#alternate titles include Bottling Happiness and Happiness In A Bottle

[thenamelesshaven]

To Catch Happiness In A Bottle

A flutter of wings

Pursed lips

Not quite right

Frothing bubbles 

And a misty fog

Just a shade too bright

Catching light 

Fracturing rainbows

From warm honey glow

As a page is turned

Ink stained pages 

Whispering half truths

Found from trials

And errors plentiful 

To hold up a bottle

Swirl it around 

Letting the liquid flow

Blood in water

Mosaics of color

As the sun rolls by

Catching crystals in its light

[jennawynn]

Chronotrek TNG Part 3

Season 2 Episode 2 to 9

2- ugh I am really not liking Pulaski.

3- I love that Geordi's Data's ride-or-die.

4- Was this comic supposed to be actually funny?

Recently I went to a 'neurospicy' meetup where we discussed neurodivergent identity, common behaviors, and media representation. Data is often lauded as one of the first, most recognizable, and most relatable of this representation, even if (and maybe because) he wasn't meant to be. This episode features a few things that we specifically spoke about, even though it wasn't about him: he studies humanity as though he is not part of it. (Several of us, myself included, were scholars of history, psychology, anthropology, sociology.) he over-analyzes his own behavior compared to that of others to try to fit in and act in a manner that aligns with what is expected or what makes others comfortable. (masking) he does not understand many types of humor, though he does tend to understand wordplay and logical humor.

One of the most pertinent topics we covered in this hour or two long conversation was how often what we say is mistaken for a joke. That we accidentally perform observational humor by stating something that we notice and someone else finds that funny. We might even become known as funny people... and that being mistaken for funny is the best possible outcome of the situation since the alternative is being labelled rude, out of touch, ignorant, etc. At the end of the episode, it is suggested that Data's timing is off, to which he replies "My timing is digital," and everyone chuckles. He then realizes the connection to the origin of that humor and tries to capture the same lightning in a bottle immediately turning everyone off. It was one of the most relatable things I've seen in all of Trek.

5- I really do like how they portrayed disability in TNG. Geordi's the most obvious example, but here they also have a Deaf character who speaks through his chorus. I have some concerns about how his translators are treated as extensions of himself rather than individuals with jobs (do they have rights? do they have time off? do they get to have relationships of their own?)

and unlike many recent shows where people with similar or parallel identities never actually get to discuss their similarities or differences, Riva immediately discusses his disability with Geordi. Do you resent being blind or being dependent on your visor? No, because they're part of me and I'm happy with myself. There is a little bit of a wish that they also showed someone who maybe had a different mindset, but I suppose in this universe at this time, anyone who didn't see their disability as part of themselves and instead as something that happened to them could have had it fixed. As always, it's nice to get a wider variety of experiences rather than only focusing on one... but if we can only have one, the one that adds to acceptance is preferred.

The way he was coming onto Troi was squicking me out, though I think it was because she seemed to be uncomfortable with it... and later I think it was more because there was an 'audience'. Once his chorus was dismissed, she became more comfortable with it and therefore so did I.

And there's Pulaski being a dick again. Twenty percent loss is NOT almost as good. That's an incredible margin of error when you're talking about sight! It is interesting to know that Geordi has chronic pain associated with his sight, but I think she was being insensitive to how he might feel about it, just assuming he'd want 'normal' sight.

6- Well this one's dated from the title alone. They've definitely been doing a lot of work to humanize Data and set up the arguments I know are coming in The Measure of a Man. This whole season seems to be reinforcing the idea that Data is both machine and something more.

"He is different, yes, but that does not make him expendable or any less significant. No being is so important that he can usurp the rights of another."

Beyond the obvious allusion to disability, neurodivergence, and race here, I'd like to point out the second sentence coupled with the fact that in 2x1 when Troi was discovered to be pregnant, almost everyone immediately suggested termination of the pregnancy means that the Federations is pro-abortion rights.

7- a force field? Have those words ever been used on Trek before? it sounds out of place.

Pulaski told Data to pilot the shuttle without telling him why. He should have been given the courtesy of informed consent. She just assumes he can't be affected, but she doesn't actually _know_ this for a fact, just as she didn't know the children were infected/carriers/the cause of the problem. Then, when she is stricken, he has to go with her, and honestly? should probably have been left there with her. To let him come back before they'd figured out the cause could have been dangerous. So she effectively sentenced him to quarantine on a planet FOREVER without telling him what he was getting into... because she doesn't consider him a person.

She has Bones's fear of the transporter. From @jbk405's replies earlier, the Doylist take I understand is more trying to make a New Bones for TNG, but the in-universe Watsonian explanation implies that medical professionals might know something about transporters we don't... and that could be interesting (Dr. M'Benga aside, I suppose, since he's keeping his daughter in there forever)

8- Riker on a Klingon ship. I almost wish it had lasted longer.

9- I think I've said pretty much all I need to say about this in the leadup. I do think the "why don't Starfleet officers all have to replace their eyes with cybernetic implants" is an excellent point, and I definitely saw the things he was packing as being foreshadowing for the trial later. I was expecting to see the same kind of uno reverse gotcha that we saw in Strange New Worlds with Una's trial. It was interesting to see it take the direction it did, spurred by a real life Black woman equating a fleet of Datas with disposable people and slavery. It was a nice touch to have her prompt that discussion instead of it being someone whitesplaining slavery to a Black woman. And I think Picard's reasoning is entirely in keeping with the Federation's goals.

To strip Data of his personhood would be a step backwards for the Federation, and I'm glad they went the other way, though I think that's how they should have phrased the actual question. Whether he is alive, sapient, sentient, etc. is not actually what they were after. They were trying to decide if he should be given the rights of being a person, which especially when you have several non-human races is a more important question than whether you are human.

[simdertalia]

Witchy Potions 3

More witchy potions and ingredients! Thank you to @bodegababysims for the suggestion of the 7 deadly sins potions 💜 💜 💜

No mesh needed (thank you for your lovely TOU, @sanoysims!) and is a recolor of their Bath Salts bottles from the Orama Bathroom set, which you can find HERE.

Sims 4, base game compatible.

13 swatches. Found in clutter and misc. decorations and bathroom accents. 1 Simoleon.

To find quickly, type “witchy potions” into the search query in buy/build mode. If you’re like me and have a lot of CC in your game, an easy way to find things is to search for the title of the item you’re looking for.

💗 Anyone here via SimFinds, please see THIS POST

📁 Download: https://www.simfileshare.net/download/2544391/

📁 Alternate download: https://mega.nz/file/NhwkFQZZ#RYWVCCgdyFAbparnsqCw8XDB7jBITWEbsWDTjrtg3kY

And you can find set 1 <HERE>

and set 2 <HERE>

*Thank you to all the creators who allow others to recolor and even include their meshes ❤️

~I take no credit for the images used in my recolors. All credit goes to the artist Vera Petruk. (iStockphoto)~

As always, please let me know if you have any issues! Enjoy and Happy Simming!

[bonny-kookoo]

Sing to me: JJK x Reader 🔞

Pairing: Jeon Jungkook x Reader

Genre: Mermaid AU, Siren!Jungkook, Prince!Jungkook, homeless!Reader, Romance,  Smut duh

Wordcount: 5k (medium)

Tags/Warnings: okay so, spoiled kook, possessive kook, Theres literally an attempted murder lol, drowning? whoops, blood oh no, reader is hella fucking dense ok, biting, courting lol, fish boy is in love, whoops, anyways we got sexy times too, because in this AU fishboy got legs n all of that hah, unprotected sex because, guys pls this ain't supposed to he realistic, wrap it before you tap it folks, its also not all that filthy lol, blink and you'll miss the scene, honestly I didn't include much smut because yall nasty so you will ask for dirty drabbles anyways, not that I mind lol, k I'm done I think, wow mom I've sinned less than usual..

Summary: Help me love myself, and I might learn to love you as well.

Or alternatively: you save Jungkook from being killed, and he totally gets the wrong signals. But he's cute, so its fine. Probably.

Jungkook is floating.

He thinks about what lies above the waves, and cant think of anything he really finds interesting. The surface is littered in junk, in things humans leave behind without thinking twice about it. It's air is thick and stuffy, hard to breathe and never clear at all. It's crowded, with creatures who at the end of the day all look the same in his eyes. There's nothing exciting about the world people walk on.

Its boring, and dirty.

His own home is, compared to that, a kingdom radiating like the moon itself. It shines and sparkles, and harbors some of the most beautiful creatures ever to be found. He and his family, as well as everyone else, live in peace with nature down underneath the waves, existing side by side instead of trying to gain the upper hand all the time.

And he's reminded of the cruelty of man, when he finds himself caught in a net.

He's somehow made the fishermen drop it instead of pulling him up on their boat. But that doesn't mean he's free- he's still struggling with it, fighting it, but he cant rip it apart. All he does really, is tie the knots tighter, have them dig into his skin until spots are rubbed raw. He can't really swim anywhere at this point, gives up as he can see the last lights of his distant home fade into the distance.

Jungkook is floating.

He's slowly being led by the waves, by the love of wind and waters, as he closes his eyes. Its a pity, really; for a prince held so high to die by the mere hands of the poor, he thinks. It's upsetting him, very much so, but he takes it as it is. There's nothing he can do anyways, as he slowly comes into contact with the sand below. It washes him up onto short, the dry sand sticking to his body, waves pushing him higher and higher onto the ground.

He shivers, the cold outside air biting at his skin now unsheltered and defenseless.

He doesn't know how long he lays there.

But at some point, steps are heard on the sand. He keeps his eyes closed, doesn't care about what will happen next- he really just wants to have it be over by now, the ropes already painfully burning his skin at certain spots. He's sure theres sand in his wounds as something touches him- warm fingers, hesitant, and almost shy.

He keeps his eyes closed.

"My god, I hate humans.." You mutter under your breath, your voice hitting his ears, making him notice the way it sounds. He thinks it sounds very similar to some of his kind; sirens being blessed with voices sweet and enchanting. Maybe you were one of the strays who had decided to live on the surface for some reason? But your smell was entirely human, although much sweeter and pleasant than anyone he'd met before. And then, after a small short moment of pain-

He's free.

His arms flop to his side, and he breathes in deeply- finally able to fully move again. His eyes open, and adjust to the night for a moment, before they meet yours.

How interesting.

"Jungkook?" Jimin asks him, curious to what has gotten the young Siren so occupied. Typically, Jungkook would be watching the annual kingdom dances with at least some form of interest; even if it was just a glimpse of it, just to make his parents worry less about him misbehaving. But today, as the graceful dancers move around to the orchestra playing, the young prince is absolutely not there. At least not mentally. "Jungkook." The older one scolds, getting Jungkooks attention- his gaze hard and annoyed. "Please, young prince- at least try to pretend you're interested. This is after all part of our culture." He strategically uses his title as teasing- something which makes Jungkook snort without any fun.

"I really don't want to be here." He explains, and Jimin sighs. "I'd rather be at the surface.." He mumbles, being careful not to be too loud- but Jimin does pick it up, and so does his partner, Taehyung, next to him- now leaning a bit forward to hear better.

"Oh?" Jimin asks. "What could be of interest there, I wonder?" He teases, and Jungkook grows even more irritated.

"Nothing that should interest a whore like you." He says harshly, though Jimin knows he means no harm with it. Jimin is, after all, a man who enjoys the simple pleasures in life- which is why he can't quite grasp why Jungkook, a young man in his prime like himself, doesn't seem to care about whats going on around him.

"Hm, but I think she must be absolutely divine if you're willing to risk the wrath of your own mother just to see her." He says, and Taehyung snickers next to him, clearly amused.

But to both of their surprise, Jungkook grows.. calm. Theres even a glimpse of a smile on his lip as he rests his head on his head, elbow on the armrest of his throne. "That she is." He says, quietly, as he watches the young woman in front of him. He has to imagine you there instead, moving oh so gracefully to the sounds of his Kingdom's greatest musicians- dressed in the most beautiful gown he'd gift you. "That she is.." He repeats, a dreaming look on his face that Jimin has not seen before.

Jungkook watches you.

He enjoys watching you on your daily trips to the beach, picking up cans and bottles, and other things people throw away without care. You're cleaning up the beach, and he thinks its a very good behavior- he likes the way you always carefully scan the ground and sides for any garbage. He swims a little closer as he spots you squatting down; eyes lighting up as you pick up a shell he'd personally not care much for. It's slightly pink- but nothing he hasn't seen in his life. They're so common, and he suddenly thinks that if this already makes you happy, what if he was to bring you something else? Something better, something more worth your attention?

He feels a rush of excitement.

Dashing into the opposite direction, he makes his way towards the ground below, eyes scanning the ground as he searches for something. He spots it after a few minutes of searching, but when he holds the pearl, he hesitates.

Its not enough.

No, that's not what you should get. He's only paying back his dept, yeah, that's what he's doing. But what if he was overdoing it by bringing you something too expensive or rare? No, he should be smart about it, yeah. Start small, and work your way up he thinks, as he takes the pearls he's collected while deep in thought, and pushes himself back to the top, swimming easily. He hopes you're still there-

And there you are, dipping your feet into the water.

He looks at what he can see; only able to see clearly underneath the waves rather than above. There's a bracelet hanging around your ankle, and it looks cheap, he thinks. It only helps him by giving him ideas for his next gifts- if you would accept his first, that is. He's never been rejected before, but then again, has always rejected instead. Nothing had interested him to the extend you did. Maybe you really were of his kind, secretly.

When he slowly brings his head up the waves, you don't get scared, or flinch. You simply look, spot him, and smile.

He likes that expression.

He comes closer, free hand helping him onto the stone you sit on, his hand holding your gift eagerly pushing against yours. You understand quickly, and open them, and he smiles. You're smart, he notes, and it only adds to your qualities, he thinks. Dropping the pearls, your eyes sparkle again- as they should, he thinks with pride. You inspect them with big eyes, as if you've never seen something alike. He enjoys your reaction- and you nod at him. "Thank you- are they for me to keep?" You ask, pointing to them, and then at your chest. He's not fully fluent in human language, but has picked up on some words and phrases, since Seokjin had recently strayed- teaching him some stuff whenever he got bored and visited his younger brother.

So Jungkook nods. "You." He says, and you like the sound of his voice; fittingly just as handsome as the rest of him, you think. But then again- his kind is known for its beauty and enchanting voices. "Keep." He tells you, pushing your closed palm a bit closer to your body as if to underline his statement. You think its cute, in a way.

"Okay." You say. "I'll keep them-?" You ask, and he doesn't understand, until you point to yourself, and say a name- yours, he supposes.

"Ah-" He starts, pointing to himself. "Jungkook. Jeon, Jungkook." He tells you, and you nod, smiling.

"It's nice to meet you, Jeon Jungkook." You smile, and he grins back, slightly sharpened canines in stark contrast with his bunny-like smile.

He thinks its nice to meet you too.

"But you're a witch, aren't you?" Jungkook argues, staring at Taehyung. "I thought you were all so capable." He challenges, and Taehyungs eyes darken- quite literally, since sea witches do technically have black eyes- but conceal them, as to not scare off people. He regains his composure however when Jimins hand lays on his shoulder.

"Now now, no need to become huffy." He says. "He didn't say he can't do it- he simply told you that its not that easy." He explains, and Jungkook sighs, rolling his eyes. Ever the spoiled prince, they think to themselves.

"I don't care about that." He states. "Can you do it, or can you not?" He asks, and Taehyung thinks for a moment.

"I.." He begins, before he sighs. "I can. But, there's a catch, Jungkook." He tells him, and this time, the youngest of the group seems just as serious as he listens. "I can't promise that.. the result will be what you will expect." He says.

"What do you mean?" Jungkook asks.

"There's a chance she won't survive it."

He doesn't think much about why you're so often sitting on that rocky structure close to the deep- he likes not having to get out of the water to be close to you. And you think, Jungkook is quite the interesting being.

He’s curious; that much you can tell. His hands rest on your knees, your toes sometimes brushing against his abdomen as he swims closer- face coming forward to properly look at you. His vision must be bad outside of the waters you assume, his brown eyes squinting in concentration until he huffs and let’s himself back into the waters. You chuckle, and simply take off your jacket, slipping into the water as well as you control your breath- his entire face brightening at your body now underwater in his world, finally clear to see for his eyes.

You’re pretty, he thinks, definitely prettier than any other human he’d encountered before. The clothes covering your breasts and private parts a bit dull and boring for his taste- but he’d change that soon. He smiles, happy, before holding up his finger as if to signal for you to wait before he swims away, elegantly and fast. You swim up to breath some air, catch your breath, until there’s a hand around your calf, holding, fingers running over the skin, signaling you to come down again. You follow his question, taking a deep breath to meet him underneath the surface; his excited hands wrapping something around your neck, before he swims in circles as if he’s suddenly got too much energy. You point to yourself, as if to ask if you can keep it- and he nods, wide eyes watching you with a smile that you can’t help but mirror.

You don't quite realize what he's doing.

He however thinks you know. You know that he's courting you, and you're interested in him. You know that he's just given you more than a simple gift. He only believes you're letting him work for it- something he happily does, taking on the challenge as always. He swims closer, holds your shoulders, as his eyes look into yours, his gaze happy and child-like almost. He's close to finally showing you affection- but you suddenly swim to the surface instead.

And even though he knows you only wanted to breathe, he can't help but feel slightly sour at the ruined moment.

"You're awfully happy these days." His mother says, watching her son in the gardens of the palace. "May I ask what has gotten you in such a bright mood?" She asks, and Jungkook doesn't quite know how to break it to her. He knows its not forbidden, knows it has, and does, happen each and every day it seems- but there's still fear inside of him. Theres still hesitation, even though he is not ashamed of what has happened- of what he has done. His mother however notices. "You know you can trust me, right?" She says, and he nods.

Its now or never.

"I've found a mate." He says, and his mother smiles warmly, holding his cheek as she kisses it in congratulation. "Its a human." He says, quietly, hurried- but his mother continues to smile.

"I have suspected as much." She states. "Your friend- Park Jimin- is not very good at talking quietly." She snickers, and Jungkook curses under his breath about how he wants to strangle him. Theres a huge weight lifted off of him however; finally having said it, made it very real to him, in a way- even though it was already.

Because, after all; you were wearing his kingdom's sigil around your neck already. He had claimed you.

He's restless the next time he swims to the shore to meet you again- eager to see you to give you the news of his family's acceptance.

You're late- later than usual, and his brows are furrowed, mood upset at your mannerism. You're usually always on time, always just as eager to see him he thinks- but this time, you're not there. After his anger however, he grows increasingly worried instead. What if something had happened to you instead? Oh what a bad person he would be to be mad at you for getting into an unfortunate situation. As guilt slowly makes his way into his body, claims his muscles, he moves to sit on the stone he usually finds you on. He tries to look around- rain on his skin making it possible to be out way more comfortably.

He spots movement above.

Theres a person he can't make out- throwing something off the cliff down into the sea, and Jungkook clicks his tongue in anger, already upset- but still curious on what it was the person had been so eager to discard. Typically, its tiny things or plastic he finds- but this is something else, he knows.

Underwater, he smells blood.

His pupils contract, eyes widening, as he spots the black bag slowly making its way to the bottom of the sea- red trail leading from it. Its not the blood however that makes him frantic- its the smell of it, of you, that stops his heart.

He gets you out the bag, his anger over the entire situation diminishing into nothing as he holds you close, eyes spotting the deep cut on your side, and the scratches on your face. Unsure where to bring you, he holds you close, brings you onto his back as one of his hands hold yours, your arms around his neck. He swims quickly to the only place he knows you can breathe.

