#but suzanne collins is not fucking around

[favorite-music-tourney]

Adjusted Round 1 match ups

I’m against the government by Defiance, Ohio - Little Boxes by Malvina Reynolds

Vienna by Billy Joel - Miracle of Life by Bright Eyes

Hungry Dog on the street by the Taxpayers - Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell

Excursion Around the Bay by Derina Harvey band - I am a Union Woman by Bobbie McGee

Jolene by Dolly Parton - Wild World by Cat Stevens

At Seventeen by Janis Ian - The Battle of New Orleans by Johnny Horton

Everybody's Talkin' by Harry Nilsson - Do you Believe in Magic by the Lovin Spoonful

Blackbird by the Beatles - Mr. Tambourine Man by the Byrds

Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter Paul and Mary - Blister in the Sun by the Violent Femmes

Ooh La La by the Faces - Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers

Tear the Facists Down by Woody Guthrie - Fire and Rain by James Taylor

Rule #4 Fish in a Birdcage by Fish in a Birdcage - Strangers by Apes of the State

Angel From Montgomery by Bonnie Raitt - I'd work for Free by Blake Rouse

I'm not a good person by Pat the Bunny - Ho Hey by the Lumineers

Lyndon Johnson Told the Nation by Tom Paxton - Pure Obsession by Mirabai Kukathas

Not Yet/Love Run by the Amazing Devil - Budapest by George Ezra

Diamonds and Rust by Joan Baez - Paradise by John Prine

What a time to be alive by Matt Press - Ballad of a Wobbly by David Rovics

Glad to be Gay by Tom Robinson Band - Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen

All The Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands by Sufjan Stevens? - Kill the Boy Band by She/Her/Hers

Every Town will Celebrate by Mischief Brew - Oak & Ash & Thorn by The Longest Johns

The Galway Girl by Sharon Shannon and Steve Earle - Curses by the Crane Wives

You're So Vain by Carly Simon - The Chemical Worker's Song by Great Big Sea

I'm Gonna Be an Engineer by Peggy Seegar - Follow Me up to Carlow by the Young Dubliners

American Pie by Don McLean - Murder in the City by the Avett Brother

Rhododendron Honey by Leslie Fish - The Fox by Nickel Creek

California Dreamin by the Mama's and the Papa's - Ohio by Neil Young

It's too Late by Carole King - There is Power in a Union by Billy Bragg

Have you ever seen the rain by Creedence Clearwater Revival - I ain't Marching Anymore by Phil Ochs

The Wrote and Writ by Johnny Flynn - Wayward Prodigal by Cora Reef

Landslide by Fleetwood Mac - Place to Be by Nick Drake

Space Girl by Shirley Collins - Little Lion Man by Mumford and Sons

Delta Dawn by Tanya Tucker - Where have all the flowers gone by Pete Seeger

Take Me to Church By Hozier - Solidarity Forever by Utah Phillipps

Let the Mystery Be by Iris Demont - Brave as a Noun by AJJ

A Horse with No Name by America - Mrs. Robinson By Simon and Garfunkel

Tom's Diner by Suzanne Vega - A Song for a Computer Programmer by Cricket!

War on the Workers by Anne Feeney - War isn't Murder by Jesse Welles

Me and my Bobby Mcgee by Janis Joplin - For What It’s Worth by Buffalo Springfield

You're Dead by Norma Tanega - The Gambler by Kenny Rogers

Color in your Cheeks by the Mountain Goats - March of the Jobless Corps by Daniel Kahn

Stick Season by Noah Kahan - O Valencia by the Decemberists

Fuck it by Days N Daze - Dream a Little Dream of Me by Cass Elliot

Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down by The Band

Deny Defend Depose by Joe Devito - Big Rock Candy Mountain by Harry McClintock

Annie's Song by John Denver - The Funeral by Band of Horses

Union Maid by the Almanac Singers - 32 Flavors by Ani Difranco

Our House by Crosby, Stills, Nash, And Young - Fast Car by Tracy Chapman

The War Racket by Buffy Sainte-Marie - Hurt by Johnny Cash

One Great City by the Weakerathans - Loose Lips by Kimya Dawson

Feed the Machine by Poor Man's Poison - Everything I Own by Bread

I want wind to blow, the microphones - City of New Orleans by Arlo Guthrie

Todos Juntos by Los Jaivas - II: The Road Giveth by RENT STRIKE

Roll On, Columbia, Roll On by the Highway Men - Ballad of Ho Chi Min by Ewan MacColl

Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison - Time in a Bottle By Jim Croce

The Trolley Problem by Windborne - One Kind of People by Amigo the Devil

Season of the Witch by Donovan - House of the Rising Sun by the Animals

The Times they are a changing by Bob Dylan - Cats in the Cradle by Harry Chapman

Closer to Fine by the Indigo Girls - Two Headed Boy by Neutral Milk Hotel

Heave Away by the Fables - Your Heart is a Muscle the Size Of Your fist by Ramshackle Glory

Who would Jesus Bomb by Jordan Snart - Electricity by Sister Wife Sex Strike

Rhinestone Cowboy by Glen Campbell - Plastic Jesus by Tia Blake

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald By Gordon Lightfoot - Bread and Roses by Judy Collins

Sixteen Tons by Tennessee Ernie Ford - I'm a Believer by The Monkees

[some-sort-of-ecologist]

I'm finally reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games being one of my favourite series, it's wild I havent read it before now) and while many things are striking me, possibly one of the biggest changes from THG is the decision to use the words "kids" almost exclusively instead of "tributes"

[viscountessevie]

And I oop

[mariska]

well! bye everyone i'm off to re-read my fav book trilogy of all time that i havent read since their original releases when i was a teenager and also finally get to read the prequel that i never got around to reading for the first time so. i'll see u guys on the other side and by other side i mean i'll see u guys when i re-emerge into society drenched in blood and tears rambling about all the new mental evidence i will have collected for my years-long headcanon that Katniss is autistic and sobbing about how many more details of the whole story i understand on a more profound and deep level than my teenage self was capable of processing properly

[barbiesraven]

fucking hell

I just realized that haymitch is an alcoholic. AN ALCOHOLIC. not a morphling addict. though he probably could have ended up one.

so anyway. alcohol.

alcohol is highly flammable. so much so that it evaporates quickly and leaves vapors in the air that ignite when exposed to heat. like a spark, or a flame.

a spark. "It's almost as bad as us with the berries."

fire is catching. "Almost but not quite."

who mentored Katniss? who laid down the groundwork for her eventual acts of rebellion? who planned the extraction in the 75th games around her? who fueled her fire in order to pull of a full-on political movement?

suzanne collins I am begging you to stop making every last detail of your books symbolic in some way holy shit my brain hurts

[haymitchsbunny]

Drink Me Away

dividers by @anitalenia

Series: Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)

Pairing: Haymitch Abernathy x F!Reader

Warnings: Age gap, porn with so much plot, smut, vaginal sex, daddy kink, slightly weird dynamic, traumabonding(?), underage drinking/alcoholism in general

Summary: You were never more than just drinking buddies with Haymitch, until you came to him for consolation when your parents disowned you. He never planned to make a move, but you couldn't handle it. He was your favorite person- but that could never progress, right?

A/N: Absolutely no writing of the actual Games- just there for plot reasons. I've loved Haymitch for so long and theres absolutely no xreader fics with him, so I wrote my own.

Please let me know if i missed any warnings! happy readings ☆

You came from a well-off family, one that had never had to put their children in danger with tesserae, one that got the freshest bread, one that had no idea about their eldest daughter's after-school activities; heading to the hob as often as possible, paying anyone she could for a bottle of spirits. You began when you were 16.

Your only true drinking competition was Haymitch Abernathy- he had known your family for years, but as close as he was with your father, he had never known you. You never cared to approach him when he entered your house or when your parents spotted him in the square.

When you became a regular Hob attendee, you saw much more of him. Drinking competitions became a regular occurrence between the two of you when you were 17, praises of your tolerance always boosting your ego at 18. This lasted until you were 19.

