#can't wait for people's reactions to tomorrow's posts

[3-heartstyle]

Corabat himself!

Full body design of the suit. Referencing the Arkham games. (Gotta tag @corafest since it's still a prompt for the event)

But don't worry everyone! He's still the same silly guy we love :D

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Cater Diamond - Room Relaxation Vignette

"Happy Birthday"

[Courtyard]

Cater: Whew～ Today's Alchemy class was a real brain wiggler. What class do I got next… Hm?

Cater: Hey… Is that you Leona-kun? Woah, that's a surprise, are you just getting out of class too?

Leona: Shut your trap already… It's got nothing to do with you, Cater.

Cater: No, no, I just wanted to give you the drop on a bit of info. Do you know what tomorrow is?

Cater: You see, it's YA BOI CAY-KUN'S BIRTHDAY ♪

Leona: Oh. Good for you.

Cater: NO REACTION!? I mean, I guess I knew that was coming～

Cater: Shoulda known it wouldn't be easy to get a warm birthday greeting from ol' Leona-kun.

Leona: What nonsense are you spouting? I just did.

Cater: What, you mean when you said "good for you"? C'mon, you just threw that out there 'cause you had to～

Cater: If you're gonna say something, you gotta put more heart into it, not just toss me a few words here and there ♪

Leona: Your birthday's tomorrow, ain't it? I couldn't possibly be rude and wish you a happy birthday the day before all your fellow housemates have a chance to…

Leona: So, bye.

[Leona leaves]

Cater: There he goes again, spouting off whatever… Well, guess I should just consider myself lucky that we got to hold a convo and he didn't just ignore me.

Cater: Alrighty, then. Looks like my next class is Animal Linguistics. I got a feeling I'm gonna get called on today, so I should prep for it.

[Heartslabyul Dorm – Hallway]

Cater: Woah, it's that delicious!? I wanna go right away… Oh, but I don't think I'll be able to until after next month.

Cater: Yeaaah, I did terrible on the last Magical History exam～ …Saaame, I wish those tests weren't basically one bit puzzle.

Cater: And also… Oh, we're already back to our rooms. Okay, night～

[Heartslabyul Dorm – Cater's Room]

Cater: …Whew, finally I'm back.

Cater: I wasn't able to check Magicam while I was in the shower, so I should do that now.

Cater: Oh, looks like some of my old posts are getting likes too. I'm glad people are still seeing what I posted ages ago.

Cater: There's a few comments, too… Ugh, this question is waaay too long.

Cater: Not to mention, half of what they're saying has nothing to do with their question, they're just gabbing on about themselves. Ugggh… It's gonna be a pain to respond…

Cater: But if I leave it for later, I'll want to reply even less～ Guess I should give 'em a response ASAP then.

[Heartslabyul Dorm – Cater's Room]

Cater: "Except, that eye mask was a limited-time item, so if it's already sold out, sorry." …And, send. Was that all of them?

Cater: Whew～ I finally finished responding to everything. Guess now I can go check out everyone else's posts.

[phone pings]

Cater: Huh, who's post is this on trending right… Hey, it's that one guy! I can't believe they got a cat.

Cater: "Your cat looks so soft and suuuuper cute～! Can't wait for more pictures!"

[phone pings]

Cater: Ooh, I like the picture of this guitar. I wanna try customizing like this, too.

Cater: "I can't believe you did all this yourself! I'd love to see the play-by-play of how you made it next time."

[phone pings]

Cater: What else is there…? Oh, hey, I've heard of this Magicammer before. Looks like their video giving a tour of their room is hot right now.

Cater: Woah, that's hella cute! Both the floor and wallpaper are done up so meticulously. The entire room's been designed to mesh well with everything～!

Cater: The little trinkets they have scattered around their room are also all the rage right now, so they might be a good reference to keep in mind. I'll give them a follow.

Cater: Maaan, I wish I had a cute, pastel room like this. I bet they get tons of likes.

Cater: Oh, yeah. I kinda left it 'cause I didn't really have anything to say, but… Guess I could write a suggestion here.

「Survey on Quality of Life Improvements for the Student Body」

Cater: It's been more or less smooth-sailing ever since I got a single room, so I didn't think I'd really have any complaints…

Cater: But this place is a bit too chic for the kinds of photos I want to post on Magicam. Maybe it's more accurate to say it's cute in an old-fashioned way?

Cater: The colors in the room are more on the darker side, which makes the videos come out too dark…

Cater: And it's a pain always having to lug out my photography equipment each time. I'll just write "I want more attractive walls and floors."

Cater: Honestly, I'd love to be able to do a room tour or a day-in-the-life routine video...

Cater: But I bet there'd be a ton of trouble I could get into when it comes to everyone's privacy if I'm shooting in and around the dorm, so that'd probably be impossible while I'm still attending school.

Cater: Mmkay, then… I'm already ready for bed, so I guess I'll just go to sleep early, ready to tackle the day tomorrow.

[fwumps into bed]

Cater: What time should I set my alarm for…? Oh, there's already a reply on my comment from earlier.

Cater: I should probably respond right away since they were also quick with it, huh… Hmm…

[Heartslabyul Dorm – Cater's Room]

[alarm rings]

Cater: Mmm… Mrrrnngh… Is it morning already…?

Cater: Yawn… What time did I even fall asleep last night?

Cater: I think I was replying to a comment I got wishing me a happy birthday right at midnight… Did I fall asleep in the middle of that?

Cater: Looks like a got a lot more comments after that, too. I need to respond… But before that, there's something else I need to do today.

Cater: Can't just laze about here! I need to go to the washroom and wash my face ASAP!

Cater: My face is washed, and I did my skin care routine… So, let's get started!

Cater: The photography lights are turned on, the reflector board is adjusted, and my phone is on the tripod…

Cater: The plushes in the background are… Good, they're settled nicely on the bed.

Cater: There's nothing in the shot that shouldn't be. Perf, time to start the video!

[phone pings]

Cater: Hey-o everyone, it's Cay-kun! Today, I'm going to show off some base makeup items that's been my go-to these days.

Cater: First up… Here's the UV primer that just came out on the first of this month! I know this has been all the rage lately.

Cater: I've been using this every day since I bought it the day it came out ♪

Cater: And you know what's the best thing about this primer…? It's got no reflective shine at all!

Cater: It's got a nice toning effect, and I think it works well with just a little bit of powder on days when you don't really need to spruce yourself up too much.

Cater: I've fallen in love with it, 'cause whenever I wanna take a pic on the fly, all I have to do is dab a little here and there with a tissue and it looks like I did myself up in proper makeup ♪

Cater: Aaand it rolls on so smoothly, too. I'll apply some now to show you what I mean, so keep your eyes on the screen!

[phone pings]

Cater: …Nice, video done.

Cater: I'll snap a few pictures in the afternoon during break and put together a comparison picture, then edit the video… I guess I'll be able to upload it the day after tomorrow.

Cater: I still have to think about some other stuff like the background music, but I should focus on finishing my makeup for now.

Cater: It's my birthday, so I think I'm leaning towards using some of my more cuter cosmetics… Oh, I know.

Cater: I found it! Here's the glitter eyeliner that I got as a part of that limited-edition holiday cosmetic set!

Cater: Both the package it came in and the glitter itself is waaaaay too cute. I'll draw the line with this, and snap a pic to see…

[snap!]

Cater: Nice, I can see the glitter glimmering around my eye. This'll give my birthday photos a little bit of a different feel from usual.

Cater: As for my hair… Eh, I guess it's going a little too far if I did something with that too. I'll just massage in a little bit of wax and just set it like usual…

Cater: Perf, looks good. Hmmm… I still have a bit of time, so I guess I'll reply to all the birthday comments I got earlier.

Cater: I still need to record a birthday video, and I bet there'll be a party, or at least a get-together with the Pop Music Club...

Cater: Eheheh, I can't wait. I think I'll have enough content to upload to Magicam for a while!