The underwater cave is big enough for now, he thinks, as he brings your body onto the ground, out the water. He doesn't notice he's crying, doesn't quite speak, his native language of clicking sounds and little noises escaping him as he whines out for your attention, waiting for you to wake up somehow. He's been so invested in making you like him and accept him that he's got no idea what to do with a human. Are you cold? How can he warm you up? How does he stop bleeding wounds? How much can you bleed before you die? Are you already dying?

Jungkook doesn't know what to do. So he simply lays by your side, holding you close, in hopes his slightly higher body temperature can keep you warm.

"He's doing the best he can-" Jimin says, Seokjin next to Taehyung as they both lean over your body. Both witches are concentrated, already exhausted, but there's no way they're giving up on you now. Not only because you're important to Jungkook- but because no one deserves to simply die like this.

"I know, I know!" Jungkook huffs out, pupils turned into cat like slits- a clear sign of the absolute terror and chaos inside of him. "What if they're best isn't good enough? Jimin, I can't loose her, you don't understand-" He starts, but Jimin holds the younger one's shoulders, for the first time serious with him.

"I do." He glances at Taehyung. Jimin had saved Taehyung before as well- the young sea witch having been hit by a fisherman's harpoon years ago. Ever since then, Jimin had been attached to the witch like glue. "Trust me, I really do. And they're doing all they can to make sure she's going to be fine." He promises, and Jungkook nods.

All he can do is pray.

When you wake up, there's several things you notice.

First, you're alive. Having a raging headache, and your limbs and muscles feel horribly tender, but you're alive. There's also strings of rope tied to two rock formations acting like a clothing line, several blankets and clothes hanging from it. They don't look human-made to you- the fabrics and designs not something you would think of as regular. There's a bucket and several stained rags- now copper-brown with old blood. Its then that you look down, seeing your cut sewed shut.

You also notice its rather soft underneath you.

Its sheepskin laid over seaweed you notice- the whool soft and fluffy, and warm. Everything seems to be so thoughtfully placed, even some decorative items- you can spot fireflies casually sitting in a jar close by, and burned wood, probably to . Probably to make light during the night. You're tired however, so you simply lay down again. Quite honestly, surely you should fee worried about the situation- but then again, there was no one to miss you, no place you called your home anyways. No use in worrying- because deep down, you had your suspicion.

A Jungkook swims to the surface with the plastic box in his arms, he's careful not to throw it too hard onto the ground. As he steps out the water, he's sure to at least try and his his hands of most the water before he goes to check on the blankets he had brought this early morning. They've dried enough, he notices, and is glad about that, as he picks one up.

You don't have to be cold anymore, he thinks.

He's unnaturally careful for his typical character- his usual behavior quite the opposite as it was now. Now, he's making sure you're properly tucked in, as he notices your eyes watching him.

He freezes, for a moment.

Jungkook hasn't really thought much about what would happen if you were to wake up- after all, Seokjin had told him he was unsure if you were to wake up this early in the first place, and Taehyung didn't even know if you would wake up at all. He'd told his younger brother to be prepared for any reaction really; fear, confusion, maybe even anger. But you seem calm, curious even, and Jungkook decides to sit down in front of your face, waiting.

"You brought me here, right?" You ask, and he nods, eyes not leaving your form.

"You-.. hurt." He points to the spot where your wound had been. "Also hurt." His hand points to your head. "Brothers, helped." He informs you, and you smile, nodding at his words. He suddenly looks at the ground, mumbling. "I.. worried. Thought... you, dying." He tells you, and you sit up slowly again, keeping the blanket around your shoulders.

"I'm not dead though." You say, and he nods. "Thank you, Jungkook. Now we're even." You say, and he tilts his head in confusion- a mannerism you could only think of as cute. "I saved you- you saved me." You say, and he smiles, nodding.

"I-" He starts, leaning forward a bit, now way more energetic and lighthearted as before. "I- we-" He growls a little in frustration, and you cant help but giggle at his troubles- the chirps and clicks escaping him foreign- but somehow, they feel hazy, as if your mind knows the language, but has forgotten what it meant. He's trying so hard you notice, and appreciate. "You like here?" He asks, and points around. You nod, and he beams at you. "I made." He tells you, proudly so.

"I guessed as much. Its very thoughtful of you, thank you." You say, and he nods, happy you like what he did for you. Its not a permanent solution, obviously, but as soon as you're healed well enough, he already planned a new spot for you to come with him.

You just don't know it yet.

There's a weird feeling inside of you.

It's like homesickness, you think. Every time you look at the waters, you feel- sad? It's making you uneasy, and with every day passing by, it just gets worse and worse. But it's today, that you cant take it.

When you dip your legs into the water, it soothes an ache you can't recognize ever having. It helps your skin, it somehow feels as if you're breathing again. But It's not enough, you think- before you let yourself fall into the deep end.

You're floating.

It's like leaving a stuffy and crowded mall, just to stand in a park, fresh air after it had rained, and light breeze clearing your head. Everything is silent, but not at the same time- the water around you feeling as if you're being hugged, held. It makes you relax, makes you let go, makes you only exist for a moment.

You're floating.

And there's a sudden wave of realization that you're also breathing. There's no water in your lungs- or maybe there is, and you just don't feel it being there. Darkness surrounds you as you don't know where you are exactly- theres no telling where is where, no way to know if you're upright or not. Maybe you've died?

Did you drown?

If you did, it would explain Jungkook being there. He's swimming towards you with a face full of worry, as he grabs your wrist and holds you close. "I can't even let you out of my sight for a mere day it seems, my love." He sighs, and your eyes widen. Its almost comedic how his own do the same, focusing on your neck, as he touches.

You're sensitive, and shift away from his touch.

"It-" He starts, now holding your shoulders, as he begins to smile. "It worked! It really did- by the dragon kind, you look absolutely divine!" He laughs, and can't help but hold your hands, eyes roaming your appearance, as you don't quite get it- until you follow his gaze.

Just like him, there's fins now on the sides of your calfs, smaller ones on your ankles as well. Theres also ones decorating your outer forearms- they look like the ones you'd always see on goldfish as a kid. There's something alike to scales as well, but barely noticable. "I- what happened to me?" You ask, and Junkook smiles.

"You.. almost died." He admits, taking your hand and swimming to what you assume is back towards the cave. "You had been robbed during the day, and when I found you.. well, you know what happened." He says. "While you were asleep, we were thinking about what to do. There was no way you would survive as a human- so, a friend of mine- Taehyung- performed a ritual, together with Seokjin, my brother." He says. You finally spot light, glad to be able to have at least some form of orientation. "I'm glad you're adjusting so quickly, my love." He states, smiling at you.

You notice the petname again.

"Jungkook-" You start, as you both reach the cave again, sitting on the edge of where the ground of the cave meets the water. "Why are you.. calling me that?" You ask, and Jungkook seems confused.

"Why do you ask?" He questions. And you don't quite follow, until he continues. "You're my mate- I am only addressing you as such."

Your eyes widen. "Wait- we're-" You start, and its only then that it clicks in Jungkooks head.

"Oh." He says- the dissapointment bitter and evident in his voice. "You.. didn't know?" He asks, and you shake your head, unsure what he means. "I see.." He tells you, suddenly distant. "I.. will bring you breakfast tomorrow.. sleep well." He abruptly says, and before you can say anything, he's already gone.

What just happened?

"There you are!" A voice says, deeper than Jungkooks, but not unfamiliar. Taehyung had been visiting and bringing you food and nescessities ever since that talk with Jungkook. This time, however, Taehyung seems like he wants to say something. You look at him, silently urging him, and he sits down next to you, sighing.

"Does he hate me?" You ask, quietly, and Taehyung looks sad.

"He could never." He says. "He just.. didn't take the rejection well. He'll need time to come around. It won't take that much time- his mother is already trying to get a new partner for him." He explains, and your head whips around towards him. "I- you.. did reject him, right?" He asks, slowly. "You do.. not love him, right?" He urges again, and you groan suddenly, throwing your face into your hands.

"Oh my god I'm so stupid.." You say. "It all.. everything was so overwhelming, I didn't even notice what he was doing." You cry into your hands, as Taehyungs hand places itself onto your back, trying to soothe you. "I though.. especially after I found out about his status.." You mumble. "How could he want me?" You ask, and Taehyung sighs.

"Head up, little siren." He says. "He's still able to hear you sing, if you want to." He says, and you look at him.

"But how?" You say. "I have no idea where the kingdom, or anything really is. And he won't come see me until its too late." You say.

"Well-" Taehyung says, standing up, and holding out his hand. "-allow me to escort the future princess to her lover."

"How did you find me?" He simply asks, not turning around, as you float closer. "I'm sorry, but I still need time to.. get over-" He starts, but you don't let him finish, instead leaning into his back, your arms around his middle.

"I'm stupid." You say. "I'm really, really stupid." He shakes his head, but you continue. "Just because I didn't realize- doesn't mean that I don't feel anything for you." You say. "I just.. felt unworthy, I guess. Insignificant." You admit, and he turns around, holding your face in his hands.

"You really are not gifted with the mind of the dragons king, my love." He states teasingly, the glimmer in his eyes returning. "My status means nothing to me, if that meant I could not have you." He says, and you lean forward, capturing his lips. "I hope you know what this meant, at least." He teases, and your eyes widen, scared you might've done something wrong. "It means you love me." He says, and you chuckle.

"Good." You say. "Because I do."

Even though he thinks you looked like a goddess reborn in your white and pearl decorated gown from the wedding, he enjoys you without it, close to him, just as much. He's alive, he's feeling, he's in love, as his hands move over your skin, his senses filled with you and nothing else.

The sounds you make for him are sweeter than any siren's song he's ever heard or could ever sing himself. No member of his kind is as enchanting as you, he decides, as he bites and kisses the sensitive skin of your neck. Jimin had teased him relentlessly the entire evening and night by trying to send you sweet words, to which you didn't react- but that didn't mean that it didn't piss him off.

You were his.

His princess- and soon to be queen, one day.

And he's planning on making that very evident, as he marks up your skin with little bites, visible for everyone to see. He wants everyone to know, even though by tomorrow, the entire Kingdom will celebrate the marriage of its prince anyways. He's more than ready to show you off, to hold you close, to have people see the divine being at his side that's you.

It's only natural for his hands to roam your skin, for his lips to worhip every inch it seems, as you reach out for his hand every second it leaves you. It's painfully endearing he thinks, how you can be so innocent and pure, while he's between your legs, performing the sinful act of pleasuring you with his mouth.

You pull him towards you, as you straddle his waist, leaning down to kiss him. He's in god's divine lands he thinks, as he suddenly feels you sinking down on his awaiting length. You fit around him perfectly, more so than he could've ever imagined. And as you both move, he holds you close, happy that here, in his world, he doesn't need to breathe.

He can kiss you as long as he wants.

(c)Bonny-Kookoo. I spilled strawberry milk on my poor laptop while writing this.

[deancasbigbang]

Title: Heart's on Fire

Author: chaoticdean / savetheclaypots (team)

Artist: Moadlc

Rating: Explicit

Pairings: Dean/Cas, background Sam/Eileen

Length: 51000

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Referenced/Implied Alcohol Abuse

Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amnesia, Mutual Pinning, Idiots in Love, Castiel and Dean Winchester Need to Use Their Words, Miscommunication, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fix-It, Dean Winchester Is Comfortably Bisexual, Human!Cas

Posting Date: November 3, 2021

Summary: It’s been several months since the events of 15x19, and the world is almost at ease. Dean Winchester isn’t, though.  It takes a drunken night and a conversation with Sam for both brothers and a newly depowered Jack to restart the search to get to the Empty. After several weeks and Rowena’s help, Cas is finally back, alive, and for a moment everything looks brighter. Jack and Sam are ecstatic, and Dean’s had enough time to figure out what he wants to tell Cas. For the first time ever, he’s ready to speak his truth. Except, Cas doesn’t seem to recognize Jack, and the first thing he does is ask Dean how he’s managed to “get rid of the mark”. He doesn’t remember that Chuck, the flimsy prophet he met years ago, was God and that they just beat his ass. Actually, there’s a lot he doesn’t remember… Including telling Dean he loved him before getting taken by the Empty. Now, Sam and Dean start the quest of figuring out what’s keeping a newly human Cas from remembering the past 5 years by their side.  It doesn’t go as planned. (Or, how Dean and Cas manage to overcome amnesia to tell each other their truth, like they were always meant to.)

Excerpt: But despite his discomfort, Dean accepts Sam’s apology for what it is: an apology for giving up, for letting Dean give up. For doing so without fully understanding what it meant. For not dragging Dean through his grief and hopelessness to the finish line. To, maybe, find another loophole.  Still.  “Jeez Sammy, if I had known you’d go all mushy on me I’d have taken two more,” Dean says in a desperate attempt at lighting up the atmosphere as he shakes the pill bottle. “Don’t do that,” Sam says, tilting his head slightly to stare at him. And busted. But before Dean can find some other way to sidestep the heart-to-heart, he feels a pang in his chest at Sam’s expression. The gesture is so familiar that it hurts in all the places Dean didn’t even know could hurt, and it’s shocking that there were still new places for pain and loss to nestle into inside him. He suddenly feels hollow. Exhausted. Whatever respite he had found this morning gone like...well. Just gone. Sam catches on his sudden change of mood and his face appears even more determined than before. Except Dean really can’t go through another round of waterworks, especially not with Sam again.  “Don’t, Sam. It’s nothing.” Dean lies through his teeth, and the lie sounds clumsy. But Dean is committed to not go there again even as he feels the oppressive force of his own memories, so he brings his cup of coffee back to his lips as he pretends that he’s fine. Or in control, at the very least. To his credit, Sam doesn’t push. He goes back to his book after one final, very meaningful, stare and leaves Dean to his cup of coffee. It takes Dean a little while to break the silence after that, his heart and mind all over the place.  They had gotten sidetracked between the apology and Dean’s inability to not remember Cas over every little thing like the mess he is. It’s bothering him though, not knowing what Sam is thinking about finding a loophole. If there is one at all. The mere possibility that...that they could. That it would even be possible. Dean can barely think of it, but he has to ask. He has to. He’s so tired. He wasn’t made for the helplessness of grief.  “So,” he starts hesitantly, waiting until Sam finally gets his nose out of the book he's reading to look at him. “Care to explain what exactly we’re doing here?” Sam looks at him like he’s grown a second head, opening and closing his mouth several times before finally speaking. “I’m- Dean, we’re getting Cas back.” And yeah, Dean can get on board with that. He may very well end up a mess on the library floor again. A worse mess, even. But, fuck, he has to try. If Sam thinks it’s worth a shot, Dean can find it in himself to hope. Just a little. 

DCBB 2021 Posting Schedule

[crescentfool]

the fics i’ve read in june 2021

happy july everyone! to celebrate the start of a new month, i’d like to take the time to compile some of my favorite persona 5 fics that i read last month into one post!

i’ve always admired people who were seen as “fic librarians,” and while i’m an incredibly  slow reader, i’d still  love to share some of my favorite fics! ideally speaking, i will be doing a post like this once a month (maybe more depending on how much i read). for convenience, all posts of this nature will be tagged with “lizzy reads fic” and “fic recs.”

all fics listed here are from persona 5, and mostly consist of shuake / akeshu fics. please mind the tags/warnings/ratings when viewing the fics; read what you’re most comfortable with! with this in mind, the full list is located under the cut.

all fics are formatted as TITLE by author | rating | appx. word count | brief description of fic (including main ship/character, tropes/AU, and whether the fic is completed, ongoing, or abandoned)

Salted Earth by aceklaviergavin | T | 7.6k | akekita oneshot in which yusuke is a firefighter and keeps stealing akechi’s food. a great crackfic with some hilarious scenarios!

Kiss the Boy, Sha La La La by wingdinger | T | 2.3k | shuake oneshot where the phantom thieves play spin the bottle and akechi is a salty jealous bitch. a very short and sweet read!

The One Where They Go To IKEA by saintorae | T | 4.5k | a hurt/comfort shuake oneshot in which akira and goro assemble furniture together (that also ends up being way too relatable)

Rorschach Test by Elsey8 | M | 7.2k | post-p5r shuake oneshot focused on studying akechi’s character through therapy sessions!

(don’t shoot) the messenger by shouldbeworking | M | 5.5k | akeshu oneshot in which ryuji ends up hearing more than he should. absolutely hilarious; a great way of framing akeshu’s relationship through a third party.

the spider by corrupted_voracity | T | 2.8k | akeshu oneshot leaning into crack territory in which akechi loses his shit over a spider. a very short but funny read, the poor dude does not like spiders!

a journal on how to love (without any strings attached) by LovelyLotus and pana (panaceaa) | M | 13.8k | mutlichapter shuake fic from goro’s POV that provides glimpses into shuake’s relationship and how they develop! very fluffy and sweet, with wonderful characterization! (7/8 chapters done)

Remember Me by Westward | T | 12.9k | a completed multichapter shuake fic that takes place in the third semester, where akira slowly starts to disappear from reality/cognition. incredibly angsty, with a bittersweet ending and darker themes.

Orion by Elsey8 | T | 3.3k | a stargazing shuake fic where akechi is incredibly passionate and info dumps about constellations. super endearing and fluffy!

Scalded by intothefrission | T | 7.5k | akeshu oneshot in which goro rushes to take care of akira after he suffers from a second degree burn. hurt/comfort fic that also features a bit of the leblanc coffee family, and has stellar characterization!

Akira Kurusu’s guide to last minute gifts by pana (panaceaa) | T | 1.7k | shuake oneshot where akira celerates goro’s birthday at the last minute. super cute and fluffy!

how joker and crow survived the coronavirus pandemic of 2020 by shantealeaves | T | 13.k | shuake oneshot where akira and goro quarantine together during the third semester. a wonderful rollercoaster ride that perfectly balances crack and angst.

Make Light Out of Darkness for Me by Zeiskyte | T | 9.5k | ongoing multichapter fic in which shuake are idols! each chapter alternates in POV, and the fic features fake dating and futaba and goro half-siblings. if you like studying the dichotomy of goro akechi’s public vs private image in the context of an idol AU, or enjoy akira’s inner anxieties, this fic is for you!

and that’s all for now! these were some of my favorites- if anyone reads the fics listed here, i hope you enjoyed them as much as i enjoyed recommending them! happy reading everyone!

[woah-were-halfway-there]

The Sweetest of Them All

A/N: just another little bonus part of the AFTR universe that I came up with out of nowhere. Also, I left this as third person instead of second. Enjoy!

Word Count: 3.2k

Y/N has never been a big fan of Valentine's Day.

To her, it was overrated and expensive. But, she'd be lying if she said she didn't love the fact that it gave an extra reason to love on Auston a ridiculous amount. Sure, she did that every day, but to be fair, she loved how the title of Valentine's Day added a bit more fun and excitement to something she'd normally do any other day. It felt different for some reason, so even though she didn't love the so-called holiday, she still tried to plan something special for it every year.

Admittedly, she and Auston almost got competitive about it with trying to one-up the other with affection. They didn't care about gifts. They cared about the time they spent together and the thoughtfulness behind it.

Usually, it was Y/N that came up with something ridiculously sweet for Valentine's Day to do for Auston. However, this year, he had her beat.

For some odd reason, Y/N woke up very early that day. Maybe it was the baby waking her, or perhaps it was her internal clock saying sleep was no longer necessary. But, regardless, she was awake much earlier than usual. She also knew Mia wasn't awake or else she would've heard her, so she took that time to lie back in bed and relax for a few minutes on her own.