Your father had a rough day at work. He had visited the Hob for the first time in year, accompanied by Haymitch. He had come to try and spot you before your father could and tell you to book it. It didn't work out that way.

Haymitch spotted you two seconds too late, after hearing the deafening screech of your father yelling your name across the Hob. You froze in place, glass in hand and arm on a man who's name you couldn't remember. The sounds around you died around somewhat, all eyes on the father-daughter exchange.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" He hissed, approaching rapidly.

"I'm 19, dad, I'm allowed to have fun," you huffed.

"Since when is 'fun' illegal drinking in the black market?"

"A while now, actually."

"You're grounded."

"I'm 19."

"Then get your shit," he snatched the drink from your hand, throwing it back like water. "And get the fuck out of the house." He slammed the glass against the table, turning tail and leaving.

You sat, stunned at the confrontation. You slipped off your barstool and followed your father's path in a haze. You jumped when a hand clamped around your wrist, eyes flickering to Haymitch standing there, concern splashed through his features.

"What happened, sweetheart?" He questioned genuinely.

"Nothing, Haymitch, don't worry about it," you sighed, trying to pull away and not drag him into family business.

"I said 'what happened', kid. Not 'do you want to tell me'," he demanded.

"I- nothing," you stopped yourself. It was none of his business!

"I want to help you, let me, please." Well you never thought you'd hear him say please.

"My dad kicked me out- happy?" You fumed, a sudden rage building in your belly as you yanked your wrist away from him with all your might and began stomping off.

"You can stay with me," he called after you. "The couch is comfy." You turned on your heel back to him.

"You're kidding," you blanched. "Seriously? You'd let me stay with you? Why?" The questions spilled out, confusion and appreciation mingling.

"Because I care about your wellbeing, kid," he chuckled. "And if you're living with me you ain't gotta head all the way to the Hob for a drink or two."

And so began the complicated relationship between the two of you. Two unemployed day drinkers with no hobbies, no friends, and no family. You found out that your mother wanted nothing to do with you, and they wouldn't allow your siblings to see you. Haymitch had no family left alive. You were both stuck drinking away your sorrows together.

He didn't make you get a job- just run errands. Get food, get living supplies, relax. He got the liquor. He kept you from drinking too much, usually limiting you to three glasses at a time. A good majority of your time was spent cuddling. It wasn't weird. It was just.. comforting. For the both of you. Nothing weird.

The night you had moved in with him was the first time. You were vulnerable, and ended up sobbing on the floor with a bottle in your hand. He slipped it out gently, setting it on the ground next to you. He leaned down and picked you up off the ground with ease, your legs wrapping around his waist and your arms around his neck. He laid down on the couch with you in that position, letting you blubber and yap until you fell asleep.

When you awoke, you were squished between the back cushions and his body comfortably. His arms laced around your waist, holding you to his chest, his face in the crook of your neck. You dozed back off and when you awoke he was sitting at his armchair, unphased and watching the news.

it had been 6 months since that night. You drank with him almost every day, had two friends which were men you had drank with at the hob, and had hobbies and a black cat that roamed freely through Haymitch's house. Things were.. good.

And you were falling for your housemate.

He was nothing more than someone who you cared for. You were legal, yes, but he was so much older than you. He was a respectable man- sure, drinking the days away with a friend's disowned daughter wasn't exactly mature behavior, but at least he held you close every time you cried. But that was purely platonic affection, him caring for your well-being and holding you through the night being the only way he knew to comfort you.

That night, you drank your feelings away with him. He was getting louder and you were getting quieter, watching him carefully. Trying not to expose the vile thoughts running your mind into the dirt as he blabbed about his favorite liquor.

The heat in your tummy only got worse as you drank more, giving him professional fuck-me eyes by your 4th. If he noticed, he didn't say anything. But by the way his eyes never left yours, even when you looked away, you were sure he had.

"H-Haymitch," you hiccuped, certain you were bordering alcohol poisoning. You never drank this much- either you had enough or he stopped you. Not tonight. "I'm not, I'm really, uh," you couldn't get your thoughts straight. "Take me to our room, please." You managed to get out.

"Our room?" He questioned, brighter than you'd ever seen him. "Last I checked, we've never slept in it at the same time. If anything, the living room is our room." He sauntered over to you slowly, placing his bottle on the table in front of you. You reached for it and got your hand smacked. You were already feeling a little green.

"Just take me," you groaned, choking back a gag. "I'm sleepy." You whined at him.

"Sure you don't need to vomit, sweetheart? Do it before I tuck you in, if you would be ever-so-kind," you shook your head no, but then stood swiftly and shook your head yes. He guided you to the sink as you emptied the contents of your stomach in it. He held your hair. You tilted your head back up and turned the water on, washing the liquid away.

"Atta girl, let's get you some water, why don't we," you groaned and nodded, washing your hands and turning back to him as he handed you a bottled water. You chugged it, feeling a tad more sober, and you began to walk to the bathroom. Haymitch sat back down and swirled his finger around the lip of his cheap whiskey bottle.

You brushed your teeth and tongue thoroughly. You wouldn't have cared, you didn't. But something in the way Haymitch's fingers continued to linger on your skin made you start to. You exited the bathroom, swishing a bit of mouthwash through your teeth before walking to the kitchen sink and spitting it out there.

"Take me to bed." You requested, standing in front of haymitch in your big tee-shirt and shorts.

"Awfully bold now, aren't you sweetheart?" He rasped, standing almost as soon as you had asked. He walked towards you, leaning down and scooping you up bridal style. You were not expecting this- a belly laugh escaping from you as he began to walk you up the stairs.

You were drenched. Absolutely soaked through your panties. You just prayed he wouldn't notice anything off about your demeanor- maybe he would just chalk it down to the abundance of alcohol in your system?

"Haymitch! Do you have to be so rough?" You gasped as he nearly threw you and himself onto the bed. As you recollected yourself, he stood. "Leaving so soon?" You whined playfully.

"Not if you don't want me to, doll," he chuckled. His raspy voice sent a chill down your spine.

"Well, I mean," you sputtered. "I would- I don't, no. I don't." You finally got your words out, pursing your lips and peering up at him through your lashes as he laughed at you.

"God, you're a mess, aren't you sweetheart?" He mocked, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to you. "I would almost think it's more than just the alcohol at this point, wouldn't you?" You inhaled sharply through your nose at the insinuation.

"What? No, I'm just really drunk, that's all-" he pressed his thumb to your lips.

"Quiet," he whispered, leaning closer to you. "Lying won't get you anywhere in life, sweetheart." God, he was so close. You could smell him, more than usual. Pine and whiskey, mingling into the sexiest thing you had ever had the pleasure to smell.

You whimpered out loud when he pulled away. He smirked at you. Your eyes went wide as he began stripping. "Wh- why, what-" You tripped over your words, nearly beginning to crawl towards him. He was clearly relishing in your newfound behavior.

"Calm yourself, doll," he chuckled, flopping down next to you on his bed. "I'm just getting comfortable- you wanted to sleep after all. Right?" He was asking for your honesty.

This was the make-it-or-break-it of the night- he was giving you the chance to tell him what you were feeling. "I, uhm," you began with so much confidence and hope. But then, your critical thinking kicked in. He didn't actually want you to respond like that! He was warning you not to act on your obvious desires.

"Yes, just want to sleep," you muttered, beginning to pull your shirt from your body. You stood before you could finish. "I'll go to the bathroom, sorry." You apologized, melancholy. He grabbed your wrist.

"You're fine, sweetheart," he was serious. Your heartbeat increased and you suspected he was feeling at your pulse with the way he was squeezing. "Lying won't get you anywhere." He intentionally repeated his words from earlier. A shiver ran down your spine and settled in your bones. You were on edge and dripping wet. You whimpered.

"Haymitch, please," you whispered. "Don't make me say it." You pouted at him with glazed eyes and he pulled you back onto the bed in front of him. You were looking at him with need in your eyes, and he nearly matched your expression.

