#also unedited so sorry

[cnl0400]

Character references for the undateables

I love all the little details!!

Sharing these because knowledge should be #free and #available to #everyone

[magicaldreamfox1]

ONE PIECE (2023) — 1×03 (totally unedited) (insp.)

[dailyloopdeloop]

DAY 97: CONGRATULATIONS, YOU WON!

[fluentisonus]

rambling here (& a little drunk) but it's so interesting coming to les mis from a preexisting maritime/age of sail interest background because like the whole historical situation (well. wrt toulon at least) it's discussing is like. it's very much a side of things you don't think about so much I guess when you're focused on life on board the ships themselves & particularly ships at sea. which -- like tbc my knowledge of this stuff is mostly to do with the royal navy during the same period, which can be very different re: how it functioned, so I don't necessarily know much about the french navy or how obvious this stuff would be if I was reading books about the french navy -- but just the whole existence of the bagne & the prisoners being the ones to help with the ships while they're in port (amongst other things) really makes one think about like idk. how casually you might get someone on the ship referring to 'putting in for repairs' or something in a way you wouldn't think twice about what that might imply. meanwhile then you read this & read the historical background & there's a whole different angle that's absolutely full of horrors. idk idk like I keep thinking about how in post captain (aubrey-maturin series, so written well after les mis & probably deliberately conscious of it while doing this) when they go into the harbor in toulon to meet with christy-palliere during the peace of amiens & there's like half a sentence mention of the convicts on the far side of the harbor unloading stuff from the ships before they go on with their lives (& this is 1802, jvj would literally be over there right then), and it's just background description. and how like every battle you read about, in fiction or non fiction, every time they talk about french ships taking damage or needing supplies etc etc it that it's often toulon (or similar) they'd be limping back to. it's just such a crazy shift in perspective & new consideration of some of the actual sources of this historical labor & how damaging it was beyond what's on the actual ships

[horsemeatluvr23]

the juppet !! i just realised he is jerma posing i swear that was unintentional...... i spent so long digging thru muppet concept art and looking at old puppet designs just to end up doing a rly simple drawing but. i love joehills!! i have only been watching them for like 4 years but their videos r so special to me :3

[aheathen-conceivably]

1, 10, 12, and 25! - lgl

LGL always a joy in the inbox 😊

1. What’s the last screenshot you’ve taken for your story?

Trying to get them spoilers here, huh? 😜

The last screen I took was actually while testing some pose edits. It is a blessed photo, so please enjoy (and speculate)…

10. Is your story fully planned or are you still working things out? is there a definitive end?

Kind of, definitely, and yes.

More specifically, I have a number of specific details planned out. I always like to ramble about how it’s like scaffolding being built toward the sky. The higher you go the less the structure is there, and you can see all the cracks and still need to figure out how to actually get to the next solid point, which is where the inspiration and flexibility comes in. But overall, yes, I have the final scene of the story written. Imma need a whole ass team if I’m ever gunna get there at this rate though 😅

12. Do you actually play the game or do you just use it as a storytelling medium?

Specifically in the Darlington save? Probably like 20/80 at this point. I play between story shoots to kind of mimic the arcs, so it’s more me just imitating my own story in gameplay vs. actually playing the game and letting it influence my writing at all.

25. What inspirations have you drawn on for your story?

Goodness, gracious. Everything? If that’s a fair answer? 😅

Movies I love, books I read, history I’ve studied, songs that hit, fellow storytellers, tropes that make my brain itch, personal experiences, the color of the sky sometimes, a single word my husband says. Honestly? Fun times out here when you’ve got the Darlington brain rot.

To narrow it down I think that the 1890s/1900s were more inspired by my own aesthetics and decades challenges in general, and things got a little more personal around 1910 (which is why I usually tell people that’s when I start to really like the story). Those years were heavily inspired by Downton Abbey and Titanic (of course). And as broad stroke inspiration, I’m sure y’all know I’m fond of the “it glitters so brightly you don’t even see the tragedy until it’s too late” vibes that Titanic has (cue my other favorite films Cabaret and Moulin Rouge).

The 20s are inspired by New Orleans, I cannot state it enough. By everything I felt in my years there and everything I learned during my MA. More specifically, it was heavily drawn from Mister Jelly Roll and Empire of Sin. We also have some Gatsby in there, of course 😉

Now in the 30s I’m really having a blast, because I feel like I’m pulling inspiration for all the previous decades (Gatsby references coming when?) as well as hinting toward future ones (a certain littlest heiress and her obsession with the Wizard of Oz comes to mind). Combined with that is so much rich inspiration for this decade itself, coming heavily from Route 66: A Cultural History and The Grapes of Wrath specifically , as well as broader ideas of Americana, country and blues music, and the symbolism/beauty of the desert.

This decade has also really made me realize just how much inspiration I draw from place, and how it not only influences my style of descriptive writing (which in and of itself is inspired by Anne Rice), but also makes me so interested in how a location and its history influences people and the path of the story. I feel like it grounds me not just in a time period, but how that time period may have been different in specific locations and how different characters react to those factors.

