#all /pos by the way it was a sweet little family moment

[zipzaptoastainthebath]

my brother was watching The Goldbergs and while I was in the room I hear Beverley say “who in their right mind would move to northern California!?”

The way I slowly turned to look at my dad and he was instantly defending himself.

[atthebell]

Do you have any vod recommendations to rewarch until our streamer comes back?

chants of sennaar - incredible game about translation and languages, very fun to watch him play since it's something he's pretty interested in, very cool if you're into linguistics like i am

tchia - cool game, interesting story and mechanics, nice long vod and someone in chat was from new caledonia so gave some cool context

stray - catboy moments of all time, beautiful game obvi

scorn - batshit gorgeous very gross (/pos) very horny game he acts like a freak the entire time it's great

mirror layers - wild ass game he once again acts like a freak the whole time fun and interesting concept and he gets scared a lot so 👍🏻

the tartarus key - fun game, interesting puzzles

scp secret files - solid game, if you're into scp stuff my impression is it's by far the best scp game to have come out

escape from mystwood mansion - cute short puzzle game very fun

decarnation - INCREDIBLE game, nails the topics it covers, cool to watch him play it since he really appreciated the style & understood the themes

viewfinder - very cool concept, fun puzzles, chill vibes

amnesia the bunker - i watched most of this live but remember nothing, fun to watch him scream and it's a nice looking game

birth - chill vibes, short and sweet

among us monastery - deranged game, he acts like a freak, very funny

the past within - any puzzle game him and felps play together is a fun watch, this one's a rusty lake game so it's got a weird fun style

underground blossom - another rusty lake game, fun puzzles, he's deranged in this for reasons you'll understand once you watch it

venba - incredible game about an indian family in canada & their relationships with each other through the lens of food, very cute very cool, tbh might go play it myself it's very much my kind of game

fear the spotlight - origins of many lesbian protector/shipper moments, and a nice little high school horror game

cellboier cryptic killer [cellbit] [roier] - i recommend watching these synced up tbh bc otherwise you will not know what the other person is fucking talking about but yeah its a cellboier stream its great watch it if you haven't already rewatch it if you feel like it

homebody - idr anything about this vod but i remember enjoying it, some horror shit in a house, he probably screams a lot and maybe there's puzzles either way a solid time

killer frequency - very fun game, cool vibes, it's been a while since i watched it but he's probably a freak in it

in no particular order

[spaceorphan18]

The Lady Whistledown Papers : 1x03 - Art of the Swoon

Welcome back, Gentle Readers, to The Lady Whistledown Papers, where I’m taking an in-depth look at Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton’s character arcs and romance within the show Bridgerton!

For previous issues, follow tag : The Lady Whistledown Papers

So... are you guys excited for this one? Because there's so much I can't even contain myself. No, I'm kidding. This episode might win for most boring Polin episode, and yes, I'm including 2x01, which doesn't even have Colin in it.

Letters

We open with Pen looking very anxiously out a window. What is she looking at? Is it Colin? Are the Bridgertons being bold in broad daylight again?? No, she's just waiting for the mail.

She is super cute when she finds there aren't any letters for Marina and she throws her little hands up in the air exasperated.

Marina is growing depressed waiting to hear from her love, George. But Penelope is full of hope and optimism. She is so into what's going on with Marina. The romantic in her is thrilled with all this letter writing (hmmm, wonder if that'll come back) and she's encouraging Marina not to give up hope.

She is so smiley and engaged while talking to Marina. This is a real, live love story happening in front of her, that she gets to engage with, and she gets to help out with. It's fun for her, being on the outside of it, like reading one of her stories.

And, I mean, the fact that Colin is one of Marina's suitors just isn't even a factor yet. Pen genuinely cares for Marina, and cares for wanting this love story to play out into a happily ever after.

The romanticism really becomes apparent when she suggests that maybe the reason George isn't writing is that he's on his way back to her that very moment. It's sweet, and a little naive, but Pen really just wants Marina to be happy and in love. Just like Pen wants it for herself. But Pen saves only her cynicism for herself.

Portia barges in right then and scolds her for spending time with Marina. The way Nicola Coughlan stomps her foot and throws a tantrum like a child is really quite brilliant. It adds to the fact that Season 1 Penelope is very much still a child in a lot of ways.

Drawing Room

Colin is looking for food -- take a shot!

Okay, so this shot is really kind of cool when you look at it. And I mean, indulge me, there's barely any Colin in this episode...

I love the blocking of it, as you can see so much characterization of the family just from this single shot. Daphne is sitting tall and really center, as she is the main character. Violet is in her 'mother' chair doing sewing. Anthony is off to the side, reading the paper, drinking tea, being very much a father-ish figure. Benedict, seated low, carefree and more irresponsible than his somewhat more serious-minded brother. Eloise is there, reading indignantly. Hyacinth and Gregory are on the floor playing, much like Pen was in the first episode, signifying their youth and childishness.

And then there's Colin. Just... kind of there. Because it's a family scene. A blank slate ready to be written on. He's watching his younger siblings, but not really there with them anymore. But he's not yet fully in the adult world of Anthony, Benedict, or Daphne.

But it's interesting (and important?) that he's sitting next to Violet here. Because while Colin doesn't say a thing here, Violet's words Daphne are incredibly important. She tells Daphne that it's integral that she should marry her dearest friend. And that love is simple when you're in love with your dearest friend. And Colin is sitting right there! The message is one that I'm sure Violet hammers into her children all the time, though Colin is definitely going to be one to internalize it pretty deeply.

The Prince

[Just an aside, the scene where Daphne snorts at the prince and where Daphne and Anthony have no idea how to heat up milk are really two nice moments in this episode.]

Just Portia Featherington whoring out her daughters to the Prince, and little Penelope falling behind and getting pushed out because who would take her seriously as a contender? But there's Lady Whistledown gossip narrating this moment, and while it's mostly expositional, it's also telling that while Pen can't be front and center, she's still very there and aware.

Somerset House

Just in case you were wondering - Colin is in this scene! Being amused that Violet is trying to get Anthony to find a wife.

I love that he and Benedict have a good laugh over it (I have a mind to think that Colin and Benedict are always having a laugh about Anthony) -- until Violet literally pushes them out into society as well.

Hey, they cut from Colin over to Penelope. Cute.

So, I'm always happy when we get a scene where Eloise and Penelope seem to be on the same page. And this small moment of them looking at the art, critiquing it in a modern way, is super fun. They do both share the viewpoint that women should be more than the objects men think of them as. And they laugh about it here, but it's really quite profound.

Pen's attention strays, though, when Marina calls out for her help.

Portia is trying to set Marina up with some old bachelor, and Penelope swoops in to interrupt. See, and that's the thing. Penelope does have a big heart. She loves love and she wants Marina to be happy with George, and not stuck marrying some old guy where love wouldn't bloom. So she intervenes. And of course, Portia tries to push back against her. Penelope doesn't have much power (as herself) but just the act of cutting in is enough to disrupt the encounter.

Portia calls Penelope a 'meddlesome little wench'. Which is really quite horrible of a mother to call her daughter. But I will say there's truth the the meddlesome part. She does like to be meddlesome, and even the LW persona speaks to that.

Some time later, Cressida is going to fake a swoon so the Prince can catch her. And look who has a front row seat to that. I love that Eloise is like - wtf, while Penelope is openly laughing at her. Should note that this won't be the only time Cressida pulls this kind of stunt.

Letters II

Twenty minutes of screen time later, and Penelope's still waiting by the window, staving off suitors as she waits for her husband to come back from going to war and being lost at sea...

No. Sorry. That's the plot of The Odyssey. We will be coming back to that, though...

Penelope's still waiting for letters to bring up to Marina, but her enthusiasm waning.

She's so excited when she sees the letter from George!

Which makes me wonder - does she always intercept the mail? I love that the servants mostly do not care. Also, no one knows she's writing to Colin between seasons, so she must be diligent about mail time.

She is so ready to hear what George has written to Marina. It makes me wonder - has Marina let Pen read all her letters? Or has Marina only shared what was in them? And did Pen help Marina write him back? It's clear that Pen's living a little vicariously through Marina in this moment. And it's just as devastating to her when they find out that George (seemingly) has rejected Marina.

This is really a key moment in that it sets up Marina's trajectory for the rest of the season. Her heartbreak and her fear (enhanced because earlier in the episode - Portia threatened Marina with living like a beggar on the streets) are what lead her to do what she feels is best and safest for her future.

