#after everything. vi still couldn't save her family.

[cipher26]

Arcane Brain Dump 1/? | Jinx & Caitlyn

There were a lot of things I wanted to see in the finale that I didn't get, which wasn't surprising knowing there wasn't much time. But one thing that I really wanted and didn't actually expect to get was a 1 on 1 conversation with Jinx and Caitlyn. I was so excited when it was happening, because I felt like it was necessary for both characters to talk with each other, especially after episode 6 when they're suddenly fighting on the same side, and where they COULD have become family if it hadn't all gone to shit.

Before the season started I didn't think there was any hope for Jinx and Caitlyn to actually reconcile. Like, I thought at best Cait might stop hunting her for Vi's sake, but would still hate her. But then Isha came along and Jinx changed so much, and Caitlyn was isolated and depressed and tired, and I thought "hmm maybe they can get past the feud?" Unfortunately I guess we'll never know for sure, but I really do think that conversation was step 1 for them getting along. It was so interesting to see because you can see that Caitlyn is still in pain about her loss, but it's also been enough time since then, and so much has happened that the rage she was feeling in the beginning of the season has fizzled out. Which is relatable. It's exhausting to keep up that kind of hatred for someone, especially if they change in the way that Jinx did. The Jinx in that cell in front of Caitlyn was a completely different person than the one who kidnapped her out of the shower and killed her mother. I think that seeing Jinx with Isha and Vi and Vander also showed Caitlyn how much had changed. Because even from her first meeting with Jinx, there was tension between her and Vi. Jinx held a gun up to Vi's face in that first meeting, and was instantly aggressive towards Caitlyn. But in that tent with the whole family, Jinx didn't even care that Caitlyn was there. If anything she seemed kind of smug, because Caitlyn still thinks of her as an enemy but Jinx just saved her life. It's almost like a game, like what can Caitlyn do now? She lost some of her argument about Jinx being evil. Also, in that moment she can't do anything even if she wanted to. I saw a lot of people talking about how it didn't make sense that Caitlyn was suddenly fine with Jinx and didn't try to kill her. Which is silly because first of all, Caitlyn didn't have her weapon, she left it in the tent with Vi and Vi hadn't returned yet. So she couldn't really do anything. Also they just watched Beast Vander throw this huge man out the side of the building to protect his daughter, so if Caitlyn tries to hurt Jinx in any way she's absolutely gonna get torn to pieces. And then immediately after that everything starts to go to shit, and Vi is there, and they have other things to worry about in that moment. Especially once Ambessa starts attacking. It's a shame that we didn't also get to see the immediate aftermath of the battle with Cait, Jinx, and Jayce rushing Vi to safety. I mean idk how far Piltover is from the fissure, but it's not a fast journey lol. The three of them together must have been interesting, especially since Caitlyn hasn't seen Jayce in however many months it's been since before the time skip. Another thing I was sad to not see actually, was Cait and Jayce's reunion and Cait being like "wtf happened to you? where have you been?!" Alas...

Anyway, I'm glad they gave us that prison scene with the two of them. They just came out and addressed their issue, realized how different things were, and both kind of chose to move on. I mean Jinx is devastated and suicidal, she's completely given up, and also she's still the good person that Isha helped her become. Jinx has no reason to hate Caitlyn. The only thing Caitlyn's done to Jinx is hunt her after Jinx murdered her mother. And because Jinx wants to die, she tells Caitlyn to just do it. Except Caitlyn's changed too. She's tired of fighting, and the kid in front of her (cause Jinx is a kid...) looks as sad and tired as she feels. Even more so. It wasn't a long conversation, but I think it was just what they needed to hear from each other, and what the audience needed to hear. Caitlyn admits that her hatred for Jinx changed her in ways that made her hate herself, and she didn't want to be like that anymore. And then Jinx comes pretty much as close as she's gonna get to apologizing to Caitlyn for killing her mom. She doesn't say the words "I'm sorry," but when she says "I didn't know your mom was there" it kind of does feel like an apology. Or at the very least, I think it's Jinx telling Caitlyn that it wasn't personal. She wasn't trying to hurt Caitlyn specifically, she was trying to hurt the system that had oppressed and neglected her home for so long. And in that moment, she was too filled with grief over Silco to hold back.

So I think that conversation really brings some closure to both of them. They kind of get past their feud and just move on. There are so many other things to worry about now, and so many bad things have happened. And in the process of rushing Vi back to Piltover, I imagine it helped each of them see how much the other loves Vi. And I think that loving Vi is part of the motivation to put it behind them. Vi would never forgive Jinx if she killed Caitlyn, or hurt her. And now, despite what Vi told Cait before their first fight, I think Cait knows Vi would never forgive her if she hurt or killed Jinx. They both do what they do in the end of that episode FOR Vi. Jinx runs and locks Vi in the cage so Vi can't follow her, and she tells Vi that she deserves to be happy without feeling guilty, and specifically tells Vi she deserves to be with Cait. I mean that's a HUGE deal. Especially since Vi wasn't present for the journey back from the fissures, so she didn't actually see Cait and Jinx working together. In her mind they're still at square 1 for the most part.

And then Caitlyn goes and calls the guards away so that Vi can free Jinx, knowing she'll do so. I've seen a lot of people confused about Cait's line "did you really think I needed all of the enforcers at the Hexgates?" which is fair because I was also confused at first lol. But what Caitlyn is telling Vi, is that she knew VI would come to free her sister, so she did what she could to clear the way for Vi to be able to do that. She's basically telling Vi in that moment that she's moved past her anger enough to let Jinx go, and to stop hunting her. It's such a freeing moment for Vi, because the two people she loves the most, who were furiously trying to kill each other before, have finally made peace. It takes a huge weight off of Vi's shoulders, no longer having to be stuck between two people she loves who hate each other. And Jinx has just told her "go get your girl" and now Caitlyn is standing there smugly telling her that she basically let Jinx go. That's why Vi reacts the way she does, it's such a relief to be past that conflict and have permission from both of them to be happy.

Anyway, I thought it was a great moment, and even though it wasn't a long conversation between Cait and Jinx, I think it's exactly what they both needed. It was the closure they needed to move on. If Jinx had stayed around, they still would have had more work to do surely before they actually got along well, but it was suddenly possible after that talk. And I hope that in the continuation of this story that they finally get there someday. Because based on the ending I really don't think Jinx is dead. And Caitlyn is holding Jinx's monkey bomb in her hand, contemplating and looking up the Hexgate plans. She has to be looking to see if there was any way Jinx could have escaped, probably because Vi is devastated and she wants to help take that hurt away. Imagine if Cait could bring Vi her sister back? Or at least if she could let Vi know for sure that she wasn't dead. That would be huge. What a difference between the way these three started, and where they ended.

[undercut-mcqueer]

arcane ending thoughts under the cut. spoiler warning.

[everlastingdream]

The first time Stelle sees Kafka on the Express in person Welt is almost instantly at the Himeko's side. He is shielding her, his cane ready and already glowing. Stelle freezes in the middle of her step, feeling her joy dying at the sight of Himeko trembling slightly behind Welt's back despite her defiant look. Kafka's smile doesn't reach her eyes.

Don't come closer! Just stay away from me! It should be easy for you.

"What are you doing here, Stellaron Hunter?" Dan Heng grits, clenching his polearm, subtly moving to their companions.

"Why, my dear friends, I'm just visiting my little one", Kafka moves to pat Stelle's head, but it's hard to enjoy her affection when March 7 casts her shield on the Himeko without a word.

"Mr Yang? Himeko?" Stelle feels small suddenly. She stands in the middle, torn between two parts of her family.

"It's nothing, Stelle, don't worry. You can talk with... her, as long as we can see you, so we know you are safe", Himeko says, voice steady but just a fraction too quiet. She nods to Welt and Dan Heng and pats March 7's rigid arms on her bow.

"Heard what your mother said? Come, darling, let's chat a little".

Even if Kafka appears nonchalant but her hand flexes a tiniest bit on Stelle's head. Himeko follows every movement with sharp attention she reserves for her coffee, navigation and battles.

"Kafka, what is going on?" It's the first time Stelle feels so isolated from their Astral Express family. All of them know something, huddling around their navigator.

"Nothing much. I didn't bother to contact Himeko to say I'll be droping by. So how are you? I heard there was some trouble in Jarilo-VI?"

"I'm alright, just meeting some old friends and getting to use the bat after the long time. So say why everyone more alert than when we met you at Xianzhou?"

Kafka stares at her and Stelle has the thought that Stellaron Hunter plans to use her ability. But after a moment feeling fades and Kafka just sighs, turning to the crew. Himeko smiles there, trying to calm March 7 down.

"Just past", Kafka answers without taking her eyes off the navigator. "We were close once upon a time. I was here when Himeko just embarked on her journey." Kafka chuckles low at the Stelle's surprised gusp. "Greeted every guest right beside her, since I wasn't needed in the script as frequently as now. I wasn't one for the Trailblaze, but I helped in some missions. And there was this one planet..."

I have something to say to you, when we return, starlight.

I can't wait, Kafka.

"We were ambushed. Fighted back to back. It was a thrilling battle. I heard a scream. Turned around. Saw Himeko surrounded and bleeding out. And went back to fighting".

They share a grim silence.

"Why?", Stelle asked tilting her head to the side. Girl was kind-hearted and protective, but it was moments like these when unhuman curiousity blinked in gold eyes people around was reminded about Stellaron residing in the place of her heart.

"I can't feel fear. I just saw her and shruged it off. I wasn't afraid for her. Just went back to my business. But I may not know fear but I do know regret."

"And then?"

"And then I killed everyone and took Himeko to the Express. Dan Heng barely saved her with his knowledge. Well, you can imagine what happened when Himeko woke up. She couldn't look at me without trembling for days. And I wasn't welcome here anymore".

Why are you calling me 'starlight'?

You always shining when I look at you.

"Old wounds run deep. She's still sees me abandoning her without a single emotion. And I'm too far in the script to turn back".

Stelle seems to think hard about everything said. Perhaps she too will scream at Kafka. Perhaps she will need to use her abilities after all.

"At least you have me to connect you now!" Stelle was grinning at her, when Kafka finally looked away from smile which wasn't aimed at her for the long time.

"Just try to do something and I will let your uncle Blade train you", Kafka smirked, pushing Stelle lightly to the Astral crew. "And do me a little favor. Hug Himeko for me?"

"Sure! Bye, Kafka!" She will definetely discuss everything with her friends. Her family. But for now it's enough.

Kafka saw her skipping to the March 7, asking to remove her shield, and tackled Himeko in a strong hug.

Himeko laughed and for a moment their eyes met.

Hi! The name is Himeko! I'm the navigator of the Astral Express. Well, as soon as I fix it. What is your name?

I'm Kafka. The pleasure to meet such beatiful lady. Mind if I join you?

Kafka turns away.

[asongofstarkandtargaryen]

Jon Snow: Blood of Winterfell

Qhorin Halfhand, Jon's mentor and superior officer is the first person who refers Jon as the blood of Winterfell. He's reminding Jon who he is: a man of the Night's Watch and a Stark ( despite lacking the surname). According to Halfhand, these identifications are enough to make him trust Jon to make the right decision when it comes to dealing with the Wilding they have captured ( aka Ygritte).

Jon's throat was raw. He looked at them all helplessly. "She yielded herself to me".