[holocene-sims]

ramblings about my story

i don't have a cohesive post here but man i really wish i could just get myself to finish writing and posting everything the stars promised 😭

it's not like there's a time limit or anything, but i feel lowkey dumb for writing this thing for two years and not finishing yet, and the hiatus i planned to take just through the end of my college career is extending way longer than i wanted because, idk, i cannot find the motivation to play my game and write and post. and then the longer it takes me to finish the story or a certain scene or literally do anything with it, the harder it is to work on it. i feel like there's no point in posting it anymore because i'm taking too long and it won't be worth sharing.

sometimes i want to quit, sometimes i want to race to the finish line, sometimes i want to delete my whole blog, sometimes i wish i had a magic wand to make the story end NOW but properly with the ending i already have planned out so i can move on and do something different. and often i wish the different thing was just the epilogue so i could post the same sims but way more freely and not look at my game like a list of tasks to complete to finish x story thing. i'll never NOT be a writer in the sims first and foremost, but i would like to play the game more loosely instead of it being a screenshot creator.

i am super proud of this thing, and there is way more story to tell, which i really do desperately want to tell, but my brain is broken 🤷

[beyourownanchor6]

inspiration saturday

thanks for the tags loves @hippolotamus @daffi-990 @spotsandsocks 🩵

—posting this as a lil early bday treat for my beloved spotty @spotsandsocks 😘 and in the hopes it inspires some writing beans so i can finish it in the morning 🥲 (i’ll get it to you soon as i can love!! <333)

“Hey Eddie, what do you think about this?”

Buck plopped down next to him, one leg on either side of the bench, Eddie trying not to notice how closely it pressed their legs together. He flipped through his pages, showing Eddie a few of the table set up designs he’d mocked up. Eddie looked it over, glancing around them as he tried to envision things. Like Buck’s writing, the drawing was a little chaotic, little hearts drawn around them with eyes and happy faces.

Eddie looked up to him with a raised brow, Buck smiling sheepishly, rubbing a hand at the back of his neck.

“I uh, like to doodle when I can’t focus. My sister said I’ve been doing it since I was a kid.”

Eddie smiled over to Buck, brushing a finger across one of the heart drawings.

A clearing of throats had them both turning wide eyed to his sisters, Adriana and Sophia fixing them with pointed looks.

“How about asking the bride what she thinks about her wedding layout instead of her brother?” Sophia questioned, Adriana snickering next to her, elbowing their sister.

“Uh,” Buck laughed nervously, Eddie refraining from reaching a hand over to squeeze his arm in comfort. Buck cleared his throat then, blues catching on Eddie before he grabbed his clipboard, lifting it up for his sisters to see.

Adriana and Sophia looked it over, mumbling things as they went, using their unspoken language to point things out.

“Yep, that’s looks great Buck. You’re the best.” Adriana handed the clipboard back to him, Buck sheepishly taking it and turning back to face the table. His sisters looked between the two of them then, Eddie rolling his eyes as he shooed them away.

He didn’t care if it was his sister’s wedding week or not; surely, they had somewhere else to be, right?

tags: @loserdiaz @redlightsandicedtea @honestlydarkprincess @monsterrae1 @onward--upward @barbiediaz @buddierights @eddiebabygirldiaz @jacksadventuresinwriting @cowboydiazes @elvensorceress @wh0re-behavi0r @thewolvesof1998 @disasterbuckdiaz @spaceprincessem @wikiangela @wildlife4life

[burning-academia-if]

Lars & 16. snowball fight? 👉👈

Lars + Snowball Fight

There was probably a reasonable, more mature way to deal with Lars Angel. In the months you’ve known him you’ve since to find it. But Lars was, well, Lars. He was always distant and cold and brushing you off, all while dressing like he was an elderly man living in the 1920s and maybe you were at the end of your ropes.

            It was the final straw when he’d given you his usual vague glances when you’d called out to him after getting out of your last final. Sure, it was to be expected. And yet. It felt like any and all raptor you’d managed to build up didn’t exist unless when it suited him best.

            So yes, you did drop down, scoop up some freshly fallen snow, and lobbed it at his head as he turned away without so much as a hello. And yes, you did mess up his overly perfect hair. He was going to kill you. It did nothing to drop the grin from your face. Even as passersby eyed you, those who knew the infamous man with the gaze of someone about to witness a murder.

             Slowly he turned around, and you kept your shit-eating grin, “Sorry, Lars. I think you were too quiet. Did you say ‘hello’ back?”

            He shook his head and the remnants of the snow fell off. His eyes narrowed faintly and people subtly got out of the way, not wanting to get caught in the cross fire, “I’m too busy for your nonsense today.”

            “Of course you are! Whenever are you not? But you can still spare a second to acknowledge me.”

            “I’ve acknowledged you.” His voice was flat. He turned away. Oh, you weren’t going to let this go quite so easily.

            But before you could so much as go for a second throw, you blinked and then you were almost teetering as a snowball hit you square in the face. You gasped, the cold biting as it hit your skin.

            Quickly you scrubbed it off, and your smile only grew, “Oh, so you do have a fun side?”

            “If you go for one more—”

            “What are you going to do? Don’t tell me you, Mr. Joyless-and-Boring, is going to have a snowball fight with me.” His eyes narrowed further, and the two your eyes locked in a standoff. There was still snow clinging to his jacket, you noted with mirth. And his scarf had come undone just a little. “Well?”

            You hadn’t expected him to actually do it. But one second the two of you were staring off and the next the two of you were running through the courtyard, off the paths, as people glanced over in surprise. Lars had perfect aim, because of course the bastard did, and you were mostly just trying to run away because you knew it was over the moment he caught up to you.

            Still, you tried your best and missed more then half your shots and a breathless laughter trailed after you. It was as you got to the end of the courtyard, and snow covered grass got turned to concrete, a hand was at your wrist. You fell back, foot slipping ever so gracefully, into a sturdy body. All the snow from being pelted with snowballs fell off as you hit.

            “You are a menace.” Lars stated, breathing almost as hard as you.

            “At least I keep things entertaining.” You turned to face him and he dropped your wrist. You reached out, lightly pushing strands of hair back into place. “You should probably fix your appearance. I can’t believe you’d look unprofessional when you have…whatever your busy with.”

            He swatted your hand away, “Are you satisfied.”

            “No.” You quickly backed away before he could grab you again. “You still haven’t said ‘hello’ back.”