[Main Street]

[Cater chats with everyone]

Cater: Yaay, thanks everyone! …Hm?

Cater: Who's that I spy walking over there…? Oh, hey, it's Leona-kun!

Leona: Cater…! Tch, what'd I do to be this unlucky?

Cater: Ehhh, you really gonna act like that in front of the birthday boooy?

Cater: So, anywaaaay… Remember how you said yesterday that you couldn't possibly be rude and wish me well the day before my birthday?

Cater: Which meeeeeans… Since we've met the day oooooof…

Leona: Yeah, yeah, you don't gotta tell me twice. …......Happy birthday.

Cater: Ahahah, I really got you of all people to wish me a happy birthday! This is gonna be a great year!

Requested by @farfalla049.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Five Fics Friday: September 20/24

Happy Friday everyone!! It's a super special one today, as it marks the END OF YEAR FIVE OF WEEKLY FIVE FICS FRIDAY POSTS!!!

That's TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY LISTS FOR BOOSTED FICS!!!

I can't believe I've done this for five years weekly, and I hope you've enjoyed them all that time! I'll post up the masterlist tomorrow for Year Five, so in the interim, make sure to give this week's fics some love! Enjoy!

SIGNAL BOOSTING

Debris by Monkeysock (M, 15,094 w., 14 Ch. || First Person POV Alternating, Case Fic, Sherlock Whump, Flashbacks, Guilt, Waiting, Hospital, Angst) –Sherlock becomes trapped under a load of debris when a building collapses on top of him. He waits for rescue. Everyone is different, they only know what they know. In the aftermath, everybody has a story to tell.

RECENT MFLs

Little Slices of Death by Enterthetadpole (E, 994 w., 1 Ch. || Friends To Lovers, Horror, Humour, Happy Ending, Case Fic, Romance) – Sherlock Holmes gets involved in a case where the victims and crimes that are eerily similar to the works of a certain horror author stories. Will he solve the case before the people around him die around him?

I Meet You There, and We Go by irisbleufic (E, 6,370 w., 4 Ch. || Alternate Universe || Aftermath of TGG Pool Scene, Grief/Mourning, Supernatural Elements, Established Relationship, PTSD, Neurodiversity, Disability, Character Death) – "I dream of what it's like," [Sherlock] says with difficulty, and the words taste right in spite of the fact that everything else tastes wrong, "when we leave this place." John is quiet for an unbearably long while (too quiet: no humming, no breath) before he lets his forehead drop to rest against Sherlock's, smudge of ash and grit and sweat mixed with something far too heavy to be tears. He presses one hand over Sherlock's heart, and there's warmth again. The promise dazzles him. It stings. "What's it like?" asks John, finally, his voice thick with the promise of rest.

The Scientific Method by NovaWasTaken1 (T, 11,883 w., 1 Ch. || THoB Divergence, Doctor John, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Headaches / Migraines, Sick Sherlock) – Dosing former drug addict Sherlock Holmes turns out to be just a little more complicated than an aerosol spray. An AU of Hounds of the Baskervilles, in which Sherlock's reaction to being drugged winds up being a little more than an anxiety attack.

Secondary Exposure by thesardine (T, 18,841 w., 7 Ch. || Whump, Tags to Be Added) – After twenty years, the killer who abducted John as a child has resurfaced. Now John and Sherlock must track him down before he claims another victim, and at the same time navigate the shifting nature of their relationship.

[aphroditelovesu]

Part 2: Aslan

Ngl, I thought Aslan would wait until after Alexander and Reader reunited, and Alexander took Roxanna as a second wife when I imagine the resentment would really set in. Looks like I was wrong on that one. In any case, I had a 'you're in danger girl moment' when Aslan appeared. I believe you mentioned that Roxanna won't have the kindest fate in TLQ, so I can't help but wonder what Aslan's plans are for her. Obviously, it's not to provide Alexander with an heir (that's Reader's thing). On the note of heirs, I wonder if and how Aslan will hold up his end of the deal with Roxanna. I can't imagine he'd kill Reader, seeing as he needs her for her unborn children, if nothing else. IDK, the more I think about it, the more I feel that Aslan's setting everything up for maximum tension and animosity when the women finally meet.

I also found the ending of chapter 20 to be very on point for Aslan's character. He seems like the kind of guy to pull a 'well, this has been fun, let's send you back now' on someone. I'm excited to see what will happen next, and how she and Alexander will be reunited. I hope for Babylon's sake that it's soon. I can't imagine it would bode well for Babylon if Alexander arrives and Reader isn't there 😬. In any case, I personally think this is all a game for Aslan. He basically admitted it with his 'gameboard' comment in chapter 19.

That's all I have for now! I can't wait to see what happens in chapter 21. Hopefully it'll be out soon(ish) lol. Oh, and good luck with your mom's surgery and her recovery!

Take care 💜❤️💜❤️

--O-

😈😈😈

I planned to wait for them to meet but... I couldn't resist and decided to make Reader go back to her time before that, but it'll be worth it! When Alexander arrives in Babylon and discovers that Reader isn't there... Well, it won't be pretty, that's all I can say. But their reunion will be pretty, okay, at least, since they're apart and if you guys want, I can do smut to make up for the lack of the main "couple".

And Roxanna will have an important role in the next chapters. With Reader gone, she'll have her "chance" but between us... She doesn't know what she's gotten herself into and as I said before, I don't intend to change her destiny. In the real story, she was killed by Cassander and the circumstances will change, yes, but her destiny doesn't change.

Aslan has hidden feelings for Reader and his reasons for doing what he does and he likes Reader, in his own way. There are even people who ship Reader with Aslan lol (ngl, I did that too for a while ok), but no, he's not going to kill our girl. He can't and doesn't want to. He likes the drama and is there to have fun! And yes, he wants to see what's going to happen. He controls a lot of things but not Alexander himself and he's curious to see his reaction.

And curiosity can be very dangerous, anon.

Oh, I'm glad you're enjoying it! Tomorrow/today (Sunday) I'll post chapter 21!! And thank you, the surgery was postponed because of Carnival (…) but now that the party is over, we're waiting! :))

[jolynesmom]

I hate to share this but I don't have anyone to talk. It's been so long I've discovered about void and since then I've always wanted to manifest "family Change " in the void cause my mother. I don't want to make her the villian in my life but I can't help she literally abuse me everytime and says the filthiest, dirtiest things which I swear no parents says to their children and even my dad doesn't stop her . Everyday I having a mental breakdown and I go to bed with the hope that I will enter the void and I don't have to face the same day tomorrow again. To be honest I don't know how can I enter void at this low . I've been literally loosing hope. I feel like the void actually a void which will never come to me

hey I’m so sorry to hear that :(( my heart breaks every time someone comes to me saying they’re abused by their family. it’s such a disgusting thing and I’ll never wrap my head around on how someone can do this to their child

I really wish I could do something for your situation, but all I can do is give you a few words of advice

before anything I want to let you know that you shouldn’t feel guilty for villainizing your parents. such things are not normal and should not be excused. your parents should be thankful that the only thing you want from them is a healthy relationship after what they’ve put you through

let’s address the first issue. you’re not motivated to enter the void because you’re brought down by your circumstances. a lot of you seem to forget that the law of assumption exists and you can use it to successfully change your circumstances instantly without entering the void state. hell, you can use law of assumption to enter the void!! use the law of assumption to make your parents leave you alone or to even do a 180° in their behavior

I was actually in a similar position before entering the void where I was demotivated to even try because of my dad’s behavior towards me, so I used the law of assumption to make his stop being so harsh towards me. not only did he start to be nicer to me, but he even moved back to our home country due to some circumstances while I stayed in the uk, since then I’ve only known peace

if you don’t want to use loa to change your circumstances (which you should) then use the negativity in your life to fuel your motivation to enter the void. like ‘everyone treats me so bad, let’s see their reaction after I fulfill my desires and they’ll remain miserable here’

