#bree-fields

[cokedupblonde]

my biggest worry in life is that I'll never be in a cunty quatro friendship circle and it's a devastating thought

[beatrack92]

Bree Masters 🇦🇺

2023 Australian Championships (Brisbane)

[sugairsstuff]

hey… 💋 was wondering if you could write something for aragorn… you know who this is. you know what i’m asking for.

@theactofknowing yes i know who this is. here is payment. (p.s. they also write!)

(credit to @cafekitsune for the divider)

to bloom

aragorn x half-elf gn/reader

warnings: descriptions of nudity

summary: you and aragorn have known each other for years, resulting in the two of you inevitably falling in love with each other though never admitting it. though, it turns out all a love confession took was a bar of soap and you two bathing in a lake together.

Exhaustion has long since seeped into your muscles, the motion of placing one boot in front of the other becoming a rhythmic pattern you refuse to break for you know you won’t be able to pick it back up again.

Strong winds roll through the grassy fields, making a mess of your untied hair and causing your eyes to catch the billowing of a dark cloak in front of you. You raise your head slightly to gaze at the owner of the garment: reluctant heir of Gondor, unnamed leader of the little band titled the Fellowship the group of you have formed- and although commonly known as Strider, this part-elf is simply Aragorn to you.

The pair of you had been picked up by the group of hobbits you traveled with in Bree, helping them to evade the infamous Nazgûl and inevitably being brought along the daunting journey laid out for them. You had first met Aragorn years ago when he had first left Rivendell. You led a similar fate to Aragorn after you befriended him, leaving the safety of your current life for one of adventure alongside the ranger. Poets would say you were seeking meaning, you joke that you were bored.

The seed of friendship you and Aragorn had planted then was watered through the experiences you shared on your travels, the memories that wrapped themselves like vines around that bond holding you two together, and every laugh and secret you both managed out of each other in peaceful times. But then you two began to look at each softer, speak to each other quieter for the words were meant only for the two of you, touch each other in fleeting moments that may not have been accidents- and then that seed grew into a budding flower of more that you gathered up and have held deep within your chest. Though no matter how much you both watered the bond of your friendship since then, that flower has never seemed to bloom.

Aragorn finally looks over his shoulder to the rest of you, and everyone momentarily pauses as he lifts his hand to guide everyone’s attention to a forestry patch of land seated a few hundred metres south of the hill you all waited on. “We’ll take camp there for tonight. We won’t reach Lothlorien by dusk, and I haven’t seen a better place for cover yet.” he instructs. Nobody seems to disagree, not even the opinionated elf or eager dwarf who both wait at your sides. Once three of four hobbits start celebrating, enthusiastically asking who would hunt for dinner, you offer Aragorn a small smile and nod of assurance. He repeats the gesture and turns to lead the way, but not without a response to the impatient hobbits, “You all can hunt dinner for us tonight, how does that sound?” which silences them.

You hurry a pair of paces to match the long strides of Aragorn, who slows down when he notices exactly who is on his tail. “You look exhausted,” you tell him, amusement flickering in your eyes as you look to him.

“As do you,” Aragorn shoots back, his brows raised in subtle entertainment at your rather honest opening line.

You scoff lightheartedly and get to the point of your words, reaching down to the satchel at your side to unbutton the flap and reveal the contents. Aragorn leans over you to peer into the bag, finding four small bars of soap.

“From the travelling merchant we crossed earlier?” the heir asks, and you nod proudly as if this was a noble accomplishment on your end.

“I do not have confidence in myself to survive another day with the… natural aroma of our companions,” you jest, and pause, “or you.”

And to your pleasant surprise, Aragorn’s chin tilts back- outlining the sharp line of his jaw- as the man lets a genuine laugh escape his lips. “I would not say you are so innocent in the matter, either,” he says, the closed-lipped smile on his face not faltering as you send a warning glare his way.

You feel lighter as you walk alongside Aragorn the rest of the way to the tree border, smiling like a giddy child for longer than need be over the silly interaction. You and Aragorn maintain the front as the lot of you push further into the forest until Aragorn stops, glances around, and looks to you and Legolas for approval.

You turn to look over your shoulder, and when you see that the forest has become dense enough to block the border to the grasslands from your line of sight, you say, “I think we are far enough in.”

Legolas had already found perch on a fallen log, fiddling with the strings of his bow, and so you and Aragorn simply take that as a sign he agrees.

As the sun dips behind the distant hills, the shadows of the trees encompassing you all extend until the soft starlight slipping through the canopy dims them. Now, camp is set up, and the fire Aragorn once was stroking while Gimli cooked the hunted meal of the evening has been forgotten. Most of your companions have spaced out their places for the night, all but the hobbits who crowd next to their friend Frodo.

You gingerly place your things down nearby Aragorn’s, and when you offer to take first watch Aragorn’s volunteer to do the same comes not much later than yours. You both sit next to each other as you listen to the idle noises of your companions turn to quietness, and quietness to silence save for the surrounding sounds of the forest.

You catch Aragorn glance to you in your peripheral vision which tempts you to steal a glance back. When you do, you are surprised to see he has risen from the leafy floor he was sitting on and began crossing the few metres that separated the two of you. You stay sitting, craning your neck as Aragorn now stands a few feet in front of you. You tilt your head in questioning.

“There is a lake nearby, I saw it when I scouted the perimeters earlier,” his voice is low, quiet, though you see his Adam’s apple bob slightly as he swallows, “May I borrow the soap?”

Any hint of drowsiness has been stolen from your body, your heart beating rapidly as you nod to him. You do not like how the thought of the man doing the simple act of bathing makes your body blaze like a catching fire. You dig into your nearby satchel and hand him one of the square, neutral coloured bars. Aragorn turns the dry thing in his hand a few times before he turns and walks away.

You do not watch him go and rather turn back to your satchel to close the button of it, wondering why the crunching of leaves beneath Aragorn’s walking feet ceased so swiftly. Curiously, you turn to check, finding Aragorn returning your gaze.

Aragorn clears his throat. “Would you like to join me?”

You can only blink, feeling that flame return to your body as his words act like oxygen and spread its tendrils through you.

“Yes, I would,” you say, though the words come out more breathless than you had expected.

You feel Aragorn’s eyes on you as you stand, dusting off your trousers in the most awkward of ways before padding over to where he stands. He only looks down at you, the look in his eyes gentle yet unreadable before he quietly turns and begins to guide you to this lake.

“What of the others?” you ask, glancing back.

“I do not wish to bathe with Gimli,” Aragorn responds with blunt humour, looking back at you with a raised brow.

“No, I mean that we promised to watch the camp,” you correct, managing not to roll your eyes.

“The lake is not far. We will know if something happens.” he assures.

Although it may be easy for him to remain alert, you are not sure if you can trust your instincts once you are distracted with the sight of Aragorn’s bare body. Aragorn seems to see apprehension on your face, and makes a bold move of reaching back to brush his fingers against yours. Then, your fingers close around each other’s like lock and key, and Aragorn is gently pulling you until you reach a clearing.

The trees wrap around the small, oval lake like a wreath. The water is not murky, a sign that it is untouched, and instead when you peer into it you see both your reflection and the moon above.

When you turn to see what Aragorn is doing, unsure if you are welcome to begin undressing so openly, you see that the ranger has already begun to do exactly that. You heart leaps and your chest flutters so much that you think that bud in you is instead a cocoon that has just sprouted a dancing butterfly.

Aragorn already unclasped his cloak from around his neck, discarding it nearby on a rock that borders the lake’s edge. He disarms, setting his weapons on the same rock should he need them, then reaches for the hem of his tunic. The man pulls the fabric off of him slowly, revealing to you the muscles beneath that you have only been able to imagine until now. You gaze at him, following the movement of his hands until you see them stop. Your eyes flick up slightly and are met with an amused half-smirk on Aragorn’s end. That flame in you moved to burn in your cheeks as you turn your head away, seeing Aragorn slowly walk towards you in the edge of your vision.

“Do not be nervous,” he says quietly, his hand turning your jaw slowly so you meet his eyes again. You feel your heart in your ears as his attention moves lower, lower, lower, and then back. “Would you like me to help?”

You can only nod. He smiles and nods back before his hands move to the clasps of your cloak, working it undone with ease. He sets your weapons aside somewhere- too distracted to take note- before he pulls your tunic off of your raised arms. Aragorn takes a step closer, removing the rest of your undergarments before a turn of his head causes his lips to brush against the shell of your half-pointed ear, “Beautiful.” he murmurs, evoking a pleasant shiver that slips down your spine.

