#and now its 11.... i still need to finish the art

[wackywatchdotcom]

ive posted so much every single day on this blog for weeks now i feel weird having barely posted today . ive been busy but uhhh heres a random image i never posted from my tadc art folder?

[placeinthemiddleofnowhere]

Reign Down on Me - Part 11

Pairing: Ghost x Hybrid!reader (eventual poly!141)

No use of y/n or mention of gender/race

Summary: Reader is a wolf hybrid in a world that treats them like second class citizens, given a horrible start in life after being thrown into the military with no preparation. After years of struggle, they're finally taken away from their base by Ghost, now a permanent member of taskforce 141 reader struggles to come to terms with the fact that perhaps there's a life there for them - if only they reach out and accept it.

Warnings: hurt/comfort, Angst, abuse mentions, self doubt, violent scenes

A/N: Thanks everyone for sticking with me 💕

-🐺-

“So, Pup, now that we’re acquainted I want to start the session by doing a quick check in to see how you’re feeling. For the first few visits with my clients, I usually like to provide a sheet just to help you express yourself properly. So I’m gonna give you this and then once you’ve made your selections we can talk about them and I can answer any questions you have. Don’t be afraid to pick as many as you need to!”

You stared dead eyed at Dr. Beale, already plotting a bloody murder attempt on Price; one befitting of the betrayal that you felt by being subjected to a therapist with all her gentle tones and well meaning smiles. She appeared nice enough, dark coils of hair twisted into a bun, a bright watercolour patterned dress, a small pair of black rimmed glasses; she could’ve passed for a school teacher honestly. 

You decided you wouldn’t be fooled by her outward appearance though, plenty of people could put on a good front afterall. She was probably going to play mind tricks on you. That’s what everyone said about therapists, right? She was going to find out about the things you resolved to tell no one about…

Besides, It wasn’t fair! Surely everyone in the team had their shit to deal with. Why were they allowed to romp around and continue with normal training while you’d been dumped into the quacks office? An office beckoning secrets to march out in the dreary reality of it all. 

The room itself was painted a now worn yellow with a bobbly carpet across the expanse of it that looked like it was about to match the walls with just a little more foot traffic. Despite that, Dr.Beale had clearly tried to make her best effort to cheer the place up. A string of fairy lights glowed behind her across the wall, illuminating the colourful art that was pinned up all over the place. She’d stuffed a few pot plants by the one window that did its best to shine a little light into the room, and from your puffy old armchair, you could just see a ‘plant mother’ mug sat at her desk to the left of her. 

Plants and fairy lights or not, you still felt like you were in hell. Waiting to be condescended to, waiting to be told what your feelings are and how to deal with them as if you hadn’t been managing yourself your whole life. Not to mention be shaken down for that one thing you said you purposefully wouldn’t discuss with her. 

“Here you go! Circle the ones you think fit best right now.” 

Dr. Beale finished shuffling through the papers in her hands and reached over to give you the floppy laminated sheet she selected. After that you were handed a whiteboard marker and given an expectant smile. 

You sighed and looked down at the assignment, almost groaning out loud when you saw what was on it. A few rows of cartoon faces greeted you and underneath each was an emotion. At the top of the sheet was a big thick fonted title that read ‘today I feel…’ 

Today I feel like I’m gonna puke up breakfast, you thought. 

For a moment you considered walking out and begging Price to give you one more chance, to drop the whole therapy thing. However once you remembered back to Ghost dropping you off, you let your ears sag against your head and dismissed the idea. The last thing you needed was Ghost marching into the room and getting in the middle of it all. 

Besides everyone had their work cut out for them. That’s what you told yourself. Soap and Gaz had to train, Ghost was at a meeting about the parade and Price was busy fuming over dead end leads and uncooperative guests. 

With that in mind you circled the orange grumpy face that said annoyed, the grey neutral face and at the last minute, also circled the light blue embarrassed face. After your selections were made you handed the sheet back to Dr.Beale and watched as she studied it. Of course when she looked back up at you she greeted you with that same neutral little smile. 

“Ok, thank you so much for sharing that with me. Now why don’t we talk about this a little. Would you like to tell me why you’re annoyed?” 

You bit your lip, undecided if you’d be honest or if you’d try to brush her off. Once you looked into her steely eyes though, you knew she didn’t look like a woman that was going to be easily fooled. Besides, over the time you’d been with him, Ghost had hammered the need to be honest into you till you felt sore at the idea of deflecting anymore. Well, deflecting about most things anyway. 

“I don’t think I need therapy,” you shrugged. “I could be doing something worthwhile right now, training with my team, or helping Ghost, even the gym seems more productive. No one’s ever stopped to talk about my emotions before and I don’t get what use that’s gonna be now. It’s not like any of the others have to take time out to talk about their feelings, why should I be any different?”

“I see,” she nodded. “And is that why you’re embarrassed? You think that being away from your team and talking with me is something to feel ashamed of?”

You nodded. 

“Well, I can see why you feel that way, it’s valid from your perspective, but i think it’s worthwhile remembering that your team have different needs than you.”

“What, you think all hybrids need therapy?” You frowned. 

She laughed a little at that and shook her head. The silence of her pause rang out, prompting you to look away from her and focus on a leaf on one of the plants. You watched it bounce and sway with the slight draft that swept in through the window. 

“I meant that as an individual we have different needs, is all,” she finally said. “We all struggle with different issues, need a little help with things now and then. Can you think of a reason why your captain signed you up for your sessions with me? Is there something you need to work through that you need help with?”

“I uh…” you paused this time, recognising that her tone conveyed that she knew exactly what you were supposed to say, Price had already told her of course. “I…black out sometimes when I’m put to work. I give into my instincts and I stop- stop being myself.”

She nodded, giving you space to add anything else with a gentle smile. It unnerved you. Never in your long career had you ever been given the space to sit and tell someone all your problems before, and only in that moment did you realise how much you could actually talk about if you let the dam break. 

Everything rushed through your head at once, the pressure bursting through your skull and reverberating across your clenched teeth. Your parents leaving you, Maddox torturing you, moments where you had no one to talk to, no one to comfort you, getting practically thrown out of helicopters and Jeeps and sent into the line of fire, sweating for hours in hot climates and assisting aid workers till you passed out, shivering and breathing out fading pillars of steam in the Norwegian mountains because your clothing was in such poor condition, starving in the kennels, begging for medical attention-

“Are you alright? Would you like a cup of tea or some water or something?”

You blinked over at Dr. Beale. Suddenly you were back in your body and you realised you’d been clenching the arms of your chair so hard that your claws had stuck themselves into the puffy lining.

You apologised and asked for some tea in as even a tone as you could muster. 

“When Price reached out, he told me about the instinct driven black outs- said Ghost had been managing you mostly, but that in a recent mission you wouldn’t listen and you almost died,” Dr. Beale said, standing by the kettle you hadn’t spotted before as it rumbled to life. “He also said, despite the blackouts, you’d been enjoying your time with your new team, said your relationship with Ghost was solid. Is that how you feel?”

“Yeah.”

“Care to share more on any of that?”

You had to take a second to process what you were going to tell her. Words weren't flooding to you in those moments. Your mind was still busy turning different possibilities over, sifting through possible outcomes of telling her or not telling her certain things. Was Beale to be trusted, would she actually help you? Why would Price make you speak to someone who wasn’t being genuine in their intention to help? But then how well did he know this doctor? 

“I dunno, the 141 have been nice to me. They all look after me and I like that I get to feel…like a part of something.”

“That’s great! It’s important to have bonds like that in your line of work. It’s hard when you’re a hybrid though, huh?”

“Mmhm, I didn’t think I’d ever have a handler,” you shrugged. “I’m lucky to have gotten Ghost though. He’s been…really nice to me.”

She stirred the tea bag around in the mug a second, the tinkling sound of the metal against ceramic causing your ears to flick. After quickly asking if you wanted milk and sugar, you were soon handed the warm mug, giving your hands something to clench onto. The steam gave you a sense of clarity, reminded you to breathe more. 

“What kinds of nice things does Ghost do then?”

-🐺-

“Get your coat on, we’re heading out.”

You looked up from the colourful pages of your graphic novel and huffed out a sigh as Ghost passed by your room. The day after getting back from Mexico you had been looking forward to catching up on your reading and doing nothing for most of the day. Apparently Ghost had other plans though. 

He was already at the door getting his boots on when you emerged, your ears drawn back and mouth set in a firm line. Your fingers curled into the warmth of your jacket sleeves, waiting on Ghost moving out the way so that you could get your own shoes on. The hall was cold since the heating hadn’t been on and the smell of the recent rain fall had managed to permeate around the door all the while. You liked that smell, didn’t mind that Ghost took a few extra seconds. 

“Where we going?” You asked, only speaking once you started to do up your laces. 

“Out.”

“Why?” You tried again, smiling when you saw his own barely concealed grin in the crinkles of his eyes. 

“Because I found somethin’ you’d like.”

“And what is it I like?” You pressed, ears standing fully to attention now. 

“Asking too many bloody questions apparently, fuck me,” he chuckled.

He ruffled your hair and was rewarded with a growl for his effort. He didn’t back down though. You playfully went to chomp on the edge of his palm, trying to discourage him from messing up your appearance right before going, but he drew his hand back in time before your teeth could connect. Your fangs biting into air.

“Naughty.”

“You started it,” you said with a smirk. 

“And I’ll put an end to it too. Anymore tryin’ to bite me and I’ll bite ya back.”

You folded your ears back in fake alarm, but of course Ghost knew exactly what you were doing and laughed you off. After ordering you to get your boots on it didn’t take long before you were out the door and following him into the car. The destination was still a mystery and Ghost remained stalwart in refusing any clues. It was to be an off base trip, that much was obvious, but to where?

Once Ghost got driving the scenery flashed by like a rolling screen, the barracks houses soon fading to country lanes and then springing back up to houses, then blocks of flats, the familiar route to the city splashing out ahead of you. All the way through the roads, classical music played softly in the background, the dramatic violins willing the road to pass under the wheels faster and faster while the road roared above it all. You liked car rides with Ghost, appreciated that you got to sit in his quiet company while he concentrated on the drive. 

After about a half hour, once day had quickly faded into night like a blinking eye, the car rolled up and up until eventually coming to a stop in a tall parking structure. When you got out of the car, the chill of the air bit your cheeks and beckoned you to come closer into its winds. You peeked over the edge of the barrier, staring down over the solid fencing at the city below with a cautious head tilt. You thought of the many vantage points you’d waited at throughout your life and couldn’t help but wait to be told to track a target. 

“C’mon, Pup. This way.”

Ghost pulled up his neck gaiter, newly ordered for the parade, and marched off toward the doorway. He knew you’d follow. Both of you milling past cars and toward the doors of the shopping centre beyond. Through the frosted glass you could already see the beginning glow of the lights beyond, smell the scattered scents of different shops teas and perfumes and chocolates among the mingling aromas.

“Gonna take me on another shopping spree?” You enquired. 

“Oh yeah, gonna make sure we get you kitted out. Get you all the clothes you’ve been begging me for,” he deadpanned. “Little fashionista.”

His flat voice gave nothing away. Only the crinkle of his eyes indicated to you that he wasn’t serious. It was hard to resist playing along with the bit however. 

“You think I’ll finally get that cowboy hat I always wanted?”

“Mm,” he grunted thoughtfully. “Get you the boots to match too.”

“And a whip?”

“Now that’ll do, I’ve only got so much budget.”

Finally you both entered through the double doors, Ghost holding the door open for you and letting you walk into the warmth first. The twinkling lights were easy to see now, all brightly sparkling amongst the banners that rolled down  from the ceiling, all advertising great deals to be had and fun places to go to. A couple of the banners even seemed to show a few hybrids. You stood for a second to to take them in, still surprised that hybrids were shown on advertisements now, blinking up for a few moments before you followed Ghost again. 

“So where are we actually going?” You huffed, finally falling in line with his huge steps. 

“You’ll see soon,” he laughed.

He waved you off with his hand when you tried to whine at him. It didn’t matter what you threw his way, he was quite content to swat you off like a fly. At one point he started digging his hand into your neck just to make you laugh and distract you from asking any more questions.

After some amount of shoving from each of you, you soon ended up in front of a bookstore. It was one of the chains you were used to going to, the fuzzy purple carpet the same as all the others, the tall stacks of colourful shelves gleaming with promise of adventure, romance and cartoon ass kickings. 

“You were being all secretive about going to the bookshop, why exactly?” You asked, cocking an ear back in confusion. 

Not that you weren’t grateful. However you’d gone to the book shop before with him, it was hardly worthy of being a secret. Ghost was cryptic as ever though. He merely shrugged his shoulders and lead the way inside, already beelining for the graphic novels without any input from you. You followed after him with a shake of your head after. 

With the next three books in your favourite series secured, plus another novel ‘without bloody pictures in it’ at Ghost’s insistence, he took you out of the shop and lead you up to the food court afterwards. The ‘adventure’ wasn’t at an end yet. You stood on the escalator and looked out at the people walking around - all to absorbed with themselves to worry about you, you’d now learned. It wasn’t a very busy night either, as stairs flattened at the top, it was revealed the food court was much the same as the rest of the place. 

“What do you want then?” He asked, stopping at a pillar and letting you survey the floor while he leaned his back against it. 

All the usual offerings filled the place, random Chinese, Italian, and sandwich shops, chains dotted in between them, and of course some random desert stalls. The smells invaded your senses, most tempting you to choose them, until one particular one won out. Pizza.

“I’ll not bother asking what you want on it,” Ghost snorted.

You’d protest if you didn’t know your own predictability. Besides there were more important things at stake than a wrong order. Once you were situated behind a young couple, you couldn’t help diving into your bag of books and pulling out your new book. It’d been a while since you’d read something with full sentences, the graphic novels were too addictive and easy to read after a long day, but this story seemed interesting at least. 

“You’re a nonsense, you are.”

“What? You’re the one that was encouraging me to get the thing and now I can’t read it?”

“Didn’t say you couldn’t read it. Most people just wait till they’re sat down to read.”

“I’m not most people,” you shrugged, shooting him a sly smile and a flick of the ears. 

He didn’t protest that. In true Ghost fashion, he nodded and made some gruff comment about you being a ‘harmless weirdo’ at least. Which, of course, you wouldn’t let stand. Harmless? It would be an insult to let him call you harmless when he knew exactly what you could do. You gave him a flash of your teeth, but were quickly disarmed when he squeezed the funny spot between your neck and shoulder again. 

“Stop doing that!” you whined, slapping his arm.