I feel like a broken record because I’ve said it so many times, but entering the void is embarrassingly easy. like I mean it, it’s so easy once I almost tapped into it while I laid down for 3 minutes waiting for my food to heat in the oven. and the great part about the void is that you don’t need a great mindset or to be overly motivated to try a complex method that will take you 3 hours to finish, you can just say ‘I want to enter the void’, fall asleep and wake up there

this is why I don’t like those challenges people do to change their mindset, affirm 100k times per day, listen to subs 25/8, do complicated meditations, vaunt or whatever. if you want to do them and feel like they’ll take you closer to the void, by all means go off, but you absolutely do not need them lol

when I entered the void for the first time I didn’t do anything special, I actually didn’t even think it’s possible to do it without yoga nidra then I tapped into it instantly when I was in a state between asleep and awake and said to myself that I want to enter the void asap

so yeah, use loa, treat everything with indifference and persist even if your circumstances are unfavorable

I’ll link some posts below that will hopefully give you some direction and motivation to persist

sending you lots of love and positive energy 🤍

🫐jani’s law of assumption guide

🍓 manifestation/loa is your bff

🥝psa: you can manifest anything

🍊 manifestation in 3 steps

🍑 doubting the void?

🍒 lullaby method to enter the void (personal favorite)

🥥distraction method to enter the void state

🍇 arlinski void state method

I also suggest you to check out @/tia-222 on tumblr because they have amazing posts which helped me master the void state in less than 3 weeks

[betterbemeta]

don't let the bad news (evil executive orders, play by play of obvious corrupt schemes, etc.) tire you out but here's the thing.

this is not the time to 'wait,' or 'hunker down' or 'take a break.'

I know that fact plays havoc with people who have anxiety, or have ADHD or experience mania, etc. It can be difficult for many people to handle 'urgency' without it feeling like

they are being screamed at maximum volume to have already done 'everything'

but also to do it right now

and also they're already a failure

and also they can fail worse or harder, etc. etc.

I understand these feelings. But we must navigate urgency now and fragility is unfortunately not an option. Increasingly 'breaking' doesn't mean another adult fixes it for you, it means 'swept into the trash.' I understand that many people need support to confront this reality, but accessing that support also takes work, unlike an algorithm it will never 'find you.' Not falling through the cracks is not always voluntary but we want to maximize the cases where it is.

And we can talk about how the removal of safety nets is a strategy to ensure as many people smash against the ground as possible. But not on this post.

The thing is, there is no material difference between the behavior that a violent ruling party wants us to do (stay put due to obedience) and the action that the 'freeze' reaction to danger wants us to do (stay put to conserve energy/endure pain).

Even if we frame it as 'needing a rest' or 'self-care,' every significant delay to critical tasks is still a delay that could have an impact on us. Moving forward is self care right now, and will be community care if we do it in groups.

It is the strategy of oppression to make moving at all feel so overwhelming that you believe you only have the strength to hide away as they do whatever they want.

Many people will relinquish their autonomy this way, sometimes even actively.

the creepy tradwife lifestyle is bait for overwhelmed women, that a Husband will take half of the artificially overwhelming responsibility of independence away from you, in exchange for being a robot that automates HIS independence. Which he believes he needs, if he can't afford to pay a servant!

The military benefits when poverty is un-survivable with dead ends, to-dos, shit jobs, waiting lists, especially for people who have been screwed over education, that giving yourself to a cult seems like a good deal. They house, feed, clothe you, they give you directions in a world that abandoned you! You can trade up 'get a job lazy poor' to 'god bless you for your service!' (don't ask veterans if they can eat that.)

But being overwhelmed can still cause you to give up autonomy passively. Especially if you are alone or feel alone.

You don't need to do everything all at once but make serious (incremental, sane, well-paced) goals to do things you may want to accomplish like

get your bank account or financial stuff sorted out,

apply for a passport,

change your name/get married/similar processes,

get on unemployment (may also require proof of weekly job applications depending on where you live),

go to the doctor,

renew your lease or move house,

whatever you need to do. This isn't an exhaustive list.

Pencil in your Saturdays and don't bail, is what I mean.

Make buddies and teams.

Start a group chat.

Whatever works.

As long as it does and you can hold proof of it. Not a 'I sent an email' or 'i left a message,' you MUST follow up. I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry ok. I know. You're ALREADY doing so many things, I know! Me too. I know it sounds like your parents or like "pull up your pants and clean your room!" or like someone's disappointed in you. But nobody is, or they shouldn't be. And this isn't about bootstraps: nobody will participate collectively if you don't. If you wait for there to be a puller upper group, there won't be one. you have to decide to do that thing tomorrow. Even if you're tired and did so many other things today. You have to tell your friends. I KNOW. I know.

these plans and actions will give you a 'tomorrow' and that is critical right now. It is the whole goal of those who oppose you to deny you that. To make them work for it, we have to also work for ourselves.

[thebauologist]

SPOILERS BELOW!

My initial thoughts on s18 ep9:

I NEED THE NEXT EPISODE ASAP!

I absolutely loved the way this episode was formatted and edited. We've never seen anything like this on the show and it added to the unease and chaos of everything going wrong at once.

It looks like the disciple is going to be Dr. Ochoa but I'm still not entirely convinced it's her (even though it probably is). There's just something that doesn't feel right about it.

I might go back through s16 to see if I can find anything that could tell us who Tessa Lebrun is.

That Tara and Rossi moment was so so sweet! If you look back at all of my posts about my hopes for s18, a father daughter moment with Rossi and Tara was on all of them. I love their relationship so much. Tara's reaction to Rossi actually getting therapy was priceless. The little dance she did was so adorable.

I also loved that Penelope is going to be the one to marry Tara and Rebecca. That whole conversation between them was hilarious.

I can't believe that the unsubs used Will's death to get to JJ. That was so upsetting. AJ's acting in that scene was so perfect. I loved seeing her interact with Andrew, despite everything that happened to her, she's still the same kind person she's always been.

Rossi and Voit playing paper football (I think that's what it's called) was so funny. Their dynamic is so interesting. It is almost like a father and son dynamic but it's warped.

This episode had so many sweet moments but my favorite (besides Rossi and Tara's interaction) was Luke's interaction with Ava. It was genuinely so adorable. I love him so much.

I'm so glad that we got to see more of Luke this episode. I can't wait to see his storyline next season. I'm still hoping to get flashbacks of Luke when he was a kid and more of his backstory.

And I have to mention Tyler's interaction with Ava too. I'm (begrudgingly) starting to like him. I know I was building evidence against him but it was the same as with my theories on the MCU, it's fun to make stuff up (and this isn't me backtracking, I made a post saying I don't think he actually is the disciple).

The hospital scene at the end was so gruesome. I've been trying to figure out when it would be since we saw the interview with the cast on the hospital set with blood all over and this was it.

This episode might be my favorite of the season! I'm going to rewatch it tomorrow and I might reblog this post with anything else I notice. I'm also going to go back through the trailers to figure out which scenes we haven't seen yet. This season has been absolutely incredible (it might top s17 as my favorite season of evolution so far), I can't believe that there are people who don't like it.