But Penelope is just confused. This is not how romance stories work. He isn't supposed to reject her. He's supposed to come rescue her and her child and they all live happily ever after. It's like she can't quite comprehend what is going on.

Of course, we learn next that this is a fake letter brought on by Portia (and Varley) ever the villain.

The Diamond

Back in the main plot, Daphne is bringing her a-game hotness as a way to get back at Simon for being a jerk. And... once again, Penelope has a front row seat to it. It's interesting how she manages to get into frame a bunch of times, to show that she is aware and paying attention to what's going on.

It is kind of funny that the LW narration kicks into gear, having lots of critiques over Daphne and Simon's love story -- when Penelope, never even speaks of it as herself. I'll have to keep notice as to whether or not Penelope ever brings up Daphne or Simon as herself.

This moment I find a little interesting though. Everyone's attention is on Daphne and the Prince, but Penelope is watching Simon. It's another love story that Pen doesn't quite understand. They seemed so together just a short while ago, and not a sudden shift in events. And Pen is once again perplexed by love and all its confounding complexities.

Alright, on to more interesting things -- the next episode actually has a Polin scene in it. A thing rarer in this season than actual diamonds. (Maybe, idk. I'm not really counting.) ;)

[kairiscorner]

HIIIII I LOVE YOUR WORK SM THEY MAKE ME CLAW AT THE WALLSSS (they make my pinoy heart SING so tysm for writing these 💥💥💥)

ANYWAYS Can i request a Hobie Brown x Filipino!Reader, where she brings him to like a family gathering (Maybe like a Manny Pacquiao party) And he’s like having the time of his life- like he has a plate full of food, jamming out to karaoke with his guitar, and like he’s playing with the Readers little cousin and he’s like spinning them around on his arms they’re calling him “Kuya Hobie”?

TYSM 🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽

HELLO PO, omg i'm so happy to hear that <:DD aLSO THIS IDEA IS SO CUTE WAIT...... ik i said i'd be on a break but this request was too cute NOT to do >:))

(reblogs are greatly appreciated, it helps get my content out there! if you guys like what you see, please reblog it too <:D)

kuya hobie brown

your family absolutely loves hobie, he's practically a part of the family now. they love how carefree and loving he is, and the adults love how well he respects your elders--doing the "mano po" whenever you introduce him to someone older, but always remaining friendly with whoever he's talking to. towards your cousins, he's their role model; he doesn't blindly obey what he's told, and will make his own way if he has to. in short, hobie gets along with all of your family, and you couldn't be any happier that he does.

"i cannot emphasize how chaotic your family is," hobie tells you as he wraps your hands in his own. he turns to you, grinning widely, and with his other hand, he brings it up to caress your cheek. "this might sound really crazy, but i feel at home here." he said as he leans in close to press a kiss on your forehead. you giggled at his show of affection, and you could've sworn a couple of your titas saw you two, pointed, smiled and started giggling and whispering to each other. one had their phone out, ready to take a picture of the next sweet moment you two would share, but you took hobie by the hand and got out of the adult's area and to the kids' area, where no one would bother you two.

"pasensya na, ha, my family is chaotic, though... a little nosy." you admitted with a bashful and awkward giggle. hobie grinned, he held you close as you two walked over to the living room, where your younger cousins were playing video games and with toys, and as always, screaming.

"i've dealt with nosies a lot of the time, i do like your family, still. and you already know i love you a whole bunch." he beamed as he kissed your cheek, which caused you to break out into a wide smile. your younger cousins witness hobie kiss you, and immediately, every single one of them squealed and screamed. they teased you two in the classic, elementary style tease, "they're sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" they'd exclaim, and you'd threaten to change the wifi password on them if they kept doing that. hobie was still very happy to hang out with you and your younger cousins, they were a delight to him.

he already had experience babysitting mayday, so he knew all the right and effective tactics to use to entertain these kids. you watched as he went over to a couple of your younger cousins who were playing with action figures and dolls, and he asked them if they've ever seen an action figure of the coolest spider man in existence. they claim they have, but hobie told them that's impossible, because, "i am the only one in the whole multiverse who has him." he said with a smirk as he showed the kids his handmade figurine of himself, which you looked at in awe.

the kids flocked together to see the figurine of him, and when they told him they've never seen this spider man before, he chuckles, and tells them, "oh, you haven't?" you have to hit him lightly on the arm to get him to stop while he's ahead. "delulu kasi yang kuya hobie ninyo, akala niya siya si gagamboy." you joked, to which he responds by playing with his figurine and telling you he'll save you from the killjoy monster that's about to eat you up!

the kids really loved hobie, they insisted on doing karaoke, and though hobie wasn't very excellent at the singing, you took over that department for him, with him playing the guitar. the kids loved your performance together, and he even taught them how to play basic chords. as the day was ending and a lot of your younger cousins had to go, one of them in particular ran up to hobie as their parents were reminding them it was time to go.

"oh," hobie would say in surprise as the kid ran up to him and hugged him, "mamimiss ko po kayo, kuya hobie." they'd say as hobie would hug them back. "aww, i'll miss you two, little fella." he replied. "can we do it again, po?" they'd ask hobie, and before you could ask what 'it' was, hobie agreed. "alright, here we go!" he'd exclaim as the kid placed their feet on his, with hobie holding the kid's arms tightly, spinning them around and around with his heels as they giggled.

you wasted no time and grabbed your phone to film this beautiful moment, your younger cousin kept giggling and calling hobie their 'kuya', to which hobie's smile grew wider and wider. you smiled just as wide to yourself as you stopped filming and encouraged your younger cousin to go home after the probably thirtieth goodbye.

"they really do love you, hobes." you said as you took his arm in your own. "and i really love them, too. they're so sweet, and you... really have a soft spot for them too, don't you?" he asked you with a teasing smile. "well... i'm their older cousin, of course i do. kahit na lalamunin na ako ng KJ monster... you save them and me from it, aking gagamboy." you teased him as he kissed your nose, wishing he could be with you and your family, seeing your younger cousins' happy smiles every day.

a/n: AKING MINAMAHAL NA KUYA HOBIE 🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶 I HOPE THIS WAS GOOD, i wanted to write more about it kaso i wanted to emphasize how sweet hobie would be with the kids, LIKEEEE, HE IS THE BEST KUYA EVER

[vampiremillk]

ROWDY 'N' RUFF !

JONESY SINCLAIR HEADCANONS

BOO'S NOTE .ᐟ . . . just some cute and silly scenarios that ramble in my head all day long about the babygirl, jonesy ! i'm from louisiana myself and really enjoyed slipping some state traits into these ! ( also, i TOTALLY got my title from the powerpuff girls lmao ! the rowdyruff boys always reminded me of the sinclair bros a little bit so i thought it was something clever to do 😭 )

• y’know what they say: a dog truly is a man’s best friend. the loyalty she has for the triple trouble sinclairs is unbreakable, and such a quote is especially devoted towards vincent. he discovered her hours after her previous owners had thrown her aside to stray the streets and swampish woodlands of southern louisiana when evacuating for one of few hurricanes that would occasionally and annually hit the area. there was no longer any room for her to fit inside the truck when they pulled off and left her to fend for herself, but vince, however, had more than enough room inside his.

• ever since, she’s been both a joy and a handful.

• vincent likes to awaken during sunrise and begin his laborious daybreak with his sculptures, leaving jonesy to rest until she was ready to get up herself. everyone else in the house, though, lounged about until afternoon came around, and even then, vince would still be occupied within the basement. there are times when she will softly push open bo’s bedroom door with her paw, climb atop his mattress and bark almost nonstop in order to wake him up, demanding she go out for her daily walk. whenever bo is lazy or unresponsive, which 9 times out of 10, he is, she’ll always go to lester instead, who generally gives her the answer “yes” to just about anything. bo often scolds lester for being the main one to spoil her so much, but she was just so sweet, he couldn't help it.

• walking her isn't the easiest thing in the world, either. lester can never control the sheer amount of excitement she receives from being outside as soon as she begins tugging against the leash. she takes him for a walk instead.

• if vincent has been down in the basement all day, once he finally exits, he receives a sudden and loving greeting that involves jonesy tackling him right to the ground.

• drools. a lot.