"Well, if you're so tired, you'd better get ready for bed, right, sweetheart?" He rasped, and you felt disappointment settle in your gut.

"Oh, uhm, yeah, I guess," you spoke quietly, scooting yourself to be more comfortable as you reached under your shirt to unclasp your bra. You were looking away from him, trying to avoid facing the cause of the weight on your chest.

A featherlight touch on your abdomen drug your attention away from your failed attempt, arms falling to your sides as he replaced your hands, unhooking the garment with ease. The straps fell from your shoulders as he reached to the bottom of your shirt. You raised your arms and let him lift it, leaving you in nothing but shorts and your loose and unsecured bra.

You looked at him in curiosity. He noticed and smirked. "You have to be comfortable to sleep, don't you, sweetheart?" His gentle grip turned demanding and you gasped as he snatched the only thing covering your breasts. Your arms flew to cover yourself and he slowly reached to restrain your wrists, shifting his weight so he was holding himself over you, pinning your wrists into the mattress.

"H-Haymitch," you whispered, barely audible.

"Yes, love?" He matched your volume, leaning so close that you could taste the whiskey on his breath.

"Kiss me," you asked. "Please." He looked from your eyes to your lips, silent for a moment.

"There's no going back if we do this," he warned, staring into your eyes for any tell of your thoughts. All he could see was desire. The same burning desire that fuelled the hard-on in his briefs. "I won't pretend anymore, especially not if you let me do what I want right n-"

"Shut up and kiss me, Haymitch," you groaned, bucking your hips up and rubbing yourself against his clothed erection. "Before I change my mind." You giggled.

He pressed his lips to yours fervently, touching you in a way that all the hours you had spent together could have never prepared you for. His hands flew from your wrists and his weight shifted to his knees, pressing your heat to his cock as he practically dry-humped you through your makeout. He was rubbing his thumb into your hip, squeezing it so tightly but you relished in it. His other free arm was pressed into the pillow next to your head, keeping him from crushing you under his weight.

"Good God," he groaned out needily, pulling away from your lips to begin kissing and sucking on your throat. He threaded his fingers through your hair, tilting your head for more access to your quickly purpling neck. "Sweeter than candy, you know that?" He grumbled against your skin. Your hands were settled in his hair and on his broad shoulders, taking in every sensation.

"There's something I would like to taste," you smirked slyly, pushing at his shoulders gently, sitting up with him.

"Oh, really? And what might that be, darling?" He reached up and held your hands as they sat on his shoulders. You reached down to his briefs and pulled them until his cock sprung from the waistband. You gasped at the size of it, watching it slap against his stomach with a soft sound.

"Y-You're so," you stammered. "I'm not sure I can take all of that, Haymitch.." He chuckled, replacing his hand in your hair as he pushed you towards his cock, pulling you with him as he readjusted against the headboard.

"You'll learn." Was all he said as he pulled you until your lips were wrapping around his broad head.

"You're so," you spoke around his tip. "So girthy, Haymitch.." He laughed at your muffled words, spoken with his cock bumped against your cheek. You began to swirl your tongue around his tip and he sighed, letting his laughter die down. He shifted his hand and shoved his dick straight into the back of your throat. You gagged and sputtered, pulling off and coughing with your cheek against his rigid member.

"It ain't Haymitch to you anymore, sweetheart," he growled. Your eyes widened, not sure what his next words would be. "It's daddy. Got that, doll?" You gasped- how vulgar, why would he ever think you would call him something so, so-

"Yes, daddy," your own words caught you off guard. You picked your head up and proceeded to gag on his cock until you felt as though you could throw up. A few times, you were enveloped in pure bliss. Those were the moments when he groaned and shoved your head down so far that your nose buried in the thick hair at the base of his cock. You felt so used and proud of yourself.

"Atta girl," he praised, lifting your head off his cock and smirking at you. You were panting, saliva and precum coating your chin. "So gorgeous like this, should get you drunk like this more often." He kissed you gently, contrasting the roughness of which he just fucked your throat.

"Please," You begged quietly. "Please fuck me." Haymitch chuckled at you.

"Say my name, darling," he growled. You began to say Haymitch, but he interrupted you. "Not that name, doll." He corrected, grabbing you and pulling you on top of himself until you were straddling him. You were slightly caught off guard, grinding down on him and moaning. You were still clad in your shorts and panties.

"Please, daddy," you whimpered. He chuckled, gripping your hips and pressing you harder against him. "Please fuck me, daddy!" You cried out, throwing yourself forward into a kiss. He flipped you over, pressing your back into the mattress. He sat up and yanked your shorts down before ripping both sides of your underwear. You yelped in surprise and scolded him.

"Consider it a souvenir, sweetheart," he chuckled at you. "A souvenir from the first time you're getting fucked by me." You gasped, feeling him begin to align his thick head with your entrance. He pushed in slowly, and you cried out.

"Daddy! Be gentle, plea-" You were cut off by a silent moan getting caught in your throat as he bottomed out. "Mmhm, please wait a- a momen- mm." You could barely speak, he wasn't thrusting but he was circling his hips ever so slightly, giving you friction in parts of your pussy you didn't even know you had.

"Oh, I'll be gentle for now, sweetheart," he groaned, beginning to thrust gently. "But I can't promise that'll last." He kept a slow and rhythmic pace, bottoming out with every lingering thrust. You let out a sharp breath every time.

He picked up his pace, your breath hitching with every thrust. You did your best to hide any moans, but could barely contain yourself. He began suckling on your neck and unintentionally digging his fingers into your hips.

Then, he pulled out. You whined at the unwanted emptiness, but then he grabbed your hips and flipped you onto your stomach. He began pounding into you, faster and harder and deeper than before. You became a slurred, moaning mess. He didn't stop, ignoring all of your moans and pleas of pure pleasure.

He had already begun to bruise your hips, squeezing and pushing and pulling to fuck you oh-so-nicely, penetrating you over and over.

He started getting rough, leaning over you and removing his hands from your hips. He started fucking you with the force of his whole body weight, leaving you moaning like a whore underneath him.

"I'm close, sweetheart," he growled. "You?" Not taking a break to let you answer, if anything going faster.

"Ah, uh, mm-mhm!" You cried. "K-keep, nn, going! Please daddy!" and with that, he lost all tempo and fucked you ruthlessly. He picked you up, put you on your back, pressed your knees into your chest, and slid back in one smooth motion.

This new angle was so deep, hitting your G-spot with every thrust. You cried out, reaching to Haymitch and gripping your hands in his hair.

"Daddy! Please, please, please, PLEASE," you screamed, begging for release with all your might. He reached down, playing with your clit for a moment, and you burst.

You felt the heat in your tummy rush to all your pleasure points, overwhelming you. Haymitch didn't slow down, but when you began to squeeze his cock like a vice, he pulled you close and started with short, deep thrusts.

You fell asleep immediately.

When you awoke, you were alone in the bed. You looked around groggily, no sign of your newfound lover. You slipped your feet to the side of the bed, attempting to stand. Your knees gave out, but you caught yourself on the bed.

You noticed that there was no trace of your earlier activities- a clean bed that you had just been tucked nicely into, your legs had no residue of either yours or his juices. Your hair was neatly combed.

You heard the sound of water shutting off, and figured Haymitch had been showering. A few minutes later, he exited with damp hair and a towel around his waist. You were intrigued.

"Good mornin', darlin'," he chuckled at the way you were looking at him. "Looking so eager for another round, huh?" He teased. You settled back into bed.

"Soon," you told him. " But for now, come lay with me." You smiled, scooting further into the bed to give him space. He dropped his towel and walked towards you. You dampened at the sight of his semi-hard cock.

He slipped into bed next to you, flipping you over so your back was to his chest. His cock rested between your legs, the head bumping your clit.

"Go back to sleep, sweetheart," he whispered, moving his hips and making his cock bump your sensitive nub. "That's what you wanted, right dear?"

A/N: hope you enjoyed! please leave asks/requests! BEGGING YOU!!!

