#Vera Dreams of the Sea

[manitat]

2021: Vera Dreams Of The Sea

[thebellekeys]

The Ultimate Dark Academia Book Recommendation Guide Ever

The title of this post is clickbait. I, unfortunately, have not read every book ever. Not all of these books are particularly “dark” either. However, these are my recommendations for your dark academia fix. The quality of each of these books varies. I have limited this list to books that are directly linked to the world of academia and/or which have a vaguely academic setting.

Dark Academia staples:

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

Dead Poets Society by Nancy H. Kleinbaum

Vita Nostra by Maryna Dyachenko

Dark academia litfic or contemporary:

Bunny by Mona Awad

The Idiot by Elif Batuman

These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever

White Ivy by Susie Yang

The Cloisters by Katy Hays

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

The Lake of Dead Languages by Carol Goodman

A Separate Peace by John Knowles

Black Chalk by Christopher J. Yates

Attribution by Linda Moore

Dark academia thrillers or horror:

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca Serritella

Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas

Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth

They Never Learn by Layne Fargo

The It Girl by Ruth Ware

Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian

Dark academia fantasy/sci-fi:

Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

The Betrayals by Bridget Collins

Dark academia romance:

Gothikana by RuNyx

Alone With You in the Ether by Olivie Blake

Dark academia YA or MG:

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

Crave by Tracy Wolff

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Dark academia miscellaneous:

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou

Alphabet of Thorn by Patricia A. McKillip

[unorthodoxsavvy]

House Plant Asks 🪴

Aloe Vera: Have you ever had any serious injuries?

Golden Pathos: Have you ever won anything?

Snake Plant: If you could have any animal for a plant, what would it be?

Moth Orchid: Butterflies or Moths?

Peace Lily: What could you use most right now?

Basil: Favorite food?

African Violet: If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

Jade Plant: Favorite crystal/gem?

Spider Plant: How do you feel about bugs?

Rubber Plant: What’s your favorite/least favorite texture?

Dumb Cane Plant: What’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever done?

Monstera Deliciousa: What’s your favorite mythical creature?

Rosemary: If you didn’t go by the name(s) you go by now, what name(s) would you choose?

Umbrella Plant: What’s your favorite weather?

Money Tree: If you had $1m to spend ONLY on yourself, what would you spend it on?

Lucky Bamboo: Is there anything you consider lucky/unlucky?

English Ivy: What language(s) do you speak/sign/write?

ZZ Plant: Favorite band?

Boston Fern: Favorite City?

Areca Palms: What’s your favorite climate/biome?

Fiddle Leaf Fig: Do you play any instruments/wish you could play any instruments?

Pilea: Have you ever jumped into a pile of leaves?

Bromeliad: What’s your favorite color?

Dragon Tree: Do you collect anything?

String of Pearls: What’s your favorite jewelry?

Croton: What’s in your ideal salad?

Chinese Evergreen: Do you have a favorite folklore?

Ponytail Palm: What’s your favorite hairstyle?

Oyster Plant: What’s your favorite sea creature?

Kalanchoe: Do you believe in any supernatural forces/cryptids?

Jasmine Plant: What’s your favorite scent?

Heartland Philodendron: What’s the best way to win your heart?

Cactus: Are you an affectionate person?

Silver Leaf Philodendron: What’s a silver lining you’ve found in life?

Polka Dot Begonia: If you had to wear only one pattern for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Black Velvet Alocasia: What’s your aesthetic?

Birds Nest Anthurium: What’s your dream house like?

Ficus Audrey: What’s your favorite season?

Homalomena Selby: What’s home to you?

Sweetheart Plant: Talk about someone you love

[lavoixhumaine]

by lavoixhumaine

bobby x athena

hearts in atrophy

Changes are coming to the Carter-Nash household as Bobby and Athena give themselves one last chance to have a baby but fate and a figure from Bobby’s past have other plans. (canon divergence au)

rating : E | status: active wip ( chapters 25/30 )

feral

Bobby goes off script and Athena isn't prepared for it.

rating : E | status: completed ( one-shot )

it’s me, hi.