• bo has stepped in her waste before, thankfully not barefoot. vincent and lester were gifted an endless earful that day. he didn't even realize that he did so at first, waltzing from downstairs and into the kitchen, but a vivid stench causes his nose to scrunch and his head to swivel only to view the several patches of light brown ooze that were smeared upon the floor in a footstep pattern. bo closed his eyes and fed his lungs a deep intake of breath, preparing himself for a terrible realization. slowly looking down after raising his left ankle and flipping his shoe to look at the bottom, sure enough, he was, quite literally, in some deep shit. "oh you motherfuckers are in for it now! who the hell forgot t'take the damn dog outside?! i bet'cha she pissed somewhere in the house, too!"

• when lester began to prepare a fried shrimp po’ boy, everytime he took his eyes off of his plate to grab a different ingredient, miss mischievous little jonesy used every moment to quickly snag something from it before the roadkill boy turned back around. it took lester several minutes to begin noticing that multiple parts of his sandwich went missing. he scratched his head, brows knitted together by a thick thread of confusion, “i could’a sworn i added my tomat’as already..”

• she loves visitors, specifically when it's other relatives of the family that come around. the sinclair brothers have a few cousins that live in mississippi, those of who will occasionally travel to stop by just to say hello, and they definitely get a much-too-happy hello from her in return.

• vincent can bring her all the chew toys and save all the dinner bones in the world, it doesn't matter. she will still go out of her way to sink her teeth into a nearby pair of boots. whether they belonged to bo, vincent himself or lester, there will always be that one shoe lying around the house littered in holes and teeth markings.

• don’t let the puppy eyes and sugar-charmed jowls have you all the way fooled. she is perfectly capable of being just as vexatious with how the boys will sometimes resort to utilizing her houndly abilities to sniff out runaway victims and howl loud enough to unveil their hiding positions if she happens to come across such. bo is often one of the three culprits to bring her alongside him during his human hunts, rewarding her with a brief series of pats atop the head after she successfully tracks one of them down. “atta fuckin’ girl.”

• trained to do so by vincent, whenever he lets her stay down inside the basement with him, she’s able to clearly recognize certain hand signals conjured by the slow curve of his fingers, and she’ll quickly go and fetch whatever utensil he needs to finalize his work. it’ll be polished in a glossy glaze of mutt slobber, of course, but he simply wipes it off on his apron before putting it to use.

• “what the hell’re you doin’, man? you can't give ‘er that!” lester watches with pure worry as bo pours a can of beer into jonesy’s bowl, which she immediately begins lapping up as if it were the greatest thing she’s ever tasted. little does lester know, it wasn't the first time.

• she loves going on truck rides with all three of her fatherly figures. with bo, she always sat inside the passenger's seat, sticking her head out the window. with lester, she got the thrilling privilege of settling on top of his truck’s trunk bed. with vincent, it was the passenger’s side as well, but sometimes she'd get so excited by his presence that she’d jump right into his lap whilst he was managing the wheel, her body big enough to render him blind of the road in front of him. she’d never move out of the way afterwards, so he'd be forced to adjust his once comfortable position to something completely awkward just to satisfy her position instead. the things people do for love, huh?

• “jonesy, c’mere! you did this, didn’t'cha? ya’ little slut.” bo pointed towards a destroyed couch, the stuffing covering the floors like a blanket of snow. jonesy knows instantly when bo’s voice turns stern that he’s in no mood to play around. she’ll put on a look of guilt and submissively put her head down, confessing to her own deeds, but the puppy-dog eyes work on everyone else but him. “naw, don’t gimme that look. you knew you were gonna be sorry before ya’ even started.”

• lester and jonesy once shared an ice cream cone. no, it wasn’t him putting some into a cup for her to have, but him holding the cone up to her greedy snout and letting her get a few licks in before he took a few licks himself. it wasn't too surprising, considering lester was also the one who would sometimes let jonesy lick a plate clean after dinner just so he didn’t have to wash it afterwards.

©️ VAMPIREMILLK . do not plagiarize, distribute to other sites or translate any of my work without my permission .

[mdzs-owns-my-ass-i-guess]

Mornings at the beach

@sasumimo

🫧🍉🩳 (bubbles, watermelon, swim trunks)

Fun fact, this is inspired by a really treasured childhood memory I have <3 my heart is so warm after writing this out now

Lan Wangji feels inexplicably emotional as he bites into his triangle-shaped piece of watermelon, the silly mermaid tooth pick lodged in it for decoration nearly making him lose it.

But he swallows back his tears and decides to focus on the fresh flavor of the fruit instead - he knows this isn't a place for tears. He's not even sad! In fact, he feels the opposite - he's so happy it threatens to burst out of him.

Wei Ying and A-Yuan chase one another on the sea shore, blowing soap bubbles at each other, laughing so loudly that the grumpy old ladies trying to tan in the morning sun glare at them. They're wearing matching swim trunks, blue with these cartoon sharks on them, and Lan Wangji almost wishes he had a pair too.

They just didn't have it in his size. Oh well, there have to be downsides to everything.

Lan Wangji watches them, and his heart is so full he feels as though love is ready to spill out of him at any second. He's only ever used to dream of moments like these - soft, domestic, simple, a life so loving and so uncomplicated, beautifully mundane.

His life, Wei Ying's life, even A-Yuan's life - neither have had the luxury of "simple". There has always been something, someone standing a way, some cruel turn of fate that stole their dreams from right under their fingertips. For a while, Lan Wangji thought happiness to be impossible, an unattainable goal.

But now, he looks on at his family playing on the seashore, and he knows he has attempted the impossible with them and reached it. It's a feeling that cannot be described unless you've felt it, a mix of peace, safety, comfort and purpose, a beautiful amalgamation of all that is good in the world.

Lan Wangji quickly dries his eyes so that neither Wei Ying, nor their son notice how they're a bit shinier than usual - and busies himself with preparing snacks. He' s packed a large picnic basket full goodies before they left their beach house this morning - watermelon, strawberries, pineapple, an assortment of sweets, some sandwiches and, of course, plenty of water and alcohol for Wei Ying.

It's a bit of a struggle keeping everything cool now that their cooler has decided to refuse to do its job, but Lan Wangji is a resourceful man, and so everything is still fresh and ice cold. He doubts any of the foods and drinks will last long enough to get hot anyway - his family gets very hungry in the mornings.

And he seems to have been right on time, his husband and his son racing one another towards their beach towels, plopping next to Lan Wangji and digging into the food with abandon.

"Eat slowly." He chides, but it falls on deaf ears as his dearly loved stuff their cheeks with treats.

He sighs, fond and exasperated as he sips at his green tea and digs through the beach bag for some sun screen. "A-Yuan, after you're done eating, you need to put sunscreen on."

The boy makes a displeased face and tries hiding behind Wei Ying as he munches on a sandwich.

"Wei Ying, you need to as well."

He makes the same displeased face, and Lan Wangji can't help but smile at that. They're both so adorable - but they won't talk him out of sunscreen.

"It's still early, the sun isn't even hot right now." A-Yuan tries. "I hate that thing, it feels like slime."

"Didn't you like slime?" Lan Wangji replies, raising a challenging eyebrow. "If your interest has run out, we can always donate your slime collection to-"

"No, no, slime is still great! Just... Not on my skin... Baba, help me out here!"

Wei Ying shrugs as he bites into a piece of watermelon. "Sorry, little radish, there's nothing I can do. It's better to be slimy than burnt."

"Then why don't you like sunscreen either?!"

"Look at this child, talking back to his parents!" Wei Ying fakes offense. "Lan Zhan, are you hearing this?"

"Mn. A-Yuan has a point."

"Lan Zhan! Traitor!"

A-Yuan sticks his tongue out at Wei Ying, and promptly gets up to run when Wei Ying makes a scandalized noise and comes up after him.

Lan Wangji laughs, watching them raise sand up in their wake, and finds himself suddenly drawn to one of the little soap bubble containers.

He hasn't played with one ever since his mother died. It feels healing to do it now.

The bubbles dance in the light breeze just as beautifully as his family's laughter fills the air.

[aria-ashryver]

Hey sweets! Any hc’s you can share of Briar and Kaine? 🤭

I absolutely adored seeing your mc edits!! A talented writer, editor and overall wonderful person? You truly know no limits ❤️

aahh thank you so much sunshine!! that's so kind of you to say! 🌻💛lemme slap Briar and Kaine down here so I can look at them while I wrangle my HCs

Briar's defining traits in the early chapters of Kindred is that she is hotheaded and deeeeply mistrustful and suspicious (which made all of the Kaine reveals super fun lol, the whole time, Briar was like "I KNEW IT!!!" 🤬😤😤🔪🚨🙅‍♀️)

But they both recognise the importance of her position as the Anchor in the Windhollow coven, and are working on a few things together, namely:

communication and trust

making each member of the coven feel welcomed and valued

This has landed Kaine in the entirely foreign situation of Playing Happy Families with the Windhollow girls. She knows how important it is to Briar that Maggie and Saf feel welcomed and valued, so there is so much smushy, sappy, gross bonding going on all the time... and Kaine freaking loves it.