[snowsonlylove]

Partition (Inspired by Beyonce & Ana Huang)

Pairing: President!Coriolanus Snow x Wife!Reader

Summary: Frustrated from her arranged husband’s lack of attention towards her, Y/N Y/L/N bursts in a plathora of words spewed to her arranged husband and elected President of Panem, Coriolanus Snow about his lack of care and affection towards his own wife despite Coriolanus literally being married to Y/N. Both parties being frustrated with no means to give their stances up, explode in a world of dirty, nasty sex in their limo on the way to former president’s son Felix Ravinstill’s dinner. 

Fic Type: Smut (NSFW) 18+ with angst, Arranged Marriage trope

Warnings: infidelity, cum licking, heavy kiss, degrading but also lots of praise, lmk if there’s anything I missed but this is vvv nasty 

Word Count: 2.6k

Inspo: Heavily inspired by Chapter 27 of King of Wrath by Ana Huang (my FAVORITE book of all time) from the Kings of Sin Series and the song Partition by Beyonce (an absolute GEM of a song). 

Disclaimer: About 90% of the sex scenes are directly from said chapter, so credits and the idea itself all go to Ana Huang and her team. The blowjob and first sex scene was from Ana Huang’s book and the last scene was a slightly altered version from me. This is basically an altered version of Ana Huang’s book idea turned into a version for Coriolanus and Y/N if they were in an arranged marriage. 

I do not own Coriolanus Snow or Y/N Y/L/N (cuz it’s you, boo). All credits go to Suzanne Collins and her team. Song credits also go to Beyonce and her team. 

I do not allow my works to be republished or translated under any circumstances. Any instances of this happening and YOU WILL BE BLOCKEDDD. 

Also, ageless and empty blogs will be BLOCKED as this is a 18+ fic. Report my fics and you’re blocked cuz if u don’t like it, LEAVEEEE.

Y/D/N = Your Dad’s Name (so sorry to anyone with daddy issues cuz me too)

The marriage of Y/N Y/L/N and Coriolanus Snow was not one born out of love. Their fathers, Y/D/N Y/L/N and Crassus Snow planned for their union before fighting in the war to strengthen and unite the families in a pursuit for higher power. Both Y/N and Coriolanus grew up around similar environments, both being in the same friend group, meeting each other in birthday parties, visiting each other’s penthouses for playdates and as of late, running into each other in the Academy as they receive their degrees during graduation.

Now that both Y/N and Coriolanus are of marriage age, their fathers immediately drew up the arranged marriage with a contract, binding the two young adults for life, their families growing stronger as a result of their agreement. Coriolanus and Y/N have never disliked nor liked each other as they each had their own squad of people to hang out with, Y/N always being around Arachne Crane and Clemensia Dovecote while Coriolanus was closer with Felix Ravinstill and Festus Creed, to each their own being disgusted with the opposite sex in fear of cooties as that was common with young children, which was not a surprise in the way the two supposed love birds navigate their marriage in a meaningless way behind closed doors when it was the absolute opposite in public.

Y/N Y/L/N never felt that Coriolanus’s indifference was a severe one until he started to bring home mistresses not long after they’ve moved in during the late wave of his candidacy. He started to fuck his way through his female staff as Y/N was tortured with hearing the sound of his groans and the moaning of the women he summoned as a means to relieve his stress. Y/N was heartbroken as she felt that they had this mutual understanding that they would always be loyal to one another even through the circumstances of their relationship, Coriolanus clearly did not feel the same.

The couple usually kept their interactions minimal in their household as they live in seperate bedrooms, only to come down to eat dinner, choosing to have the rest of their meals seperate during the day. As Coriolanus’s relationship with these women grew to be more common, Y/N did not have the appetite to cater to Coriolanus’s ego further as she skipped her meals with him, instructing the staff to send her meals to her room instead as she laid on her large queen bed, heart breaking and face puffy with tears streaking down her face over his infidelity. Even though she did not exactly feel for him, she at least cared enough about him as a trusted partner throughout their arrangement. 

The atmosphere between the two grew more and more tense each day as Y/N sobbed behind closed doors, trying her best to muffle her cries as Coriolanus worked next door. Coriolanus, oblivious to his wife’s muffled crying, doesn’t notice her strange behavior until that night where Y/N left her bedroom door ajar and Coriolanus was finally able to see how hurt Y/N had been over his infidelity. Coriolanus was shocked to see for himself how miserable his wife had been over his actions, him originally choosing to bring in mistresses to encourage her to confront him. He moved away, however, ensure of what to do next as he left her alone.

The next day, one of Y/N’s female staff, particularly one of Coriolanus’s women, had informed Y/N of an event she needed to attend that day, former president’s son Felix Ravinstill’s dinner. With her puffy face, she nodded as she started to get ready. Y/N felt dejected as she got ready, feeling as if she was going through the motions as several maids filed in to help her with her makeup and dress. Y/N wore a sullen frown on her face as she stared into the distance of her reflection in the vanity, wondering how and why she agreed to this marriage in the first place. “I will get out of this place once and for all…” she thought as she started to navigate a plan to be free of the ruse of a marriage. 

Coriolanus waited for Y/N outside of their mansion as Y/N appeared, her eyes still puffy although covered with the power of makeup. He extended his arm as she took it with caution, both of them stepping in the limo silently. Once they got in, Y/N stared off to the window of the limo as they drove away from the mansion. Coriolanus, apprehensive over his wife’s indifference, suddenly speaks “You know, you could smile a little?” he said with a timid one of his own. Y/N’s mood suddenly darkened as she responded in an even more dejected and hoarse voice “How could I? Please, dear husband, demonstrate how I could smile when my only other partner in this joke of a marriage brings home other women and fucks them for me to hear.” 

Coriolanus, taken aback by how dejected his wife’s voice was, responded, “Well I’m sorry if you feel offended by my lack of attention towards you as of late. We were never exclusive in the first place, our fathers planned this for us.” Y/N looked incredulously at her husband, “Exclusive?! What part of an arranged marriage and a contract doesn’t speak not exclusive?! Are you joking right now, Coriolanus? Because if you are, no ones laughing.” Y/N sighed, “I though you were smarter than this, Snow. I truly never imagined that my presence dissatisfies you so much that you had to turn to other women to satify your needs.” Y/N said as her eyes started to tear up again. She felt so exasperated, “There’s no point in crying now.. He clearly doesn’t care about me.” She thought as Coriolanus examines her face.

Coriolanus felt horrible that his wife felt like this towards him. He truly did not mean to go this far, only planning to give her a little push. He turned towards his wife, and suddenly grabbed both of her hands in his own, stroking them in a delicate way, as someone would with a precious porcelain doll. “I’ve never hated you, wife. I merely wanted to give you a push in this arrangement since we both did not agree to this. I wanted to encourage you to be closer to me, but how could I when you seem so distant all the time?” Coriolanus sighed before continuing, “I’ve loved you ever since I met you, but I’ve never been.. brave enough to confess that to you.” 

Y/N was left astonished as she looked at Coriolanus, “Perhaps.. I’ve also fallen for you during our arrangement, yet I’ve been in denial of my own feelings for a while. I’ve always thought you were quiet handsome, husband.” Y/N said with a small smile of her own. Coriolanus looked at her, surprised by her confession, before Y/N suddenly pressed her lips to his in a rough, desperate kiss that had both of them clinging to each other for dear life. Coriolanus’s hands were soon entangled in her hair as Y/N clutched her hands on his blazer. Their mouths fought desperately against each other, teeth clashing and theirs tongues molding together like a perfect puzzle. 

Their heavy makeout session resumed as the limo came to a stop. Traffic in the Capitol was not uncommon, but at this pace, they might as well reach Felix Ravinstill’s mansion at a time where cows are able to fly. The couple broke off after a while, Coriolanus staring down at Y/N’s V-cut dress as she straddled him and kissed his jaw before rising to give him a deep kiss. As they broke off from their kiss, Y/N’s hand trailed down Coriolanus’s stomach as she made her way towards his groin.