The bed felt incredibly empty, given that Auston was with the Leafs in Washington and wasn't expected to be back in Toronto until late that night. Frank was a good cuddle buddy alternative, but sometimes the Goldendoodle just wasn't enough when Y/N was missing her man. Of course, this was one of the days when she missed him a lot, so she took that as an excuse to text Auston and at least get this so-called holiday kicked off.

Y/N Happy Valentine's Day, Aus 🥰 can't wait to see you tonight

She wasn't expecting him to message back right away, seeing as it was only 7:30 in the morning, but much to her surprise, he did.

Auston Happy Valentine's Day, babe 💕 Can't wait to see you either. Did the flowers for Mia get delivered?

Y/N Yes, they got here last night. They're beautiful. I set them on the kitchen counter, so once she's awake and we go downstairs, she'll see her little V-Day gift from you

Auston Perfect. I got part of your Valentine's thing with me right now too. Ready for it?

Y/N Is it going to make me cry?

Auston Probably

Y/N Great. Hit me with your best shot

She stared at her phone screen for a moment, expecting it to light up with the notification of an incoming FaceTime call from her husband or a picture, but instead, he sent her a link. But not just any link, it was the link to the video recording of a new Spittin' Chiclets podcast episode that was over an hour-long called 'Love Day: Part One.'

Confused, but also insanely curious, Y/N then leaned over to grab her laptop from the bedside table and got into the most comfortable position her growing baby bump would allow so she could watch the video like that. As soon as she was about to press play, her phone buzzed with another text.

Auston This was filmed a couple of weeks ago when the Chiclets guys were in Toronto. They interviewed at least 10 different guys in the league at different times, and they're kind of long, which is why there's more than one part. Just watch the intro, then I'm the first interview. Mitch is on part 2 if you want to watch that as well, but yeah... call me when you're done 💕

Still unsure of how to process what was going on, Y/N just shook her head and followed the link.

The video started with Biz, Whit and Rear sat all-around a table, each wearing a different red, white or pink shirt with heart-shaped balloons positioned behind them. Empty bottles of Pink Whitney sat on the table, acting as vases for bouquets of roses, making Y/N roll her eyes and chuckle at how far these guys would go for good product placement. But, she kept watching, and unsurprisingly, Biz was the first to speak.

Biz: "For Valentines Day this year, we wanted to do something different. Something more soft. So, we're going to tell, well, I guess, show some love stories."

Whit: "Bet you all didn't know that some of the greatest love stories to ever be told have happened to some of the guys that play in the NHL. Don't believe me? Guess you'll have to listen to find out what they are."

Rear: "We asked some players to come in and talk to us about their relationship stories and give as many details as they were willing to give. And let me tell you, they were great. To start us off, we have Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs telling us his fairytale romance."

The video then clipped to a shot of Biz sitting next to Auston in what Y/N assumed was the hotel downtown that the Chiclets guys were staying at. Auston wasn't dressed extravagantly or anything, just wore a grey hoodie, black pants, and his signature Raiders snapback.

Y/N immediately recognized his outfit. She remembered Auston coming home in those same clothes early one afternoon after he did some running around downtown with Mia, and started thinking of how not once did he mention doing anything for the podcast. He kept this very on the down low, and Y/N was excited to see how it would all play out.

Biz: "Alright, with us today, we have none other than the Leafs number 34, Auston Matthews. Welcome back to the show, Auston. How ya doin?"

Auston: "I'm great. Thanks for having me. How are you guys?"

Whit and Rear: "Good."

Biz: "Great, real good. Now, Auston, you know what you're here to talk about, right?"

Auston: (chuckling) "You're acting like you didn't spend the last week blowing up my phone until I agreed to do this."

Biz: "Amazing! You do know. So, here's how it's all going to go down. We've got a list of questions about your relationship with your significant other. Your obvious better half. And are going to take turns asking them so the people listening at home can get a bit of insight on your, and I quote, iconic love story. Why don't you give us a little summary of your relationship before we dive in?"

Auston: (hesitantly) "Sure, okay. So, my wife Y/N and I have been married for almost two years now. Our anniversary is at the end of July. She accidentally forgot it last year, which I haven't let her live down. Y/N, babe, this is your six month in advance warning that our anniversary is indeed coming up again this year… She's going to hate that I mentioned that. We, uh, we've been together since my first season in Toronto, so for a pretty long time now, and it's been amazing. We have a daughter, Amelia, but everyone just calls her Mia unless she's in trouble. She just turned two on January 25th, and we have our second baby on the way. They're due to be making their grand appearance in late June. We also have our firstborn, Frank, the Goldendoodle. Can't forget about him. But, yeah, that's my little family."

Whit: (nodding along with Biz and Rear) "Fair enough. Now, how and when did you and Y/N meet exactly?"

Auston: "We met on the night of my first NHL game back in 2016. She was at that game."

Biz: "Oh, yeah? Was she there for a reason?"

Auston gave him an unimpressed look.

Biz: "What?"

Auston: "You know why she was there!"

Biz: (shrugging) "Our listeners don't. C'mon, refresh my memory. Was she there to cheer someone else on?"

Auston: (shaking his head) "Yeah. She, uh, she's a cousin of one of my teammates, so she was there with their family to watch him during our first game."

Biz: (grinning widely) "What teammate?"

Auston: "The one out in the hallway keeping my daughter occupied while you keep being annoying and asking me questions you already know the answer to."

Everyone laughed at that, including Y/N, as she shifted onto her side, being mindful of her growing bump that seemingly became more noticeable each day, and got comfortable as she braced herself for what the rest of this interview would entail.

Biz: (still laughing): "Just to clarify for everyone who still doesn't know, he's talking about Mitch Marner."

Auston: "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up."

Rear: "I take it that Mitch and Mia get along really well? I haven't heard a peep from her since you came in here."

Auston: "Oh, she loves him. Yeah, that's her Mitchy, alright. Him and Steph, who you will hear all about once Mitch comes in here, are Mia's godparents and some of her favourite people."

Whit: "That's awesome. And how was that at first, though, being romantically involved with one of your teammates' family members? Sounds like grounds for some chaos, if I'm honest."

Auston: "It sure made meeting the family a bit more nerve-wracking. I'm just kidding. No, it was fine. It was definitely a little awkward at first trying to figure out how I was going to tell Mitch that I wanted to date his cousin. Like, he and Y/N are very close. Always have been. And the last thing both me and Y/N wanted was for Mitch to be uncomfortable. He did handle it really well, though. It's because of him I was even able to get to know her in the first place, which I'll never be able to thank him enough for."

Rear: "Now, you're a pretty private guy. You post the odd picture of your little family from time to time. Y/N is rather private, as well. So, really, no one knows your guys' story other than those who have lived it with you or watched it unfold. I'm sure many people will jump right on the chance to listen to this, seeing as you and Y/N are one of the most beloved couples in the NHL. But, what exactly made you want to come on here, give a bit of insight into your private life, and talk about it all?"

Auston: "Well, for one, Biz would not stop asking me to do it. Literally kept calling and texting me for days until I finally agreed."

Whit: "Shocker."

Biz: "Hey, now."

Auston: (chuckling) "That and also I figured, why not. I love my wife, and I love our little story. It's nice to think back on everything that's happened and see how it all got us to where we are now. With all the ups and the downs, its uh, it's been an amazing ride for sure, and I wouldn't change it for a thing. Also, it's for Valentine's Day. I haven't told her I'm doing this, so when you guys drop the episode, I'm just going to send it to her without much context."

Whit: "Do you think she'll cry?"

Auston: "Absolutely. I know this kind of thing would make her tear up regularly, but those pregnancy hormones have got her bad. Without a doubt, she's going to call me crying once she's done watching this."

Y/N scoffed as he said that and grabbed some tissues to wipe away the waterworks she already felt coming on.

Biz: "I've met Y/N many times now. The first time being back in what, 2018?"

The screen then showed an old picture of Biz sitting in a restaurant with his arm wrapped around Y/N's shoulders, both smiling widely as they held up their drinks, with Auston seemingly moping off to the side a little bit. Y/N chuckled at the image, instantly thinking back to the day she first met Paul Bissonnette and how wild it was before the photo faded away and showed the guys again.

Biz: "Yeah, it was when she was in Scottsdale visiting you during the summer. Great girl, completely out of Auston's league."

Auston: "Hey!"

Biz: "I'll never forget you sassing her when she commented on how hot Arizona was, with her being Canadian and all, but damn she was fast putting you in your place by calling you a, what was it?"

Auston: (grumbling) "Desert Boy."

Everyone burst out laughing again, except Auston, who just rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically.

Auston: "Whatever. She sasses me all the time when I complain about the snow, but the one time I do it back, I get called a Desert Boy and can never live it down."

Biz: (still laughing) "Ugh, amazing. Okay, moving on because we don't have much time and can probably fit in like two more questions. So, Auston, tell us how you knew that Y/N was the end game for you. How did you know that she was the one?"

Auston: "Oh, man. I don't even know how to explain it. Growing up, you see all these movies and shows, or read books where people always find someone who is their soulmate. Their perfect match. And I never knew what the feeling of finding that person was because I had never experienced it. My mom would tell me that when I did find that person, I'd know. That it'll be such an intense feeling, and to be honest, I didn't believe her. Until I met Y/N, I know that sounds cheesy, but it's true. The first time I met her, something drew me in, and I knew I wanted to get to know her better right away. Mitch spoke so highly of her, so did the other guys on the team that had already met her and over the first couple of months of us knowing each other, I saw what they meant. She quickly became one of my best friends ever. When we started dating, I saw more of how good a person she is, which attracted me even more. She is so selfless and caring for everyone around her; it truly blows my mind. I had never seen my family welcome a girl I introduced them to as quickly as they did her, and I trust their judgment the most. But even if they didn't do that, I know they would have accepted her regardless because, honestly, I probably seemed like a lovesick idiot. I still do. Y/N became this significant light in my life that I knew I wanted to be there forever. I began thinking about what it'd be like spending the rest of my life with her. Then it became something that I knew I needed. I can't imagine my life without her, and I never want to. She makes me so happy and has given me more than I could ever thank her for. I'll never understand how I, of all people, was the one to capture her massive heart, but I do know how lucky I am."

As he spoke, the screen showed a little picture slideshow of Y/N and Auston over the years of their relationship. It started with one that Ema took the first time Y/N had ever gone to Scottsdale. Y/N was sitting on the edge of a pool, and her legs dipped into the water. Auston stood between them as he wrapped his arms around her middle and leaned against her while looking over at where Ema stood taking the picture. The next one was from a Christmas party where the two were under a mistletoe as Auston leaned Y/N back and was kissing her cheek as she laughed and held onto him for dear life. There was a picture of them with Auston's family, one of them with Mitch and Steph, and another of Auston with his arms around Nate and Mya, Y/N's younger brother and sister, as the three smiled at the camera and Y/N was in the background looking confused.

The last few pictures were a bit more recent. They showed Y/N holding Frank as a puppy, a maternity photo of her and Auston posing when she was pregnant with Mia, and one of them on their wedding day with Mia and the rest of the gang. Then, the slideshow concluded with a very recent picture of them taken just a couple of weeks prior at Mia's birthday party, where Auston has his arms wrapped around Y/N from the back, showcasing her growing belly. At the same time, she leaned against him and glanced over her shoulder at him lovingly. The photos then went away and showed the guys again as Auston finished speaking.

Auston was right. Y/N was full-on bawling by that point.

All the guys were smiling as Auston finished saying his thing, but were soon interrupted by a knocking noise followed by a door opening.

Mitch: (offscreen) "Wait, no! Don't let her in!"

Mia: (also offscreen) "Daddy!"

Mia then came into the frame as she ran towards Auston, not caring about what was going on or who was there. Auston was quick reacting as he smiled widely and scooped Mia right up into his arms, making sure to place multiple kisses on her cheek as she giggled and squirmed in his hold, while Mitch became visible too and shrugged.

Auston: "Hi, mini. I missed you. Did you have fun with Mitchy?"

Mia: "Yeah! Where's mommy, daddy?"

Auston: "She's at home, baby girl. I'm almost done, then we can go get a Timbit while we wait for Mitch to be done. Sounds good?"

Mia: (knuckling at her eyes, tiredly) "Mhmm."

Rear: "This is adorable."

Biz: "Hi, Mia."

Mia: (shyly while hiding against Auston's chest a bit) "Hi, Biz."

Whit: (laughing) "Okay, I think we've kept you long enough now, Auston. Is there anything else you and Mia would like to say to Y/N?"

Auston: "Yes. Happy Valentine's Day, babe. I love you so much, and I'm sorry I'm not there right now. You're going to hear a lot more from me on actual Valentine's Day, but for right now, I think that's just about it. Mia, can you blow a kiss to the camera so mommy can see it and say 'happy Love Day!'"

Mia: (blows the kiss) "Happy Love Day, mommy!"

Auston: "Can you tell her that you love her?"

Mia: "Love you!"

Auston and Mia then waved to the camera and said bye as the clip faded out, and a new interview of another NHLer began playing.

Y/N's heart felt so full. She couldn't stop crying over how much she loved her family and how badly she needed to hear something like that. Life had been particularly hard on her as of late and seemed to keep throwing her curveballs, but this, this was exactly what she needed. To be reminded of how loved she is and that she genuinely is never alone.

She then grabbed her phone to call Auston and remind him of how much she loved him, that day and every day. The two talked for a few minutes before Y/N was pretty sure she could hear Mia waking up. After saying their goodbyes, Y/N found herself thinking about how, regardless of how she feels about the actual day, this was a Valentine's Day she will never forget.

[e-king-court]

It’s that time of year again...

...and by that I mean it's my birthday.

 I don't generally celebrate my birthday. It became A Thing after my parents divorce, and since then, it is definitely a cursed day (last year I got a whole pandemic, so...)

This year, however, I decided I wanted to write me a story. Some months back, while scrolling through Facebook (I know, I know) I came across a post of a post that was a plot bunny. It was a tweet from user @JohannesEvans that read:

Hot goth in the woods that keeps answering the door and sighing and going "no, I'm not the witch, he lives over there" and points across the street to a dazzling pretty boy wearing a gold waistcoat who's waving excitedly at them

I immediately wanted to write it. So I did.

 Now, to no one's surprise, I didn't start this story until roughly a week ago, so... well, it's almost done. So, for now, just to say I've properly celebrated my birthday, please allow me to share with you the first half or so of this silly story. It's rough, really rough, and doesn't have a title. I'm not thrilled with it, but... guilty pleasures, etc. Enjoy!

Quiet. That’s what the little alternative community in the woods had offered. Peace, acceptance, solitude. Quiet.

So Locke bit back a curse when someone knocked on his door for the hundredth time that day. Poppy seeds scattered across his work bench when he jumped because of course he hadn’t used a measuring spoon. Why would he use a measuring spoon for the smallest ingredient? Obviously, pouring straight from the bottle is the best way to measure poppy seeds.

The knocking persisted. Locke sighed and set the bottle down with a thud and rattle of chains. He stomped his way up front and tugged the door open, startling the pair of young women standing on his doorstep. Their eyes widened and the three of them stared at each other for longer than Locke thought was polite.

“Can I help you?” He didn’t growl. This was good communication skills.

The two seemed to shake themselves. “Are you Mr. Devereux?”

Locke sighed. “Which Mr. Devereux?”

They blinked and exchanged a confused glance. “We, um… we’re looking for a spell.”

“Then you want the witch.” He pointed a long arm over their heads toward the obnoxious display across the street. “That Mr. Devereux.” As one, they turned and Locke followed their gaze.

Sebastian was lounging in a pool chair, a cheap thing with neon yellow piping and no pool in sight. He was surrounded by colorful plants, flowers, and enough suncatchers to make any light fairy jealous. Locke was dismayed to see that he was sunning. Long legs, waxed and bronzed, stretched up to the hem of a pair of nautical striped boyshorts. A too small gold waistcoat revealed a pierced belly button and parted with sequined lapels and a collection of charms and pendants against his chest and the hollow of his throat. Golden blond hair was classically cut, cropped close to the sides and left almost strategically messy on top. Locke was not surprised to see the flash of glitter, either put there intentionally, or polluted from the obnoxious, glittery, sun-shaped sunglasses taking over most of his heart-shaped face.

His smile was almost blinding as he waved. “Hey, gorgeous!”

Locke frowned as his face went hot and wished for the hundredth time since moving in that he was the kind of goth that wore full face makeup. “That’s the witch.”

The women gawked at Sebastian, turned and gawked at Locke glowering in the doorway, and then looked at each other.

“Umm… sorry,” the apparent speaker of the duo said, and they turned and fled across the street, whispering to each other as they went. Sebastian stood and stretched, that waistcoat riding higher and those boyshorts hugging… well, everything. Locke sighed and shut the door with a snap.

Newlight Falls was advertised as a quiet town with a village-like atmosphere, tucked away in the old growth forest and home to those who didn’t fit in elsewhere. It was home to all sorts of paranormals, which included an uncommon amount of witches, plenty of fairies, and the obligatory pack of werewolves. Being that it was only an hour away from three major cities, it had become a bit of a tourist attraction, replete with warm-weather festivals that the fairies almost exclusively coordinated. Locke wasn’t a fan, but they were good for the town and good for business.

Even with all that, Locke fell in love with the place almost as soon as he saw it. He’d found the listing on Will’o, trying to find something close to the doctors he needed, but not directly in the city. Not only was his dark little cabin perfectly suited to him, but being back in the woods meant plenty of shade and long trails that he could disappear into if the festivities got to be too much.

It was also supposed to be haunted, which, perfect, but so far he hadn’t experienced much more than a few things being moved and a book or two knocked to the floor. No great shakes, really.

With the image of Sebastian’s sparkling navel piercing embedded in his mind, Locke sulked back to his work room to clean up the poppy seeds and see if the tea could be saved.

“Locke!” Benji’s happy voice boomed, big arms open and face nearly split by his smile.

Locke returned his smile but stayed sequestered on the front stoop out of the sunlight. Benji came to him without question, wrapping him up in the kind of bear hug only large goblins could give. He grunted and gave Benji’s back a pat as the air was squeezed out of him. “Hey, Benj.”

“Good to see you, you look good. This place looks great,” he said, stepping back to appraise the front of the house. To most, it needed some work, but Locke was partial to the busted exterior shutters and chipping grey paint.

“Thanks, the web is real, orb weaver, real beauty,” he said, motioning to the port window overhead.

Benji’s smile went tight and strained. “Love it,” he grunted like it hurt. He cautiously turned his attention away from the spider. “Thanks for letting me come.”

“Of course! Make my favorite sibling miss Fairy Fest after listening to him whine about it for ten years? Fat chance. C’mon, I’ll show you your room,” he said, motioning Benji in.

Benji grabbed his suitcase and thundered up the steps. “This place has a guest bedroom?”

“Eh….” Locke whined and didn’t answer further. It did, but the guest bedroom was where he’d put his workroom and it would have been too small for his hulking brother anyway. Instead, Locke had cleaned up his own bedroom and got a cot for his workroom. It wouldn’t be the most comfortable, but he could deal with it for the week that Benji was visiting. It wasn’t often they got to spend time together one on one.

They wandered in. Locke waved over the small living room, through the doorway to the small kitchen and dining nook, the water closet under the stairs, and then brought him up to the attic that made his bedroom and the full bathroom for his use during his stay. Benji caught on quick, but didn’t say anything, no doubt having considered how small the house was.

“We’ll have to share the shower, but otherwise, this room is yours for the week. I, uh… can’t say I’d be real thrilled if you picked someone up at the Fest, but, I’ll be the best wingman I can be,” Locke said, drawing the curtains back from the port window to let some light into the room.