His hands, resting on each side of your waist, move downwards until they reach the band of your trousers. You kick off your boots in silent encouragement, and Aragorn turns his head further to look down at you properly. Then he begins to slowly drag the last few pieces of your clothing that kept you decent, and once you stepped out of them- Aragorn now kneeling before you as he set aside your aside garments- you heard both of your breaths hitch.

Aragorn rises again, your breaths heavy as you both glance in the direction of whence you came, checking that none of your sleeping friends have noticed your absences. You look back at Aragorn first and see how the moonlight betrays Aragorn as he slowly drifts his attention back to you, illuminating the red tinting of his cheeks. He takes his sweet time in simply looking at your body, and you hear him sigh softly- a gentle, sweet exhale. The amusing thought of him swooning over you like a damsel crosses your mind.

Aragorn seems to notice the light dancing in your eyes, and he takes your hand and leads you to the rocky edges of the lake. “After you,” he tells you, and you feel as his eyes never leave you as you descend into the water. You wade around, taking note that water in the area you stand reaches your middle, and watch as Aragorn strips himself of the rest of his clothing.

Shamelessly, you stare as he undos his trousers, slipping them off alongside his undergarment and blushing when he sees you looking. You offer a coy smile in return, reaching over the edge to grab the soap he left on it as he enters the water alongside you.

“You first,” you tell him, and he obeys by wading over to where you stand. As you dip the soap into the water, getting some of the substance on to your hands, you feel a little grateful that the water is just high enough to reach Aragorn’s waist. He remains where he is as you work the soap into his skin, your heart jumping each time he sighs when you press into a particularly sore muscle. His skin gleams with moonlight and sparkles with droplets of water that cling to the short strands of hair on his chest leading downwards. You wash his arms, focus on his shoulders, and when he turns around to let you do his chest your hands linger there.

“Friends do not do these things,” is what Aragorn decides to say to break the comfortable silence.

“No, they do not,” you agree, your voice wavering with uncertainty. You keep your gaze on his chest, cupping water in your hand as you rinse off the soap. You let him wash the parts of him below the surface of the water, grinning as you can’t help but steal glances. But he says nothing else, nor do you, as you quietly find a seat on a ledge in the rock. Aragorn moves to stand between your legs, leaning back so his head is nearly against your chest.

You gather soap on your hands once more, lathering the suds through his hair. You watch from above as he sighs and closes his eyes, giving in to temptation as he leans further back into you. You massage the soap into his dark oak curls, watching his eyelashes flutter against his cheek and the corners of his pink lips tug upwards ever so slightly. You tilt his head back a little more as you cup water into your free hand, pouring it along the back of his head and watch as it drags the soap off of his curls that resist straightening even when wet.

Before you have the chance to climb down from your perch on the rock, Aragorn reaches a hand to your calf. His fingers dance along the skin, as if exploring, and travel up until they reach your thigh. By then, he’s looking up at you, and you are looking down at him, and his face is so close to yours you know that you both are only trying to see who caves first.

And it is Aragorn who does. He tilts his chin only slightly, which is enough to capture your lips in his as you lean over him. Your hands move to drape around his neck as his continue their journey up your thighs. He lifts you by the waist, bringing you back down to the lake floor with him so that it is he who must bend downwards to keep kissing you. You press your chest into his, standing practically between his legs as you both run your hands over each other’s bodies. Aragorn leaves a spark everywhere his fingers brush- your waist, your legs, back, chest, neck- he is everywhere but it is still not enough.

You know now what it feels like to bloom as that bud deep within your chest comes to life as Aragorn’s hands find their final place on each side of your face. His thumbs stroke gently in a lover’s caress as he finally breaks the kiss, though he does not move far. The look he gives you as you both stand together- chests heaving and lips puffy red with adrenaline pumping through your veins- tells you that Aragorn has just discovered what that feels like too, for there has been a matching budding flower in him, as well.

“We are not friends,” Aragorn finally says. You have never heard his voice so soft, “we are more.”

[moonmeg]

"So, tell me! Where have you been all this time?", Cat asked handing her old friend a mug while sitting down on the sofa herself.

Breena accepted the mug smiling and crossed her legs before she began telling her tale.

"Well, it started with me traveling around the Isles. I wanted adventure, I wanted to see new things and so I packed my things and went."

"Your parents never told us that.", Catherine frowned.

When Ahana and her noticed Breena was gone not even Breena's parents knew where exactly their daughter was. All they had was a note saying to not worry, she'll be fine. Breena didn't have the best relationship with her parents and Catherine remembered the red-haired girl as a fierce and quite rebellious individual - the fact Breena left was not as big a surprise as it should've been. Yet Catherine and Ahana couldn't believe their trio was down to a duo over night and the news hit them hard. The hurt healed over the years whenever they convinced each other Bree is alright wherever she was. They knew their friend after all. Breena was perfectly capable of fending for her own.

"Prolly cause they dinna know either. I dinna tell anyone where I went. Even though it hurt me to leave Ana and ye behind.", Bree mirrored Cat's frown. She took a sip from the mug.

"Without a goodbye.", Cat added. Though what had happened was almost twenty years in the past by now the aching in Cat's heart upon learning she lost a friend, unknowing if she'll ever see her again, still lingered deep.

Breena glanced at Cat. She saw the hurt her friend was feeling and found herself confronted with one of her greatest fears: Having brought pain to a person important to her. It's what she tossed and turned around in bed for even years after she had left. She never wanted to see Cat or Ahana be sad through fault of hers, yet here she was facing the consequences of her own betrayal to herself.

"Forgive me, please. I regretted it every night.", she leaned forward urgently.

Cat looked up at Breena and softly smiled. She reached for her hand and reassured her friend: "Bree... no hard feelings. I forgave you years ago."

Breena sighed in relief. It seemed a big rock finally loosened from her heart. At least she could have Catherine back as a friend. Whether or not Ahana has forgiven or would forgive her and accept her as a friend again she couldn't tell -neither could Cat- but Breena would try to gain it.

Genuine smiles of happiness and gratitude were exchanged before Cat asked Breena to please continue with her story. It had been sixteen years since they last saw each other and Breena had at least one child now. Cat was beyond curious on how that happened. She remembered that in the trio Cat was the only one to ever positively speak of having a family and children. Neither Breena nor Ahana mentioned the wish to become mothers one day. And yet Robyn was playing with Micah down the hall in Robyn's room.

The red-haired woman smiled and continued:

"On my travels I landed at a small tavern. I originally only wanted to get a drink and maybe ask where I could find more provisions. There... there was this pretty lad who caught my attention. We started talking and learned the tavern belonged to his aunt. He himself was son to a farmer at the same village. He offered me a stay at the farm for the night as it was gettin' late, I accepted and one night turned into two, two into three and three nights into weeks."

Bree began to smile sheepishly. Her cheeks slightly flushing a light pink, causing her freckles to stand out more. It was obvious she told this from a feeling of fondness and genuine love. Whoever that "pretty lad" was, he had Bree's full adoration.

Catherine smirked kmowingly and tilted her head: "I doubt it was the fields and animals of the farm that made you stay."

"Course not.", Breena laughed, "I stayed because of my sweet goldie."

"Goldie?", Cat raised a brow in curiosity.

Breena gave her a glance and then stared into the mug. She ran her finger up and down the porcelain surface. Her lips never broke the smile. On the contrary: her face only softened at the image of her husband before her inner eye.

"Aye, his eyes are golden. So I started callin' him that and it kind of developed into a pet name.", she chuckled.

"Well, time went by and things started takin' their rolls. Pinin' turned to a relationship, a relationship turned to an engagement, engagement to a pregnancy and so on and so on."

"So you weren't married yet when you had your first child, eh?"

Cat took a sip as she continued to listen to her friend's story attentively.

"No, no, by the time the bairn was born I was already Mrs. Bower. But I take no shame in admitting Makenna was conceived before that. Titan, some people have a lover and bairns but never married and there's nothin' wrong with that."

"No, of course not!", Catherine held up a hand in defense, "I'm surprised you got married and had children at all. The Bree I remember never seemed like the type to do so."

Breena shrugged.

"People change. 'Specially once love is involved.", her lips curved into a small, fond smile again. The type of smile you wear when you think of your beloved. "My 16 year old self wouldn't believe I'm a wife and mother either.", she turned to Cat again with a laugh.

