#after hours rambles

[waitingforwinterwinds]

Surprise, not dead!

So here's what's been happening: the day after my last post was a super heavy workload day for me and when I got home, I was kinda busy, and I thought to myself "I'll take a quick five minutes to just jot down some meta on the Ygritte/Jon Snow relationship regarding the sexual abuse, voided consent and the juxtapose of what I think was GRRM's intent versus what he actually wrote" because Rouka's right, that relationship is pretty fucked up in actuality, and that's not something I've been addressing (directly if at all*) in my read throughs for a couple of reasons, but I do kinda want to have a chat about it at some point. ("chat" I mean rambling thought train.)

(*like, to the point I think I've accidentally given an impression that I feel one way rather than another on the matter actually? maybe? That's gonna be awkward if true.)

several distractions, hours and pages later I have an incoherent mess between key points, that clearly needs to be put aside for a few days at the very least and several rounds of editing, so I save it, look over at the clock and think "how the fudge ducking hell is it so far after midnight???"

So naturally I think "it's fiiiiine, I'll do Dany's chapter in the morning and be back on schedule for evening."

More fool me.

The eagle eyed amongst my regulars might be able to tell you I have a weakness against psychic damage.

I'm prone to headaches.

It's actually a little worse than that: I'm genetically predisposed to migraines that send me blind. (Kind of a miracle this hasn't cropped up to this degree before now during the project.)

So I've been working on limited vision the past few days; that's stabilized and I'm back to my normal field of vision, but my brain does still feel incredibly bruised, and like someone's taking a sledgehammer to a pickax lodged in my grey matter if I step too enthusiastically.

I'm hoping to be back to the read through tomorrow, but we'll have to see.

The meta piece, if I end up deciding to go ahead with that one, will probably be a few days after Ygritte dies (omg spoilers) and if it does happen, after speaking with their agents, Steel Chair has agreed to be on hand for a special guest appearance.

And no, the fandom is not allowed to weaponise feminism on this one. (I've been in the female character tags, I know some of y'all will take any excuse whether you actually like a lady or not.)

Anyway, painkillers, hydration, and bed for me.

Goodnight~

[existingoutofspite]

i just had this vivid image of gideon and harrow where during a typical bone-y conversation gideon points at her bicep and goes “what bone is this” harrow answers “your humerus” gideon responds “i know i am- but what is it?” and harrow just decks her

[heretherebeturtles-comic]

DID YOU KNOW THAT ANDY SURIANO TALKED ABT YOUR COMIC ON INSTA???????????

YEAH I SAW IT!

really cool!!!!!! nice things were said about my art and story!!!!!! i am so flattered!!!!!!!!!! i am still figuring out how to react to it all!!!

[bluerosefox]

Drake Siblings

Have I read this prompt somewhere or was this a fever dream from my bored mind.

What if, now hear me out.

What if we bring up Dana Winters-Drake (whose confirmed to at least be alive in the DC verse but no one knows where she actually is)

What if instead of when she had a mental breakdown and getting committed to an Bludhaven clinc she wandered away before anyone noticed and by the time Tim or anyone did notice a lot of stuff started happening at once in both Gotham and Bludhaven (Steph dying, The Bludhaven crisis, etc etc)

Tim still tries to find her though but even with best resources it was like she just disappeared into the wilderness and the stress of trying to handle more and more problems get worse.

So when out of the blue, a couple of years later, he gets a call from an unknown number. On his private, only for friends and family, phone and when he answers he meet with a young girls voice on the other end.

A very young, maybe six or seven, girl who informs him about his apparently half-brother Danny Drake-Fenton. And how she loves Danny so, so, so much but knows her home is dangerous for him to be in.

Tim is stunned and before he could question her, she says Danny is Dana and Jack's baby and that her parents had adopted him years ago and put Dana's stuff that the hospital had away for him to look at when he was older but she just had to fight off their lunch from eating her brother and she knows he needs a better place to live and so she snooped around and found Dana's diary and that she had to unscramble the nonsense Dana wrote and found Tim's number with the words 'tell him about his brother Danny' hidden in it. And-

But before she could keep rambling she hears Danny screaming "JAZZY THE MILK WENT BAD AGAIN AND HISSED AT ME!"

Tim is left with silence after hearing Jazz yell to Danny to lock the fridge and step out of the kitchen as she gets the bat.

[lunacias]

(Silence. CARPENTER tries to rally HAYWARD's spirits. She's afraid she's going to lose him.)

"All three of us - we can all go on living, Hayward. Just like you said."