Oh, she complains. She says the whole thing is pathetic and disgusting, and she used to be the Mistress of Desire and now she's in the kitchen making Yo Po Mian because she just learned how to make hand pulled noodles from scratch and what a freaking downgrade this is, right? But she's elated the entire time.

It is such a blessing to fall into these simple, domestic routines with the love of her life. It's something Kaine never in a million years thought she'd have, and something she'll protect with every fibre of her being.

Kaine finds she really enjoys cooking. It was something Briar suggested as an easy way to re-establish a link to her past self and the loved ones she lost -- find a few traditional recipes from her hometown in Sichuan province in China and learn to make them from scratch. Then, between the recipes, and helping Penny dry and prepare herbs at the Apothecary for use in potions, Kaine found she loved doing things by hand and wanted to lean in further to traditional food storage and prep methods. So she goes full "make everything by hand" mode -- drying tea leaves, harvesting fruit from their little orchard for wine, fermenting vegetables in water-sealed urns to use in her cooking, grinding spices and drying meats herself. It's all pretty labour intensive, but she finds it extremely therapeutic. Also, like, the world isn't on fire and she actually has time to do that now?

And oh boy, do they have time.

One of Briar's guilty pleasures is "practicing her time magic" every morning when they wake up, purely so she can steal an extra ten minutes snuggled up in bed next to Kaine. She loves resting her head on Kaine's chest, listening to her hard-won, human heartbeat. She'll whisper a very quiet "Good morning, Fang Ziyi", and delight in the tiny smile that crosses Kaine's face before she can hide it.

They don't talk during these little stolen moments. They just hold each other close. Watch each other sometimes, enjoying how peaceful the other ones looks in the light of morning. Kaine loves to run her knuckles along Briar's cheekbone, knowing that, without fail, Briar will turn her head to press a kiss to the back of her hand. She's still getting used to such softness being directed at her. And it keeps melting her heart, year after year.

Oh, and they become dog moms. Kaine adopts a Rottweiler. Gus is far from pleased.

[autisticempathydaemon]

Take all the time you need hun! I don’t wanna make you feel rushed or anything, life is always busy 💞💞💞

What song are you fixated on at the moment? What lyric or verse, and why?

Both Over & Over by Rio Romeo and Again&Again by The Bird and the Bee, those two songs have been stuck in my head recently, it fits this fear I have in my mind that I’m never truly growing or I’m never actually gonna leave where I am, that I’ll always fall victim to habit and paranoia 💃🏽 also I just ADORE my meloncholy depressing songs lol but that’s not very heehee haha of me soooo Spider Web by Melanie Martinez bc it has the sound of a Coqui in it (I’m Puerto Rican) or River is a Vampire by Bear Ghost and Dan ET bc it’s just the vampiric version of that one meme “How you do my fellow kids” and it kills me

• What is your Enneagram type?

I think I’m a type 4? but I do know I’m an ENFP!

• Do you love gargantuan Youtube video essays, and if so, which is your favorite and why?

God I haven’t watched a video essay in AGES but I used to love them, but idk what gargantuan is </3 but I typically like video essays about internet history or crime cases, or of shows I enjoy (like MLP)

• Tell me about your childhood imaginary friend.

SHE WAS A CHEETAH WHO WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR ME NO MATTER WHAT!!! I would pet her, talk to her, and she’d keep me company when everyone would isolate me/avoid me bc I was ‘too weird’. She was just a big ass cat that would keep me company and run by the cars side to make sure I and my family was safe. She protected me 💞 (thank you for making me remember her 🥹)

• What is your go-to way to fall asleep?

Getting on call with my partner, I’m rather clingy and just wanna spend time with them even if it’s just silence or sleepy rambling, it also keeps me from doom scrolling. If not on call with them I’ll put on RSlash or Gavin’s/Davids sleep aid and hope that knocks me out (and if not that a ba LMFAO-) also if I have Lavender, I put it under/rub it all over my pillow and plushies

• If you had to change your name, what would it be, and why? (In tandem, if you have changed your name, why did you pick that one?)

Im genderfluid/gendervoid so I’ve tried many names, I do like my birth name, it means Loyal Protector/Pledge, so I wanted to find names that mean loyalty or music related names, but one name I’ve been using recently is Quincy, it feels nice sometimes, my partner suggested it to me.

• What is your favorite of Redacted's audios, and why?

Sam’s cuddles and confessions, it’s nice and comforting. That or Cataclysm in general, I fucking LOVE Cataclysm, I love relistening to it. Also any audio that involves Caelum I love that boy dearly

• What Redacted boy holds no appeal to you, and why? Like, not the one you hate but the one who you don't get the hype for. (I won't judge, I promise.)

Aaron and Vincent. Despite me being a huge vampire lover, Vincent just did not catch my attention at all, Aaron just doesn’t peak my fancy aside from one of his BA’s. Also same thing for Porter, he kinda bores me 😔

• Tell me about that one book/movie/tv show you know all the words to.

When I was a little kid, it was the live action 102 Dalmatians, I KNEW THAT MOVIE LIKE THE BACK OF MY HAND!!! I FUCKING LOVED WATCHING CRUELLA BEING BAKED INTO A CAKE BY ALL THOSE DOGS. Also Oddball my beloved 💞💞💞 the sweet baby puppy, I just understood the pup for feeling like and odd one out as a grew up, I haven’t seen the movie in years now but it still holds such a special place in my heart. Now as an adult my two favorite shows are The Promised Neverland(only season 1, I’m reading the manga) and Madoka Magica. I love rewatching TPN, but Madoka I have to mentally prepare myself for cause good lord does it make me feel like I never took anti-depressants/pos and then a movie I love now, A Silent Voice. I think I do know that one scene for scene. As a kid who grew up being bullied for being different or just not doing things right, I felt strongly for the main characters. I’ve cried almost every single time I’ve watched the movie. The part where one of the characters jumped off the balcony kills me every time because it reminds me how that could’ve been me from the fresh ages of 9-16 and almost was. It just holds a special spot in my heart and helps me keep going. (I adore my sad heart wrenching shit lmfao)

• Which Redacted boy are you platonically attracted to? Like- forget dating, which dude do you want to be your best friend?

Asher and Guy, those two would be so much fun to be friends with, also with the fact I’m so similar to them, especially Asher, bro is just like me fr 💀💀💀 collars and all. Like I just wanna be that man’s friend he is so silly

• Do you have a go-to thing you ramble about when you're tired, and if so, what is it? (For example, my boyfriend knows I'm ready to sleep when | start talking about space.)

As cheesy as it is, the fact I just want everyone in the world to be okay and happy, I want us all to hold hands, hug, and not hurt. I cry during these rambles sometimes, I genuinely just want everyone to be safe and happy and it tears me up inside and out bc that’s just not possible with the world we live in. That or I just start rambling nonsense lmfao (bonus is if I start rambling about how much I love and care about the person I’m talking to)

• Tell me your go-to gas station and drink combo.

Root beer and either Hot Cheetos/Cheesy Ruffles, or spicy chicken cheese sticks, meow I’m eating the shit out of that. (But if we have the money for it, Icys specifically cherry cause it’s objectively the best flavor next to Pinacolada)

• Tell me about your favorite playlist at the moment.

Like music playlist? Currently my fave has to be either my Alexis, Quinn, or my Darlin and Quinn playlists, I love my evil people playlists and songs that represent fucked up mindsets and relationships. That or my Melancholy Comfort playlist, I enjoy my meloncholy songs.

Redacted playlist tho? Either Sam, Vega, or Caelum, Sam holds a very special place in my heart, he’s incredibly comforting and ngl I miss the less sexual audios from his earlier era. Vega just drives me feral with every new piece of info we learn, GOD I FUCKING LOVE THAT ANCIENT MAN AND THE LORE HE DROPS!!! And then Caelum’s playlist holds a special place in my heart since that was the only playlist I could listen to after finding out I was cheated on/the other woman. Helped me out a lot for about 2 months 💞

• What's your guilty pleasure media, and why?

