ]

Character: Derek Danforth [ AU ]

Tags: DND/Fantasy Inspired AU, Royalty, PLOT, Lore Dumping, Friends to ? ? ?, Romantic Implications, Fluff, Slight Suggestiveness { if you squint }, Slowburn, Childhood Friends, Flirting, Catching Up, OOC!Derek [?], Sweet Talk + Reader is !GN.

Warnings: Mentions of War/Isolation, Depression, Childhood Trauma, Substances/Acholic Beverages + Smoking.

TOS. Derek Dandorth Master List {TBW}.

The ballroom had been mildly entertaining at most, while Dandorth House was certainly exotic with fruitullius pickings like booze, muzzled griffins and gowns, you had found yourself a mere wallflower near the belt of the corner. Your attentive gaze remained ill as you stared at the chorus of visitors from all across the world clad in their signature wear, dancing the night away with tipping mindscapes.

You were impressed by their shiny attempt to win over the other Houses with opium and silver statues not seduced. The idea of taking wine brewed by a Dandorth was an idea you'd never subscribe to, as much as you valued their efforts in ore distribution, they weren't a House you'd call a friend, more of a neighbor with the temper of a sun bear.

The shine of silk, flashing grins and laughter had made you feel as if you didn't belong, as if you were nothing but a lonley phantom enviously spectating the quartz floors.

Your House, Tallis, was a symbol of artistry, sculpting, poets and other powers were the foundations of your land. You were the only heir to the throne, sharing no brother or sister to extend a blade at down the line. Alas, you were greatful no family blood would bare at your fingertips, but the crippling loniliess had carved you into a quiet, yet respectful noble with dreams just like any Tallis; only you wished there was another one to share it with.

"Admiring the dancefloor are we?" A voice asked, it's tone as complex as the limestone statues of old characters fronted at the palace. You felt something buzz in your soul, and your gaze had flocked up to the host.

Prince Derek Dandorth, only, he was much older than when you last laid your eyes on him.

It was around midnight when both Houses declared they'd go into hiding to cower away from the war. It was your last royal ball together, and you weren't interested in leaving yet. You were both children then, dumb and in love. You both had scurried off and his yourselves near the old balcony that you were sure had been rebuilt with golden rimmings and white rose bushes.

"When will I ever see you again?" You asked desperly, hands interlocking with his soft fingertips. Derek's eyes had arrowed into you, deep with longing. Back when his hair was still an endless rush of dark, brunette curls and gentle highlights.

"I don't know, but it'll be soon. Our Houses may be splitting, but that doesn't mean we won't be able to dance again, will it?" Derek whispered. "We'll see each other again. We have to."

He had been wrong, and you had been grieving over that broken promise when you were children for a long time. The Dandorth and Tallis Houses were at a halt, conflicted by some nearby wars circling close to the walls.

It had resulted in both kingdoms locking themselves in their labyrinths of treasure, with eyes paved into the stone. You were isolated in your House, only seeking comfort in carving your inner desires into rich pavement that was now collecting dust in your Queenship's second guest bedroom.

Now, he was here, cocky as ever. With blonde hair and light reminces of forest green and flakes of emerald flickering across his face. His signature uniform was gorgeous, with carefully decorated leaves and patterns that resembled rich lingering. His crown set carefully in his forest of curls, and you swore you could smell cologne that burst your nostrils with pure dopamine.

"Derek?" You uttered, slack jawed.

You blinked and he waved his hand in front of your stunned expression teasingly.

His hand carefully tightened around his glass, "Now, that's no way to greet a prince in his own House, is it?" the heir cooed. Your face fell and you arched a brow, unimpressed at his mock of carelessness. Prince Dandorth was certainly an idealist, but he was definitely not an actor.

He laughed, tone deep as ivory. "I'm just messing with you, Noble Tallis." Then, he opened his arms for an inviting hug you immediately fell into. Although, he felt stiff, you could sense he was relived to see you again.

"You look different." You pulled back.

Derek's gaze remained on you, "You like it? The hair that is—I had it personally dyed, you can tell how organic it looks, yes?"

You could tell he was trying his best to seem noble. So, you teased. "Oh, the hair? I hadn't noticed, silly me. I couldn't help but notice your blush and gown—are those earrings?"

His fingers ran down the golden patterns with a soft smile. "Well, the House of artistry was attending, I had to look my best, especially for the only heir." A warm smile spread across his face. "It's been way too long." Derek said breathlessly, "I missed you."

Prince Danforth's face softened. "Well, thank the Gods."

You eased, trying to stir up some conversation. "How are you? I've heard your House is doing well after the release." 

He boasted. "People are desperate over our caverns, you would not believe how many travelers were mounted at our doorstep ready for trade." Derek confirmed after a sip, "We might be in need of your creativity again, the walls are so dull, and they can certainly use some of your flare, don't you think?" 