Benji chuckled. “I wouldn’t do that to you. Thanks, man, this place is great. Mostly,” he said, eyeing the spider visible through the window.

Locke smirked. “Ghost isn’t too rowdy, either.”

“Ahha, of course you’d have a ghost,” Benji said with a self-deprecating laugh. Locke’s grin went cocky and he thumped his way back down the stairs.

“I gotta make a product run when dusk rolls around if you want to see the town proper tonight. There’s not a lot except some kitschy shops, but you might like one of the little restaurants for dinner,” he said, wandering into the kitchen.

Benji hummed and sniffed the air, eyes landing unerringly on the box that took up most of the little dining table. It was full of Locke’s teas, creative little blends in labeled linen baggies waiting to be delivered to the shops in town he was contracted with. “Sure, I’d love to see the place.”

“Cool, you can carry the box,” Locke said, wandering back to his workshop. Benji’s laugh made the windows rattle.

A few hours later, with the sun set enough that it didn’t irritate Locke’s eyes and skin overly much, he was leading an easily distracted Benji through town. The whole town was decked out for Fairy Fest, covered in lights and flowers and full to bursting with fairies. They flitted about in showers of sparkling color, some already celebrating by tossing petals or handful of pixie dust over the myriad of tourists also steadily filling the streets. Locke would have felt out of place in all his black and chains, but there were plenty of darker fae around, too. If anyone stood out, it was his rather large foster brother, his impressive figure causing people to practically dive out of the way, even as poor Benji apologized.

“Stop apologizing, Benj, you’re only walking,” Locke said with a smirk.

Benji was all tight frowns. “I feel bad, though.”

“Don’t, you’re fine. This is us, though,” he said, veering for a shop door. Benji followed, uttering a few more unnecessary apologies as they went.

The dark little mystic shop was one of Locke’s favorites. It was an evening shop and sold pretty much the same stuff that the rest of the kitschy shops sold, but it was themed dark. Spangled black and purple curtains and tapestries kept most of the natural light out, the shelves all made of cast iron and mahogany. The goods skewed toward occultish, but nothing available to the general public could cause any trouble. Even the obsidian athames were blunter than a letter opener. There were more exotic wares in the back, but the owner, Ms. Gloushire, was highly selective when it came to those sales. Even Locke, who was a resident, didn’t have her convinced, but he was getting there. Not that there was anything fancy he needed for his teas.

Benji, of course, veered right for the collection of polished stones and crystals. Locke grinned and teasingly hissed for him not to touch all of them. Benji glared at him but didn’t put down the peacock ore he’d already snatched from the display.

“Ms. Gloushire?” he called when he saw the front end empty.

“Is that you, Locke!?” a muffled shout echoed from the back.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, sliding his sunglasses onto the top of his head.

A moment later Ms. Gloushire was whacking her beaded curtain out of the way and she smiled warmly at Locke before her eyes settled on Benji. “Oh, you have a friend today.”

“Yep. My brother, Benji,” he said. “I have the tea for you for the Fest. The Starry Night, Full Moon, and Crossroads.” He set his box down on her counter beside the register and pulled back the flaps.

Her face lit up and she rubbed her hands together. “Ooh, excellent. Everything work out all right with your last check?”

“Yes, ma’am, not problems at all,” he said, smiling softly.

“Good. All this newfangled equipment. I know it’s more convenient for the Norms, but electronics and magic don’t always mix well. But if everything’s fine, then it’s fine,” she said, casting her new POS system a distrustful glare as she dug into the box of teas. Locke just chuckled and waited patiently for her to finish her counting and inventorying. Satisfied, she marked it all down and set the box aside.

“All right, dear, everything looks to be in order. If I need anything else, I’ll call you,” she said.

“Yep, you know where to find me. I gotta stop at Coriander’s. You have a good night,” he said, flicking down his sunglasses.

“You too, Locke. Pleasure to meet you, Benji,” she said with a suspiciously sharp smile. Benji tittered nervously, thanked her, and they were off.

The stop at Coriander’s was brief and uneventful. Locke handed over the second box of teas, things packaged in lighter bags with more spritely names, while Benji was one again glued to the shiniest objects the shop had to offer. Even with Coriander chatting at top speed about a new topic every few seconds, they were done relatively quickly. He said his farewells to the bubbly sprite, flicked his sunglasses down, and turned toward the door, only to be blinded anyway.

Sebastian was in the doorway, pushing his outrageous sunglasses onto the top of his head as he meandered into the shop. As soon as he saw Locke he smiled and Locke frowned at the butterflies in his stomach.

“Hey beautiful,” Sebastian said, smooth and a little high. His eyes instantly flicked to Benji and his expression went briefly blank, before he smiled again and got a little swagger. “Well, well, who is this delightful new face?”

Locke glanced over his shoulder and wasn’t surprised to see Benji’s face dark with blush. His greenish skin and purplish blood made him look a little brown, but it was definitely a blush. Locke didn’t blame him.

“Sebastian,” he said. “My brother, Benji. Here for the Fest.” He cleared his throat before his voice broke and ignored the look Benji gave him.

Another expression briefly flickered across Sebastian’s face, this time more surprised than blank, and quickly settled into a coy grin. “Brother? Well, welcome to Newlight Falls, Mr. Benji. I’m Sebastian Devereux, Locke’s neighbor,” he said, sauntering forward and offering his hand. He was a head shorter than Locke, which had Benji nearly towering, but as usual Sebastian’s confidence was unwavering. Locke figured it would have to be with a neon pink sequin sarong over those...shorts.

“Good to meet you, Mr. Devereux,” Benji said. “Which neighbor would you be?”

“The one across the street, handsome. Incase you ever need to borrow a cup of sugar,” he said with a wink. Benji grinned stupidly and Locke nervously fussed with his lip ring. “If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen, I have some tea to stock up on.” He winked at Locke, who barely resisted watching as Sebastian sauntered past. He huffed, tugging his hood closer to his face, and hurried out of the shop, leaving Benji to scurry after him. Maybe the hood and sunglasses disguised his blush enough? He certainly hoped so.

--

“So how are the infusions going?”

Locke looked up from pushing around his caprese. “Hmm? Oh, they’re fine. They’re infusions.” He cut a bite of cheese and tomato. “I had one last week and I think I’m scheduled for the week after next. Mostly vitamin D right now.”

Benji nodded, obliterating a half-pound cheeseburger and fries. “I remember summers are harder.”

Locke shrugged. “Yeah, but being here has been really great. The woods are so dense that I don’t always get a rash, so I can be outside more during the day.”

Benji’s face lit up. “Oh! That’s really cool! Mom and dad will be happy to hear it. See? I told them this was a good move for you.”

Locke huffed. “What, me telling them how great it is wasn’t enough?”

Benji waved him off. “You know how they are, they always worry about you.”

It wasn’t unwarranted. Locke had been a sick kid with all kinds of health issues and sensitivities, not the least of which was chronic anemia. At the time, being in and out of foster homes like he was, it had been difficult to narrow down his symptoms. Until Dan and Lori snagged him, the pale, scrawny, constantly exhausted thing that he was, and gave him a solid foster home to grow up in. Within the first year they’d discovered he had vampire heritage, which explained the majority of his weird symptoms. It wasn’t enough that he had to have transfusions, but it still meant he was anemic and allergic to too much direct sunlight. After that, with the support of his new foster family, Locke improved enough that he was able to finish school, and even got a degree.

Now, with a healthy lifestyle, he could live pretty normally, even if he still needed to be monitored monthly. Newlight, on top of being paranormally inclusive, also happened to be an hour away from the office that handled his case, which was still better than the two and a half hours he’d been traveling while still living near Dan and Lori. They might not have adopted him, but they still considered themselves his parents, and made quite the fuss when he moved so far away from them.

“Well, I really am doing great. You can tell them that I'm happy and healthy and even the ghost doesn’t bother me too much,” he said.

Benji snorted. “Lori would flip her lid if she knew you had a ghost.”

Locke grinned and didn’t think Lori would honestly be too surprised.

Other than the caprese salad, the choice of restaurant had been deliberate. It sat across from a stretch of woods with a marked path, and that path just so happened to let out a few yards from Locke’s house. The dark fae of Newlight loved to fill it with all sorts of mischief, some of which was quite pretty depending on the mood. With it being tourist season, and the endless woodland trails a huge attraction, Newlight had strict ordinances for what was and wasn’t allowed on the public paths. Benji was hesitant to take the woods home, but Locke assured him it was quite safe so long as they stayed on the path.

True to form, the woods were full of eerie giggles and mysterious lights, shrubs shaking and twigs snapping in the shadows along the lit path. The usual lamps that ran along the ground had been replaced with overhead string lights, zigzagging back and forth  like a trail of will-o-the-wisps. Since the sun had finally set, Locke was able to shuck his hoodie and take off his sunglasses. Extreme temperatures had never really bothered him, but the summers could be pretty oppressive. It was nice to feel cool night air on his skin.

Half way home, a fairy appeared, a curvy woman in a diaphanous lavender dress and long, curling black hair. She hovered her way across the path, watching them with a wicked grin and shining black eyes.

“Evening, Iris,” Locke said casually. Benji made some choking noises behind him and Locke suppressed a grin, imagining his brother was blushing so hard he was almost purple.

“Hello, Locke. Who’s your friend?” she asked, moving a little closer.

“This is my brother, Ben.”

Her grin got even more mischievous. “Nice to meet you, Ben,” and she was off again, disappearing into the trees on the opposite side of the path. A symphony of chittering laughs hit them and Locke snorted.

“Wow,” Benji huffed as they kept moving, eyes nearly glued to the spot.

“She works in Mrs. Gloushire’s sometimes,” Locke said with a shrug.

“Oh yeah?” Benji mumbled absently, still searching through the darkness. Locke wanted to tease him, but it was his turn to blush when another fairy appeared.

“Hello, Galena,” he nearly deadpanned, glad it was so dark.

Galena was tall and willowy, built lean like a swimmer and burnished like bronze. He was dressed in what Locke could only call a poison green loincloth with a braided rope of poison ivy draped across him like a sash and pinning back half of his long, curling brown hair.

“Hello, Locke.” He did a little spin, purple wings beating wildly. “What do you think of my Absinthe costume?”

Locke blinked. “Isn’t that the same costume from last year?”

Galena scoffed. “You’re no fun!” he snarked, but blew Locke a kiss anyway and darted off again. Locke sighed and picked up the pace.

“Are the woods always like this here?” Benji nearly whispered to a chorus of laughter.

Locke shrugged. “No, they’re just excited for the Fest. It’s pretty quiet outside of tourist season.” Benji just hummed softly and got a little closer when something shrieked nearby.

[bytheangell]

Feel It in My Soul

(Read on AO3)

Losing his soulmark was the second-best thing to happen to Simon Lewis, though it didn’t feel that way at the time.

Soulmates aren’t a thing in the Shadow World. Something about the supernatural properties of the blood must override the mark because not a single Nephilim, vampire, werewolf, warlock, or Seelie has one.

When Clary finds out she’s a Shadowhunter it explains her lack of a soulmark at birth, something she assumed meant she was destined to never fall in love and often lamented to Simon over.

When Simon claws free of his own shallow grave the change he’s most distraught over is the loss of the abstract, crescent moon-shaped mark on his arm. He knows it’s ridiculous given everything else happening in his life just then, but it feels like he lost a part of his identity. He wonders if he lost the connection to his soulmate, too. He certainly doesn’t expect to find them now, even if he hasn’t.

It isn’t all tragedy, however. Losing his soulmark has surprising positives, such as allowing him to be fully open to the idea of developing serious feelings for someone who doesn’t share, or doesn’t even have, a mark.

Someone like Raphael Santiago.

At first, Simon thinks what he feels is gratitude - gratitude for Raphael not leaving him to die, for taking him in and teaching him the ropes, for protecting him. It isn’t long before Simon admits to himself it’s more than that; he misses Raphael when they’re apart, misses the Dumort which, at some point along the way, shifts from a place Simon has to be to a place he wants to be.

There are moments Simon thinks that Raphael has feelings for him too, but they’re always fleeting, gone as quickly as they happen, leaving Simon with nothing but constant doubt.

That is, until the day Simon messes up and ends up nearly dying, but forever this time. It’s a stupid mistake, being out alone and letting himself get cornered by a few Clave loyalists who don’t like the idea of a Daylighter existing in their world. Clary and Alec show up just in time to save his life, but it’s in Raphael’s bed at the Dumort that Simon wakes up a day later. It’s Raphael’s voice that wakes him, Raphael’s face that greets him.

“You need to wake up,” Raphael’s words reach Simon through the darkness of his unconsciousness. They’re soft, reverent, half-pleading and half-prayer; they sound like words being spoken for the 100th time. “I need you, Simon. I don’t want to lose you...”

It takes a lot of effort for Simon to force his eyes open. “Can’t… get rid of me… that easily,” he manages, his throat dry and strained.

Raphael nearly jumps up from the chair next to the bed, surprised but relieved. No, it’s more than just relief… Raphael looks happy.

Happy. Simon can’t remember the last time he saw actual joy on Raphael’s face, but it’s there now, and he put it there, simply by being alive.

“I should’ve known better,” Raphael says. He tries to control his features back to something neutral but even the sarcastic words hold a fondness to them.

Simon considers all the things he can say at this moment: about what happened to him, about what he just heard Raphael say, about all the moments before Simon reflects on with new meaning. He doesn’t say any of it. What comes out is:

“I need you, too.”

Raphael looks surprised, hesitates for a moment, then nods once.

An acknowledgment. An admission, or as close to one as Simon’s going to get just then.

He’ll take it.

---

There’s no doubt in Simon’s mind that he loves Raphael. It’s clear the moment he risks his life to go undercover and rescue him. The fear Simon feels over not knowing whether he’s safe, whether he’s even alive, leaves no room for doubt.

When Simon finds Raphael standing in the sunlight, now entirely human, the relief at finding him alive is all Simon has time to process.

Raphael’s new mortality only really hits Simon after Raphael turns down an offer from the Clan to turn him back into a vampire and give him his title back. Simon isn’t surprised at Raphael’s decision, but he’s surprised how real this makes it feel, and how much it feels almost like a death sentence.

“Are you upset?” Raphael asks Simon, who has his head on Raphael’s chest to listen to his heartbeat while they lounge on the sofa. They just got back from the Dumort a few minutes ago, the conversation with Lily and the others still fresh in his mind so that he doesn’t have to ask what Raphael’s referencing.

“Of course not,” Simon says. He isn’t, not really. He wants Raphael to be happy, and if this is what’s best for him then Simon supports it 100%. He is, however, also a little distraught that the eternity he thought the two of them would share has now turned into an eternity for one. “If this is what you want then it’s what I want for you. I just want you to be happy, Raphael.”

“I am,” Raphael admits.

As far as Simon’s concerned, that settles it.

“Then so I am,” Simon reassures him. Raphael reaches a hand over to lace his fingers through Simon’s and gives them a quick squeeze in thanks.

Then, after a moment of contented silence, the sound of his stomach growling fills the room. “...I’m also hungry, apparently” Raphael adds, wincing at the embarrassingly loud interruption.

Simon laughs, shifting to sit upright and giving the hand still linked in his a tug to follow as he stands. “You’re always hungry. C’mon, let’s go give that new 24-hour diner a try.”

---

There are a surprising amount of things to do once one is no longer a vampire, Simon learns. It isn’t as easy as saying goodbye and walking away - first, Raphael has to hand over the leadership of the Clan by appointing someone to take his place. His second in command is Lily and Simon imagines that should be an easy enough decision, but apparently there's some contention as to whether or not it should go to Simon, of all people.

Simon balks at the idea. "Absolutely not," he says. "I'm not ruthless enough... not that you were ruthless or anything, but-" Simon starts to backtrack, tripping over his words. Raphael laughs, and it makes the slight embarrassment Simon feels entirely worth it because there are few sounds Simon enjoys more than Raphael's laughter.

It's a sound Simon hears more and more as the days go on. Everything about Raphael feels lighter now, from the way he carries himself to the way he speaks, the wonder with which he looks at simple things in the daylight he's been deprived of for so long. It's like a new appreciation for the world fills him, an almost child-like sense of wonder that Simon wishes he could bottle and keep forever. Instead, he captures it in photos and videos on his phone.

Lily is appointed the leader of the Brooklyn Clan, as she should be, and Raphael is given permission to stay at the Dumort for however long he needs to figure out alternative arrangements for himself. Instead of offering to help him look for a place, Simon jumps two steps ahead.

"You could move in with me,” Simon offers. “I never sold my apartment when I started spending all my time with you at the Dumort..." He isn't sure why Raphael moving in with him at the apartment feels like such a bigger step than Simon essentially living with Raphael at the Dumort. Maybe because there were always other people at the hotel, plus the excuse that Simon was there because he was expected to, being a vampire and all. But this... this would be a commitment, an unmistakable step forward in their relationship.

Simon knows that it'll be an adjustment, he's afraid it might be too much too quickly, that maybe he's overstepping and Raphael will want the time alone at the start of figuring out his new life as a human.

Simon begins to brace himself for a gentle let-down, but it’s one that never comes.

"Alright," Raphael says, and Simon's surprised at how easy it is. There's no debating, no convincing, just an effortless acceptance Simon grows more and more used to by the day.

---

Things are simpler without a clan to lead and a war to fight. An impressive amount of their time is spent in local restaurants while Raphael tries every new food known to mankind. Eventually, Raphael starts to make himself at home in Simon’s apartment, filling the space with a few things he takes from the Dumort and even more new things the two of them start acquiring together.

All the while Simon does the best he can to help Raphael adjust to his new life. It wasn’t too long ago Simon was the mundane, after all. They try to go to new parks whenever they can. As simple as it is, laying in the grass on a sunny day quickly becomes one of Raphael’s favorite things to do. One day Simon plans a trip to the zoo, and others often include aimless walks around the city. Sure, Raphael’s lived here long enough to be familiar with it even if he’s only experienced most of it at night, but there’s a reason the saying is ‘the difference between night and day’. That reason is obvious in the way Raphael looks at everything around them on these walks as if he’s seeing it for the first time, even when Simon knows he isn’t.

Simon falls a little more in love with Raphael every day. He doesn't mind making little, or sometimes huge, changes to make Raphael’s shift back to normal life as easy as possible. When Raphael admits he can't fall asleep with the streetlight that bleeds in through the curtains at night Simon immediately buys a set of blackout curtains for the bedroom. He makes sure to keep the fridge stocked with all of Raphael's new favorite foods and drinks. The smell of blood makes Raphael nauseous now so Simon keeps it in a separate mini-fridge in the spare room and does his best not to drink when Raphael is home.

"You don't have to keep doing all these things just for me," Raphael says one day while they walk around a nearby park. The comment comes in response to Simon telling him about a vineyard an hour away he researched after Raphael mentioned once, in passing, that he was really enjoying a lot of new wines he’d been trying.

"I know I don’t have to," Simon admits. "But I want to."

It's as simple as that. He likes spending time with Raphael. He likes watching Raphael experience new things for the first time, the way a slow, considering smile spreads across his face at a new taste he likes or the way his nose scrunches up when he tries something he hates. He loves hearing Raphael's heartbeat slows down in calm satisfaction when the sun breaks through from behind a long cloud and bathes them in warmth.

He loves Raphael. He knows that, and even though he’s never said it out loud he’s positive Raphael knows it, too. But in this particular moment, Simon feels it stronger than he ever has before. He can't imagine loving anyone the way he loves Raphael, he can't imagine there's anything he wouldn't willingly do or sacrifice for him, not that Raphael would ever ask him to. Simon doesn't need a mark on his arm to tell him what he knows in his soul to be true - that he and Raphael are meant for each other.