            “…Hello. Now are you satisfied?”

            “Yep!” He brushed the snow off his clothes, and you wondered all the ways he was thinking of killing you. “This all could have been avoided if you just said it in the first place.”

            “Noted.” Lars turned, having enough of you for the day, and honestly, probably for the entire week. Still, it was with great satisfaction that when you caught him the next day, he finally greeted you back.

[mapofthewrld]

" who is she ? "

in which : marjorine and kenny have a play date, and kenny learns a few new things about himself (kenjorine)

butters hears a gentle knock on his front door. he springs up from his seat on the couch and rushes to open it, impatiently fiddling with the lock with a large grin.

he opens the door to reveal a gush of fresh spring air and his best friend, kenny. he wears a baggy tshirt and pants. his blonde hair is in a messy bun with strands framing his smiling face.

"heya, ken!"

butters beams at the other child. kenny takes in the sight of his friend, dressed in a polkadot dress and white leggings. his hair is in a small ponytail in the back of his head, with a bow adorning it.

kenny smiles. "hey, leo! or is it marj today?" kenny knew butters- or marjorine, as they sometimes liked to be called- was genderfluid, and their name preference just depended on the day. he was happy to oblige.

the energetic blond pulled his tired friend into the house, gently shutting the door behind him. he quickly flashes a bright smile to the other. "it's marjorine today!"

kenny gives him a nod as he's pulled upstairs, into his friends bedroom. scattered across the floor lay a few dolls and video game controllers. marj let's go of his hand and sits on the bed with a smile.

"so, what do you wanna play?"

the other blond takes a seat next to his friend, giving her a thoughtful look. "i don't think i mind," he finally decides. "whatever you wanna play!"

marjorine claps and grind wider at the other. "really? oh, this is great, ken! can we play dolls?"

kenny agrees without missing a beat. not only does he love seeing the smile on his friend's face, but he quite enjoys the game himself.

- insert play time here -

"here you are, princess kenny!" marjorine giggles and claps her hands together, moving her doll in front of kenny's. ken smiles and moves his doll's arms, waving at hers. "thank you, lady marj!"

whenever the boys played dolls, kenny would (more often than not) play as a character called "princess kenny." he found joy in her and her relationship with lady marjorine.

the real marj studied his face carefully while he blanked out. "hey, uh, kenny?"

"yeah?"

"do you like bein princess kenny?"

the boy's eyes snapped to the floor. his hands found each other and he cracked his knuckles subconsciously. "i mean, i guess so."

"do you.. like when i'm marjorine?"

"marj," he took his friends hands in his own with a smile, "i like you all the time."

and with the shine in her eye, the toothy grin she gave back, kenny knew without a doubt that he really did like his friend any way she was.

[daddyplasmius]

hand on my stupid heart flashbacks

this is a No One Knows AU & Full Hazmat AU where Danny ended up in the Ghost Zone & didn't go back into the human world initially because he thought he was dead. by the time he realized he is, in fact, at least half alive, he'd already been missing for at least 2 weeks. will probs never finish homsh sorry. i wrote this a couple years ago in a haze & just haven't been able to finish it because i can't replicate the style, which i find is what i love about this fic the most. it wouldn't be the same without it. posting the flashback introsーwhich are meant to be read between chapters/the actual plot, starting after chapter 1ーcuz fuck it. excuse typos & shit, i never properly edited it, as i forgot it existed immediately after i wrote it original description of homsh: Danny Fenton has officially been missing for over a year. Maddie & Jack Fenton refuse to give up on their son. Sick and tired of the police running them in circles, and the case getting colder by the day, the Fentons turn to their last resortーPhantom. 800~ words (full unfinished fic is 20k~)

-

When Danny woke up surrounded by thick, green fog, and couldn’t breathe without swallowing heavy air that was more like water than anything, he was sure he was dead. The portal glowed behind him, illuminating the pitch darkness around him in soft, yellow, warm light.

He almost went back.

Almost.

He was dead. His parents were ghost hunters. They had drilled into his head from the moment he was born that he could never, ever panic in death. That he would accept it. That he would not be scared. So he would be prepared to be brave in the face of death and would not become a ghost.

He panicked. He did not accept it. He was terrified. And so he woke up in the Ghost Zone.

-

Danny went back through the portal when he saw some ectopuses acting… strange. Like they had an idea in their heads. Like they had a plan.

Which was weird, with animal ghosts. He had only been in the Ghost Zoneーmom and dad called it that, he rememberedーfor a couple weeks. Or, he had already been there for two weeks. Or maybe time worked differently and he was there five minutes, or four years orー

The ectopuses went through the portal and, despite everything, Danny went after them.

While he was busy reeling at being home, the ectopuses immediately attacked dad. Danny was horrified. Jack was overwhelmed. Danny stepped in, in a moment fueled by sheer adrenaline and stupidity, snatching a Fenton Thermos™ off a shelf and releasing his shaky invisibility. The ectopuses didn’t stand a chance. And when they were safely in the Thermos, he slowly turned around to dad, ready for the confrontation. Ready for the “what happened to you?” and the “where have you been?” and the “we’ve missed you”.

Dad scrambled to shoot at him.

Danny fled.

His parents didn’t recognize him.

-

The Lunch Lady attacked when Danny was mourning Halloween.

He’d waited all year. He made a costume that summer. He wouldn’t get to go trick or treating with Sam and Tucker this year. Or any year. For the rest of his lifeーor existence. Whatever.

The Lunch Lady appeared in the school and demanded in straight fury, “Who changed the menu?”

Everyone pointed at Sam.

Danny hadn’t known just how powerful ghosts could be. His parents never told him the specifics. Just that they were dangerous.

This ghost grew and her aura hit him like a hurricane, almost physically pushing him back. It was so strong that the students in the Casper High cafeteria seemed to feel it too.