[littlecrittereli]

Wanted to doodle some comfort bros to balance out the angst of my recent posts lol

Hey pookies! Just wanted to say I really appreciate all the love and support I've been receiving lately for Decoded! I always love your comments/asks/fanart/memes, it genuinely has been bringing me so much joy and I'm so grateful for it <3

I know I said I had a lot of art to post (and then proceeded to post none of it LOL) I'm just a little overwhelmed rn with some life stuff so sorry for the wait! I also have a lot asks that I haven't gotten to and I apologize for that as well!

Trying my best to keep up, but I haven't had a lot of time recently. Art's gonna be a little delayed, but don't worry Chapter 8 is still gonna come out this Saturday as scheduled!

[bardnuts]

keep calling your friends. Keep spending time with your friends. Yes, even if you tend to self-isolate. Even if you're an introvert. You don't have to throw a party--sit on the couch together doing different things, parallel play, read in silence, garden, whatever.

You need it like air. Talk to the loved ones in your life as much and as often as possible. Be intimate. Have deep conversations. Have casual sex if that's your jam. Be yourself. Be present. Be human.

It is essential to your survival.

[lazylittledragon]

ok so i'm like. overwhelmed

i'm having one of the shittiest weeks of my life and i was really worried my store was going to be a complete flop (honestly i expected my friends to order some stuff and maybe a few other people and that was it)

and then half the things sold out in 2 hours so i'm!!!!! in shock

also the best part: the fundraiser stickers sold out completely!!

[nvuy]

mdni,,, suggestive content… but like yurk imagine yall having an intense make out session and boothill gets way too excited and accidentally regurgitates a bullet into your mouth.

doesn’t even think anything of it when you almost choke on it. in fact, he hasn’t even noticed. he’s pouting because you’ve pulled away, and it was just getting good. like you’ve got him all hot and bothered, and his hand was up your shirt and now you’re pulling away. what gives?

you hold it out to him. “you… uh… dropped this, i think.”

he’s still way too focused on your lips to realise what’s happened. you hesitantly hold it up to his mouth and, almost instinctively, he pulls it from your fingers with his teeth.

boy dinner or something. super romantic.

[melonimili]

more drawings of these two because they make me so emotional :(((

[waitingforwinterwinds]

Hopping from foot to the other, he sang, "Fool's blood, king's blood, blood on the maiden's thigh, but chains for the guests and chains for the bridegroom, aye aye aye."

Hmmm, prophecy or nonsense? Clearly ("bridegroom") about a wedding, but which?

Sansa and Tyrion's? Fool's blood, king's blood could mean Tyrion, he is of Joffrey's blood, thus king's blood, but he's treated like he's not a true member of the bloodline by his father, like fool's gold...

blood on the maiden's thigh could mean Sansa's newly 'blossomed' status.

And it is an act made to chain the couple to Tywin and Cersei's will.

Or I might be reaching and it could be about one of the other fun (sarcasm) weddings lined up.

@dreamingdruka is making fun of me, that's so mean. How could you? ಥ_ಥ (I'm joking 🤭)

Urgh, no but seriously, sometimes I imagine y'all sitting there bursting with barely contained spoilers. There will come a day when I catch up, and look back and we can all go "damn you said some stupid stuff, Reader." because I have no doubt that I have.

But I could say more.

Cause here's the thing about prophecy nonsense: it has to apply widely but be specific at the same time. There's got to be this line between "at some point, some things will happen, and then things will be not the same as right not" levels of vague and "the seer is legally required to preface all prophecy with 'Spoiler Warning' before they begin" levels of specific.

...omg I would legit read a series where that was a thing.

👀 "And, Spoiler Warning, [future events that are way too specific to be randomly generated on the spot.]" 🌿 "What the hell, how could you know that?" 👀 "I read the script~" 🌿 "The, the what?" 💫 "Look, don't think about it too hard, just accept this is how the seer processes the infinite cosmic wisdom beyond all mortal ken swirling through their brain, and go with it." 👀 "Mhm, the director doesn't like when we lean on the fourth wall."

Anyway, the thing with Patchface's little song? It could apply to so much, like:

If we assume that "bridegroom" is literal, it could apply to any of the three/four weddings that matter in the series.