"Then you must do what needs to be done", Qhorin Halfhand said. "You are the blood of Winterfell and a man of the Night's Watch". He looked at the others. "Come, brothers. Leave him to it. It will go easier to him if we do not watch".

ACOK, JON VI

We know that Qhorin was testing Jon, wanting to find out more about his character. And the fact that he let Ygritte go instead of executing her, spoke volumes about Jon's gentle heart.

The second time Jon is referred as blood of Winterfell it's Ygritte the one who calls him so. It makes sense for her to parroting what she heard from Qhorin's earlier speech because by that moment she didn't really know Jon herself.

"Get him up". Rough hands dragged him to his feet. Jon did not resist. "Do you have a name?"

Ygritte answered for him. " His name is Jon Snow. He is Eddard Stark's blood, of Winterfell".

ACOK, JON VIII

Ygritte highlights Jon's connection to the lord of Winterfell in her attempt to save him from the death. And it's fitting that the girl who he saved, tried ( and succeed!) to save him in return.

Fast forward a book, and Jon has fallen in love with Ygritte but leaves her in order to defend the Night's Watch ( and Westeros) from the Free Folk attack.

While he has a fever due to his injuries he dreams of her.

When the dreams took him, he found himself back home once more, splashing in the hot pools beneath a huge white weirwood that had his father's face. Ygritte was with him, laughing at him, shedding her skins until she was naked as her name day, trying to kiss him, but he couldn't, not with his father watching. He was the blood of Winterfell, a man of the Night's Watch. I will not father a bastard, he told her. I will not. I will not.

ASOS, JON VI

Jon refuses to give in Ygritte's charm in his dream since his father is watching.Jon looks up to his father, puts him on a pedestrial and he's always afraid he will not be prove to be a worthy son of him. Could he be a bigger disappointment than abandoning his oath and bedding an enemy instead of defending the realm and his home? His father here symbolises everything Jon believes sacred, everything he fights for.

Make no mistake, Jon is still deeply in love with Ygritte - and he will continue to be for a long time, even after her death. He doesn't reject her out of lack of love. He rejects her because his love for his family and his new brothers ( the people he protects as a Night's Watch brother) wins . He rejects her because his desire to prove he's a worthy son of Eddard Stark wins.

[sodascherrycola]

Instagram Intros (Mikey Way's Kids)

Reese Violet Ellison Way (@reesesway)

DOB: October 1st 1998 Age: 26 years old Hometown: Bellville, New Jersey Nicknames: Ree, Vi, Reecie, Pieces S/O: Daniel Brozowski Kids: Oliver and Rosie Best Friend(s): Lauren Brown and Sicily Morrison Aesthetic: Reese, as the oldest sibling, looks out for her younger sisters all the time. She holds family very close to her heart, since she knows how difficult it can be from having two teenagers raise her. She was always the coolest out of all the girls, very confident and carefree. Her and Mackenzie share the closest bond, being the two oldest, she sees Kenzie as more of a friend and confidante then a little sister. They were always messing around and shared a room for a little while. They used to stay up late and just talk nonsense all night, to a point where Tess would have to go and tell them to sleep like 6 times a night. As for her relationship with Delaney and Juliet, she ususally acts as the mediator in their fights, their personalities clashing sometimes. She adores her little sisters to death, always visiting as much as she can to see the ones that still live at home. She was a big daddy's girl when she was younger, though had to fight Mackenzie for that spot once she was born. You would think her relationship with Sunnie and Emmylou would be strange considering she was already in her 20s when they were introduced to the Way family, but she is absolutely obsessed with them. She loves babysitting them and watching the two interact with her young children. Tess and Mike don't mind because she offers constantly for them to sleepover and give her parents a break.

August Lucas Quinn Way (@auuggieeswayyy)

DOB: November 19th 2002 Age: 22 years old Hometown: Bellville, New Jersey Nicknames: Aug, Auggie, Gus, GusGus S/O: Marianna Lincoln Kids: None Best Friend(s): Ryan Iero, Logan Way, and Sadie Curtis Aesthetic: August being the only son in the family has helped him be more in touch with his feelings. Everyone loves a boy raised by sisters. Girls were obsessed with him but he was oblivious to it, thinking they all were just friends. Auggie succumbed to many makeovers and fashion shows in his day, enough to be fantastic with his nieces and younger cousins. He was nicknamed GusGus by his older sister, obviously after the mouse from Cinderella. He was an honour roll student his whole life, and would have homework fights at the table with his parents every night. He would third wheel Reese and Daniel all the time when he couldn't drive. Then once he could drive he was the chauffeur for his younger sisters every single day he wasn't working. He actually worked at a Cafe for a couple of years in high school and saved up enough to buy a car, which was a 1969 camaro convertible. No one was allowed to touch it btw.

Mackenzie Lincoln Jane Way (@kennzziiee)

DOB: May 23rd 2004 Age: 20 years old Hometown: Los Angeles, California Nicknames: Ken, Kenzie, Mack, MJ S/O: Justin Banks Kids: None Best Friend(s): Elena Way Aesthetic: Mackenzie was the hugest girly girl, and learned everything from her mother. She inherited Tess' love for everything feminine and fashion. She loved watching her mom dress up for date nights and award shows, waiting for Tess to do her makeup and hair next. Kenzie loved giving everyone makeovers, whether it be her older sister Reese, her Uncle and Dad, or even the rest of MCR. Her and her mother used to go for regular spa days (home-made when she was younger) and just having a girl's day was the usual for those two. Mackenzie and her cousin Elena were very close growing up, having sleepovers almost every weekend, switching out each other's houses for the host. Mikey and Gerard were used to the girls running around in their mother's heels, and sitting down to watch an hour long fashion show that they decided to do right before the other was supposed to go home. Once Kenzie got her license. the two would drive to the mall every day and were almost never home anymore. Mackenzie ended up getting a job at a fashion magazine local to L.A. and quickly moved up in the company. She would later be the youngest 'Vogue' editor, at the age of 19.

Delaney Robin Belle Way (@laneyway)

DOB: September 27th 2006 Age: 18 years old Hometown: Los Angeles, California Nicknames: Del, Lane, Laney S/O: Isaiah McLaughlin Kids: None Best Friend(s): Kaitlin Iero and Samuel Hewson Aesthetic: Laney was much more of a tomboy compared to her two older sisters. She was known for following her dad to the studio and dancing backstage at later MCR concerts. He shared his interests with her and they were always up late jamming out on school nights. They had a special bond because Mikey didn't have a son, he felt the most connected with Delaney. Of course he loved his girls equally, but he had a hard time getting into girly things like Tess was able to. She played soccer from a young age and was on a team with Kaitlin Iero and they became best friends immediately. Though Kaitie was much more feminine and interested in boys and parties, unlike Laney. They grew apart as they entered high-school, but still kept in touch at times. When Delaney started having a crush on Samuel Hewson, she realised that she needed to be more girly for him to like her. This of course wasn't true, and her mother told her so, but she still helped Laney out with getting in touch with her feminine side. She felt more comfortable talking to her mother and Kenzie about this, knowing her usual late night talks with dad wouldn't be much help. Tess taught her how to do her makeup, hair, and clothing choices (while still keeping old Laney in there), while Mackenzie involved her in boy talk and flirting tips. They both shared their own experiences with Lane to help her prepare for her first date. Mikey almost had a heart attack when he saw Delaney done up in a dress and pumps walking down the stairs. Sam was surprised too. They went on a date, however it didn't go anywhere and she came home sobbing. Her father ran upstairs to talk to her and helped her wipe off her makeup. They laid in her bed for hours, sometimes talking and sometimes in silence. He had told her that she shouldn't have to change herself to get a boy's attention and that Sam wasn't worth all this trouble anyways. Her and Samuel stayed friends, and she met Isaiah in 11th grade and it took off. Delaney kept up with soccer and her and her new boy bonded over this shared passion for said sport. Mikey was just glad his daughter found a good guy who loves her for her.

Juliet Alessia Hope Way (@juliethope_)

DOB: September 27th 2006 Age: 18 years old Hometown: Los Angeles, California Nicknames: Julie, Jules, Jay S/O: Dalton Giordini Kids: None Best Friend(s): Zachary Benson Aesthetic: Julie was very close with her Uncle Gee growing up. She learned her love for art from him, watching him paint was something she could do for hours. They used to finger-paint whenever he babysat her and he saw her artistic expression even as a toddler. When she was in middle school, she would walk to his house every day after school so they could draw together. He was the only one who could she her doodles and drawings, something he took pride in. Juliet was naturally gifted at this and Gerard encouraged her to keep up with her art and she would beat him. When she was around 5, he let her design potential album covers and took inspiration from one of them for what would now be known as Danger Days. Gerard even told her that if she stuck with art throughout high school, and if she still wanted to do it, he would pay for her entry to an art school when she graduate. Which did happen. Mikey was always somewhat jealous of her relationship with his brother, not really being used to one of his daughters not hanging off his leg 24/7. He was very obviously proud of his little girl, sticking her pictures everywhere in the house, whether that be on the fridge or a frame photo in his home studio. He was still a bit upset about not sharing something with his baby. Tess noticed this, and reached out to Gerard, who made sure to explain to little Julie that she needs to give her daddy extra loving when she goes home. All of a sudden, Juliet was all up on her dad, and telling him that she loved him multiple times a minute. He couldn't understand what exactly flipped the switch until she ran into his arms one night when he and Tess were going to bed, and she told him that, and I quote "Love you this much more than Uncle Gee Daddy!" with her arms so stretched out that Mikey had to hold on to her extra tight so she wouldn't steer off the edge of the bed. Safe to say he slept pretty soundly that night.

Annie Donna Breanne Way (@annierox)

DOB: November 16th 2009 Age: 15 years old Hometown: Los Angeles, California Nicknames: Anne, Anna S/O: No One Kids: None Best Friend(s): Kylie Monsen and Izabelle Thomas Aesthetic: Annie was and forever will be her father's biggest hype-man. She thought he was the coolest guy to ever exist, believed he had hung the stars for her and only her. There were many videos and photos going around when she was a toddler of her being seen behind the curtains at later concerts dancing around and running up to her dad on stage. He would of course try his best to send her back to her mom, wanting to keep the limelight away from his daughter as much as he possibly could, but she would never budge. Tess on the other hand found it adorable. Watching her youngest daughter look up to her dad was the highlight of her day, another reason she could pinpoint why she married Mikey in the first place. When he and Tess were going through a rough patch in their marriage around late 2013, Annie was the one to bring him back to life. She hated seeing her dad so low, deteriorate to a sad man when that's not the father she knew. When he was upset so was she. Mikey just then saw how big of an effect he had on Annie. He couldn't stand watching his bubbly, energetic 5 year old become so distressed and frustrated when she didn't know how to help him. He had gotten sober because of her and will forever be grateful for his little Annie. Their relationship did have a breaking point when he had cheated on Tess when Annie was around 13 years old. She turned on him for betraying her mom, betraying her really, and thinking so little of their family. Anne was always very mature for her age, and at that moment he absolutely hated it. Even when Tess and him improved their relationship, worked on therapy and unexpectedly (but happily) welcomed their last daughter Emmylou, his bond with Annie was severed. She never truly got over this rock, but still loved her dad and was working towards fixing up their past relationship.