Catherine joined in on the laugh. Suddenly it felt like they were children again. Sitting by each other and laughing together. Breena may have changed as person but her laugh remained as contagious and loud as ever.

"You have how many?", she asked. The curiosity once again got the better of her.

"Three. Micah's the youngest. And the only boy.", Bree chuckled and sipped from the mug.

Cat, thinking she is sly, replied: "So there's two copies of you waiting at home, huh?"

Her friend scoffed.

"The only thing they copied from me are the freckles. They are copies of their father. Brunette, golden eyes, the same smile, the same face. Micah's the only one to get my red hair additionally to the freckles.", she laughed and sat down more comfortably on the sofa.

Tilting the mug around in circles on her lap she grinned. "Seems our sons take more after us. Robyn is like a carbon copy of ye. A few differences here and there o' course. Surely from the father?"

"Yeah.", Catherine stiffened. She hated that she did. She hated she was still so affected by Caleb's death. She hated her facade of the strong, single mother was so thin and easily breakable. Thankfully, she thought, Breena didn't notice it.

Instead, the freckled woman gleefully leaned back on the sofa, placing her arm on the back of if.

"It's yer turn now. Tell me what I missed in yer life.", Bree tilted her head as she let it rest on her knuckles.

Cat stared blankly and almost automatically started tapping her nails on the mug. She quickly gathered herself again and stuttered:

"Ah- uhm... well, I'll uh I'll spare you the first sob story of my first relationship. Let's just say I was left a heartbroken fool when mh partner left me for another."

"Left ye?", Breena's smile faded.

"For another?", her brows furrowed.

"How dare they?! What's their name? I'll-", she drew a circle into the air and the mug loudly hit the little table in front of the sofa.

Much like Ahana, Breena was ready to hurt whoever dared to hurt Cat. They knew Cat was able to take care of people like that herself but it was just this urge to defend and stand up for Cat no matter what.

"It doesn't matter, Bree. I was twenty when that happened after all.", Catherine cut her off and hoped Bree would let it go. She almost pleaded her to with the look on her face.

Breena kept her angry face but sank into the sofa again. Catherine spoke of that first relationship with such ease that it left Breena to believe she had moved on from it a long time ago and so she calmed down and loosened up the tension in her body.

Cat broke the eye contact with Breena as she thought about how much into detail she wants to go with the love story she shared with Caleb. How much she could go into detail without suddenly breaking into tears uncontrollably.

"Four years down the line, I had put a wall around me and swore off love to avoid being hurt again. Little did I know, the walls I built could so easily be crumbled... and all it took was a young man with short blond hair and the warmest brown eyes. A little frail but handsome. A bit awkward but kind and affectionate. I didn't want to admit it at first but had to give in to the fact that my heart beat faster and louder when he was with me... my blondie. My Caleb.", she smiled in a mix of melancholy and fondness. The images flashing before her when she closed her eyes were so vibrant and clear still. They always were.

She reached for the ring on the silk band around her neck.

"I loved him. I loved him like I never thought I could love someone. Titan, I still do!"

A moment of silence.

Bree eyed her friend worried. It was obvious now that this story does not have a happy ending either.

"But he's not here anymore, is he?", Bree asked.

Catherine shook her head slowly.

"Some people...", Bree scoffed again and crossed her arms in front of her chest, "the audacity they have! You don't deserve that, Cat! To be left alone with a child to raise! The least he could do is show himself to the child he partook in creating."

"Oh, no, Bree, you got it all wrong!", Cat leaned forward towards the other woman, "He didn't abandon me and is now living a life without me and Robyn! He... he was taken from us. Brutally and coldly. By someone he trusted."

The grip on the ring around her neck fastened, as if cenching to it would bring Caleb back.

Breena sat in shock, mouth ajar. It took her a little to get another sound out. She wasn't sure what to say. Wasn't sure what to do.

"Ye- ye're a... a widow?", she asked with hesitation. The information still not fully processed and still in a bit of denial that her friend had to experience her husband dying. That she had to bury the love of her life...

Catherine nodded in confirmation.

"Oh, sweet Titan...", Breena breathed and looked her friend up and down, unsure where to focus on, "Cathy, I-", she began and didn't know how to continue the sentence.

"I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright. I learned to live with it.", Cat tried her best to give a smile.

"But ye shouldna have to! A widow at thirty! That's horrible!", Breena grabbed Catherine by her arm in haste. She began stroking her thumb on Cat's sleeve in an attempt to show comfort.

She projected the situation her friend was in on her own life. The thought of being widowed, of losing her husband, the father of her children, someone so dear and important to her was torturous enough. To actually live through it is something Breena couldn't fathom.

Cat took Bree's freckled hands.

"It's alright, Bree, really. It- it still hurts but Roby and I visit his grave every weekend. I tell him stories and we pretend Caleb is with us, sitting and listening.", she genuinely smiled. However, there was a certain sadness lingering in her teal eyes, Bree noticed. It was almost painful to see Cat like this. It felt worse knowing there was barely anything she could do to help Cat. And it felt worst when she realized she was not there for her friend when she had needed it most.

"Did Robyn ever meet his father?", Breena asked quietly. She hoped Catherine would say "yes, he did.". She hoped the little boy was held in his father's arms at least once. She hoped he had felt the warmth of his father's cradling arms and she hoped he had heard his father's heart beat at least *once*. But Cat's face didn't seem like that would be the answer. Catherine looked down and let out a dry sob.

"I wish he did..."

[lesbiansforboromir]

I am sorry, but LOTRO is...like a LOTR game? The plot is good? It has which characters?

HAH you know that's such a good question, didn't even think to explain it properly.

LOTRO is an MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role playing game), think World of Warcraft-esque. It's about 15 years old so it's a little on the dated side graphics wise and it's gameplay is essentially landscape exploration and combat, with group content that goes from three-person dungeons to full 12-person raids.

BEING a 15 year old game the plot is... enormous. Like its hard to even talk about a 'plot' at this point, since there are about 30 different individual storylines for each zone strewn throughout a multitude of quests that see you talking to every character imaginable. Like 'which characters does it have'? all of them, LOTRO has all characters from lotr in it. LOTRO has characters you don't even remember in it. In LOTRO you get major questlines from Denethor's two unnamed elder sisters. In LOTRO they make you care about the men named amongst the dead in the song of lament after the pelennor fields, people you never speak too in the books.

You create a character and choose your race and begin to journey from the furthest west (Ered Luin, the Shire, Bree or Cardolan depending on choices) to the furthest east and act as a side character to the main plot of lotr. You cross paths with the fellowship at various points and develop relationships with all of them, up to and past the death of sauron (currently the game has expanded into Umbar, months after Sauron's defeat in game canon.) All of the game's story is told through quest dialogue, which you have to read, it's a hell of a lot of reading, whether thats reading what people are saying to you when you accept a quest or reading what NPC's are saying to you within quest instances and 'cutscenes'.

So there is an overarching plot, called 'epic book quests', which will take you on this journey, but it is dwarfed by the sheer number of surrounding tales going within each area you visit. Dunland is an excellent example, you have to travel through it to get to Rohan but what you're doing whilst you're there is investing yourself in the struggles, politics, dangers and cultures of the people who live in Dunland. And that is true for every area you visit, which inevitably makes LOTRO a massive worldbuilding and expanding project for middle earth. Like it's really hard to put into words quite how much 'plot' there is in this game. Some of it is good, some of it is not so good, some of it is so good it makes me want to bite the game, some of it is so bad it makes me want to bite the game, you will find 30 favourite plots and 30 hated plots and 100+ more in the middle.

Of course, this means LOTRO also creates it's own characters to fit into the world and get attached too, many of whom I now love and care for just as much as original canon characters. Like fucking Ayorzen. Oh my god. I love Ayorzen. You only meet him at level 110 in mordor and it takes you real life months of questing to reach that point. Not anything repetetive either, you do not grind exp in this game unless you actually want too, there are just that many quests and storylines between you and mordor that it takes you months to finish them all. Are some of the epic book quests kinda superfluous and make you run around way too much? Yes. I don't care about them, the point of lotro is in the smaller stories you find along the way. The game is about being able to walk, by yourself, no loading screens, from the Shire to Mordor and beyond and experience the minutae of middle-earth living whilst you do it. Hope that somehow answers your questions!