"What is it?" Raphael asks, brow raised.

"Nothing," Simon says, which is a lie because it isn't nothing. It's everything. But that's the problem because Simon has a lot of big, overwhelming feelings he can't quite put into words... and even if he could, the middle of the park isn't where he should say them.

"Doesn't look like nothing," Raphael prods, just a little.

"Just thinking about how much I love you,” Simon says. He doesn’t mean to say it. In fact, he’s positive it’s too much too soon, but it seems wrong to feel it so strongly and keep it from the person it’s meant for. “It’s okay if you don’t… you don’t have to say it back,” he adds quickly.

Raphael stares at Simon for a moment, and then starts slowly, "I know I don't have to." He's mirroring what Simon just said to him, and that realization has Simon grinning like a fool before Raphael finishes his sentence. "But I want to. I love you too, mi sol."

Living up to Raphael’s nickname for him, Simon is pretty sure he's beaming brighter than the sun itself for the rest of their walk.

---

Simon can’t remember the last time he saw Raphael with a tank top on. The New York fall has been colder than usual, and with Raphael adjusting to feeling temperatures with his human body it’s been all suits and dress shirts, and even long-sleeved pajamas to bed under Simon’s thick comforter.

Today, however, the sun is blazing and the weather’s uncharacteristically warm. Simon has an errand to run at the Institute but agrees to meet Raphael afterward. He’s shocked to find Raphael waiting for him in a plain white tank top and jeans. He’s also surprised to see a plate with avocado toast and what smells like… yes, that’s definitely a turmeric latte on the table in front of Raphael. If Raphael trying out all the new, trendy flavors now that he can eat food again makes him look like a bit of a hipster Simon isn’t going to be the one to point it out to him.

None of that is what stops Simon dead in his tracks about a foot away from the table, however. Simon isn’t staring at the food or Raphael’s clothing - his eyes are glued to the black mark on Raphael’s upper arm.

Raphael follows his gaze, confused until he catches sight of his soulmark. “Oh, that,” Raphael says. “It came back when they cured me. I had it before I turned, but… well, you know. Not that it matters - they probably aren’t even alive anymore.”

Of course Raphael had a mark before. Why hadn’t he ever thought to ask about it?! Simon can’t take his eyes off of it, afraid it’ll disappear if he looks away and back again. He should say something. He needs to say something… but he can’t make the words come.

He must look visibly distraught because Raphael’s brow furrows. “Simon? What’s wrong? If it’s about the mark, don’t worry about it. It isn’t like I’m going to go looking for them now or anything.”

“It’s…” Simon starts, not sure why he’s so afraid. It shouldn’t change anything, but there’s still a certain weight to the knowledge. Simon knows Raphael’s still adjusting to his new life, and part of Simon is always mentally braced for the moment Raphael decides he wants to distance himself from the Shadow World - and by extension from Simon - for good. Simon isn’t sure Raphael will do what’s best for himself if he feels obligated to stay with him not out of love, but out of a universal bond. Deciding to walk away from a boyfriend would be one thing, but deciding to walk away from a soulmate…

“You don’t have to look for them,” Simon finally manages. “We’re soulmates.”

“Of course we are. I don’t need some ridiculous mark on my arm to tell me who I'm meant to be with. As far as I'm concerned, you're my soulmate, Si. I can't imagine anyone else I'd rather be with for the rest of my life." Raphael says, misinterpreting Simon’s words. Misguided or not, Simon thinks it’s probably the nicest thing anyone has ever said to him and he’s so beside himself with love and acceptance that he almost forgets why they’re having this conversation in the first place.

Raphael’s words ease something in Simon, quelling that initial fear that this new knowledge might change something between them. Knowing that Raphael would choose Simon, soulmate or not, makes his next words come that much easier.

"No, I mean we're soulmates. That's my mark. At least, it used to be," Simon clarifies.

Raphael nearly chokes on his toast. “What?”

Simon doesn’t answer, already pulling out his phone and going through his Facebook photos until he finds the picture of him from high school captioned: ‘Alright, which one of you unfortunate souls are stuck with me forever?’ with a focus on the soulmark that used to be on his arm.

The one that matches Raphael’s perfectly.

Raphael takes the phone and stares at the mark for a very long time.

"I know neither of us needed marks to tell us we're meant to be, but there's a certain comfort in knowing the universe agrees with you, isn’t there?" Simon says, mostly to fill the silence. Raphael still hasn’t said anything and because Simon is, well, Simon, he starts to ramble. “This doesn’t have to mean anything, though. I know you love me, but if there’s ever a point you don’t want to stay with me, I don’t want you to just because of this,” Simon says, motioning to the phone Raphael still holds in his hands. Even though Raphael just said he wants to spend the rest of his life with him, in light of recent developments this is still something Simon feels like he needs to say, just in case.

“Me? Not want to stay with you?” Raphael scoffs. “You're the one who didn’t sign up for a relationship with a mortal.”

Simon smiles softly. “I signed up for a relationship with you. I fell in love with you. You, not your-” Simon pauses, finally unrooting himself from the floor to sit in the chair across from Raphael, lowering his voice in case anyone is close enough to overhear. “-your immortality. And I’ll always choose you, even when it means sitting here and suffering the smells of the world’s strongest turmeric latte known to mankind.”

“Even if I’m going to grow old without you?” Raphael asks, his voice much softer now, his eyes not quite meeting Simon’s. Simon can tell he wasn’t the only one thinking about this lately even if neither of them brought it up before now.

“You’re going to grow old with me,” Simon corrects. “I might not age but I’ll still be there every step of the way. If you let me.”

“I might allow it,” Raphael says, but the smile pulling at the corners of his lips betray his attempted coyness.

Just like that, things are fine again. Not that they were ever not fine, but now there isn’t any doubt in Simon’s mind. Simon isn’t sure why he dreaded this talk for so long, he should’ve known that it’d be just like everything else between the two of them: as easy and instinctive as the steady rise and fall of Raphael’s chest.

“And you won’t have to worry about the lattes,” Raphael adds. “This is horrid and I’m never going within 10 feet of one ever again. The avocados we might have to start keeping at home, though.”

Home. Raphael’s never called it that before - ‘the apartment’, or sometimes ‘our place’, but this is the first time he’s called it home.

The word feels like the final piece of a puzzle finally clicking into place, and the ease Simon felt moments before is nothing compared to the way everything in him settles now, completely and perfectly content.

---

The second best thing to happen to Simon Lewis was losing his soulmark, a fact he can state with absolute certainty because it led him to the best thing to happen to him.

It led him to Raphael.

[simdertalia]

Witchy Potions 4

More witchy potions and ingredients!

No mesh needed (thank you for your lovely TOU, @sanoysims!) and is a recolor of their Bath Salts bottles from the Orama Bathroom set, which you can find HERE.

Sims 4, base game compatible.

17 swatches. Found in clutter and misc. decorations and bathroom accents. 1 Simoleon.

To find quickly, type “witchy potions” into the search query in buy/build mode. If you’re like me and have a lot of CC in your game, an easy way to find things is to search for the title of the item you’re looking for.

📁 Download set 4 <HERE>

📁 Alternate download <HERE>

And you can find set 1 <HERE>

Set 2 <HERE>

Set 3: <HERE>

*Thank you to all the creators who allow others to recolor and even include their meshes ❤️

~I take no credit for the images used in my recolors. All credit goes to the artist(s).~

As always, please let me know if you have any issues! Enjoy and Happy Simming!

[bi-makes-pie]

"I'm her best enemy" Playlist [ PART ONE - Songs 1 to 30]

Click READ MORE to see the whole list

1. Nemeses (feat. John Roderick) – Jonathan Coulton I mostly see this as being in the Master’s POV.

“Could it be that you need me To keep you out, to run you faster Promise me you'll let me be The one, the worst of all your enemies”

2. Crazy – Burn the Ballroom 12 to Missy. This one is quite cute. He does calls her mad, but we all know the Doctor isn’t exactly the perfect picture of sanity either.

“She had problems with my love connections So she bought me bullets and she made corrections (…) I'd say crazy, doll, but you've got something different I'd say complicated but that's your kind of rhythm I'd say lost and you'd say love

But you're crazy not to see That you're crazy just like me...”

3. Silence – Citizen Shade This kinda makes me picture the Doctor trying to give in and settle down with the Master (any version) while dealing with the inner conflict that they’re far too cruel for their taste.

“I found peace in your violence Can't tell me there's no point in trying I'm at one, and I've been silent for too long”

4. Dangerous Man - Little Dume This alternates between the Doctor’s POV and the Master’s. But you can also interpret it as being 100% about any version of the Doctor, since they do have a dark side.

“Every bone in my body's bad Fire's burning, the skies are turning black They say I'm a dangerous man” “Can you hear the storm's a coming I'm a silver in the lining There's a spark in me They say I'm a dangerous man Better run fast as you can Don't you look back”

5. Under Covers – LeRiche A bittersweet song about two people who had this precious friendship and love for each other, and about how distance can keep it all bottled up but once they give it a chance, they immediately go right back to the start. Just fits them very well, if you picture a happy ending to their relationship.

“I don't know why you're looking for a friend I'm right by your side But out here from a distance You won't look me in the eyes Without your love, I think I could die Then you let me in, we go back to beginnings When we were just friends hanging out on the ceiling We'll laugh about love and how we felt for one another And I love the way we make up under covers”

6. The Scientist – Coldplay A song about longing to make things right again and with little analogies involving science? I mean…

“Nobody said it was easy It's such a shame for us to part Nobody said it was easy No one ever said it would be this hard Oh, take me back to the start”

7. Renegades – X Ambassadors The “They actually stole a TARDIS and ran away together from Gallirey” AU we need so much

“Run away with me Lost souls and reverie Running wild and running free Two kids, you and me And I say Hey, hey hey hey Living like we're renegades”

8. Love is War – American Young I like how cute this song is and yet there is a bit of a dark twist. Fits them.

“Sometimes love is all that can save us Sometimes love can kill a man Yeah sometimes love is a soft touch Or a pistol in your hand Sometimes love is a white flag (...) Sometimes a cannon ball But it's worth fighting for Baby, sometimes love is war”

9. Bury a friend – Billie Eilish (Cover by Pomplamoose) Master’s POV. Can apply to any of their regenerations but I think of Simm!Master the most, since Ten tends to run towards him rather than walk away from him.

“What do you want from me? Why don't you run from me? What are you wondering? What do you know? Why aren't you scared of me? Why do you care for me? When we all fall asleep, where do we go?”

10. Come as you are – Nirvana (Cover by Imaginary Future) Best Enemies, everyone. Master’s POV again.

“Come as you are, as you were As I want you to be As a friend, as a friend As an old enemy (…) And I swear that I don't have a gun No, I don't have a gun”

11. Turn – The Wombats Academy!Era, Doctor’s POV. Theta (Doctor) clearly has a crush on Koschei (Master) and they’re both love being chaotic together. 

“I like the way your brain works, I like the way you try To run with the wolf pack when your legs are tired I like the way you turn me inside and out I like the way you turn I like the way your brain works Baby, it's the crazy I like I think I saw the world turn in your eyes”

12. Run – Snow Patrol Master’s POV if he was ever able to be honest about his feelings. Some parts can easily be read as the Doctor’s POV too.

“You've been the only thing that's right In all I've done And I can barely look at you But every single time I do I know we'll make it anywhere Away from here”

13. Maps - The Front Bottoms The Doctor’s POV as their relationship deteriorates after the Academy and he plans to steal the TARDIS and leave Gallifrey and his friend behind. I had to help myself from quoting the whole song because IT REALLY FITS SO WELL.

“There is a map in my room, on the wall of my room And I've got big, big plans (…) You say 'I hate you', you mean it And 'I love you' sounds fake It's taken me so long to figure that out I used to love the taste, I would do anything for it Now I would do anything to get the taste out of my mouth (…) "And what about your friends, Don't you love them enough to stay?" And I say, "If I don't leave now, Then I will never get away." Let me be a blue raft on the blue sea, I'll blend right in”

14. Old College – The Mountain Goats This fits the tiresome, sad, manipulative and draining part of their relationship.

“The warning signs have all been bright and garish Far too great in number to ignore (…) Our love has never had a leg to stand on From the aspirins to the cross-tops to the Elavils 

But I will walk down to the end with you If you will come all the way down with me”

15. Like a Staring Contest – The Future Kings of Nowhere Covers the end of their friendship and start of the new enemies dynamic. 

“I'm so tired of open warfare When the point of this was to be best of friends (…) When you fall in love as hard And recklessly as you and I do It seems that the final act should have The same intensity as the first scene”

16. Poison and Wine – The Civil Wars Reminds me of 12 and Missy but before Series 10. 

“You only know what I want you to I know everything you don't want me to Oh your mouth is poison, your mouth is wine You think your dreams are the same as mine Oh I don't love you but I always will” 

17. Genesis 30:3 – The Mountain Goats The mentions of a past relationship and the following lines followed by drums really make me picture this as Simm!Master and Ten getting a happy but bittersweet ending.

“For several hours we lay there, last ones of our kind Harder days coming, maybe I don't mind Sounds kind of dumb when I say it, but it's true I would do anything for you”

 18. Blood Under The Bridge – Frightened Rabbit Could literally be any version, but I picture Dhawan!Master and 13 making amends here, mostly because he might be crazy and frenetic but behind that façade he’s clearly way more tired than she ever will be.

“And it's alright, it's alright It's just blood under the bridge And I'm too tired to fight And you're sick of feeling sick And so am I It's alright It's just blood under the bridge”

19. Even Though Our Love is Doomed – Garbage  Missy’s POV. You can interpret this like her train of thoughts and reflections starting from early Vault days to the last time we see her on-screen. Reluctance, guilt and then the resolution.

“Come a little bit closer I need to understand Why we kill the things we love the most (…) Can you love me for what I've become Love me for what I Said that I would not become 'Cause they don't burn like I do (…) And even though our love is doomed And even though we're all messed up You're the only thing worth fighting for” You're the only thing worth dying for” 

20. Starlight – Muse 12 and Missy during the episodes World Enough and Time and The Doctor Falls.

“Now I'll never let you go If you promised not to fade away Never fade away Our hopes and expectations Black holes and revelations” 

21. Control – Halsey This screams Missy to me, especially since she literally incorporates the character of the evil nanny in her book (The Missy Chronicles) and in Big Finish’s audio dramas.

“I'm bigger than my body I'm colder than this home I'm meaner than my demons I'm bigger than these bones

And all the kids cried out, "Please stop, you're scaring me" I can't help this awful energy God damn right, you should be scared of me Who is in control?”

 22. Enemy – Woodlock End of Academy!Era. Yet another song which reminds me about their early fighting days and the end of their friendship.

This is where it begins At the start of an end I could no longer pretend No more, you walked out the door You’re my enemy

23. Why Can't We Be Friends? – The Academic The title says it all. The lyrics also mention how the relationship is always turning into something new, so I had to associate with the longest friends to lovers to enemies we’ve ever seen on television.

“This world is pointless If you're not here This world is pointless If we're not self-destructing love And it falls and it breaks and it turns into something new And it falls and it breaks and it turns into something” 

24. Wish That You Were Here – Florence + The Machine Doctor’s POV, in the days when he regrets leaving Gallifrey for a couple of seconds before turning to occupy his with something else. Because he knows that even if he went back, things aren’t the same and everyone has changed – including him.

“And I never minded being on my own Then something broke in me and I wanted to go home To be where you are But even closer to you, you seem so very far

And it's beautiful but there's that tug in the sight I must stop time traveling, you're always on my mind”

 25. No Light, No Light – Florence + The Machine This one makes me picture the first moment the Doctor realized his friend had changed too much and had to choose between his own feelings and standing for what’s right. This happens A LOT in the show, but I imagine realizing that for the first time was the hardest.

“But would you leave me If I told you what I've done And would you leave me If I told you what I've become No light, no light in your bright blue eyes I never knew daylight could be so violent A revelation in the light of day”

26. Dancing with the Devil – Wolf Gang This alternates between the Master’s POV and the Doctor’s POV. 

“If you're the chosen one How does it feel to be loved by no one? If you're the number one Where do you run to? Can you hide behind the sun? You say that there's no oxygen again You're forcing down the lies but you always get your way Something tells me that this was all arranged You tricked me once again” 

27. Skeleton Park – Kasador Master’s POV. “You know, back in the day, I'd burn an entire city to the ground just to see the pretty shapes the smoke made” (Missy, in The Lie of the Land, Series 10, Episode 8)

“When the house is on fire Air fills my lungs I satisfy desire From watching all you run Yeah the house is on fire Hear the sirens scream My hands hold the lighter It fits so naturally”

28. Elastic Heart – Longfellow What I love the most about the Doctor (all versions) is how they keep fighting for what is right despite their own feelings being hurt or despite how much it may cause them pain. I love what this character represents, and those lyrics reminds me so much of them. 

“Oh why can I not conquer love? And I might have thought that we were one Wanted to fight this war without weapons And I wanted it, I wanted it bad But there were so many red flags (…) Yeah, let's be clear, I'll trust no one You did not break in here I'm still fighting for peace”

 29. Bite Back – The All-American Rejects “You think you've broken me? You'll have to try harder than that” (The Doctor, in The Timeless Children Series 12, Episode 10). Same unbreakable side of the Doctor, but this time she definitively resents it a little more than usual. 

“You couldn't break me in the end And such a freedom I enjoy When you're deaf to the sounds you trust If that was all you've got, my friend Then set yourself to disappoint” 

30. No Children – The Mountain Goats Listen to me here: this covers the whole “They were married way before they started to hate each other back on Gallifrey” fan theory.

“I am drowning There is no sign of land You are coming down with me Hand in unlovable hand”

[ PART TWO TO BE ADDED SOON ]

[nocompromise-noregrets]

Favourite Works Meme

Tagged by the fabulous @lemurious - THANK YOU I LOVE YOU <333333

Rules: Choose your favorite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc.) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought into the world in 2020. Tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want (fan or original) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works!

2020 was a hell of a year for me. I last wrote anything of substance in 2011, and although I’d been posting to AO3 here and there, a lot of it was older stuff that I wrote back in the mid-2000s, and I hadn’t really found a fandom that inspired me enough to want to write much for it. I’d been heavily into the Tolkien fandom between about 2002 and 2004/5 but had fallen away as the excitement over the films faded, and for some reason the Hobbit movies didn’t get me back into it all at the time. (Now I wish they had!)

And then that LotR cast reunion video appeared on YouTube in early June. Honestly, it was like seeing dear old friends again who I hadn’t seen in years. I spent most of it alternately grinning broadly and weeping like a small child, and after it was over, I ran back to the films for a rewatch. Then I started looking at my old WIPs, and following blogs on here, and then...and THEN the words just started pouring out of me. I wrote around 430k between June and December, which is absolutely unprecedented for me - 2011 was probably my previously most productive year, in which I wrote somewhere just over 100k, none of which got posted anywhere other than my old LJ as it was for a tiny fandom that doesn’t exist on AO3 (it died before AO3 really got going and we all tacitly agreed never to speak of it again xD ).

So...my favourite works from 2020. This is going to be tough, because I love them all, but...