“But it’s funny,” he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “And you like it when I tease ya.”

“Do not.”

“Yeah you do. Your tail’s wagging.”

“That’s an annoyed wag actually. There’s a big difference,” you said, ensuring you weren’t looking anywhere near his eyes. 

If you had made eye contact you would’ve been afraid that Ghost would figure out you just liked it any time he touched you - no matter if it was teasing or not. After so long a time spent isolated and shoved away in kennels or bunks, every casual gesture felt like another drop in the cup that had been empty for so long. Now it felt like that cup was filling up more and more by the day, and you weren’t sure that there was an end, but knew that the bottom was just a bad memory now. 

The people ahead of you in the line stood off to the side a moment after, and soon you were snapped out of your thoughts and watching the Lieutenant. Ghost parted from you to get the pizzas and pay, quickly reeling off the order and tapping his card on the machine. He motioned his head for you to follow him to the next nearest pillar. His back once again easing against the solid surface. 

“You’re getting better at making shit up. Must be all that reading you’re doing,” Ghost noted, forcing you to remember what you’d just been talking about. “Or too much time with Gaz, cheeky bastard.”

He pulled you into him and mussed your hair, paying special attention to your ears. You whined but it didn’t matter. His knuckles relentlessly went on and built static between his skin and your hair and fur. Even without a mirror you knew that you were going to look a mess. You grabbed onto his hand and tried to separate yourself from the big lump holding you down, but it was no use.

“You’re not funny,” you huffed.

“Now that’s a lie,” Ghost laughed, finally letting you go. “Tails still waggin’ an’ all.”

“What my tail does isn’t any of your business,” you said petulantly.

“Everything you do is my business, Pup.”

“Oh yeah? Why that?”

“Cause you’re mine,” he said, a smile in his eyes while he smoothed the back of his hand across your jaw. 

In that moment, you couldn’t be more glad that he was called to go pick up the pizza, otherwise he might’ve caught the way your pupils expanded like a playful cat’s and the obnoxious speed of your tail. With a gulp and ‘get yourself together’, you walked toward a nearby table and waited for him to bring the food. There was no way you could muster looking toward him without crumbling into an overexcited bundle of nerves. 

“Excuse me,” called a small voice, capturing your attention.

You tilted your head and turned, soon finding the source of the sound. A small boy that had somehow materialised next to you on the bench that you’d chosen, his ears folded back and tail in his hand. At first you wondered where his parents were, worrying about what could happen to a hybrid child that found themselves missing, but then you remembered he’d tried to get your attention. 

“Are you ok? Do you need help?” You asked, still glancing around for a parent or some other family member who he might belong to. 

“No, no I’m fine,” he said, releasing his tail and sitting up tall on his knees. “I wanted to ask you something.”

You tilted your head again and looked him up and down. He was maybe seven or eight, quite tall even while on his knees on the bench, but he was all lanky and fluffy with his small age still. You weren’t much older than him when you’d been sent off to Branhaven. Had you looked so fragile and sweet once?

“What is it?” you finally asked, trying to forget about your own thoughts for the moment. 

“Are you a soldier?” he asked, pointing to the collar at your neck.

“I am,” you confirmed, a smile forming. “Why do you wanna know?”

“My daddy’s a soldier,” the boy shrugged, “he has a collar like that, but he only wears it when he has to work. Are you working?”

Now you could only frown. His father was a hybrid? And a soldier? It raised a few different questions for you, namely how could he have had a child with the lifestyle he led, and furthermore how could he be present when he’d be bound to a handler. Had you felt it appropriate, you would’ve thrown a thousand questions at the boy, but instead you answered him. 

“I’m not working,” you said. “I just don’t like taking it off.”

“Why?”

“I feel like I’m naked without it,” you shrugged.

The boy giggled at your answer, his bushy black tail wagging with delight. He was thoroughly impressed until Ghost walked over, sticking your pizza down and giving you a questioning look. Then the boy cocked his head, unsure of what to do. 

“Did you multiply while I wasn’t looking?” he asked, eyes crinkling.

The boy smiled again and wagged his tail, clearly sensing that Ghost must be safe. When you’d first met him it had taken a while to convince you of that, but then you supposed in his civvy clothes there was more of a softness about him. 

“Uh, kinda,” you said sheepishly, again wondering about where the kid’s parents were. “He was asking about my collar. Saying his dad is a hybrid soldier like me.”

“That right?” Ghost asked, taking the chair out across from you both. “What’s your name then?”

“I’m Ben Killroy,” the boy said proudly, puffing his chest up. “And I’m gonna be a soldier just like my dad and your hybrid.”

That made your stomach drop. A weight settling somewhere deep in your bones at the very idea of being driven down and delivered off into the same life you were. How long until that little smile washed off his face? A whole day or maybe just a few hours?

“That so? And your dad wants that for you does he?” Ghost asked.

“Well no,” he huffed, his ears folding back in annoyance. “Him and mum told me I’m not allowed to go, they keep saying I have to keep going to stupid school and get an education. Except they can’t tell me what to do once I’m eighteen, so then I can join!”

“School isn’t stupid, you’ll have a lot more fun there than the army,” you said sternly, firmly agreeing with his parents. 

“Ugh, you’re just like my parents,” he groaned, throwing his hands up. “School is crap! You have to sit in a room and pay attention to a stupid blackboard and you only get like… forty minutes outside. Plus there’s bullies that pull your tail and call you big ears in my school. If I went to a hybrid training program then no one would bully me for my tail or ears because everyone would have them! Except my dad says that’s not true and you do get bullied, but then when i ask him to prove it, he doesn’t tell me how its not true! That means he must be lying.”

At that you couldn’t help but snort, wishing you could pat his dad on the back. How right he was. Before you could tell him just how ludicrous the idea of not getting bullied in the army was, Ghost got in before you. Leaving you simmering to yourself.

“You know in the army you have to stay inside all day sometimes, and you have to sit in meetings for hours where you’re not allowed to speak or move?” Ghost said, peering over at you. “Isn’t that right, Pup?”

You nodded at him, watching as Ben narrowed his eyes.

“Why would you have to be in meetings not speaking or moving for hours?”

“Sometimes your handler has to be in them and talk about the mission you were on. You have to be there too, just in case you have to answer questions as well, but most of the time you’re expected to sit quiet and in the same spot without fidgeting- otherwise you get punished,” Ghost explained, nodding toward you. “Pup knows all about that, don’t you?”

“One time I had sit in a ten hour long meeting, and the one time I let out a yawn I got written up for it,” you said, full to bursting with unsavoury experiences you could regale him with. 

“But that’s not fair, ten hours is like…its like basically a whole day!”

“Uh huh, and after that I had to sleep outdoors all night,” you shrugged.

“You have to sleep outside? In the cold?” He asked, frowning deeper now and holding his tail again. 

“Yup. That’s one of the punishments you get the most when you’re in training.”

The boy didn’t look pleased about that at all. Though before he could question it any more a tall woman in a rain coat came by and snatched him by his hand. Not a hybrid, but still she clutched at him protectively and wore a panicked look in her eyes. 

“What has mummy told you about running off in public places, Ben! I went to the play area and got a shock when you weren’t there, that’s not very nice to mummy is it? ” She said sternly, ushering him to her side before addressing you and Ghost. “I’m really sorry about him. He always has to talk to every other hybrid he sees, even when he’s been told not to go wandering off.”

“Muuum,” he whined, ears glued to the side of his head. “You’re embarassing me in front of the soldiers.”

She raised her brows and looked properly at you both, eyes flickering to the collar around your neck and then over at Ghost. Knowing what you were, she seemed to tense a bit more.

“He hasn’t caused any trouble has he?” She asked, wrapping an arm around the huffing boy.

“He's fine,” Ghost said, dipping his head a little. “Was just telling us how he wanted to join up is all. We were saying that there’s no rush, school first.”

“Oh,” she said, relaxing again and smoothing a hand over her son’s head. “Yes, that’s very good advice. Do you hear that, Ben? School first!”

“But dad didn’t have to go to school,” Ben grumbled. 

“Well that’s because he didn’t get a choice, did he? C’mon, we’ve been enough of a distraction to these nice people. Let’s get you home, you little rascal,” she said sternly, looking to you for the last time she went on to say, “thanks for looking after him. You're a good soul.”

With that she ushered the protesting boy away and left you and Ghost to your food. At first the silence lingered between you both like a chasm, both of you digging in to your pizza. You staring off into the distance after the woman, while Ghost looked on at you with a calculating gaze. 

“You alright?” He finally asked.

“Mhmm,” you mumbled, rolling your eyes when he did nothing but raise his brows at you. “I just…I dunno. His mum was scared for him. She cares about him and wants him to go to school…”

Another moment of quiet passed. You chewed thoughtfully on a bit of pizza, barely tasting it, while figuring out what to say. Truthfully you didn’t really know how to put coherent words to what you were thinking beyond, ‘it’s not fair’. The beat of that particular drum almost outweighed all other thought. 

“And his dad… is like me. How does a hybrid soldier have a kid he’s raising?”

“Things have gotten a bit better the last few years. If you met someone and had a kid with them, you’d be given time off and be allowed to stay with them outside your work hours,” Ghost shrugged. “Did you not know that?”

“No… I suppose that never really applied to me till now though. Nobody ever took me off base, so it’s not like I would’ve met anyone.”

Ghost reached across the table and settled his warm hand on top of yours, his roughened thumb tracing the outline of yours. Your ears perked up at that. 

“Well it’s not like that anymore. You’ve got options, and people that care about you,” he murmured, his hand still caressing yours. “Just don’t go runnin’ off too quick. We’d miss ya.”

You smiled at that, a swish working its way back into your tail. The strange look Ghost wore on his face had a wave of giddiness washing over you. If you weren’t mistaken it was almost like…

“Are you jealous at the idea of me going off to live with someone else, Ghost?” You asked, tone light enough that it could pass for a joke. 

He snorted at that and drew back, looking away for a second before returning his eyes to yours. His stare was just as piercing as always. Vats of molten honey. 

“I told you in Mexico, I didn’t like it when you were gone. Feels wrong.”

“But you’d let me go if I asked?”

Ghost said yes. Tone clipped, shoulders hunched as he shovelled his way through another slice of pizza. He didn’t know it, but you smiled then and could hardly look at him as you thought about the possibilities that a lifetime with him could entail. 

“I don’t think I could imagine living with someone else now,” you said thoughtfully. “Not even the others. Especially not Price.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Too scarred after Mexico, the snore levels that man is capable of. I think health and safety should do a decibel test on him,” you said with a grin, watching on with glee as Ghost’s smile returned.

“It’s funny you say that because Price had similar complaints about you,” he said slyly. 

“No he didn’t!”

“Yes he did. Said you were squirmy and all, that you kept trying to shift yourself under his arms till he was cuddling you,” He laughed, pointing his pizza at you. 

“No I didn’t, that’s a lie!” you protested, a full whine breaking out into your voice.

Ghost’s dirty laugh came into full affect then, a full body thing that had your cheeks warming with the sound. Despite feeling mortified at the idea of unconsciously making Price spoon you, the fact that you were back on track with Ghost again couldn’t help but derail your shock. It was another moment of feeling normal, feeling almost human. It had you shaking your head at him instead and finishing your pizza with a little sigh of ‘unbelievable’.

“He didn’t actually say that, but you always do that with me.”

And thus the back and forth continued, the two of you fighting good naturedly while putting the pizza boxes in the bin, then still as you walked to the unknown next location and so finally stopping when you reached the cinema. The big dark lobby encased you, the dim lights making Ghost’s eyes sparkle all the more while he still refused to tell you what the big surprise was. 

Even when you reached the screen and sat in your big comfy chairs, you still couldn’t get the answer out of him, no more than a ‘wait and see’ was given. Not that it mattered to you of course. It had been many many years since you’d gone to the cinema and truth be told you were happy to watch just about anything. The smell of your popcorn filled your senses, while the low lights and quiet conversations lulled you into a relaxed state, drawing you closer and closer to Ghost’s chair next to you until you were leaning your head against the bulk of his shoulder. 

“I forgot how much I loved the cinema,” you sighed. “Thanks for bringing me.”

“S’alright.”

You were quiet a few moments more, watching with rapt attention even at the adverts, noting some of the trailers in your head for later so that you could see those movies later. A comedy that made you full on snort till Ghost was giving you a funny look, and a romance film that you would never confess to Ghost to wanting to see and would find a way to watch yourself, were among the few you’d catalogued away. 

Soon the lights blackened almost completely and any hushed conversations then died down. Your ears perked up when the screen went black and you tilted your head, waiting to read the title of the movie. When the screen showed, you blinked a couple times and tilted your head again. It was… the same title as the graphic novels you read. You frowned and turned to Ghost, waiting to see if your assumption was surely wrong, but the smile that inched onto his face told you otherwise.

“No way!” you whispered ecstatically. 

“Surprise,” he whispered back, bumping you with his shoulder. 

At that point you were sat up straight in your chair, full attention directed onto the screen as the opening music blared on and vibrant colours and shapes that seemed to have been pulled right off the pages of your books were dancing into life on the screen. Characters that you had spent hours thinking about began to appear, lines that you could remember reading and rereading were spoken and it was like magic itself was woven into the world in that moment. 

Ghost’s secrecy had paid off. Perhaps it had paid off a little too well - for hours after the film you were going on and on regaleing him about similarities and differences to the graphic novels, making sure he knew that one of the characters was different but so much better, that the ending of that film would lead to the next few comics in the series, that the lore of the world was worked into the film so well while covering the 3 books that it was based off. At times he would sprinkle in some questions here and there, but mostly you hit him with your full analysis until it probably felt like to him that you had seen the movie twice together.

Once you’d gotten home and into the bathroom, delving into your nightly routine, something in your chest simply wouldn’t let you settle into your own bed. Everything in you vibrated like a spring that needed to bounce, so much so that after trying to read the same line of your book five times, you admitted to yourself that you couldn’t get back into your routine after the day you’d had. And so you did the only thing you could think to do. 

Creeping into the hallway, you padded downward until you reached Ghost’s room, perking an ear up and listening for any sounds of sleep. Even with your superior hearing you couldn’t really make out much, but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t already knocked out.

“Ghost,” you said, hoping your voice would pierce through the door just enough to hear. “Are you asleep yet?”

A moment passed. 

“Did you have another bloody thought about that movie?” came his bleary reply.

You grinned to yourself and opened the door, revealing Ghost propped against his pillows and sitting on his phone with the dull lamp on. His hair was fluffy with static, and his eyes betrayed his tiredness. Contrary to you, he looked like he could fall back and rest the second he could. 