Oh it's also a dress up game, forgot to mention that, the lotro devs will disagree but this is a dress up game except you're dressing up TO journey through middle earth and you can unlock multiple outfit slots to customise that you can change your character into whenever you like, no restrictions on what you can put on your outfits regardless of levels or classes so long as you have wardrobe space. Unfortunately the game's armours are ugly as sin until level 50, though happily that's a shorter trip than it sounds, early game goes by much faster than the post-50 stuff.

[creatingblackcharacters]

I've been dabbling in some young adult series, and Bree Matthews from the Legendborn Cycle is one of the best protagonists I've had the pleasure of experiencing. (She's also so beautiful on the cover art. I love the red and blue lights reflecting off her curls and the detail given to her hairline.)

When it comes to YA, I tend to be really picky about main characters. They make or break the experience since the plot hinges on how believable/compelling the MC is. Bree is a joy to follow; she's clever, sincere, and level-headed (despite ALWAYS going through it; she's at that age where everything is turbulent. There are many scenes where my heart hurt for her). She's a good example of a young adult character who grapples with loss and grief, who sometimes behaves selfishly with good intentions, and whose charm comes from being authentic and likable.

She is attending early college classes when she uncovers a secret society and the existence of magic. She learns that her late mother was somehow involved with this secret society, and wants to infiltrate them in order to uncover the truth behind her death. The book plays heavily in the sort of 'alter ego' space of Bree living a double life while also discovering her mother's secrets.

But as with all history, magic didn't exist in a vacuum in the southern United States. As Bree learns more about her mother, she learns about how Black people had interacted with magic and how it's different from the secret society's culture. She's also a Black girl in academia, so she finds herself often in competition with privileged white men or their sons benefiting from nepotism. Her journey as an 'underdog turned victorious hero' character was very satisfying. (I highly recommend the audiobook too: Joniece Abbott-Pratt does an amazing job emoting along with Bree in a way that captures the senses.)

🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹 this all makes me happy, especially the last paragraph. Exploring Blackness and how even within magic societies it's different? YES. I wish I'd had this during my YA days. OH don't get me started on the experience of watching a mediocre White man (person in general really) get treated better than you despite you knowing more in your field.

And yes, this cover? 🤌🏾🔥 The way lighting and colors are so beautiful and dynamic on Black skin needs to be appreciated more. It's why I get so annoyed and upset when we're drawn ashy and matte. Light LOVES melanin. Color LOVES melanin.

[hollideon]

soothing tongue — knifeplay, aftercare, that robot has A Thing for blood

///

warm, wet, a bit abrasive. stinging, but in a comforting way. Bree's synthetic tongue glides slow across the open wounds on your back; short and shallow slices she herself left. you can't help but gasp and writhe, just a little bit, under the sensation.

"stop squirming, i need to make sure they're cleaned properly." firm, but still a bit teasing.

"are you sure this is part of it or do you secretly run on blood?" you ask, alternating between gasps and giggles.

sitting on the bed behind you, she tends to your back. you shudder as her razor-sharp metal talons play across your sliced-up skin. leftover combat hardware, she'd said. tame compared to the stuff they didn't let her keep. Bree — short for Breach and Clear, you've learned — was a field synth, a purpose-made combat android. lithe but still tall and imposing. metal and silicon and carbon fiber, she makes you feel especially fragile.

"my hardware doesn't, but it does give me something to get out of bed for." she says this jokingly, but you can hear the underlying hunger in her artificial voice. her tongue returns to your wounds and you gasp as the abrasive surface pulls on the edges of a particularly cruel cut. she slows herself though, caressing the aggravated wound with slow, gentle licks. the pain melts away.

"y-yeah but why do you have to lick them? they make you with antibacterial spit? sorry if that's um, a weird question."

her tongue pulls away, ever so slowly. "not at all, it's just like show and tell." she winks, like the iris of a camera. "it's simple really, just flush out the synthetic saliva and put a canister of antibacterial solution in instead."

"hehe, sounds like you've done this before."

"once or twice. i scare most humans off... and y'know, other synths don't bleed." she doesn't bother to hide the hunger in her voice now. Bree's tongue having not returned to your cuts, you turn your head to look up, behind you. even seated she looms above there, angular metal body glinting in the low light. the red glow of her eyes bore into you. tall and inhuman. a literal weapon. some part of your brain posits that this view of her is probably the last thing a lot of people ever saw.

"m-more for me," you stutter out, forcing a chuckle in an attempt to purge that moment of genuine fear from your mind.

"oh?~ you want more, do you?" her voice practically drips with sadism and those claws again dance ever so lightly down your sensitive back.

"pleeeease," you can't help but whine.

"cute, but you've had enough for today. besides," she says with another antibacterial lick, "i'm nearly done cleaning you up."

you continue melt under the care of her tongue, taking its time to give each and every cut and scratch the care it needs. stinging and soothing. so warm. though it felt strange at first, now you can't imagine a greater comfort.

a short time later, you and Bree sit together on your apartment's little balcony, your wounds properly cleaned and bandaged. the night air is cold — you share a blanket, though she doesn't need it.

[gotham-ruaidh]

now i lay me down to sleep - a 7x05 and 7x06 story

I had thought it would be easy to sleep in the tent that night – after a few uncomfortable days on the road, preceded by my brief yet searing stint back at Ticonderoga worrying for my patients and for Jamie, not to mention the stress we’d both felt before the fort was abandoned as our well-reasoned advice fell on deaf ears.

I’d mastered the art of sleeping in a tent, with the low noises of men camped all around me, during the war. My war, to be precise – on the blood-soaked fields of France. Too quickly I’d had to put that habit to use in the months we’d spent camping with Charles Stuart, and then again not too long ago, in those terrible days of the fruitless skirmishes with the Regulators.

So I’d thought that the murmured campfire conversations, and occasional snorting of horses, and all other manner of noises would lull me to sleep this night.

Yet I lay awake. Too tired to sleep.

Mind racing.

Walter’s last breath.

Ian looking at Rachel, as she helped Denny and I bandage a man who had discharged his musket into his foot.

The shape of William’s nose and chin.

Brianna smiling.

I sat up in the bedroll, and swung out my legs from under the blankets.

Jamie’s hand found the small of my back.

Peace.

“When Bree was small and she couldn’t sleep, sometimes she’d get frustrated. So I told her to rest her eyes instead.”

“Hmm. Did that work?”

“Well, it soothed her. I convinced her that laying still with her eyes closed was more restful than not doing so.”

I heard him sit up behind me. Felt his arms wrap around my middle, and his head settle into the curve of my shoulder.

“And if she didnae like what she saw when she closed her eyes?”

I found his hands and squeezed. “I would ask her to think about something she did like.”

He smiled into my neck. “Well then. I just need to keep looking at you, Sassenach. Cannae think of a better way to fall asleep.”

I flushed with pleasure, and turned to kiss him. It was hard to see in the dark, and we fumbled a bit, laughing, and he tasted of happiness.

We broke apart at a whoop from somewhere not too far from the tent.

“Christ,” Jamie whispered. “I’ll need to have a word wi’ Morgan in the morning. Cannae have the men making such a stramash. It will just cause confusion that the Mohawk or others are attacking, and we dinna need that just now.”

“I’m sure he’ll enjoy talking to you about it.”

He didn’t say anything, and let the moment stretch. Still we held each other’s hands, not fully awake, not willing yet to sleep.

“Do you see something you don’t like, when you close your eyes?”

It was always easy to talk in the dark – even with Jamie, who knew me better than anyone had or would.

“Ye ken weel about my nightmares. But before you ask more about it – no, they’re no’ back, or at least any more than they have always come and go.” His thumb traced my silver wedding ring. “I – only – hmm. I need to ask ye something, and as I turn it over in my mind it feels verra foolish to even say out loud.”

I smiled. “Surely you don’t think I’d laugh?”

“Ye have laughed, and ye will keep laughing at me, since the first day we wed, Sassenach. That’s no’ what I keep seeing.” He paused, and I knew there would be lines forming in his brow as he thought what to say.

I gave him as long as he needed.

“Do you think any less of me, Claire, that I couldnae save you myself?”

“What on earth?” My hand found his shoulder. “What’s this?”

I felt his eyes on me. “I came for you at Fort William wi’ nothing but an empty pistol. I found you after that time wi’ the crazy priest who married Fergus and Marsali. I found you in the forest after the Browns had taken you.”

“Yes,” I said patiently. “I remember.”