[icey--stars]

Heyyy I saw you're taking requests again and your recently posted a new fic (which I lovedddd) and I thought I'd share my idea with you too. You don't have to write it right away, I saw your posts that you are really busy these days so whenever you get to it, you get to it...I just wanted to share my idea

So I was thinking an Azris fic where the two have had their mating ceremony and everyone knows and everything. Azriel still works as a Spy master for Night and Autumn, working for the security of both the courts. But Rhysand being a controlling shit, tries to get Azriel more time in Night cuz he's still iffy about Eris. And Eris does the same so it becomes a tug of war. In the middle there is poor Azzy...working OVERTIME for both courts and going through his magic like crazy

One day, when the poor bat is at its limit, Azriel just collapses from exhaustion and draining his magic from his siphons. What do you think the reaction would be like? I think there would be guilt from both Rhysand and Eris but also a bit of a blame game

Anyways, you're welcome to take the story and spin it like you want. And even if you don't feel particularly inspired by it, it's completely fine (cuz the most recent one I saw from you was VERYYYY angsty too so I get why you might not be in the mood for ANOTHER angsty fic)

Still love your work and can't wait to read whatever you post about Azris

-🌹

Tug of War

Rhys and Eris get a tad possessive over their bat and fail to realize that he is trying to please both of them- well that is until he passes out. - 2.7k words

Author's Note: I deeply apologize for this being so late!!! I was incredibly excited over this idea so I actually don’t know what made me take so long xD. maybe the time skips I put in there messed me up, but regardless, I hope you enjoy! I won’t say this is my proudest work, but I hope I at least made your amazing idea come true <3

Content Rating: Teens and Up

TW: don’t work yourself to passing out because your mate and brother want you to be with them more than the other. that’s called people-pleasing and being a self-sacrificial fool. (don’t be like Az)

↢ 『 ☾ 』 ↣

Azriel

“Can you check on the Illyrian camps for me tomorrow?” Rhys asked as Azriel handed in his third report for the week.

Azriel internally let out the loudest sigh of all possible. He was already running on reserves at this point. But he also knew how much work Rhys and Feyre had on their shoulders. And Eris. He still had to check on the town of Redwood for him later today since there had been rumors of some sort of rebellion for some stupid reason.

“Sure,” Azriel replied. “What in particular?” He hated the Illyrian camps, but so did his brothers. He was just glad Cassian was willing to take over the Valkyrie training for the next week.

“Ironcrest and Windhaven. I want an update on the training programs for females to make sure they’re actually being trained and not thrown to the wolves,” Rhys explained.

Azriel dipped his head. “Right. As long as there isn’t much for Autumn I’ll try and spend a day there watching the training,” he replied.

Rhys hummed. “How is Autumn at this point? Much work coming from Eris?”

“I’ve got to check on a town today for rebellion rumors,” Azriel replied, cracking some of his knuckles as he backed away from Rhys’s desk. “Then write a report on it.”

“We’re not working you too hard, are we?” Rhys asked cheekily. “Being spymaster for two courts has to be exhausting sometimes.”

“I’m managing,” Azriel replied. “But I’ve got to be off. I’ll get to the camps tomorrow.”

“Sounds good, Az. Are you still going to be able to make it to a family dinner on Friday?” Rhys asked, standing up from his chair and walking around the desk.

“Probably,” Azriel replied. “Hopefully Eris can come along too if he’s not too bogged down by paperwork.”

Rhys grinned. Azriel was too tired to notice that it looked incredibly fake. “Great. Tell him that Cassian still wants that arm wrestle, ay? And to bring some Autumn whiskey. I know that stuff has grown on you.”

Azriel rolled his eyes, offering his brother a grin. “Live in Autumn long enough to drink the shit nightly and it will,” he replied. “Anyway, I’m off, Rhys. It’s noon already.”

Rhys smirked. “See you later, Az,” he said, waving.

Azriel quickly made his way out of the River House, feeling exhaustion weighing heavy on him as he winnowed into Redwood. Honestly, while he knew both of his High Lords were busy, that doesn’t mean everything needs to be done immediately. It seemed to be some sort of tug-of-war situation over his time. He understood it, of course. His mate deserved his time and his brothers were still a little unsure over his mate so they likely wanted to keep checking on him.

He was doing his best, but he truly was exhausted.

Azriel slipped into an alleyway in his shadows after hearing voices and refocused on his task ahead. It’d be fine, he supposed.

–––––

A week later, it was most definitely not fine. He had eyebags, his siphons were practically drained since he’d been using the energy he’d normally spare to use for magic as day-to-day energy just to survive the sheer workload he’d been given.

Now it was time for another family dinner. This one was luckily one Eris could attend in between his busy schedule.

Thank the Cauldron or he wouldn’t have had his mate to catch him when he almost stumbled face first into a wall after tripping over the edge of the carpet in the living room of the House of Wind.

“Az?” Eris prompted once he’d rebalanced.

“I’m fine,” He said, waving Eris off.

Eris seemed suspicious, but once they entered the dining room, the look quickly vanished.

“Az!” Cassian shouted happily as he entered.

As soon as Cassian had barged through everyone to come over and likely hug Azriel… he paused right before with narrowed eyes. “What’s wrong?” He asked, looking Azriel up and down.

“I’m fine, Cass,” Azriel replied, rubbing his eyes. “I’ll rest tonight. Now get over here,” he commanded, opening up his arms for an armload of Cassian.

Cassian seemed a bit more hesitant, but wrapped Azriel up in his arms anyway. It wasn’t every day Azriel asked for a hug.

Eris still looked suspicious of him throughout the dinner, as did Cassian, but Azriel wasn’t spymaster for no reason. He had skills in hiding when he wanted to hide– whatever that may be.

“Oh, Az,” Rhys called as Eris and Azriel were about to make their way out. Azriel turned to look at his brother with a brow raised in silent question. “You think you could check the camps again to make sure the changes I ordered were actually implemented?”

Azriel internally groaned. “I’ll get to it,” he promised.

Eris seemed a bit tenser beside him, but Azriel was too tired to figure out the reason for it. “Still going to have time for the council meeting, Az?” He asked.

And fuck, right. Council meeting at noon, right. Some sort of new military policies as well as taxes.

“I’ll make it work,” he mumbled. “Camps can be done in the afternoon since the training sessions run late afternoon too.”

“Right,” Eris said, raising a brow. “I didn’t so much mean it that way, Az. I meant, will you have enough energy?”

“As I said, I’ll make it work,” Azriel promised. “Even be back in time for dinner probably.”

Rhys grinned at him. “Come visit me before you leave the Night Court, ay? Nyx wants to see his uncle a little more.”

Azriel nodded, holding back a yawn. He had to make this work. If his mate and his brothers were ever going to stop fighting over him, they’d each have to feel as if Azriel was giving them enough of his time. “I’ll come around,” he mumbled.

Rhys chuckled. “Go sleep, brother,” Rhys ordered. “I can tell you’re tired.”

“I’m fine,” Azriel insisted, wings flaring a bit behind him. “I’ve survived far worse than a little sleep deprivation anyway.”

–––––

Azriel barely slept that night. It was just one of those sleepless nights where his mind ran wild and nothing, not even Eris laying on his chest, could calm it. He had them from time to time, but this was possibly one of the worst times to have it. But regardless, when he woke up, he acted as if he’d had a semi-satisfactory sleep. He managed to conjure a well enough lie to Eris about having trouble getting to sleep for a little bit but eventually did. It worked to explain his eyebags anyway.

He and Eris prepared for the council meeting. Azriel kept having to go over the details in his head again and again, seemingly unable to keep his mind focused. He just had to survive today. And then tomorrow. He’d be fine even if his limbs might as well start shaking.

The council meeting almost put him to sleep with how boring it was, but he managed to keep up enough to support Eris throughout it. His mind was foggy, though.

The camps weren’t much better. He was just glad they were actually following directions at least for him. He should’ve probably stayed a while after to make sure, but his shadows were also weighing with his exhaustion. Most were lazy and some plain refused to go farther than a fingertip’s length away from him.

“Final thing,” Azriel muttered to himself, rubbing his eyes as he winnowed to the front of the River House. His head went dizzy and he swayed for a few moments, wings outspread for balance before he finally reoriented himself. He was surely fine, right? (He knew that was a lie but he had responsibilities.)

“Az!” Rhys called from the doorway happily, holding Nyx on his hip who was babbling excitedly and reaching out for Azriel.

Azriel smiled and reached over to take the little toddler from his father’s arms to nuzzle. “How’s my favorite nephew?” He asked, managing to put on a happy tone.