Coriolanus groaned as Y/N’s hand lightly touched his aching erection. Y/N continued to kiss his neck as she freed his erection from his pants. His cock was huge and hard, dripping with pre-cum and begging to be touched. Y/N slid off of her seat down to her knees, where she started to lick around the head of his cock while gripping the base with both her hands, working towards kneading his huge, hard balls. 

As she gripped the base of his cock, she slid his dick down her throat until her mouth hit the point where her eyes watered. Her eyes started to tear up as Coriolanus stroked her head, encouraging her to go on. Even with her mouth engulfing his cock with desperate need, there was still a good two to three inches between her mouth and the base of his cock.

Coriolanus’s groans began to sound louder as Y/N tasted the salty sweetness of his pre-cum as she adjusted to a slow and steady pace. In and out. Slowly becoming faster, harder as she sucked and bobbed her head up and down his enormous length. 

Coriolanus’s hand gripped her hair as the limo went over a bump in the road, forcing his cock to go deeper down her throat. Y/N spluttered as her chokes and gurgles filled the car’s sex driven atmosphere as her noises fluttered with his groans perfectly, creating a sex induced symphony. 

“Fuck, Y/N.” Coriolanus groaned as Y/N looked up, her eyes blurry with tears from taking him so deep, “That feels so good.” Pride rushed through Y/N as she looked up to see Coriolanus’s face etched with pleasure.

As she looked up towards him, his eyes were closed as his head tipped back with pleasure, the column of his throat exposing one of the most sexy Adam’s apple she’s ever seen. His chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, his breathing shuddering as Y/N’s head bobbed up and down his dick faster. His hands buried in her hair as her tongue swept the underside of his cock.

She increased her pace, and just as she thought he was about to come, Coriolanus pulled her hair back and lifted her onto his lap as he crushed his mouth onto hers, their tongues clashing together in a never ending battle of sexual tension broken in a dam of hot, heavy sex. 

As their mouths dominated against each other, his arousal met hers as she ground against it, desperate for more. Harsh groans echoed from the both of them, each groan vibrating down each other’s spine in a sex-induced fuel. “You’re going to be the death of me,” Coriolanus heaved as his mouth trailed a line of passionate kisses down Y/N’s neck.

He clenched his teeth on the strap of her dress and he gently pulled it down, exposing her chest as he then raised her hips so he could push her underwear to the side. Y/N didn’t have time to catch her breath as Coriolanus was inside her, filling her to the brim with only one thrust.

Y/N only had a few seconds to adjust before Coriolanus gripped her hips and slammed her down again on his cock, hard, as he drove into her like a beast in heat, slamming in and out of her, up and down. Again and again, faster and harder, until her toes curled, her knuckles white from how hard she was holding him to stay steady as the pressure built inside her and neared its breaking point.

She clung to him, her head thrown back in ecstasy as she trembled while trying to match his rhythm. Y/N bounced up and down, grinding her clit against him on every stroke.

“Just like that,” Coriolanus growled harshly as his teeth grazed across Y/N’s nipple, his breath making her shudder as it created goosebumps on her skin. “Bounce on that dick like the good girl I know you are.”

A loud moan emerged from Y/N’s throat as Coriolanus’s mouth closed on her pebbled nipple and sucked. A huge slick of wetness gushed around them as their arousal dripped everywhere, around her thighs, his leg, and onto the seat of the limo.

“You’re making such a big mess, darling.” Coriolanus groaned while looking at his wife with a lovestruck smile, tugging at her nipple with his teeth after. “Should I make you clean it up, hmm? Have you lick your own cum off the seat like a desperate little whore while I fuck you from behind?”

The fucking happening between them could only be described as rough and depraved, the two exploring each other ravenously as the tension between them exploded into a passionate cocoon of chambered sex in the limo.

His words triggered something inside her as Y/N felt her orgasm hit her a second later with a fiery velocity, making her back arch the highest it could go and her mouth to fall open with a silent scream.

Y/N was trembling from her previous orgasm as she heard her husband let out a chuckle, the sound vibrating throughout her skin as he laid little kisses across her shoulder. “Here I thought you were so prim and proper when I first met you.”

She felt too euphoric to care as his words didn’t really register in her mind when he suddenly moved her into a different position. One second, she was on his lap, and the next, she was facing the seat as he put her on all fours and tugged her hair into a makeshift ponytail and pulled her hair so that her back collided with his chest.

They shared a passionate, fiery kiss as he started thrusting into her with slow movements, pulling away until almost all of him was out before thrusting every inch of his cock into her tight, wet pussy. As she was enjoying the pleasure he was giving him, he suddenly said with a hoarse voice, “Clean up your mess, Y/N.”

She wanted to say no, she truly did but something about that moment made her want to please her husband as she started licking the seat clean while he watched her with a heated glance. “Good girl, Y/N. Such a good girl.” He groaned as she finished licking before he started fucking her again, this time more rough, hard and simply brutal as he pushed his cock in and out of her extremely wet pussy.

The only sound heard around the vehicle was the loud sound of skin slapping as the smell of sweat and sex mixed together beautifully along with her moans and his ravenous groans. As she got closer and closer to her second orgasm, he reached around and pinched her clit as he muttered, “You wanna cum, darling? Show me what a good girl you are and cum hard for me.” 

Her moans were the loudest it’s ever been since he said that as her second orgasm hit her like a tidal wave as he loudly groaned while coming inside her sweet pussy.

Both Y/N and Coriolanus calmed down as they catched her breath, their faces close together as Coriolanus turned her back towards the seat and kissed her with all his might as they revelled in their love for each other. 

“I love you.”, Y/N said as she gazed up at her husband with a dazed but content expression. Coriolanus looked down at her while heaving a huge sigh, “I love you too, sweetheart. So much, I hope you know that.” He said as he closed the gap between them as the limo arrived near the Ravinstill residence. 

[shadowtraveled]

would love to know your thoughts on rinsha dunmeshi. or on rin and kabru :-)

OH!! i love rin honestly lightning damage and unaffiliated spellcasters will get me every time.

i would have loved to see more of her, but i do really enjoy kui's style of storytelling where she gives us the information about a character that will tell us exactly what she wants us to know. it reminds me of the way someone described suzanne collins' writing as surgically precise—she has more information about characters and the world, but she included what would get her story across most effectively. kui gives off a similar impression, and i think rin is a good example of that.

sorry readmore because that was getting long already.

rin's backstory is really interesting to me because it helps us to extrapolate so much more about the world and the other characters in it.

for what it's worth, i don't think it's terribly likely that her parents were practicing ancient magic. they were immigrants of a visibly different ethnicity, though, and they were magic users, which othered them doubly in the northern continent, and that otherness cost them their lives. this is sort of a running theme in dungeon meshi overall ofc, but i think a lot of discussion surrounding dungeon meshi discrimination focuses on the elves. which is fair, since they seem to be the most significant world power and they're weird race elitists as elves in fantasy frequently are, but the story does not want us to forget that discrimination is complex and so is otherness. tallmen may not be respected by long-lived races, but in communities where they do have power, they're still perfectly capable of leveraging it against others. they seem to have a particular bias against magic, but really anything people deem weird or creepy is enough to land you in trouble: laios faced constant rejection and, in some cases, severe harassment just for being autistic; kabru's eye color was enough to push his mother to the fringes of society and get her accused of witchcraft, suggesting that "weird or creepy" is regularly conflated with "magic" in tallman societies; and falin's affinity for magic led to her isolation and ostracism as her mother frantically tried to suppress it. rin's parents, meanwhile, were outright executed. the nature of these reactions to anything unfamiliar or non-standard are definitely meant to convey something about tallman societies in the world, but i think rin and kabru's situations specifically lend some explanation as to why falin is so forgiving of her parents. they didn't really know what to do with her, and some of the things they did to her were harmful, but she seems to see them as trying their best to protect her, perhaps because she knows the emergence of her magic could have put her in immediate physical danger but didn't.