Madelyn Sophia Joy Way (@maddyjoyway)

DOB: July 4th 2012 Age: 12 years old Hometown: Los Angeles, California Nicknames: Mads, Maddy, Lyn S/O: No One Kids: None Best Friend(s): Vincent Toro and Milania Floyd Aesthetic: Maddy was very easy-going. She never once complained about having a huge family, even though it could get overwhelming at times. She took up ballet very young and was very serious about her well doing in class. Madelyn was very calm in nature, which may have set her apart from her sisters in a way. There were definitely times where she felt as though she was merely a fly on the wall in her house, sort of invisible. When she was around 6 or 7, she stopped speaking all together. This in turn, worried her parents and they tried everything in the books to understand and encourage her to speak. They later learned that she talked non-stop while at ballet or at school, and that this non-verbal situation was only present while at home. When they took her to a speech therapist, it was revealed to them about how she was feeling and it broke them to pieces. Tess started to bring her out on mommy-daughter days, doing special things with her, which helped Maddy to open up a bit more. Mikey on the other hand, just told her that if she ever needed to talk to him, that he would always be there to listen. He didn't want to force her to do anything she didn't want to. Her sisters also all chimed in and did their part to help their baby sister out too. Reese definitely took up the role of listener like her father did, and she would be probably better to talk to anyways because she wasn't a parent. Kenzie would constantly have Maddy in her room doing her hair and talking about everything and anything, boys, family, friends, you name it. So and so forth. Madelyn was doing quite well until her parents divorced only about 3 years later. She almost reverted back to her old ways. Mikey and Tess didn't know what to do. They had worked so hard to help Maddy but their breakup caused a new wave of this issue. Reese knew that it was down to the fact that during her time of need last time, family was all she had and it was preached to her throughout the whole ordeal, and now it is crumbling down. When Mikey and Tess made the decision to get back together it fixed this problem slightly. She still talked, however now it was less frequent. She still is very quiet, but she is much better now than before, especially after her parents got back together.

Everly Harper Rose Way (@everly.way)

DOB: July 4th 2012 Age: 12 years old Hometown: Los Angeles, California Nicknames: Ev, Evey S/O: No One Kids: None Best Friend(s): Taytum Odell Aesthetic: Everly was very creative as young child. She always found a way to make anything interesting, whether that be over-doing a story she's retelling or randomly breaking out in song and dance. She started to learn guitar when she was around 7 and has been playing ever since. Everly would do anything to share her passion and she would take every opportunity to do so. She would sign up for programs at school, participate in talent shows (where everyone her parents know would show up in support), and even just go to community events to let the whole world know of her music. Her family always encouraged this for her, watching every performance she would give them with open arms. Her father took her to a Taylor Swift concert when she was ten, possibly a peace-offering for his divorce with her mother. Mikey did admit that watching Ev do her thing and sing along to every word was the minute he knew she had something in her. He would let her play around in his home studio, mess with his guitars he never let anyone else touch, and write songs with him whenever she felt like it. Everly's bubbly and loud spirit also played a part in helping Maddy's speech issue. Everly would never let anyone ignore her, so she was one of the first people to get her twin sister to speak up and communicate. This as well, made their relationship grow and made it more special than any other, differentiate them from other twins. In fact, Madelyn was Everly's biggest fan. She would listen to Ev's songs before she would feel up to showing anyone else, and always went to any show she performed at. Even at 12, Everly was already a fantastic singer and song-writer, with many people who don't even know her family praising her for her immense amount of talent.

Sunnie Elizabeth Catherine Way

DOB: March 11th 2019 Age: 5 years old Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee Nicknames: Sun, Sunshine S/O: No One Kids: None Best Friend(s): Hattie Rokken Aesthetic: Sunnie was a child that grew up in a tough time. Her parents divorced when she was 3 and so she had difficulty understanding proper family dynamics unlike her older sisters. Though she was universally adored in her family, being the youngest for 5 years, she didn't get to experience sisterhood like her siblings did. She's very hyperactive and fun-loving, her mother indulged in this during her divorce, needing the extra space of sunshine during a hard time for the family. Sunnie had issues with understanding stability, constantly going from her mom's house to her dad's and watching her friends and cousins have good family ties. When her parents subsequently got back together in 2024, she learned reassurance and steadiness in her day to day life. When they picked up and moved to Nashville, it was a dramatic change for her, however she didn't mind it, nor did it alternate her upbeat personality. And let's be real, Sunnie is so a country girl anyways. Sunnie is obsessed with her baby sister, Emmylou. She now has someone sort of closer to her age that she can grow up with, consider that Madelyn and Everly are 7 years older than her, and that she never had anyone to be friends with in her family. This love for her sister prided her parents very much, and they were excited to watch them interact.

[jynxd]

Despite the anger building up in her, Jinx let Vi speak her piece. At the end of the day Vi was technically her sister and she would give a chance. While she did she took this time to really listen to her words and how she said them. Not just that, but she studied every bit of her body language, looking to see if there was a hint of a lie or even manipulation. Jinx was of course surprised to find neither. Instead what she found was a sister who truly regretted everything, who wore her heart on her sleeve.

"I can tell you're not lying to me, but you made it seem like you had forgotten all about me..." Jinx stared down at the ground, doing her best to avoid looking Vi in eyes as she held back tears. "I'm surprised you didn't know I was still around. I used to sneak around the lanes a lot to tell papa what that monster was up to. Met Mylo and did a few shooting rounds with him. Surprised he never even mentioned my name." She turned her head away as a few tears managed to escape. Those tears were a sign of weakness in places like this, and she would do her best to hide them, especially from Vi. "I met Ekko, too. What did you call him? Little man? He was nice... It was an nice little family you had, Vi."

Jinx didn't have to look at Vi to know how shocked Vi was at the revelation of Silco raising her. No doubt there was rage there on her part, after what happened at the Cannery. Unfortunately, it was Vi who was raised by the wrong man. The lies he had planted in her and family's heads. All of those hidden truths and more importantly, how Silco had been made out to be the bad guy amongst the people of the lanes. It was something Jinx couldn't stand, nor would she ever and now she had the chance to share the truth.

"Silco saved me. If it weren't for him I would still be that weak child on the bridge and contrary to what you believe, he is a brilliant man who cares about the Undercity, about Zaun." Only then did Jinx look back up at her sister, her eyes bright with a newfound passion that Vi had never seen from her. "Only he is willing to do whatever he has to achieve it. Vander used to be like that too, despite what he might have made you believe. That night at the Cannery, Papa didn't want to do what he did to Vander. He wanted to help Vander, to free him like he did me."

One of the things Jinx struggled with was telling whether her hallucinations were real or not. Obviously up until this point she had never been in front a very real Vi since the bridge. Even then she could tell the difference. The Vi she had been seeing was a much younger Vi, the one that had been with her on the bridge, unlike this Vi was significantly older. 'I bet she's lying too, bet she wants nothing to do with you. Why would she when you're a monster?'

Once more Jinx studied her sister to watch her response to her offer or revenge. It was easy to tell just how different being raised by opposites had made them. Vi had a moral compass, one that Vander had instilled in her and expected her to keep, even long after his death at Silco's hands. The idea of killing someone probably wouldn't have even crossed her sister's mind. Unlike Jinx, who grew up on the more violent side. Not because it was planted there by Silco, but because it was already there. A monster that Silco only nurtured and helped give it claws to arm itself.

"Ah, you're seeing someone you don't like, aren't you? I've changed too much and you're right, I have changed." Jinx took a deep breath and closed the distance between. Sapphire eyes locked onto icy blue as she reached out to take Vi's hand. "I had to grow up, Vi, just like you did. I had to survive, to overcome all the fear that piltover had brought out. I'm stronger now because of it, and I only want what's best for us, for all of Zaun." Jinx squeezed her hand gently. "Even if you were raised by him, I still want my sister back."

"It wasn't like that, I swear. I could and would never replace you. Sure, Vander took me in. And I did care about him and Mylo and Claggor too. But you're my sister. I love you too. So much." Vi says, her expression pleading with her sister to listen. She never should've left her alone on the bridge. It's her biggest regret. She had gone back, once the fog had cleared. But her sister, at that point, had been nowhere to be found. "I did go back, once the fog cleared. But you weren't there. I was inconsolable. If Vander was still alive, you could ask him. He tried his best but I couldn't stop crying. I missed you."

As far as Vander working with enforcers, Vi hadn't loved it either. But she did know that he had done everything with the best of intentions. That he had wanted to look after Vi, and Mylo, and Claggor, and everyone in the Lanes. Everyone in the undercity, really. Vander had always done his best to help anyone he could. And Vi is certain that he would've helped her sister too if he could have.

At the mention of Silco, Vi's eyes narrow and she frowns. "What? Silco? Raised you?" It doesn't seem to make sense to Vi. How could a man like Silco raise anyone, much less her precious sister? Silco is all violence and harm. How could a man like that love and care for anyone, much less a child? Vander had been different. Sure, he had not been afraid to get violent when necessary. But it had always been in self-defense or in defending others. Never to harm, never to hurt, never unnecessary. Vi strives to be like that too.

Vi shakes her head at her sister's next words. And her frown deepens at the mention of the mean things she's apparently said in her sister's mind. But Vi herself hadn't said them. "I don't know what you mean, but I'm your sister. I love you. I care about you. And I would never want to be mean to you."She hopes that her words will be comforting, at least in some small way, to her sister.

Vi watches as her sister takes a step back, and lets out a sigh. She wants to resume their relationship. She wants to be close to her sister again. To be there for her. But is her sister equally interested? Vi doesn't know. "Oh?" Vi's eyes widen in surprise when her sister mentions following the job that she, Mylo, and Claggor had pulled. Apparently, Marcus had been involved in Vander's death as well. Vi can't say she's surprised, but she is disappointed. Though she doesn't like Marcus, she had thought he had some principles. Apparently not.

Vi looks at her sister, watching as she flinches. Vi is unsure why she is, though. Had it been something Vi had said? She hopes not. But it must have been. So Vi frowns, feeling a bit guilty. At the mention of bonding through revenge, Vi's eyes narrow. Sure, she doesn't like Marcus. She would even say she hates him. But what will killing him do? Sure, if it became necessary to protect herself or others, Vi would not hesitate to dispose of him. But just for the "crime" of locking her up? As much as Vi hates being locked up, she can't convince herself that that would be a proportionate response. "I...I don't know." is all she says, for now.

A part of her wants to say yes, of course it does. Of course she does. But Vi would be going against her own principles by taking revenge on Marcus. Sure, she doesn't like the man. Sure, he's a bad person. But would Vi be any better if she were to kill him for no other reason than those? She isn't sure. Vi may not be an angel. She's done what she's needed to do to survive. But she likes to think that she still has lines she doesn't cross. And killing someone for no good reason is one of those lines. "I...I'll think about it," is all she says to her sister, though. Since she has a feeling a full-on 'no' wouldn't be received well. Though she isn't sure why. Had her sister really changed that much? This woman in front of her isn't the Powder she remembers.

And sure, they'd both grown up. But Vi likes to think that some things never change. Like the bonds between sisters. And people's morals. Perhaps it's wishful thinking. But even if her sister had been 'raised' by Silco, Vi likes to think some innocence would remain. But perhaps she's wrong. Perhaps her sister has turned....bad? Vi hates to even think it. But it's a possibility she must accept. That said, Vi still loves and cares for her sister. And so she'll do her best to reason with her. To try to figure this out somehow. Maybe they can still be close. Maybe they can still be sisters. Vi hopes so, anyway.