“Azzie!” Nyx screamed happily, wings outstretched in his excitement. “Play with me!” The toddler ordered.

Azriel smiled. “For a little bit,” he promised.

They all went inside and Azriel settled on the floor with Nyx to grab figurines and stuffed animals and play whatever imaginative game the toddler had managed to conjure this time. He had to admit, there was a migraine pounding in his head, only worsened by the toddler’s excited screaming.

Slowly, Nyx began to tire and then whined about being hungry. Rhys chuckled and moved to pick up the little one for dinner. Then his brother turned to him and smirked, “Oh, someone is here to pick you up.”

Azriel’s brows furrowed in confusion and he turned to see the front door opening to reveal his mate with that signature smirk on his face. Eris looked all too happy to have surprised him.

Azriel blinked slowly, taking in the information slowly and then began to stand up to greet his mate but his head began to spin and his limbs failed to obey. And then… nothing.

–––––

Eris

Eris had to admit, seeing his mate attempt to stand up and then collapse nearly sent him into a heart attack as he sprinted to catch the falling Illyrian. Rhys seemed equally alarmed, handing Nyx off to his mother before walking over.

“Az?” Rhys asked, poking his brother’s face.

Azriel didn’t stir which only served to alarm Eris even more. He tugged on the bond, but only found deep-rooted exhaustion. He knew his mate was tired, but tired enough to pass out? That was a whole new level.

“Do we need Madja?” Rhys asked, still concerned.

Eris hummed before shaking his head. “I think… I think he literally just passed out from exhaustion.”

Rhys seemed alarmed now, looking down at his brother’s head cradled in Eris’s lap. “Holy shit,” the High Lord muttered. “He was that tired? How hard have you been working him?”

Eris reeled a bit at those words, raising a sharp gaze to Rhys. “Excuse me? How is this my fault?”

“Well-”

“Don’t even start,” Eris cut in. “I honestly do not want to hear you attempt to place all the blame on me when you have also been giving him equal amounts of work to do. He was barely paying attention in my council meeting and then you put the camps on his shoulders-”

“This isn’t my fault,” Rhys growled defensively.

“Incorrect,” Eris said decisively.

“Well it’s not all my fault,” Rhys corrected, sighing. “Fucking hell…” he muttered.

Eris sighed as well. “It seems we need to coordinate a bit better before our bat decides to pass out again,” he mused.

“I didn’t think he’d work himself this far,” Rhys muttered. “He’s normally good at judging his limits, has even managed to judge Cass’s and I’s limits better than ourselves.”

“You know Az,” Eris muttered. “He works his ass off for the people he cares about.”

Rhys sighed, rubbing his face. “You’re both staying here tonight,” he said.

Eris shrugged. “Fine,” he agreed. Guilt was beginning to plague him, though. How did he manage to work his bat so hard that he passed out? He had been, he’ll admit, trying to get Azriel to spend more time with him. Guess he forgot Rhys was just as possessive over his family. And thus came their present situation: Azriel collapsed in a heap on the floor with his wings thrown every which direction and toy figurines digging into his sides.

“We pushed him too hard,” Rhys mumbled, but it sounded as if he didn’t mean for anyone to hear the words.

Eris sighed, reaching to grab the wood figurine to make Azriel a tad more comfortable. “We’re not making this mistake again,” he said.

“No, we’re not,” Rhys agreed. “Halve the work we give him?” The other High Lord offered.

Eris nodded while standing up and hauling Azriel into his arms with a grunt. “Tuck his wings, won’t you?” Eris asked, unable to stop his mate’s wings from dragging on the floor while he was just trying to hold Azriel’s obsessively large frame in his arms. They were of equal height, yes, but one of them was much stockier.

Rhys quickly moved forward, carefully and respectfully tucking Azriel’s wings where Eris could hold them off the floor. “His bedroom is this way,” Rhys said, leading the way through the hallways.

Azriel’s breathing was slow and calm as Eris set him down on his side in the bed. He took a moment to make sure his bat wouldn’t be sore from any positioned limbs before sighing and glancing back at Rhys standing in the doorway.

“Let’s let him sleep,” Eris recommended and, without waiting for Rhys’s response, used his own power to put out the faelights and walk out.

Rhys took one last glance at his brother before closing the door. “Are you sure we don’t need Madja?”

“Unless he hit his head on the fall, no. Which I’m pretty sure I saved him from,” Eris reminded him. “He’s tired. The only solution is sleep and I doubt he’d want a healer’s attention anyway.”

Rhys sighed and nodded, walking toward the living area. “Sorry for the immediate blame,” he mumbled quickly. “That wasn’t exactly fair.”

Eris hummed. “Forgiven,” he replied. “I’m pretty sure we can share the bat just fine.”

Rhys scoffed in amusement. “Guess we’ll let him rest for now.”

—————

Azriel

Azriel awoke to sunlight in his eyes and he groaned, rolling onto his stomach so his wings covered his face. Then he sat up quickly after remembering what happened before he had… passed out? He felt tired still, but maybe a little less exhausted than before.

He glanced around, relaxing at the sight of his room at the River House. And with Eris in the armchair with a book in his hand. Eris silently bookmarked his page and set down the book to look at him.

“Feel any better?” Eris asked.

Azriel sighed and turned to sit down facing his mate. “I’m-“

“If you start apologizing I might actually slap you,” Eris deadpanned, standing up as well to make the threat even easier to accomplish. “Do you feel better?” He repeated after reaching the bedside.

“Yes,” Azriel replied begrudgingly. “What happened?”

“You passed out from exhaustion,” Eris replied calmly. “Your brother and I moved you here.”

Azriel squinted a bit. “Which one?” He asked. Rhysand and Eris did not get along very well so he doubted it was-

“Rhys,” Eris replied, chuckling at his immediately confused and shocked facial expression. “And we’ve agreed to limit the amount of work we put on our poor bat before he works himself to death.”

Azriel huffed. “I’m fine,” he mumbled.

“You are somewhat fine now. About sixteen hours ago, you were not. And that falls on Rhys and I equally,” Eris replied firmly.

Azriel hummed. “Why do I feel like you two had an argument?” He asked, glancing at his shadows for confirmation.

“We did,” Eris replied before his shadows could even skitter to his ears. “And then we dealt with it like civilized High Lords. Relax, Azriel. Us changing your workload is to prevent your self-sacrificing ass from doing this again. And you are going to tell us when you are overworked, got it? If you don’t, you won’t like the punishment.”

Azriel huffed in disbelief. “I wasn’t being self-sacrificing-“ he protested.

“You were. Stop denying it,” Eris cut in. “You were trying to give us both your attention and we were fighting over you like a piece of meat. But we also need you now to tell us how much work is too much, Az. No more doing it all to make us happy. That isn’t how this works.”

Azriel sighed in defeat. “Fine,” he muttered. “I’ll try.”

“Good,” Eris said, finally climbing into bed and running a hand through his hair. “Now, would you like a bath and then some relaxation time with your everloving mate?”

Azriel snorted at Eris’s words before asking, “Don’t you have to go back to Autumn?”

“My court can run itself for a few hours, Az. More than if needed. Even then, your only worry for now is to get back your energy so you don’t pass out.”

Azriel chuckled a little. “Alright,” he relented. “A bath does sound pretty nice.”

↢ 『 ☾ 』 ↣

A/N: hope you enjoyed!! :D

Tagged in all ACOTAR Stories: @bunnymallowo, @officiallyunofficialperson, @margssstuff, @rebloggiest-reblogger, @inpraizeof, @graciereads, @eos-princess, @bubybubsters, @fieldofdaisiies, @skyesayshi, @lilah-asteria,

Tagged in all Azriel Stories: @ladylokilaufeyson5, @marina468,

[cult-of-the-eye]

Mag 81 A Guest for Mr Spider

FUCK FORMER HEAD ARCHIVIST

Wait I need to check the timelines - this was 2 days after leitner's death

New spooky music???