The Lunch Lady was a much harder opponent than the ectopuses. She levitated meat. She used it as a weapon, and seemed to bring it back to life. She created weird meat creatures that grew sharp teeth and claws out of bones. They were mindless, attacking everything that got too close to the ghost. Danny would have run away without hesitation, if Sam hadn’t been in the crossfire.

Danny fought the Lunch Lady. It was a long struggle, but he caught her in the thermos after over an hour. When he turned to Sam and Tuckerーboth of whom he had to save due to Tucker trying to jump into the fightーall three of them bloody and bruised, he cringed. But a part of him hoped. Desperately.

Surely they would know him on sight.

“Wh-what are you?” Sam gasped at him finally.

Danny flinched as if she had struck him. “J-just… your friendly neighbourhood phantom.”

-

Danny didn’t know what possessed him. Oh. Pun not intended.

He just barely caught the Fentons leaving in the GAV, dragging suitcases behind them. He couldn’t help himself. What on Earth were they doing?

They were going to Vlad Master’s mansion for their college reunion.

It was a whole thing. But something was off. Besides all the adults reminiscing about the 80’s.

Danny sensed ghosts immediately but he couldn’t see anything. Unfortunately for him, Vlad could also sense him. It was two days of Danny staying invisible, and Vladーthe halfa? Is that what Danny is?ーtrying to kill Jack. Somehow, Danny managed to fight off Vlad, not turn back, and without the Fentons getting hurt. His secret intact.

VladーPlasmius, also learned about Phantom. And Vlad hated him. The manーghostーwhatever, seemed to only care about one thingーpossession. Of money. Of things. Of people. He was more ghost than Danny had ever seen. Vlad’s obsession was overwhelming.

Danny couldn’t believe someone so much like himself could be so disturbing.

[medicbrainrot]

i don’t know much but there’s no weight at all

Task Force 141 was eating breakfast together in the mess hall, when Simon showed up a few minutes late…

Artemis tilts her head at him, a concerned look on her face: “Simon? Are you alright?”

Simon nodded yes and walked over to the table. He sat down on the seat next to her and leaned forward with his elbows propped up. He smiled and spoke in a calm, quiet voice. 

“I’m fine, Artemis.” He said as if nothing was wrong. Artemis could always see straight through him, but for now he hoped she would believe his words, since he rarely opened up about how he felt.

“Are you sure?” she asks, placing her hand on his forehead, “you’re looking kinda…pale”.

Simon chuckled and shook his head. He leaned his head into her hand and looked up at her, giving her a comforting smile, eyes crinkling through his mask, although she could tell the smile was forced. He was tired of hiding how he felt all the time.

“I’m fine, I promise.” He said softly, closing his eyes but tilting his head to the side to lean into her touch to get a little bit of comfort.

“You’re not coming down with something, are you?” she asks softly.

Simon opened his eyes and turned back towards the table as he sighed. Artemis always had a way with making sure people were okay, which Simon always found quite comforting.

“I’ll be fine, Temi.” He said softly, giving a little half nod. 

“Don’t worry” he paused and thought for a second before speaking up again, his voice lower than usual, “but… I should probably talk to you about something…”

“Yeah, what’s up? Do you want to talk here or somewhere else?” she asks quietly

Simon opened his mouth for a second before closing it again. He looked up at his girlfriend and nodded.

“Can we talk in my quarters? Away from everyone else… you’re the only one I feel safe talking to about this kind of stuff…” he paused and took a deep breath before continuing.

“I have something that’s…been bothering me lately… something that I need to share with someone…”

“Of course, grab something to eat while I clean my stuff up, and I’ll meet you at the door.” She nods to the end of the mess hall room.

“Okay” he nodded and got up to grab a tray and some food before walking to the other side of the room. Once he got there, he sat down, lifted up his mask, and started to eat. While he ate, he thought about what he was about to tell Artemis. He wasn’t sure how she was going to react. The one thing he knew for sure is that he could always trust her.

She sat down next to him while she waited for him to eat. “I’m ready to go to your room when you are” she smiles softly

Simon nodded at her and smiled. He put his fork down and pushed his plate away from him. He sighed and stood up, sliding the mask back down, before looking over at her again.

“I’m ready to go.” He said calmly. He turned his head in the direction of his room and waved his hand to tell her to follow him.

She took his hand and gently rubbed her thumb across the back of his palm while they walked.

Simon felt a chill run down his spine when he felt Artemis’ soft touch on the back of his hand. He looked down at her and smiled softly. When they finally got to his room, he closed the door behind them and leaned back against it for a moment. He slipped off the mask entirely, setting it on the desk. He looked back at her and nodded.

“I’m sorry for bringing you here so suddenly… I just needed someone I could trust.” he paused and sighed before letting out a soft chuckle. “The thing I wanted to talk about… it may sound silly to some people…”

“No, it’s okay, I’m here to listen and help as much as I can” Artemis smiles gently at him.

Simon nodded softly. After taking a moment to take a deep breath, he let out another sigh before speaking again.

“Lately…I’ve been feeling…empty…I know I’m supposed to act tough all the time and to never worry about anything and to just…deal with it…but after everything I went through, and everything I witnessed and had to do, it’s gotten hard not to feel something other than sad a lot of times… You’re the only person I trust enough to let everything out like this.”

“Why don’t we sit down, this is a sitting down type of conversation.” She takes his hand and leads him to the bed, prompting both of them to sit. “How long have you been feeling like this?”

Simon nodded and followed her over to the bed. He sat down on the bed and took a deep breath before thinking back to when everything had started happening. 

“It’s been going on for a while now…” he paused and sighed, “maybe about six months or so. And it’s been getting worse as of recently… Every time I think about what I did in the past, every time I think about something I witnessed, or every time I think about how I had to lose some people. It all just makes me feel guilty.”