[the-dumpster-fire-of-life]

(I haven't written angst in a while so here ya go! Tell me if you want a part 2 in the comments!)

YOUR GRACE

Jinx sat curled up in a ball, in her room in her lair as the room looked ram sacked. It was one of those days, she was alone with nobody and she didn't wanna bother Silco.

Plus, he couldn't help. The only one who could was you. But you were gone. You had been gone for years. That day, that bomb…

Jinx roughly wiped her eyes, wanting to break anything and everything as she grabbed something off her night stand. She was about to throw it before her eyes caught the photo it held.

It held your smiling face, and hers…when she was still Powder. You both were in the bar, it was her 12th birthday. You had surprised her with some oil crayons you had saved up for and went up Topside to get.

She held the photo frame carefully in her hands, shaking as she ran her finger across the glass. 

She gave a small sniffle as she looked at you, you looked so happy.

She wished she could see you again, how you would've been and looked if you were still with her.

But she probably wouldn't have been able to even see you if you were alive…because you loved Powder and she wasn't Powder.

She was Jinx. And she ruined everything, her family, herself…what she could've had with you. You wouldn't have even been able to look at her if you could see her now.  

She gave a small sob as she carefully placed the photo on her bed. She just wanted to see you again, she wanted you back. 

She looked up slowly as she heard the old floor boards creek, catching the sight of someone in the dark. She glared, right now of all times? Why now? Couldn't she be left alone?

"Why are you here? Huh?! Leave! You're dead! Why are you here?!" She yelled, sitting up as the figure walked out of the dark. 

It was you, she saw you at times. But not in the way she hoped. 

She was haunted by your ghost, your hallucination she conjured up in her mind. But it was different, the hallucination of you grew as she grew.

So she had an image of what you could've looked like. She was grateful your image wasn't diluted with the scary scribbles she saw on Mylo, Claggor and Vander.

She liked seeing you, you would let her ramble to you but you never spoke. Just looking at her with a smile, like now, but right now she resented it.

You should hate her. What she had become and for what she had done to you and them. So why are you smiling at her?

You stayed silent, walking to stand in front of her as she stayed on the bed. You squatted down, reaching a hand out before stopping as she jerked away.

"Why…why are you here?" Jinx softly and quietly asked, looking down. "Because I made a promise to you to never leave…" you spoke, Jinx's eyes lighting up.

You never spoke to her, no matter how much she begged you to speak you never would. She missed hearing your voice, even if it sounded a bit tired. She would never be tired of hearing your voice.

"...and I never will. I'll see you again one day," you stated, Jinx sniffling as she looked at you. 

"When?" Her voice was filled with hope, your hand reaching up to seemingly grab her chin but her chin just felt cold.

"One day, now, go to sleep." You tried to convince her as she weakly scoffed, wiping her remaining tears away. 

"Because you need to be rested for when that day comes. Come in, I'll even stay with you, bun bun." You negotiated.

Jinx gave a small smile at that, when young Powder would have nightmares and Vi would help her.

But eventually since Powder was so close to you, she started going to you. And you happily accepted her when she would poke you awake, letting her crawl into your bunk.

And you would call her bun bun, since when she was young and still sometimes today, she would hop on her feet a lot and rock back and forth.

She did it when she was happy. She was happy with you.

She stayed silent after that, moving carefully onto the other side of the bed and lying on her side. 

She kept an eye on you as you crawled onto the other side of the bed, laying on your side as you looked back at her.

The photo of you both sat in the middle, your hand sitting above it. She slowly reached towards it, attempting to hold it before giving a small sob as she failed to grasp your hand.

You gave her a sympathetic smile, Jinx's eyes growing heaving as they started to close. The last thing she saw was you, your face graced with a small smile as she slowly fell asleep.

That night she had slept the best she had in a while, because she had you. And maybe if she slept enough, she would wake up and you would actually be there.

(Would you guys like a part 2 to this? Comment if so)

[uraveragelonelyhuman]

Your Grace

Jinx sat curled up in a ball, in her room in her lair as the room looked ram sacked. It was one of those days, she was alone with nobody and she didn't wanna bother Silco.

Plus, he couldn't help. The only one who could was you. But you were gone. You had been gone for years. That day, that bomb…

Jinx roughly wiped her eyes, wanting to break anything and everything as she grabbed something off her night stand. She was about to throw it before her eyes caught the photo it held.

It held your smiling face, and hers…when she was still Powder. You both were in the bar, it was her 12th birthday. You had surprised her with some oil crayons you had saved up for and went up Topside to get.

She held the photo frame carefully in her hands, shaking as she ran her finger across the glass. 

She gave a small sniffle as she looked at you, you looked so happy.

She wished she could see you again, how you would've been and looked if you were still with her.

But she probably wouldn't have been able to even see you if you were alive…because you loved Powder and she wasn't Powder.

She was Jinx. And she ruined everything, her family, herself…what she could've had with you. You wouldn't have even been able to look at her if you could see her now.  

She gave a small sob as she carefully placed the photo on her bed. She just wanted to see you again, she wanted you back. 

She looked up slowly as she heard the old floor boards creek, catching the sight of someone in the dark. She glared, right now of all times? Why now? Couldn't she be left alone?

"Why are you here? Huh?! Leave! You're dead! Why are you here?!" She yelled, sitting up as the figure walked out of the dark. 

It was you, she saw you at times. But not in the way she hoped. 

She was haunted by your ghost, your hallucination she conjured up in her mind. But it was different, the hallucination of you grew as she grew.

So she had an image of what you could've looked like. She was grateful your image wasn't diluted with the scary scribbles she saw on Mylo, Claggor and Vander.

She liked seeing you, you would let her ramble to you but you never spoke. Just looking at her with a smile, like now, but right now she resented it.

You should hate her. What she had become and for what she had done to you and them. So why are you smiling at her?

You stayed silent, walking to stand in front of her as she stayed on the bed. You squatted down, reaching a hand out before stopping as she jerked away.

"Why…why are you here?" Jinx softly and quietly asked, looking down. "Because I made a promise to you to never leave…" you spoke, Jinx's eyes lighting up.

You never spoke to her, no matter how much she begged you to speak you never would. She missed hearing your voice, even if it sounded a bit tired. She would never be tired of hearing your voice.

"...and I never will. I'll see you again one day," you stated, Jinx sniffling as she looked at you. 

"When?" Her voice was filled with hope, your hand reaching up to seemingly grab her chin but her chin just felt cold.

"One day, now, go to sleep." You tried to convince her as she weakly scoffed, wiping her remaining tears away. 

"Why?" She scoffed, finding no point in sleeping right now of all times.

"Because you need to be rested for when that day comes. Come in, I'll even stay with you, bun bun." You negotiated.

Jinx gave a small smile at that, when young Powder would have nightmares and Vi would help her.

But eventually since Powder was so close to you, she started going to you. And you happily accepted her when she would poke you awake, letting her crawl into your bunk.

And you would call her bun bun, since when she was young and still sometimes today, she would hop on her feet a lot and rock back and forth.

She did it when she was happy. She was happy with you.

She stayed silent after that, moving carefully onto the other side of the bed and lying on her side. 

She kept an eye on you as you crawled onto the other side of the bed, laying on your side as you looked back at her.

The photo of you both sat in the middle, your hand sitting above it. She slowly reached towards it, attempting to hold it before giving a small sob as she failed to grasp your hand.

You gave her a sympathetic smile, Jinx's eyes growing heaving as they started to close. The last thing she saw was you, your face graced with a small smile as she slowly fell asleep.

That night she had slept the best she had in a while, because she had you. And maybe if she slept enough, she would wake up and you would actually be there

[literaryobsession]

a king without a crown || xiao x fem!reader

summary: eternally bachelor xiao, the sole heir and son, decides to get married to save the family name

word count: 1541

chapters: i , ii , iii, iv , v , vi , vii

epilogue

It was intimate.

You invited both of your aunts and your cousin, the three people from Celestia that you wanted to be there for your wedding. Katheryne helped with the preparations, making sure that all the details were perfect. She worked with Ganyu and Hu Tao, who both adored you.

It took quite longer than you expected, almost a year to finish but everything is worth it.

The people of Liyue did eventually discover what Zhongli did for the city and they all chipped in to help pay for the debt - after all, all the money used saved them during their time of need. The city loved their commissioner to let him do it on its own. They also made sure that your wedding reception will go without a hitch, making sure that the future duke and duchess feel loved and supported.

"Let me just put this in your hair, Y/N." Hu Tao brought a basket of fresh qingxins in the room you used in their manor to prepare. You used the same room when you went after Xiao, and because it was frowned upon that you stayed in one house, you eventually left. You stayed in the castle even during the engagement and communicated with Xiao through letters. He would visit sometimes but because he had duties, he couldn't leave Liyue for a long time.

Ganyu was watching Hu Tao and Katheryne help you prepare, her smile wide as soon as you finished. You were wearing such a pretty white dress, which was made for you by the queen's favorite modiste. There were flowers adorning your hair, making you look almost ethereal in your flushed cheeks and excited smile.

"You look beautiful, sister." Ganyu stood up from the bed and took your hands in hers. "Nervous?"

"Giddy with anticipation." You admitted to the women around you, "Is that natural?"

"I sure think so!" Hu Tao gave you an affectionate hug. "I can't wait to have you here in the manor after the wedding!"

Ganyu laughed, "They still have their honeymoon, little Hu." She glanced at the clock and nodded at you, "The carriage is ready for you downstairs. Hu Tao and I will go on ahead and tell everyone."

"And I shall make sure everything goes smoothly, my lady." Katheryne watched as the sisters go before she turned to you, "If it means anything, Lady Y/N, I am so happy that you're receiving all the love you deserve. I am happy that you're happy."

"Thank you, Katheryne. Thank you." You hugged her, your most trusted friend. "You're amazing."

You felt Katheryne hug you even tighter, "My lady, I will do anything for you." 

The chapel in Liyue was small, picturesque, and solemn. It added so much more meaning when the duke informed you that he got married to his wife in this very same chapel. You stepped down and took a deep breath before making your way towards the doors.

Xiao released a breath before glancing at his sisters who just arrived and told him that you were on your way. He has never felt this nervous in his entire life. In fact, his hands were clammy. He looked around, his eyes landing first on the kind smile of the queen who was seated in front. Beside her was an already tearful Lady Ei and her annoyed son Kunikuzushi rolling his eyes, muttering something that made his mother nudge him with an elbow. 

Chongyun and Xingqiu were grinning wide at him, the ones who actually made the entire thing possible. If not for Xingqiu, he wouldn't have met you. He was immensely glad that he chose you from the other gentleman's list. Well, it wasn't as though there was anyone else he would have chosen if given another chance to.

Hu Tao gave him a thumbs up before she turned her body from the pew and waited for the doors to open. Ganyu silently mouthed to him if he was okay or if he needed anything. Xiao shook his head, glad for his sisters' support. He met his father's eyes last, the man he looked up to, the man who did everything for the city and the family he loved.

Xiao could only hope he would be half the commissioner his father was.