My man is so fucking dramatic I love him so much "grand of sand behind my eye" love the way he speaks

Yeah FUCK JURGEN LEITNER

Omg the greying hair is canon??

Child in the 90s makes him at most 27 GOD DAMN. I was imagining like mid 30s...can you imagine a fucking 27 yr old using words like "ilk" when talking to you

Oh shit he's an orphan poor guy

Yeah ok a lot of his personality seems to make sense if you realise he was raised by his grandma

You know those memes that are like people raised by their grandparents are exceptionally polite but in a brisk way, talk fancy and are super posh? Yeah that's him.

Getting such neurodivergent vibes

Yeah he sounds like a main character from the start Jesus Christ he's such a kid who got traumatised and then grows up to be a horror protagonist vibes

My First Leitner lol like kids had to be introduced to them at a young age like those my first toys

He's so funny I can just imagine him as an 8 yr old getting super like affronted at this like how dare my grandma think I am of subpar intelligence he's such a little bitch from the start

"The eponymous Mr spider" even talking about his childhood trauma he's busting out the vocabulary

Fuck that story actually kinda rattled me I had my hand over my mouth in shock for most of it

I think it was the bit where the horsefly brought his son and they were both crying that got me, I could definitely imagine it scaring an 8 yr old

The way it drags out as well, with the pages of the same scene it really heightens the suspense

Is his childhood bully someone we should keep track of?? Love how he says Michael probably cause he sees him as a bully lol

It's interesting how despite him bullying him (quite badly seeing as though he beat him up) he's still like yeah but he saved my life and that means he deserves to be remembered

My bro didn't save your life on purpose, he was just trying to make it worse and happened to come to a terrible fate cause of that

I guess underneath it all he was still a kid who watched someone die, knowing they'd get eaten by a fucking spider, he still held him in some regard

The way he specified the guy was his bully even after he was being eaten though lol

He was desperate to get the book back? That's a leitner thing I guess, the book makes you want to keep it so it can finish whatever it wanted to do to you

On my relisten (which I will do once I've finished the series I'm sure of it), I'll have to look out for any reaction of leitners name

I wonder why Jon didn't react more to Carlos vittery's statement, like it must've terrified him? I saw a post a while back explaining Jon's thoughts and IT WAS GENIUS it was like of course he doesn't react, he must be terrified that someone knew about his experience and somehow did this to mess with him or it was a joke and he can't let anyone know that the Head Archivist is not Good at This ugh it's so good I'll tag it if I can find it

AHHHHH HE REGRETS DISMISSING THE OTHER STATEMENTS AHHHHHH

HE FINALLY ADMITS THAT HE NEEDS HELP WE LOVE THIS CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT YES YOU FUCKING DO BITCH.

yeah at least he's right about Elias killing leitner

GEORGIE THE EX GIRLFIEND

ITS SO WEIRD TO SEE HIM ACTUALLY NICE TO SOMEONE WOW HIS VOICE CHANGES SLIGHTLY AS WELL HES LESS ACADEMIC

THE ADMIRAL

Awwww he's so cute with georgie

GHOST PODCAST GHOST PODCAST

THE WHAT THE GHOST T SHIRT IS CANON???? AHH THATS SO CUTE

Can he not go back to his own flat?? Did he bring all his clothes to the archive and then subsequently leave them there? Does he even have a flat??

God Georgie is so nice I would kill for her

It's so funny that an apparent supernatural cynic dated a ghost podcaster

WOW SEASON 3 OFF TO AN AMAZING START I CANT WAIT TO KEEP LISTENING IM GONNA TELL MY THERAPIST ABOUT THIS TOMORROW!!!

[esre13]

Hello, I saw your post and wanted to leave my request here .

I would like both, Aventurine and Sunday (if you want one, do as you wish) with a reader as challenging and controlling as them, always a few steps ahead and having them in the palm of his hand

Sorry for bad English <3

ofc hehehhehe this might be goooood

You were always known for your trustworthiness and how thoughtful you could be. Showing people with affection, being kind, or small little favors you did them. But sometimes, people can realize the true challenge you had inside of your soul. Your actions on helping people showed that deep down, you wanted to be the only person they could count on. And if anyone gives in to your fake kindness, you know they will never want to part from it. Aventurine knows this by heart. Just for one day of being your co-worker, he helplessly falls for your heartwarming smile and your random deeds you did for him throughout the day.. Oh but once your true colors shown..

He couldn't help but want you all to himself.

A puppet if he could, but he knows he can never reach you. Someone as close to how he acts, he can never have full grasp on you. You were immune to his clutches, his will, his love. Oh how he wanted to keep you, but you always provoked him with flirting with other men or women on the IPC whenever you wanted. All you wanted to do was see a reaction from him! Nothing so wrong, was it?

Of course, with the IPC and all having the gest regards from your co-workers wanted to send you to Penacony to speak to the Family about a debt they had been supposed to pay. Aventurine tried and tried to get you off of this case but a las, you came to Penacony, got yourself a hotel room and waited to be entered into the Golden Hour. You wake up startled, soaring through the sky as you land right near a huge statue of a sentient clock character.

You can't help but stare at the tall white-clothed man standing before you, his wings fluttering a bit as his eyes bear into yours. He seemed familiar.. He grabs your wrist and pulls you up to your feet. "Welcome to Penacony's Golden Hour. Nice to meet you, my friend." He grinned, his eyes bore into yours as his handshake was firm and strong. You give him a firm handshake back, then you pulled out a sheet that shows the Family's debts. "Mr. Sunday, I pressume?" You scoffed, "You have many debts that you have to pay, courtesy of the IPC?" His smile faded as a big frown plastered his face. "Oh dear, that's tomorrows problem, aren't you excited to be in the Golden Hour?" He shrugged it off, he can't have any problems happening before the festival, even for a disrespectful yet pretty person you were.

You grip his hand harder as your voice becomes more harsh. "Mr. Sunday, if you don't pay up soon, we might take our needs to our own hands. Say take someone dear to you, Ms. Robin maybe?" His face dropped cold and his eyes stood blankly. He seemed, scared? Worried that someone else could have as much power as he can but.. why Robin? You couldn't harm her, could you. "What business are you talking now, friend? Let's talk in a better area.." He pushed you closer to him as you both walk to a secluded place, away from all those prying eyes.

[walmartbrandwhatever]

Marcia and two-bit headcannons because I can't sleep. warning for mentions of alcohol poison.

-so I like to think marcia went back and helped patch two-bit up after he got jumped.

-she let's him stay in her guest room for the night and he leaves in the morning without saying anything to marcia. he had called Steve to come pick him up and gave him the address. part of him feels guilty that she helped him and part of him knows that the gang come first and he can't even fathom a thought of falling for a soc.

-marcia that night had fallen asleep on the couch not wanting to go upstairs and risk two-bit not being able to get her if he needs anything because she knows he's far too hurt to get up stairs alone.

-they both know it would never work so they go on with their life's only sharing quick glances and wishing for more.

-two after dally and Johnnys death, unfortunately, he started drinking more and more to forget the images of his dead friends and ends up getting alcohol poisoning.

-ace and soda end up getting him some help and slowly he starts healing.

-soda and Cherry getting together opens a whole new light for two and Marcia.

-they both realize on their own that maybe things could work out between them. especially after marcia distances herself from the rest of the socs.

-she stays in touch with chet because out of all of the people in her friend group she had been the closest to him. a lot of the times he would stay at her house to escape his own since hers would be empty.

-anyways two and marcia finally talk to each around 3 months after the events of the book.

-it's at the rodeo and two watches marcia barrel racing and practically falls for her in that moment though he's still in denial.

-he goes up to her after she's done and they just start talking again. clicking instantly like they knew each other for years.

-the night they actually get together marcia takes two to the spot her parents has gotten together (this is a whole other post bc I have sm lore about her parents). it's a secluded little area by one of the rivers near by.