Bobby Nash and his last lie.

rating : E | status : completed ( one shot ) | ( major character death )

bruise

After closing out a miserable shift, Athena just wants to sleep. Bobby lets her, of course.

rating : E | status : completed ( one shot )

brownies

Athena is baking in the kitchen, but Bobby has other ideas.

rating : E | status : completed ( one shot )

ledger

Bobby gets a call in the middle of the night.

rating : T | status : completed ( one shot )

awake

Bobby wakes up.

rating : M | status : completed ( one shot )

cataclysmic

Bobby and Athena share a moment on the cruise.

rating : E | status : completed ( one shot )

taste

Athena has a plan.

rating: E | status : completed ( one-shot )

solid ground

Things are a little different than how Bobby remembers things.

rating: T | status : currently unavailable

non-911 fics under the cut

the keeper’s irony

naomi x archer | private practice

What happened that night in Connecticut?

rating: E | status : completed ( one-shot )

last night on fifth

naomi x archer | private practice

What happens when they cross paths again in New York a few years after that night in Connecticut?

rating: E | status : completed ( one-shot )

roman candle in the wild

goo ryeon x park joong-gil | 내일 ( Tomorrow )

In different lifetimes—one story different from the other, but inevitability all the same.

rating: G | status : completed ( one-shot collection )

there as i flew, forgot all prayers of joining you

emily x aaron | criminal minds

Some years after leaving, he is presented with a choice.

rating: G | status : completed ( one-shot )

sea glass

emily x aaron | criminal minds

Two people coming together to lay their shared past to its final rest.

rating: M | status : completed

wonderwall

vera x silas | philip k dick’s electric dreams, “human is”

The Herricks remain free but there are unforeseen repercussions to their hard-won freedom.

rating: M | status : unfinished • discontinued

[andromedasdomain]

Element: Water. ✦════ ⋆★⋆ ════✦

✦Direction: West ✦Substance: Rain, tsunami, ocean waves, dew drops, rivers, creeks, ponds, lakes, waterfalls. ✦Zodiac Signs: Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio ✦Planets: Moon, Venus ✦Water Magical Properties: purification, emotions, intuition, dreams, love, rebirth/renewal, understanding, harmony, friendship, connection to the dead/ancestors/spirit realm ✦Water Animals: seagulls, seabirds, sea turtles, fish, sharks, whales, dolphins, crabs, starfish, seahorses, otters, seals, walrus, penguins, octopus, squid, barracuda, frogs ✦Colors: blue, teal/green, silver, white ✦Magical Tools: chalice, cauldron, bowl, scrying mirror ✦Magical Creatures with water magical properties: selkie, Chinese dragon, undine, mermaid, kelpie, siren, sea serpent ✦Plants with Water Magical Properties: lettuce, blue lotus, water lily, bella donna, burdock, spearmint, periwinkle, watermelon, lobelia, aloe vera, fern, seaweed, alga ✦Sea Witch Spell Ingredients: Seashells, Ocean water, sand, driftwood, sea salt, seagull feathers

✦═══��� ⋆★⋆ ════✦

[one-vivid-judgment]

A beach date with Ichiban, Joongi, Tomi and Chitose pls! 🌞🍹

A CHI-CHAN REQUEST GUYS, THIS IS NOT A DRILL, MY BABY GIRL IS HERE 😭😭

Ichiban Kasuga

He’s down for just about anything, but one thing about him is that he can’t ever just stay still. So long as it doesn’t end up with him butt naked and arrested for public indecency again, he’ll love to spend a good day at the beach with you.

Chances are, he’s diving face first into the sea as soon as you get there. You’ll never get how he can strip out of his clothes so quickly. And you bet he’s asking you to join him, big smirk on his face and enjoying himself like a little kid swimming in the sea for the first time (considering he spent such a long time in jail, Hawaii probably was his first experience with this, and you bet he’s taking full advantage of it).

Will try to pull the puppy eyes so you stay a little longer. Whether it’s because you’re tired of swimming and want a break and Ichi doesn’t want to have fun all by himself, or because it’s getting late and you really should be leaving, but Ichi wants to watch the sunset with you (hey, it’s romantic! Don’t blame him!)

Joongi Han

Vibrating internally because yes, he did book a flight to Hawaii out of spite, but he really didn’t get that much time to just relax. When he did get to go to the beach after the whole ‘Akane and Lani are in danger and we have to go to Nele Island ASAP’ was settled, Seonhee asked him to fan her while she was sunbathing. The beach has honestly been kind of a frustrated dream for him so far, and he is excited.

He likes swimming more for training purposes, not so much to just have fun. If you want to go swimming, then sure, he’ll go along, but he probably will get out after a while. Making sandcastles on the other hand... Now that is something he can spend hours doing. It may sound childish to some people, but as Joongi himself puts it, “it is an art,” and he has mastered it. It’s not like he ever got to have a normal childhood and play in the sand like other normal children—think of it as ‘healing his inner child’.

The type who prefers the beach at night. It looks prettier and there aren’t a lot of people around. Full-beach-days are nice every once in a while, but if it were up to him, he’d rather go in the evening, watch the sunset, drink something at the bar nearby, maybe get a fruit salad or something else that’s sweet and nice to have in the hot weather, then just take a walk near the shore.

Eric Tomizawa

Honestly, he is a little tired of the beach. Between driving clients to and from there, Ichiban taking them all there, and just the fact that he’s been living in Hawaii his whole life, it’s getting a bit tiring. However, if you want to have a beach day, he won’t say no. A date is a date.