“Ok,” Artemis nods softly, “was there a specific event that made you feel like this, or has it been building up?”

Simon paused for a moment and thought of the question. He knew exactly what moment had caused it. The day he lost his entire team during a mission in Brazil. He took a deep breath and spoke quietly.

“It was the day I lost most of my team… we had a mission in Rio. We knew it was dangerous, and we expected something to go wrong… but when we first came in contact with the enemy, I had to witness the people I called my brothers die right in front of me…”

“I remember when you came back from that mission.” Artemis says quietly. “Do you feel guilty for being the only one who came home?”

Simon nodded his head. Guilt and shame were the only things he felt for himself after that day. He felt like a complete failure for letting his team down, even though there was nothing he could have done to change what happened.

“I feel so horribly guilty…that I'm the only one that made it out… I couldn’t do anything to help them…to change what happened… it’s hard to not see myself as a failure for that reason…”

“Simon, are you familiar with the concept of Survivor's guilt?”

“Survivor’s guilt… you mean the feeling some people get when they survive something that their friends or family didn’t?” He paused and looked up at her, waiting for her to continue. He wasn’t really familiar with the term.

“Yes, but it’s a little more complex than that.” She says softly. “It’s used to describe situations where someone feels intensely guilty for surviving something that others didn’t, even though there were circumstances out of their control.”

Simon nodded and listened to what she said. He agreed with what she said about Survivor’s guilt, because everything she said described how he felt ever since that day in Brazil.

“Yeah, I guess that’s how I feel…” He paused for a second before continuing. “It’s like my mind won’t stop going back to that day over and over again, all night, every day… I can’t make it stop, and it’s driving me insane…”

“I want you to try and think logically for a second, okay? I’m going to walk you through a couple of questions, and I want you to try to think logically through them.” Artemis says.

Simon nodded his head and looked at Artemis. He took a deep breath to calm himself down before speaking to her.

“Okay, I should be able to think logically.” He paused. “Go ahead.” He spoke softly, trying to act calm. “I’m ready”

“Were you and your team briefed on what was supposed to happen for the mission?”

“Yes, we were. We were fully briefed on the mission. It was our job to go in there and get rid of anybody who was a suspected insurgent, and to retrieve intel. That’s what we were there for.” He paused and took a deep breath. “We knew what we were getting into. It’s just… we never expected it to go like that…”

“Ok, try to give me shorter answers.” She says gently.

“Was anyone who did not want to go given a chance to back out?”

Simon nodded and looked her in the eyes as he spoke. He tried his best to follow her advice and answer her questions in as few words as he could.

“Yes. Nobody was forced to go. Everyone who went wanted to go. None of them wanted to sit it out, so we all went together.”

“Ok. Did you as lieutenant make sure that your team was ready and had everything they needed prior to stepping off?”

Simon nodded and looked at her before answering.

“Yes. We all had our equipment and we all made sure our guns were checked, everything was good to go. We made sure we were all ready and prepared for anything that could happen. And at the last minute, before we flew out, we all made sure everyone knew their roles and responsibilities.”

“Ok. Did you as lieutenant work to the best of your ability to lead your team?”

“Absolutely. I did everything I could to keep them all safe and alive. I tried to keep them focused on the mission, and I guided them as best I could while we were there. I told them to stay together throughout the entire mission and I told them to keep our eyes open.” He paused and frowned. “I really tried my best to keep them safe and get them all out alive… but that didn’t happen…”

“Ok, shorter answers love, remember? We’re trying to think logically here.”

“Right…” He trailed off for a second.

“I did everything I could, I really did. I did everything a leader is supposed to do.” He paused again and looked down at the floor before speaking again. “But it just wasn’t enough…”

“Ok. I want you to say what you just said, again, minus the last part.”

He took a deep breath and looked up at her. He took a second to think of it again before replying.

“I did everything I could, I really did. I did everything a leader is supposed to do.”

He paused for another second before speaking.

“I just didn’t do everything right enough… I should have done more… I should have been better at what I did…”

“Simon, just say it again, but don’t add anything, just the first two sentences.” She says, squeezing his hands gently.

Simon sighed and then looked back up at her. He took another deep breath before speaking again, trying to stay calm.

“I did everything I could. I did everything a leader is supposed to do.”

“Say it one more time for me.”

Simon groaned and let out a deep sigh, but did as she asked him to. He wasn’t quite sure where this was going, but he went along with it for now.

“I did everything I could. I did everything a leader is supposed to do.”

He let it sink in for a second, waiting for her to speak.

“Ok, good. When everything went south, did you still do everything you could, yes or no?”

Simon nodded his head.

“When things went bad…yes I did, with what I had. I did everything I could do when things took a turn for the worst… even if it wasn’t enough…” He paused for a second and then spoke again. “Yes, I did all I could, even though it wasn’t enough.”

“Just yes or no, Si. When things went bad, did you still do everything you could?”

Simon nodded his head and spoke.

“Yes. Yes, I did my best all the way through. I tried to save them… it just wasn’t enough. Even though I did all I could, it wasn’t enough…” He paused for a second and took a deep breath. “When they died, I couldn’t do anything to stop it, or to save them…”

“Simon, sweetheart,” She places her hands gently on his face. “Just answer yes or no, please. When things went south, did you do everything you could?”

Simon nodded his head.

“Yes…yes I did… I know I'm repeating myself, but I just want to make that clear… I’m sorry.” He paused for a moment before speaking again. “When things went sideways, even though I had very little time, I did everything I could to save them.”

“Ok, repeat after me: ‘I did everything I could’.”

Simon was confused, but he knew that she was trying to help him, so he did as she asked.