“It’s not about the movie,” you affirmed, closing the door behind you and settling onto the foot of his bed. “I just wanted a minute.”

He grunted over at you, continuing to finish up whatever he was doing on his phone. You clutched your knees in your hands, in the meantime, looking around at all the familiar cracks in the wall and bits and pieces on the floor. It was warm that night, but even so you curled up into something small. 

“Come on up then,” Ghost finally said, chucking his phone to his bedside table before lifting up the sheet. “Might as well get comfy.”

Even worming your way into his sheets felt like a hug, his scent spilling from the cotton as if you were pressed in close to him. However, you remained across from him, propping yourself up on an elbow and looking up at him like a worshipper to a god. His pale chest was revealed now that the covers had shifted, and so while you stared at him your eyes lingered there while your mind whirred, not really sure what to say. 

“I wanted to thank you again for today,” you finally said, looking him in the eyes. “And I wanted to say that I really appreciate everything you do for me. I don’t think I ever would’ve been able to come up with anything like this if you’d have asked me where I’d want to be months ago and I just wanted to say that you’re amazing. I’m not sure what I did to deserve all this, or you, but I’m really glad I got to.”

He blinked syrupy slow and kept looking at you with an easy smile on his face, now turning to meet you in your sideways position. Ghost’s heat now began seeping into you, your heart rate thumping as he pulled you into his orbit. His own pulse danced in your ears and soon you were hypnotised by it, just looking his eyes while he looked into yours.

“You’re too sweet,” he murmured, reaching out and stroking your cheek with his thumb. “I’m glad you had a nice night. Though I’m not someone that you need to worry about deserving, darlin’.”

“Yeah you are,” you said breathily, smile growing.

In a moment of impish fun, you turned your head and pretended to bite his thumb, fastening your two sets of teeth around it and letting the points of your canines graze against his skin. He raised his eyebrows and used his other hand to grab your cheeks, giving you a warning squeeze. You let him go, but his grip still remained on you. 

“What’d I say about you biting me, you little shit?” he said, good humour still written on his face.

“You said you’d bite me back,” you shrugged. 

“Wouldn’t want that now, would you?” he grunted.

“Maybe I do,” you smiled, raising your eyebrows at him again. “What then?”

He shook his head, his teeth on full show from his smile. His full face seemed to glow like white gold, the lamplight casting its rays onto him. Things moved slow then, he got closer to you, breaking the space between you until he was pushed right up against you, releasing your face finally, but still keeping you pinned with arm against your back. He watched you carefully, and you stared right back, breathing slow but expression alight. 

“Feels to me like you’re after something else now,” he said as fact, you both knew it. 

Even if he didn’t need a response, you nodded slowly. Your heart was pounding like a train in your ears, body rattling with stray energy now that you were in a position you’d thought of only in daydreams. For a little second of panic you wondered if this was him about to admonish you of thinking such things. Though he didn’t let you worry long. 

“You sure?” he asked, voice thick with something you couldn’t explain.

“Yes,” you whispered.

He bit his lip, the scar there tightening with the action.

“Ask me.”

“What?” you frowned, shifting back and feeling his hand press into your back. 

“Ask me for what you want. Go on,” he said, an indescribable look crossing his eyes. 

“You want me to ask you for…” you trailed, waiting for him to interrupt, but he didn’t. “I want- for… you to kiss me.”

He chuckled at you stumbling on your words.

“You what now?”

You growled out a frustrated sigh and turned your face into his pillow.

“I want you to kiss me, alright?” you snapped, words muffled in the fabric. 

At that he ushered you out of the pillow and brought his lips to yours. His mouth hot and firm against yours as every little cell in your body seemed to dance. His hands gripped your waist, making sparking little fires dance across your nerves and his body pushed into yours once again. He allowed you to come back into your body, continuing to kiss you gently, until eventually your lips moved with his and soon enough opened so that your tongues could meet. 

A few seconds later and you were parting. Finally catapulting out from a stupor you soon opened your eyes and met his searching ones. Ghost breathed heavily, but then so did you and for a few seconds neither of you said anything. You simply weren’t capable. Your lips felt like they were tingling still. 

“You alright?” 

-🐺-

“Pup are you alright?” Dr. Beale asked, her worried expression dragging you back into the room.

Only then did you realise your chest was pounding and you accidentally squeaked, feeling as though her gaze was seeking out forbidden information. You cleared your throat, pretending that was all you were doing the whole time, and took a sip of your tea, thinking back to the last thing you’d told her.

Of course you’d regaled her about your trip out, about meeting the boy in the food court and going to your movie, however when it came to going home. You figured you’d skip that part. Instead you looked off into the room and shook your head. Your body dispelling the last paranoid nerves that told you she was psychic and knew your every thought. 

“Sorry… I just had a weird dream that night was all. Anyway, basically Ghost is really nice, yeah. What else did you want to know?”

[idrellegames]

Hello all! 

It is the start of a new year and I’m excited to announce Wayfarer’s new development plan. Unlike previous years, I will be doing quarterly roadmaps so I can be more transparent about how things are going and make adjustments should I fall behind. 

The goal for Q1 (January to March) is to finish the Episode 3 finale. This finale is important—it is not just the end of an episode, but the end of Act 1 and represents a major story shift. Some things will come to a head, some things will be resolved, and you will be left with many, many more questions. The final includes two versions that are split between a story consequence from Episode 2—whether the Wayfarer remained hired by the Order of Lethalis or were fired from their mission. These two versions are then split in two branches, for a total of four branches that lead into 3 separate endings. 

The Episode 3 finale has been in development since last summer, and I am hoping to pick up the pace with it and get it out of the drafting stage in the coming months. Should drafting go well, I will be able to code the new material starting in March. It is undecided as of now as to whether it will be added to the alpha build immediately after coding or not. Right now I don’t want to release the finale until everyone can play it regardless of their route (right now there are incomplete starting routes—if you are not on an Aeran or Veyer route, then you will not be able to play Episode 3), but this may change. 

Wayfarer’s roadmap is an estimated timeline and is subject to change. 

The State of the Episode 3 Alpha

right click for higher resolution

This is an overview of where the Episode 3 alpha is currently sitting. There is a lot of playable material with multiple intersecting sections dependent on previous choices, faction approval, and character approval.

As of January 2025, the Episode 3 alpha contains approximately 483,800 words of total playable content (the average play session is much shorter than that). 

Other stats include (for Prologue to Episode 3):

Average Word Count Per Playthrough: 193,900 words (approximate)

Average Playtime: 11 hours

Total Cumulative Word Count: 1,414,800 words (approximate) 

The build was last updated in July 2024. It is playable on my Patreon.

FAQs

—When will Episode 3 be finished?

There is no release date! The goal is for this year.

—When is the next public build update?

TBD. Episode 3 will not be released publicly until the Episode 4 alpha is finished. As I am still working on Episode 3, it will be a long wait. I will be doing some maintenance patches on the public build this year, but they will not be content updates.  

—It’s been over 2 years since Episode 2, why is it taking so long?

I’m a solo developer, so when I get sick or need to take off due to personal reasons, that is development time lost. Unfortunately, 2023 and 2024 were both unexpectedly difficult years and despite my best attempts to stay on track, delays happened. Wayfarer’s scope is very ambitious and I know this; I am making cuts where I can, but there is a balance between scaling down and losing the vision entirely. Wayfarer is built on the idea that your choices matter, and to make those choices meaningful and impactful takes time.  

—Is every episode going to take this long?

Nope! Episode 3 is unique in how all its threads come together. I certainly do not intend to take this long with following episodes.

—When will we meet the other companions (the characters on the cover art)?

Alexia, Ren, and Calla will be introduced in Episode 4 and 5. Nelani is introduced in Episode 6 and Felix in Episode 7, which marks the end of Game 1.     

Thank you so much for your continued support! Let's get this done. ❤️

~ Anna  Idrelle Games

[wutheringmights]

After I finished reading The Epic of Gilgamesh today, I entered a fugue state where I sat down and read the entirety of Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce.

On the record, I have had a lifelong love and adoration for Pierce's Tortall books. I first read the Song of the Lioness quartet when I was 11, and they rewrote my brain. I love them so much. I reread them and the other Tortall books on a semi-frequent schedule.

It's been a while since I reread any of the Alanna books, if only because my sister took our shared copies when she moved out. I've been meaning to buy my own set for a long while now but haven't been able to justify the purchase. The other week, I just so happened to find the first two volumes at my local indie bookstore. I bought them immediately, as well as ordered the third and fourth book. (And discovered that the store owner knows me by name-- when I went to pick up my order, she saw me and said, Hi Frankie! I got your books over here.) (I may be spending too much money there.)

So I have been in a bit of an emotional rut these past few weeks. Work sucks. Life stinks. The temptation to run off to Tortall and curl up in the fantasy story that captivated me as a kid has never been stronger.

Ergo, I ran off to read the first book as soon as I could.

If you're looking for any critique of this book, series, or Tortall in general, I will never give it. Sure, it's problematic and dated, and in many ways imperfect, but someone else can list out all of its issues. They're all perfect to me.

Anyway, the book. I should say something about this book in particular.

One thing I appreciate about Pierce's writing is how she handles school settings in fantasy. Learning and training is so mundane. All of her heroines have to work hard and put in extra hours of study in order to improve, much less keep up with their peers. It's so normal that it circles around to being weirdly refreshing.

Also, there is still no other fantasy author who handles period talk and birth control the way Pierce does. We make fun of the trope of fantasy birth control nowadays, but I rarely see it presented as it is here: as a part of normal puberty lessons and given long before sex is in the girl's radar. And even today with the glut of YA fantasy stories out there, I still have yet to see menstruation be portrayed as frequently or as bluntly as Pierce writes it.

There was a period of time publishers really tried to push the Tortall books as straight YA, which doesn't work for that reason alone. You gotta market them to middle schoolers. They're the ones just starting puberty talks, and getting scenes like this is so good for their brains.

Moving on: I fucking love these characters. Alanna was an icon of brash, temperamental heroines that have shaped my taste to this day. I love how even in the first book, Jon is kinda shitty. I adore George Cooper. Talk about a taste maker the way this man sets a standard.

I just can't be coherent when it comes to any Tortall books. I have no thoughts. Head empty. I am going to binge the rest of this series as quickly as I can before my library book comes in. Then normal book content will resume.

Before I go, I need to talk about the book covers.

Growing up, my sister and I had these covers:

Which, god. I love them. The black is striking. The art is incredible. Alanna looks so good. They were the perfect pocket-size too. I was going to buy the same edition for my copies, but instead I got the 40th anniversary reprints:

Not bad at all! These books have had some seriously bad covers, and these look great! Very anime, which will appeal to the 11 year olds who need to have their socks rocked by this series.

But, man. I really miss those black covers. One day I will splurge and buy a second set of them just so that I can stare at the art.

[humansbgone]

The storyboard is done! On top of that, all the lines have been recorded, and I've just about finished placing them in the file for the final animatic render!

Voice work took a little longer this time around because, as you may have seen earlier this week, this time it wasn't just me doing them! We've got a whole cast for some new voices:

Cashier: e_doodlesnstuff

Clef: Manfred King

Bombardier Beetle: Will Quisenberry

Unsure Hiver: Snager

I'm incredibly excited to share their performances with you. They definitely brought something to the table that I couldn't have just talking to myself!

In the interest of not spoiling too much, I've limited this preview to a beginning sequence with Rose and Soph. A lot of you have wondered what carnivorous macrovolutes eat, and here's your answer!

Now, the bad news. This episode is going to be...INCREDIBLY long, compared to what I've done previously. The last episode already had the longest pre-Gregorsa animation at almost exactly 7 minutes, and this one is going over 11--not counting the Gregorsa lecture or credits. I am getting some help on the work for this one, but even so, it's going to take a while.

I'll wrap up animatic work this week and get it shipped out to SinclaireDeLune (https://www.instagram.com/sinclairedelune ) and DDX.EXE (https://ddxexe.bandcamp.com/ ) for backgrounds and music, respectively. DDX.EXE will also be handling sound effects this time, which helps a ton!

Next week, a break from HBG work to watch some tutorials on rigging. The latest Blender version has finally broken half of my rigging process, and the other half is a precarious Jenga tower on its own, so I'm going to have to get a new system going entirely and rerig every character. Additionally, every character model in the episode needs an overhaul (some more dramatic than others), and I've got some new models to make. Including a very intimidating one that I've been putting off.

So, we're looking at over a month for all that. Then, staging!! Even at this length, that should only be a week or two. Luckily, none of the assets are too difficult, and I can ask for help with those, so that will also probably be a week or two. Hopefully, background art will be mostly done then, and work can begin on animation! ...Which will anywhere from one to two months. Luckily, work on Gregorsa's lecture and notes should be brief after that, just a couple days.

So, all told, we're still in the realm of an April-May release. We'll see what happens. Until next time!

[the-vroom-f1]

Canada Quali Highlights

Q1

Watching people literally crane their necks to see if their is rain coming

there ain't a lot of grip

Stroll my dude I know your excited to be home but you don't need to be kissing the walls

And george goes off the track (and lewis??)

Mercedes you did something to your car and it was beautiful, leave it alone now

Then Yuki and Lewis impede oscar (its a pretty narrow area but still...)

"Come on they are being ridiculous" - Charles about who i believe is checo

Gasly did a nice 18th to second

Logan to fifth!!

Lewis is holding up first

Williams be honest, did you dabble in the dark arts??

All checo does is swear (he' s out) and his engineer and just goes yeah.

Overall this was such a weird session like it was just constant struggles of people who shouldn't be struggling this much

Out

20. Zhou

19. Hulkenberg

18. Ocon

17. Bottas

16. Perez

Q2

Ruth (from f1tv) is my hero -forget the drivers she's the coolest

Max studying Oscar's back wheel

Oscar showing off just how good he is at qualifying

George Russell I don't talk about you a lot because you just get your shit done and do it well, good job dude

Mad max appearance?

Logan in Q2!!! For the first time this year!!

Carlos whats up my dude, your not doing to hot

Williams and their pitstops /neg

"holy moly I had big moment in corner four" - george (british)

LOGAN SARGENT YOU LEGEND

what is going on with red bull today

Mercedes who did you sell your souls to

Both ferrari's are out in Q2???? wtf

"I guess we are fucked" "yes" - carlos and his engineer

Alex finished in 6th

Out

15. Gasly

14. Kmag

13. Sargent

12. Sainz

11. Leclerc

Q3

commentators are also wondering what the fuck is happening

everyone is just trying to keep their car on track at the moment

Lance in Q3 at home for the first time!!