Likes playing volleyball or a nice game of cards more than swimming itself. The sea is nice and he will take a dive once or twice, but really, his favorite part about the beach is just chilling under the parasol. Cold beer, nice cool shade, tasty food. What else could he possibly ask for?

Poor man gets sunburn so easily. He’ll spend the whole day at the beach, putting on sunscreen basically every hour or two, and he’ll still get burnt. At this point, you’ve accepted it as just... something that will happen regardless. You keep aloe vera cream at home for this reason alone—not that Tomi is complaining about getting a massage, he just wishes it didn’t have to involve this; sunburn fucking sucks and he can’t move properly for at least a week until they heal.

Chitose Fujinomiya

Oh, she loves the beach! Pretty much like Ichiban, she’ll jump into the sea as soon as you get there, except she’ll straight up drag you along instead of trying the puppy eyes strategy. If she has to push you into the water to get you to swim with her, she will. You don’t want to test her.

Always carries a purse full of products with her to the beach. Sunscreen, sunglasses, lip balm, aloe vera cream, wipes, a hairbrush, flip flops, bobby pins, lotion, you name it. She likes sunbathing as much as the next girl, but she also hates getting sunburn, so it’s better safe than sorry. If it’s too heavy, she can just ask you to carry her bag!

She will ask to stay until the sun sets because she’s a romantic like that, and there is nothing more romantic than watching a Hawaiian sunset with your partner, is there? Besides, there is a bar right next to the beach, so it’s the perfect setting: get a drink (blue Hawaii, anyone?), sit down, watch as the sun goes away. It doesn’t matter how many times she sees it, it will always take her breath away.

[gogoosecross]

I dream of the sea with my character In general, Vera does not like water, but a vacation at sea is something that you can enjoy endlessly, despite workaholism

[briarvalleyarchives]

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴇʀ ꜱʜᴏʀᴇʟɪɴᴇ

╰┈➤ ❝ the kingdom of briar valley stretches from the highest mountains to the shores of the sea. although the young prince has seen the shimmering ocean from the windows of the castle many times, there was a lot to learn about the time people casually spent at the shoreline ❞

Event Duration: August 14th — September 30th

Deepwaters • [Lilia, Malleus, Silver, Sebek]

4 brief snapshots to the poem 'What are Heavy?' by Christina Rosseti centered on youth, the ocean, and the consequences of memories.

by: @chernabogs

2. Peaceful Midnight Stroll • [Jade x Reader]

You enjoy a midnight stroll at the beach with Jade.

by: @it-happened-one-fic

3. Teaching You How To Swim • [Azul x Reader]

You end up revealing that you can’t swim/not swim very well, and the OctaTrio offer to teach you how to swim. You choose Azul to teach you. On the day of the lesson he found a secluded small cave to teach you.

by: @cheapshrimpysheep

4. Ocean Dreams and Serene Waves • [Jade x Reader]

Like the sea waves find the shoreline, you found each other. 

by: @moonlit-midnight

5. Just Like The Moon and the Tide • [Azul x Fem!Reader]

You and Azul share a moment together discussing fairy tales of the moon and the tide.

by: @vera-deville

[danceundersparklinglights]

2024 Books

Crying in H Mart - Zauner (1/8)

The Anthropocene Reviewed - Green (1/16)

The Music of Bees - Garvin (1/20)

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store - McBride (1/27)

The Martian - Weir (1/30)

The Wager - Grann (2/2)

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (2/6)

Crazy Rich Asians - Kwan (2/10)

Project Hail Mary - Weir (2/14)

A Man Called Ove - Backman (2/17)

Untamed - Doyle (2/20)

The Midnight Library - Haig (2/24)

The In-Between - Vlahos (2/27)

The Covenant of Water - Verghase (3/17)

Tress of the Emerald Sea - Sanderson (3/26)

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Shaffer (3/31)

Yellowface - Kuang (4/2)

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek (4/15)

The Unmaking of June Farrow - Young (4/30)

A Change of Tide - Contor (5/1)

Sea of Tranquility - Mandel (5/8)

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone - Stevenson (5/14)

Jane Eyre* - Bronte (5/16)

This Time Tomorrow - Straub (5/29)

The Hobbit - Tolkien (5/31)

Lessons in Chemistry - Garmus (6/7)

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers* - Sutanto (6/10)

Ready Player One - Cline (6/14)

The Giver of Stars - Moyes (7/1)

Cloud Cuckoo Land - Doerr (7/8)

China Rich Girlfriend* - Kwan (7/16)

Rich People Problems* - Kwan (7/20)

Behind Her Eyes* - Pinborough (7/27)

All the Light We Cannot See - Doerr (7/28)

The Heiress* - Hawkins (8/2)