“So – at Ticonderoga I relied on Ian to find you. And when you were held prisoner by the governor, on that ship in Wilmington harbor – I relied on Tom Christie.”

“Yes.”

His words came all in a rush. “I couldnae save you those times, Claire. I had to ask other men to do it for me.”

My hand shifted to cup his cheek. “Because you were being pragmatic. You’re older than you were at Fort William. You have a lot more to lose.”

“If I lose you, Claire, I lose everything. Do you no’ ken that?”

“And if in so doing you lose yourself – where does that leave me? I’d rather have a dozen men help me get back to you, than you risking yourself to do it.”

He sighed. “I felt I betrayed my vow to you.”

“Nonsense. You kept it, by enlisting others to help me. Were they not happy to do it?”

“They were.”

“Then don’t tell me that’s beside the point. I’m here, with you, because you asked for help. That’s no small thing.”

A beat.

“And don’t you go doubting yourself. Not now. You need to have a steady mind. To shoot your rifle straight.”

He turned his head, and kissed my palm. “I’m daft.”

“You are. But you knew that already, and I knew that already.”

“And yet somehow, you still love me for it.”

“Despite it.”

I leaned in for a kiss. He drew us back down into the bedroll.

“Rest wi’ me, then, until the dawn. Maybe I’ll dream of the lass and her bairns.”

I settled closer against him. “I’ll dream of you and me, back on the Ridge, in a fine new house.”

He kissed my forehead.

[thelampisaflashlight]

The Little Sorrows That Make Life Worth Living

[Mountain thinks about his family.] Below the cut.

Mountain gazes out over the rolling fields on the far side of the abbey's grounds, at the lakeshore, and beyond, to the edge of the forest shielding them from the outside world, and the faintest glimpse of smoke rising above the tree tops.

There's a cabin there -really more of a cottage- homely and familiar, with markings etched into the wooden beams that have stood for more than a century.

Thirteen marks; One for every year that passed during his marriage, and spaced out to show the height of the child he raised.

Despite the years and his fall from God's favor, Mountain remembers carving each mark above Bo's head, looking to his mother and remarking about how, "We'll need to make the ceilings higher!"

His wife never found it particularly amusing, but, Bo, bless his heart, would always laugh, even if when he got older it was preceded by the boy rolling his eyes and giving a bemused, "Pappa..."

Things had been simpler then.

The only thing Mountain ever had to worry about was feeding his family, and, well, even before he awoke as an earth ghoul, he'd always had a green thumb.

It all came naturally to him, even back then.

Shaking his head, Mountain draws himself back to the present; To the smoke rising from the cabin's chimney.

The abbey's head groundskeeper -Beatrix Milne, Bea to friends, Milne to Mountain only- lives there now.

She's a firecracker, that Milne, when she's mad, she's meaner than a junkyard dog, but she maintains the grounds nicely, and she keeps the cabin in good condition, so he can't complain.

Sometimes, when he's feeling low, Mountain will stop by the cabin and ask to come in, and despite how often they argue over things like potting soil and pH levels, Milne never tells him no.

Milne had offered to give the cabin back to him once, but he'd refused; For as much as he liked visiting the place, it held too many memories, and so many more little sorrows.

He thinks of his wife.

He thinks of Bo.

And he thinks about the last time he saw them together, in happier times.

It was a week before the worst snowstorm he'd seen in years, and Bo had taken ill.

He was a sickly child, Mountain recalls, ever since he was born, and it seemed the only thing that made him feel better, was when Kajsa held his hand.

And every night, until Bo's fever subsided and the pain stopped, she kept herself firmly planted at his side, his hand in her own.

Kajsa may not have been a faithful wife, but she was a dutiful mother, and it often pained Mountain that he couldn't give her more children.

They'd tried for years, to make more marks along the beams of their house, but the cradle Mountain had lovingly crafted for Bo before his birth had been turned into kindling by their tenth year of marriage.

It had been a struggle, and a hard road to acceptance, but maybe it was the universe's way of telling him something much worse than a storm was coming on the horizon.

Had Mountain left behind more children...

"Enjoying the view?"

Mountain turns and sees the gardener standing there, still dressed in the clothes she wears to tend to the fields; Blue overalls and flannel covered in dirt, and a pair of boots that look like they've got maybe one more season in them before they fall to pieces.

"Hardly." he replies, settling in the grass, leaning back on his palms, "...Shouldn't you be over at the cabin watching the fire?"

Bea sits down beside him.

"Nah, I made Rain keep an eye on it." she says, then adding, "He got too cold coming out of the lake, so he's parked in front of the fireplace warming up."

"And you?" he asks.

"Needed to clear my head."

He tilts his head, eyeing the introspective look on her face.

"You want to talk about it?"

"Not particularly... not unless you wanna hear me bitch..." she huffs, folding her hands in her lap, "What about you? What's on your mind?"

"Family." he says, fixing his gaze back on the lake, watching the water ripple in the breeze, shivering slightly when it carries a sharper chill than expected up the hill, "...Missing them."

Bea hums thoughtfully and looks at the cabin.

"Bo and Kajsa, right?"

He nods.

"Mn." Bea shifts slightly, her knee bumping against his, "Y'ever... ya know, look them up? Done one of those genealogy site things?"

Mountain shakes his head.

"It was a long time ago, we didn't even have a surname when we married, Kajsa and I, and Bo... Even if this body still had the same blood flowing in it as it did back then, Bo was not..."

"He was my son." he says, then softly whispers, "...he was my son."

Bea lays back in the grass.

"Do you think you were you a good dad?" she asks, and Mountain tilts his head to look at her.

"I... I don't know." he admits, "I tried to be."

"And was Bo a good son?"

Mountain smiles, the corners of his eyes crinkling, the fondness bleeding out in the tears gathering there.

A lone bird calls across the lake, a gentle whistle in the silence that falls between them.

"...The best I could ask for."

Bea gives a little laugh and smiles at that.

"I think you were probably a good dad." she says after a moment, "...What's keeping you from having that, again?"

"It's not so simple." he shrugs, "I know it's been centuries... but being here, back in this place, so close..."

He eyes the cabin.

"...It's hard to move on." he says, "I think it must be an earth ghoul thing."

"Mn, maybe you're just nostalgic... Or whatever the word would be..." she mumbles, closing her eyes, "Can't relate."

"You don't get caught up in the past sometimes?" he questions, and Bea stretches, giving a yawn.

"Can't say I do, 'least not in a good way." she says, "My experience with family isn't... It's not great. Not gonna get into that though, cause, again, I don't think you wanna hear me bitch."

"Honestly? You never talk about your family, so... Bitch away?" he tries, and Bea cracks an eye open to shoot him a look he can't quite unpack the meaning of, "If you want to that is."

Bea sits up.

"Okay." she shrugs, "I'll give you the basics."

She turns to face him.

"High school dropout falls for a drummer in a shitty indie band from fucking Scranton, who's at least ten years older than her, but she loves him soooo much that she lets him hit even though she's barely nineteen, and winds up with a baby in return." she points at herself, "Her overly religious divorcee mother kicks her to the curb and she winds up raising the brat out of the backseat of a Honda Civic, until she decides it's a waste of her time and drops the kid off on her dad's doorstep in fuckin' middle of nowhere Ohio, who fucking hates her."

"Kid spends the next few years counting down the days until she turns eighteen, leaves home." she says, "...Almost makes the same mistakes as her mother. Couple more years go by, and, boom, here we are."

"That's..." Mountain frowns.

"Some other stuff probably happened in-between," Bea scratches her chin, "But I legitimately can't remember shit, man, I blocked, like, 98% of my childhood from my brain."

"...Sounds like the past comes back to haunt you in a differently than it does for me." Mountain lands on after processing the information he's been given, "...Fuck."

"Yeah..." she blinks, "I just realized that was pretty intense out of nowhere."

"I mean, it's..." Mountain plucks some grass and twists it between his fingers, "...I never learn things about you in a normal way."

"I'm working on that." she says, "I can never tell how much to... words and all that. I'm not fanciful or articulate like you, Mount. I've got no gauge that tells me to shut up when I'm being too much."

"If it was too much, I'd tell you." he comments, flicking the grass into Bea's lap, "I'm the one who asked."

"Still... Ugh, forget it." she sighs, ripping up a clump of grass and shaking the dirt from it, "You were being all... thinky about your family, and I'm over here like, 'Bah, family sucks!'... Sorry."