Merc 1-2??

Oscar up to second then lando bumps him

the Mercedes are on old tires while everyone else are on new one and are absolutely destroying them

Lance to sixth

Damn they really just referenced Villenevue's rant earlier

Max and Russell got the exact same time??

What are the fucking odds - this hasn't happened since like the 70's??? This is the second time ever??

George got his second pole ever!!!

You are a legend good sir!!!

His radio was so fun

Commentators really have been baffled today

10. Albon

9. Stroll

8. Tsunoda

7. Hamilton

6. Alonso

5. Ricciardo

4. Piastri

3. Norris

2. Verstappen

RUSSELL

[choicesficwriterscreations]

June Creator of the Month: Thosehallowedhalls

Please welcome this month’s Creator of the Month is @thosehallowedhalls.

Each month, CFWC highlights one of our talented fanfic writers or artists. The writer or artist is selected at random. More info can be found on the navigation page. Past COTM's can be found here.

Quick Links:

Tumblr Blog Masterlist

1- When did you start playing Choices? What was the first book you played?

I can't remember exactly. 2021, I think? Laws of Attraction was on its tenth chapter.

2- When and why did you join Choices fandom?

I joined in January of this year. I was upset with Crimes of Passion 2, so I wrote a couple of stories about it. I had deactivated my old Tumblr long ago, so I had to open a new one.

3- How did you pick your blog name?

I love old buildings - the history, the ambiance. I tried hallowedhalls, but it was taken, so I added the article.

4- Pull up the first post in your archive, and tell us about it!

I… have zero recollection of this post. But I'm big on nostalgia and mourning past times, so the fact that this was my first post tracks.

5- Do you write fanfiction, create fan art, or are you one of those really gifted people who do both?

I write fanfiction. I've been teaching myself to draw, but I'm not anywhere near close to sharing what I do.

6- How long have you been creating for Choices and for any other fandoms?

I started writing fanfiction way back in… 2010? For about four or five years. Then I stopped until December 2023.

7- What is your favorite Choices book, and what is your favorite Choices book to create for?

Crimes of Passion on both counts.

8- Share your first Choices fanfic or fan art that you posted with us. Do you still like it, or would you change it if you were creating it today?

That would be The 2 AM Christmas Tree Farm, inspired by The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. I do still like it, but I would tighten up the writing a bit. I had barely written any fiction for several years at that point, and the lack of practice shows.

9- What is your favorite piece of fiction or art that you created?

I keep going back and forth between The 2 AM Christmas Tree Farm and Home Without. Both are angsty short series.

10- Do you have a fic/art that you didn’t expect to be well received, but it was? What about one you expected to do well but found it could use a little more love?

I was taken aback by the comments on The 2 AM Christmas Tree Farm. I'd posted it on AO3 a few weeks before, and had gotten a handful of kudos and one comment, but within 24 hours of posting it here, I had several lovely reblogs. It was a welcome surprise. Stories with fewer comments… I guess Home Without. The first chapter got quite a bit of love, but by the time the final chapter rolled around, fewer people were interacting.

11- If you could write only angst, fluff, or smut for the rest of your writing life, which would it be and why?

I love a balance, but I'd say angst with a happy ending. I enjoy the breadth of emotions angst lets you explore.

12 - Do you ever recognize yourself in any of your MCs or in your writing?

There are bits and pieces of me in all of them. Emma has my sarcasm, and Raine has my need to look for the best in people. There may be more, but if so, it wasn't done intentionally.

13 - What element of writing/art do you struggle with most?

Perfectionism. Like I said before, the lack of writing practice shows. I know that the only way to get better is to keep writing, but I hate seeing the gap between what I do and what I want to do. Catch-22.

14 - Do you have any neglected work you really want to finish?

My Sebastyan x Emma fic, Of Cloudless Climes and Starry Skies. There are only a couple of chapters left, but I've been struggling with it for a couple of months now.

15 - If someone you know in real life (who isn’t involved in fandoms) asked to see your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you show them first?

Oh, hell no.

16 - Are there any writers (published authors and/or fanfic writers) who influenced your writing or art? Are there any artists that influence you?

So many writers have influenced my writing throughout the years, including authors I do not currently read. The Brontë sisters, Charles Dickens, Nora Roberts, Jane Austen, Courtney Milan, Alyssa Cole… I could go on and on. Fanfic writers… There are a lot, but off the top of my head, @inlocusmads, @coffeewithcutcaffeine, @gaiuskamilah, @aria-ashryver, @jerzwriter, @dutifullynuttywitch, @aces-and-angels, @petalouda85, and @storyofmychoices. I know there are more.

17- Which one of your stories would you most like to see as a movie/series?

Home Without. I'm a sucker for good pining, and I'd love to see all that mutual longing play out onscreen - not to mention that reunion.

18- Do you write original fiction or create non-fandom art?

I do. I'm currently working on a horror short story, a MG novel, and a dual timeline mystery that's still in the research stages.

19- What other hobbies do you have?

Reading, non-fandom writing, drawing, learning new things (especially languages!), going on walks, and drinking enough coffee to alarm medical professionals anywhere.

[littledeadpotato]

Blue period 11

I didn't think I'd be reviewing manga, and I probably won't, but this one I have to do.

(If the art doesn't have credits underneath, its by the author; Tsubasa Yamaguchi)

In case you don't know, Blue period (1) is a manga by Tsubasa Yamaguchi about Yatora Yaguchi, a highschool student, who gets inspired and finds passion for art. He wants to get into one of the best art schools in Japan, since it's one of the few school (if not the only one) that's not private.

In volume 11 tho, We're at a part where Yaguchi is in uni but needs money, so he gets a job at a community art class with kids.

(I rate comics/graphic novels/manga a bit differently. Enjoyability > actual quality. Shitty way to rate ik but who cares🤷‍♀️)

Rating: 5/5⭐

(For the God of me i cannot find who made this art, but there's a chance it's Official since I can't find any post that's not reposted and its also used for fake merch. If you know who the artist is, please let me know so I can Credit them)

Spoilers ahead!!!

What makes this volume so special? Well it's not in a school setting. The whole art uni thing is very stressful to both the reader and the characters. Since it's spring(?) break, Yaguchi doesn't have to do any art. But this is still a manga about art. But this one focuses more on one's relationship with their art and others' art. And any artist has experience with that. Alot of people hate their art, and honestly I do too.

Since I like parting things, the book has 2 parts, each is focused on one kid in the art class.

Shoya

Shoya is bored in the class. He has trouble finishing his assignments, he's mean towards his classmates (and Yaguchi) and violent. Yaguchi tries his best to make Shoya interested but it just doesn't work. One day Shoya's mother comes to pick Shoya up from the class, when she sees Shoya's painting, she says:

,,What's so great about this painting? It doesn't look like he did that good of a job to me..."

Which is, you know, Something to say to a 5 year old. Shoya is understandibly not happy about that. But one day, Yaguchi finds him playing some games while walking home. And Yaguchi finds out Shoya is really good at drawing mechs. He talks to the teacher, and Shoya can draw whatever he wants to in class! Yayyy. He also makes this football game for their exhibition. Shoya's thing is that he doesn't enjoy art because he knows what he likes. No one enjoys drawing everything.

Sae

Sae has alot of passion for art. But she has alot of other classes. Even though Sae has barely any time to play with her friends, she still paints at home. And I mean this girl loooves painting. Well until her dad points at another painting (which as far as i know, wasn't even made by a child) and says:

,,Oh, that kid's painting is really good! How about trying to do something like that?"

We're back to this point, where the kids' confidence and how they think about themselves and their art is very much connected to how other people see it.

She starts comparing herself to the other kids. Hashida (who also works there now lol) also notices her painting has changed. When he says he likes her painting, she says:

,,Thank you, Hashida-sensei! But it's not good at all. Im worse than Shikahara-san. Ahhh. Why am I so bad...? I want to get better. I've been practicing so much, too..."

AND I HAVE NEVER RELATED TO A 5 YEAR OLD MORE. Like this young girl is already at this part of making art. Me and my art teacher actually talked about this, and she said this change from having fun with art to being critical of it happens around/after the age of 10.

The kids will have an exhibition! And one day in class, they present their art to the class. When they're presenting, Shoya compliments her painting. And I'll just write down the whole presentation.

,,My painting... is bad because the subjects are small. The colours are dull, too. And the bear looks messed up. It's creepy, crappy and just awful. Why is it... that I can only make something like this? Shoya-kun went out of his way to say something nice about my work... but... he can do that because he's better than me. How nice! How nice that everyone's great at art. [...] I dont wanna do this anymore! [...] My colours are messier than Miku-chan's! I can't draw mechs like Shoya-kun! I can't make cute paintings like Yuichi-kun! I cant paint like Shikahara-san! How nice that everyone's great at art!"

And after that I took a 20sec break ;P!

As far as i know, there are 2 ways people can react to making art around others. You either envy their work and take it as a learning experience to appreciate their art. But I, someone who's about to do entrance exams into art school, cant afford to do that. Or you can just fall apart under the pressure of "everyone is better than me". And it's easy to do that when you have a goal and everyone could be your enemy. You cant appreciate their art and love art together. Because they're better than you and you have to get better. Art isn't about how much you study. Art is about how passionate you are. How much you want to make art. If you hate everything you make, is there a reason to keep doing art? For some yes. For some no.

Sae quit the art class.

Before she does, Hashida asks her to do a collab. They just paint random things. React to the other's painting. Hashida says this (I'm sorry for so many quotes but they really stuck with me srryyy):

,,I'm actually bad at making art. I love art. I love people who make art and i make art myself, but the more I get to know other people who make art... the more is makes me think I can't go as far as them. I respect people who can keep their brush moving with tears in their eyes. I think you're truly amazing for jumping into painting like you did. Even when you feel miserable or think you have no reason to praise your own work."

Which again. SAME. Back to parents, when Sae shows the painting to her dad, he tears it in the half to give half to Hashida. They stick it back together. But you know...

SOMEWHERE IN THE BOOK HASHIDA ASKS YAGUCHI TO GO TO SWITZERLAND, ITALY AND GERMANY WITH HIM AND I HOPE HE ACCEPTS CUZ I LOVE HASHIDA AND HES SO INTERESTING. PLEASEEEEEEE.

If I read this volume without the other 10, I'd probably think it was just kids and being whinny about art. But when you read through so much of the stuff these people go through just to make art. And how they struggle. When out of nowhere, its like 'I fucking hate this'. This book just keeps you think 'Why? Why? Why? Why do they do that? Why dont they just quit?'. And your relationship with your art and art overall is important. It's not like you can look past the fact that you fucking hate what you just did and hate that you're only capable of such a bad thing. Art you create is often hard to love, especially when its competitive.

But art is still art. And it's such a pity that people who would love art and creating it crumble under the pressure of others.

Be gentle and loving to yourself and your art.

Art by: https://x.com/pplaksana

[snowblossomreads]

Day 19- A Helping Hand

Pairing(s)/Character(s): Lionel Shabandar x Fem!Reader, Lionel Shabandar & OC (Angie Huang), Background Sinclair Bryant x OC (Amiee Huang)

Summary: In where Lionel needs a helping hand after his previous curator's screw up. Continuation of Day 11 Out of Reach

Tag(s)/Warning(s): None!

A/N: We are backkkk! This part is kind of told from Lionel's POV but like in a third person kind of way LOL. It's mostly focused on him but reader is there to she's just in the bg for this one 😂. Anyways let's see how Lionel is going to fix the mess Earl made.

"Hello?"

'Who's that?'

'Lionel!'

'At 9 pm? Did someone kick the bucket?'

"Not yet. But if things continue as they are, my previous curator may find himself in a bit of a dilemma."

"Oh, Li don't say that like that, I'm sure it was an honest mistake! Worst time to make one but a mistake all the same."

"Well, he is free to find somewhere else to make idiotic mistakes as effective today he is no longer on my payroll," Lionel groused, still burning at the thought of Earl's major fuck up that was threatening to make him look like a fool. And no one made Lionel Shabandar look foolish. "Now may I speak to your soon-to-be fiancé about this business?"

The way Sinclair sputtered on the other end of the phone at him saying the F word out loud gave Lionel some satisfaction. No one else knew at that point, considering his cousin had come to him asking if it was possible to book a private showing at Monet's house in Giverny next year. The plan was for Sinclair to propose to Amiee there on the Japanese bridge in the spring, right when all the flowers were in bloom, and the temperature was perfect.

And being the kind cousin he was, who also happened to be a generous sponsor to the Monet foundation, well, those strings were not hard at all to pull. 

"Shhh! Why would you say that out loud? You better be glad she just went back into the bathroom," Sinclair hissed lowly at his cousin whose smirk was ear to ear at how flustered the other man was. "Just wait a minute let me put you on hold okay?"

"Yes, yes that's fine," Lionel responded before the opposite line went silent for a few moments. 

He waited as patiently as a man on a deadline could, tapping his foot as he tried to pay attention to some work. However, he ended up being distracted by his cat jumping on his lap, and looking for attention from him which Lionel gave. Petting the orange cat, with a lion's shave as its tail swished slowly as it relaxed in his owner's lap Lionel waited.

No more than five minutes could have passed before he heard a click on the other end, signaling he had been taken off hold, and then a warm feminine voice came through the line.

"Hiya Lionel!" Amiee answered, "Sorry about the wait, was getting some stuff sorted before bed. Clair said you needed to ask me something?"

"Yes actually, am I correct in thinking he already told you about my little debacle with my curator?"

"Oh yeah," there was a tone of sympathy in her voice as she spoke.  "We were at lunch today and he told me all about it, sorry to hear about that. Do you think everything's going to be fixed by gala time?"

"Well that is the hope and the reason I'm calling you."

"Huh?"

"Your sister, was she not doing a degree in fine arts at the Royal Academy?"

There was a pause on the line before she answered. 

"Mhmm, yeah actually. I think she's currently interning for Tate Modern to finish some stuff out for her dissertation. And I can feel you rolling your eyes." And he was. "But modern art is as important as any type of art."

"Even if you admit you don't understand it either?" He asked knowing they had had this conversation before.

"Yes, maybe."

A short huff of amusement left his lips, and the sound of her laughing came through the receiver. 

"Well, I'm assuming that with that degree she doesn't just have an education in modern art?"

"Course not, they have all sorts of courses, or they better have with how much it costs. I think her focus is on painting and design. You'd have to ask her about details though." 