Ready Player Two - Cline (8/2)

Wish You Were Here - Piccoult (8/5)

Starling House* - Harrow (8/5)

The Only One Left* - Sager (8/9)

The Silent Patient* - Michaelides (8/15)

How to Solve Your Own Murder* - Perrin (8/21)

Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect* - Stevenson (8/26)

Journey to the Center of the Earth - Verne (8/30)

The Goldfinch - Tartt (8/30)

The Dallergut Dream Department Store - Lee Mi-ye (9/3)

The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise* - Oakley (9/10) 

The Guncle* - Rowley (9/15)

Damnation Spring - Davidson (9/15)

Good Omens - Pratchett & Gaiman (10/18)

The Wild Robot - Brown (10/24)

The Small and the Mighty* - McMahon (10/30)

The Book Thief - Zusak (11/3)

The Wife Upstairs - Hawkins (11/11)

The Reformatory* - Due (11/16)

The Reappearance of Rachel Price* - Jackson (11/25)

The God of the Woods* - Moore (11/28)

The Way of Kings - Sanderson (11/30)

Listen for the Lie* - Tintera (12/1)

Weyward* - Hart (12/4)

Questions, Quarrels, & Quandry* - Kappes (12/8)

Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank* - Cosimano (12/13)

Words of Radiance - Sanderson (12/13)

Edgedancer - Sanderson (12/14)

Remarkably Bright Creatures - Van Pelt (12/16)

(Asterisk indicates audiobook)

[sciatu]

Idda Idda stiddi e pallida luna idda focu du suli etennu idda luci, ventu, futtuna idda paradisu, idda ‘nfennu idda sognu e fimmina vera idda u to ciatu, u to sangu idda estati e primavera idda acqua, terra, fangu idda ciauru, cielu, ciuri idda suggenti, idda u mari idda du jonnu ogni culuri idda da notti u sugnari idda cantu, vessu, puisia idda bidizza di ogni arti idda d’ogni notti mavaria d’ogni vita a megghiu parti Idda peddi, mani, capiddi idda cosci, minni, sessu i so occhi chini i stiddi a bucca unni sugnu pessu idda silenziu, idda canzuni idda parola, idda pinseru, idda ciareddu, idda liuni idda malizia, cori sinceru idda munti, idda vadduni, idda acqua, gebbia, vita giallu ranu, niru cabbuni idda a sula, a preferita idda nu jonnu piffettu idda ricchizza da campagna idda cosi giusti, rispettu idda soru, idda cumpagna idda ricoddi, idda dumani idda lacrimi, cori ruttu idda da vita u tempu, u pani idda di tuttu, sempri u tuttu

Lei, stelle e pallida luna, lei fuoco del sole eterno, lei luce, vento, fortuna, lei paradiso, lei inferno, lei sogno e vera donna, lei, il tuo respiro. Lei il tuo sangue, lei estate e primavera, lei acqua, terra, fango. Lei profumo, cielo, fiori, lei sorgente e lei mare, lei del giorno ogni colore, lei della notte il sognare. Lei canto, verso, poesia, lei bellezza di ogni arte, lei, di ogni notte magia, di ogni vita, la meglio parte. Lei pelle, mani capelli, lei cosce, seno, sesso, i suoi occhi pieni di stelle, la sua bocca dove sono perso. Lei silenzio, lei canzoni, lei parola, lei pensiero, lei agnello, lei leone, lei malizia, cuore sincero. Lei monti, lei vallata, lei acqua, cisterna, vita, giallo grano, nero carbone, lei la sola, la preferita. Lei giorno perfetto, lei ricchezza della campagna, lei giustizia, rispetto, lei sorella, lei compagna, lei ricordi, lei domani. Lei lacrime, cuore rotto, lei della vita tempo e pane, lei di tutto, sempre il tutto.

She, stars and pale moon, she fire of the eternal sun, she light, wind, fortune, she paradise, she hell, she dream, and true woman, she, your breath. She, your blood, she summer and spring, she water, earth, mud. She perfume, sky, flowers, she spring and she sea, she every color of the day, she dreaming of the night. She song, verse, poetry, she beauty of every art, she, of every night magic, of every life, the best part. She skin, hands, hair, she thighs, breasts, sex, her eyes full of stars, her mouth where I am lost. She silence, she songs, she word, she thought, she lamb, she lion, she malice, sincere heart. She mountains, she valley, she water, cistern, life, yellow wheat, black coal, she the only one, the favorite. She perfect day, she richness of the countryside, she justice, respect, she sister, she companion, she memories, she tomorrow. She tears, broken heart, she of life time and bread, she of everything, always everything.

[barrenclan]

Been too afraid to suggest this for a while bc... social anxiety,, so I'm going anon.