-they sit out there for awhile in silence. it's not awkward or weird it's quite nice. they both aren't able to just relax and truly be theirselves often but they can with eachother.

-I stand by the fact that Two is super good with flirting with those he doesn't truly like. but with marcia he's a huge mess. like bro is stumbling all over his words and cannot make the first move.

-marcia does surprisingly but she's terrified afterwards. they had been laying on the blanket she had brought and she just kinda turn to face him and he looked at her with such a big smile and she just kissed him.

-she immediately starts apologizing and freaking out because she hadn't ment to kiss him she was just thinking about it. she stands up so quickly before two can even process what just happened.

-you would think his grin couldn't get any bigger but it does as he jumps up and stops her from leaving.

-"wait stop apologizing I didn't mind"

-"..you didn't?"

-"I will kiss you a hundred times again if it means I can stand here in the moonlight lookin' at you"

-and she just kisses him again and this time he has the chance to kiss him back.

-they don't really tell anyone they get together for awhile. both scared that both sides will have a horrible reaction.

-they lay back down and she just gently rest her head on his chest as he plays with her hair.

-let's just say she was super late to curfew that night because they both fell asleep and woke up around 2am.

that's all I have for rn I'll add more tomorrow 🫶 I'm in a marbit mood rn.

[lyra-r05e]

Happy Holidays! As a Christmas present to you guys I'll have Chapter 23 - Failure posted tomorrow!

For now, please enjoy this teaser for What Friends Are For (Explicit). Excerpt below has explicit language only.

Late Fall, Last Year

Shit…shit shit fucking shit, Sebastian curses himself as he shampoos his hair. He forgot to grab a fresh shirt before jumping in here. And you’re out there, in his room. Waiting for him.

Why did I ask her to wait, his heart pounds with anxiety. She's going to think I did this on purpose, he gulps, wild scenarios flashing in his mind. No one else is home. You're in his room. He's naked. Both of you are freshly showered. It's a perfect storm of opportunity. Fuck.

He never gets you alone. That's why he wanted you to wait. You’re finally becoming close friends, but you’re so damn busy. He selfishly wanted more of your time. It's not like he had ulterior motives, luring you into his nerd dungeon. And you've never given him any signs that you’re into him more than a friend.

And he's fine with that. He likes being your friend. You actually like a lot of the nerdy shit people usually judge him for. You respect his work. He feels like you get him, you accept him. Even though he's a cynical, socially anxious introvert.

She's so pretty today, he thinks back to your hair, drying freely in the sun. How your tight yoga pants leave little to the imagination. Stop that, he scolds himself, heart fluttering at the thought.

He turns off the water, the reality of his predicament returning to the forefront of his mind. Think, idiot. What are his options? Put on his dirty shirt, walk to the dresser, get a new shirt then return to the bathroom to change. No, that's too weirdly modest. He could ask you to leave, or get something from upstairs…too awkward, she'll be suspicious. He could just…leave without a shirt, and grab a new one. Just be cool about it, like it's no big deal.

He brushes his teeth to stall for time, staring at himself in the mirror. It's not like it's taboo to see a man without a shirt. It can't be the first time you've seen him shirtless, you've been to the beach before together. I always wear a shirt though…whatever, it's not a big deal. It's not like he's got a lot to show off anyways. His pale, lanky torso isn't impressing anyone, certainly not you.

Your question about character building brings him back to reality. You’re friends. This is casual. You’re comfortable enough with each other to hang out like this. It's completely platonic.

Don't overthink it, he shakes off his nerves and walks confidently towards his dresser, answering your question nonchalantly. It's no big deal.

He grabs the first shirt he sees and pulls it on. There, done. All that fuss over a few seconds of potential awkwardness.

Sebastian glances up at you, waiting for your reply. When he meets your eyes, you quickly spin around to avoid him. Was that a blush he saw?

His heart skips a beat. He stares at you curiously, dying to know what you're thinking. Did I make her uncomfortable? “Sorry, I forgot to grab a shirt beforehand,” he says tentatively.

“It's fine!” Your body visibly tenses up. He's never heard you talk that high pitched before.

Cute. He didn't expect this reaction, that's for sure. Maybe those wild scenarios weren't so far-fetched after all…don't make it weird.

“I didn’t take you as the type to get flustered like that,” he chuckles. “You can turn around now, I’m fully clothed, promise.”

You turn towards him, releasing an exhale with a nervous smile. “Sorry. I haven’t seen a shirtless man since before I moved here, it threw me off a little.”

Sebastian’s never seen you like this before. You’re usually so effortlessly confident. Your flustered face is amusing, to say the least. This reaction boosts his confidence a little too. “I didn't mean to distract you,” his lips tug into a cheeky grin.

“I didn't realize how pent up I was.”

Oh, shit, his heart flutters wildly. Does this mean…he smirks as you whip around, trying to hide your red face. Maybe this isn't as platonic as he thought after all. Probably just wishful thinking…”I didn't think you were into me like that, I thought we were friends,” he says lightheartedly. Depending on how you answer, though…

“I didn't think I was either.”

Heat rises to Sebastian’s face immediately. Fuck…is she serious?

“I mean, I'm NOT!” You sigh, struggling to meet his eyes. “We are friends, I'm sorry I made things weird.”

Your overcompensation is adorable. He never intended for this to be such an awkward moment. You linger in silence while he looks at you curiously. He can't deny how much he's enjoying you squirm right now.

“I'm just going to wait upstairs,” you squeak, attempting to make a quick escape.

Don't miss this chance.

“Farmer,” he steels his resolve when you stop in your tracks at his voice. His body moves on its own, stopping inches away from you. “I've been pent up too…”

[haydenyoungappreciationweek]

(Note: Sorry for sending this so late, as I - @lizzybeth1986 - am feeling fairly unwell. To make up for it, I'll probably shift one of the other theme announcements to 30th, and try to get the other announcements out in a timely manner).

We're on Day 3 now, which means we are halfway through our week! We have two very exciting themes in store too and we can't wait to see what you've got for it!

The first theme for today is Soul. Every Hayden fan is familiar with their visit to Washington National Cathedral in PM2, and with the deep conversations they had with the MC (if you took the diamond option!) about spirituality and the presence of a soul in everyone. Here's your space to explore Hayden's relationship with these ideas in more depth!

Our second theme is Changes!! And this is particularly exciting to explore because Hayden's entire story represents change in a very special way! As an android, they are the beings considered the least capable of change. But even in this Hayden surprises everyone! Thanks to the Double Ripple effect, they aren't restricted or chained to a single set of personality traits, but develop a fluidity in their reactions over time. Their curiosity and desire to question makes them even more open to change and to carving their own identity! Which is why they are so open to adapting, even more than many humans in the series!

Any work is welcome – fics, art, edits, moodboards, interactive media, headcanons, meta, even screenshots of your favourite scenes! Our only requirements are that the works are original (nothing AI generated), and they center Hayden and present a positive depiction of them.

It is not necessary to put up your works only on the day of the theme – you can always put it up later. We will also be keeping a bonus week in case you’re not able to complete it during the week itself (till Oct 10th).

Please be sure to do the following when tagging your posts for HYAW 2023:

1. Use the tags #haydenyoungappreciationweek, and #HYAW, along with the day/theme you made the work for (#HYAW Day 1, #HYAW Day 2 etc).

2. Tag @haydenyoungappreciationweek, and hosts @sazanes and @lizzybeth1986 in your posts so we can access them easier!

FAN CONTENT BLOGS are the lifeline of our fandoms, esp for books that have long been over yet still have a strong fanbase. Many of them are hosting some incredible events that we highly encourage you to participate in if you feel so inclined!!

@choicesficwriterscreations – Accepts fic and art (no AI). Read up on their roster of events and guidelines here!