Firstly, the It’s Always Been You series, which grew from notes and a few scenes from a side-fic to a ‘verse I was playing in with @myfairprouvaire back in about 2003; I looked at it in June, thought ‘I want to read that fic...dammit, that means I have to write that fic’ and then...and then, miraculously, I DID. It’s very niche, being that it centres on the pairing of Orophin/Rúmil, which is rare enough without the obvious issue, but I adore them, they’re one of my OTPs, and it gave me the opportunity to explore their characters, plus those of Haldir, Arwen (<33333), and her brothers, who happen to be one of my other OTPs. Yes, I know, and I don’t care.

Secondly, once I got that out of my system (sort of, it’s still not finished), I had been percolating something about Bard and Thranduil, having not even needed my slash goggles to see the potential between them in Battle of the Five Armies. It probably helped that they’re both unreasonably nice to look at, damn them, and they kept looking at each other. Anyway, what I was expecting to be 10k of eventually-resolved-sexual-tension turned into the absolute monster that is the (currently just over 210k O.O ) series My Heart Is An Empty Vessel, the main story of which is currently standing at somewhere over 160k and has an epilogue, a sequel also in progress, and several side-fics AND allowed me to weave in my existing Legolas/Imrahil series A Little Piece of the Sea, which I also wrote some new pieces for this year. I love those two so much, so I was super happy about that. Empty Vessel also ties in to pretty much everything else I’ve ever written in the Tolkien fandom, including the It’s Always Been You series - everything is in the same ‘verse, and characters referred to in one series are the same versions as those in another. Hooray for self-referentiality!

Thirdly, there is the ridiculous Christmas-movie modern Bard/Thranduil AU It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like..., which is breeding a sequel and turning into a series as we speak, although I don’t have a title for the series yet. I didn’t think I had a modern AU in me, but it looks as though I do. I had so much fun with this one, weaving in little canon references and headcanons and references to the Empty Vessel versions of the characters (and making Sigrid and Tauriel girlfriends, yay!), and I’m really looking forward to seeing where the sequel goes.

And fourthly, I am going to put together all the challenge/exchange fics I wrote this year because I had so much fun with them and I’m super proud of all of them. Kicking off with Broken On The Inside, written for @lemurious, the Erestor/Glorfindel getting-together tale in which Glorfindel has sustained a head injury and is thinking about his time at the Last Homely House, home of the misfits, the outcasts, the broken and the damned. the only home, a piece of experimental poetry which is all that Elladan and Elrohir would give me when I asked them to tell me about sailing West for @secretlythranduil, and Two Princes, about Legolas and Imrahil getting together, aided and abetted by their interfering friends and Legolas’ Ada, were written for the same event (Innumerable Stars). Then for Have A Happy Hobbit Holiday I wrote Should All The Stars Shine In The Sky for @bayta-darell, about winter celebrations in Dale, with Bard/Thranduil, Sigrid/Tauriel, and Bain and Tilda being adorable, and for Tolkien Secret Santa I wrote Come Home for @gamjawo, featuring Elrohir’s childhood fixation with Maglor finally paying off. Aaaaand for Yuletide I wrote A Tale Untold, a post-movie A Knight’s Tale fic in which the Black Prince gives William and Jocelyn a little manor in the country and the gang all settle down to live happily ever after (featuring a Latin deed of grant that’s as close to accurate as I could get it, a translation thereof, and a bunch of stuff about how medieval manors operated, because I am That Kind Of Nerd), and Six Bottles of Wine, a 2011-Three Musketeers story in which Porthos bets Aramis that Aramis can’t seduce Athos, and there is, eventually, some debate as to whether it’s Aramis or Athos who actually wins the bet. And as part of those exchanges I received some absolutely wonderful stories which I thoroughly encourage you all to check out.

ETA: oh yeah and FIFTHLY how could I forget Overrun By Halflings, which is a thoroughly ridiculous little thing I wrote for Tolkien Crack Week, in which Rosie makes Sam take her and all the kids to Valinor to join Frodo, and Certain People Who Have No Room To Comment At All get a little sniffy about it. :D (and everything I wrote for Writers’ Month, and and and... :D :D :D I’m just ludicrously excited about all of it!)

I had such a wonderful time with all of these, and all the other fics I wrote last year. My life is infinitely better, and I am infinitely happier, for being back in the Tolkien fandom and for being able to write again. This time last year I honestly thought it was over. I thought I’d never find something to inspire me again. And then...all it took was that reunion video and BAM here we are. <333333

I think everyone’s done this one by now, but if any of you haven’t and want to, consider yourselves well and truly tagged!

[gluestickcherrybum]

Ahoy there! I'm back with another study post °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

 So if you aren't aware already, me as well as various other study bloggers are notorious for writing aesthetically pleasing handwritten notes. Notes aren’t absolutely necessary if you prefer to do without.  A lot of my friends and acquaintances don’t bother with them and prefer to rely entirely on the lecture materials provided. I find that it helps me indefinitely in my studies and as a brief creative outlet which I rarely give myself the time for.

Why take Notes? 

Instead of printing the lecture materials given digitally, I've taken it to re-write the lecture notes a few days prior to the lecture. Some lecturers insist their students read the material to get a grasp of the topic before the lecture and this is taking it a few steps further.  They say writing something down is equivalent to reading it 7 times, meaning getting into memory this way is so much more efficient which is one of the biggest reasons I insisted myself handwrite my notes. Also writing your own notes is totally customisable to your needs, do you prefer mind maps or lists? Infographics or paragraphs? Minimalistic or colourful? It's all up to you.

Why I personally take notes

Different plants have different needs. Some need to be watered daily, some twice a day and some every other day. Some thrive in nutrient-rich soil and some prefer to sit in dry sand. Just like plants, each individual student has different needs and circumstances to thrive. For me, since I have a relatively low attention span and am a relatively slow learner, I needed the head start of reading topics beforehand to catch on with the rest. To me, with proper preparation for lectures, attending the lecture is like filling in the missing puzzle pieces. At least it should be. Also, I'm more of a visual learner, so if you're like me, then well structured, colourful and easy to read notes are not only more appealing but really help me in my studies and help me grasp topics a lot faster.

SUPPLIES

Probably the part where everyone is pumped for but I'll to simplify as well as be in-depth as possible.

Basically, you need paper and a pen. Need some colours? get some highlighters or coloured pens. Some people usually go one or the other but you can benefit from using both systematically. 

What I look for in my preferred paper:

Thicker paper (120gsm) because I use markers and pens that bleed through anything less and I like my paper sturdy because I heavily reference my notes and I don't want them to get worn out as quickly (i want to actually try to use thinner paper and be gentler but not sure how much I can commit to it  o(╥﹏╥)o).

Smoother paper is good if you use felt tips so they don't get damaged that quickly.

Line spacing. Its a waste of space and paper if you have small handwriting but largely spaced outlines. Not easy to find though.

Line colour. I prefer lighter lines such as light grey if possible, it just looks tidier that my writing contrasts more than with jet black lines.

Recycled or sustainably made paper. Because environment. Trees happy. Duh.

At the moment I'm a fan of loose-leaf paper because I'm not a fan of wasting notebook paper at the back (plus its even harder to get the paper features I want in notebooks unless I'm lucky) but if I were to succumb to using notebooks, I would definitely prefer thread-bound or hand-sewn over spring bound just because I think metal springs are annoying and if they're plastic, they aren't recyclable. You know me.

In conclusion, it's hard to find test pad with all of these features, you can consider printing your own notepaper if you're as picky as I am but you do you. If you can only afford flimsy see-through paper, that's alright. But make sure your supplies are appropriate for them as most of the supplies I use will bleed even on regular paper

Pens

Don't bother going all out and using fine liners or drawing pens to write notes. Get practical. Pick your poison. Smooth gel pens or dry ballpoint? Ergonomic or Budget-friendly? Disposable or refillable? My only guideline is to make sure they have waterproof ink because in any case, you need to send in an assignment last minute and have to rush through the rain without a folder you definitely want your writing to be at least legible if anything. (yes I learned this the hard way, yes illegible work will cost you a lot of marks. don't make my mistake ｡：ﾟ(｡ﾉω＼｡)ﾟ･｡

 Also. Black or Blue? Studies show that writing in blue improves memory collection but black is the more neutral aesthetic. What do I do? I use black as my main colour and write keywords and important facts in blue to take advantage of its memory-enhancing properties.

My current preference: Zebra Sarasa Clip (because its made of 75% recycled plastic and is a good quality pen) with Pentel Energel refill (gel ink that dries quickly. that's all I need)

Budget-Friendly: There are good quality pen sets at the ECO shop (Malaysian dollar store) or buy disposable pens in bulk at any book store. Trust me, it saves a lot more than buying a brand new 80 cent pen every now and again. (Also including the cost of transportation to the store because when you live independently, every cent matters) It's not exactly environmentally friendly but hey, anything to cut the cost right?

Zero Waste option: Fountain Pen with a converter (not the cartridges) and glass bottles of ink refill. Yes, it sounds daunting but its zero waste if that's your cup of tea. You don't have to go all out and buy an expensive luxury fountain pen made of stainless steel, or go fancy and get a flexible nib. If you ask me, I have my eyes set on the pilot kakuno fountain pen, its simple, aesthetic and highly recommended for beginners (although not plastic-free its made out of 85% recycled plastic which is cool since I'm hoping to make a one time purchase, I won't mind it being made from plastic but that just my taste)

Coloured Pens

So I haven't been a fan of using coloured pens for a while but ill tell you I'm currently using a cheap set of coloured gel pens from Kaison just because they have cute patterns but the ink flow isn't that smooth so I should've bought something more practical. The ultimate budget-friendly option which is not only cheap but long-lasting and good quality, and ones that I’d recommend for anyone is the Papermate Kilometrico ballpoint coloured pens. So far I only know they come in five colours but they've been my favourite for years. Most people I know that disagree with me usually don't like the colour range or arent a fan of dry ink but if you aren't that picky and looking for a reliable option they're a good option, plus if you're using cheap paper, they won't bleed or anything so that's cool.

Highlighters

I love pastel highlighters. Its soft, cute, aesthetically pleasing to the eyes and some colours are better at actually highlighting words rather than their neon counterparts like green and purple. Although not the cheapest option, I doubt ill ever go back to neon highlighters ever and ill only be recommending pastel highlighters thanks.

My current preference: I'm currently using Monami Pastel Highlighters just because they were on sale with comparable prices to unbranded cheap pastel highlighters. I will never recommend commonly branded highlighters like Stabilo Boss or Zebra Mildliners because the extra pennies just aren't worth it since the unbranded kind has lived up to my standards. (also I haven't tried those branded highlighters mind you but I doubt I'm missing out on anything)

Budget-Friendly option: While Zebra Mildliners are being sold at RM5 for one and RM25 for a set, Mr DIY sells knockoff brand "BEIFA" for RM7 for a set of six which is a pretty good deal if you ask me (also there are double-sided ones with a bullet and chisel tips if you thought mildliners were the only option with those features). I've also found some rare gems, unbranded pastel highlighters hidden in common bookstores for an even cheaper price, but they're really hard to find unless the pastel highlighter trend decides to catch on. I digress.

Zero Waste option: I heard about highlighter pencils, just wooden pencils with neon colour pigments, but why get trendy when you can use any old wooden colouring pencils lying around? I don't think ill give up plastic highlighters for wooden pencils despite being a strong environmentalism advocate but there are a few options for highlighters made from recycled plastic but they either don't come in pastel colours or too pricey for my taste (yes I'm a cheapskate for crud sake)

Extras

These other things aren't exactly necessary but they add little flourishes and/or aid you in your note-taking. Not exactly an extra investment but its completely up to you

Sticky notes (or coloured memo pads) for extra notes, diagrams or equations which I like for them to stand out a bit. (Pastel over neon of course)

Washi tape to divide subchapters (but a highlighter streak does the job)

Correction tape because never will I ever use correction fluid mind you

Brush pens for headers (completely unnecessary but I don't have any other outlet to practice brush lettering so.) Recommendations: Artline Stix (chunky but super cheap, marker type not for thin paper), Pentel Fude Touch (great for beginners, small and practical, 83% recycled plastic, but will bleed on regular paper)

Alternatively, a regular black felt tip marker just to make the title stand out is good enough.

NOTE TAKING TECHNIQUES

An underrated note-taking method is the Cornell method which is frankly a systematic way to write notes in which you divide the paper into 4 sections, a place for title and date and stuff, the main body for notes, extended side margin for extra info/lecture comments/questions/subtitles and bottom quarter reserved for a summary of the notes. Some people modify this technique by omitting the summary section, depending on your needs.

Bullet points and indents. This is pretty self-explanatory, but it's pretty much notes that aren't chunky paragraphs. Easier to read, easier to register information, easier to skim through. You get the gist of it.

Highlighting system. Some people go all out with their highlighting system and designate colours to certain things such as green for vocab, orange for equations, blue for subtopics. etc. You can try this out if you want, but for me, the plethora of colour is quite distracting and not that aesthetically pleasing, but you do you.

BREAKING DOWN MY METHOD OF NOTE TAKING

My priorities to note-taking are: Easy to read, simple, decluttered and visually pleasing. For colours, I mainly use up to 4. Black pen for the main information, blue pen for keywords (or any coloured pen that matches the highlighter), one or two highlighters as a colour theme and matching sticky notes for extra info, diagrams or equations.

I assign a whole chapter to a specific colour theme, first assigning a certain highlighter colour to the first six chapters, if there are more than six chapters, I use 2 accent colours just to shake it up a bit. This makes it easier to differentiate the chapters when flipping through your notes.

So its, hand-lettered title (i do my lettering quite quickly, mind you) or all caps title in black marker. Mini banner doodle for subtitles (a simple box with a drop shadow works just fine), contrasting coloured keywords (or underlined) and highlighters just for accents like dividing subtitles or drawing boxes for extra info (that or sticky notes). I don't simplify my lecture notes, rather rewriting them in a more orderly manner and leaving a good amount of extra space here and there (or an extended margin if I use Cornell) for extra lecture notes. Also, I highlight whatever notes that my lecturer would point out as important or worth remembering. And that's pretty much it. After the lecture, I then know which parts of the notes were more vital and can then simplify those key points into flashcards which ill discuss in a different post.

Thanks for reading, I know my posts are pretty long but that's the way I like them, long but in depth. As usual, if you would like me to cover any specific topics, feel free to message me or give feedback. I hope to be able to write 2 or 3 articles a month if I can but until then, have a nice day. Study smart peeps. 

ヾ(@°▽°@)ノ 

[veridium]

fake happy

Well, whaddya know! The College AU is back, baby! Unfortunately June was pretty much hell in a handbasket, so writing took a backseat. But, we are far from done. Thank you to everyone for sighting tight, and to @bitchesofostwick for being a very patient co-author. 

So, where were we? Ah, yes, the holiday weekend from hell. On with the show! Title bought to you by a great Paramore song.

masterpost // last chapter

--

“Hey baby cakes!”

The moment she hears the shrill greeting whilst getting out of her car in the sandstone-colored driveway, Olivia knows she’s in a chapter of Dante’s Inferno. All the calmness she had with Ellinor earlier that day is gone; it is easier said than done enduring four days in the house of Paula Sinclair.

“Hey,” she rushes over her shoulder, pulling the side lever to release the trunk where her bags are kept. Just two, one of clothes and toiletries and the other books and supplies to do assignments. She’ll need the preoccupation as an excuse for the gauntlet of trials her Mom will invite her to.

As she’s filing her luggage out onto the driveway, she sees her Mom’s shadow approaching. She glances and sees her in all her glory: an olive green sundress with one of those straw pool hats. She was probably out basking in the sun all afternoon before this. Olivia is surprised she thought to put down whatever spiked beverage she must have had with her to come outside and greet her only child. 

“Did you have a safe drive? You certainly did not rush to get home safe,” Paula says, halting and crossing her arms. 

Olivia slams the trunk closed and huffs, slinging one bag’s strap over her shoulder and the other on her opposite forearm. “I woke up late, and had to help Ellinor pack.” Sorry, Ellinor. 

“Ellinor! I will miss her this year.” A lie said out of convenience. The whole time Ellinor stays with them, Paula shoots her peculiar questions about her personal life or her political views. Ellinor knows better now after these last couple of years how to play them off, but Paula can’t help but size people up. It’s how she cultivates all her complaints.

“I will, too,” Olivia lets out as she makes her way to the front door, past the splendorous potted plants and fake green grass turf. Her Mother saunters behind her through the open door. 

Once inside Olivia notices what’s missing, and sets her smaller bag down. 

“Wh--”

“No no, do not just leave that there! Take it to the mud room or your bedroom.”

Olivia bites back a groan and turns around to face Paula as she shuts and locks the large-ass, gaudy-ass front door. “Fine. Where is Nemo?”

“Nemo?”

“...the dog, Mother.”

“Nemo! Oh, psh,” she waves her acrylics. “He is off in the yard. I kept him outside because the carpet steamers came this morning. You know how his muddy little paws are! Now, do I not get a hug?”

Olivia tenses up from head to toe, seeing her Mother coming in for the hug she didn’t wait for permission for. At least Nemo isn’t mysteriously gone -- she’s read too many horror stories online of people’s parents being complete monsters about their old family pets dying, and not telling the children who live elsewhere -- but Paula keeps Nemo out in the yard for days at a time when she gets the carpets cleaned. He will need company, and not just the husband going out and practicing his golf swing adjacent to him. 

Oh, right, there’s a husband around here.

Paula hugs her with her arms draped over Olivia’s shoulders, rather than around her waist like a good bear hug. Something Dad would know how to do.

“I imagine Fred is off shooting, stuffing, or smoking something,” she mutters over her Mother’s shoulder, to which Paula gently swats at her shoulder and guffaws. 

“No, silly! He’s in the yard with Nemo, your fellow prisoner,” she teases, picking up on Olivia’s dread with her trademark passive aggression. Only three minutes in the door, a new record. 

“I didn’t say he couldn’t do those things out in the yard.” Lord knows he has before. 

“Where do you think our holiday meal comes from every year?” 

“COSTCO, like God and Uncle Sam intended, right?”

“Ugh, Olivia, your humor changes every year you’re at that College. Don’t be so morose.”

She takes a breath and picks up her eyesore of a bag so that it does not further desecrate the sanctity of the foyer, and makes for the curved staircase just across the pristine hardwood. “I’m just tired from the drive, Mom. I’m going to go upstairs and get settled.”

“Okay, and come downstairs soon! I wanna catch up, okay?”

“Yeah, okay!”

She glances behind her but her Mother is already vanished. Sure, catch up, but not too quick! Releasing her bated breath she lurches up the rest of the stairs. The place is heavily renovated from the home it originally was when her parents bought it. In the beginning they didn’t have much -- well, much compared to what Paula has now -- and so their first nest was a fixer upper. Year after year, corny wallpaper became fresh painted walls, and thick upholstered couches handed down from in-laws became brand new installations from the boutiques downtown. Two additions to the place upgraded it from a modest family home to a wannabe mansion. Olivia grew up in this ever-changing little kingdom of improvements, but only when she was a newly-minted adult did she realize she was one of its fixtures.

The one comfort had always been that her Father dwelled there with her. He brought heart and humanity to the kingdom of objects: his muddy shoes by the front door, not the “mud room.” His fishing rods hung up on the garage rack. His barbeque out in the yard. They weren’t all state-of-the-art, but they were his. But, by now, they, too, were all gone. ‘Improvements’ in every stead, including his.  