"Excellent to hear, because the reason I’m calling,  is that I would like to see if she could help with this little dilemma that we are facing, and I needed her phone number. Sinclair wasn't keen on giving it out without your approval, which I think was silly, and said I needed to talk to you."

"Hahah! Did he really tell you that?" 

"We are talking at the moment are we not?"

"We are. Hold on Lionel one second."

And he did, his fingers still scratching the now-napping cat in his lap, as he heard the one side of her and Sinclair's background conversation.

'Did  you actually tell him you couldn't give him Angie's number without asking me? '

He didn't hear what Sinclair said but whatever it did had her giggling and what sounded like a kiss was exchanged.

'Love you.'

"Am I interrupting something?" Lionel asked.

"Aww, am I mithering you with kissing your cousin?" Amiee teased, her voice still holding a titter of laughter in it as she came back. 

"No, but I don't fancy hearing you snog him."

"Fair enough. But of course you can have her number! You actually already do."

"What?" 

"Angie lives in my flat! You have that number; just give it a ring and you should get her."

The urge to give his cousin a brotherly smack was strong and he couldn't stop the irritated huff that he let out.

"Also, Sinclair is laughing."

"Tell him, I'm very keen for him to meet my new security system when he comes to visit the estate next week."

"That doesn't make any sense but I'll let him know!"

The conversation continued for a few more minutes before he hung up, not before wishing them a good night though, and thanking Amiee once again for being more helpful than his cousin.  

Letting out a sigh, he checked the time to decide whether he would give the other woman a call, but he decided to wait, as the clock showed a quarter till 10. As anxious as he was to get this sorted, not that he would let anyone see that, he decided against calling right then. Better not to bother someone so late before asking for their assistance.

"Lionel?" [Y/n], his trusty assistant called out to him from her desk. His attention went from his work to her, as he watched her place her phone down on the desk to speak to him.  "There's an Angela Huang here to see you. I didn't see her in your diary today though…do you want me to tell her you're busy at the moment?" 

"No, it's fine it slipped my mind to let you know she was coming today, tell downstairs to let her up."

"Of course!"  

Doing as she was told, and telling the front reception to let the guest come up, he listened to her thank them before hanging up and posing a question to him.

"Also, who is she?"

"Hopefully the person that is going to help us clean Earl's mess up," he grumbled, still quite bitter at how all of this was turning out. "She might even become my new curator depending on how things go. Though, she comes highly recommended from people I know." 

Her sister and his cousin.

He watched as [Y/n] bit the inside of her cheek and tilted her head in a fashion that signaled that she was thinking, and the action was quite adorable to him. 

What was she thinking about? He wondered. He didn't have time to ask before her desk phone rang again, causing her to focus back on the present. With a fluid motion, she picked up and listened to the person on the other end before nodding and saying,

"Yes, let her in, he's waiting for her." Before hanging back up. 

That meant their guest was just outside. Pushing himself away from his desk, Lionel stretched his limbs, letting out a low groan as he released the tension in his muscles.   If he had looked towards [Y/n], he would have noticed her staring awfully hard at him, before turning her attention towards the foggy glass door at the sound of a light tap.

"Come in," he called, as he walked toward the middle of the room just as the door opened to reveal their guest.

An Asian woman with doe eyes, and dark hair, dressed casually in a turtle neck jumper with a leather jacket, paired with jeans and boots walked in with a grin plastered across her lips. 

"Lionel Shabandar!" She shouted with glee, as she approached him like a woman on a mission. And she was on a mission. "Who would have thought London's richest man would need a helping hand from a little old Manc girl?" 

"Richest man in the UK, love," he corrected with a smug smile on his face as he met her in the middle. They both stopped in front of each other as [Y/n] was in the back watching this all unfold with an intense interest. 

"Oh I'm so sorry, should I bow to you, Lord Shabandar?"  She snarked with ease.

"I wouldn't be against you doing that," he shot back without hesitation.

They both stood in front of each other and from [Y/n] position it was like they were sizing each other up. Yet within seconds, Angela was snickering while Lionel let out a deep chuckle as he went to kiss both her cheeks.

"Angie."

"Lionel."

They greeted each other warmly, and made the other woman who was watching the scene wonder if they actually knew each other, as you usually don't walk in to a meeting with such bravado. Especially , when meeting someone like Lionel. But he seemed more than happy to play along. An uncomfortable twist made its way into [Y/n] stomach, as she watched them talk comfortably for a moment before her eyes met Angie's.

The dark haired woman paused her conversation with Lionel and smiled at her before speaking.

"Hiya over there, and what's your name?"

"[Y/n][L/n], ma'am."

"Oh no, no ma'am stuff I'm not a part of the posh community like your boss is," Angie pointed out throwing up a glance to Lionel who narrowed his eyes playfully at her, "just Angie is fine! Lionel, you don't make her call you sir do you?" The woman asked, turning her attention back to Lionel.

"Of course not, we've always been on a first name basis haven't we not [Y/n]?"

"Yes, ever since I started working here actually," she responded truthfully. 

It wasn't the same for the other staff she worked with. They would call him sir or even Lord sometimes, but he had insisted she just call him Lionel. Saying something about how they were working so closely together, that it be best that she was comfortable being informal with him.

"Wow, that's so nice of you, not making people call you Lord Shabandar. I think Amiee's right, Sinclair might be rubbing off on you."

Lionel rolled his eyes at her statement before he turned on his business mode, they had little time and much to do. 

"Yes well, now that we've gotten through the pleasantries, I think we should have a seat and discuss in detail why I've asked you to come," he explained as he led the woman to a sofa on one side of the office. "[Y/n] could you please bring us the rest of the notes you have?"

"Of course!" The pep in her voice had Angie raising an eyebrow at the woman, and [Y/n] had to stop the bashful look that tried to paint itself on her face. 

Once she had come over and sat down in front of the pair, she and Lionel explained that Earl had gotten the theme and preferences of the gala all mixed up, and now, they were running up against a deadline and Lionel was not about to be made a fool of. The ask was simple. To fix it. The process though, not that simple. But he be a fool to let the previous man fix what he had messed up in the first place.

And that was how he wrangled his future sister-in-law to help them curate the gala collection with only a few weeks left. She clearly told him she had only some experience working with others when it came to curating and organizing, but she would do as much as she could to make sure that everything came together as he imagined in such a short time.  And if she was anything like her sister when it came to work, he had no doubt that her best was better than many others. 

For three weeks, the three of them worked overtime. And if it wasn't for Lionel's distaste for sleeping on anything other than a firm king-size mattress with premium sheets, they would be sleeping in the office. Which both Angie and [Y/n] agreed was a blessing in disguise, not having to sleep in the office that is. 

It was on one of those late nights, where Lionel was sitting behind his desk, Angie standing beside him as she pointed out the reason she was arranging things like she was, did he find his mind and eyes begin to wander.

The subject of his wander was his little assistant who was dozing off at her desk. Her head bobbed up and down as she tried to stay awake to look at her notes and finish up some things that he had thrown at her. With the gala stuff moving at a furious pace, he had no time to look at some of the things his staff had sent so he had been piling it all on her.

Add to that, and her also having to help with gala stuff, she was running on fumes. They all were but she was having a harder time not showing it and he could tell.

"If you're not going to pay attention to me, can you at least go and tell her to go home. She's gonna get a crick in her neck," Angie murmured, pausing her explanation seeing as she might as well be explaining herself to thin air since he wasn't listening.

"Mmm you're right, it is getting a bit late isn't it," Lionel acknowledged as he looked at the clock on his desk that read 12:45 am. It was already a new day how nice. "We still have work to do, but no use in making her stay."

"Yeah, lucky her for having a boss that likes her so much," she responded with a tiny smirk as she caught him looking over in [Y/n]'s direction once again, "while you do that I'm going to go to the toilet and get more coffee."

"Hmm alright, a little break between this shouldn't put us behind," he answered, looking down at the mock-up of where each art piece would be placed and how they corresponded with the theme. "We seem to almost be done it looks like actually."

"We? You mean me, right?" Angie corrected before she circled around the desk to leave the room for a short break. 

Leaving him and his assistant in the room, Lionel got up from his desk and walked over to [Y/n] who was moments away from truly falling asleep. It seemed the sound of his shoes clicking against the polished office floor, was enough to bring her back to attention, her eyes widening as he approached, and she began to move things around her desk as if she hadn't been falling asleep.

A smirk crossed his face as she pretended that nothing was wrong, and he couldn't help the amusement that he felt bubble up in his chest.

"[Y/n] that's enough for tonight, I'll see you bright and early tomorrow for a meeting with the investors at nine."

She frowned at his words, not very keen on leaving until they were done with their work for both work reasons, and well personal ones that were kind of selfish, but he didn't need to know. "But I thought you both were still working on the art organization? I'll wait until you're both done, god knows I have stuff I need to finish filing away." 

"We are, but I don't see the need to keep you here when you've already done enough for the day. Go home, get some rest. Your filing will still be here tomorrow."

"No, Lionel it's fine I'll stay it's not a -," she began to protest that she was fine to work, but that was quickly put on hold when she let out the largest yawn that seemed to go on for a few minutes too long.  When she was done, she couldn't the heat that made it’s way to her cheeks as Lionel looked at her with a raised eyebrow that practically said, 'I told you so.'

"You were saying?" 

Biting her bottom lip, she avoided his gaze, looking at the mess of work on her desk, yet her brain was too tired to even focus on it. Maybe he was right…

"Okay okay I guess I should call it a night," she sighed, resigned that she really needed to get some rest even if she wanted to stay. "I'm really sorry Lionel I'll make it up to you." 

"Make it up to me? Darling please," he sighed, putting his hand on her shoulder and giving it a squeeze. She so wanted to melt into his touch, warm and firm but she held back, keeping her eyes on him as he spoke. "You've already made it up to me by running about putting out fires with the departments while I try to get a handle on this gala. I believe I'm the one who should be making it up to you after this."

"Well, it's my job to make sure everything you do ends  in success, even if it's just me running around and telling everyone what you need from them," she replied truthfully.

He smiled, a warm genuine smile, and it made her stomach flip. His smile was so nice, especially when it reached his eyes that while also seemingly tired were still very beautiful.

"Yes and you can't do your job if you're moments from falling asleep in a pile of papers, so please go home, I'll be here in the morning and so will your work."

Mulling over his words, and just feeling how her eyes burned and her limbs ached, she finally relented.

"Okay okay you're right," she answered, "I'm no use if I'm drooling all over the papers."

Or drooling over him really.

"Exactly, get some rest [Y/n]."

"Yes sir," she answered with some cheek that had Lionel smirking.

Taking some time to gather her stuff, she finished by clicking off her desk lamp and saying good night to Lionel who had been gazing out the window and looking at the quiet London streets. He wished her goodnight and watched her make her way to the door, only to be stopped by Angie who was coming in. A cup of coffee was in her hand as they chatted briefly before they said good night to each other, and Angie then made her way towards him as he sat back behind his desk and she took her seat in front of him.

"You know, I'm pretty sure [Y/n] likes you," the woman spoke as she took a sip of her coffee, and looked at the spread of photos on his desk. 

"I'm sure she does, her salary is almost triple the average of some of the executive assistants in London. I'd like me to."

He watched her roll her eyes at his statement before she sat the coffee cup down, her arms crossed against her chest and a barely audible sigh leaving her. "Are you daft or something? Would it be clearer if I said she fancies you?"

"No need to be so up in arms Angie," he teased, causing her to narrow her eyes in annoyance at him. It only made him let out a muted chuckle as she leaned back in her chair. "I understand what you meant the first time, don't worry. Now, that begs the question of why do you think that?"

"Oh please don't act like you don't notice it, I noticed it the minute I walked in. She stares at you when she thinks you don't notice and is terrible at hiding it too."

"Yes I have noticed."

"See! Also, she really doesn't have to be here this late to help us, considering we're almost to the end but she did. All to make sure we probably weren't snogging or something."

"Well, if you are interested in doing that we can." 

"Thanks but no thanks. You're not my type, and I'm not yours either"

"Really? And how would you know that" He drawled, doing his best to give her the most smoldering look even if it was just to tease her. "I find that most women fall prey to the Shabandar charm easily, care to test that theory out?"

He was met with her staring blankly at him, and for a moment, he was slightly put off which was very usual. "Yeah no thanks. Again that doesn't get me off, and you know what I've just noticed, you look waaaay too much like Sinclair. Sure you two aren't twins or something?"

"Our mum's are."

"Ah that makes sense, so genetically brothers?"

"Have you been hanging out regularly with him because that is something he would say." 

"Well he is trying to marr-." 

She stopped short of finishing her sentence, eyes going wide as if she knew she was almost about to spill a secret, which she was. Thankfully though it was a shared one.

"I thought I was the only one who knew. Don't worry he came to me for help about a proposal venue."

"Oh thank god, okay. Phew," she sighed in relief, wiping an imaginary bead of sweat off her forehead. "Almost mucked that up didn't I."

"Almost."

"Anyways this isn't about them this is about you, and [Y/n]. She fancies you Lionel and so do you. Most bosses aren't as nice to their assistant and they sure aren't as touchy feely either." 

"Most aren't because they probably find themselves on the wrong side of a lawsuit," he pointed out.

"Exactly, but she's not suing you anytime soon, you should ask her out after this. Oh!" A thought popped into Angie's head and she clapped her hands at how brilliant it was. "Bring her to Amiee's 30th it's right after the gala. She can meet her future in-laws."

"Ah yes, Sinclair did ask if I was coming, I told him I wasn't sure yet with everything going on."

"Well now you are."

Lionel paused and looked at her strangely.

"Have you always been like this?"

"Like what?" She asked, sipping her coffee as her eyes continued to roam over the photos on his desk and back to him.

"Straightforward, crass, outspoken."

"I know you want to say lower class and I'm proud of you for not. So yes, mostly. Amiee and me joke that even if she's older, I somehow got all the audacity."

"I can tell."

"Great! Now that we got that settled," she announced clapping her hands together. "I think it's about time we put these pieces together because I don't think this coffee is going to keep me awake too much longer," Angie pointed out as she stood up to get a better view of everything as Lionel just shook his head in amusement.

Hmm, he may have just found his new personal curator, and wing woman too at this point in his helping hand. 