You were flattered. Your eyes ran down the exterior of the walls, lightly scratching your jaw. "You know, you're right. Your palace does look a little—" 

"A little, what? He urged. 

You humored. "Like it was designed by a commoner."

Derek laughed. "You've always had an eye for details like this. Good to know I wasn't disappointed to know you haven't changed that much."

Then, he asked. "How about you? Any new inventions or views on the world? Hearing about your House is like turning a Jack-in-the-box."

You chewed your lip awkwardly. As Derek had imagined, there were many views and advances in Tallis. Though, it had caused a whide fued between philosophers and their audience. It was overwhelming, but nonetheless, Tallis had been doing much better than any other House, even with its complications with political attributes. "It's . . . going well."

You knew it wasn't in Derek's character to pester, so he hummed in delight for your vague answer. His lips settled on his narrow class, drinking in a rich selection of dark champagne. His apex gaze settled on you, "Mind if I steal you away for a moment? I see you don't fancy the music or dancing." Derek offered his hand, "Just like old times," he suggested.

There wasn't a sliver of reluctance in your answer, you eagerly gripped his hand and let him guide you outside the ballroom. The wash of silence veiled over your ears as the intrusive rhythm of the party began to fade away.

You had forgotten how large Prince Danforth's palace was, with high walls itching towards the sky and silver veins ripping through the quartz floors. He drank up your silence. "Beautiful, isn't it? I know there might be a thousand mistakes in your eyes, but it's something else entirely to me. My people sculpted and built this castle for my House, my bloodline, and no matter what I do, I may never repay their labor."

Derek sighed, gaze masking apologetically as his speech had been led astray. "Sorry, I haven't spoken to you in a while. I have a lot on my chest, Noble Tallis."

"No, no. It's alright, I assure you. Don't apologize for simply speaking to me."

Derek smiled shyly, "Thank you." his voice relaxed at his offer, "Would you fancy a tour?"

"Absolutely." Your eyes fluttered.

Derek nudged his head forwards the split of hallways, "Come, then."

Your fingertips parted and you were slightly disappointed when he walked a few steps in front of you, arms spread out like a hawk as he basked in the light of the exquisite chandeliers hooked to the carved ceiling.

You felt like a child again. Two rebellious souls giggling and whispering, racing up the staircases like hummingbirds and gazing at the web of art pieces that mapped the generations of his House. Tales of war generals and royal blood rivalry. Derek in particular had a knack for history, giving his share of intelligence of his family tree with eager eyes.

"Is that your grandfather?"

"Great-grandfather." Derek corrected. "My father told me a lot about him, he was the loyalest king of this House. He truly cared for his people, and it's how we were able to advance this far at all. He just had faith." His eyes fell, "Though, I worry it's all going to go to waste."

"How so?"

Derek set his hand carefully on the painting, fingertips grazing gently across the teeth of the large canvas. "My mother has been pushing our classes too hard this last decade. It's caused a commotion within our walls, they don't trust the House anymore. I have no authority like her, she won't . . ." he choked back a cry. "I can't do anything, I'm useless. I'm only a Prince, I'm nothing compared her."

He felt your warm grasp on his shoulder. You whispered, "That's not true. You're many things, Derek. A dreamer, a loyalist. You'll be a great king, this I tell you."

Derek paused. "But what if my kingdom can't wait? They're being pushed to the edge, working like dogs. It's no good leading a nation when there's nothing left. I don't want to wait."

This was a lot to take in. Tallis had been oblivious to how quickly Danforth had been advancing like no other House, now you were truly worried. A rebellion was possible, and every House had almost lost all their work by the lower classes arriving at their pearly gates with mounts of fire.

His hands fumbled with his dressing, voice grim. "I'm the only heir, the only one left to fix up her mistakes." Derek turned to you with desperate eyes. "I feel like I'm in a cage. The walls have opened up again, yet, I don't feel free. Like a bird in a cage, do you know what that feels like? To act as an audience, almost no word in anything unless I'm told to."

You hadn't noticed Derek taking both your hands and pressing them against his chest. You exhaled lightly, "Derek. What is the queen doing to you?"

Was Queen Danforth imprisoning him? A Prince should have a voice, especially as the only heir. Your grip tightened, "Prince Danforth, whatever is happening . . . you can tell me anything. I promise, your word will remained sealed between my lips, nobody will know."

"Oh, but they will." Derek explained. "Someone will always know. There's ears in the brick and mortar, eyes from friends."

You made a noise as if you were being strangled. "But what about now? I feel as if you told me everything and nothing at the same time." You were at the edge of tears. You couldn't loose him, not again.