Zhongli believed in him. His father always believed in him.

And then he heard Hu Tao gasp, his eyes immediately drawn towards you.

He could remember the first time he has ever seen you, dancing in the middle of the dance floor with another man. He could remember how the bright golden lights looked as though they were pointing you to him. Xiao could remember the way his heart leaped when your eyes met his.

It is just like when I first saw you.

You walked alone, not because you didn't want your Aunt Asmoday with you but because you wanted to do this on your own, the soft light coming from the windowpane of the church looking like a halo. You walked slowly, your eyes never leaving Xiao's own. Your heart is quick in your chest, as though it wanted to make its way to your soon-to-be husband already, to already offer itself to him.

You've always desired to find someone who would understand.

And now, he's standing in front of you.

"You look beautiful, my love." Xiao took your hands, kissing your knuckles as the priest made his place. He whispered to you, "The qingxins pale in comparison to your beauty."

"I am already yours, Lord Xiao." You whispered back to him with a soft giggle, "There is no need for flattery."

Xiao winked at you, "I never flatter, I only tell the truth."

You finally understood his immense love for Liyue, when you started seeing the day-to-day lives of the people, and even though it hurt you then, you understood why he did what he did. It was not an excuse, Xiao would always tell you, and he always made up for the pain he caused you every single day.

The entire ceremony consisted of Xiao whispering sweet nothings to you and you trying to suppress your giggles as the priest spoke. It was quite a ride, you thought when you exchanged rings with your beloved and quite the adventure. It was not the adventure you thought of but you were glad it happened just the same. Xiao finally had someone to rely on, someone he could freely express his concerns and worries to without feeling quite the burden. You found in him an ally, he supported your dreams and urged you to do more things that you wanted - which sometimes involved Hu Tao who dragged you to the mountains when she heard.

The entire Liyue prepared for your wedding, which seemed like a festival to everyone involved. There were lots of food, so many people dancing, and everyone was in high spirits. You and Xiao received so many gifts, and everyone congratulated you and they all said that they welcome you as their future duchess.

"Congratulations, Your Grace." Xingqiu offered you a drink as your husband was whisked away by a few men. You gratefully accepted the glass and gave him a big smile, "I don't believe I ever apologized for the entire thing, even if I am the instrument for your eventual romance."

"I'd hardly think you have to apologize for that, Xingqiu." You laughed and smiled at Chongyun, "Enjoying the festivities?"

"Immensely. I just have to keep Xiangling off my back, she has been hounding me to try her new...dish." You and Xingqiu laughed at Chongyun's misery; being quite the picky eater, one of Liyue's greatest chefs made it a goal to make Chongyun enjoy every dish she makes.

Hu Tao then joined your little group, bouncing over to you with her energy. "You're my big sister now, Y/N!" She wrapped her arms around you and swung you around, "I can't believe I'll have a new sister when you return from your honeymoon! Oh, you'll love where big brother is taking yo-"

"Ah!" Xingqiu interrupted hastily, "Little Hu, your big sister Ganyu needs you!"

"I don't hear her." Hu Tao looked around, wondering if Ganyu was indeed calling her.

Xingqiu nudged Chongyun and they both escorted Hu Tao away from you, leaving you incredibly confused.

You were not alone for very long because eventually, your husband joined you. "My love." He kissed your knuckles again, "The carriage is ready."

"I still don't know where you're taking me." You pouted as you laced your hand with his.

Xiao's eyes glimmered in obvious delight, "You have made my dreams come true, so now, I shall make yours a reality." He pulled you to the carriage waiting for you both.

"What do you mean?"

"Remember when I asked you where you'd like to go if you had the chance?" He opened the door for you, and you gasped when you realized what he meant.

"Sumeru? Oh, Xiao!" You cupped his cheeks and pulled him down for a kiss. The people who were watching erupted into applause and you both separated when you realized.

Xiao laughed, escorting you in the carriage and taking his place across you, "For you, my lady, anything."

-

thank you so much for reading until the end i loved writing a king without a crown, and i hope you enjoyed reading it. <3 happy valentine’s day to you, darlings. 

xoxo,

-age

tagging: @macaroniwiththechickenstripz , @scaraslover , @alatusorrow, @saduko, @arsonisalwaystheanswer

[the-starryknight]

2021 Summer Writin' Challenge Round-Up

So many thanks to @magpiefngrl for making this fabulous challenge happen! I had such a blast and learned so much. Thank you very much to my wonderful beta readers, alpha readers, and cheerleaders throughout July and August: @onbeinganangel, @hogwartsfirebolt, @sweet-s0rr0w, @softlystarstruck, @babooshkart, booktopus, and @p1013. I'm wrapping up the last post in the series a little early as I'll be away next week. Each fic is 1k! Find them in the series here, or at the links below the cut.

I. Let It Come to Them | T | No Archive Warnings Apply

Prompt: The Weaver • Trope: Only One Bed • Craft: Outsider POV • Object: A silver bracelet • Genre: Fluff

From her position at her loom, Narcissa caught her son's lover slipping in through Draco's bedroom window.

II. By Merlin's Hand, Save Him | T | Minor Character Injury

Prompt: The Ocean • Trope: Time Travel • Craft: Reverse Chronology • Character: A forgotten god • Genre: Action

"We've got him," Draco says, as they land back at the hospital room with everything that they'll need to reverse the curse.

III. The Pleiades Were Watching Too | M | TW: Major Character Death

Prompt: A Bonfire • Trope: Found Family • Craft: Future Tense • Character: A tattooed old lady • Genre: Angst

A house. A marriage. A love story. He'll pour every memory out, vial by vial, back into the earth. It's easier that way.

IV. Aftermath of an Accidental Bond | T | No Archive Warnings Apply

Prompt: His Hands • Trope: Accidental Bonding • Craft: Second Person POV • Character: A Shapeshifter Poet • Genre: Humor

When you took the Mungo's third shift, you knew there would be weird shit. You just didn't expect to find the most recognizable face in the Wizarding world shoved into a hospital cot beside Draco Malfoy.

V. Siren Call (It's Not Love) | E | No Archive Warnings Apply

Prompt: Salt • Trope: Getting Back Together • Craft: Unreliable Narrator • Object: A Gilded Mirror • Genre: Smut + Feelings

They were both too stubborn to lose the deposit on the stupid rental sailboat after the break-up, so now they're here in close quarters with one bunk.

VI. I Demand a Soft Epilogue | M | Psychological Thriller & Unreality

Prompt: The Forbidden Library • Trope: Identity Porn • Craft: Metafiction • Character: A Runaway Teen • Genre: Thriller/Darkfic

There was something about the building that called to him, and ignoring his better instincts, Harry had to go inside. What harm could a library do to him, anyway?

VII. Let Me Carry It Instead | M | Graphic Descriptions of Violence

Prompt: The Power's Out • Trope: Hurt/Comfort • Craft: First Person POV • Object: A Photograph • Genre: Hurt/Comfort

He's going to saving the Wizarding world again, they both know it, and Draco will hold him when he shakes and wash away the blood and tell him he's still a good man.

VII. Every Day and Forever Too | E | No Archive Warnings Apply

Prompt: Silver Lining • Craft: Story within in Story • Character: A Vampire Professor • Genre: Smut + Feelings/Romance

It's been a few years since Draco ran into the vampire who changed everything, but he'll still barely touch Harry. "I won't be able to stop drinking," Draco swears. "I couldn't risk your life." So they'll do it like this instead and maybe it's good in a different way.

[oodlyenough]

i finished arcane here are some thoughts

things i liked:

not an original thought but the art and animation ruled... easily the best part of the show. i think if you have any passing interest in animation it's worth watching just for that

tons of the character designs are very sexy thank you video games

i took some time to settle into the cast and world building but by the end was fairly attached to and/or compelled by most of our major players. vi, cait, viktor, ekko and silco were the standouts for me. i also like sevika but wish she got more to do? what's ur deal sevika. i have questions. also you're super hot

i was prepared (thank you twitter) for vi and cait to not be the centre stage of the whole show but i do wish we'd seen more of them and had more episode with them together, to make it pay off better

i only started paying attention after i saw that "men or women?" gifset and i gotta say vi and cait... like... are they my new favourite OTP? no. did i have fun watching all of their scenes? yes

viktor is one of those obvious fan favourite characters from the second he appears on screen but i am a fan and he was a favourite

i liked silco a lot, i thought he was very compelling and i really liked his fucked up relationship with jinx. great. sometimes you're a ruthless slum kingpin and also you love your violent adopted daughter a lot

the viktor/jayce/mel storyline works sooo much better as (and is clearly... portrayed as...) a bisexual love triangle. wish the show had leaned into that instead of no homoing it with that "like a brother" line flhghg hello?? mid-seasons we were just like jayce now you're being a bad boyfriend to two people :/

everything needs more bisexual drama tho so i was here for it

the crazy dinner scene with jinx and co was fun. i liked the juxtaposition being like... not clear cut? i mean obviously silco is a terrible person in general and vi has done nothing wrong ever in her life, but to jinx specifically it was just... two family members who genuinely care about her. (and cait who does not want to marry into this family.) she instantly regrets killing silco but would've instantly regretted killing vi. you played yourself jinx

things i did not like:

it was not lost on me as a veteran of fandom that the show kind of... set mel up for failure by giving her the role it did. i mean i haven't looked at the tag yet so maybe fandom will pleasantly surprise me but uh, i doubt it, lmao

it was also not lost on me that the no-name lovesick girl who gets obliterated by viktor was also black

i thought it was out of character for vi to be pretty callous about that kid jayce killed... would street orphan vi really be that ambivalent to killing a street orphan just because he """worked for""" silco? hello...? hes like five? aren't you trying to save your terrorist sister? ??

caitlin's police outfit w the tight skirt etc sucks lmfao thank you video games

i mentioned it earlier when i was watching but most of this felt like familiar stuff remixed a little. this isn't necessarily bad, but sometimes it fell flat when a character or situation invoked something else that i like better. for eg jinx and harley quinn

heimerdinger bored me i would like to excise all of his screentime and give it to someone else. when jayce in the council meeting was like "you've been president or whatever for 500 years and shit sucks" like. yeah honestly dude !!!

is sevika dead? dislike

stray thoughts:

i couldn't decide what category to put jinx in. i didn't... like her, exactly; i found her writing and some of the performance a bit tedious. i guess i liked her function in the narrative though

i think part of it was the show's quandary over whether powder is still "alive" or not and whether vi was "responsible" or not etc... i can buy that vi feels responsible for what happened but vi truly did nothing wrong LMAO sorry she lost her temper for 20 seconds after her sister killed their whole family ...

again i don't really hold it against jinx specifically but sometimes i found the narrative a bit muddy on that when i feel uh. very clear that it was not remotely vi's fault.

jinx played the villain route of telltale batman episode 5 and was like I Can Do That

is this show queerbaiting me two times over??? i guess we'll find out in like. 2023 or whenever s2 airs

mel your mean mom is super hot

[lostatsea303]

Grace

Unable to sleep and stuck with ViCait rot I'm going to throw together short story about them and I apologize if it's bad.

This wasn't right.

None of this was right.

No matter how many times she blinked or looked away however the image in the mirror kept staring back at Vi: She was an enforcer.