Red Wedding: Fool/King: could easily both be Robb, a king who behaved foolishly and opened the way for the betrayal and bloodshed Blood on the maiden's thigh: a little looser on this one, but Robbs wife could count, despite not being a virginal maiden, she's not yet a mother by birth, therefore could still be counted Bridegroom in chains: Edmure, he became a hostage directly after his marriage, very literally in chains Chains on the guests: though Robb's party didn't know it, they were already prisoners in the hall

Sansa/Tyrion: See yesterday's rambling thoughts above

Purple wedding: the Fool: Ser Dontos, both a literal court Fool, and killed on his way out with Sansa the King: Joffery, also the Bridegroom, who was killed with a substance called the strangler, so it's a little metaphorical, but I've done wibblier Blood on the maidens thigh: I'm coming back to Sansa again, because she was tangentially related to the murder, Chains on the guests: Sansa starts as a literal hostage, and Tyrion ends up in prison

Margaery/Tommen: ... actually this one went pretty well, love you kids but, 'twas not very memorable. Let's ignore it.

And these options are all assuming two things:

1: "Bridegroom" is literal, and not some metaphor for someone making vow or oath, promising their life to a cause or service in a way that can be considered akin to marriage.

2: The event was not chopped from the show like Patchface, singer of prophecy nonsense, and therefore beyond my realm of knowledge.

I honestly don't know which would be funnier, if I got it right at any of these points, if i got it right but for the wrong reasons, right reasoning wrong conclusion, or I somehow managed to miss absolutely every obvious clue and whizzed past at warp speed and am no longer in the same galaxy as the answer.

And then all y'all be sitting there, knowing, and letting me get there in my own time.

Thank you for that. And I am so sorry. 😅

[batsyheere]

There is just something about Percy Jackson being secretly a genius that is so funny and traumatizing to consider, because he's not smart in the way of a paper test, and while he has street smarts in spades, it's not what makes him scary.

Percy Jackson has the same manic genius energy of Kevin McAllister from home alone. He has sarcasm and wit by the bucket, but doesn't generally apply himself until the point of "I'm in danger". Gym class and bullies? Annoying but all he'll do is complain a little. War games at camp? He'll give his "all" but otherwise there are definitely others better at things.

Toss him into a fight on a quest or involving a prophecy? Strategy, improv, random skill sets and even better one-liners than what usually drips from his vocabulary. He has no clue what he's doing but to everyone else he's a natural disaster made from a planned domino fall line.

[pain-is-too-tired]

I'm thinking about the Apollo Cabin and crying again y'all fdhdg

Just thinking about Little Will struggling to find a talent that fits with his other siblings, watching them ace Archery and Music no problem, and feeling really self-conscious about it.

Lee making the decision to have him shadow Michael in the infirmary and Michael immediately being taking him under his wing.

First time Will's healing abilities show up Will's confused as to what had just happened but Michael is pumped. Lee practically could see him glowing when they meet back for dinner Michael's so proud.

Anytime anyone even tries to talk down to Will about his lack of Archery or Music expertise like his siblings Michael has to be held back from throwing hands. Especially cause he knows Will takes it to heart.

After BoM, Will's self confidence plummets due to losing his biggest support system and having to take care of so many lives on his own. It doesn't really start to build back up until Nico starts noticing and helps him through it.

[queenie-ofthe-void]

“Led Zeppelin? Never heard of them,” Steve lies, like a liar. Of course he’s heard of them, thinks maybe Hop’s mentioned them before. Doesn’t really know the band well, and probably definitely couldn’t name a song. But the comment serves its purpose, and the trap is set.

Eddie calls it the Zep Campaign. Every day they’ll listen to one album, and Steve will pick his favorite song from each. Eight days for eight albums. On the last day, they’ll narrow it down to one song to rule them all– because apparently even Led Zeppelin likes the Mordor books Dustin doesn’t shut up about. 

Each day, Steve struggles to pick a favorite. Day four isn’t bad– doesn’t mind a song that is actually called Rock and Roll, which is just a lazy title in his opinion– but they’re only half way through and the songs are all starting to sound the same. An endless stream of too-fast guitar melodies and weird, wobbly sounds he’s sure he’s never heard before. The vocals are his favorite part, but the lyrics are vague and confusing.

Long story short, he’s not a fan.

But this growing thing between him and this ridiculous metalhead is new, fragile. So if it’s important to Eddie, it’s important to Steve. 

“Stevie, we really don’t have to keep doing this,” Eddie concedes. It’s day eight, the final album, and he thinks even Eddie might be desperate to listen to something different. “You’ve listened to every other album and honestly this one is the worst. They were all on drugs, and this isn’t even their sound ya know? Like it’s not even real metal.”

And honestly, Steve does know. He’s been listening to this band for eight days and yeah, all the songs sound the same. But these ones are different. Softer. He’s made it this far, and he’s nothing if not persistent for the people he loves.