[theoryofwhatnow]

i’m almost finished with all of the sketches for the comic and so i humbly offer you: a frame of sleeping alex.

i’ve got 6/11 pages that are entirely finished with the sketching process and i’ve got only two more to do (that don’t need any touch ups or anything). silently celebrating but unfortunately, i bring more notes below the cut

-the comic is partially set in a different time period. when? i don’t know. don’t ask me (dear god please don’t ask me). i’ve taken design inspiration from several different centuries. all you need to know is that it’s set during a time where they still publicly executed people for revolting against the church. could’ve been as long ago as the 12th century, or it could’ve been as soon as the 1800’s, idfk.

-it will obviously be in a slightly different art style than you’re used to seeing on my posts. i don’t think i have it in me to draw 32 frames in that art style without any references. i just can’t do it, but ^here’s a little tasty taste of what its gonna look like^ however, it honestly might not end up looking any different at all when everything’s said and done. that is a real possibility.

-i’ve almost got it figured out concerning how i’m going to post it, however, that means that the full comic (nsfw and all) will be posted first and the censored version will come later or even on a different social media. i won’t be censoring any of the gore though. if you’ve seen the movie, you’ll be fine lmao.

anyway, now i’m just gonna ramble because i’ve been locked away in my room and drawing relentlessly for the last six days. i’m in a dark place. it’s relatively lonely. there are scratch marks on my walls and i don’t know who put them there.

as i keep working on this, i keep finding like 12 different ways to bring this to life that i wish i would’ve gone with rather than what i did. it’s quite troubling but onward we march, fellas. so don’t be surprised if i end up posting a second issue. (i’ve already started writing it [why do i do this to myself??]) i’m literally writing this because i strongly believe in creating the content that you wish to consume. that’s why i have five accounts dedicated to this fuckass movie. i still don’t have a fuCKING NAME FOR THE COMIC ITSELF THOUGH. OH MY GAAD. why is this literally the hardest part?? throw me literally any suggestions you have. like, okay, if YOU were to name like minds, what would you call it? because i’m about to just go with one of the other obscure names for the film that greg picked out.

*plucking the word ‘Symbiosis’ out of a jar and shoving it in my pocket* “you’re coming with me”

the movie is about ongoing cycles of madness and obsession (in brevity), the comic is about ongoing cycles of madness and obsession. h e l p m e o u t h e r e g u y s , i ‘ m l o s i n g i t .

[macawritesupdates]

Fic Writing Updates 11/10

Been super duper busy of late as I have a second job in the evening cutting into writing time and also having to get some art done for zines. Just been a balancing act ; w ;

However! Working on fics to get them updated so don't worry, the updates are coming I swear! <3

The goal this month is to get a lot of these long fics wrapped up so I have less stories to update on my plate which should equal faster updates!

JUJUTSU KAISEN LONGFIC UPDATES

The Yuuji Files: About 9k words into this chapter and just about to reach the halfway point so...it is a very large chapter, but feels short writing it honestly given how the action is flowing! Hopefully readers will enjoy!

Broken in the Ways No One Sees: Last chapter should come out today! That's the plan at least! I want to get this chapter out so the story can be brought to its conclusion <3 Spouse Wanted: Hoping to write and post an update today for this one if I can. Chapter is almost done, just have to write the final scene

Can't Help a Cuddle: Sorting out the notes and starting to work on it! A lot of suggestions to organize and work into a chapter so it has been slow going, but hopefully will satisfy readers <3 Lessons in Accidental Seduction: New chapter is in the works, slowly but surely!

Malevolence of Love: Taking a small break to sort out notes for the next chapter as the angst is heading for a conclusion now...

Who's A Good Boy: Once Broken is done, going to speed run the chapters of this story to get it completed. Think it is an easier one to clear out then some of these!

Careful What you Joke About: Working on next chapter slowly but surely, just making sure it flows how I like, but still on the docket for an update soon When You Have Two Grandsons: This is a comfort fic so it gets updated when I get inspired and needing something to write/relax from other fics. No new chapter just yet....

Mirrored Lives: Plan is to get this one finished out in terms of the rewrite to the outline and then push it out to get it concluded so it stops hanging over me :C

MY HERO ACADAMIA FIC UPDATES

Jealousy is Not a Good Friend: My other comfort fic. Especially as the readers are calling for us to be mean to Kirishima and break his feelings into tiny pieces...and you KNOW I'm here for angst.

Unsung Heroes: Working on it when I can, just really want to update it > . < but also want to take my time with it >.<

ONE -SHOTS

KiriOchaToga Oneshot: Because I want to write it and you can't stop me.

Once Upon a Blob: Because I want some Blobkuna....

FICS TO COME

Changing this fics that I'm actively working on writing as...too many ideas rattling around that I want to write >.< So these are fics that are on the docket to come and going to actually write. COLLAB FIC: Still working on this fic and excited to eventually share it with readers <3

Culturally Inappropriate: The first chapter is being prepared and I'm going to launch it once I finish some of the other long fics so can devote a lot more time to it! I want to do some art for it...but will make a poll of readers want to see that!

[gorgeousmanfounddeadinacroptop]

4 minutes finale

-is he working at a fancier hospital for his fanfic?

-... wow ok he even getd his face on campaigns...

-if i didn't care for tyme before his fanfic is making me dislike him

-why would he need to lift his shirt its not like its covering anything anyway

-11:03 hes fucked

-oh hes in an uncomplicated romance where their parents arent evil people

-at least i dont have to hear the guitar

-nepo baby cat

-no one does product placement like boc

-underwater kiss??? ok percy jackson

-do you know you only have 30 minutes???

-thanks den for telling him!

-den is the only smart and well adjusted guy here

-wait thats how he dies in his fic not in real life

-not you

-she really dgaf about great

-i dont think shes as easily gaslit korn

-hes gagged and gooped

-i can barely see shit

-awwww they love each other in their own fucked up way

-kissing the man who killed your idiot brother is crazy

-im sorry in no world are these men even close to the same age the 9 year gap shows

-theyre cute together tho this is how we repair fuaiz (not happening bc boc hates me)

-he forgot he was an easy fuck :/

-ohhhh he doesnt know

-NOOOOO MY MURDER TWINK

-acab fr

-NO

-what ??? whats going on

-my goodness does anyone survive this show

-this is so shakespearean

-this is pissing me off the wrong people died

-good for dr den shes cute

-im still pissed dont wanna finish anymore :/

-it was an art exhibit... lame explanation

-ok whos the lady shes hot

-great is a terrible person!

-oh they made him get a normal job they heard me bitch

-the way this show couldve ended without the parents storyline bc idc

-is this the tongrak recorder pen???

-oh this guy he deserved to die i guess but this scene is dragging

-or oh hes gonna save him

-is he turning himself in?

-also why is jjay so tall

-really feel nothing about greattyme and dont care what happens to them

-omega? oh im sure

-now what .. oh that was dramatic for nothing

-dont fucking remind me were never getting biblejeff istg

9/10 show it sorta had 20+ minutes of dead time here at the end but i was on the edge of my seat and very engaged the entire time it was well done but they managed to make me not care about the main couple which isnt supposed to happen in a bl you cant let some twink steal the show!!!

[mcfujo]

a lot of words incoming + spoilers for tf:one pre-words; i started with the bay movies so i didnt grow up with this franchise, i was already an elder teen by the time it came out. i came back recently due to the tfone film and i have some thoughts now that ive consumed a shitton of tf material. first of all tfone is a great film and a great introduction to the franchise. i love the designs, i love how it kinda simplifies the overall story without dumbing it down (theres a LOT of transformers lore), though it too struggles with what i think is transformers major flaw.

the politics. the movies, the cartoons, and the comics all kinda go back and forth between "the conflict is everyone's fault" and "it's actually the decepticon's fault" in the end. when i was reading the IDW comics i realised how blatantly apparent it was that they were written so close to 9/11 because the american propaganda in the arcs before MTME was denser than the bottom of the ocean floor.

the franchise is old so, yeah, the cons were supposed to be generic bad guys back in the day and most of them are still, by their own choices mostly, "bad people". but i for one think a story is more interesting when "good people" and "bad people" are not so black n white, at least thats how i prefer it. for me the problem seems to be mostly that hasbro can't decide if they want this franchise to always be a toy commercial for kids, or if they want to pander to their now aging fanbase that has held onto the franchise since the 80s. because of this the current state of its media is balancing a very fine line between being good enough for either group. it also doesnt help that hasbro is one of the worst companies ever and are scared of doing anything risky. if you want something to be memorable, it needs to be worth remembering. you cant stick to safety at all turns, itll get predictable and boring. with tfone i really enjoyed seeing the personal depth to megatron's development, that shit was good. but at the end of the film the "one bad guy" has been taken care of (sentinel) and now only good autobots are left while all the evil decepticons who like violence and only value strength are the baddies.

placing the systematic problem of class difference on ONE individual is... bad. it lacks depth. it lacks reflection. the comics have tried to make it more apparent that it was a systematic problem with years of influence from many different individuals that kept up that system that was the problem, and not just one boogeyman.

it feels very american, the idea that oh, its just one person who is to blame for everything and if we get rid of that person everything will be fine - except for those crazy loonies who are angry and like violence, we'll need to get rid of those too eventually! and making it all just a personal conflict between two people with different emotions regarding a situation being the reason for a whole population dividing into two.

i havent finished IDW's run yet so i cant say what theyll do in the future, but ive already seen them do the jk rowling thing of "decepticons are all inherently bad and will always make bad choices except for this 1 guy who is gonna be on the good guys' side" and i want to rip my hair out because its just, so unrealistic. its so short sighted. narrow minded. whatever you wanna call it.

i remember this being the reason i stopped being interested in the franchise because it has the potential for a really cool, in depth story with a very deep look into why people make the choices that they make, but ultimately an american company is never going to be brave enough to tackle something that isnt going to propagate the political agenda of the united states.

same shit happened with arcane and it makes me sad, that art and complexity must be sacrificed because of capital.

anyway, i dont know what i wanted with this, i think i just wanted my thoughts out. idk if this resonates with anyone else but if it does, let me know. and if you hate what i wrote, well, aight.

[bloodyshadow1]

Guiding Wisdom ch 11

Someone told me that they couldn't read my story anymore since I put it so only people with ao3 accounts can read it because AI is using Ao3 now. I felt bad so I thought I'd post the newest chapter here

It was breathtaking being in front of her mother’s villa. Despite how many times she visited, Olympus never lost its grandeur, but she had never been here. It was standard, if still impressive due to the size and style, but less obnoxious compared to Zeus’. It reminded Annabeth of the Athena Cabin back at Camp Half-Blood. It was made of gray stone, perfectly symmetrical, it was one of the most beautiful buildings Annabeth had ever seen.

“It is pretty nice right,” Athena said more than asked, “let us go inside,” she suggested. “Unless you would like to study the exterior more. It is up to you.”

“It’s fine mom,” Annabeth said, but she was still looking over every inch of the outside of the palace, marveling at its beauty. “I can come outside later, right,” she finished questioningly. She knew Athena planned on inviting her children, but that didn’t mean it was an open invitation. Right?

“Of course,” Athena agreed, though clearly out of her depths, “my home should be open to my children whenever they visit Olympus. Even on your sabbatical you are here most often. Visit as often as you like. Though I cannot guarantee that I will be here. My duties make it so I rarely have time to use my lands as anything other than a glorified office.”

“I guess you are always busy,” Annabeth said, trying to sound sincere, not bitter. Athena was an important goddess, Annabeth understood that, but growing up she would have killed for a chance to do anything like this with her mom as a kid.

“Yes,” Athena admitted, “but that has lessened, if only slightly. For now, things have calmed down, there is no threat on the horizon that I can see. Many of our ancient enemies are put to rest for now, in no small part thanks to you and your friends. I am no longer needed in war rooms where I am continuously ignored.” Not that she was bitter. “I wish to make up for lost time, as it were.”

“It’s a start,” Annabeth said neutrally. She wouldn’t hide the pain Minerva had put her through, and she was close enough to Athena that Annabeth didn’t know how much overlap there was. A 12 year old Annabeth would have loved everything Athena was trying to do. Annabeth as 19 could only hope it was real, maybe afraid and cursing herself for being hopeful, but the gods can change. So she could allow herself to hope, it had worked with Fredrick to an extent.

“That is all I can ask,” Athena said, bidding her daughter inside. The entrance hall of Athena’s estate was a wide room that was mostly plain. Two statues stood on either side of the doorway of gray stone, one of Artemis the other of Persephone. Each created by a master’s hand. Other than that it was a chamber made of white stone and plain walls. “Please take off your shoes,” Athena said as she took off her own. “Socks are fine or I can provide indoor slippers if that’s what you prefer. But no one is allowed to walk around my home with dirty shoes.” Hermes walked through her home with muddy shoes once, once and that was all he needed to learn the proper etiquette of Athena’s palace.

Annabeth didn’t mind, it was a simple rule and seeing her mother follow it too despite making the rule ended any argument that she might have made. It was polite and she didn’t mind, especially once she put on the slippers her mother provided. They were like walking on clouds.

“This is the main living quarters,” Athena explained, though her tone made it clear she was aware it was unnecessary. “I figured this would be where most of the hosting and socializing would be done, at least at first.”

Annabeth looked around, it was a huge room, slightly smaller than an auditorium, with high ceilings. Unlike the entranceway, the walls were covered with fine art and tapestries each made with a master’s hand like everything in the home seemed to be. Ancient weapons and armor from heroes lost to time, some on the wall, others draped over manikins. Even some posters of plays and signed headshots of actors from the age of the silent film to today. There was no rhyme or reason solidifying a style amongst the art work, some were scenes of battle, others love, others abstract art, but the lack of uniform almost seemed to pull the room together. It was like a less tacky theme restaurant with the walls covered in memorabilia.

Annabeth wished Rachel was there with her. Annabeth could appreciate good art, but her oracle friend would have a field day in this room alone.

There were couches, ones that looked old and worn, but seemed comfortable. Odd, though perhaps not too odd given who Athena was, but there was also a loom in the corner that stood out to Annabeth. “This is a lot of space,” Annabeth noted as she took everything in. Athena wanted her to help so she would do her best. “Maybe a bit…, too much. It almost feels overwhelming even with the entire Athena Cabin here, it’s a huge palace.”

“I suppose so,” Athena agreed, reluctantly. “I like my open space, but perhaps for the sake of my children, I could make it slightly less overwhelming.” With a wave of her hand the room grew smaller.

To Annabeth it didn’t even look like the room shrunk in size, it just was suddenly smaller. The powers of the gods were always impressive, despite not wanting to become one, Annabeth envied her mother’s power. She was about to say something to her mother, but stopped when she saw Athena take a deep slow breath. Annabeth didn’t know if her mother even remembered she was there right now, but for both their sakes she pretended to look away and give Athena some privacy. She didn’t have to pretend that hard, even in a smaller room, the artwork in the room was beautiful.