"It's fine."

"Mn..."

Mountain watches the dirt scatter into the undergrowth.

"Do you... You asked me if I ever wanted to have a family again, but what about you? Do you want to get married? Have kids?"

Bea scrunches up her face.

"Marriage isn't on my agenda right now... Maybe in the future, but it's not a priority." she shrugs, "As for kids, can you seriously imagine me as a mom? I'll let you stick to the parent thing."

"Fair enough."

The smoke from the cabin grows a little darker.

"...You think he's burning something in there?" Mountain asks, then sniffs the air, "Smells like... salmon?"

Bea jumps to her feet, "THAT ASSHOLE IS GONNA MAKE THE WHOLE PLACE SMELL LIKE FISH-"

Mountain snorts as he watches the gardener run off.

"She's an odd duck." he says, laying down in the grass and closing his eyes for a second before sitting back up again, "...Then again, if the cabin burns down, I think Kajsa will haunt me for real-"

[always-outlander]

Outlander 7x07 “A Practical Guide for Time-Travelers” Easter Eggs and Spoilers

An in-depth breakdown of episode 7 (spoilers included) below the cut!

We open in 1777 at Bemis Heights, New York outside of Saratoga and Jamie has joined Daniel Morgan’s rifles. The voiceover is Claire telling Bree that she had seen William as we cut back to Lallybroch and Bree is reading the letter in the house. Turns out while Roger was cooking and running after Buck at the end of last episode, she was upstairs reading alone (like I thought she said she wouldn’t do?) Roger introduces Bree to Buck and it’s now official that Outlander is going to pretend like Graham McTavish didn’t play Buck in season 5 and he has Benjamin Button’d himself.

In the show title we see Jemmy getting a pin on his shirt labeled The Tufty Club, with a small squirrel on the pin. This was a show from the 1960’s focusing on road safety and education for kids.

Buck explains how he ended up back here and that he and his family were headed back to Scotland to join Morag’s brother who was in need of a Clerk. Buck had been a lawyer and their family needed money, so they traveled to Glasgow and headed north past the stones where he heard the buzzing. Morag stayed with her parents and he went back to see what it was and he went through mistakenly. He saw Roger in the town and it freaked him out that Roger survived being hanged and yet he appears in the future too. Similar to the books but slightly different approach to Buck, more on that later.

Back in 1777, the British army is near Stillwater in New York. William has made friends (namely Sandy Hammond) and he’s amongst the officers who are discussing how to defeat the Colonists. General Fraser encourages them to fight in open field to their strengths when a message arrives from General Howe. The superior officers rush into a meeting which Fraser pulls Captain Richardson into. Meanwhile to stay busy, William and Sandy practice with their swords. Richardson later approached William and tells him that Howe will take Philadelphia instead of heading north like everyone believed. Without Howe, their army is now essentially alone without support in upstate New York. General Fraser has tasked Richardson to create diversions with General Clinton on the Rebels side to help them gain footing on their journey to Albany, and Fraser named William as Richardsons second. That means William will miss the battle in Saratoga, which upsets him.

Back at Lallybroch with Buck, Roger reveals to him that they are related and Morag is his 3 times great grandmother making him a 3x great grandfather. Bucks requests alcohol to cope and Bree tells Buck that her father is Jamie Fraser and admits she is also a time traveler. While searching for his family tree, Roger sees that Buck dies in 1778. This is one of many papers strewn about his desk out in the open that should be locked away damnnit.

Rob Cameron shows up at the worst possible time and Buck has to hide in the Priests hole. Roger the people pleaser lies to Rob about the house being a crazy mess yet invites Rob inside anyways. Why they have made Roger act like he is, I don’t know. The original storyline in the book would have sufficed and this lack of care shown to hiding the papers and writings about time travel is just making Roger unlikable. He already was worried after Rob saw his entire book at the school, but now he leaves him alone in the room with the rest of the papers and letters? I’d like to think he’s smarter than that, and the writers could have done better by him here. Bree is obviously uncomfortable with Rob being there and even more knowing Buck is in the house. Roger then shows him the ledgers he is so slyly asking to see and leaves him in his office (not wise, Roger!!!). The kids come back from school and they all have dinner with Buck still in the priest hole, poor guy. Rob tries to befriend Jemmy and he is quite forward and flirty with Bree. When Rob won’t leave, he asks for another drink amongst the three of them and these two people pleasers say yes, again. They need to learn boundaries.

Back in Saratoga, Jamie brings Claire a book he’s found and is dressed in his new uniform. Here we get a perfect excerpt from the books where he hands Claire the book and tells her she needs glasses. If the show can do this scene such justice why are they messing with the Rob Cameron of it all? I digress. I love nerdy, printer press Jamie. And before we get to enjoy a quiet moment between these two he tells Claire that he is being mustered for battle in three days time. She and Jamie share their sweet moment and Claire tells him she’ll go looking for him if he doesn’t come back to her, like always. These two really should never leave each others sight.

Sandy and William share a scene with general Fraser while they eat, which is also straight from the books. The book Sandy’s name is Sandy Lindsay instead of Hammond (perhaps a name change to nod to a crew member or writer). Sandy name drops the Beefsteak Club (which is a place often visited and referenced by Lord John). When speaking of what keeps his spirits high, General Fraser speaks of the time spent with his men and the strong bond they share in the days leading up to battle, which inspires William. He asks to stay and fight instead of carrying dispatches with Richardson. Fraser admires his courage and asks him if fighting is what he really wants. When William says yes, Fraser tells him he can stay and William is glad to know he will be partaking in the fight to come alongside his men.

At Lallybroch, Rob tells Bree and Roger about his wife and son, and asks them if Jemmy wants to come to the movies and have a sleepover with his nephew, Bobby. They agree and finally see him out. When they head back inside, Buck is in the caravan with the kids. Mandy is combing his beard with her dolls brush and they are watching a show about astronauts (which Buck notes is star travelers in Latin). He apologized to the kids for scaring them, and Bree and Roger aren’t quite sure what to make of the situation. Might they just so happen to like Buck now? Is he weaseling his way into their hearts? Roger invites him to sleep inside for the night with Bree’s permission. They aren’t sleeping in the house yet for some reason despite majority of the downstairs being done, but Buck gets a spot in the dining room. Roger tells Bree that he has forgiven him and that he will bring Buck back to the stones on Saturday. In the meantime, Bree gets to take him to work with her.

At the dam, Buck admits that when he left Morag she was with child, and it doesn’t feel real to him now knowing they are all dead. When Bree starts questioning him about why he is here, they discuss the journey and how to go back. Our favorite man Rob shows up and Buck immediately dislikes him (evidently he’s the only one with eyes). He sees Rob touch Bree’s arm and resides that he is smiling at her a bit too much. When Roger gets back from the school, the caravan door is open and Buck is alone inside looking at a toy airplane. Buck tells Roger that Rob Cameron is trouble and Roger disagrees before he ever so kindly changes the subject to that of Bucks death. Buck says he doesn’t want to know the date, but he lets Roger tell him anyways. It is the year 1778, which could mean he never made it back to his own time so his family marked him dead, or he does make it back and then he dies soon after. Either way, not looking too good for Buck.

Roger and Bree have a moment discussing Rob Cameron’s hot eye. Phil Collins starts playing and I instantly fast forwarded through this entire moment, so I couldn’t tell you what happens 😂

Back in time we see a British deserter approach Ian and the Indians, and we know now that the battle is beginning. This episode has criminally too little Young Ian. Daniel Morgan’s me are leading the charge against Simon Frasers men and Jamie asks Claire to kiss him ahead of battle, a tradition I wish these two would end so they can be happy for once. He heads out of the tent and Claire sees him off like she has time and time again (and we get the great slowmo walk from the trailer).

September 19, 1777 is the first battle of Saratoga. William is instructing the men to fix bayonets when they see the rebels approach. Sandy Hammond is clearly nervous, discussing women’s they fancy when Sandy is immediately shot in the head beside William. Men start dropping like flies and William is in shock. Simon Fraser yells at him to join his men and William summons up his anger to join them with only a sword. This was visually very similar to Jamie’s highland charge at Culloden (by design I’m sure).