with that being said, i'm surprised rin doesn't have more of an aversion to tallmen, but maybe kabru made enough of an impression on her that she developed some hope for them.

her dislike of elves, meanwhile, is entirely understandable—her interactions with them seem to be framed as emblematic of how they treat short-lived races in a way we don't really see with the others. milsiril objectifies short-lived races but does seem to... kind of care, otta fetishizes them but seems to... kind of care, mithrun's squad only get to be patronizing for a bit before it becomes apparent they bit off way more than they could chew, and mithrun isn't invested in these designations anymore. but the elves that found rin treated her like evidence, then like a toy, and then they got bored and ignored her, and then she was evidence again, and then she got adopted out to elves who kept her like they would a pet. miserable fucking experience, and a very thorough and efficient way of expressing just how little the elves are socialized to consider the humanity of the other races.

as for her relationship with kabru... i'm glad they had each other around. it's impossible to be surprised that she latched onto him in her circumstances, and i think it's sweet that she was the one he stuck with (despite the implication that milsiril was raising other children alongside him that he ostensibly would have spent more time with).

i also love how apparent their closeness is! rin gravitates to kabru, and if i'm remembering right, most of the time she speaks it's to him. that immediately established to me that she is uniquely comfortable with him, and interestingly it goes both ways! it's less apparent with kabru, because he's a lot more social than she is, but vitally, he lets the mask slip with her. she's the only character he goes out of his way to tease, and sometimes he takes it a little bit into "alright that was kind of mean" territory, which sucks of him but is kind of the point. kabru's interactions with rin are the earliest ones where we see him fuck up or be a little bit of an asshole, and that's almost certainly because she is a person he feels comfortable enough with to not try to game every conversation. kabru being a little bit of a bitch is the first time we see him not trying to be charismatic. and she gives it RIGHT BACK lmfao it really conveys the feeling that these two are kind of "safe people" for each other, even if they're bantering a little meanly. very charming, top-tier childhood friend dynamic, no notes.

editing to add:

^ YEAH THIS IS IT thank you @gerrykeay i think this really captures the spirit of her revulsion with regard to things like magic school (and its graduates), etc... she seems to think of magic school as this sort of lofty opportunity only people with a certain level of social standing are able to access (which seems to hold a level of truth) and reject it on the basis that something like that is fundamentally incompatible with who she is as a person, and that's probably the same reason she remains unaffiliated despite knowing practicing magic without organization ties is potentially dangerous for her. these systems rejected and failed her family and her, so she rejects them in kind.... god i'm so obsessed with the way practically every character has a main character backstory and motivations this really is like a ttrpg lol

[cloud-makers-make-pollution]

I mean I realise that I probably should’ve done an intro ages ago seeing as I’ve been active for months but hey Ho hERE WE GO

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

hi!

so

I’m a minor

I’m queer

I’m pro Palestinian

and if you’ve got a problem with that, with all due respect, fuck off.

I HAVE AN INSTA NOW LOOK

I aim to type in all lowercase or some weird combination of lower and upper case but I rarely use capital letters at the start of words, I don’t know why, it just seems aesthetically pleasing.

uhm

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

✨ interests✨

Musicals, especially Les Mis and Moulin Rouge, Hamilton and Six are awesome too

music? I suppose? it depends what’s happening with it

bothering the fuck out of my friends

being as gay as I possibly can

simping over people cause I can and cause they’re sO ATTRACTIVE LIKE WHAT WHO ALLOWED THEM TO BE LIKE THIS

les mis

enjolras, specifically.

more specifically, modern au enjoltaire fanfiction it’s beautiful and the epitome of perfection

marauders

cats. I love cats.

did I mention les mis

languages? I’m learning French and german in school, and according to my teachers I’m good at it, which I’m not so sure about, and I learn Swedish on duolingo

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

✨music✨

I mean my music taste moves around a lot but some of it is Madilyn Mei, EPIC the musical, musicals in general, Chappell Roan is cool, Leanna Firestone, but other than that it jumps around a bit

I do play instruments but I’m not too good at them I’ve managed to get to grade 7 on one of them and I think I died during the preparation for the exam and now I’m being slowly dragged up from hell it’s not fun

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

✨bOOKS✨

I love reading, and I used to read loads but something happened and I don’t read too much anymore which is quite sad but some of my favourite books/series are:

AGGGTM - Holly Jackson

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

Harry Potter - that one blonde bitch who abuses her power constantly

Powerless - Lauren Roberts

Gwen and Art are not in love - Lex Croucher

Heartstopper - Alice Oseman

The Grishaverse books - Leigh Bardugo

(Alina should’ve married Nikolai you can’t change my mind)

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

there more but I can’t remember, which probably isn’t great, and there were some gay books that I read for the gay but I can’t remember their titles or authors which is awesome but they were great

I mean just generally, I tend to be very opinionated and can go on about something for ages, maybe because I have a lot to say, or maybe because it takes me way too long to get to the point

If you’re a pedophile or a groomer or any of those other horrible things or discriminatory in any way whatsoever please stay away from me thank you kindly

I think that’s it I’m not sure

oh I really like making friends but I suck at doing it because according to my friend I have the “crippling inability to have a conversation” and I also have zero social skills and tend to not like people but making friends is great

most of my posts are either a lot of reblogs, having conversations with my mutuals, or les mis stuff that I thought was funny in the moment.

people who should be mentioned cause they’re great:

@noahher this is Noah Noah is great we have many conversations and he gave me a pet ferret that I have forgotten the name of I should go find that

(edit) i fOUND IT HIS NAME IS FREDDIE

@k-is-for-potassium I just met them but damn they’re awesome

@forever-bi-panic also just met but they’re so cool and really nice and goes hand in hand with @nu-get who’s also exceedingly awesome

@im-a-skeleton-in-your-closet is up here too, they’re great and they send asks that make me happy :D

@bleep-bloop-boo FELLOW MADILYN MEI ENTHUSIAST IS COMPLETELY AWESOME

@feernflower I tag them in every tag thing I get even though I’ve never interacted with them properly (I’m sorry you seem so cool) and they’re a marauders fan who posts cool stuff go look at it

@nothing-but-glitter-and-lashes HELLO this is my sister she’s great and her blog is cool (I’m in your walls)

@ladymoonstardust aux armies!!! vive les gays!!! the revolution must begin!!!!! exceedingly cool les mis person, and with whom one hath a number of enlightening conversation, more often than not to do with the wonderful beings in that one musical about the land of croissant

@sing-me-sweetly-to-my-doom 🫵🫢🫵😮🫢😮

tis my best friend irl <3

@genderfluid-goblin HELLO :D

thanks for being here!

and as always, free Palestine

<3

[cherries-in-wine]

A good dystopian novel is one that makes you reflect on your own society and I think Suzanne Collins understood that very well. Everyone has become so desensitized to war, every "free palestine" comment I see on Instagram has a "womp womp" or "just stfu no one cares" reply to it. It's so disgusting and uncomfortable to see celebrities at a charity event (the met Gala) dressed like people from the Capitol when there's currently a genocide going on. Books like the hunger games and 1984 feel almost like a prophecy now, everyone is so indifferent to what's going on around them, so many countries are funding a fucking genocide, people trying to spread awareness getting shut down by a "it not affecting me why would I care" ass attitude.

[alltheworldsinmyhead]

rubicon

''Crossing the Rubicon"; passing a point of no return./ Inej, Kaz and the Hunger Games (read on ao3 - full trigger warnings in the tags)

*

“You don’t forget the face of the person who was your last hope.” - "The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins

One summer week when Inej was thirteen, she spent every single day in front of a television set. She kept her eyes glued to the screen and her back straight as her mother braided and re-braided her hair, desperate to do something with her hands. And it was Games as usual, but yet it wasn’t - that time, Twelve watched, in astonishment, in terror, and with a hesitant hope, as Kaz Rietveld cut through other kids on the arena with ruthless efficiency. 