After a moment Athena approached her, “do you have any other suggestions for this room,” she asked, as if she did not need a minute to breathe.

“I was thinking that for the actual get together,” Annabeth started. ‘Get together’ sounded odd in her mouth, but ‘party’ didn’t really fit her idea of Athena either. “Carpet might work better. The tile on the floor is gorgeous and easier to clean, but it can feel a bit cold and detached where you want the atmosphere to be welcoming. Something softer might not be as grand, but it will be better at putting people at ease.”

“That does make sense,” Athena agreed, though Annabeth could see that it was hurting her mother to change her beautiful tile floor to carpet. Still, she took her daughter’s suggestion without argument. “What are you thinking,” she said and with a snap of her fingers the floor was covered in a short gray carpet. She looked at Annabeth for approval.

“Let’s put it on the maybe column,” Annabeth suggested.

Without missing a step, Athena touched the wall beside her and a white board emerged from it. At the top were three columns, yes written in blue, no written in red, and maybe written in green. Under the green was the equivalent of a thumbnail of the current gray carpet. “Then let us keep trying,” Athena suggested with a small, hopeful smile on her face.

“Let’s,” Annabeth agreed, trying to return the smile. For the next ten minutes or so the two of them had a genuinely fun time going through every type of carpet that the goddess of crafts and a girl with a dream of being an architect could conceive of. No matter how ugly or outlandish with Athena’s ability she could summon and create any pattern or image.

Annabeth even got her mother to laugh when she suggested a Lisa Frank unicorn carpet. When Athena summoned it the two of them agreed that the woman had a style, but not was a definite no. The maybes and nos filled up fast but they settled on a silver gray carpet that is soft long. “Oh yeah,” Annabeth said as she rubbed her hand over the soft carpet. “This is nice, a few sleeping bags and we wouldn’t need pillows to sleep in here.”

“That might be the case Annabeth, but I am not going to force my children to sleep in my den,” Athena said walking over to her daughter.

The idea of having her own room in her mother’s home was a childhood dream to Annabeth. To actually feel welcomed by a parent enough to have her own space, she loved her siblings but even though the Athena cabin was better equipped than the others on space, it still could feel like she never had privacy.

Still, “that’s really nice of you mom,” Annabeth said, “but I’m sure my siblings would appreciate that, but most of us are used to living at camp, you know in a communal living space. I freaked out the first night my roommate spent the night at her girlfriend’s and I was left completely alone.” She called Percy who had experience in a big open space alone since he was the only one in the Poseidon cabin, but she didn’t need to tell Athena that.

“I suppose you are correct,” Athena said with a nod, “but then most of your siblings are probably used to it by now. And sleeping on the floor probably is not good for some of them.”

“What do you mean,” Annabeth asked confused.

“Well Jeremiah is in his 60’s. I doubt he would be interested in sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag, no matter how comfortable I make the carpet,” Athena explained.

“Who is Jeremiah,” Annabeth asked, her confusion continued.

“He is your older brother,” Athena said as if it were obvious, “a teacher at Yale, enjoys opera and showtunes, has been living with his boyfriend for the past 43 years in a domestic partnership since their love is ‘illegal’ here,” she finished bitterly.

Athena had no interest in romantic love, she had only experienced it once in her immortal life and that was enough, but she seethed at the idea that her children were not allowed to wed their chosen partners. Similar problems had happened before interracial marriage was legalized too, and Athena was sick of it.

“My older brother,” Annabeth practically whispered. Logically, she knew that she had older siblings, she could still remember Sofia, the head of the Athena Cabin when she first arrived at camp. She had been nice enough, nicer than Thalia had been at first, but Annabeth never saw her after her first summer. She had been too old to spend her life in a summer camp, like Annabeth was currently, but even though she had never heard about Sofia dying, Annabeth assumed the worst, especially once the war started.

Historically Annabeth knew she had famous half-siblings, George Washington, Daedalus, and Frederic Bartholdi to name a few. But it was hard to wrap her head around the idea of older children of Athena out there in the world. Even without the option to go to New Rome.

“There are roughly 60 of my children alive currently,” Athena said seeing Annabeth’s confusion, “including the Athena Cabin at Camp.” There should be more, so many more, she cursed herself internally. Her children did not have the powerful scents that children of the Big Three had, in fact their scent was weaker than most demi-gods due to the lack of fantastic powers gifted to them. And her children were perhaps the most dangerous to monsters if they lived to 18 since survival was due to their skills in battle, not divine power. The soulless ones often chose a meal less likely to fight back than a fully grown child of Athena. If not for her pride and Minerva’s madness there would be dozens more, maybe even over a hundred.

The Athena Parthenos was a powerful relic and it helped unite the Greek and Roman demi-gods, but Athena regretted how many of her children she sent to their deaths to retrieve it. Part of her wished she could blame all of the coins that dangled from Arache on Minerva’s actions, but that would be wrong. Athena would not hide from the horrors she caused.

“I am unsure of how many will attend,” Athena said aloud, both to save her daughter and herself from their own spiral. “I still receive prayers every now and then, but as children of the gods grow older, most of them choose to leave that part of their lives behind. To become a key part of the mortal world than ours,” she said sadly. Athena did not blame them, it was common for many reasons. Once you became an adult, it was harder to pray to an absent parent for help, if they were not there for you as a child, why would they be there for you when you can stand on your own two feet.

Annabeth stood there, lost in her own head. Shaken from her discovery of having older siblings, who were out in the real world, alive. There were too many thoughts, happy that there was proof she had a future even outside of New Rome, but she couldn’t help but be bitter too. If there were adult demi-gods out in the world, why did everything have to fall on kids like her? Why didn’t they fight in the war against the titans, or Gaia, or the Triumvirate? They got rewarded for living to adulthood while she and Percy saved the world when they were twelve and kept having to do so every year.

It was just so complicated, but maybe also a little hopeful. Annabeth thought New Rome was their only choice for a future. Monsters might attack adult demi-gods less, but Percy’s scent was strong even now. They thought twice before attacking a son of Poseidon at his age, especially one as infamous as Percy, but would that be the same once they had kids. Do legacies have the scent that their parents or grandparents would? It was all just too much.

“Perhaps we should move on to the other rooms of the palace,” Athena suggested, she could tell Annabeth’s brilliant mind would be fixated on this if she was not distracted. Something Diomedes said happened to her all the time. If Annabeth needed time, she would have it, but Athena was proof that sometimes you needed to be saved from yourself.

“Yeah,” Annabeth managed to get out, “that would be for the best.” She didn’t have time to be bitter or hopeful. She had to remember she was helping her mother, she could deal with meeting her older siblings when she met them.

The next room was the kitchen, a kitchen from the future and from a chef’s dream. A massive state of the art kitchen with a fridge bigger than Annabeth’s dorm. Dozens of gadgets lined the shelves, some that Annabeth could not even begin to conceive of their uses. There was a black marble island in the center of the room where there was a sink and counter space.

“I always had an interest in cooking,” Athena admitted as she looked around her kitchen. “It was a rather interesting quandary for me. As a goddess I do not need to eat food like a mortal. Offerings and Ambrosia keep me sated. Yet, there are many foods that mortals make, some wonderful, some awful, but with millions, if not billions of recipes throughout time. It is rare to find something that tastes better than Ambrosia, but it does happen every now and then and it is fascinating.” Sally’s cookies for instance.

“So I like to learn how to make food despite it being inefficient for me,” Athena continued. “It is fun to learn recipes and cooking techniques from around the world.”

“I thought that this would be the best place to have snacks and other foodstuffs,” Athena said, fearing she made things awkward with her explanation. “It keeps things organized and if anyone wishes for something else, I can make it for them here.”

“That would probably be best,” Annabeth said, getting into design mode. She wasn’t an interior designer, but she had an eye for things. “You should make a lot of those cookies Sally taught you to make.”

“I can assume that you enjoyed them then,” Athena asked hesitantly. Athena thought they were tasty, but she did not have the courage to see if her children enjoyed them.

“Yeah, they were really good,” Annabeth told her sincerely. They weren’t the same as Sally’s, for some reason they tasted differently even though they were the same recipe, but they were delicious. Percy said they weren’t as good as his mom’s, but that didn’t stop him from inhaling half the box her mother left for her.

“I am glad you enjoyed them, I will be happy to make more for the gathering,” Athena said with a gentle smile that was rarely seen on her face.

From there, they continued the tour, each room being massive and beautiful with artwork adorning the walls that Annabeth had never seen. She’d have to take pictures to share with Rachel the next chance she had. It didn’t take much, Athena had impeccable tastes, even if it was a bit much sometimes. Athena’s palace would be full of masterpieces, but like the size of the rooms it could be overwhelming to be a mortal, or even half and know any one of these paintings, sculptures, or tapestries would be worth more than any house she’d be able to fine with Percy once they graduated.

It was the library/workshop that really made Annabeth gasp. It was huge, like every room in the palace, but this one at least looked lived in. It didn’t even have a roof, more of a veranda over the entrance, but it looked out over all of New York. The massive shelves are covered in books, some new, but others older than her father, older than this country. It made the Circe’s library on her island seem pitiful.

Then there was the craft section that made up the second half of the area reminded Annabeth of Daedalus’ workshop. Mixes of ancient and modern tools to craft every sort of medium Annabeth had ever heard of and many she didn’t. Easels, pottery wheels, of course a loom, Athena’s specialty, but there were tables for metal etchings and even a computer set up for digital art that would make the Hephestus kids drool.

“Mom…,” Annabeth was finally able to get out once she found her voice in the midst of her wonder, “the size of all these rooms?”

“You may ask your questions with no fear of retaliation Annabeth,” Athena told her as she grew more solemn, but not angry.

Annabeth figured Athena already knew what she was about to ask. It bothered her, but she still gave Annabeth permission. “When we were talking with Sally,” Annabeth said carefully, “you spoke of your birth, or after your birth. How you were in Zeus’ stomach. It sounded horrible, obviously, but the way you talked about it…, I could tell from your face that it still bothers you. Seeing this place, it’s beautiful, but the size of everything puts everything into perspective. Are you claustrophobic?”

For a moment Athena just stared out into the city, her face stone. But eventually she softened, “yes, I am. It is not debilitating, but it is uncomfortable being reminded of where I was first born. I become more…, testy and am more prone to irrational behavior.”

“I never knew,” Annabeth told her.

“I did not wish anyone to know, only a handful of beings know of my weakness,” Athena said, her voice full of disappointment in herself. Diomedes of course, Artemis and Persephone who helped her through episodes when they were younger, Hestia probably, and Pallas who died with that secret inside her. Not even her owls knew, some might have an inkling, but most were happy that the rooms of her palace were so large it made it easy to fly in.

Oh and Triton, he had been the one to explain it to her. That was before Claustrophobia had a name since it was before Psyche or Dionysus, but the phobia existed before the name. Despite the bad blood between them, he never told anyone of her weakness and she was grateful.

“We change things back and keep the ceilings high mom,” Annabeth assured her.

Hearing her daughter’s concern for mental state warmed Athena’s heart. She was still unused to having her children care about her, it was an alien but nice feeling. “It is alright Annabeth. The rooms are still large enough that it is not uncomfortable to be in them. Perhaps they will even be cozy when all of my children arrive,” Athena assured her. “Besides, if it becomes…overwhelming, I can change it back until the gathering and return the changes when I am hosting. I will be fine,” she assured her daughter.

Annabeth looked like she wanted to argue, but decided against it, “if you’re sure.”

“I am,” Athena promised, even with Annabeth suggesting smaller rooms, they would still be huge for anyone other than her. Athena was sure she could manage for a few days if it made her children happy. “Let us continue, we can head to the outside from here,” she said, with what she hoped was a sincere smile on her face.

The effectiveness of said smile was debatable, but Annabeth did agree to move on so Athena counted that as a win. As they moved through the workshop however Athena stopped her. “I do not want to alarm you, but there might be something triggering for you up ahead. I will let you choose if you wish to continue, we can see it or I can hide it if you would like, whatever you want, I will respect your choice.”

“What is it,” Annabeth asked surprised that there was something in her mother’s art gallery that Athena thought she should be warned about.

“A piece of rope,” Athena said reluctantly.

“A piece of rope,” Annabeth repeated, not understanding what her mother thought that would frighten her.

“Yes, a piece of rope that was expertly woven by one of my daughters to save herself in her own personal hell on earth,” Athena said sadly and reluctantly.

Annabeth’s eyes went wide as she understood what her mother was getting at. Despite herself, she walked forward and saw the rope made of discarded kite string that she wove years ago in Arachne’s lair. It was the bridge she made all those years ago, mounted on the wall amongst all the other art and majesty that Athena had collected over the years, yet it was displayed as if it was the blade of a great hero.

“I don’t understand I burnt this,” Annabeth said, her heart pounding in her chest as she remembered that day. Before Tartarus it had been the worst day of her life. Trapped in a monster’s lair, surrounded by spiders and misogynistic ghosts, a broken ankle in the dark without even her hat as a magical item. She had woven the kite string into a bridge as a last resort that paid off, she needed to cross a chasm before the spiders could get her. She burnt it to keep them from following her, or at least to slow them down.

“You did,” Athena explained gently as she approached her daughter, she did not touch her, afraid to set her off, but she wanted to be there if Annabeth needed her. “But fire falls under my aunt’s domain. Hestia retrieved the rope, your first act of weaving and brought it to me, telling me,” really yelling at her, “how your wits and skill saved your life.”

It had been a little after Annabeth and Percy fell into the abyss. Athena’s head was nearly torn open as Minerva grappled with her for control. Hestia betraying her had been enough to give Athena the edge to maintain control for a moment, but not keep it. It was enough for Athena to mourn her daughter, to be proud of Annabeth’s success, while feeling shame for her own actions as Minvera.

“But why is it here on your wall,” Annabeth said drily, swallowing.

“It was your first act of weaving,” Athena said dourly, “and it saved your life. Once I found out you were alive and Gaia was dealt with, I put it up to remember your moment of glory.” And as a reminder of what her pride could force her to do.

“Then all the artwork and everything,” Annabeth said realizing what her mother was saying, “it was created by my siblings?”

“Not everything,” Athena admitted, “most things yes, I am proud of my children and display their gifts to me as openly as I can. Some were creations of mortals I patronized, or heroes I mentored, but yes, something from a child or student,” Athena said sadly. She knew every piece of art by name and creator, every hero who swung their swords or raised a shield, every student of hers that created something beautiful. She wanted something to remember them by and this was the way an immortal being could.