“I did everything I could.”

“Say it again”

Simon was confused why he kept repeating that sentence, but he continued to speak.

“I did everything I could” he said calmly.

“One more time” she says as she presses a kiss to his forehead.

“I did everything I could…”  He repeated that sentence once again, like she asked. Artemis’ touch felt comforting, and it felt like he needed that kind of comfort more than he had needed it in a long time.

“When everything went south, did you do everything you could?” she asks softly

He nodded his head, trying his best to keep his anger and his sadness down.

“Yes…yes I did.” He paused again and sighed, trying to keep himself in check. “When things went south, I did everything I could.” He repeats, trying his best to keep his cool.

“Something as big as this takes time to work through, but part of it is learning to be nice to yourself, and acknowledging that you did everything you could in the situation.” she says quietly

Simon stayed quiet for a moment. That did make him feel a little bit better than he had previously. It was the first time in a long time that someone had told him he had done everything he could. Hearing that from Artemis made it seem true.

Simon let out a deep sigh and smiled softly.

“Thank you Temi… I needed someone to say that to me… for a long time now…”

“Of course Simon.” She gently kisses his forehead again. “Survivor’s guilt is something that takes time to work through, but it is possible.”

She gently caresses his cheek. “You are a great leader, and leadership comes with responsibility for your team. But that includes yourself too. Don’t forget that.”

Simon smiled softly as he looked up at her. She always knew how to calm him down in situations like this. She was one of the few people who could make him feel at ease, and he was glad to have her there.

“Thank you… I need to do better for myself, honestly. I always put myself last, and that’s probably not the healthiest way to live my life.” He paused and sighed. “I’ll try to do better… I just hope that someday I can forgive myself…”

“It’ll take time, but I’m here. I’ll be here every step of the way. If you want to talk, cry, scream, yell, or fight someone about it, I’m here.”

Simon sighed and looked over at her. He nodded his head and spoke softly.

“Thank you , Artemis… You really have no idea what your words have meant to me… If I need to vent about it again, I know I can come to you.” He spoke softly and smiled, looking into her kind eyes, seeing the care for him behind her gaze.

“That’s part of loving someone Simon, is being there for all of it, the good and the bad.” She presses a soft kiss to his cheek.

Simon smiled as she kissed him once more, feeling himself grow calmer as he was comforted by Artemis.

“Yes…yes it is…” he spoke softly. “And I really do truly love you, my sweet girl. Thank you for always being here for me. Your kind words have meant the world to me, more than you could possibly know.”

She smiles gently at him “do you have anything else you want to talk about while we’re here?”

Simon thought for a moment.

“I have to say, I’ve always been afraid to bring this up… but there’s one more thing that haunts me about that operation. I’ve kept it hidden out of shame… but I wanted to tell you now that things are moving along…”

He paused for a moment, taking another deep breath.

“There’s one thing I did that I never told you about… One of the men I killed wasn’t an insurgent. He was an innocent civilian.” He spoke quietly.

“Was it an accident?”

Simon nodded his head. 

“Yeah, it was an accident. He was caught in the crossfire when I was trying to take down a suspected insurgent. I didn’t mean to pull the trigger, it was an accident… but I still ended up taking the life of an innocent person. And nothing changes that…” He paused for a moment. “It still bothers me…”

“It wasn’t your fault. It’s the unfortunate nature of warfare, sometimes innocent people get caught up in conflict” she brushes her hand down his face gently. “It wasn’t your fault.”

Simon sighed and let out a deep breath. He was disappointed in himself, and he felt it to his core, but what Artemis said was the cold hard truth of it.

“You’re right… it’s the nature of war.. It could happen to anyone…” He paused and shook his head. “I still wish I hadn't though.. I wish I hadn't been the one to take that man’s life… but I was, and it’s still a part of my past that I have to live with…”

“We’ve all done things we wish we hadn’t. It’s part of being human. But another part of being human is allowing ourselves the grace to move on, to move forwards.” She says gently, reaching down to squeeze one of Simon’s hands.

Simon nodded his head and squeezed her hand back… She was right, and what she was saying was the truth. Humans did make mistakes, and it was part of human nature to do the wrong thing sometimes. And people deserved grace and they deserved to forgive themselves.

“I’m going to try to be kinder to myself…” He paused and sighed. “You’re right…”

“It’s hard to be kind to yourself sometimes.” She says softly. “But you of all people deserve kindness.”

Simon smiled and spoke softly.

“Thank you.” he paused for a moment and then continued. “It’s hard for me because I tend to hold myself to higher expectations than I should… but you’re right, I have to allow myself some kindness.” He sighed. “And I have to remind myself that I’m just a human, and as humans, we all make mistakes. We live and we learn from them.”

“We live and we learn.” Artemis repeats softly, nodding her head.

Simon smiled and nodded. 

“And the best thing we can do is learn from ourselves and not make the same mistakes in the future… that’s what i should be focusing on…” He paused and sighed. “I really have you to thank for that. Your words have helped me to realize that I might always regret the lives I had ended in the past, but I’ve learned from it, and I should continue to learn and focus on the future.”

“Exactly, and if there's days where you find it hard to be kind to yourself, I can be nice enough for the both of us” she says, finally pressing a kiss to his lips.

Simon was taken by surprise, and he blushed as she kissed his lips once again. It was sweet, so much love between those two. He gently kissed her back and smiled, feeling himself become calmer each time she kissed him.

“I don’t think anyone could ever be as kind and gentle and sweet as you, love.” He said softly.

“I love you Simon,” She whispers, “never let yourself forget that.”

“I love you too, my sweet girl…” He whispered and smiled softly. He loved how much effort she was putting into this. She was truly kind and gentle, and he wanted to thank her for it all.