Olivia had one sacrosanct place left, and that was her childhood room. Walking down the hall decorated with big, framed portraits of the family -- none of her Father, though, to be sure -- she found her door, the second one to the right in the west hallway. “West” being the original upstairs hallway, the only hallway, before construction added the one referred to as the “East.” She pushed the ajar door open and slid in to see it as she remembered: the bright lavender purple walls strewn with posters, pictures, and a tapestry up behind her bed. The pearly purple carpet smelled of the carpet cleaner, but it did not mask the smell of vanilla she expected. On the opposite wall from the door, her princess bed complete with ivory white canopy was freshly made. Her bedspread was white, with pillows in alternating shades of green and lilac. Years ago she fought endlessly for her Mother to let her paint her room a darker color than the baby pink it was first. Thanks to her Dad, they “compromised” with purple. Sadly, Paula took that as “the lightest shades of purple” and so it was.

In the details, though, there was Olivia’s rebellion. The posters, Paramore, My Chemical Romance, and an old one from a Sheryl Crow concert she found on Amazon, contrasted the brightness with a grit. To the left by her small balcony doors, her vanity mirror and stool were covered with polaroid pictures, concert tickets, movie ticket stubs, and bracelets. She had taken all of her incriminating, “immodest” makeup with her to college, so all that remained were an old bottle of sunscreen, some pastel eyeshadow palettes, and lip glosses. So many lip glosses. 

Olivia dropped her shit in the middle of the floor and made for the reading chair in the far corner, where she collapsed into a curled, reticent ball of conflicted emotions. She predicted this -- she dreaded this -- and now, here she is. The first day is always a test of anxiety, more so than enduring mistreatment. Paula is always good on the first day -- great, sometimes. She is generous, and outgoing, and doesn’t sweat the small stuff. The grueling part comes after the first night ends and she realizes she has to do something with her daughter who isn’t just in for dinner and giggling. That’s when she remembers how she actually feels, and who she actually is. And with no one like Ellinor to buffer and provide excuses for her not standing in one place for too long, it’ll be particularly concentrated. 

She slides limply against the plush chair and closes her eyes. It was a stressful drive full of hasty college kids getting home to their more harmonious families. Olivia was in no rush, though. Three trips through various drive thrus surely added time.

Her phone goes off, and she slips her phone out of her back jean pocket. 

Ellinor: You ready to walk the plank yet?

Smirking, Olivia replies: 

-- I am already keeling over the edge. How is your family?

Ellinor: I nearly did a drop and roll out of Lyssa’s car on the way here, but they’re bearable. They are who they usually are. No surprises, this holiday season! 

-- One of these years we’ll be successful enough to buy everyone therapy for Christmas. 

Ellinor: No shit, I’m making them pay for mine first. 

Olivia is replying when another notification comes up, an instagram like this time, from Maryden. Grinning she taps on it. Maryden finally saw the group pic they all took at the fair: her, Ellinor, Cullen, and then Olivia and Cass in the bottom corner. Olivia had made Cass hold the phone due to height advantage. Her grin expands before it sinks fast. 

Ah, fuck. 

She pulls up her messages again and sees the one Cassandra sent her while she was driving and unable to check. 

Cassandra: Text me when you arrive safe. ❤️

The heart emoji. Olivia’s cheeks turn hot, and she hastily types. 

-- Here in purgatory! 

The sound of a man shouting something, and then laughing, rings from the balcony windows. Fred must be huffing and puffing about something amusing, like meat or guns. She can’t wait for all his odd comments and attempts to “relate” that almost always devolve into him talking about whatever season of sport he’s onto and her nodding along. Poor man. He makes sea sponges seem like sophists. 

Soon after sending, Cassandra replies, an opportunity Olivia doesn’t predict: 

Cassandra: Awesome. my Uncle has stopped us for gas, still about 40 minutes out. 

-- That’s good. Hopefully you won’t get stuck in rush hour. 

Cassandra: My Uncle sucks at navigating traffic, so I wouldn’t bet on it. 

-- Lol

Cassandra: You alright? 

Olivia is sort of surprised by the question and its sensitivity, albeit direct. 

-- Just tired from the drive, that’s all 

Cassandra: You love driving. You would drive the entire stretch of the coast highway without blinking once.

Damn, Cassandra. A bold insight. A correct one, too. 

-- 🤷🏼‍♀️

Five seconds after she hits send, Cassandra calls her. She nearly drops the phone on the floor, and her slack posture goes full vertical. She checks that the door is closed, only to decide to leap, rush, and lock it just in case. Then she hurries to the farthest corner of the room and hits answer right on the last ring. 

“No, Detective, I will not submit to the polygraph.”

Cassandra’s voice rings almost playfully. “Very well, we have other ways of making you talk.”

There’s the hot blush again. “Uh, a-alright, who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend?” She hushes a bit, and hopes Cassandra doesn’t notice. 

“Nothing! My Uncle is in the gas station doing who-knows-what, so I’m stuck in here, boot and all.”

“I’m not kidding, I saw that Liam Neeson movie, I know how this goes. I have a special set of skills--”

“What do I have to do? Express my distaste for something? Quote Plato?”

“...It would be reassuring.”

Cassandra laughs coyly, and despite everything, it livens her spirit. She didn’t expect Cassandra to be in so playful a mood traveling back home. She was cool but unhappy about it that morning when they parted ways, entertained only by Olivia’s presence and a strong cup of coffee. Without the ability to drive due to her ankle, her illustrious but mysterious Uncle had to be the one to pick her up and take her back to her family. 

“I was just calling to check in on you.”

“I thought that was what the texting was for,” Olivia replies more curtly than she intends. She gnaws at her bottom lip.

“Sometimes it is worth the extra effort to call.”

“That is very un-millenial of you, you know. Horrifying.”

“Maybe so. Ugh, what is that man doing?” there’s sounds of Cassandra rustling against the leather seat, probably checking in through the window. “Probably searching for that expensive jerky he gets at Trader Joe’s like it will just magically turn up at an ARCO.”

“Who’s to say it won’t? People of all walks of life can enjoy finer things.”

“Yes, but not just the ‘finer’ things,” she then huffs. “Look, I don’t have much time, so if you aren’t in the mood to talk about what is bothering you, I can let you go and we can talk later.”

“I don’t know if I will be able to. My Mom wants to ‘catch up,’ which in her language means I get a hundred questions and the occasional asinine one from Fred.”

“Fred’s your stepfather, right?”

“He’s...my Mother’s husband.”

“I see.”

She mulls her teeth and looks around aimlessly. Cassandra goes ‘hm’ but nothing else. 

“How are you able to talk so much?” Olivia asks, diverting the subject. “Aren’t you worried your family will pry?”

“The good thing about holidays in my family is there are so many people around, you can get a great deal of private time if you are smart enough. Which is exactly what I intend to do. Ugh...he...oh, sorry. I thought my Uncle was coming back, but it was just another man.”

“Yeah, but you said they have superhuman abilities for nosiness.”

“They do. And I have superhuman talents of evasion. They’ll peck and prod about the ankle boot, though. Usually I can slip away to the gym or for a run to get away from them but...of course...can’t do that. Doctors don’t trust me to set foot in a weight room and it’s been weeks since my injury.”

“Cass, it’s been two weeks, almost precisely.”

“I said weeks, didn’t I? Look, overextending is not the same as knowing my limits. They’re the medical professionals, but they don’t live in this body 24/7.”

Olivia grimaces with sympathy, though she can’t say she agrees given how easy it is for Cassandra to throw herself into things without caution. “Uh huh.”

“Ugh, forgive me. I won’t be able to talk everyday, but I would like to try sometimes, okay? I promise it won’t all be about my messed up ankle.”

Olivia smirks. “You’re being very…”

“Very…what?”

Olivia stalls. Is it an asshole thing to do, saying your girlfriend is being more sensitive and caring than usual? Maybe not “more,” but in a different way. An unusual way. She could have really taken Olivia’s hurt feelings over how she acted about her injury. She could be really trying. But now, in the lion’s den, Olivia’s unsure about whether the timing of it is...well, ideal. 

“Nevermind, I lost my train of thought,” she excuses. “I appreciate you.”

“It’s no trouble. Now, I think my Uncle is coming back. Ugh, he got a whole bag of things...probably for me. Seeing me with my boot triggered his overprotective nerve extra hard.”

“Oh, no, sour patch kids! The torture!” Olivia teases. An ounce of her regular self bleeds through. 

“Very funny. I will text you later. Be safe, alright?”

“Alright. You, too.” She then remembers and slips it in before they hang up: “L-let me know when you get home, too, okay?”

“...O-okay.” There’s a pause, the kind of awkward pause when the thing you say -- the particular thing -- happens. But since they aren’t there yet, it’s full of pause and anxiety. 

“Okay,” Olivia takes her turn to smooth it over. “Bye!”

“Bye.”

Hanging up kills the feeling of safety. She looks into the big oval mirror at her dresser vanity and watches her grin crack, then disappear all-together. The scene in her reflected surroundings loses its luster. Even with all the impossibilities, she kind of wishes Cassandra was with her. It almost makes her laugh at herself: what, would she have driven up with her in the passenger’s seat, hear “hey baby cakes!” and smile, saying “hey Mom, here’s my girlfriend! You’re suddenly not biphobic, right? Oh and by the way she’s a Pentaghast, so, there’s that!” and they all retire to the sitting room for tea and introductions. Right. 

She turns and sees her unpacked bags, her only company. She rubs her forehead slowly with the back of her hand. She has experience being left to her own devices with her Mother. Hell, she has a lifetime of it with her. A long weekend won’t be anything particularly gruesome, and if it is, well, she’s survived them before.  

Fifteen minutes later she has everything organized and put away -- she won’t unpack much, anyway. A quick change into some leggings and a t-shirt, a toss of her hair into a ponytail, and she’s ready to face the music. She’s careful to shut her bedroom door before she descends down the hall and the stairs, betting that her Mother is out in the yard on one of the lounge chairs. She finds her there, indeed lounging, with that missing cocktail restored to her.

Unmoved but always observant, her Mother inquires: “Settled in?” 

Olivia puts on her best polite grin and sits down on the lounge chair five feet away. On the grass, Fred is dressed in pastel blue polo and cargo shorts like the overgrown fraternity pledge he is, throwing a frisbee for Nemo. Nemo, the 10 year old yellow lab, who can scarcely go up the stairs without being winded these days. Too bad for Fred the minute Olivia shows herself, the grey-faced dog bounds in his own way over to the long last playmate.

“Nemo! You little prince!” she smiles, crouching down to embrace him. His tail is wagging a million miles per hour, and he fills her face with old dog breath. His tickling gets her to finally laugh. 

“Good grief,” she hears her Mom say, “Olivia, don’t let him lick your mouth!”

“I’m fine!” she says through her giggles, rubbing his chest and back as she stands upright. “It won’t kill me.”

“Ugh.”

That joy was short lived. She returns to the chair she chose and does her best to make as little eye contact as possible as she sits and sprawls her legs out. Nemo follows circles around her, tail still going.

“Do we know what the plans are for Thanksgiving?” Olivia asks, expecting the same answer as always. Dinner at home with Fred’s relatives and those in Mom’s family who she isn’t on the outs with, all above the age of 35 for the most part, and vote like it. Another dinner she’ll have to dress way too modestly and matronly for her age in order to fit in for the group photo.

“Well, that is what I wanted to surprise you with,” Paula answers. 

Olivia side-eyes her Mom, and delays opening up her phone to scroll through Twitter. “What?”

“We will be having dinner with the family as always, but earlier this week we received a surprise invitation for us to attend a holiday party later on this weekend.”

“You aren’t going to spend the holiday campaigning, are you?” 

“‘Campaigning’ has a broad definition, Olivia, and it is never a bad idea to become more familiar with one’s community constituents.”

Olivia frowns and resumes scrolling. Great, likely another fundraiser or gala, not something substantially humble like volunteering time with those genuinely in need, who are also her “constituents.” She saved the label for those she could depend on to write a donation check -- the other 80% of society barely existed. 

“I assume then you are expecting me to go?”

There’s a sound of Paula’s magazine of choice turning a page. “What do you think the surprise was?”

“That as much as you would like me to come, that you respect my choice not to so that I can have a quiet, restful weekend at home before Finals are in full swing?”

No response for going out on that limb. The proverbial crickets chirp, and Olivia knows her point was deliberately missed. 

“Or,” she corrects herself, “that you want me to go.”

“Yes, silly girl. And for your information, even if I didn’t want you to come, the invitation specifically noted you.”

“P-pardon me?” She looks up.

Paula shakes her head and smiles. “When were you going to tell me you were making friends with the Pentaghast family?”

“I...I-I’m not!”

“You must be, there was a handwritten note in the card, your name and all.”

Olivia can feel a stroke coming on. The heat of the day now feels like a vise around her throat, a semi-truck on her chest. She jerks up and turns to look at her Mother dead on, who is still flipping through her latest issue of Vogue, sunglasses and sunhat and all. 

“So...so they wrote me in? Me, specifically?”

“Yes, that is what I said! Goodness, calm down, you’ll give yourself a heat stroke.” 

Too late. “Why? Aren’t they one of the big blue families? Why would they want to invite y--”

“Are you insinuating that I do not belong in a bipartisan space? Olivia, I work in one for a living. This whole business of networking is par for the course. In fact, it is a long time coming. The Pentaghasts should be taking the ‘other side’ more seriously. I have been in this town’s political realm for seven years, now. They cannot always hide behind their old money and liberal hypocrisy of “inclusion.””

There is that rhetorical savvy and venom. Quintessentially Paula. Olivia falls back on the lounge chair and stares out into the lawn, mouth open and words lost. Where to begin? Hey, Mom, don’t think so highly of yourself, they’re only inviting you to get to me! Because they want to sniff me out as one of their many daughters’ lovers! You’re full of shit!

“Do I have to go? I am serious about wanting rest. This semester has been a lot, an--”

“A semester that I paid for,” Paula cut in, turning yet another page. “It is restful to be with your family. You should consider yourself lucky, Olivia, that spending time with us is so comfortable. You have this nice home to come back to, and good people to spend time with, and beautiful parties to go to. A girl your age in a lesser position would claw someone’s eyes out for the chance to live the life you get to. Is it so really so demanding?”

The shots to the gut have started early. So much for the easy first day. She wishes even more she could pop her Mother’s balloon, but it would mean ultimate disaster for her in the end. Out in the open Fred is still trying to get Nemo to chase the damn frisbee, clearly aware that he should stay away from the two debating blondes. Olivia rolls her lips shut and tries her hardest to swallow the hunk of pride at the back of her throat, but there’s no room in her stomach. It’s completely filled to the top with anxiety about what it means to be going to this party. 

Then it hits her: Cassandra is going to shoot through the roof. 

“Fine, Mom. I’ll go.” The clock then starts ticking for her to find a covert way out of it beforehand. She’s dove deep into her head, and only catches half of her Mother’s pleased response. 

“--something classy, the party is black tie optional.”

“Okay.”

“I also have an appointment for us to get our nails done tomorrow at 11, so do not sleep in too much.”

Oh for fuck’s sake. She does another fake smile as she pulls up her messages on her phone in order to deploy the distress signal: 

-- Change of plan, I need you to call me as soon as you are able. Your family sent an invitation to mine for their big party this weekend. My Mom is insisting we go. Code red. 

[snarksandsarcasm]

Styx: Shards Of Darkness

Sorting The Shards Into A Useful Picture

SoD features A LOT of events, quite a few characters but not so many clear motivations and even less connected boss fights. As with the MoS timeline, I will rather present a cohesive explanation of what happened, filling in some blanks and trying to connect things in a more satisfactory way.

After the fall of Akenash, Styx made his way down the mountain range and rivers towards the more temperate climates of the lush but wet city of Thoben. He arrived there mere months after the incident and has stayed there ever since. 

Day 1 - Early Evening

Styx completes a small job for Ephron and heads out to meet him and settle the deal. 

After Ephron leaves, a CARNAGE squad has Styx surprised, but instead of killing him, their leader Helledryn offers a deal. She wants the scepter given to human Ambassador Arsidi in exchange for quite a few bottles of Amber. Styx accepts. He will join the Ambassadors airship and deliver the scepte to Helledryn, who is following behind on her own private airship.

Styx has been in Thoben for decades and has earned himself a reputation for being an excellent thief and assassin that doesn’t ask to many questions. Helledryn has thus come to hear about him, possibly via Ephron, and decided to engage his services.

Ambassador Arsidi collects resources from Thoben, a trading hub in the region, about once a month. He has been here already, but his men return to grab a delayed delivery. Styx uses that chance to hop onto that airship (via a box) and join the main vessel. (Alternatively: Styx triggers an alarm upon his approach to the airship which then leaves immediately. He instead nicks a small transporter airship and follows the larger vessel.)

Day 2 - Morning

After making his way onto the main vessel, Styx finds the Ambassador dead hidden inside a cupboard. Without concern he proceeds to the scepters location. 

Arsidi shows up and inserts a pure Quartz into the scepter. Styx’s attack fails and Arsidi shapeshifts into his true form, dark elf Djarak. They have a short confrontation that ends with Styx being thrown out of the windows, Djarak turning into a human guard and blaming a goblin to have taken the scepter. 

Styx admits defeat and retreats, using a small air balloon to join Helledryn’s ship nearby. Djarak remains on the airship as Ambassador Arsidi.

Same Day - Afternoon

Styx failed his assignment. But considering he now has a personal score to settle with Djarak, he is happy to make up for his mistake and help Helledryn further (with additional favours charged, of course).

We learn that Helledryn is interested in politics (and its effect on her career) and knowing what goes on before everyone else will put her at a distinct advantage. The scepter served as invitation to a secret summit held inside the walls of Korrangar by Lyssril, their leader.

So Styx is dropped off nearby and makes his way inside. He forges the expected incoming vessels to include Helledryn’s ship and secures a general entry pass, provided to all foreigners to Korrangar.

Once inside, Helledryn proceeds on her airship to a mooring place, while Styx has a first look around to find out more about Djarak.

Styx learns that Djarak was expelled, but again seen a couple of days ago inside Korrangar. The other elves despise him openly and display their general hatred towards foreigners and their willingness to kill

Our goblin is at the right time at the right place and witnesses a very special ritual: “The Glorious Blood”. Under the eyes of Lyssril, their leader, and Maolak, their high priestess, the two most accomplished male warriors fight each other to death. The winner is being sacrificed to Lakima, a large mysterious underground critter.

Before Styx returns to Helledryn’s airship, he comes by an Amber storeroom. He learns that Lyssril provides her people with a daily dose of Amber and that those who refuse to take it, are being ostracized, punished, expelled or even killed for their disobedience. Djarak falls into this category. Amber allows a shared mind, one that Lyssril aims to exploit and steer in any way she likes. Styx wonders where the Amber comes from, since they are still on human territory and Akenash’s Amber production has stopped 45 years ago. 

Coming back to “home”, Styx and Helledryn rest for the night. 

Day 3 - Morning

It is the day of the Ambassadors summit. Helledryn has under some sort of pretence managed to find out who was invited to the meeting: Mahrlok (and his son Arkail) for the orcs of the South, the dwarf Ambassador. and several human Ambassadors, notably from the two biggest kingdoms under the human Empire, Catfish and Solares, the latter being represented by Aaron Barimen (not yet known to Styx).

Djarak has initially taken on the form of Ambassador Arsidi in order to get in but thanks to Styx’s meddling with various entry passes, Arsidi is forced to stay outside the Sanctum. So Djarak takes over the Catfish Ambassador instead for the summit itself. Styx will do some digging and find out who it is, so that Helledryn can flush him into Styx’s direction.

To allow Helledryn access into the Inner Sanctum, the place of the summit, Styx steals a special pass (that even Kastesil have to carry if they want access) and a female guard uniform that will allow her to pass off as a dark elf.