"I haven't told you a lick of what's truly happening." He told you. "There's so much you don't know, Tallis. So much to know, such little time."

You were so confused. This was only the tip of the iceberg according to Prince Danforth, he wasn't the type to lie for as spoiled as he was. Regardless, his eyes were the darkest shade of sincerity you had ever seen. Your voice was hushed, "What do I do? I can't leave like this, Derek."

"I promise, I'll tell you everything." Derek rested his forehead against yours, "I promise." then, he pulled away. "I love you too much to let you get hurt because of my ignorance. Time will tell, just be patient."

Derek desperately needed someone to talk to. About his injustice and personal conflict, but he felt the need to warn you as well. Something else was brewing, a conspiracy perhaps? What was Queen Danforth up to? Would you ever know? So many questions.

Then, you broke out of your paralysis when he had mentioned love. You stammered, "You love me?"

He was shocked, frozen in his step. "Of course, I do. You're so fantastic, intelligent and sensitive. If I didn't know any better I figured I'd be under a spell," Derek chuckled. "I may as well be at this point. I care about you, so much. I can't lie to you, but I can't put you in harm's way either."

Your face warmed. Before he could spin away, you held his hands tightly, getting lost in his eyes once again. His breath hitched, and you heard him swallow harshly. "Tallis?" Derek didn't pull away, you could even sense him bringing himself closer, "You know, if we do this, there will be no turning back . . ."

You were longing, "Then so be it. I've been locked away for too long, the only company being memories of you."

Derek's speech slowed, harsh and husky. "All my life, I've always gotten what I've want, everything I asked for. However, this is the first time I've felt—" he rasped. "I needed something as precious as you."

Cupid's arrow has pierced your soul, and you had read him well enough to press your lips against his own, melting into a kiss. Derek pulled away, catching his breath with a giggle. "Oh, Heavens, give me a moment."

"Never kissed someone before?" You asked.

"No, never." He hushed you with a peck, that descended into a deeper kiss. You ran your fingertips across his silky wear, and you could feel shivers running down his spine. He felt like a peasant on his knees, begging for a penny to add to his name. Derek had felt desperate before, but never like this.

A strong desire had pulled you closer, stealing each other's breath away. Your sentimental feelings grew thin once he pulled away after making a noise, which made his face flush in raw embarrassment.

"A thousand pardons, I just, got a little wrapped into it." Derek mumbled and then repeated. "Sorry,"

"Don't be, I liked it, I promise." You traced his thumb to his cheek, lightly circling his warm skin. "Thank you for taking me out, and telling me everything, or . . . most of it at least."

Derek's face softened and rested his hand on yours. His face fell, "If I could, I'd run away with you, start somewhere fresh."

"Derek, you know we can't. We're the only heirs, the only ones who can hold the throne and make a difference. It's our duty."

He dipped his head, saddened at the taste of reality, "I know, I know, but a man can dream." though your face was infectious enough to let a smile spread across his face.

The rest of the night had been tranquill and hush, a few fruitful hours of nothing but gentle praises and a few butterfly kisses here and there without disturbance, until you finally stopped near a pool where a seahawk was perched, beak wrestling weeds out of the water. It was growing late and you could sense your House would be departing soon enough.

Derek took your hand once more, resting his lips on your knuckles. "This was a wonderful evening, Tallis."

"I hope I get to see you again." You told him.

"I'll make sure to write to you, maybe through a messenger bird so it's extra private." Derek toyed. "Maybe you can send me those beautiful drawings of yours."

You smiled softly. "I'll think about it."

You had kissed him goodbye again, before you could stir away from his side, his warm breath tickled your ear. "And don't forget what we spoke about,"

Dawn was tickling the air and the clouds were heavy with the deep scarlet of sunrise. Derek had gotten no sleep tonight, as his attention was too busy wandering through chapters of you. It wasn't the only thing keeping him up, as his mind was still swampy with anxiety. He had only fueled your curiosity to solve Danforth's conspiracy, all because his emotional vulnerability had gotten the better of him and he couldn't bring himself to hold back.

He walked tiredly to his study and wrapped his hands around the careful mold of his desk, carefully reelimg out a sealed envelope from the darkness of his cabinets. A red stamped, engraved with a symbol resembling a furious bee hunching over its stinger to the side was in bold, almost intimidating him. Derek's gaze hardened, he knew there was something else to his symbol,

And he would get to the bottom of it.

[odyssean-flower]

The Winding Path of Fate Chapter 3 - Spring: An Agreeable Marriage

Masterpost Pairing: Neuvillette x Female Reader Summary: You and Neuvillette decide to get into a marriage of convenience. Warnings: None except for restrictive gender roles, also for some reason Fontaine’s regency england (sort of) now? Note: I update this story on AO3 first so please subscribe to the fic there if you’d like to read it faster Note 2: If you want to be on the taglist for this fic, please make a reply to this post, send a message or send a private ask

Have a pic of Neuvillette staring contemptuously at Venti

Previous | Next

“Monsieur and Madame, I am here today to declare to you that I am deeply and ardently with your daughter, and I would like to ask for her hand in marriage.”