Just another music ask!! "The Line" by Vera Sola feels like a very Barrenclan song to me

Oooh, this is a good one, I can definitely see it. A lot of vibes for original RoseClan/early BarrenClan.

She was the first one to go <- Wheatstar I'll be back for you, the final words she spoke He was the second one to leave <- Ladybugstar Whispered, don't you worry

Because time is a warm dark circle Day is returned to the looping of the line Night is only a passing thing We'll be back again when it's right

Fellas, is it gay to feel like this about your boss?

I don't show it but I quiver whenever you come near And I cannot decipher between the thrill and the fear I wanna stop it but like it too much to let it stop here It's wrong but I want you tonight It's not my own volition but I fell in deep By running the distance I've been advised to keep I trot to the wolf as a doting sheep It's wrong but I want you tonight

Rainhaze works with like 50% of songs ever made. He is my most Ashfur-esque character in that way.

There's a scavenger on the wind alone Where he roams in the land of the dust and bones

Nobody wants to be your friend when you're a scavenger on the wind

My mom is an oldschool fan of Laurie Anderson, and I listened to her growing up, so I was quite surprised to see that this song has become viral on TikTok. I highly recommend listening to the whole song, and her others as well.

And I said, "Okay, who is this really?" And the voice said "This is the hand, the hand that takes"

And when justice is gone There's always force And when force is gone There's always Mom, hi Mom

As long as people keep sending me songs, I'll keep doing them.

Maybe it's just a stupid dream I know you'd never change your life to be with me Six hours north in a city by the sea I want you herе right now I want you here with me

If I were closer, would you remember The way I made you feel in September? You said it's too cold in San Francisco But I keep you warm so you'll take me where you go

I am always here for a musical song, especially Into the Woods. Anything witchy character works for Nightberry.

THREE DAYS GRACE MENTIONED! The actual inspiration for the song came from an El Tango de Roxanne lyric, specifically this one:

"You're free to leave me, but just don't deceive me And please, believe me when I say I love you"

I like this song a lot too. Cormorantpaw works with any thrash-type music.

I have to ask cause I need something to last Too many times I've been left behind <- ohh... the corm......

Will you love me or leave me forever? Will you love me or leave me forever?

HAH I love it.

Yeah I can see it!

My parents sold me to a preacher Now I miss my mom and dad I heard they joined a cult They say, mass suicidal death I’m locked inside the church They say the prophecy’s foretold

They’ll preach salvation as they tie my limbs And rip out my teeth They’ll soak their daggers In the pigs blood As I beg and I plead

The Garden is actually already on the PATFW playlist! For the reasons which you listed, and I agree with you. :) Never Love An Anchor is also Slugpelt's themesong.

It looks like this one has been suggested before, probably for Rainhaze or Deepdark! I love Saint Motel's music.

Nobody has ever seen his face But fear his smile I heard he'll drink your blood just for the taste

Everybody tends to disagree On just how evil A single human being should ever be And all your bones, they scream for more

[anightingales-blog]

The sun was too bright that day

aziraphale and Crowley were at the beach the sun was really bright and kids were running around playing “we’ll meet again “by Vera lynn

Crowley looked at aziraphale who was holding book reading it while Crowley was sitting beside him

“Angel”

“Yes dear?”

“When this be real”

Aziraphale didn’t reply he looked at the sea and after one second there was no voice no children running no beach music nothing

Just the sound of the ocean

Crowley looked at aziraphale like he was begging for him for this to be real

“Dear you need to to wake up” finally aziraphale answered

“I don’t want to “

“You can’t just keep dreaming about me”

“You left me no choice angel you left and here is the only place I can find you”

Aziraphale looked at Crowley who now changed his appearance to be like that kinda long hair tired eyes he was not that chic demon he was just tired

“Oh Crowley this dream won’t last forever also”

Aziraphale held Crowley’s face and kissed him

And then Crowley woke up at the bookshop were Muriel was playing “we’ ll meet again” and hamming to it

“but I know we will meet again some sunny day”

[ivanttakethis]

End of Round 2 - Tov’s Log

Vera (54) vs. Moran (45) -> Vera Win

————————————————————

“Do you believe in fate, Tov?” A voice nearby asks.

Tov doesn’t have to look up from her book to know it belongs to Moran. She hears it all the time.

Like yesterday after lunch, when Solei sat on the wooden stool in front of Moran’s makeshift advice stand and asked: “Moran, what happens after we die?”

“I do.” Tov says with a nod, “It’s all written in the stars.”

She sees wild red hair moving closer in her peripheral. “Do you think our fates can be changed, or do we have to follow them to their end?”

Tov looks up at Moran then. She’s deep in thought, as usual. Though her downturned blue eyes look a bit sorrowful.

It isn’t Tov’s place to pry.

“Fate isn’t set in stone. It’s always changing. Just like the stars.” She points at the swatch of night sky printed in her book.