His family had used to live in the Seam, one block away from Inej’s.They had been children together; playing in the mud when it had rained, jumping into puddles to splash the water around. He had sat behind her in school, when he had been still attending it, and he had tugged on her braid from time to time, just to annoy her. They had gone to the school dance together - she remembers the ribbons in her hair, his hand in hers. The clapping, the stomping. 

He had eaten a few dinners at her parents’ house, when his Pa had died. Had cried against her arm, in secret and shame, and she never told anyone about it. 

And then, right in front of her eyes, that sweet boy became something else entirely. 

He didn’t linger with his kills, wasn’t overly cruel. But it was still a spectacle, in a way. All the close-ups on his face, pale and twisted with hate, strands of hair sticking to his sweaty forehead from exertion. His hands, dripping with gore. 

Her mama flinched every time the commentator exclaimed ‘’Here he is again, our favorite underdog! Let’s see who he has chosen as his target this time.” 

He’s just a kid, she murmured under her breath, barely a whisper. They are all just kids. 

Nobody quite expected him to win. Their District had only ever had two Victors before, and they both died fairly quickly after their Games - one had succumbed to his wounds and hadn’t even made it to the interview, and the other one had drunk himself to death. Kaz didn’t even have a proper district Mentor, just a Capitol lackey, a nepo baby from the University. When it was down to the final ten and the Gamemakers flooded the arena, her parents exclaimed in terror and Inej resigned herself to waiting for his face to be displayed as one of the fallen ones. The kids from Twelve didn’t know the first thing about swimming. 

His face was not displayed. 

For two full days and two full nights, the cameras kept on coming back and back and back again to Kaz, crammed into a narrow gap, a crevice in-between two ruined blocks of stone. He was stuck there with the corpse of the boy from Eight who got killed instantly when the water poured in - a blow to the head, out in seconds. It took Kaz a while to figure out how to wriggle himself free and every single miner in his district watched his attempts with their hearts in their throats. They all chipped in for the gift to him, but it turned out to be money wasted  - by the time Kaz slipped out, there were only three tributes left and he killed them all in less than a day. Choked the life out of them with his bare hands. Plucked an eye from Two’s socket as if it was a boiled egg. 

Her papa covered Inej’s own eyes when it was broadcasted live, but she saw it many times ever since anyway. The Capitol loved this moment; they played it over and over again, some whistling tune in the background, till it stopped looking real and started looking silly. 

The second-to-last tribute standing pushed him off the stone ledge with his dying breath, and Kaz came back home with a fucked-up leg and a reputation that made people give him a wide berth on the streets. He wore black leather gloves for his post-Games interview and for his Victory Tour and soon enough hardly anyone on the television called Kaz anything other than Dirtyhands. 

He was there, gloves on, face solemn, standing on this damned podium when Heleen Van Hounden read Inej’s name. 

And he is there, with her, every moment since. 

(continue reading on ao3 )

[vimesbootstheory]

Books of 2024

I've got a couple of days left in '24 but neither of the books I'm set to finish by the end of Tuesday are going to be either top 10 or bottom 10 material so I'm going to make this post now.

I read 185 books this year (maybe a couple more by Tuesday's end). I thought I'd list my top 10 favourites and my bottom 10 most disappointing. Not bottom 10 least favourite/worst, because I read a fair number of books this year that I knew would be bad, gag picks, things like that.

(ALTHOUGH shout out to Inferno by Dan Brown by being the actual worst book I read this year, I knew it would be bad because it's fucking Dan Brown and even with those basement-level expectations it still managed to piss me the fuck off. Fuck that book, seriously.)

Also, re-reads were not allowed on this list. I re-read Guards! Guards! and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest this year and they were both still as incredible as the first time I read them, but they don't get consideration here.

Top 10 Favourite Reads

10 - The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley -- I know what she did. Fucking compelling as hell book, though.

9 - Circe by Madeline Miller -- Beautifully written. Shame about the legacy of endless Greek myth retellings, but it doesn't take away from this.

8 - Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata -- Just finished this yesterday, loved it! Keiko's perspective on the world and people's expectations is too real.

7 - Imposter Syndrome by Kathy Wang -- So fun. Stylish yet grounded, honestly the closest I got this year to un-put-down-able.

6 - The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector -- You don't HAVE to be a writer to want to cradle and nurture this book, but I think it helps.

5 - Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah -- My favourite of the short story collections I read this year. Every single story grabs you by the throat.

4 - NOS4A2 by Joe Hill -- I'm sure he's tired of the comparison, but I feel like this is everything I want a Stephen King book to be, but isn't. It's Stephen King, but with a good editor and compelling ladies!

3 - Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card -- It is so annoying to me how good this is. Fuck OSC, but fuck him even more for this being so good.

2 - Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky -- Apparently I love books about exploring mysterious zones with vague worldbuilding?? Because...

1 - Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer -- ... this trend nabbed the top 2 spots for me this year. GIVE ME ALL THE MYSTERIOUS ZONES.

Top 10 Most Disappointing Reads

10 - Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins -- What the hell happened here? This was a mess. The plot was awkwardly paced, the games felt gimmicky, just... bad.

9 - My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman -- Relentlessly twee. Miss me with all these HP references, too.

8 - The Vegetarian by Han Kang -- Very ???, but not in a fun way. Everyone's acting like it's their first day being a human.

7 - Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris -- Reads like something you'd pick up off a shelf in a grocery store or dollar store at random. Very amateurish prose.

6 - Demon Theory by Stephen Graham Jones -- This was heartbreaking because I've been pumped for years to get into SGJ, but this? Nah. The movie-pitch-as-novel schtick did not work for me at all, and after the first "movie" I quickly got lost.

5 - The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers -- Its only saving grace was being an easy read. Which alien do I have to fuck around here for some conflict and a gd plot? I guess "cozy scifi" is not for me.

4 - Peace by Gene Wolfe -- I was ready for this to be over about halfway through. What on earth. I also read Ziggurat this year, though, and that was good.

3 - The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon -- My second chance for Chabon, and unfortunately I think he's just not for me.

2 - On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony -- The onslaught of misogyny, holy shit. Just read Pratchett's Mort, it's all of this, but done way, way better.

1 - Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore -- This was so fucking obnoxious. Please love yourself and don't read this. Don't be like me and finish everything you start. Why do I do this.

[bonesandthebees]

after barely reading (published) books for the past few years, I finally got back into reading around the end of 2023. I ended up reading 6 books total in the year, which isn't a lot but in total fairness I'd only read two books into november. then I read the other 4 all between november and december.

anyway in case you're curious what I read in 2023 was

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy (listened to it as an audiobook when I was driving from New Jersey to Florida, I think McCurdy is an incredible writer and her authorial voice was so unique especially with the way she adjusted the writing style based off her age in the time period being talked about. incredibly raw and painful to listen to)

Game of Thrones by George RR Martin (worked through it so slowly from february all the way to november, I tried watching the first episode of the show while I was reading it and I got so pissed off at how much the show changed and flattened out characters, especially the women)

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan (amazing, showstopping, absolutely love the exploration of gender and sexuality in it along with the constant push and pull between morality and ideas of destiny and grandeur. It's set in China during the time when the Mongols ruled and that's a time period I didn't know much about before reading so it was incredibly interesting to learn about, and I cannot wait to read the sequel)

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (definitely still think Gone Girl was better, but I adore Flynn's writing and how she explores incredibly fucked up women and their relationships)

The Poppy War by RF Kuang (wasn't my favorite, I've heard amazing things about RF Kuang as an author and I really like her writing style, but I know this was her first novel and it definitely feels like a new author kind of book. Loved the worldbuilding and thought it was super fascinating and appreciated the grim and brutal depiction of the realities of war. didn't grip me as much as I wanted it to. very excited to eventually read Babel though)

and then

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (one of my new favorite books ever. literally could talk about it for ages. amazing worldbuilding and a plot that takes you all over this incredibly detailed world, a fantastic cast of characters who are all so nuanced, a very deftly woven plot, gorgeous writing style, lovely wlw romance, just such a great epic high fantasy novel) (it's over 800 pages but didn't feel that long at all it's so easy to get into)

my goal for 2024 is to read at least 20 books which might not seem like much to some people but considering reading 5 books in 2023 was more than I've read in the past 3 years combined I think it's a pretty fair goal. probably will ramble about my to read list here soon, I've already started reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes which I'm really enjoying so far. as always I love Suzanne Collins' writing style :)

[demigodsanswer]

25

common fandom complaint that you're sick of hearing

In general, I'm tired of calls for or complaints about the lack of psychological realism, particularly in terms of Percy and Annabeth post-Tartarus. Maybe it's because I'm simply Old now, but I just really feel like this middle grade series is not the place for accurate depictions of complex PTSD. If Percy and Annabeth are going to be relatively well-adjusted by Chalice of the Gods, a mere few weeks after Blood of Olympus, then good for them. (Do I think the timeline of all of these books is fucking nonsense at this point? Yeah, but that's different.)