Very nice delivery, you thought. Although, his facial expressions could really use some work.

You and Neuvillette were currently sitting in the small parlor of your family home, facing your parents, who were staring at Neuvillette like he had just grown a second head. Which perhaps would be less shocking than the fact that the Chief Justice of Fontaine had just declared his intentions to marry their daughter.

“What!?” you hear your sister scream out from behind the closed parlor door. Your parents had wisely made her wait outside when Neuvillette made his visit.

“P-Pardon me, Monsieur Neuvillette?” your father finally spoke, blinking rapidly like he was still convinced this was a dream. You couldn’t blame him. “Could you please repeat what you just said?”

“Certainly, sir,” Neuvillette proceeded to do just that.

“I-I see...” your father said. “So, just to confirm, you wish to marry our oldest daughter, is that correct, Monsieur?”

“Yes, sir. It is my dearest wish. My heart yearns for it,” Neuvillette nodded.

You heard your sister squeal behind the door. This must be like one of those pulpy romance novels come to life for her. Although, I wish Monsieur Neuvillette look less like he’s informing my parents of a death.

Your mother brought her hands to her mouth. “Monsieur Neuvillette, do you truly mean what you say?”

“Yes, I do. Every word of it.”

“Might you tell us...why you want to marry her? I don’t mean to question your judgment—my husband and I raised both our daughters to be fine ladies of good character, though our oldest can be a bit stubborn in her ways at times—but as you probably already know, we are not a particularly wealthy or influential family, so it is quite shocking for us to hear that you, Monsieur, would choose our daughter as your wife.”

Neuvillette was silent for a moment. Oh no, perhaps he hadn’t anticipated this question, you thought. Maybe he just assumed that my parents would automatically agree and ecstatically give their blessing. I can’t say I blame him, I expected the same thing--

“In my humble opinion, Madame, wealth and rank are trivial when it comes to love,” Neuvillette said, looking straight into your mother’s eyes. “I was drawn to your daughter for her wit, sensibility, and devotion. There is no other person who I would choose to share my future with.”

Okay, now he’s overdoing it. You watched as your mother blushed under Neuvillette’s intense gaze. There was muffled screaming coming from You would probably be blushing too, but thankfully, you had become rather adept at controlling your facial expressions over the years.

“And you, dear, how do you feel about this?” your father addresses you at last.

You cleared your throat and straightened up.

“As Neuvi said--”

“Neuvi!?” your parents, as well as your sister, exclaimed in unison. You could feel Neuvillette suddenly turn to look at you and had to resist the urge to bury your face in your hands. Your family’s shock was understandable. You never used nicknames for anyone except your closest family members and friends.

This was all calculated, of course, after a long and fraught brainstorming session.

“Ahem, as Neuvi said, he is in love with me, and I reciprocate his feelings wholeheartedly. I believe this marriage will be a beneficial one for our family, which is just one of the many reasons why I accepted his proposal immediately.”

As explanations for marriage went, this wasn’t the most romantic or heartwarming. But then again, you were never much of a romantic, and if you had said something about your “love for him being as boundless as the ocean” or that you’d “die if you weren’t allowed to be with him,” that would surely set off alarm bells for your parents.

You were once again proven right when your parents nodded without probing any further.

“Well,” your father said, standing up with your mother. “Your mother and I would like to discuss this amongst ourselves for a little bit. This is very sudden, after all.”

“But of course,” Neuvillette said. “Take all the time you need.”

Your parents left the parlor, blocking your sister from rushing into the room as they did so.

Now it was just the two of you.

Next to you, Neuvillette calmly took a sip of tea. You couldn’t help but feel how surreal it was to see the Chief Justice sitting on the worn couch you used to play pirates on with your sister. The entire past week had felt like a dream, like you were watching yourself from above.

You decided to voice what was bothering you. “Monsieur Neuvillette, I must apologize my earlier discourtesy.”

“Discourtesy?”

“Yes. I referred to you by a nickname and didn’t tell you about it beforehand. It must have caught you by surprise.”

“It did,” Neuvillette admitted. “But it wasn’t discourteous in the least.”

“Ah.”

Another silence fell between the two of you. It wasn’t exactly awkward, but you felt some strange need to fill it. After all, this was a scheme plotted by the two of you. Surely there should be more communication? Feedback, perhaps?

“Your speech earlier was very good,” you said, grasping for a topic. “If I were my parents, I would have believed that you truly meant it. I never knew the Iudex could lie so well. If there is one critique I have, it’s that your facial expression should match your words better.”