“The stars are always changing. Old ones die out, new ones are born, sometimes a star will brighten or dim. Our fates can change in the same way.” She explains. “Even the smallest action can alter your ultimate fate.”

Moran is quiet for a moment. Thinking.

Tov waits patiently.

A slow, shaky smile spreads across Moran’s face as she meets Tov’s gaze again, “Then maybe there’s hope for all of us.”

Tov wouldn’t learn until years later the fate Moran wanted to change.

————————————————————

The final scores for Round 2 flickered to life in the hologram above the stage.

Vera 54. Moran 45. The same split that killed Azure.

Moran’s fate was decided.

Tov felt like a liar.

As the camera zoomed in on Moran’s face, like the scope of a sniper shooting to kill, Tov could see her shaky smile and the tears streaming down her cheeks.

Tov squeezed her eyes shut just before a single shot rang out to the raucous delight of the crowd.

She didn’t want to know if Moran’s blood matched the red of her hair, or the blush of her cheeks, or the autopsy markings across her chest and abdomen.

They dressed her like a corpse. She had been doomed from the start.

Just like Guardian Rheya wanted.

Tov hadn’t eaten in hours. There was nothing in her stomach to expel. But the bile clawed it’s way up into her mouth regardless.

She wished she could spit venom instead of acid.

This time Tov didn’t say anything as she left. Cassio didn’t say anything either.

She locked herself in her room and sunk to the floor, pulling her knees up and leaning her head back to rest against the door.

Any minute now, Guardian Rhyea would release a statement about Moran’s loss (not her death, she didn’t care about that).

She would spin a story about how Moran was in love with a boy named Adam. That Moran risked her life and entered Alien Stage hoping to win the competition and finally gain his attention.

But it wasn’t true. None of it was true.

Not that it mattered to Rhyea. All she wanted was a fame boost for Adam.

Tov knew he would be entered the following season. Moran had told her the whole plan.

White hot anger burned bright in Tov’s chest. She’d watched another person she knew die right before her eyes.

The last moment of Moran alive — with her smile and tear stained cheeks — burned itself into the backs of Tov’s eyelids.

Right alongside sea-green eyes that only sparkled under the open sky.

There would be another round tomorrow.

Another death to haunt her.

For now, she would grieve in silence.

Rhyea might’ve thought Moran was expendable, but Tov didn’t.

She wouldn’t let her friend go unmourned.

Sweet dreams, Moran.

I know you did your best.

————————————————————

So chat 🥹 how are we feeling 🥹 after Round 2? I’m barely holding it together, thanks for asking 🥹✌️

Tov’s reactions to the deaths of those close to her are starting to get more intense. It’s especially concerning because Tov doesn’t experience extreme emotions very often.

Her feelings are loosely tied to the stages of grief. Tov’s current stage of grief is anger.

We’re 0/2 right now on who I thought would win, so I won’t be making any predictions for Round 3 just to be safe.

Moran “The Thinker” belongs to @geospiral (I also referenced her art in the log here and here)

Solei belongs to @shakingparadigm / @solei-eclipse

Azure belongs to @4listr / @azureitri

[leupagus]

I feel like Harris Burdick with all these plot ideas that I have to get around to actually, you know, writing in full

Anyway this one's got a tentative title of "Gonna Get Up Out The Ground," inspired in part by this post (and my rumination that there really SHOULD be some undead Hardy AUs out there).

-

The first time Ellie met Hardy was in a dream.

They'd been in Florida just a few days; she'd already gotten horribly sunburnt on her shoulders and Tom was one great tomato, but fortunately a sympathetic hotel worker had brought them a great big bottle of aloe vera and now they were enjoying some truly brain-rotting television while Joe and Fred were tramping about on the beach, responsibly sun-screened. 

At some point she must have nodded off because she woke up on quite a different beach — a beach she knew as well as her own heart, with the same sure rhythm. There was no one about but she wasn't lonely, or even alone; somewhere nearby, she knew, was the person she was looking for.

She wandered slowly up the Lesser Cliff Trail up to the old campsite, long since abandoned except for a half-dozen old campfire rings, lined with stones and forgotten. She walked to the edge and breathed in, the salt and cold filling her lungs with their familiar, comfortable sting. Along the edge, thousands of sea thrift blossoms nodded dreamily in the wind, pink and white against the green and blue.

"Took your time," said a voice behind her; she turned and squinted against the sun (the sun? it never shone from that direction, not like that, dull and heavy against the hills). He was a young man, late twenties, all gangling limbs with a flop of red-brown hair falling into his eyes and a ready smile. "But then I could never get the hang of time zones."

"You're five hours ahead," she told him, with that vague confidence you always have when you're dreaming. "It's only…" She tried to concentrate, but the numbers slipped like eels out of her grasp.