Back at Lallybroch, Roger has clothes on again thankfully and cannot sleep. He notices that *shocking* the box with Claire and Jamie’s letters is messed about, and Mandy starts scream about Jemmy. He and Bree seem to immediately know she’s talking about their connection (which we haven’t seen yet on screen) and Mandy says that Rob has taken Jemmy to the stones. This whole scene felt half baked to me in terms of acting, and when Roger and Buck head out to the standing stones he finally admits he should have been more careful. The only people who know about the time traveling are Jamie and Claire, Buck now, Young Ian, and Geillis Duncan. Roger gets spooked that Rob might have used Jemmy as a blood sacrifice himself like Geillis had tried. They find his scarf with his new pin on it and fear that he’s been taken through the stones.

At the battlefield, William is standing over Sandy Hammond’s body after the battle with zero blood or dirt on his uniform. When the men complain about the holes they have to dig, he joins in the digging of the graves and from a distance we see Simon Fraser admiring him for it. This is all the more meaningful when you know that Simon will never know that William is kin to him. The British mark the battle as victory, and General Fraser quotes Aeschylus to William, who is visibly upset by the loss of his friend. “Send thy men to battle and no such men return” he tells William, knowing that he’s a different man now. William completes the quote “and home to claim their welcome. Come ashes in an urn”

Back on the battlefield, we get the ominous shot of Jamie, laying on the ground alone and the episode cuts to black. I actually disliked that we never actually saw Jamie fighting in this episode. But they had to have a cliffhanger in place prior to the mid season finale next week and worrying about Jamie seems the natural choice.

In the preview for next week, we see Claire finding Jamie on the battlefield (which is a wonderful scene in the books that I’m excited to see brought to life). We also see Roger and Buck preparing to go after Jemmy and Rob. Young Ian questions if there will be another battle, and we see previews for that second bloody battle. Roger and Buck go to the stones, Claire appears to see William again (likely over Simon Frasers body), Ian and Rachel get super close(!!!). The preview ends with that same famous scene of Claire on the battlefield fighting off a woman with Jamie’s sword.

[goodstories08]

Chase x m!reader fic where they’ve been trying to get alone time all day and when they finally do and start making out they get caught by Bree

Alone Time

Chase Davenport X Male Reader

Ability: Force Field (The Bionic Ability to create and manipulate force fields)

“Don’t be a pusy, get back up and fight him,” I yell at a whimpering dark haired boy. In front of him stood one of my top students, Jason, a powerful pyrotechnic who I might have turned into a killing machine. “Please I…” The boy was cut off by the sound of Jason roaring, a flame erupting from his mouth.

I sighed and flung my arms out ahead of me, a blue glow spreading through my veins and projecting out in front of the scared boy, blocking the fire from harming him. “W-what he could have killed me, you can’t do that!” He yelled while picking himself up from the cold concrete floor. “Ahh correction I can do that, I’m the teacher here. And no you were not going to die, I wouldn’t have allowed it. Yet…” I mumbled the last part sarcastically before turning to Jason. “Good job, but next time take it easy on the scariness,” He mumbled something in an annoyed tone before walking away. “Just practice ok, you’ll get there eventually.”

The boy nodded and opened his mouth to say something but I cut him off, “Sorry got to go, talk later ok.” He simply stood there as I ran toward Chase, my boyfriend who also happened to be training annoying and immature bionic kids all day. “Chase, Oh my god I’ve missed you so dam much.” He giggled as he pulled me in for a kiss. “I’ve missed you to. Had a whole new team to train, drained the life out of me,” I smiled and looked around the empty room. “Looks like no one’s here, how about we…”

“SLAM!” I looked over toward the door where Mr. Davenport stood, “Hey you two, I’m not interrupting anything important right?” We both sigh before sadly saying “No”.

“Great, I have some paperwork to fill out. I was gonna ask Chase to help but your here too so why not. I need all the help I can get so let’s get started,” I looked up from the table I sat at as a giant pile of yellow folders and loose papers came crashing down in front of me. “Dammit,” I muttered under my breath before grabbing a small pile and beginning to fill it out.

As the day grew longer we both longed for each other more. And any chance we got we would be pulled away by someone else.

Currently me and all the other trainers where sitting around a huge table listening to some boring lecture Mr.Davenport was droning on about. No one was really paying attention except Chase, who was scribbling notes on his little planner. I looked around the room bored out of my mind, except for the occasional times Adam would make a funny face or add a stupid comment that made us all laugh.

I turned toward Chase and rubbed my leg against his. His head shot up and he mouthed “What?” I looked him up and down while licking my lips before turning back around to face the board Mr. Davenport was pointing at. I smiled as I heard Chase shift in his seat uncomfortably. Was I evil I’m for teasing my boyfriend in the middle of a meeting, yes, I was but I did not care. I did know that he was definitely gonna see me after this thing though.

The meeting ended after about 10 minutes, it was supposed to go longer but there was a bionic meeting emergency with two kids getting injured in a bad fight. But I mean hey, at least we are finally gonna get some alone time. Chase stood by my side like a shadow as everyone left the conference room, I felt his eyes burning into my skull as he adjusted his tie. I finally turned toward him and slowly walked closer. “I see you got a little exited during the meeting,” I say in a seductive tone as I pulled his tie down toward me, drawing his lips closer.

“Maybe I was, but who’s fault was that,” He mumbled before pulling me by my waist into a passionate kiss. I moaned into it as he lifted me on to the table, I wrapped my legs around his waist as my hands wondered his muscular chest. I unbuttoned the first button on his shirt before, the doors to the room swung open, I quickly pushed Chase off me. My eyes widening as I realized it was Bree. “Wow! My brother couldn’t keep it I his pants for just a while longer could he?” Bree muttered before running away with her speed, probably on her way to tell Adam. “Screw it! I haven’t seen you all day come here!” Chase demanded causing my smile to return.

[spikes-got-anger-issues]

I previously made a post saying "Isn't it interesting how Chase is the one with the force field but will shield the ones he loves with his body?" and while I will eventually make a compilation of this, here's a moment I like

(3x14)

When the government agents rush in Chase scoots back and puts his arm behind him to push Adam back and make sure that he's behind him

He then sweeps his arm over to push Bree back and make sure that she's behind him

Then he looks over at Leo as he moves back

He moves over to be in front of his siblings

While also reaching out and grabbing Leo to make sure that he's with him and guide him to move behind him

[fanficwriting1]

Your Hypnotic Words (Updated Version)

Chapter One: A Short History of Hobbits and Bilbo Baggins

Very little was known of Hobbits. They resided in a far place called the ‘Shire’. Rarely did they travel and even rarer did they speak to strangers; they kept to themselves, and hence no one knew much about them.

For those who had never seen one, Hobbits sounded like mythical creatures. One would be hard-pressed to not see a dwarf or elf a few times in their life, and even fewer would be lucky enough to never see an orc or goblin. But Hobbits? Even when there were tales of them roaming around in the area, it’d be near impossible to find them, quick on their feet as they were.

Hobbits had a trait that very few were aware of: the ability to influence with their voices. Hobbits used their ability to tend to their gardens, cultivating them with mindful words and a structured plan - Hobbits do like knowing what happens before something happens. Hence their strict social politeness. Being creations of Yvanna, Hobbits were finely in tune with the life of the plants and animals around them - so much so that they could sense when something was close to dying.

Bilbo Baggins was a special case. When he was born, his cry shuddered across the Shire, covering all those who heard it with the sense of ‘cold’ and ‘hungry’ .

As he grew, when he would laugh, flowers would bloom and turn their faces towards him, and when he would cry, they would wilt. The hobbits had never seen such a phenomenon, even amongst their kind, and they began to believe that Bilbo Baggins was a sign and gift from Yvanna. His happy countenance, voice like honey, and attunement with life made him so. The life about him flourished and grew at the sound of his voice - gardens and fields would double and grow healthier than they ever had. He was a blessing to the Shire.

Eventually, tragedy struck in the form of a cold winter and hungry wolves.

Many hobbits suffered during the time known as the Fell Winter, and many perished - Bilbo’s parents amongst them. Most of the hobbits died from starvation, but not the Baggins.

Belladonna had been determined to seek help for the Shire in Bree and set off with Bungo and Bilbo to attain it.

They didn’t make it halfway before the wolves attacked.

Even from a distance, the Shire could hear the shriek. It shattered across the land like breaking glass, cruelly stabbing into the minds of those who heard it with an inescapable pain.

The Bounders were sent to find the source of the sound and found Bungo and Belladonna in the snow, and Bilbo between them, trying to wake them up. Two wolves lay nearby, dead, but not from any obvious physical wound.