You had meant that half-jokingly, but Neuvillette nodded like he was seriously taking your words into account. “My apologies. I have often been told that my lack of expression has caused misunderstandings. It’s something I have been struggling with for a long time, so I must continue to work on it.”

Now you felt angry at yourself. You had also been told by many well-meaning people that you should smile more and look friendlier, and it had never failed to annoy you.

Just as you opened your mouth to apologize, Neuvillette added, “Also, not everything I said was a lie.”

You stare at him in shock. “What--”

Your words were cut off when the parlor door opened and your parents walked in, with your sister leading the way. It seemed that she finally convinced them to let her in. Your mother’s eyes looked puffy. She must have been moved to tears of joy over the fact that her daughter, who seemed destined to a life of spinsterhood, finally found a match, and with the Chief Justice no less.

Your father looked at you both, then smiled broadly. “Your character is impeccable, Monsieur Neuvillette, and if our daughter wishes to marry you, we have no reason not to trust her judgment. We give you two our blessing.”

Your sister squealed and clapped her hands, and your parents looked upon the two of you with warm eyes. They were probably expecting hugs or even a kiss between the two of you.

After no such thing occurred, your mother broke the awkward silence and turned to you. “Oh, sweetheart, I’m so happy that you are finally going to experience matrimonial bliss for yourself! Now you don’t have to waste so much time and effort on all that governess nonsense!”

You resisted the urge to roll your eyes.

“Oh, is that how you met?” your sister said, her cheeks flushed like she was the one getting married here. “At the Palais Mermonia? I knew it, there was something going on between the two of you at the opera house!”

“The wedding...” your mother started to pace. “There is much to be done for preparations. Now, we are not exactly wealthy, but a wedding with the Chief Justice needs to have a certain gravity and extravagance to it. Don’t worry, we’ll see what we can manage...”

“There’s no need to worry about that, Mother,” you interrupted. “Because there won’t be a wedding.”

“What?”

You stare at Neuvillette in disbelief, completely forgetting to be polite. Did you hear him right? Neuvillette didn’t seem to be the type to joke around, but you dearly hoped he was doing that right now.

“My apologies, I understand that it is a great shock to hear this so suddenly,” Neuvillette said, his voice even and smooth as though he didn’t propose to you out of the blue. “But after hearing your story, I think this arrangement can be of great benefit to the both of us. You require a place to stay, and I am in need of a spouse.”

“You are?” You weren’t up to date with the latest gossip, but even you knew that Neuvillette, in all his long years as the Chief Justice, had never looked for or even expressed interest in having a spouse. “Why now?”

For the first time since you’ve known him, a flicker of annoyance appeared in Neuvillette’s eyes, but it didn’t seem directed at you. He let out a long-suffering sigh that sounded suspiciously similar to the kind your mother would give you. “Furina--the Hydro Archon—has been getting increasingly insistent about me, in her words, ‘experiencing the joys of matrimony and companionship,’ to the point where it has become difficult for me to work uninterrupted.”

You hadn’t been expecting that answer. It was hard to imagine Neuvillette feeling pressured by anyone, but the Hydro Archon most likely would be one of the few people in this nation—maybe even this continent—to be able to do that. You wondered what their relationship was like.

“It can be a temporary arrangement, just long enough for Furina to lose interest, and for you to get your license and find a new place to live. Don’t worry, I will do everything in my power to maintain the privacy of you and your family. We can perform the marriage quickly and discreetly to avoid any attention from the press.”

Your mouth hung open as you listened to him, but what was shocking you even more was that you weren’t immediately standing up and leaving. “You...have certainly put a lot of thought into this already, Monsieur. How long have you been considering this?”

“Since we ran into each other at the Palais Mermonia,” he admitted. “But I hadn’t initially planned on asking you because you were so set on your own goals.”

Goals that were now completely up in the air. “How convenient for you that I have fallen into this predicament, then, Monsieur.” A thought just occurred to you. “Wait...you didn’t have anything to do with me being placed on the waiting list, do you?”

“I can assure you, I had no involvement, nor would I ever use my power in such a way. In fact, I will swear it upon my position as the Iudex of Fontaine.”

The certain, resolute look in his eyes made you believe him. Neuvillette was well-known to be a principled man, but you knew that even the kindest façade could hide a dark underbelly.

“This isn’t some scheme to make me your, your, um, kept woman or anything, is it?” The words sounded absurd as soon as they came out of your mouth, but you had to ask. “Because if it is, then let me tell you, Monsieur, I may be of an inferior status than you, but I do still have my self-respect, and--”

“Please, Miss [Name],” Neuvillette interrupted you. The horrified look on his face took away the rest of what you were going to say. He looked deep into your eyes. “I will once again promise you that I have no such intentions towards you, nor will I ever. If you need further assurance, we can sign a contract that will stipulate that I never lay a hand on you.”