The small badge pinned to her jacket made her skin crawl and her fists tighten. The images of her mother and family dead on the bridge, the aches of the beatings she received in prison, the hollow acceptance of being worthless all slowly flowed through her mind. Vi swore she would fight them, she would never leave her family in The Lanes. She would protect them.

Yet here she was standing in the office of the newly appointed sheriff with a badge strapped to her chest. She felt her heart in stomach the more she took upon her own visage. Vi always fucked things up when they mattered most, she wasn't smart enough to keep her friends out of trouble when they were young, she wasn't strong enough to protect Vander when she had to, and she wasn't a good enough sister to protect Powder from a monster. Now she had failed once again becoming the very thing she once swore to always fight.

She could feel the heat rising in her face, her fists begin to shake when a gentle touch to her shoulder and a soft but refined voice broke her out of thoughts.

"Vi?"

Caitlyn, the new sheriff of Piltover, would by most standard be only a new friend at best given how little time they had known each other but after the event with Silco and her sister, Cait felt different. Vi couldn't explain it but something clicked between them and despite their differences she found it easy to be around the dark haired woman. She was more kind than almost anyone she had ever met, hell she saved the brawler's life after barely knowing her for a day. Now here she was staring probingly into Vi's eyes with a look of focused concern on her face.

"Oh sorry Cupcake did you say something?"

The pink haired woman looked away and scratched the back of her head in deflection.

Caitlyn didn't move

"I asked if you were ready to go? We won't have much of a police force with the corruption investigations going on so we're going to be busy. Is everything alright?"

The concern in her voice stung, she hated pity, she hated feeling weak. Still Vi did her best to hide her emotions.

"Yeah yeah, we're all good! Just a little tired it's been a wild few days."

Vi did her best to emphasize the point with a fake yawn.

She was slightly taken off guard when Caitlyn stepped fully in front of her and gently took hold of her hands

"Vi it's ok if you need to take time. You've been through a great deal recently and I'm here if you need anything. Don't feel pressured to do this right away the city will be here tomorrow."

The taller tattooed woman looked away, Caitlyn's gaze was digging deeper than she wanted to go.

"I don't know how much the council or the houses would appreciate the undercity vagabond skipping her first day of work protecting them."

Vi was hoping her joke would derail things but Caitlyn pressed on

"It doesn't matter what they think, it doesn't matter what anyone thinks...

Vi felt as Caitlyn grasped her hands tighter

...Vi I know this isn't easy, you're stuck between two worlds and both of them feel like they despise you now. I can't know what that's like but I do know that there's no one else I'd rather have right beside me. You have a good heart Vi, and I'm sure if you're family, Vander, everyone from The Lanes could see you now they would be proud of who you've become, who you are becoming."

Vi was stunned and could immediately feel her heart flutter, shatter, and sew together all at the same time. She quickly wrapped her arms around the smaller woman bringing her into a tight hug. The sheriff was initially shocked by the contact but quickly gave into the hug.

"Thank you, Caitlyn."

There was a small sniffle from the taller woman as Caitlyn slightly pulled back before cupping Vi's tattooed face and placing a small kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you Vi."

THE END

alright I'm sorry if you read through all that it was a mess, but I needed to write something down pls don't murder me in the comment.

[turixn-renegxde]

@echoedhope

AFTER crash landing on some tropical planet , they all held out hope that Morrigan could be alive ; that she had defeated the Reapers. It took time for them to repair the Normandy , and for EDI and Tali to connect back to an information server. Whatever Morrigan had done had knocked out all communications. The first news they received was that the Reapers had retreated -- some were even helping in the rebuilding effort. It didn't make sense , but then again , none of them fully understood what the Crucible was meant to do. Maybe it somehow took control of the Reapers , commanding them to create rather than destroy. It was better than them destroying the galaxy , Garrus supposed , but he'd feel a lot better if they were just dead.

SO the Reapers were dealt with -- but Morrigan had not reappeared. All of the news stations were reporting that she had most likely died when activating the Crucible. Garrus wouldn't believe it until he saw her body with his own eyes. She was the strongest person he knew , and if anyone could make it out of this alive , it was her. She couldn't be dead -- not after everything they had gone through.

HE'LL never forget EDI's demeanor as she approached the crew one day during repairs. Her sadness was obvious , and Garrus's heart sank the moment he saw her.

" I ... managed to reconnect my systems with Shepard's vital sign readings , " she began quietly. Her grey eyes flicked downward as she bowed her head. " ... All of her readings have flatlined. She is dead. "

HE didn't want to believe it -- he was in denial for the next few days. Maybe something was wrong with EDI's readings. Of course her vitals weren't showing up ; they were probably too far away from her to get an accurate reading. Not to mention communications were still screwed up.

BUT deep down , he knew ... but he didn't accept it until he finally saw the readings himself. As they pulled close to the Citadel , an alert showed up on his visor regarding Morrigan ( he had tagged her vitals in it after joining up with her for the second time ).

( ALERT )

( FULL VITAL FLATLINE FOR: SHEPARD, MORRIGAN )

( BEGIN IMMEDIEATE RECECITATION )

MORRIGAN was dead. The galaxy was at peace , but what difference did it make without her?

GARRUS isolated himself after her funeral. He stayed at Morrigan's apartment on the Citadel , rarely leaving. His friends and family reached out at times , but he always politely declined their invitations to come over. ( I'm fine , really ) , he told them. ( Just need to be alone for a bit ).

THOUGH he and Morrigan both knew the possibility of them dying was high ... Garrus had never really thought about life without her. He had always assumed that if Morrigan died , he'd go with her , right by her side. He'd never forgive himself for leaving her on the battlefield when she'd asked. Maybe he could have done something. Maybe he could have saved her.

TONIGHT ( like most nights ) he couldn't sleep. He had set himself up at the desk in the bedroom , flicking through old photos on his omnitool. He wished he had taken more of her.

ABOUT an hour later , after one beer had turned into four , the VI on the desk began to act up. It had been a stupid impulse purchase ; the illegal Morrigan VI that was stuck in trial mode. He didn't really know why he had bought it. She'd hated that thing when she saw it. The voice sounded like her , but the tone was far too campy and exaggerated. It could only say a few phrases , all of them revolving around saving the galaxy or encouraging children to join the Alliance. He had fiddled with it a bit , trying to see if he could fix it , but he didn't know anything about programming VI's. After that , he had shoved it to a corner of the desk and forgotten about it.

MORRIGAN'S distorted hologram flickered in the display , and he messed with some of the buttons , trying to shut it off. Nothing seemed to work.

" DAMN it , " he muttered to himself , pressing a few more buttons. Instead of disappearing , the hologram stabilized , now a brilliant blue. Garrus sighed , leaning back in his seat. " ...I guess it makes for a nice desk lamp... ". Spirits , how sad was that? Using his dead girlfriend's hologram as a light. And he though he knew the VI wasn't real ... somehow , he wished it worked fully. Just so he could have some semblance of a conversation with Morrigan again.

[butterflies-dragons]

I read on a Reddit forum that Jon's scene where he beheads Janos Slynt in has been altered. Initially Jon would hang the frog guy, but in a reading to the audience a fan changed Martin that this is not "the Stark way of doing it" and that was why there was this change to the version we know. Couldn't that compromise the question of Jon being "Sansa's hero" as has been speculated?Sorry for the inconvenience, but it was something that didn't get out of my head.

Hello Anon:

I know about this subject. 

I wrote about Jon Snow being Sansa Stark’s hero/true knight before, and this affirmation is not solely based on Jon Snow beheading Janos Slynt. 

Now, let’s answer your question:

THE FORESHADOWING:  

Sansa Stark wished for a hero that cut off Janos Slynt’s head as punishment for his participation in Ned Stark’s death: 

Frog-faced Lord Slynt sat at the end of the council table wearing a black velvet doublet and a shiny cloth-of-gold cape, nodding with approval every time the king pronounced a sentence. Sansa stared hard at his ugly face, remembering how he had thrown down her father for Ser Ilyn to behead, wishing she could hurt him, wishing that some hero would throw him down and cut off his head. But a voice inside her whispered, There are no heroes, and she remembered what Lord Petyr had said to her, here in this very hall. “Life is not a song, sweetling,” he’d told her. “You may learn that one day to your sorrow.” In life, the monsters win, she told herself, and now it was the Hound’s voice she heard, a cold rasp, metal on stone. “Save yourself some pain, girl, and give him what he wants.”

—A Game of Thrones - Sansa VI

And four books later, Jon Snow beheaded Janos Slynt using his sword Longclaw: 

“You are refusing to obey my order?”“You can stick your order up your bastard’s arse,” said Slynt, his jowls quivering.[…] “As you will.” Jon nodded to Iron Emmett. “Please take Lord Janos to the Wall—”[…] “—and hang him,” Jon finished.[…] This is wrong, Jon thought. “Stop.”[…] “I will not hang him,” said Jon. “Bring him here.”“Oh, Seven save us,” he heard Bowen Marsh cry out. The smile that Lord Janos Slynt smiled then had all the sweetness of rancid butter. Until Jon said, “Edd, fetch me a block,” and unsheathed Longclaw. […] The pale morning sunlight ran up and down his blade as Jon clasped the hilt of the bastard sword with both hands and raised it high. “If you have any last words, now is the time to speak them,” he said, expecting one last curse.Janos Slynt twisted his neck around to stare up at him. “Please, my lord. Mercy. I’ll … I’ll go, I will, I …”No, thought Jon. You closed that door. Longclaw descended.“Can I have his boots?” asked Owen the Oaf, as Janos Slynt’s head went rolling across the muddy ground. “They’re almost new, those boots. Lined with fur.”

—A Dance with Dragons - Jon II

If you read the entire Jon’s chapter, you will find that during his conversation with Janos Slynt, Jon was thinking about Ned Stark and the participation of Slynt in his father’s death at King’s Landing. Jon even thought about how easy it would be beheading him with Longclaw. And maybe that was the reason why he opted for beheading him instead of hanging him, just as Sansa wished.

Also, take note that Janos himself had mentioned that beheading is for highborns (Like Ned) and hanging is for lowborns, like Jon, because he was a bastard. Janos was wrong tho, because Jon is not any bastard, is a highborn bastard, that’s why he has a surname, only highborn bastards bear surnames. 

And during his interactions with Jon, Janos was the one that repeated over and over again that Jon needed to addresses him as “My Lord” because he was Lord of Harrenhall; so, following that logic, as “A Lord”, Janos deserved beheading and not hanging as punishment.  But this was also wrong, at that point the Lord of Harrenhall was Littlefinger, not Slynt. Janos was wrong at everything. 

Also, take note that after ordering Janos’ hanging, Jon thought: 

[…] This is wrong, Jon thought. “Stop.”

[…] “I will not hang him,” said Jon. “Bring him here.”

What was wrong, Jon? Hanging Janos and not beheading him like “A Lord” deserves? Or maybe you remembered what Ned always said: 

The blood of the First Men still flows in the veins of the Starks, and we hold to the belief that the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. If you would take a man’s life, you owe it to him to look into his eyes and hear his final words. And if you cannot bear to do that, then perhaps the man does not deserve to die.

—A Game of Thrones - Bran I

This would also explains why Jon asked Janos for his finals words: 

“If you have any last words, now is the time to speak them,” he said, expecting one last curse.  

And believe me Anon, GRRM doesn’t need the fans tho remind him this. He is very thorough and he also have a very competent staff that helped him with his work.  