Those shitty werewolf romance things you see on tiktok, GOD I get so fucking invested in those they’re so needlessly interesting LMFAO idc they’re cringe, I’m cringe too stfu

• And whatever else you think tells me about who you are!

I’m a huge performer! I love singing, dancing, acting, especially singing and dancing. I LIVE for the stage and positive attention, I just wanna make people smile or make people feel scene when I preform. Hopefully one day I can be famous and truly fulfill that dream of mine. I also feel emotions strongly and spent my entire childhood from middle school and up studying psychology and human behavior. Also I absolutely HATE fake people, I can’t stand when people are fake, I try to be a safe person for everyone to truly be themselves cause lord knows I always hated having to put on a mask growing up/being isolated because I didn’t fit in lmfao.

I forgot to click on anon sorry-

I adore this entry- not only did you give me so much information to work with but you’ve given me an opportunity to pair you with Lasko which I love to do.

He’s such a character in need of love, and I think you’re a perfect person to love him and be loved in return for so many reasons. He’d be an introvert to your extrovert which is always an adorable couple dynamic. You’ve mentioned a past characterized by isolation and feeling other; Lasko is uniquely situated to understand and empathize with that. You prefer true, genuine people, and Lasko is so incredibly (albeit apologetically) himself and probably incapable of being anything else.

One of the most fun activities I think you and Lasko would do together is watch anime. I like to think he’s already a fan, mostly of adventure and isekai, with some cheesy shoujo faves he’s so bashful about liking. You show him A Silent Voice, which isn’t his usual genre, and you two cry together. Another fun thing is how you’ll perform and Lasko will be in the front row every time, cheering you on. He brings you a mismatched bouquet and rambles about how he couldn’t pick a dozen of one flower, so he got a little of them all.

Song:

Cause lately it's been hard/ They're sellin' me for parts/ And I don't wanna be modern art/ But I only got half a heart to give to you/ How can you miss someone you've never seen?/ Oh, tell me, are your eyes brown, blue, or green?/ And do you like it with sugar and cream?/ Or do you take it straight, oh, just like me?

You like melancholy songs; I can provide. This is one of my favorite pining songs, and it makes me think of a young Lasko (and maybe a young you) longing for connection, love, understanding, that one person who will make the love songs finally make sense. It makes me picture Lasko just waiting for you, you know?

Runner-ups:

On the total opposite of the pairing spectrum, Hudson is one of your runner-ups because he’d be such a good match to you as a performer. I personally can’t imagine a better hype man than Hudson. I’m also picking David as a runner-up for you, because I think you two would contrast each other really cutely, in a maybe golden retriever/german shepherd way.

Read this post and send me an ask if you’d like a match-up of your own! 💌

[bluiex]

(Avian False mentioned, Watcher sky duo, Vex Scar, hatchling)

False had given them weird looks for some reason when Grian talked about eggs and hatchlings and Scar eagerly agreed. Something about avians not laying eggs but lo and behold, Grian had an egg which he and Scar coddled and doted on for several months. And then there was a toddler on Hermitcraft. False continued to be confused, stating that once again. This wasn't how avians worked.

Scar and Grian's hatchling was absolutely adorable though. For a while after hatching Grian wouldn't even let Pearl touch her (Not that Pearl ever asked). Only Scar, who when asked about holding the baby would smile and tell them Grian had a reason to say no and that Scar wasn't about to go against that.

Then, seemingly all at once, Grian's doting overprotectiveness seemed to fade away and the little baby bird-vex-thing was allowed to run off wherever she wanted. He still would play with her when she asked him but he was back to doing his own thing.

Scar's doting never faded the same way, and when asked about it he would actually argue that Grian would barely give their baby a moment to herself. And whenever the hatchling got into an even mildly dangerous situation Grian was noticed hovering nearby to jump in.

-

"Why, exactly, are you teaching your daughter chess?" One of the hermits asked as Grian set up a chess board on the floor, the hatchling cuddled up on Scar's lap across from him.

"It's good for her. I don't have any of- Oh don't eat the pieces-" Grian cut himself off, gently attempting to pry a bishop from her steadfast grip.

"They look so tasty though." Scar joked.

"You stop encouraging her." Grian said, "Chess is good for her mind. Training her magic in a safe, controlled - ow!"

The hatchling had bitten Grian, her sharp teeth easily drawing blood. Small mercy, the situation allowed Grian to finally get the poor chewed up bishop back.

He glared at Scar, "She's definitely your daughter."

Scar hummed with delight. "She is. She's so perfect. We're keeping this chess set forever."

And Grian couldn't help smiling at that, something soft and adoring.

Then the moment passed. "Okay, chess." Grian turned to the other hermit, "this is going to get a bit confusing with magic involved, I'd prefer if you left."

"See, we wait to eat the pieces until after the game starts." Scar said.

"Scar! No!" Grian yelled, but he was laughing.

-

-@scitties-enjoyer

*gently cradles this* SO CUTE SO SWEET :((( /pos /pos /pos I love family dynamic- I love them! SO MUCH, IM SMILING SO HARD AT THIS

[the-axe-and-flail]

Look this ended up way longer and more detailed as I went on pls someone talk me out of spending the next week writing this God damned AU-

An AU where Gyomei declined Kagaya's offer to join the slayers and instead was picked up (aka sold by a crooked PO) to a guy who sailed the world procuring acts for big name circuses like B&B or Sparks. The man recognizes his unusual height and equally unusual strength, and with the help of an interpreter, he learns that Gyomei doesn't want to fight at all. The recruiter reassures him there is no actual fighting in entertainment (rather that it's all dramatization, like a Kabuki act) and he agrees, seeing no other out for himself and deciding this is the least harmful of his options.

Over the next 8 years he ends up in B&B where your family is a group of tumblers and trapeze artists. You find his strong silent type fascinating, and you love watching him train the caravan cats to do tricks like jump through hoops and balance spinning plates on their heads. Normally you'll find him in his off time training his body to peak physical form (something everyone who comes to see the strong man act is VERY aware of), but what most others miss are the moments of downtime when he's having tea or peacefully meditating, eyes closed as he soaks in the morning sunlight. His white, cloudy eyes seem to always find you when you think you can steal a glance, but he never seems to acknowledge your inquiry.

It isn't until a few months in that you're tasked with working on a new act for the tumbling floor routine that you decide it's time to get to know the seemingly gentle giant. Without any real plans in mind, you find him one morning cleaning up the equipment from his daily cat training and offer to help. He seems a bit skeptical at first, but doesn't take long to relent and even thank you for your help. He asks if you'd like to stay for tea as an offering of thanks, to which you happily accept, asking all sorts of questions about it as you see him take the small porcelain teapot and 2 small cups from a little leather box in his caravan. He explains the differences between eastern and western tea drinking, the entire while you're enamored by how precisely and delicately he holds that tiny teacup (and oh to be a teacup in those big strong hands).

You explain to him over tea about the new tumbling act you're trying to put together, and ask if he's ever thrown a person into the air the same way he hurls those tree stumps and boulders. It takes a bit of back and forth, but eventually he agrees to give it a go, though not before telling you how much he doesn't want to hurt you and please be careful. You promise that you've also trained your body to be the perfect (and safest!) acrobat you possibly could, but that his worry is really sweet and you appreciate him looking out for you. As you reached out to place your hand on his as a sign of agreement and thanks, you felt and saw his entire form stiffen slightly and immediately pull away, giving a soft apology as you do. The rest of tea time is spent enjoying the quiet sounds of the nature around you until set up begins for the afternoon.

It was a bit hard to find time and room to practice your new act, but you didn't let that stop you. Sometimes you had the interior ring to work in, other times you had to make a clearing for yourself in the woods just outside the caravan camp. Whatever your arena though, it was obvious that Gyomei was a worrier. He'd spend half of set up and stretch making sure all large rocks or fell trees were moved so nothing would accidentally harm you would he miss the catch or fumble the toss. Not that it was ever a worry of yours mind you, from the very first moment his hands wrapped around your waist to lift, to the countless times your fingers interlaced with his massive ones for stability, he'd never once given you the impression that he wasn't in complete control.

It was almost a wonder in and of itself, really. You knew he was blind, as they announced it at the beginning of his more dangerous acts, but he never really seemed like he couldn't see. He could catch axes thrown at him out of the air, he could hit a mark on the dime with a whip or throwing dagger. Time and time again he'd wow audiences with his ability to balance on a single foot, holding several hundred pounds of longs on his shoulders while jumping from pole to pole. It was clear this man was anything but ordinary, never faltering in his step or routine for even a moment.