In general, I don't think these books are interested in the traumas of war and questing. I think what makes the first five books really special and one of the all time best series is their emotional complexity and psychological realism around the family. They really focus on how the mortal family can do a lot of psychological and physical damage to a child, and how feelings of abandonment can manifest and impact a child. It also really focuses on developing friendships as young people (something I think the show was tragically lacking). I think that's really valuable because that's something the middle schoolers reading it can actually relate to. Most likely, the kids reading Percy Jackson aren't fighting wars or going on quests. But they are having big feelings about their friends and family. Even those first five books aren't overly concerned with the trauma of war. Clarisse's best friend dies in her arms, and the next day she's tossing Annabeth and Percy into a lake.

And you might be thinking "Oh but The Hunger Games does it." And I would agree. But THG is doing very different work. It's all about the impact of war and violence on society, on the individual, and on the environment. Rick's books are doing very different work. Suzanne Collins has an actual political point to make, and that's why she continues to write books in this universe. Rick wrote the first five books as a bedtime story to bring comfort to his son, to kids like his son, and his students. He's continued to write in this universe because he will stop beating this dead horse when it stops spitting out money (Can't wait to buy the next book though. I'm 100% going to. I will keep giving this man my money.)

[please-help-this-little-lesbian]

So I want to talk about The Bane/Pearlpelt, because his story is not going the direction I expected at all, and I have a lot of thoughts on it.

So when Gregor didn't kill Pearlpelt in book 2 I was like great good for him. I figured The Bane would grow up and we would see that Gregor and Nerissa were right, and The Bane would grow up to be a normal rat and everyone was freaking out for nothing. But this was not the case at all. But Suzanne Collins has taken this plotline in an entirely different direction. Instead, The Bane has grown up to be a violent, power-hungry, naive menace to society. I honestly didn't expect this at all given the anti-war themes of the books, but I do think it's interesting. Now, I'm only on chapter 4 of The Marks of Secret, so I don't know how this story ends yet. But I would like to share my thoughts on why I feel the Bane turned out like this. I think Ripred deliberately neglected The Bane, and now he's suffering the consequences for it.

When we first meet Pearlpelt, he's a sullen, angsty teenager. Gregor describes him as "an oversized, bullied child” (Collins, 24). This is pretty typical of any teenager. Pearlpelt also holds a particular hatred for Ripred, who has, despite his failings, been his primary caretaker. Also normal for your average caretaker. However, The Bane says of Ripred that he “‘hates me!’” (24). He says he humiliates him and treats him like a prisoner. Ripred argues that he has not abused the Bane, and reveals to Gregor that Pearlpelt has gotten in dangerous fights with other rats, (accidentally) killed his friend, and then proceeded to cannibalize his body to destroy the evidence (25). Pearlpelt has also fallen under the influence of other rats, who are trying to groom him into becoming king of the rats, and presumably overthrowing the humans (21-25). Ripred claims that he "got him too late” (28), and that the only option is to kill him so he doesn't become an even bigger threat. But I disagree. Ripred was not too late for Pearlpelt, he simply didn't bother to take proper care of him, and now he's trying to cover up his mistake.

One of the first things Gregor notes of Ripred's attitude toward The Bane is that he is being particularly cruel to him. He even asks Ripred to “lay off him” (24). Ripred does indeed humiliate him, making fun of his name (20), insult him (22), goad him (23), dismiss his feelings (24), and I would argue even emasculates him saying “‘King indeed! Do you really think anyone will take orders from someone who sucks on his tail?’” (26). He treats Pearlpelt like crap, and that’s when he’s around him. The Bane also reveals that he was mainly raised by a rat named Razor, which Ripred dismisses saying he spared his life, kept him fed, and protected him from the plague (24). This is a very common tactic of abusers, attempting to guilt their victims by bringing up all the positive things they’ve done for them.

Look, I love Ripred. He’s my morally gray dilf king, and I understand that being an asshole is just part of his personality. But he is genuinely abusing Pearlpelt right now, and it’s not okay. And, more importantly, his behavior is directly responsible for The Bane’s behavior. And that’s not even counting all the shit that happened before Ripred.

Ripred tells Gregor that Pearlpelt’s father killed his siblings so he wouldn’t have to compete for food, abused him and his mother, AND Pearlpelt witnessed his parents kill each other (28-29). That would fuck anybody up. We know Ripred has a soft side and he's capable of showing it. We also know he knows when it is and isn't okay to push people. Yet he doesn't apply this to The Bane. I understand that he got dropped on him out of nowhere, but he could have at least tried.

Again, I'm only on chapter 4. For all I know Suzzane may have Ripred take responsibility (nobody tell me). But right now, this is my assessment of the situation, and I'm really disappointed in Ripred.

[the-thoughtdaughter]

suzanne collins probably started tweaking - eye twitching, internal screaming, pulling her hair - when she saw the snow edits going around.

like,,,

i love the girlies, but the girlies missed the ENTIRE POINT with the ballad of songbirds and snakes. it was about how easy it is to control the masses with just a little bit of power and charm; it was about the illusion of beauty that hides the hideous intentions underneath and how it can lead to the oppression of an entire country of people. and y'all just... proved her point.

you were so ENCHANTED by some run-of-the-mill blond twink that you were willing to overlook how he INVENTED the hunger games as we know it; how he took an already cruel punishment against innocents and made it exponentially worse, but you know what? it's ok coz he's pretty.

think about that.

there's so much more about snow's character that should make him a subject of criticism and target of hate (his disgusting treatment and manipulation of Sejanus, his inhumane lack of emotion and sympathy towards humans, and his concern for his family name over his actual family members just to name a few), but it's all covered up by cute little edits featuring his witty little quips and his golden locks.

and don't even get me sTARTED on his "romance" with lucy gray. IT WAS NOT A ROMANCE. FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, IT WAS A MEANS OF CONTROL FOR SNOW. no, it didn't go awry when lucy gray figured out what snow had done - it was never "love" to begin with. if you read the book (which provides a more intimate insight into snow's internal monologue compared to the movie) you'd know that snow's idea of love was simply manipulation. he only cared about lucy gray because she was his medium of control - the moment she stopped serving her purpose to him, he did not hesitate to end her.

like... girlies please, STAND UP.

idc how pretty you find him, that is president coriolanus snow. the man who is responsible for over sixty years of bloodshed of children. over 1400 children died in the hunger games.

think about that.

i don't know about you, but it's the same people who can overlook that kind of information because they're so far removed from the actual suffering who can also overlook atrocities such as the current crimes being committed against Palestinians. before you try to blabber some bullshit about "obviously i know one is fiction and one is reality", let me remind you, our brains don't actually differentiate between the two. you are essentially desensitising yourself to human suffering and training it into idolising genocidal figures simply because you find them visually appealing.

FICTION INFORMS REALITY. THE MEDIA YOU CONSUME SHAPES YOUR PERCEPTION OF THE WORLD.

think about that.

ms suzanne wanted to put the pen down so bad but she saw the rabid behaviour of snow fans and had to pick the pen the fuck back up.

start thinking critically. stand up. free palestine.