“I will never forget that as long as I breathe. It’s a fact I will carry with me to the grave.”

“Good.” she smiles as she kisses him again.

Simon smiled and met her kiss, wrapping his arms around the beautiful girl and pulling her in for as long as she wanted. He truly loved her more than anyone else in the world. He was so lucky to have her, and he wanted everyone to know just how lucky he was to have a girl like her. 

A/N: Thanks for reading! Likes, reblogs, and feedback are appreciated!

Masterlist

[thatlittledandere]

Cosplayed Marie at a convention today and so many people recognized her and even asked for photos aaaaaah!! It's never happened to me that many times a day before! :D

[kastillia]

Hel’s Tactician

birthday prank on @shinyv >:)

[hoziersmoon]

have some more new immortal nickyfrombrooklyn. idk it’s a surprise to me too <3

“What’re you drawing, sweetheart?”

Joe looks up at Nicky from his seat on the couch. 

“Nothing,” Joe says quickly, feeling caught out. “Just warm-ups.”

Nicky’s eyebrows raise but he doesn’t say anything, just flops down on the other end of the couch.  Joe flips to a blank page and very carefully starts drawing the view through the window. 

Joe thinks that’s the end of it— but he should know by now that Nicky doesn’t let go of anything that easily.

“Why the fuck does it scare you so much?”

Joe’s hackles rise immediately. His eyes snap to Nicky’s. “Scared? Scared of what?”

Nicky’s jaw is tight, green eyes blazing. “That I want to know you. That I could know you.”

Joe hates this feeling that bubbles in his chest when it comes to Nicky. He’s spent hundreds of years tempering the way he can’t help but feel everything so deeply— joy, sadness or anger. He’s overwhelmed others with those emotions, overwhelmed himself. He’s worked hard to hold all that back, for his own survival. With Nicky, he always feels like that careful work is about to crumble.

He feels it now when he snaps: “You don’t know me.”

Nicky doesn’t miss a beat. “You won’t let me know you. Because you’re fuckin’ terrified. I dunno know of what, but you are.” He smirks, infuriating and smug. “Admit it, doll.”

“You asshole.” Joe throws his sketchbook on the coffee table, rising up on his knees. “You think you can—”

Nicky leans over across the couch and cuts Joe off, his very gaze a challenge. “So prove it. Show me what’s in that book.”

Joe’s chest goes tight. He does what he does next because he knows that it can’t possibly be as exposing as handing over his sketchbook because— because— Nicky is somehow, infuriatingly, correct. Joe is terrified of what’s in there. Pages and pages of Nicky. His striking face, the broad lines of his torso, much too many sketches of his hands. It’s Joe’s heart spilled on those pages, more unguarded than he’s been with even himself in years. 

So instead of meeting Nicky’s dare, Joe leans in and kisses him. 

Nicky barely hesitates, gasping against Joe’s mouth quickly before immediately kissing him back. One of his hands grips the back of Joe’s neck, the other gripping Joe’s waist to pull him closer. 

Joe meant for it to be quick, to make some kind of point, and then leave but then— Nicky sucks on his bottom lip and licks into his mouth and Joe finds himself pressing in close to climb into Nicky’s lap. 

It all goes a bit hazy after that. 

Nicky kisses the way he does everything: boldly, confidently. Joe can’t help but melt for it, into the warm sturdiness of Nicky’s body beneath him. One of Nicky’s hands slides into the back of Joe’s jeans and Joe knows he should stop this but he can’t. He can’t stop slipping into that hazy place, can’t stop himself from sliding his hands into Nicky’s soft hair, can’t stop himself from making a needy noise against Nicky’s mouth. 

It doesn’t help that Nicky meets him touch for touch, hands firm and proprietary on Joe’s body. When noises slip out of Joe’s mouth unbidden, he only holds Joe closer, thumb stroking where he's still holding the back of Joe’s neck. 

“Hey guys, you want anything from— woah. Um, never mind.”

By the time they wrench themselves away from each other, and look over, Nile has already left the room. They look back at each other, both of them breathing heavy and unevenly. 

Nicky is red in the face, hair a mess from Joe’s hands. His mouth is swollen and slick, and Joe wants to lean back in but he looks up and meets Nicky’s eyes. He’s looking at Joe with an unbearably tender, vulnerable gaze, and Joe realizes then what a big mistake he’s made.

Joe scrambles off his lap, straightening his clothes. 

Nicky sits up. “Baby, I—”

Joe shakes his head, lump in his throat. “Don’t. Don’t.”

He snatches up his sketchbook from the coffee table and leaves the room.

[lilyharvord]

RQ Rare Pair Week 2

It's bad, but I didn't have much time to write. I saw the prompt and immediately thought of my babies so here they are. Listen I know it's really bad, but it's honest work XD. Here's NikxCoriane doing their best with my poor writing skills right now. @nortaeventcouncil

The subtle wind off the coast blew the heavy scent of salt and the faint whisper of a storm brewing into the hovel that Nikolas had been huddling in for close to three hours now. They had picked this spot because it had the least amount of visual interference, and the auditory device they were testing seemed to work best when it was pointed directly at its counterpart in the room. However, it meant he was forced to deal with the wind and now the rain when it undoubtedly came. Tugging his dark mask up higher and hunching his shoulders a little more to keep his body heat centralised, he whispered, “All this and for what?”

“You mean you don’t enjoy listening to a senator have a saucy affair?” Came a voice from above him before he heard the light sound of feet landing behind him. He glanced over his shoulder at the shadow that detached itself from the wall off the alcove as it slowly unwrapped the rope from around its wrist. 

Nik frowned under his mask as that shadow slowly approached, and then forced his eyes away and back at the window that was glowing. At least the horrific sounds he had heard coming from that room had stopped. But the light had not gone out yet, which meant that the senator was still awake, and he could at any moment say exactly what they needed to hear. 