You were taken aback by his intensity. Luckily, there was no one sitting near you two, or else this would be all over the papers tomorrow.

"I think that’s going a bit too far...” you said a bit weakly. And how would it even be enforced? You thought.

There was one thing that was still bothering you. “So, why me? I’m sure there are plenty of people that would be a better candidate than me. I am not exactly the most prospective match for a man of your status, and we hardly know each other.”

Neuvillette stroked his chin thoughtfully as he stared at you. For a moment, you feared that he was going to say something encouraging, but instead, he said, “I don’t see what makes you unfit. Neither you nor your family are involved with Fontaine’s political factions, you don't seem to be romantically involved with anyone,” he paused for confirmation here. You nodded, and he continued. “You have a pleasant temperament that is well-suited to my own...and I enjoy your company. Is that not enough for an agreeable marriage?”

You found that last part a bit baffling. Thinking back to your few interactions, you came across as considerably curt and disinterested. Plus there was that one time where you rambled on about history for around fifteen minutes... Did that qualify as enjoyable company for him? You found it hard to believe. There must be some other ulterior motive behind this. However, you were in no position to ask him about it.

“I suppose it is,” you said. Neither of you brought up the subject of love.

You licked your dry lips. Solely relying on someone else’s sympathy was unbearable for you. “You said this arrangement is temporary... I assume this arrangement will last until I obtain my license?”

It was stated in the requirements for becoming a licensed governess was that one must be unmarried at the time of receiving the license. There was also a strong preference for schoolteachers to be young and unmarried, though it wasn’t a hard requirement. If you divorced before that time, though, you wouldn't technically be breaking the rules.

"We will of course do everything the proper way,” Neuvillette, observing your silence, seemed to be trying to grasp what you were thinking. “We will ask your parents for their blessing and obtain a marriage license, and hold a wedding ceremony, if you like--”

“No ceremony,” you said immediately. “I don’t care to go through all that trouble.”

Neuvillette nodded. “I’m very glad to hear that. To tell you the truth, I share your feelings on that matter, and my schedule this month is already too busy.”

You nodded. “It would be best if this whole affair is as quiet and low-fuss as possible.”

“I agree. Ah, my apologies. I don’t mean to imply that I’m ashamed of marrying you, or to pressure you into an agreement, for that matter, I know this isn’t part of your plans--”

“I never implied anything of the sort,” you said, sounding harsher than you meant it. You were starting to get a good idea of what kind of person Neuvillette was. “And I haven’t said no, have I, Monsieur? I accept your proposal.”

The corners of Neuvillette’s mouth lifted. “Thank you, Miss [Name]. I will do my utmost to ensure that everything goes smoothly.”

The two of you shook hands. You proposed a toast with the Fonta, but he politely declined. Despite the clouds from earlier, it did not rain that day.

It was a fine spring day. The skies were clear, and warm sunlight fell upon the land. Flowers were blooming, the once-naked trees were dotted with green shoots, and the singing of birds could be heard everywhere. It was a good day for a wedding.

Unfortunately, you wouldn’t be able to experience it, because you and Neuvillette were getting a civil marriage.

The marriage services office was tucked away in a quiet corner of the Palais Mermonia. By the time you arrived there, Neuvillette was already sitting on a chair outside the office, waiting for you. He was wearing something similar to his usual outfit, which was already plenty formal. He looked up when you approached.

“Good morning, Monsieur Neuvillette,” you curtseyed. “It’s a lovely day today.”

“Good morning, Miss [Name],” Neuvillette responded, standing up. He paused, taking you in. You were wearing your nicest dress, a white muslin with a deep blue sash, as well as a silk bonnet trimmed with blue ribbon and garnished with lilacs. You had bought it with the money your mother had insisted on giving you to buy something nice for your marriage. Even though you didn’t like the long-winded extravagance of a wedding ceremony, you still wanted to look nice for your first and last marriage.

Neuvillette was still staring at you. You shuffled your feet in discomfort. Was there something wrong with your appearance? Maybe you should have just dressed normally; this was just a marriage of convenience after all.

However, he surprised you by saying, “Blue looks good on you.”

You blinked. Then blinked again. You could feel your cheeks warming. Having a non-family member or friend compliment your appearance was a rarity for you. “Th-thank you, sir.” You were about to say that he looked good in blue as well but stopped yourself when you realized how dumb that sounded. He always wore blue.

But he did smell different today, you noticed. Did he put on cologne? Should you mention that? But before you could say anything, he held out his hand. You stared at it for a few moments before you realized that he wanted you to take it.