THE CHANGE:

MARCH 2008: GRRM reads ‘A DRAFT’ of a Jon Snow’s chapter from ADWD, the one where he orders the death of Janos Slynt’s by hanging:

This morning at Technicon George read a Jon chapter. It was totally awesome. It covers the discussion between Sam and Jon from Jon’s point of view. Here’s what happens. 

(…)

Next Janos Slynt comes in. Jon tells him that he is getting the command of a fort, with 20 Watchmen and 10 King’s men. Janos flips and is totally impertinant, calls Jon a boy, and says that he is not going. Jon says ‘yes you are. be ready at first light.’ Janos leaves, scoffing at Jon.

Next morning, Janos isn’t in the yard ready to leave. Instead he is in the hall eating breakfast with Aliser Thorne and their cornies, laughing about the whole thing. The hall is full of men, Grenn, Pip, Donal, King’s men, Thorne’s supporters, etc.

Jon walks in with like 7 guys behind him. He says ‘Lord Slynt, you are supposed to be preparing to leave.’ Slynt’s all ‘whatever.’ He and Thorne laugh. Jon says ‘I’ll give you one more chance.’ Janos says some stupid ass shit about how he doesn’t have to listen to a boy, that he has friends in King’s Landing.

Jon gives the signal, but he knows he is making a gamble because so many watchmen supported Slynt and Thorne in the election. Two guys grab Slynt and pull him out of his chair. Everybody in the hall is like ‘oh shit.’ Thorne grasps his sword hilt, looks at Jon, and then removes his hand, slinking away from Slynt. Janos now realizes that he is in serious trouble. He is dragged from the hall into the yard. Slynt makes a big scene, yelling about his friends in Kings Landing. ‘I was the Lord in Harrenhal’ he cries. Stannis and his men come out to watch and so does pretty much everyone else at Castle Black.

Jon says, ‘Take him to the wall.’ He thinks, 'I could send him away somewhere else, but if I send him to east watch, he’ll come back to cause trouble.’

'Take him to the wall,’ Jon says, 'and hang him.’

Slynt freaks, yelling, struggling, kicking as they throw him into the cage and start lifting. 'I have friends, if Tywin Lannister were alive you would never…’ His voice fades away as he is lifted to the top. The rope they found was a hundred feet long but the wall is seven hundred feet tall. They hear his neck crack as he hits the end of the rope.

Jon glances back at Stannis. Stannis nods, then turns and goes back inside.

(…)

Yes, I forgot to say that part. I think (if I remember correctly, I didn’t take notes) that Jon looks at Janos while in his office and wonders how big of a part he played in killing his father. He thinks about how easy it would be to pull out his sword, cut through bone, fat, sinews, and chop off his head.His anger about what’s happened to his family really comes out in this chapter.

-Posted on westeros.org by “LugaJetboyGirl-irra” (Source)

—MORE THAN TWO YEARS LATER—

OCTOBER 2010: GRRM reads ‘ANOTHER DRAFT’ of a Jon Snow’s chapter from ADWD, the one where he beheads Janos Slynt’s himself:

Liliedhe: Since GRRM read this chapter at Octocon, can somebody please tell us if there were any differences to what was reported here?

Ran: It’s been suggested that there is a difference, not so much as to what happens but how it comes about exactly. Poking someone to provide details. *poke poke*

Brush Guy: Luckily I was at Octocon. The ending’s been changed slightly. Although I’m not too sure I am allowed to tell.

Aw, what the heck, Jon beheads Slynt with Longclaw while Stannis is watching. It’s a pretty awesome scene, much better than the other version.

(…)

If I remember correctly, Jon says something along the lines of

'Fetch me a block.“ When a suitable block was found, Jon pushed Slynt and placed his head on top of it. “You’re going to die, but if you move your head it will be a lot more painful, and you will still die. Any last words, my lord?’ Slynt started babbling. “Please, m'lord I’ll go… I’ll go.” You already closed that door, Jon thought. “Can I have his boots?” Edd asked as Jon swung Longclaw down in a savage slice. Janos Slynt’s head rolled on the ground. “They’re made of fine leather, y'know, nearly new!” Jon sheathed Longclaw, and looked at Stannis. He gave a small nod and then turned around and walked away.

This is the basic ending, and the dialogue is almost word for word, I think. I’ve forgotten the little flourishes GRRM added to it but that’s pretty close. Maybe it was because he was reading it, but the part with Dolorious Edd asking for the boots seemed a bit out of place.

-Posted on westeros.org (Source)

Take note that none of the two drafts of the chapter is the final version that got printed.   

Anyway, the thread in westeros.org about this subject has 13 pages Anon, you can read it yourself, but none of the guys that attended those two events has reported that a fan told GRRM that hanging is not the Stark way, so he need to changed that.  I think the discussion happened on forums and fan-sites and two years later, when GRRM read that new draft of the chapter where Jon beheads Janos, the discussion became a rumor and the rumor became a “fact”…. 

A reddit user has already stated this:

This is one of the famous rumors-turned-fact that really irk me.

The page that you’re citing here as your source is largely responsible for this particular rumor. Basically, someone went to a reading Martin gave for an early draft of that Jon chapter from ADWD. The poster tried to recall, the best he could, what happened in that chapter from memory.

He wasn’t the only one. I remember several write-ups about this at roughly the same time (2008-2009) because, well, I read anything and everything about ADWD during that period. Each one was slightly different, which makes sense since people were simply writing what they remembered. I recall only one that claimed to be an actual word-for-word transcript (a post that was made to either westeros.org or some other site) but it was taken down as Martin usually asks people not to record his draft readings and whichever site it was had moderators who took exception to the violation of that trust. That so-called transcript one ended abruptly with Jon’s order to have Janos hanged. Most of the others ended with Stannis nodding to Jon after Jon gave the order but didn’t include the exact method of Janos’ death.

Now, here’s the part that irks me. Later, as people digested and debated these readings over and over again, some people began to theorize that that this proved Jon wasn’t Ned’s son because if he were he would have him beheaded, not hanged (note: most of the writeups did not include seeing Janos actually being hanged). Conspiracy theorists figured, “The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword,” and all that, so clearly R+L=J is true! Jon can’t be Ned’s son!

There was also a lot of open speculation about how much of this draft was complete; as in, was this the full chapter? Was the Janos sentence a cliff-hanger? Some said that it was, some said Martin had stated the chapter wasn’t finished yet, some argued, that sort of thing.

Flash forward to the release of ADWD. Suddenly every fanboy who recalled these early readings started to claim that Martin must have read their post/comment/etc. because he had obviously changed the chapter to suit the Internet’s desires and/or decided to squash the conspiracy theories. Not only did the chapter not end on a cliff-hanger, but he had taken the Internet’s advice and made Jon ask for the block rather than the rope.

There’s just one problem with that theory: Martin has stated many, many times that he does not read fan-theories on the Internet nor does he follow any fan-sites in any capacity.

In any event, while it’s certainly possible that Martin did change the chapter due to fan feedback received either at a reading, via fan-mail, or (if he’s a liar re: fan-sites) browsing the Internet, there is no concrete evidence to prove it. The fact that he foreshadowed Janos’ manner of death via Sansa in AGOT suggests to me that it’s far less likely he changed the chapter due to the fandom and far more likely that the readings he gave for this chapter were early drafts that he had yet to complete. He’s been doing the same thing with TWOW; reading chapters that aren’t yet complete.

In summary: there is no proof that this rumor is true. It could be, of course, but I get annoyed when people state a rumor as fact. This is not a fact; it’s simply a neat story that many of us fanboys want to believe is true. For all we know Martin always had Jon asking for the block even in the original draft. Or perhaps the original draft included the Stannis nod as the last line of the chapter but without Janos being killed and later Martin decided it didn’t want to make that chapter a cliffhanger. Or perhaps one of his editors read the draft and said, “Wouldn’t it be cooler if Jon killed him the Ned Stark way?”. We simply don’t know the truth but the rumor persists that it was the people (i.e. fans) who raised a ruckus and that Martin decided to placate their desires and change his story to suit their needs/wishes. But does that sound like Martin go you?

Posted on reddit by “jmk4422” (Source)

I couldn’t have said it better myself, thanks “jmk4422”!

IN ANY CASE…

Sansa wished for Janos’ death and she got it: Janos was sentenced to death by Jon, and Janos died.  No matter the way of death, no matter if Jon did it himself or ordered others to do it. Janos died as punishment for his participation in Ned’s death, as Sansa wished, and Jon was instrumental in making that wish real.

But the author decided to make this connection even stronger.

Jon didn’t know that Sansa wished for Janos’ head to be cut off as ‘the exact’ punishment for his participation in Ned’s death, but Jon did cut off Janos’ head honoring the Stark way, to avenge Ned. And this Anon, is an epic, very strong connection, that no one can deny. 

Also I recommend you to read some metas about Sansa’s wishes becoming real, her wishes actually happen.  So I think this change in Janos’ way of death also followed that pattern.    

Indeed, If the first draft read by GRRM had Jon ordering Janos death by hanging, but a later draft had Jon beheading Janos himself, I think the change was intentionally made to match Sansa’s wish, following the pattern already stablished in the Books. 

So, no Anon, the change didn’t “compromise the question of Jon being -Sansa’s hero-”; the change has made this Jon and Sansa connection, canon.

And remember, as I said before, the reason why I think Jon is Sansa’s hero/true knight is not solely based on Jon Snow beheading Janos Slynt. 

Thanks for the ask.

[bucksmusicandevent]

Saving The Best To Last - Creamfields, Daresbury, 2017. 20th Anniversary!

Music and Live Events Management student Lauren Robinson had a fantastic first Summer as a working member of the team at 6 of the UK’s biggest festivals. Here she explains her role at her final - and favourite - event of the year; Creamfields.

Friday 11th August 2017, I set upon the train on my journey back home north. First to spend the weekend back home with my friends and then to move onto my intern at Creamfields, the best one yet. I was first asked to come whilst I was at Wireless and I was slightly torn as I did have a ticket, however, I knew I would be an idiot to turn down such an amazing opportunity, so I sold my ticket and accepted. My job was health and safety intern, pretty much the same as Wireless, although this time I moved around a bit more. 

So, my real Creamfields journey starts Monday 13th. As my mum only lives 10 minutes away from site, she gave me a lift in. This was also handy for getting free food whilst we didn’t have catering! I was greeted by Libby, who I had previously met at Wireless. I was then handed over my little induction cabin and made myself at home. The first couple days were a bit slow, as everyone was at V-Fest and the majority of the site crew didn’t need to arrive until a few days in. I went on a site tour to get a better understanding of where everything was going and it was really weird to drive the site and still be able to remember everything from coming last year as a punter!  I also got to meet everyone on site. 

This was pretty much the same the next day as the build still wasn’t really underway. In the afternoon I moved into the production office and helped the girls in accreditation get a head start on the catering vouchers. It was amazing to see the sheer difference in amounts from Wireless to a camping festival! Once these were finished, I helped the health and safety coordinator put out the fire extinguishers, which helped me to again get a better understanding of the site. The progress of the main stages were starting to take shape, as you can see below!