The smell of delicious, warm rabbit stew hit him like a truck and sent him reeling. His stomach growled so loudly, he heard her laugh as she offered the bowl to him. “Sorry it took so long. You would be surprised to know how long it takes to get this stuff.” 

Taking the warm bowl in his hands he inhaled deeply and then exhaled a little louder. “I suppose I can find a way to forgive you.” He smiled at her under the mask, and in the dark her amber eyes crinkled with a smile too and she slowly pulled down her mask and brought her bowl up to her lips. He watched her throat bob as she swallowed and he turned his burning face away. The dream he’d had last night as they were travelling via the train here coming to him in full force. When he’d woken up next to her and felt her chest rising and falling against his side he had thought only of the way her breath had sounded in his ear as he’d run his hands up her sides in the dream. And now, huddled in this hovel with barely enough space to be separated from her, it was becoming a serious problem. 

A shadow passed in front of the window and Nik perked up a bit at the sight before whispering, “here we go.” 

“It’s the mistress leaving.” Coriane whispered as she sipped at her soup. 

“And you know that because?”

“Because I saw his wife returning as I was coming back here.” She replied as she leaned back against the wall and stretched her legs out a bit. He glanced back at her before slowly pulling his mask down and forcing himself to lean back and take a sip of the soup. He tried to stifle the groan that slipped past his lips but the warmth from the soup spilled down his throat and he couldn’t help it then. He saw her eyes dilate the slightest bit at the tail end of the noise, and her lips hover over the rim of her soup as she darted her eyes slightly in his direction and then back to the window. 

He swallowed thickly and to break the silence, he took another sip and then asked, “Have your parents written?” 

She shook her head, and then scuffed the heel of her boot on the stone before saying, “No, but they’ll write when they have time.” 

He nodded slowly and sipped at his soup again. Next topic then. “Do you think we’ll actually get anything from this?” He set his mostly empty bowl aside and checked the read on the audio device. The waveforms moved slowly as a conversation carried out in the room. He turned a dial and the warble of the senator’s voice as he conversed with another woman. From the little he was paying attention to, it was just small talk about his day. 

The first drop of rain fell, hitting him on the nose, the second drop landed on his forehead as he looked up. Within seconds it was a downpour. They scrambled to cover the electronics, Coriane’s soft curses drowned out by the rain as they pushed it as far under and behind them as they could. Lightning flashed only a second later, and he froze before pushing her against the stone. Another flash and a bolt hit the tower across from them, burning the after image into his retinas. 

“Off the tower,” Coriane wheezed in his ear as she grabbed the front of his jacket and pulled him toward the rope. “Off the top of the tower.” She repeated as if she could move them faster from the space. He stumbled with her, bagging the machine, abandoning the soup bowls. Another flash and the tower shook with the sound of thunder. He stumbled on the uneven stone and pushed her against the wall as rain pelted his back, driving him into her until he could feel every inch of her back pressing into his front. On instinct, he wrapped an arm around her and she hugged the machine so it was sandwiched and sheltered between her and wall. He would chuck it away if he could, they hadn’t gotten anything useful anyway. 

Her breaths were rapid against him, and for the first time, he saw how afraid she was. There was not much that put her in that position anymore. He hugged himself closer in response, pressed his face into her hood and whispered through the fabric to calm her. Her hand squeezed his wrist in response as they waited in the dark for the worst of the storm to pass. 

It was close to an hour before he could peel himself off of her. The rain had lightened to a heavy drizzle, and the stone was slick under their boots and hands. Climbing down the weakened side of the tower would be perilous, if not stupid. 

“We’ll have to try and climb down at dawn, when we can at least see our footing better.” He whispered, trying to remember how easy it was to view the tower from the bridge spanning over east and west Archeon. She didn’t respond, and she didn’t remove her hand from around his wrist. His heart fluttered in his chest at the skin on skin contact, and he silently chided himself for the stupid thought. This was a serious, life-or-death scenario, if they were caught, there was no hiding, no cover story for what they were doing up here. But he was thinking about his best friends hand on his wrist, and how her breathing had evened out, and how she still somehow smelled like firewood while soaked to the bone. He couldn’t tell if she noticed his accelerated heart rate, nor could he tell if she noticed the way his thumb softly moved over the hem of her pants unconsciously. She was closer than she had ever been to him, and it terrified him at the same time that it drove him just a little bit insane.  

“You can let go of me then.” She whispered to the stone in front of them, and he immediately dropped her, feeling his face flush in embarrassment. Her eyes were uncertain as she glanced at him and then down at the device in her hands. He didn’t even remember fully handing it to her. But he also didn’t remember wrapping his other arm around her either during the worst of the storm. 

He glanced quickly around the small space, spotting a tiny lip in the alcove that was partially sheltered. “Here.” He cleared his throat on the word and pointed to it, nudging her in the direction with a nod. 

Wordlessly, they settled into the space, their sides fully pressed together, their wet clothes sticking to them like second skins. He could feel the warmth she was releasing as she hugged the machine close. 

“You should… put your arm around my shoulders.” She whispered, and he almost bit his tongue off in surprise. 

“What? Why?”

“I’ll… I’ll try to keep us warm while we wait for dawn. Just, put your arm around me.” She insisted as she turned her body a hint and put more of her skin against his. 

The movement he made was jilted and awkward, until he settled his arm around her, banded it across her collarbones to hug her other shoulder and bring her closer. Immediately, he felt the wave of heat she released. It was less like the blistering heat he knew she could make, and more of a summer breeze. And even though it was supposed to warm him, it sent a shiver down his spine instead. 

He looked to the sliver of the ocean he could see, and prayed silently that the sun had hours left before it had to rise.