Silently, the two of you walked through the office door. The license had already been purchased by Neuvillette, and all that was there was left to do was to sign the registry with a witness. Your parents couldn’t make it, so your witness was a Melusine named Liath. You had expected the Hydro Archon to serve that role, but perhaps she was too busy.

The clerk in charge of the office was trying very hard not to stare too much at the both of you. Neuvillette had promised you that the marriage would be kept as private and lowkey as possible, but you knew that it was only a matter of time before it got out.

“Monsieur Neuvillette, Miss [Name], welcome,” the clerk said. “The marriage registry is on this desk. Please feel free to sign it whenever you like.”

The clerk’s voice sounded too loud in the quiet room.

A thought suddenly struck you. This was going to be the last time you would hear yourself be called “Miss.” From today onwards, you would be “Madame Neuvillette.”

It’s only temporary, you reminded yourself.

Neuvillette stepped forward and picked up the pen, then wrote down his name with a firm hand. He then passed the pen to you. You took it with a surprisingly steady hand.

You wrote down your name, right next to Neuvillette’s. The black ink stood out starkly against the white pages. You wondered if your names would be crossed out or painted over with white when you divorced. There was so much you didn’t know about the marriage process.

The clerk signed their own name next to confirm that the marriage had been witnessed and approved. “Congratulations on your marriage!” they said with a bright smile. “I wish you two all the happiness and bliss in your married life.”

“Thank you,” you two said in unison.

There were no bells, no cheers. But it didn’t matter.

The clerk looked at you two expectantly, probably for a kiss. The two of you just stared back at them. They cleared their throat awkwardly and began to rummage through the large filing cabinets behind them.

“Shall we go, then?” you asked Neuvillette—your husband. You were supposed to be moving into his house today, and you had to return to the boarding house to get your things.

“Wait,” he said, and took out a small box from his pocket. He opened it, revealing two unadorned silver rings. The color of his hair, you thought. “May I help you put it on?”

“Okay,” you nodded and held out your hand. He grasped it between his fingers. He’s doing his best to not touch me too much, you realized. You watched as he slid the band carefully down your ring finger. The cold metal sent an involuntary shiver down your spine. The ring fitted perfectly.

You took the other ring and asked him to hold out his hand. It was gloved, so you gently pulled it off. You slid the ring down his finger, willing your hand to remain steady. You could feel him watching you. What was going through his mind right now? Was he feeling relieved? Resigned to a year of being bound to a near stranger?

After you were finished, you stepped back and looked at him. It was over. You were now married to this man.

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Taglist: @just-simping-over-genshin, @xalphafox

[ceekbee]

Dear Reader,

Donald Trump’s victory this week may feel, to some, beyond comprehension. But it must be reckoned with and understood, with both rigor and humility. When it comes to the work that we set out to do at The New Yorker, little has changed. The work is to get the story right, to be fair and accurate, to write with an open mind and without fear.

A primary role of the press has always been to apply pressure to power. I’ve always thought that we should take Donald Trump at his word. When a candidate for President tells the American people that he is going to use his power to initiate mass deportations, when he threatens to pursue and punish the “enemy within,” we should take it seriously, and not simply wait for it to happen or wish it away. And, if and when he follows through on those dark vows, we need to report on it, with a sense of scope, clarity, and resolve.

Everyone, especially those in positions of power or influence, has a choice: to act with decency and resolution or to promote or abide cruelty. Here at The New Yorker, we are committed to the standards that have long guided us. We make mistakes, to be sure, but we strive always to do what we can to help our readers be more informed, more attuned to the art and beauty around us, more committed to a shared sense of civic life.

The New Yorker is celebrating its centenary in February, 2025. This is just weeks after Trump will begin his second term in the White House. He is not going anywhere, but neither are we. I hope you will consider joining us in our continued endeavor to put facts, narrative, and accountability at the forefront. Democracy depends on a free press, and we depend on you, our readers, to support our mission by becoming a subscriber. It means more today than ever before.

As ever,

David Remnick

Editor, The New Yorker

[monstrousproductions]

✨Travelling Light - Episode 19!✨

The Traveller and Duytren clear the air; and how technology can be both a boon and a burden…

Subscribe now Spotify, Apple Podcasts or your podcatcher of choice 🚀✨ Full transcript available here.

Travelling Light is a science fantasy podcast that follows the Traveller as they explore their galaxy, collecting stories from the people they meet and adding them to their community archives.