Sprawled out on the floor next to the boy he likes, passing a fading joint back and forth, he thinks he can suffer a bit longer. 

���No Eds come on, we’re halfway through anyways. Just flip it over and we’ll smoke while we finish.” Eddie huffs a sigh, but Steve can see the slight uptick of his lips, reminding him of why he’s doing this. He flips the record and crawls back, presses himself flush up against Steve’s side.

The next song is long, too long to keep his attention. They burn down their joint and Steve leans heavily onto Eddie’s open chest. He gets lost staring at the vinyl art. A guy dressed in a fancy white suit sits alone in a dive bar, the only splash of color against a dull background. The bartender looks gruff, like the rest of the bar, making the man stand out even more. He wonders if that’s how he looks posted up at the Hideout during Eddie’s shows. Wonders if he looks just as out of place in Eddie’s life as this man does, even though he looks comfortable there too. 

Eddie shifts his arms around Steve, bringing him back to the present. The song has changed and Steve feels the slow melody wash over him.

“Wait,” Steve cries out, flailing up and out of Eddie’s arms as he registers the new song. It’s soft with a steady beat. It’s got synth-- the sound Eddie told him he likes in pop music. This song isn’t loud and chaotic like the rest. The voice is soothing and the lyrics are mostly simple enough. It’s different, and he can’t believe it but–

All of my love, all of my love

all of my love to you, oh

“This one. I like this song. Like actually like it.”

Eddie sits up and stares at him. He can see the dramatic shock and annoyance on Eddie’s face. But it’s doing nothing to hide his broad smile and shining eyes. 

“Steven. Stevie. Baby, sweetheart, this absolutely cannot be your favorite Zeppelin song. Out of all the songs on all the albums and all the hours of poetic melodies I’ve forced upon you, you choose the most non-Zep Zeppelin song.” Steve laughs sweetly as he watches Eddie fail to keep the glee out of his supposedly annoyed voice.

The cup is raised, the toast is made yet again

One voice is clear above the din

“This song isn’t even metall!" Eddie screeches. He rants and raves, waiving his arms as he regales Steve with all of the reasons he should absolutely not like this one particular song. He's shining with happiness, dial turned up to a hundred and it's all aimed at Steve. He can't help but to gaze back fondly, enraptured in the adorably obnoxious spectacle.

"It’s all synth, almost no guitar because Page didn’t even write this one! He wrote all of them except two songs, Stevie, and of course that’s the one you chose. No one who knows good music even likes this album. It’s not even metal music and honestly I almost didn’t show it to you, that’s how bad it is!” They're both giggling, leaning falling slowly into the other's space. Facing one another, their feet tangled together, Steve twists and pulls on Eddie's rings. Just to touch.

“Well, maybe that’s why I like it,” Steve snarks, taking his hand. “Plus it’s a love song.” Daring to reach out.

All of my love, all of my love, yes

All of my love to you

Eddie’s smile dims a bit, softens at the edges as he grows serious. “It’s not a love song Stevie, not like that.” He’s looking at Steve but he isn’t. Looking past him into the back of his thoughts. “The lead singer, he wrote it for his son. His kid died of some kind of bad illness while he was on tour. Didn’t make it back in time.”

He pauses, and Steve waits. Knows Eddie has more to say, hoping his patience will pay off. Eddie’s sight refocuses and he heaves a heavy sigh. His eyes glisten as they lock onto Steve.  

“My mom used to sing it all the time. While she was cooking, or putting me to bed, or pulling weeds in the garden. She’d sing it constantly. Hell, she didn’t even know all the words, but she’d still try and sing the interludes– ya know, the music between the lyrics.” He laughs lightly, a stray tear just barely hanging on. Steve tightens his grip around Eddie’s hands and presses a kiss to his knuckles. A silent sign of gentle support and encouragement. 

“Sounds like a love song to me,” Steve whispers. Leaning forward, he presses a kiss to his forehead and pulls Eddie into a tight hug. 

All of my love, all of my love, to you now

“A love song just for you, from both of us.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've always headcanoned that Eddie loves Led Zeppelin, because he plays guitar and loves metal and reads Lord of the Rings so of course he would.

[lightseoul]

no thoughts just the visceral urge to ask bf bakugou a hyperspecific question about all might's history as the #1 hero just to see him light up in massive interest only for his features to morph into suspicion a split second after bc why would you even be curious in something as niche as that?

you only shrug, saying a friend broached the topic a few days ago and you wanted to verify the facts. but really, that's all just a front because why would you tell him it's only because you love seeing him being so, so excited about things <3

[12am-motivation]

i think this is the softest ren i've ever seen