Maybe that's why you felt so comfortable with him holding your life in his hands. When you would mess up a flip or over rotate a turn, he was there to course correct and catch, regardless of how far off target you were. It was addictive in its own way- crashing into his strong chest only to be a moment later wrapped in his arms as he slowly lowered you to the ground. The deep hum of his chest as he sighed in relief knowing you were safely on soil again. You on the other had would giggle, the rush of adrenaline a long held family favorite. You'd immediately be speaking plans for how to fix your mistake and asking if he was okay for another round, not quite noticing the dusting of pink on his ears as you spoke.

It was becoming a topic of discussion around the caravans as well- everyone noticed your breakfast tea time before warm-ups and set up/tear downs. They also noticed how even in down time you two gravitated towards each other, helping with tasks and chores, doing your washing together, even taking meals together when able. Some of the other acts even starting watching your practices, enthralled by just how high he could toss you, how gracefully you maneuvered in the air, and how deftly his catches and precision your balance was. The clowns in particular became a regular audience, always willing to cheer you on and offer fun suggestions to spice the act. For the most part it was silly or unhinged hinged things like doing the act in your knickers so you could charge triple (to which you swear your saw Gyomei fluster a bit, followed by a roar of laughter from the painted crew).

It wasn't until the night of your first show that you'd really felt nervous. This was the first act you'd ever put together without the help of your family, and you couldn't help but wonder if it was entertaining enough to really make it to the regular acts. Sure it featured one of the most popular acts of the circus, but would you be enough to pull your own weight, or would Gyomei end up shouldering it all like so many of his other features? It was enough to make your heart pound (and not in the good way) and hands tremble. Luckily for you Gyomei had spent the better part of the last 3 months getting to know your body very well, and could hear and sense the disturbance in your mood.

"Everything will go as it always has. You will be strong and precise, as you always have." His words were spoken softly, but the conviction in them was obvious. "And I will always be there to catch you." A phrase so simple it could easily pass for a quiet kindness, but the large calloused hand that tenderly held your face was a siren. Your whole body was a fire, at the mercy of his rains, and all you could do was stand there and soak in the warmth of his palm as your heart screamed at you to move.

A second later the lights were on you as the music blared, Windjammers blasting the march you knew by soul now. For the first time you looked up to see Gyomei with a gentle, genuine smile as he stepped back and held his hand out to you, waiting for the moment you started the routine. With the loud roar from the packed stands, you rushed into him as his hands wrapped around your waist, wasting no time before skillfully tossing you up, wrapping his fingers with yours as you balanced in his palms. Tossed through hoops of fire, over dangerously deep drops, and at heights unheard of, you wowed the cheering stands as time and time again your near death was evaded at the last possible second by your resident strong man. His grip was safety, his white eyes all seeing, and his precision impeccable. In the security of his catches, you were free to fly at impossible heights and perform stunts you'd only ever dreamed of as a child watching your parents on the highwires. And as the music came to a crescendo, your heart damn near beating out of your chest, you looked down to see his focused expression turn to one of tempered joy as he braced for your final catch. A moment later, the music hit its end as you were hoised above Gyomei's head in a spit handstand, balancing only on his single palm.

Cheers erupted, nearly deafening you as the two of you took bow after bow, backing out of the main ring as your personal cheer squad clowns gave rushed congratulations and praise as they flooded the stage for their own act.

"That was amazing!!" You gasped, hardly believing you'd just pulled off something so magnificent. The adrenaline in your system burning with the need for more.

"You were perfect. Just as I said you'd be." His deep voice reverberating through you despite the rushing of your pulse in your ears.

"And you caught me, just like you said you would." Oh to be able to see the smile on your face in this moment as you grinned from ear to ear. But he didn't need to see it, he could hear it in your voice and sense it in your heartbeat; the heat of your hands as you grabbed his was the definitive marker.

"And I always will." Despite the band and the crowd, despite how softly it had been spoken, it was clear as crystal. The large hands once again come to cup your face, this time followed by the sensation of his lips so perfectly meeting yours. His fingertips tracing the sides of your face as your own hands grip the collar of his uniform, both of you a tangle in the night as a blanket of blinding lights and music shields you from prying eyes, tucked behind the big top.

[carnivorousyandeere]

Do you think you might reach too many yan groups at some point?

Also I'd like possessive head canons for the student council ^^

Partly to show I love more than just marcus /j /lh

I fear I may have reached too many yan groups already tbh 😂😭 (rip unfinished Crime Family group and the Ghost Hunting Crew ✌️😔✌️)

CW: manipulation, stalking, gaslighting, mentions of violence and death, kidnapping, captivity

Emerson becomes much touchier than usual, standing at your side at all times. You really can’t get a moment away from them— even if you think you’ve lost them, they always catch up within minutes. Good luck trying to alert anybody to what’s going on. I mean, everybody knows Emerson— they’re so sweet, couldn’t hurt a fly! What are you so worked up about?

Kendra is the least outwardly possessive. Clingy and cuddly, sure, but she’s probably the yan in this group who’s the most lenient about you having friends outside of her and the student council. As long as you don’t get too close to anybody else~! Then it’ll be time for them to lose their kneecaps ✌️😜 and probably their lives 😔🕊️

Jace is typically more quiet and shy, but his possessiveness comes across as aggression and intimidation towards whoever is taking your attention. He’s got a way of justifying those arguments and fights that he gets into while dancing around the truth— that he wants you to himself. He’s not a great fighter, but even that has its upside— maybe he can play the victim and you’ll feel bad, playing nurse for him afterwards…

Rayleigh is a crier and a guilt-tripper; whether it’s intentional or not on her part is debatable. The intent matters little, you’ll still respond however you would— either frustrated and uncomfortable with her sloppy manipulations, or you think it’s rather cute and indulge her immature actions, whatever. However you respond, she’ll adapt, changing parts of herself to match whatever she sees in the people trying to take your attention from her, in a desperate bid to keep you focused on her and her alone.

Kaylee is typically more lax, like Kendra. She thinks it’s rather adorable whenever you express having positive feelings towards anybody else. It’s like a game to her, a game she knows she’ll win. She can dispose of opponents with no remorse, or just poison you against them. She also has a talent for pissing people off, and she’ll use it when you two hang out to scare off other people so the two of you stay as just two.

Hailey is the most possessive. If she can’t have you, then nobody can. She’ll kill anyone who looks at you the wrong way— which, for her, means looking at you romantically or lustfully… sometimes, looking at you in any positive way. She’s the only one allowed to hold you in any positive regard, and works damn hard to balance making you out to be a worthless pos without ruining her reputation by keeping you at her side. You’re always going to be her “project,” presented as a topic of scorn or pity amongst her friends, someone who can’t live without her guidance and protection. None of her friends can understand why she tolerates you— she must be an angel to let you hang around her, because they certainly wouldn’t, not from what they’ve heard from Hailey! Soon, she’ll be your only access to social interaction. And if you don’t want social interaction? What makes you think she cares? She’ll drag you around wherever she wants you to go, and you’ll damn well do it or else risk being locked in her basement.

[period-dramallama]

Legacy Review part 2 electric boogaloo: 2.2-3.6

Content warning: rape fantasy

So we begin with Woodstock and it’s very “I’m not stuck here with you, YOU are stuck here with ME”. Maybe we need a black comedy novelette depicting Bedingfield in a slow descent into insanity as Elizabeth psychologically toys with him until he’s broken.

Meanwhile it rather comedically cuts to Philip reading Bedingfield’s letters and thinking “what the HELL is going on in this country.”

“He considered it a personal affront that any woman should be fluent in 6 languages”. I disagree with this interpretation of Philip. I’m not saying he was the world’s biggest feminist, but he came from a family where women were administrators and regents, which no doubt required education in languages. He’d have practical experience of women’s capability.

Philip and Elizabeth’s dynamic is summed up in an intriguing way but it would be nice to see it in dialogue. Elizabeth has a big impact on Philip but it would be interesting to see Philip have an impact on Elizabeth. Yes, she’s manipulating him but he can still leave an impact on her. I mean for goodness’ sake if Ned Seymour of all people can leave an impression on/give a lesson to Elizabeth Philip certainly should. No one but Elizabeth laughing at Philip: delicious. Having said that this is a novel about Elizabeth and Robert and it’s already long so not everyone and everything can be the focus. Some things just have to take a backseat or the book will be the length of Lord of the Rings.