Every week our artist Matt McDyre (@diabeticspoon92) creates a unique illustration for the episode's archive entry. This week’s entry was based on an idea from The Menagerie! Send in your suggestions, prompts and entries via social media, by email, or through monstrousproductions.org 📨

If you're enjoying the show, please consider signing up for our Ko-Fi. For £1 a month, you'll get access to bonus art, blogs, annotated scripts and more, as well as being able to vote in audience decisions! Head over to ko-fi.com/monstrousproductions to learn more 🤩

Finally, remember - the best way you can support us is to tell others we exist! Review the show wherever you listen, and share the love wherever (and whenever!) you can. Every little helps! 💖

🚀✨ See you next Friday! ✨🚀

[walkingstackofbooks]

5 times Julian watched Miles die (and one time he didn't)

When a bar fight goes horribly wrong, Julian does everything he can to save Miles. It's not enough. Miles dies, and Julian is left bereft and distraught. But this is a time loop fic, so when he wakes up the next day, Julian finds the universe has given him another chance to save his friend... And another... And another. There are many ways for Miles to die on a space station, and however much Julian tries -- furiously repressing his ever-increasing grief and dread to focus on this so-important task -- he just can't seem to stop the endless cycle. It doesn't help that, although his feelings are really too much to deal with, his friends keep pressing him to open up to them. He's fine, he insists, until he really isn't, and discovers that he does need a shoulder to cry on after all. Grief, hope, rage, hurt, comfort, despair, joy... A roller-coaster of emotions accompanies Julian through the most challenging six days of his life, and he is so, so tired.

Sound like your kind of story? Within the next few weeks, my fic 'Vision Awry' - a remix of the DS9 episode 'Visionary' - is going to start updating again, so now's the perfect time to go and read the first half! 😉 (while it's still a manageable 50k... :P )

From the end of September, I'll be resuming my regular posting schedule every week until the story reaches its conclusion - so if you're looking for a feels-y Julian WIP to subscribe to that will have both •definite updates, and •a definite end, may I shamelessly recommend that you give my fic a whirl? I am incredibly proud of it, and am so excited to be on the verge of sharing the rest of it with you all 🥰

[contemplatingoutlander]

Our true feelings about race and identity are revealed in six words

This is a poignant article about a project that Michele Norris started that tapped into people's thoughts about race in a profound way--using only six words. This is a gift🎁link, so anyone can read the full interactive article, even if they don't subscribe to The Washington Post. Below are some excerpts from the article:

I have always cringed when the accusations fly about someone allegedly “playing the race card.” It’s usually a proxy for “You’re making me uncomfortable, so please stop talking.” Or a diversionary tactic used to avoid having to speak about race with any kind of precision or specificity. A shorthand for “Just shut up.” And so, in 2010, I flipped the script, turning that accusatory phrase into a prompt to spark conversation. I printed 200 black postcards at my local FedEx Kinko’s on upper Wisconsin Avenue asking people to condense their thoughts on race or cultural identity into one sentence of six words. The front of the cards simply read:

Race. Your thoughts. 6 words. Please send.

I left the cards everywhere I traveled: in bookstores, in restaurants, at the information kiosks in airports, on the writing desks at all my hotels. Sometimes I snuck them inside airline in-flight magazines or left them at the sugar station at Starbucks. I hoped a few of those postcards would come back, thinking it would be worth the trouble if even a dozen people responded. Much to my surprise, strangers who stumbled on the cards would follow the instructions and use postage stamps to mail their six-word stories back to me in D.C. Since my parents were both postal workers, this gave me an extra thrill. Here I was, doing my part to support the Postal Service. Who says snail mail is dead? Half a dozen cards arrived within a week, then 12, then 20. Over time, that trickle became a tide. I have received more than 500,000 of these stories — and more arrive every day, though the vast majority of submissions now arrive through a website portal online. They have come from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Though limited to six words, the stories are often shocking in their candor and intimacy. They reveal fear, disappointment, regret and resentment. Some are kissed by grace or triumph. A surprising number arrive in the form of a question, which suggests that many people hunger not just for answers but for permission to speak their truths. It was amazing what people could pack into such a small package:

Reason I ended a sweet relationship

Too Black for Black men’s love

Urban living has made me racist

Took 21 years to be Latina

Was considered White until after 9/11

Gay, but at least I’m White

I’m only Asian when it’s convenient

To keep the conversation going, I created a complementary website for the Race Card Project, where people could submit their six-word stories online. Over time we added two words to the submission form: “Anything else?” That changed everything. People sent in poems, essays, memos and historical documents to explain why they chose their six words. The archive came alive. It became an international forum where people could share their own stories but also learn much about life, as if it were lived by someone else.

I highly recommend reading the entire article, using the above gift link. As an olive-skinned Italian American, with curly hair, I have often felt like I am a walking Rorschach test for race. Even though I'm classified as "white" in the U.S., I've had people ask me if I'm a Latina, a Native American, Black, Egyptian, Jewish, and even a South Pacific Islander. Given my history, here are my six words on race.

A book is not it's cover.

I welcome people adding to this post their own 6 words on race.