Upon reaching the outer Sanctum, Styx passes the items over to Helledryn. She managed to get that far when other outsiders are nearly killed for trespassing. We are not told how she achieves this, but she might have some Amber on hand to do a little bit of convincing here and there (easy enough on an Amber addicted population), use stealth herself or simply violence to get past an obstacle.

The Sanctum houses the Catfish and Solares embassies. Eavesdropping on the elves leads Styx to the dead body of the Catfish Ambassador. With that information he returns to Helledryn.

The summit starts. Lyssril demonstrates how the scepter with a crystal of pure Quartz can serve as magical weapon against the Green Plague. The energy of the Quartz has an effect on the Amber creature, freezes it and forces it to do anything the wielder of the scepter commands. She offers the Quartz scepters to the people of the continent for free and invites them to use it to catch goblins alive. She further promises to buy those goblins from them with gold. She does not explain why and the summit ends the moment Helledryn tries to get Djarak in disguise to come outside. Djarak knows he has been spotted, reveals himself and tries to assassinate Lyssril. Her bodyguards stop him, injure him and force him to retreat.

Djarak’s injury bleeds and he leaves a trail behind, which Styx follows. They have a small confrontation during which Styx manages to steal Djarak’s small Quartz necklace. With that in his hands, Styx is satisfied and leaves without any further action. 

Both, Styx and Helledryn, return to her airship and Djarak goes back into hiding.

Helledryn states her confusion over the nature of the summit but she must have anticipated something of this kind. Styx rightfully suggests she ponders over her future career options.

Day 4 - Morning

Having seen the demonstration of the Quartz at the summit, Styx is greatly interested in that power and he uses his alchemistic skills to have a look at Djarak’s necklace. It may be smaller, but radiates more power than that of the Quartz scepters. Consumption of it’s finely ground powder allows Styx to develop his skills greatly. Djarak revealed that they mine it below Korrangar, so Styx ventures down there to get some more Quartz.

After going through the barracks of the mining operation, he stumbles into Lakima, the worshipped critter the elves sacrifice their very best warriors to. Somehow this giant creature takes Quartz crystals and imbues them with their improved magical powers to subdue Amber creatures. 

Because Styx has no sense of self-preservation, he takes on Lakima and kills her. Her death is very soon discovered by the elves, and because Styx cannot keep his mouth shut, they are now looking for a talking goblin. 

Styx returns to Helledryn, ready to go home with the Quartz he has secured for himself.

Same Day - Afternoon

The death of Lakima has put all of Korrangar on alert. It is not so much directed at the foreigners but they do feel an even rougher side of the elves as they already have. Helledryn warns Styx that he cannot stay on her airship. The elves have put everyone on lockdown and all airships are thoroughly searched. He needs to be smuggled out. She heard that the Korrangar goblin prison is connected to Wildoran by the foot of the Korrangar cliff. If he was to blend in with the other rakash, Helledryn can in elven disguise assist him with his gear. 

So Styx ditches his his clothes (except for his underwear), lets himself be delivered to the elves, thrown into prison and starts his way home.

Styx learns that pure Quartz crystals are installed throughout Korrangar for the Quartz weapons to be recharged and he decides to take each and every single one of them. Even stark naked.

Day 5 - Morning

In Wildoran, Styx has two options to return to Thoben. Use the Thoben airship that happens to be moored here, or have a boat deliver him back. Dropping by the airship he learns that the airship captain is in prison and that he lost his ownership title to another guy. Styx drops by the prison and finds out that the captain is Ephron. The dealer started to sell goblins to the elves and delivered his first batch to Wildoran two days ago, but got himself in prison after an “argument” over a lost game of cards. If Styx can recover his ownership letter for his airship (and free him from behind bars) he would be happy to take Styx back to Thoben. 

Even though Lyssril only offered the scepters to the other peoples two days ago, she has for some time now, bought goblins from hunters everywhere. If goblins can make easy money this surely is being spread around. Helledryn, earning her money and career as goblin slayer and not goblin seller, must have noted this. After all, the increase of freelance hunters cause less goblins to be slayed by CARNAGE, decreasing her income and career prospects. This is the reason of her taking such lengths to get into the summit.

Styx steals the ownership papers from Ephron’s playing partner and returns with Ephron on his airship to Thoben. (Alternative: Styx ignores Ephron and simply grabs the drunken Captain he played against and drags him to his (water) ship for a forced ride back home to Thoben).

Once back in Thoben, Styx returns to his old ways, cursing Helledryn for not showing up with her promised Amber.

.

.

.

.

3 Weeks Later

Day 1 - Evening

Helledryn had to leave her airship in Korrangar but managed to leave regardless. Making her way back to Thoben took her quite some time as she had to take the land route there. She had left her squad and resources in Thoben, but by the time she returns, Grab-Jack and Arlock preferred to deal goblins with the elves, deserting CARNAGE. Bringing the Quartz weapons to Thoben in the last three weeks allowed them both to take over the Thoben Guild. The other members of Helledryn’s CARNAGE squad joined serving under them. However, the locals have found Helledryn to be an impressive woman and wonder where she went and agree how much better a leader she’d be compared those two idiots.

Helledryn manages to meet Styx in his hideout, after contacting Ephron again. She reports to Styx about the lost loot, herself angry and drunk. No more CARNAGE job for her, no more people to command and a dept to a speaking goblin who she would have killed without hesitation 4 weeks prior to all this.

Styx is pissed also. He ventures out to kill those two traitors and hopes to convince Helledryn to take on the Guild leadership.

Both, Grab-Jack and Arlock have enemies of their own, that with a bit of deliberate interference by Styx, end up doing the dirty work for the goblin.

Upon his return to his hideout, Styx finds Helledryn unconscious and tied. Before noticing the presence of the two dark elves, he gets knocked out himself. 

Day 2 - Early Morning

He remains unconscious until he is back in Korrangar, where he is being tied and hung up inside the chambers of the Rite Of Passage. His blood will be spilled for the victors of this ritual.

The Rite Of Passage marks the beginning of adulthood for the young Kastesils. When coming to age, they must go through a series of bloody and possibly lethal trials, that will test their strength, agility, faith and so, before they are accepted as worthy adults. The Elders, quite literally the older generation, are present to not just oversee the young ones. but to also test their reactions and defense. They kill any unsuspecting young one unless the young one fights and strikes the killing blow first.

Styx is released from his bound state by a knife thrown at the rope. He cannot see who it was at this point and to find out he will need to open the large gate and leave this area. So he follows the young ones and goes through each trial in order to open the gate. 

In one trial, Styx finds Helledryn. She does not need rescuing from the cage she is in, however, she asks if Styx could take care of a large troll in the vicinity, which he does. She reminds the goblin that her airship is still moored in Korrangar and so Styx leaves her behind to proceed. 

After completing the trials, Styx opens and sneaks through the gate. He is being awaited by none other than Djarak, the shape shifting dark elf. Styx does not trust him but has no choice but to listen to him and form an alliance. They retreat to Helledryn’s airship, still moored in the same spot.

Djarak informs Styx that Lyssril can control creatures of Amber. It is not clear how she does so. Styx is an exception due to his advanced training and experience, however, she can sense his location. That is why he was found in Thoben. This becomes a problem for Styx, as he really values his privacy and freedom. 

The dark elf explains further that the fragile coalition between dwarfs and dark elves have allowed Lyssril to advance her schemes. Mining the Quartz, catching the goblins, securing the Amber… it was all possible due to the support of the dwarfs. To take Lyssril down, it is important to break that allianz. He suggest to have the dwarf ambassador killed in such a way that the elves are to blame. Styx agrees.

Djarak does more research on his own, regarding Lyssril’s large reserves of Amber to supply all her people with.

Styx leaves to find Maolak inside the Sanctum and steal her sacred ceremonial dagger. 

The Ambassadors of Catfish and Solares are still housed in the Sanctum and it is there that Styx runs into Aaron Barimen again. After letting Aaron go in Akenash, he now corrects his mistake and kills him here.

On the way to the dwarf embassy, Styx comes by the orc embassy and witnesses Mahrlok berating his son, Arkail, for having needlessly smashed an elf’s head. 

Since the dwarf Ambassador is always surrounded by his bodyguards, Styx decides to lure him out into a more secluded area with a fake offer of cheap Quartz. They meet there, Styx kills him and leaves Maolak’s dagger behind.

Styx pilfers a paper in dwarf language about some sort of machine and shows it to Djarak upon his return.

(Not shown in the game) Meanwhile, Helledryn has managed to get out of the cage as she told Styx. She manages to take over one the guards again and dress as a dark elf to sneak out via the prison - Wildoran route. She reaches there the next morning.

Day 3 - Morning

Djarak has had a look at the paper and tells Styx that it is a machine that can produce Amber. Styx has heard the dwarfs talk about a machine as well when he was out the day before. The dark elf wants to destroy it so that Lyssril has no more Amber to subdue his people but Styx is against it. He loves Amber. Djarak swears on the power of Quartz and promises Styx that he would be free from the need to consumer Amber if he only embraced it. So Styx reluctantly agrees to help destroy the machine, sitting below the prison of Korrangar.

First, he will need to find himself some explosives strong enough to create such destruction. Djarak knows where to find them: dwarven made, in Wildoran.

Styx has little trouble collecting three bombs in Wildoran. The dwarfs have already heard of the death of their Ambassador and are leaving Wildoran, ready and eager for a war. 

Back in Korrangar, by the prison, Styx places the three bombs in strategic locations in order to destroy Lyssril’s Amber resources: One by the underground connection to Wildoran to stop new rakash from coming in, one by the laboratories, so that the blood Amber drawn cannot be distilled or further distributed to smaller, consumable portions, and one in the heart of the Amber reserve itself. 

While Djarak looks at the destruction as a way to free his people from Lyssril’s authoritarian rule, Styx’s heart bleeds at the loss of Amber.

Since the death of the dwarf Ambassador just about 24 hours ago, the elves killed all dwarves inside Korrangar. All foreigners, namely the Ambassadors and their staff in their newly established embassies, have left. And among them, to the disappointment of the Kastesil, Lyssril with her bodyguards. Many lament the lack of her soothing thoughts and fear she betrayed them, that Djarak was right after all.

The exhausting day ends and Djarak and Styx return to Helledryn’s airship for some rest.

(Not in the game) Helledryn being separated from Styx and officially out of his dept, takes whatever airship or boat to return to Thoben.

Day 4 - Early Morning

Styx congratulates Djarak on his stupid plan: Free the elves by creating a war. Djarak defends his position, claiming that his people are strong and prefer death over slavery to a dictator and he confirms again that Lyssril has left Korrangar. Styx thinks he better do the same before the dwarfs appear to stomp down the whole cliff. Djarak is eager to join. He does not reveal to Styx why, but it seems likely that he wants to pursue Lyssril instead of being caught in the war on the ground. Styx agrees. He doesn’t say why either, but considering that Lyssril is still alive she may still be able to sense him and that means no freedom just yet. Thus working with Djarak or assisting him means faster results.

Strong, sudden rumbling of the ground catches their attention. Assuming it is the dwarfs, they hurry to get the airship out of Korrangar.

They find the exit blocked, however, by a large stone golem. A gift by the dwarfs, that is now destroying the city from the inside. Whatever the deal between Lyssril and the dwarfs was, it does not appear to have been very solid and the dwarfs feared betrayal and thus, took some preventive measures.

Djarak suggests shooting it with the two ballistas installed. Styx one, Djarak one. Styx doubts for a moment but lets himself be convinced. He leaves the airship, reaches his side within a couple seconds and shoots at the golem, exposing his energy core in his chest.

Looking over to Djarak, Styx sees him being covered by falling rocks. With a curse and a sigh Styx takes it upon himself to fire the second ballista also. 

I makes his way over, collecting some more precious pure Quartz on the way. 

When he attempts to fire the ballista he notices that it has been booby-trapped. The golem makes an attack but Styx evades and fires again. Successfully this time. The golem falls and opens up the passage to the outside. 

To Styx’s surprise his airship moves on its own! He hurries to jump on board.

Outside of Korrangar, Styx drops down onto the deck and makes his way towards the wheel, to find Djarak alive and well standing by it. Styx readies his small crossbow and points it at the dark elf. “Djarak, this is the last time you are going to bug me.”

THE END

.

(Not in the game) Helledryn managed to reach Thoben. She follows up on her men, learns that Grab-Jack and Arlock are dead and that the Guild is currently in turmoil over its new leadership. Having earned some respect upon her visit before engaging Styx’s services, she seizes the opportunity to take over. Thus becoming the head of the Thoben Guild for many years to come. 

(Not in the game) Styx manages to find Lyssril and Maolak and kills them both, to permanently regain his privacy.

(Not in the game) Djarak returns and leads the remaining people of his into a new era. I think the dwarfs let go of the elves after their defeat at their secret present.

[ucflibrary]

Be Inspired by Great Nature Writers

Nature writing can transport us to new place, inform us of the world around us and open our eyes to the magic and beauty right in front of us.  Here are some ebooks currently available through the UCF Libraries to get you started.

The Essential Naturalist edited by Michael H. Graham, Joan Parker and Paul K. Dayton.

“The Essential Naturalist offers … a wide-ranging, eclectic collection of writings from more than eight centuries of observations of the natural world, from Leeuwenhoek to E. O. Wilson, from von Humboldt to Rachel Carson. Featuring commentaries by practicing scientists that offer personal accounts of the importance of the long tradition of natural history writing to their current research, the volume serves simultaneously as an overview of the field’s long history and as an inspirational starting point for new explorations, for trained scientists and amateur enthusiasts alike.”

Readings in Wood by John Leland

“Award-winning nature writer John Leland offers a collection of twenty-seven short, poetic essays that marry science and the humanities as the author seeks meaning in trees. Readings in Wood is an investigation of trees and forests and also of wood as a material that people have found essential in the creation of society and culture. Leland views with wit and erudition the natural world and the curious place of human beings as saviors and destroyers of this world.

Readings in Wood is a hybrid testament of science, faith, superstition, and disbelief learned from sitting on tree trunks and peering at leaves and fungi. Leland hopes others will join him in nature’s classroom.”

Where’s the Moon?: A Memoir of the Space Coast and the Florida Dream by Ann McCutchan

“In this coming-of-age memoir, McCutchan, a writer and musician, returns to Florida to reconcile with the life she had there [growing up]. Reconnecting with old friends and long-forgotten places, she confronts the transformation of wetland real estate she knew as a child into south Florida suburbs and the booming Space Coast… She … comes to a deeper understanding of the meaning of the cultural shifts she experienced in the sixties, and achieves a new appreciation of the history and aspirations of the two people who meant the most to her.”

The Great Clod: Notes and Memoirs on Nature and History in East Asia by Gary Snyder

“Over the course of his singular career, the Pulitzer Prize–winning poet, essayist, environmental activist, and Beat icon Gary Snyder has derived wisdom and inspiration from his study of Eastern philosophies, cultures, and art. Now, with this collection of eight essays, Snyder offers “a deceptively small book enfolding a lifetime’s worth of study” (Kirkus Reviews). The Great Clod is the culmination of a project that Snyder began in 1969 with the essay ‘Summer in Hokkaido,’first published in Coevolution Quarterly. In it and the subsequent entries… Snyder weaves together elements of travel memoir and poetic insight with scholarly meditations on civilization’s relationship to the environment.”

At Home in Nature: A Life of Unknown Mountains and Deep Wilderness by Rob Wood

“The compelling story of one family’s life among the rugged landscapes of British Columbia’s Coast Mountains, converting youthful ideals, raw land and a passion for the outdoors into a practical off-grid homestead.

Settling on Maurelle Island, he and his wife built an off-the-grid homestead and focused on alternative communities and developing a small house-design practice specializing in organic and wholesome building techniques. At Home in Nature is a gentle and philosophical memoir that focuses on living a life deeply rooted in the natural world, where citizens are connected to the planet and individuals work together to help, enhance and make the world a better …place.”

Want to explore more?  Check out the titles related to nature available from Ebsco Ebooks

Learn New Outdoor Skills

Expanding your skills is a sure-fire way to appreciate nature more deeply.  Want to know why the mocking bird in your neighborhood sings so many different tunes..including imitating your car alarm?  How about knowing what to look for to find water out in nature?  Want to be able to identify the plants and animals you encounter? There are a wealth of authoritative educational opportunities available online that you can use to build skills.  Here are some of our favorites:

Cornell Ornithology Lab Open Lectures

Here you will find free lectures given by world renowned experts in the field of ornithology.  This site also links to free learning games and instructional videos as well as the Lab’s online course offerings (for a fee).

Great Courses through Kanopy

Fundamentals of Sustainable Living “Become a more thoughtful consumer, save money, and reduce your ecological footprint with this course that teaches you how integrate sustainable practices into your everyday life. By learning specific knowledge and techniques on how to work more efficiently with the energy, water, and food you consume, you can live a more balanced and sustainable lifestyle that also positively impacts the world around you.”

The Science of Gardening “When scientists examine home gardens and landscapes, one fact stands out: The leading cause of landscape failure is not disease and it’s not pests – it’s our own gardening practices. Create a beautiful and sustainable home garden guided by the newest information from applied plant physiology, biology, soils science, climatology, hydrology, chemistry, and ecology.”

Plant Science: An Introduction to Botany“If you look around right now, chances are you’ll see a plant. It could be a succulent in a pot on your desk, grasses or shrubs just outside your door, or trees in a park across the way. Proximity to plants tends to make us happy, even if we don’t notice, offering unique pleasures and satisfactions. Open your eyes to the phenomenal and exciting world of botany!”

Our Night Sky “For thousands of years, the star-filled sky has been a source of wonder, discovery, and entertainment. All you need to feel at home in its limitless expanse is Our Night Sky, a richly illustrated 12-episode course that gives you an unrivaled tour around the sky–all while teaching you about the science, technology, and pure pleasure of stargazing.”

Add to the Scientific Study of Nature

Want to conduct some research?  Right now?  Even in your own backyard?  Join a citizen science initiative!  There are hundreds of projects actively seeking data from interested observers just like you.  Check out the projects listed on these resources and find one that’s right for you!

CitizenScience.gov

National Geographic Citizen Science Projects

SciStarter.org

Don’t worry if you don’t have a background in science, there are projects available at all skill levels!

Virtually Explore Our World

Want to walk the Kalahari? Climb to the top of a mountain? How about swim at the bottom of the sea?  UCF Libraries has hours of streaming video to inspire your love of nature!

BBC Landmark Collection

Check out some of the best nature documentaries of the last decade with this collection from Alexander Street Press.  Titles include Planet Earth I & II, Spy in the Wild, Big Cats and so much more.

The Swamp

Explore the history of the Everglades and the unintended consequences of man’s quest to control it.

Forces of Nature

This four-part series from PBS delves into the powers and motivators which influence our natural world.  Find out answers to such questions as “Why is water blue? How can a shape defy gravity? Why do bees make hexagonal honeycombs? And how do these things affect our own lives?”

Commit to One New Sustainable Practice

It can feel overwhelming trying to figure out the best way you can limit your negative impact on our planet, but don’t worry, it is not an all or nothing proposition.  Even small changes in your actions can have lasting impact.  I challenge each of us to commit to making one change in honor of the 50th Anniversary this Earth Day. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Choose one item you use regularly that comes in single use plastic and switch to more sustainable option.  Bonus: choose a zero-waste option.

Reduce energy consumption by raising the temperature on your thermostat. You can start small with one degree and transition over time.

Commit to only drinking from reusable bottles or cups for one week.

Eat plant-based meals one day a week, or three meals throughout the week.

Switch one cleaning product you use to an environmentally friendly option.

Want more information?  Check out our Naturally UCF Guide and our Anthropocene Reading List