"Never mind," said the man. "It's still early, anyway — might not happen. And you're not the one, I'm sure of that at least." His smile took out whatever sting there might've been in the words. He had freckles along his cheeks and soft brown eyes, the sort she'd thought of as kind. "Don't be too angry at me, Miller. A bit is fine, though." And with another smile, he pushed her gently off the cliff.

She woke up with a start; Joe snorted in his sleep and rolled away from her, and she blinked away the dazzle of the sun in the shifting darkness of the hotel room. She shifted onto her other side, glancing over at the boys sleeping in the other bed and the crib, and was about to close her eyes again when something poked her in the neck.

It was a sprig of sea-thrift, still cold and damp.

-

The next time she met him was a shock — even over the horrified grief over seeing poor Danny, beautiful little man that he'd been, flung down like so much rubbish. At first she hardly registered, but when he held out his hand and gave his name, she looked at him — really looked.

"I know," she said, meaning to make some cutting remark about how he'd stolen her promotion. But instead what came out was, "You were five hours ahead."

He dropped his hand, looking tired. Looking more than tired; he resembled a corpse as much as the frail little body at their feet. Gone was the cheerful youth; he was old, even older than DI Charlford, with sick-pale skin and bruises under his eyes. His clothes hung off of him as though hiding nothing more than a skeleton underneath. "Do you want to do that here?" he asked, as though it made no difference to him.

"No," she decided. "But — later."

"Aye, fine," he sighed, just as Ellie heard, with the sinking remains of her heart, the shouted demands of Beth, growing closer.

-

Much later, he told her he'd been as shocked to see her that morning as she'd been to see him. "You'd been in my dreams a long time," he told her, spitting dirt and gravel out onto the grass. "I'd given up on you being real."

It was just gone seven in the morning — apparently all that nonsense about needing to wait until midnight on a new moon was just that — and Ellie'd been waiting for almost two hours, bundled up in a blanket from her car boot and sitting on a nearby tombstone. Hardy's grave, less than a day old, was marked by nothing more than the mound of dirt and a few sea-thrift flowers, which annoyed Hardy every time but which was, objectively, hilarious.

"How was I in your dreams and I only saw you the once before we met?" she demanded, handing him a water bottle. He took it and took a draught, spitting it out as well. Ellie made a face; this was the third time she'd watched this and it hadn't got less disgusting. He caught her expression and scowled.

"I didn't ask you to come," he reminded her, pouring some of the water into his palm and wiping at his face.

"No, you didn't. Are you going to answer the question?"

He took another drink, this time swallowing. "We'd better push on," he said, shaking the dirt from his trouser cuffs, and headed toward the carpark.

Rolling her eyes, Ellie chased after him. "Just don't get in before I put a tarp down or something," she said. "And by the way, not to say I told you so—"

"You're about to say 'I told you so,' I sense—"

"But I did warn you about Cooper and his temper."

"You didn't warn me he'd stab me with garden shears," Hardy grumped as he opened the gate for her.

"No, that bit surprised me," she admitted. "I did arrest him, but I'll be honest, I'm not sure what to charge him with. Murder seems a bit harsh, considering," and she waved vaguely. "You know."

"Attempted murder?" Hardy offered. "No one's ever tried to kill me before. Don't," he added, as she opened her mouth. "Just drive me home so I can change."

"Resurrection makes you really grumpy, you know that?"

"Maybe I should try coffee, always does wonders for your personality."

[ewanmitchellcrumbs]

Tom Bennett General Headcanon Alphabet

A - Animals - Are they an animal person? Good with them? Scared of them? 

Tommy loves animals. He is the sort of person that will cross the road with the sole intent of petting a cat he's spotted and smiles at dogs as they walk past. Vera the canary will always be his number one though.

B -  Boozy - What is their alcohol tolerance like? What kind of drunk are they? 

Tom is a loud drunk. He's fond of a drink and will get quite rowdy after a few pints.

C - Chocolate - Do they prefer savory tastes or do they have a (secret) sweet tooth? 

Tom eats for necessity, he's not really a foodie. Although if someone has a bag of crisps or sweets around him that won't stop him from dipping his hand in and helping himself.

D - Decision - Are they impulsive decision makes? Do they follow their heart, or do they prefer thinking it over?

He's incredibly impulsive. He's hot headed and a hedonist, which means he rarely takes the time to think through his actions.

E - Explosive - Are they quick to get angry? What kind of angry are they?

Tom is quick to anger and will raise his voice when he loses his temper. It's his way of goading people into a fight, so he can claim they struck first when he inevitably gets into trouble for scrapping.

F - Friendship - Do they make friends easily? Or are they more hard to approach?

Tom's a people person, but his love of winding people up means they're not always a fan of him.

G - Ghost - Do they believe in the paranormal? Are they superstitious? 