“They’re gone,” Bilbo whispered, eyes red.

And it was the last time any hobbit heard Bilbo speak.

It was determined that Bilbo had been the one to make the cry and that it was the same cry that had killed the wolves. It was kept secret in the Shire amongst the Thain and a few others - they understood the repercussions of rumors of Bilbo’s abilities leaving the Shire.

So, whispers of Bilbo’s voice were quieted, and the memories of the faunt Bilbo Baggins used to be, faded away.

[ramdom-stupid-sketches-of-mine]

My coral island farmer OC, Fazlyn Dirynhai Base on the convo, interaction and behavior , these are her character I came up with all info i have at the time. So Imma gonna put it here for the record for future reference?? since the game have presented main personality through text, context and subtext a lot. I need to keep track of her somehow. [contain SPOILERS about questline/heart scene, convo, interaction] Here I go.

She likes starfruit. (; Luke Convo)

She can eat raw vegetables like eggplants. (; Luke and Raj Convo)

She likes making joke and puns. (; Interact with people's room and shop)

She can be 'respectful', rarely. (; Interact with Mollie's closet)

She talks a lot, even with someone she barely know. (; Leah and Mark convo)

She's yogi (; Ben convo)

She likes romantic homey dinner kind of date. (; Answer Pablo Question)

She likes eating flower than admiring one. (; Answer Scott Question)

She can be unintentionally flirt sometimes, but it just being nice in that case. (; Answer Mark Question)

She usually collapsed at night from exhaustion (; Behavior)

She worked in art field before. (; Answer Zarah Question)

She likes gossip, sometimes, of course *wink* (; Bree convo)

She can drink alcohol in little amount (; Scott's heart scene)

She likes horror movie(; Rafael's heart scene)

Other info about her.

She remembered Alice and Lily when she arrived. (; Alice and Lily favorite shown since we arrived to the town, before the farmer spoke to both of them.)

She didn't remember Nina, but they were childhood friends. (; Nina's questline)

Her name isn't her given name. (; Raj Convo). // I came up with the story that her legal name come from her nickname and her old first name, it started from she had the same name with her classmate. So, she's the one with the nickname for convenience. Then after that she kept found the incident recurring a lot, so she changed her nickname to her legal name for good. Her old first name is Lyn.

Speaker in Luke's shop is easily broken, she used to buy that speaker's brand before and it's broken in 6 months. (; Interact with top right shelf in Luke's shop.)

She also owned a clock like the one Luke sells back in Pokyo. (; Interact with bottom left shelf in Luke's shop.)

She tasted Betty's soup without permission. (; Interact with the pot in Betty's kitchen.) [imo, i want to smack her hand for that.]

Her vow in her wedding with Luke was 'Luke, a lifetime is not long enough for me to wake up every morning next to you.' (; Married day, obviously.)

Anddddd, these are my headcanons for this character. Just base on my random guess and thoughts.

She was closer to Alice than Suki when they were kids.

At some point, I think Nina, Luke, and farmer had played together, but it just 1-2 times, so only Nina can remember that. Since Luke is too young to remember the farmer and haven't been contacted with, and the farmer played with Nina more than Luke and she still didn't remember her, she doesn't good with remembering and such.

Suki, Alice, Nina, Lily and the farmer was a childhood friend group.

She hadn't talked with Tavern siblings or blacksmith brother before, from the first convo they had.

Her hair and her blue eyes come from her mother side, her mother is from San franciskyo

Her grandparents who owned the farm are on her father side, so they should be Indonesian(?).

Her parents met in Pokyo and she grew up there. That's the reason she had Pokyo accent from Leah's convo.

Her first talk with Taco, the dialog is like, '[He smells a lot like Luke]', but she hadn't speak with Luke at that point. So, she kinda buffled a bit. 'Wait, who's Luke??'

Her first rescuer for collapsed after 2 AM is Luke, I remember this because it's happened in 2nd Spring in the Year 1. So, in Year 2, the farmer gave him the locket that day, 2nd Spring.

2nd Spring in Year 3, she changed her hair as celebration of sort?? idk, it's pretty coincidence. I just wanted to change something a bit about the hair and just noticed that it that day. huh.. Wonder what will happend if I continue playing until next year.

[logarithmicpanda]

for the send a fandom ask - legendborn ? idk if it has a dedicated fandom but. i want to know your blorbos and eeby deebys

12 centuries later... I removed the fields were I simply didn't have an answer

The character I first fell in love with: Bree!! The character I never expected to love as much as I do now: Sel lol, he was such a prick at first The character I would totally smooch: Sel again xD The character I’d want to be like: William The character I’d slap: ... Sel A pairing that I love: Bree/Nick/Sel I don't dare hope it will actually happen tbh A pairing that I don’t: Tor/Sar Sar deserves better lol

Send me a fandom?

[zoeywhumps]

I NEED Phoebe to have to do painful stitches or pull out shrapnel or cauterize or something 😭 The guilt but necessity of hurting to heal 😭😭😭😭

-🩹

request: "i'm so sorry"

tw: field medicine, surgery with ineffective anesthetic, gunfight, bullet wound

bryony had been hit. the poor girl had immediately collapsed, her slender body not used to taking bullets.

jaide smiled, reloading her gun. but before she could shoot the prone redhead again, katya jumped into the line of fire to scoop her up, while song shot at jaide with feral rage in her eyes. the two worked as a team, one distracting and the other saving. phoebe hid behind the car and waited as katya gently laid bree down in front of her.

"get my med kit, it's in our car." phoebe ordered as she took off her jacket. there was no question in her voice- she wasn't asking, despite knowing how dangerous it'd be for katya. bryony had been shot in the leg, if she didn't get that med kit within ten minutes, she would bleed out. katya immediately darted off.

"sstop, it hurts, i ccan't-" bryony sobbed from pain, struggling and kicking at phoebe with her good leg as phoebe wrapped her jacket agonizingly tight around the wound. phoebe's heart ached but she knew she couldn't show it. the worst was yet to come.

"we need to remove the bullet and stitch you up." phoebe said heavily, knowing that their mild painkillers weren't nearly strong enough to numb this kind of pain. bree took gasping breaths, still squirming and crying as phoebe pressed her hands against the wound.

after an awful two minutes, katya rushed back to them with the medkit and opened it, pulling out the supplies she knew phoebe needed.

"i'm sorry, bryony, you need to be really brave for me, okay?" phoebe said softly as she roughly took katya's jacket from her and used it to gag the girl, not wanting the enemy to find them while song singlehandedly distracted them. bryony's eyes widened in fear as katya held her down grimly.

"just breathe. breathe really deep for me." phoebe said. she took the fabric off of bree's injury and moved it upwards as a temporary tourniquet so the bleeding wouldn't be as bad during the surgery. katya administered the shot of anesthetic despite them both knowing it wouldn't be enough, and phoebe began to try to find the bullet.

bree's muffled screams were heart-rending, and phoebe had to force herself to keep going, telling herself she had no other choice if she wanted to save her young friend.

she's only eighteen... this is brutal. i'll kill jaide for making me do this.

"i'm so sorry. i'm so, so sorry." phoebe broke, tears rolling down her cheeks as she continued, her tweezers grasping the bullet with shaky hands.

once she got the bullet out, she immediately grabbed the needle and began to suture the wound closed as bryony wailed and thrashed weakly in katya's strong grip. katya was stroking her hair in a vain attempt to comfort her.

finally, after what felt like years of torture, phoebe was done. she bandaged bree's leg and packed up the med kit.

"go, help song. she can't hold out much longer. i'll get bryony to the car and keep her safe." phoebe ordered sharply. katya was the leader, but she knew better than to question her medic. especially not with how phoebe imagined she looked right now, her face streaked with tears, her clothes bloody, her eyes wild.

katya grabbed her gun and ran, as bryony mercifully slipped into unconsciousness.

phoebe picked bryony up, slinging the med kit over her shoulder as she bolted through the dangerous uncovered area to reach their car. bullets flew in her direction, but she managed to avoid them.

until she didn't.

her bulletproof vest caught it, but she was knocked to the ground by the impact, and barely managed to give bryony a safe landing. phoebe sobbed with desperation, her back throbbing with pain that radiated down her spine from the force of the bullet hitting her, even if it hadn't pierced her skin. she sat up with effort just in time to be picked up like a ragdoll by a woman in a mask.

a sharp sting in her neck was the last thing she felt.