Wednesday and Thursday were slow again and I helped with the catering vouchers still to try and get ahead to show days. I also helped in the production office to sort out the residents passes to those who lived nearby. Some of the requests which they got for free tickets were funny, someone asked for free tickets because he couldn't walk his dog through one of our fields. Thursday evening we also went out for a family meal which was really nice. I got to meet the head of digital and creative at cream and I loved listening to everything which he had done, especially as Creamfields is my favourite festival! 

Friday again was pretty much the same, more catering vouchers and inductions. Some of the site was starting to get finished off and most the structures were up and nearly ready to be signed off. I went to watch the hospitality tent get signed off which was good as I hadn’t really seen that part of the site yet. 

Saturday and Sunday were more inductions and helping out in the office, with A LOT of laminating! I was soon crowned the laminating queen within the office! On Saturday I got together nearly everything to put in the campsite hub boxes, which were given to Festaff who were manning the campsites. Some of the things included signs, tea and suncream. Sunday involved making up the major incident box, which thankfully didn’t have to be used! This involved getting local taxi numbers from Runcorn and Warrington, 5 close hospitals and what they specialised in and hi-vis vests with titles on so the crowd knew who was who in the case of an emergency. 

After a pretty chilled week, I knew that it was going to get very busy at some point. Monday sure enough was this day. I pretty much didn’t stop all of Monday and left my cabin for all of about an hour I think! Everyone was arriving from V-Fest and all the catering units had arrived, there was around 150 of them! I did struggle slightly as I also had to sort out peoples vehicle passes and people were signing the wrong sheets and not filling in the wrong information, but I soon got a system going to ensure everything ran smoothly. Tuesday was still slightly busy from people arriving from V, but it had calmed down alot. I also had some help from Ellie, the festival directors daughter, which was nice to have the strain taken off, especially when large groups of people came!

1 day to go until show day!

Wednesday I stayed in the induction cabin to ensure that everyone got in safe and knew all the information they needed. In the afternoon I moved across to the production office to help them with little bits. At this point we did have a small problem with the build and break wristbands as we had used all of the original colour and only had overnight load out wristbands left. I ended up having to use 50 of these until the runner went to get some others from the office in Liverpool. 

                                                 SHOW DAY

Thursday 24th.  This was a really weird show day, as although the site was officially open to the public, the arena didn’t open until 5 pm so we had pretty much the whole day to get everything underway. The first night was a silent disco and so at the end of my shift, I went out to meet some of my friends who had tickets. It was really weird being in a silent disco and I thought my headphones were broken as I didn’t realise there were 2 channels on them, slightly embarrassing. During the day I moved into the accreditation office to help keep down the queues, as they were quite behind on accreditation. I really enjoyed being in there and picked up what I was doing really quickly. All I had to do was ask what company they were from, see some ID in exchange for a wristband. We had to write down the number next to their name to ensure we had a record of everyone on site. 

Friday 25th. I was again in accreditation and it was a bit calmer as most people had picked up their wristbands. I went out into the arena a few times throughout the day to get a feeling of the crowd and it did make me abit sad that I sold my ticket, but looking back now, I don’t regret it at all. After a long day in accreditation, I went and met my friends and went to watch The Chainsmokers, who I have wanted to see for so long! It was an amazing performance and I’m already looking forward to when I can see them again! 

Saturday 26th. Again, I was in accreditation. As the majority of people have collected all of their show day accreditation, I was counting out the used meal vouchers to ensure that all the companies had used the amount they asked for, or else they would be charged for them. Whilst waiting around in the office, Tom Zanetti arrived and I was able to meet him whilst be collected what he needed!

After a few more hours in the office data inputting, I was able to leave and left to go into the arena! I was extremely lucky to see Stormzy from the side of the stage! This was such an experience as this was one of the artists I really wanted to see and to be able to see him from the pit was amazing, especially as it was a closed stage! My plan was to go home after this, however I saw some people who I knew that worked as sound techs and so didn’t end up going back until 3:30am! 2 hours sleep for me that night!

Sunday 27th. After a very struggling wake up call, I made it back onto site to a thankfully chilled day. The day pretty much consisted of more data inputting and ensuring that everything was put into the system to pass onto festival management. At 8pm I was finished and went off to watch Chase and Status, who smashed it as always! After this I went to watch half of Martin Garrix and half of Tiesto. It was then time to say goodbye to my friends and went back to safety in production. After 4 very busy days I was looking forward to getting back to some much needed sleep!

On Monday and Tuesday, I started off in the induction cabin for anyone who was just coming for the break. Not many people came and so I went for a drive to see the site. The campsite smelt so badly from all the toilets and it was amazing to see the amounts of rubbish which was left behind! I also couldn’t believe that it only takes them 8 days to get the site back to normal, however the main stage was down within 2 days! It was then time for me to go finish, my last festival of the season was complete! 6/6 shows completed!

I can’t believe that my first ever festival season is now over! I finished it on an amazing show and I would like to thank every single person who I met over the last 3 weeks and made me feel at home. Thank you to the lads at cream, you do an amazing job every year and I’m still so amazed by your work. Thank you to everyone at festival republic for supplying me with such an amazing opportunity and guiding me through my first year. Thank you to my mum for all the free food when catering wasn’t on. And lastly, thank you to my amazing uni lecturers for getting me to this point. It’s been such an amazing year and I’ve made so many amazing new friends who will hopefully stay in touch.

Roll on 2018, more festivals and more friends!

WORK HARD, PLAY HARDER X

[jynxd]

The noise in her mind was always so loud and at the moment the voices were doing their best to drown out Silco's. However, the moment he so much as breathed a word, it drowned out the noise. This was the effect Silco had on Jinx, the man who was her precious father, who meant more to her than anyone would ever know. Only he knew how to comfort her in the way she needed it. He always had, even before she started hearing the voices.

Words of comfort sunk deep into her very being as she relaxed in his arms, her shoulders slouching at the sensation of his caresses. Yet still, she couldn't manage to calm her self down quite yet, with her body shaking from pure emotion; from the guilt to the sadness, as well something else, something different she couldn't quite recognize. Something darker that made her want to act out in a fit of violence. To personally find her sister and throw one of her bombs at her and see what it would do.

Whatever the emotion was, Jinx simply let it fester as she listened to every word Silco spoke, not daring to interrupt him. As she buried her head into his chest. Unbeknownst to her, her claws only dug deeper and deeper as Silco put a name to that emotion; Anger. It didn't it even occur to her that his blood was barely trickled around her finger tips. Her claws were only sharp enough to barely break skin at this time.

"I remember I wanted to see topside, I wanted to see if it was as pretty as I'd heard it had been. I don't remember much about then, just that Vi agreed to take me to look. My parents wanted us to see something outside of all this, I think." Jinx tried to collect more memory from her mind for that day, only for nothing else to come, save for what happened on the bridge. She tightened her grip in anger in frustration. "Vi has been punishing me for it since. Telling me that if I kept my mouth shut, kept my wanderlust at bay, our parents would have stayed with us."

Her papa was right, she realized, none of it had been her fault. "Vi left me when I needed her the most. Instead of coming back like she promised she left me with nothing. Nothing but the memory of watching those enforcers shoot mama and papa. Sometimes I still even hear it, the gunshots, the screams." Jinx pulled back then, looking back up at Silco's heterochromic eyes, the anger in which she felt clear as day. Though there seemed to be a bit of confusion as well.

Jinx crinkled her nose in thought, trying to process her answer to his question. The way Silco had described how he had felt, the thoughts and feelings he experienced, matched how she felt. From the way she questioned herself, to feeling like she was responsible for everything, and finally, to the rage she now recognized that she felt. Rage that she felt towards her sister for abandoning her and leaving her to cry out and pain. The tears that had stained her face that night had not been the result of not just death around her, but knowing that her sister left her to die.

"When I hear Vi, sometimes I think it's her fault, too. I remember waiting for her to come back, so when she didn't I tried to find her. Along the way I saw some big guy, he was so scary then, the way I saw him killing someone with his fists. After I saw my parents die, I saw Vi. I tried to scream out for her, but it was like she didn't hear me. And I watched her leave with him, she chose Vander over me." Jinx clinched her fists tightly once more, causing the nails to move slightly deeper. "Seeing her with a family now, she replaced me. Vi, the real Vi, is out there living a happy life with them, while we're here stuck to shadows. The Vi that talks to me, she tells me I was always a burden and that I should be glad I've been left behind. It makes me angry. More than angry..."

Even if Silco had known the hardships, they would have come to face, he had never regretted taking Jinx in. Carrying the little girl off the burning bridge, stepping softly over the strewn about corpses, he couldn't have anticipated how much his life was going to change in that one night and yet how consistent it stayed throughout it all.

Having been deemed a monster under everyone's bed and an outcast in the Undercity, Silco's life had already been hard on his own. After he had recovered enough from that garish eye injury, he had been forced to build up a new life from scratch. Clever investments and finding the right allies at the right time had given Silco the leg up, he seriously needed, as well as the resources to finance the development of Shimmer, even if currently, it was far too unstable and volatile to be of much use to anybody, let alone a fully-fledged revolution.

At the same time, Silco did not just have his revolution to contend with, but his daughter as well. Thus he soon grew used to using some of his resources to ensure he and Jinx were fed. Throughout it all, he always gave her the lion's share. Jinx got more food than him, she was given utensils and tools to tinker with to her heart's content, and she even got the chance to ask Renata Glasc herself about chemistry. She was a monster as much as she was a genius, and Silco did his hardest to ensure, he nurtured both.

Even so, there were still things, which not even he was always prepared for.

"You have nothing to apologise for, Jinx", Silco said, "Sometimes, our mind is our own worst enemy, making us believe things, which, in our hearts, we know, aren't true." He barely flinched as Jinx clawed deeper into his arms, still developing claws creating a small dent in his sleeves. Her face was scrunched up in pain. Silco caressed her back soothingly and placed his chin on her head.

"There could be many reasons why she didn't come back", Silco said, "Maybe she lost you in the chaos. Or maybe, as much as I hate to admit that, maybe she felt that you were holding her back. It is often the people, whom we trust the most, who are the most ruthless to stab us in the back. They leave you writhing in pain and collecting the pieces of your life, they made fall apart."

His expression darkened. For a few seconds, his stomach felt heavy and the hair on his neck stood up. Vander and Vi had both committed the same sin: Leaving them to rot when they needed them the most, after inflicting damage, they could never take back.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Jinx", Silco said, "Neither when it comes to wanting to see topside, nor when your sister left. It is not fair that you are left to feel guilty for something, you never did. Though, maybe it's not just guilt that you feel. Perhaps, there is anger there too. But you don't want to admit that you are angry, so you cover it up with feelings of guilt. Guilt is self-punishing and sometimes easier to face than rage."

"Back when I was recovering from my eye injury", he continued, "There were so many thoughts swirling inside my head. At first, I kept asking myself very similar questions to what you are asking yourself right now. What did I do wrong? How could Vander betray me like this? Did I deserve this eye injury? Was he right for hurting me like this? I blamed myself just like you did. However, after a while these feelings faded, and what I was left with, was anger. Hatred even. I allowed myself to recognise that this had been a murder attempt and not just a betrayal. I was so furious at Vander. I still am. But recognising that I was angry, was in a strange way cathartic. I needed that epiphany to move forward: Not just that I was angry, but that it was okay that I was feeling angry. And I believe you feel the same. Deep down. Am I right?"