Speaking of Elizabeth and Robert, they have good banter. Mary’s dilemma and choice of Elizabeth instead of Mary Stuart because of the risk of civil war was well explored.

“I don’t want you ascending the throne covered in freckles”. I am personally offended by that.

Elizabeth being bitchy to Darnley and the passive aggressive Countess of Lennox was cathartic.

Philip marrying Elisabeth in a hurry because he doesn’t want to look jilted… Doubt. He already has reasons to marry Elisabeth.

Kat telling Elizabeth she should have strangled her in the crib…wow. You insane, Kat?? You can’t say that to a monarch! You’re lucky to survive that! And it’s an awful thing to say to anyone royal or otherwise, jfc.

Philippa Gregory said she thought Amy was murdered because of Cecil and I wouldn’t be surprised if this novel gave her the idea because it is written plausibly. It’s a solid narrative choice: Cecil is responsible but at the same time Elizabeth and Robert unintentionally indirectly drive him to it.

I’m amazed that the scene in Elizabeth 1998 with the boat and the bishop-ambassador was based on a real incident? Quite a few details in the scene are based on fact? (except the Philip Sidney poem lol). Wow.

“A general belief that there was no harm in a stink” oh boy oh boy NO.

Mary Stuart is “cunning and she’s been well trained in France”. Are You Sure About That.

I do find Elizabeth’s plan to use reverse psychology to get Mary to marry Darnley a little far-fetched. It does depend on every person involved acting in a way that’s characteristic and that Elizabeth has predicted. There’s a risk that Darnley going power-mad will mean he gives up his distractions to purse England. There’s also a risk that Mary will quietly get rid of Darnley, and there’s the obvious fact that their marriage still strengthens Mary’s claim to the English throne. Mary might also want England so badly that she calls Elizabeth’s bluff and accepts Dudley as her husband in exchange for that sweet sweet promise of being heir to the throne. Or Mary could marry a foreign ruler as revenge instead. It’s  kind of a convoluted plan and feels like one concocted with hindsight rather than the actual information and variables Elizabeth would have to hand in the moment. I do like the parallel between Rizzio and Amy- both are unintended collateral damage in Elizabeth’s machinations.

Dr Burcot, Kat Ashley… some really harsh and nasty people in this book. And someone get some body positivity for Mary Sidney. It’s obviously traumatic to have your face scarred but from the outside, it doesn’t look all THAT bad. Other people would surely get used to looking at it. You’d think a world before modern dermatology would be used to seeing scars from disease, acne, rashes, etc.

Elizabeth was more Protestant than Legacy acknowledges and from what I know, Cecil was closer to Elizabeth in religious sympathies, while Walsingham and Robert Dudley were on the more radical Puritan end of the scale. Yes, Elizabeth liked religious music, candles, crucifixes, and unmarried clergy BUT she read the Greek New Testament every day and she was red with anger when gifted a book of images she saw as idolatrous. This book does acknowledge the friendship between Walsingham and Dudley- which did exist, strengthened by family connections (Walsingham married Dudley’s favourite cousin, his daughter married Dudley’s nephew).

“He wanted to drag Elizabeth from her exalted pedestal and rape her in full view of the court. He wanted to beat her into abject submission and cover that alabaster body with bruises. He suspected that she had a taste for rough handling but he lacked the basic courage to follow that conviction to its logical conclusion.”

WHAT.

WHAT am I reading.

WOW.

I was not expecting that.

Honestly I’d kind of forgotten how rapey a lot of romantic heroes are (like Rhett in Gone with the Wind) even as late as the 1980s.

Cecil says of St Bartholomew’s Day massacre: “the greatest crime since the crucifixion.” The debate over who should advocate to Elizabeth for Dudley…either that’s from the sources or Susan Kay has been watching Elizabeth R again.

Locking men’s souls in the casket by her bed…I think I smell foreshadowing!

There’s a good bit of characterisation for Cecil seeing Elizabeth as unladylike: “too upright and correct to admire [Elizabeth’s flirtations] wholeheartedly for they smacked of brothel principles and offended his image of her as an incomparable deity” “hawking her body and her crown to the highest bidder as shamelessly as any whore who walked the London streets”. Like this is a world where monarchs marry off their teenage daughters for political alliances. If the daughter dies she’s sometimes replaced with her own younger sister. Cecil doesn’t have a problem with that but when the shoe is on the other foot and a woman is selling herself rather than being sold, THEN it’s a disgrace.

Did Elizabeth really mean to behead Dudley? I doubt it. But Elizabeth in the 1570s crying for Katherine Howard and Katherine Parr was a nice touch, all those suppressed losses coming out.

The pacing in part 2 generally improves, and continues to improve in part 3. There are some good references to psalms, Old Testament stories, the Bible in general. “Christ set us all a good example: never answer your enemies’ questions.”

Elizabeth and Robert as parallel lines: “parallel lines never meet”. Excellent.

“By the same token, was it necessary to wear a green wig?” What a sentence.

“Step softly round my crown” reminds me of “tread softly for you tread on my dreams” but also “around the throne the thunder rolls”.

“a diplomatic knee in the groin”. I like that.

There are still anachronisms in the narration and dialogue. “You have Catholics on the brain” “like a speculator’s bubble” “springboard” “perpetuating the species” “vampire” “tom dick and harry” “assassination is the occupational hazard of any monarch” “opium”. Looking at Kay’s bibliography, there’s a lot of biographies and not much on everyday life and language in Tudor England which is probably the reason for these anachronisms. Overall it continues to be a solid novel.

But nil points for making Dudley so rapey.

[braxiatel]

Ok so I had most of an ask written out, but the tumblr decided to delete all of it. So here's what I can remember!

Ngl I read most of 'Til our compass stands still at 3 am, so. most of my thoughts are incomprehensible. But that was so good??

I had a huge httyd phase a while back, so the dragon riding was very nostalgic to me... I love this concept so much<3 and the way you brought it to life?? Amazing.

From the beginning, you can feel there's a deep sense of sadness and loss tied into everything scar and mumbo do. (while continuing to carve out a new existence in a new place, just the two of them.) Getting a look at the life they've been living, secrets and lies and sorrow... Relationship/life dynamics go brrrr

The bit on the bakery?? Scar goes to far this is too important and. Just seeing how he deals with maybes and what ifs... Then the lovely 'stranger' (loved that reveal) and them giving more questions than answers... The botched sneak in to the presses... The realization?? All of it??? AUGH. What a rollercoaster for him (and us, but in a very good way)

I can't imagine what it would be like to not only lose a partner, but to blame yourself too. For a really long time. And now? Suddenly you have a second chance. Maybe this time you can save him. Maybe this time you'll be there. And for Mumbo?? Who's ALSO been living with the guilt? Not just about grian but about scar as well?? I'm laying face down in a dark room/pos

The plan... The limited knowledge... The ticking clock... Scar thinking he'll have to leave, to be alone- mumbo overhearing?? I AM AFFECTIONATELY SHAKING YOU

Then the actual thing. The tension in the ballroom during scars dance with Feldran... I could feel it. The way you describe things brings me so much joy:D (and scar beloved. You can't sweet talk your way out of every situation. Even if it works like 70?% of the time.) Dragon bone sword I will hunt this mf down myself

MAGIC AND LORE ARE MY FAVOURITE THINGS<33 And this world has so much of both!! All the details are beautifully crafted, and just. Face planting a keyboard (The different smells attached to different magic... The way scars powers work... ahsbdjdhndjdb)

Prison break :DDD gotta say, for a high-stress-near-death-minimal-planning event, the whole affair went quite well. I'm in denial can you tell._.

AND THEN THE REUNION- holding them close<3 or holding something above their heads to stop the caving dirt. Both is good.

High stress escape scene... Mumbo with the guards, their confessions in the rain... I could go on about this for ages. Seriously. This- yeah this

The gaurds, being surrounded, no way out... Then bam, get roasted idiots! Dragon/horse car chase through the woods, SUPER OVERPOWERED BADASS SCAR MOMENT as he bleeds to death on the forest floor. Sounds about right.