Absolutely not. He thinks all of that's nonsense.

H - Health & Hygiene - Do they take proper care of themselves or do they need to be reminded to have better habits? 

Tom does the necessities - he washes himself and brushes his teeth, but that's about it.

I - Income - Do they feel like money = happiness, or are they happy with enough to survive? Do they dream of a lavish lifestyle, or do they think luxury is unnecessary? 

Tom is relatively content with his lot in life. He tends to look down upon extreme wealth, as it makes people snobby.

J - Job - If they’d be living in our world - modern AU - What kind of job would they have? Would they be good at it? 

He'd be a mechanic and use it as an opportunity to flirt with female customers. He'd be skilled, but too busy trying to charm his way into the knickers of every pretty lady to actually be any good at it.

K - Kindness - Are they kind? Do they like to pay it forward? Are they kind to strangers? 

Tom has a heart of gold and is kind when it matters - it's hidden beneath a thick shell of cockiness though.

L - Love Language - What is their love language? Does it change when it’s a romantic relationship or are they consistent with how they show love to friends and partners? 

Tom's love language with friends and family is quality time. With partners it's physical touch.

M - Music - What kind of music are they into / would they be into? Can they sing / dance? Do they have good rhythm? 

Tom can't sing, but he's not a bad dancer - any opportunity to get up close and personal with other women. Not hugely into music, so will typically go with whatever's popular at the time.

N - Nature - Do they enjoy the calm and quiet of nature or do they prefer people and the city? What kind of nature resonates most with them (sea, forest, mountains…) 

Tom's a city guy. Give him the cobbled streets of Castlefield any day over the green expanse of the countryside.

O - Offspring - Do they want kids one day? Are they good with children, or do they prefer to stay away as far as possible? 

Tom is great with kids, as he acts like a big kid himself. The idea of having his own terrifies him though, so he prefers not to think about it.

P - Pain - Do they have a high pain tolerance? Are they quick to admit that they are in pain or will they endure it by themselves? 

Tom won't hide the fact that he's in pain, but he'll also cope and not make a fuss.

Q - Question - Are they curious by nature? Do they know loads of little trivia? Are they very knowledgeable in their field? 

Tom's not academically high achieving, but he has good emotional intelligence. He prefers to learn about people rather than subjects.

R - Rain - What is their favorite type of weather? Favorite season? Are they an ‘I’m always hot’ or an ‘I’m always cold’ kind of person? 

Tom likes sunny weather - perfect for relaxing with a beer, and means that ladies are more likely to be out in dresses, so he can look at their legs.

S - Sleep - What are their sleeping habits? What does their bed look like? 

Tom goes to bed late and likes to lay in until the afternoon. He's lazy and his bed is never made.

T - Tired - Are they a morning person? A night owl? A permanently exhausted pigeon? 

Tom's a night owl, for sure.

U - Unwind - What do they like to do to relax? Do they need a lot of downtime?

Tom doesn't need a lot of alone time. If he needs to relax he'll smoke a cigarette. Typically enjoys blowing off steam at the pub.

V - Vulnerable - Are they quick to overshare? Or do they keep up their defenses? How long does it take for them to trust someone and open up? 

Tom will share enough to make people think he is open, however, there is a wall hiding his real thoughts and feelings - someone has to really get to know him in order for this to come down.

W - Weird - Do they have any habits that are considered strange or abnormal by other people? What are they? 

Excessive smoking, flirting with anything in a skirt, his love of causing trouble.

X - XOXO - In a modern AU: are they a texter or a caller? Do they use emoji? What are their most used Emoji? Do they use a lot of common abbreviations, or do they type out everything properly? 

He'd be someone that sends a lot of voice notes, and when he texts there's excessive use of the eggplant/aubergine emoji.

Y - Yes man - Are they quick to help out friends? And Strangers? Will they be easy to convince to do things for others or do they prefer just taking care of their own business. 

Tom will do anything for his friends and family. He'd be the last person to offer to help someone do something boring and tiresome like move house or mow the lawn, but if someone was in genuine, desperate need of urgent help then he'd be there for them.

Z - Zone out - Are they prone to daydreaming? If so, what are they dreaming about? Or are they more focussed, and if they are, how hard is it to break their concentration?

Tom is someone who doesn't like to be in his own head too much. He prefers distracting himself. He always has to be focused on something.

[lakituwin]

🎶✨when u get this, list 5 songs you're currently loving listening to, and publish. then, send this ask to 10 of your favourite followers (positivity is cool)🎶✨

Now that's a question. My choice are those five:

1. The Grand Finale - The Noble Demon version

2. World's End Valentine - Omori

3. UNDERTALE - Toby Fox

4. We'll Meet Again - Vera Lynn

5. Dream Sweet in Sea Major - Miracle Musical