“You can make whatever decision you wish about the rope you wove Annabeth,” Athena promised again. “If you wish for me to put it away I will, if you want it to remain on the wall forever it will. If you want me to burn it to ash so there is one less reminder of the hell I sent you to, I can burn it right now so that not even Hestia can save it. Whatever you want, no judgment.”

Annabeth was quiet for a moment, “let me think on it,” she eventually said.

“Of course,” Athena promised diplomatically, “there is no rush, and you can change your mind whenever you want. While you are thinking about that, perhaps we can move on to something lighter,” she suggested as she continued to walk outside.

The outside was as breathtaking as the inside, though more wild. It was almost like the first time Annabeth had really seen Camp Half-Blood in all its glory. There was a beautiful garden larger than almost any Annabeth had seen. Beside that was a large clay circle with training weapons beside it. A large fire pit that wasn’t lit yet, but had a spit over it ready to roast something. There was even a breathtaking spring with a waterfall cascading into it from a cliffside, like something out of a fairytale.

However what caught Annabeth’s eye was a city, a miniature city about the size of a medium building. Annabeth walked over to it and saw that there were no people in the city, no, it was populated by owls.

“I see you have found Feathersburg,” Athena said, her tone a mix of soft and exasperated.

“Feathersburg,” Annabeth repeated and looked at her mother unsure if Athena was making a joke.

“It was not my idea,” Athena assured her, “I wanted to name it Owlthens, but I was outvoted.”

Feathersburg was something, Annabeth had to admit. Despite at first glance being a mishmash of birdhouses lumped together, she could see the genius of the city planning, the perfect fusion of efficiency and beauty. Feathersburg itself was a simple square shape, Annabeth could see the city was divided into quarters with a river running through it. No block was too big or too crowded. There were traffic lights and stop signs at appropriate intersections that would keep traffic from getting too congested. Each home had its own decently spaced yard the same size as the others, some had flowers, others vegetables and fruits, though they were people sized, not owl sized strangely enough.

It shouldn’t be as wonderful to see, but Annabeth adored it. She did have a question for her mother though. “If I might ask,” she started, but Athena interrupted her, not unkindly though.

“Why do they have cars or roads at all,” Athena finished her daughter’s question sounding tired. “It is just something they like for some reason. They know they can fly, they know it is actually slower to drive their cars anywhere than it is to fly, but they still do what they do. I might as well ask them why they wear clothes and wigs, which I have and they just stare at me with their large bird eyes no matter who I ask,” Athena said as she drifted off into the memory.

“Regardless,” Athena said shaking her head, “Feathersburg does not need any changes, except a new name,” Athena mumbled under her breath, “I thought you might like it as I do.”

“It is certainly something,” Annabetha admitted. The strange owl city was charming despite herself.

“This is the residential district,” Athena said, pointing to the most populated district where the homes were. “The economic district where the owls who want jobs work,” she said pointing to the area with the most uniformed buildings. “That is the leisure district, where recreation happens to their heart's content,” she moved her finger across the river to a much more casual area of Feathersburg. “And that is the Thespian district,” she pointed to the final area of Feathersburg.

“The what,” Annabeth asked, unsure if she heard her mother correctly.

“The Thespian District Annabeth,” Athena said with a sigh. It looked like something from an old Hollywood lot, with everything from sci-fi, to Western, to fantasy and to modern day backgrounds, costumes, buildings were clearly different and used as sets for whatever the owls wanted. “My owls are a bunch of eccentric little bitches and I love them so much,” she admitted. “They like to basically have an extended larp where they have fun acting out whatever they wish. It is quite entertaining,” Athena admitted. “However we must move on, as we have more to see and I could watch their antics for days,” she said walking away with Annabeth meant to follow her.

Annabeth strayed for a moment, the owl city was strangely enticing to watch. But eventually she tore herself away and followed her mother. “This is the garden,” Athena said showing off her field of work. “I mostly grow fruits and vegetables, but there are some flowers as well.”

And the two of them continued throughout the house, having a good time with each other on their first mother daughter day. Annabeth learned a few other rules of the palace, no flying in certain areas of the house, which wouldn’t be a problem for her.

While the other was to not go into the restricted rooms of which there were 3. A laboratory that Athena explained was filled with dangerous experiments that she did not want anyone but her own immortal body exposed to. A room that was locked that Athena simply told her no one is allowed in but her. And finally a bedroom on the fourth floor that was right next to her mother’s, on the floor with hundreds of other empty bedrooms.

“This is Diomedes’ bedroom,” Athena explained, “not even I am allowed to go in there without permission. She could enter of course, this was her palace, there was nothing that could actually stop her. But she liked to keep her relationships with her best friend and champion strong and invading her space without permission had the potential to ruin that.

“Diomedes, he was one of your favorite heroes in the Trojan War right,” Annabeth said. She had spent much of her childhood reading and learning whatever she could about her mother once she found books she was able to read. The King of Argos was one of the most dangerous warriors the Goddess of Wisdom had ever taken under her wing. But there wasn’t much about him afterward compared to Achilles or Odysseus who everyone remembered. But when she saw her mother wince she was afraid she got something wrong.

“Partially right,” Athena managed to get out and turn her frown into an awkward smile. “You are correct, however, and I want to be clear that it is not your fault that you did not know, but Diomedes is actually a woman. She transitioned with my aid after the war so please use she/her when referring to her in the future.”

“I’m sorry I-,” Annabeth started to say, but Athena cut her off.

“I know, like I said it is not your fault,” she assured her daughter. “It just brought up bad memories,” her champion had to fight, both to prove herself as a god and to be respected as a woman when she had her realizations. Bad memories. “Now that you know, you can act accordingly.”

“Of course,” Annabeth promised, “she is your roommate as well as your champion,” she asked more than said.

“Something like that,” Athena admitted. She was well aware that her friendship with her champion was strange from the outside but it worked for the two of them. “I can introduce the two of you later, but for now, just know that she is my best friend and loyal companion, and her room is off limits without her express permission.” She did not need her children speculating on her relationships like the rest of Olympus.

The rest of the day was pleasant and helpful, Athena showed Annabeth the room she could have when she stayed there. They were enchanted so that when a person other than Diomedes and Herself touched the door for the first time it would turn into whatever room the occupant desired as their perfect room. That way her children would have a home if they wanted. If Zeus let her bring her children up to visit for more than a weekend. It had taken a lot to get the King of the Heavens to give permission for the upcoming gathering, but it will be worth it for a chance to know her children more.

Eventually it started to get late, Annabeth needed to return to California. Athena offered to let her stay the night, but Annabeth turned her down. She had plans tomorrow and wanted to talk with her boyfriend about what she had seen and done with her mom today. But she was respectful about it though. She promised her mother that she would be there in a month's time with her other siblings to visit and let Athena know that she could visit before that if she wanted to.

That made Athena hopeful, she even managed to put a comforting hand on Annabeth’s shoulder when they said goodbye. They were not at the hugging stage, something they both were internally grateful for, but maybe one day.

Athena left her daughter in her home feeling lighter than she had in a long time.

[radellama]

Alucard: 2 8 23 24 25

Yato: 1 4 6 12 18

Magus: 3 5* 11 26 28

*you cannot say Watercolor for that one

Alucard:

2. Favorite canon thing about this character?

I just really love the dynamic of him being a dhampir and caught between his mother and father in terms of ideals and ethics. Esp him vs his dad... it's so goofy in Castlevania III, but I'm glad it was expanded upon much more in SotN and Netflivania. Its got drama, its got style, its a classic opposition. Love it!!

8. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

Not a fan of the like... babying of him? I've seen it in a few fics where his melancholic demeanor and beautiful sad boy look get reeeaaaallly stretched in ways that don't feel like him to me? Esp after what went down in Netflixvania, some people making him out to be this docile and submissive guy... idk. In smaller doses or with better character writing I'd be more willing to hear it out, but he doesn't strike me as very submissive and docile when he was willing to stand up to his dad and fucking kill him LMAO

23. Favorite picture of this character?

It's always gonna be the SotN box art, look at how gorgeous it is!!

24. What other character from another fandom of yours that reminds you of them?

D from Vampire Hunter D LMAO. It's kinda cheating cause they're both dhampirs with important vampire fathers and who help humans out so. lol. I'm not that far into reading the VampD series yet but I like that both of them are very suave and cool while still having a complex side and that implies an inner turmoil that's always present by being not human enough to fit in with humans and not vampire enough to fit in with vampires. LOVE that shit.

25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

Hot. Vs. Still hot, and I like his story. One of my favourite vampires fr

Yato:

1. Why do you like or dislike this character?

I like this guy cause he's goofy but in a genuine way, and when he needs to be serious he gets serious. I really enjoy how he tries to wear his emotions on his sleeve, but in a way that's still hiding something deep down. He's complex, and I find that alluring.

I don't love that his hands are so sweaty, but I'm not one to talk. I also get sweaty hands so. I guess we can be sweaty together. And I'll trust Hiyori when she says he smells nice despite wearing the same trackies all day every day LMAO

4. If you could put this character in any other media, be it a book, a movie, anything, what would you put them in?

Hmm... This is hard, he's so perfectly a part of Noragami (gee I wonder why) that it's hard to think of him elsewhere. While I reeeeeaaaaaalllllyyyyyyy love the trope of a whole second/secret world beneath the surface (both literal and metaphorical) AND Noragami is one of the shows/manga that solidified that this is my shit, I am quite picky and don't have many other medias with a similar premise that he could fit into for a fun crossover... Don't really want to either tbh LMAO

6. What's something you have in common with this character?

Sweaty hands. And being broke.

For real tho, there's certain little things about him- like how he cares about his friends in his own way and pulls through for them when it counts, and how he's stubborn about only accepting ¥5 as he's a god, and in general doing things a certain way because that's how his internal code for it works. Me.

And how he's good at art. I like to think that's me too LMAO

12. What's a headcanon you have for this character?

Idk. He's so good as it is I don't feel like I need to make up extra stuff.. maybe I'll have some more hc when I finish reading but. Lol. Maybe this: if he had social media I think he'd blow up and become a bit of a cult meme account, but that those followers don't equate to more faith and money, so it's just an eternal loop of him trying to promote his services and getting clowned on, only to have his random thoughts or life updates get more attention. Even funnier if he's around in current social media and making reels of stuff he gets up to, and spends way too long replying to comments and yelling at people until he gets suspended

18. How about a relationship they have in canon with another character that you admire?

LOOOOOVE THE WAY HE PICKED UP YUKINE AND STUCK WITH HIM!!!! IT'S SOOOO GOOOOOD!!!!! HE DIDN'T CARE THAT HE WAS A LITTLE SHIT FOR A WHILE AT THE START, HE WANTED TO STICK BY HIM IN HIS OWN WAY AND GIVE HIM SOME LENIENCY WHILE ADJUSTING TO HIS NEW LIFE... LIKE AUGH. HE KNEW!!!! HE KNEW!!!!!!!!??? AND EVENTUALLY YUKINE STICKS BY HIM AND IT'S JUST A REALLY NICE RELATIONSHIP I LOVE TO SEE

Magus:

3. Least favorite canon thing about this character?

The war crimes. He's not a nice person lmao.

5. What's the first song that comes to mind when you think about them?

Ha. Watercolour is a good Magus song but that reminds me of you and our talks about him back when you played LMAO.

It's actually a tie between White Dove - Koda and Villains of Circumstance - Queens of the Stone Age. Both remind me him and the kind of lamenting over circumstances (and Schala...) that made him who he is, and how he's embraced that in pursuit of his goals

11. Would you date this character?

No. FJJFFJJD.

Like I would but also no. There's no way in hell he's asking and I don't think I'd ask him, and the stuff he does is too much of a deal breaker for an actual relationship. He doesn't seem too interested in dating anyway, and if he is... Harland's a much better fit.

26. What's something the character has done you can't get over? Be it something funny, bad, good, serious, whatever?

Why did he say that.

To his face and everything. He's such an asshole and this is iconic.

28. If you could have this character meet another in another media, who would you have them meet?

HARLAND FROM MY BRAIN!!!!!!!!!!! THEY WOULD BE SO COOL AND SEXY TOGETHER AND DEFINITELY MAKE EACH OTHER BETTER AND WORSE!!!!!!!!!! LIFE CHANGING HOMO BEHAVIOUR I'M SERIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!

Send some character asks

[copepodaaa]

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you love to go?

Do you have any concept/or beta designs for your OCs?

What are you hoping to achieve in the future?

What in your opinion are the hardest things to draw?

What is your favourite food?

Do you have any languages you'd like to learn or improve on?

When did you first come up with the idea of Mortiarty?

Do you have any tips for beginner artists?

What was your biggest fear when you started posting your art?

Do you have a dream job or something like that?

Do you have any favourite movies or TV shows?

And that's all the questions I have for now!! See ya later, friend!

OMGGGGG HIIIII

1. Yes! I would like to go to Germany or Italy

2. they are!!

I haven't shown them to ANYONE because the designs aren't finished yet

3. I want to become a famous artist and create my own comic/cartoon serial/game

4. hands, backgrounds and perspective

5. oh! i was asked this question! i like citrus fruits and chocolate. i like tea with lemon also

6. YEAH, I would like to learn English completely, but I understand that I will not do this because I have a bad memory and do not have the strength for this

7. I don't remember exactly what inspired me, but one of the reasons for its creation were copepods. When I first met these creatures, I wanted to create a character based on these animals. That's how Mortiarty and my current nickname came about :D

8. just don't give up and don't stop drawing. drawing and studying anatomy, color, etc. is a long process. but you can't stand still, you need to try something new and try to change your style and apply some drawing techniques. but if you really want to draw like a professional and have your own style, then believe me, you can learn to draw yourself without art schools and you will succeed (my personal experience, I am self-taught)

9. I was afraid of being judged, that there would be a bunch of unpleasant and strange questions regarding my work, which I am still afraid of to this day

10. I'm about to graduate but I have no idea what I want to be in the future. I just want to draw cyclops...

11. THANKS FOR ASKING!! I love the movie "War of the Worlds" 2005, "The Thing" 2011 I think? and South Park. I also often watched House M.D., because I am attracted to the medical theme. And a few more Russian TV series. I like to watch movies whose plots are about the extinction of humanity, the invasion of aliens (I love people, but I just adore movies on such topics, because it is interesting to watch the plot)

Thanks for your questions my friend!!