Imagine me on the couch at 3 am, happy hand flapping while i read this:)

Scar waking up and thinking everyone is dead- hugs. Lots of hugs. (Grian and mumbo provide)

Then Grains "about that..." Before mumbo comes in? What does that mean?? Is her highness not dead👀 THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS. IN MULTITUDE. /pos

...may have gone a little overboard- point is, I loved it:D No proper thoughts, just happy yelling. (I might go into may more detail in another ask later if I have time, this is all very small chunks and. I have lots more to say! but this ask is getting very long ajhdjfkfj)

-🍂

Don’t mind me, 🍂 anon, just having some emotions over the fact that you would write such a detailed ask about my fic twice over <3

I am really glad you thought so! I had to get a lot of information into the intro, so it’s good to hear the limbo-like stage of grief Mumbo and Scar were experiencing came across alongside all the essential world building I couldn’t fit in anywhere else haha. They are very deeply in love, but being in love is hard when both of you are also mourning. Their whole world was ripped away from them - their home, their family, their husband - and all they have left is each other. They’re terrified of losing that as well, and it leads to some,,,, questionable choices. 

This is where I reveal to you all that most of this fic was made up as I wrote it. I only had time for a vague outline and some basic world building, and that was what I had when I set out to write what I assumed would be a 5-8k oneshot. That’s to say, the moment Martyn walked into Scar’s view is the moment I realised he was going to even be in the fic. But I am so glad he did. He opened my eyes to an entire corner of dragon lore I hadn’t even considered, by needing to be someone affiliated with the Hermits without actually being one.

Good, 🍂 anon, because so am I! I may have been the one to subject them to the horrors, but I have had Many emotions about it. 

I am going to be entirely honest here. The reason everything went wrong in the heist is that I too was working with a time limit akjhdkakjsdhs. Planning a complex heist would have been so much fun, but I just didn’t have time. Instead, I embraced the fact that Scar and Mumbo were working with very little information, and made the decision that every bit of Mumbo and Scar’s original plan would have to fail. No going halfway either way, as I wrote the planning section I knew that I absolutely could not do any of what they had talked about. 

Ah, the ballroom scene. That took me completely by surprise, to be honest. Originally Feldran was not supposed to have a big role in the story at all, but she decided that she wanted a dance and a personality, and who was I to deny her? 

Fun fact about the dragon bone sword: I recycled the concept from a DnD campaign I used to run, and it has been a delight to tell the players that more people share their hatred of a dragonbone-sword-wielding OCs of mine. 

I am very pleased to hear you liked the magic system! I had a lot of fun developing the rules of dragonriding + magic. I may even get back to it someday, there’s a lot of stuff I didn’t get to include, as well as things I am yet to work out and want answers to myself. I also only know what types of dragons some of the hermits are bonded to, but if people are interested I may sit down and try to work out what dragon types everyone is bonded to👀 

*sigh* The dirt cave. I naively thought that section would take a few hours to write. Instead, the full section (which was shortened a lot in the final draft) took up four days of my life. It was fun to write, of course, but I did celebrate in the Vault’s writing channel when I they finally escaped.

The confession in the rain was definitely the most pivotal scene in the writing process. Up until that point, I had a very vague outline of where the rest of the fic was going, but once I put them in that situation I realised exactly what scenes I had left to write and how they would turn out. 

When I started writing the fic, three scenes were clear in my mind: Scar leaving the potion shop to go to the market, Grian’s arm around Scar’s waist as they rode through the forest on Jellie’s back, and Scar’s badass magic moment. (Well there was a fourth, but that didn’t actually make it. It did happen, but Scar was unconscious at the time). That’s to say: I am incredibly happy to hear that scene felt as epic to you as it was to me. I had been imagining it for about two months when I finally got to write it, and I’m pretty pleased with how it turned out in the end. 

This is a fun coincidence, it was also 3 AM when I wrote most of that section while half the Vault were threatening violence upon my knees if I didn’t go to bed. I am very glad to hear you enjoyed it! I hope to tell at least one more story set in the same universe post-beach scene, but I certainly have thoughts for many more. 

So someone noticed the ‘about that…’! All I will say is, did you actually see Feldran die? or did you see her very injured and humiliated in a way that might make her likely to hold a grudge against Scar should she survive? Food for thought, hmm? 

Please, 🍂 anon, I need you to know I kept this in my inbox for a few days just so I could reread it. Your happy yelling is not only welcome, it was in fact a really lovely boost to my mood the past few days.

Thank you for taking the time to write this lovely message not just once, but twice. Any and all future thoughts you may have are always welcome <3

[baileyboo2016]

hey so beating yourself up over the eating thing won't really help. please be kind and patient with yourself. try adding more snacks to your day. you don't have to eat only during established meal times if it doesn't work for you. you want a snack? eat the snack. really, the moment you allow yourself to eat a little a lot of the time, it might get a bit easier. it's not a moral or personal failure to struggle. it's not shameful if you have to drink your calories in the form of smoothies or protein shakes. you're not a letdown in regards to your family because you struggle. improvement will come with time, so please keep your head up during this storm too.

awww gloom thats so sweet i might cry 😭 (/pos) tysm for the kitties, hi linky and salma!! 🥰🥰

yeah i tend to beat myself up over everything and my thoughts convince me that i am in the wrong (they do a pretty good job at that). my mom is more than willing to help me get more calories even when im back at school. its just upsetting for me because i was doing so much better earlier this year, my weight was healthy and i was maintaining calories, and then i went to school. and im all the way back at square 1 :( in fact even lower than that! so ofc my thoughts come in to blame me for everything

[bethestaryouareradio]

Hop to it!

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[song-tam]

🍑🍆💗 also

1. i swear me choosing the peach and eggplant wasnt intentional

2. dont make fun of me for this but i JUST realized okay apparently arjun and kahan are your ocs???? i was so confused bc i didnt know what book/show they came from omg them being your ocs makes so much more sense

i think ish and ash are rubbing off on you. you’ve come so far from the leggings thread

HELP that’s so fucking funny. you could’ve just?? asked?? if you didn’t know what media they were from i would’ve been happy to braindump lmfao but yes they are my ocs. you’re so stupid /pos

🍑 Where is your OC’s favourite place to relax or calm down? Recount a story of their time spent in this place! What makes it so special to them?

OOOH okay this is a good one. kahan’s is this small area of the garden behind his father’s manor where there’s a very large shady tree. it’s quiet there and no one ever goes there except him, so it’s his place to wind down when things get to be too much. it’s important to him because his mother showed it to him when he was little—it was something that was supposed to be just theirs, something that he didn’t have to compete for w his older brothers. just the two of them, under the tree. now, though, it’s just kahan, because his mother isn’t there anymore, and it’s the one place he can be with her even though she’s gone.

arjun’s favorite place is less sad. back in his hometown, there’s a street vendor cart that makes the best food. oily as shit and so spicy that it burns your taste buds right off. yknow, the way brown people like their food. he’d get food from there all the time with his sister; the two of them used to sneak out after dinner and run a few blocks down to the cart and stuff their faces with whatever they wanted. his favorite time at the cart was when the vendor, a scrawny old lady, judo-flipped a thief when he was trying to steal some of the money she’d made. absolutely hilarious to watch.

🍆 Tea or Coffee or Hot Chocolate? Sweet or Spicy? Fruits or Vegetables? arjun - hot chocolate, spicy, vegetables. kahan - tea, sweet, vegetables.

💗 What would your OC say is their best feature? Why? What do their friends / family / lover(s) / people they know think is their best feature and why?

HELP OKAY THIS IS SO FUNNY okay both of them are pretty. they’re so pretty. they’re my ocs they’re literally self inserts obviously theyre the most gorgeous beautiful stunning beings to ever exist.

in all seriousness - arjun would say his best feature is his eyes. they’re this warm brown color, like melted chocolate, and (he has fire powers bear w me) there’s tiny golden flecks in them. they’re so pretty you would not believe. pretty much everyone would agree w arjun’s assessment of himself, especially kahan, because he’s gay and in love w arjun and this man could literally stare into his eyes forever if he was given the chance.

kahan, however, would say that his best feature is his hands. he really really likes his hands. they’re a musicians fingers, his hands. (he plays piano it’s hot moving on) mans has a whole ass routine to take care of his hands. manicures and shit. but everyone else (not including arjun) claim that kahan has a nice nose. it’s a very nice nose but also it’s a Nose who gives a shit. AND ARJUN this fucker he’s obsessed beyond reason w kahan’s laugh. like it’s not normal how in love with it he is. he heard it for the first time, like not just a snicker or giggle, like a real laugh and that was his “oh.” moment it’s become his life mission to heart kahan’s laugh all the time he thinks it’s the prettiest thing he’s ever heard.