@choicesmonthlychallenge – Accepts fic and art. We’re almost at the end of September but can still give in entries for the “Royal Academy” event (run by @choicescommunityevents and @ladylamrian) currently hosted – particularly Day 29/Sept 29th! You could also participate in Picktober (hosted by CMC and @lovealexhunt) next month!

@choicesholidays – Mostly fic and art. Currently no events, but be on the lookout for announcements!

@choicesprompts – Mostly fic. There are a variety of events for the next three months! There is Smutember, Flufftober and Angstgiving. (Both Holidays and Prompts are hosted by @angelasscribbles)

@choicespride – All content welcome as long as it features LGBTQ+ pairings and themes! Currently no events, but they have some big plans for October! Take part in this poll for events you'd like them to host next month!

(Note from @lizzybeth1986: I'll be putting up the announcement for Day 5 tomorrow, and Day 4 on the 30th, to make up for not being able to get this done on time and to ensure people have time to both read the post and post their content. Sorry again for the delay!!)

Happy Hayden Young Appreciation Week, everyone!!

[alchemicaladarna]

Little tangent about my journey with the QSMP fandom <3

First, I'm going to preface this post by saying, I wouldn't have been interested in the server, been introduced to so many communities, languages, and cultures, if not for the eggs and the admins. So, I initially gained interest when I saw a lot of people posting about Tallulah and.... Misclick duo (lmao) so I decided to check out what everybody was talking about mid-April 2023.

I watched Philza's April 29 VOD- "last" day of the eggs. Absolutely loved Chayanne and Phil planting potatoes because of Phil telling stories about Techno. Cried like a baby after. So now I'm invested.

I downloaded Twitch the next day, in time for the Brazilians' arrival. My main pov continued to be Philza, so I was a Crow for quite a while, mostly into the summer. I started watching Cellbit when the mystery really started to ramp up by the end of May.

Then Bobby died and everyone's reactions made me sob for like, a week.

Summer was probably the most time I've had fun watching QSMP. I don't know why, but it was such a good era, despite the discourse about elections lmao. I began to gravitate more towards watching Foolish's pov and when Jaiden began streaming every day, I had her as my main pov as well. Shoutout to the doozers and Jaiden mains <33

Then, Tina and Bagi arrived and I began religiously watching them as well for, uh. Reasons 🏳️‍🌈 XD. Got invested in Bagi's lore and then everybody became really busy during October so Bad and Bagi were pretty much the only ones consistently on the server XD.

Then, and only then, did I hear little whispers about q!Badboyhalo's soul vultures and possible death? And I got really really interested then. And that's where the Ghostie era started lmao. Up to now, Bad is the only person I'd watch consistently and keep up to date on his lore because well, after the soul vultures arc and especially Sweet Despair, you can't really go back to anything else after that you know?

Of course, without the QSMP, I don't think I would've discovered/re-discovered so many wonderful streamers like Fit, Tubbo, Étoiles, Mouse, or Baghera to name a few.

The past few weeks have probably been the shittiest and most anxiety-ridden weeks for me ever. But, I don't want all the negativity and anxiety to overshadow what was, for me, THE most special and unique fandom experience I've ever had. The QSMP is such a special project, there's no doubt about that. I want that to continue.

So, if this post can offer any sort of positivity and relieve some of the dread we've all been feeling, to any person from any community, that would mean so much to me already.

Send love to and the utmost kindness and care to any and all ex admins, and continue to show your support for the current admins too please. It will take a long time for this to be resolved, and it's terrifying I know, but all we can do is support each other and wait.

Remember to always take care of yourselves and no matter what happens, it always rains before you can see a rainbow right? So, in other words, things will become worse before they can get better. Idk what will happen with the QSMP, but know that life becomes better eventually. No matter the outcome, you'll be ok. We'll all be ok. <333

Edit: oh my god I just realized qsmp 1st anniversary isn't tomorrow. Today is the 20th djrjtbrbebd

There's still 2 days but um everything else I said is still true XDDDD

[capitaletele]

Starmaweek recap/thoughts

What a ride!! I can't believe how many cool works were produced this week, congratulations to the @starmaweek organisers and everyone who participated! I had so much fun!!

Thanks to this event, this week I wrote and posted over 14,000 words of fic, which is just incredible (for me 😅) which amounts to more than a quarter of the number of fics I've written by myself!

Barring the last story, for which I had a draft with 1500 words in it at the beginning of the 7th day, I wrote everything from scratch each day, and it was such a good way to force myself to get the words out and not fall into the endless editing trap! I just sat down and thought about the prompts, waiting for an idea to pop into my head, and then wrote it, beginning to end, in the most efficient way possible because I knew I "had" to post before going to bed. (Okay, sometimes that meant going to bed at 3am, shhhh it doesn't matter I'll sleep in tomorrow.)

Knowing that other people were working on stuff too and getting to read all of your creations made me feel like we were all sharing this and suffering being in it together, and of course getting your reactions to the stories was a huge boost every day! 🥰 What a boon for our not-so-micro-anymore fandom!

I've always said that I work best on a deadline, and that prompts are a really good way to make myself write, and this week definitely proved it. I still can't believe I wrote not only so much volume-wise, but also such a wide variety of stories: of course there were some Johnny/Cristal fix-its in there, because I am who I am, but I also wrote a modern AU, medieval crack, and so many crack pairings and twisted takes on the canon that I would probably never have thought of, let alone written down, by myself! And some of the things I wrote even made me feel like they could have sequels! 🤯

I just hope that I can take the spirit of Starmaweek with me going forward: sit down and get more writing done, worry less about making it perfect.

And above all, I hope that there will be a Starmaweek2 in the not too distant future!!

[bedtimegiraffe]

My personal ranking of the the LI's reactions to the upcoming battle

I know I would be a damn mess about all the near-death experiences and want to talk about it. So I've ranked all of our love interests by how well I think they handled your character's obvious trauma!

Starting with the worst...

Pros: Mal, I appreciate that you don't want me to die and want to protect me.

Cons: My guy. My actual primary love interest. I get that you're depressed. I appreciate the honesty. But this is just more pressure! Now I'm responsible for both of our lives!

Pros: Aerin, it's nice that you're not also freaking out. Not about this anyway. That is reassuring. Fighting for the people we care about and each other are strong motivations I can get behind.

Cons: You do not at any point ask if I'm okay. Maybe you don't realize how bad things have been, or you feel like you have no right to ask. And I also don't love 'we might all die tomorrow' coming out mid-make out and immediately before asking if we should take things further. You can just make the offer! Don't act like you wouldn't be into it regardless!

Pros: Valax, I appreciate that you want me to fight back against you. The fact that you wish things were different makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. There are some big obstacles here and I acknowledge that. And you apologize for causing some of the trauma!

Cons: I don't love the energy that we can't figure out a solution. I get that you're very stuck in one way of thinking, but this seems like a great moment to figure something out other than 'We'll wait and see which one of us dies.'

Pros: Nia, I'm very glad you don't want to lose me. And I appreciate the acknowledgment that something might actually manage to kill me this time. I'm perfectly happy be scared together.

Cons: This scene is mostly about making her feel better. Which is fine, a lot of them are. And it's partially MC's fault for not having an option to say, "I'm scared too." But not my favorite.

Pros: Tyril, this is some solid reassurance. You'll be there with me. I'll gladly take that as comfort. Just being with me is probably the best thing to do. It's very practical and in-character.

Cons: I'm slightly confused how you thought armies worked prior to this, but we can get into that another day. As always, you could stand to ask about my feelings more.

Pros: Imtura, I love you. I am so enamored with the way you acknowledge that we could die while not being worried about it. Incredibly reassuring once we get into it.

Cons: You're not in a place to be 100% supportive because you've got your own stuff. But that's life! Overall, excellent work.

Screenshots for illustration purposes taken from Neckrone Shen's very good 4 parallel playthroughs of Blades on youtube. Because these games are so dang hard to replay when I have an idea. I hope using screenshots of someone's posted playthrough is acceptable? Tell me if it's not!