#catriona challenge

[aondaneedles]

Ah, the Fosters. What a beautiful mess they are...

As you can see, Zelda never married but eventually had a son with her teenage sweetheart (and long-time lover) Marcus Irving. Laurie (Romance/ Knowledge) decided to follow in his father's footsteps and become a musician himself. He eventually fell in love with a fellow romance sim, Hattie Kicklighter and even wanted to marry her. She left him at the altar, though, and he ended up marrying one of his other loves, Anita, a popularity sim, on a rebound. Nevertheless, they've been rather happy, eventually having a son named Bruno.

Maisie married Luis Carver and had two sons with him. The eldest, Hamish (Popularity/ Family), also decided to follow in his father's footsteps and recently took over his businesses after he passed. He married Cleo Irving (Fortune/ Popularity) and had two daughters with her, Catriona and Isobel. He has recently caught Cleo cheating with Johnny Youngblood and they got divorced. However, there might be a reunion in the works.

Hamish's younger brother Fergus lives on a farm across the road from the Foster Family Farm. Hamish and his family lived with him but after Fergus' wife had the twins, I made the executive decision to move them out and back into the main household. Fergus (Fortune/ Family, just like his mother!) met Rosemary at Agave Bar and they have been besotted with each other ever since. She's a family sim as well (primary, though) and so they had a lot of children to no one's surprise. Rosamund and Hadley are already well into their teenage years, while twins Brandon and Florence were a bit of a surprise to everyone, but they are about to grow up soon as well, hopefully giving everyone on the farm time to... actually work the farm.

All three boys of generation two actually grew up together as Zelda and Maisie decided to share the farm rather than one of them moving out. They are also quite close in age since Zelda had Laurie late in life. Imagine my surprise when Bruno and Isobel had two bolts (they're second cousins on both sides... yay). It's a weird situation and I'm interested to see how it'll play out. They were each other's first kisses and I was horrified.

[goldoradove]

Finally!!!! :D

[bekah-reading]

Summerween Day 3, July 7

59

4/5

I feel like with of Catriona Ward’s books, I can’t say much.

I loved The Last House on Needless Street, and I got this one like right after finishing that one when this one came out. But, I wasn’t able to finish it until now.

I liked the writing, the plot and the characters. This was definitely worth it.

I would recommend sitting and giving this space after The Last House on Needless Street if you read that one and want more.

If you are picking for a place to start with this author- definitely would recommend The Last House on Needless Street before this one; but if you’re looking for a southwestern horror- this is it.

[fireheartpages]

my boy | b.d.

bodhi durran x reader

masterlist

word count: 4.9k

summary: the three times bodhi called you his, and the first time you called him mine.

notes: second person pov with a femreader. canon typical violence. no use of y/n. written in past tense bc by the time i realized it was too late! human beings are flawed by nature. turned out a lil angstier and longer than i intended. onyx storm fucked me up so bad and i missed him. the scene that inspired this whole thing got cut so do with that what you will. set during iron flame. in my head this is bodhi and baby from toml but you don’t have to read that to read this. just a lil drabble. also bringing back headers bc my fics need a little sparkle. proofread after three glasses of wine.

Your face stung.

"I'm sorry," Bodhi said quickly, hand jerking back. "I know, I just—"

"It's fine." You swallowed hard and shut your eyes, like maybe if you didn't see the bloodied cloth with antiseptic on it, it would hurt less.

"That flier did a real number on you," he said quietly, and you felt the warmth of his hand settle on your cheek, before the cool bite against the wound.

"Those challenges are bullshit," you ground out.

There was a heavy sigh, and then the touch lightened. You opened your eyes to see he had moved his hand away, setting the rag down. "I think you need to see a mender."

You shook your head. "It's a scratch. Put an adhesive on it."

"There's a lot of swelling," he said, waves of concern radiating off of him. "What if there's a fracture?"

"I will heal," you snap.

You watch as his eyes flare with surprise, and he quickly masks the hurt. You sigh, shoulders slouching.

"I'm sorry." You wrap your fingers around his wrist, pulling him closer. "I'll be okay, Bo. Seriously."

"Let me go get Brennan," he said gently. "Just to check—"

"I really don't want you to," you said, pleaded, and he seemed to relent. "None of us can have preferential treatment."

"It's not preferential treatment if you need it," he whispered, gingerly placing a bandage across your cheekbone.

"It was an ill-timed punch," you said. "I'll live."

You met his gaze as he pulled back, and he seemed to search you, looking for something you couldn't name. He sighed, looking down.

“Your hands?”

Your head snapped up, and you quickly tucked your hands away, forcing yourself to stop picking at the peeling skin. Wrapping them for sparring always made it a little bit worse.

“It’s fine.”

He only sighed and pulled your wrists gently, tugging them until he could see the splitting on your palms, between your fingers. He reached for the extra salve you kept next to his bedside, and gently began to message it into the skin there, taking extra care where it had split and where it was the thinnest. "Not all fliers are so bad. Syrena is really nice, if you ever get the chance to meet her."

"I like Maren," you supplied, studying the lines of his face. The delicate hook of his nose, the arch of his upper lip, the slope of his cheekbones. "Her best friend is a real piece of work, though."

Bodhi laughed at that, exchanging out your hands. "Yeah, Catriona is... a lot."

"That's one way to say it," you mumbled. You sucked in a deep breath—and wince. A hand went to your ribs.

Bodhi’s head snapped up, a furrow between his strong brows, and he abandoned his task, instead cradling your side with one hand and your face in another. Concern laced in his features. "You didn't say your ribs were hurting."

"I didn't realize they were," you answered. "Got me better than I thought, I guess."

He shook his head. "Let me—"

"No." You cut him a glare, but there wasn’t much menace behind it. "I'll be okay. I just need... sleep, probably."

"Let's get in bed."

You screwed up your nose. "We still have half a day of classes."

"Fuck that," he said sincerely. "My girl is hurt."

You arched a brow. "Your girl?"

He flashed a sheepish smile, ducking his head as his curls fell over his temple. "Sorry, I just... liked the way it sounded."

You sucked in a breath. Suddenly, there was too little space between you. "You still have half a day of classes."

"There is literally nothing I care about less," he said earnestly. "Let me lay down with you. Please."

You glanced at the bed, the black blanket covering it looking like the most inviting thing you'd ever seen. You sighed. "I'm fine. We should go."

"Baby," he said, and you liked the way it sounded. You always liked the way it sounded.

“We probably shouldn’t walk back together,” you said, reaching for your flight jacket. You winced as you tried to pull it over yourself.

A hand on your shoulder stopped you, and Bodhi gently spun you around to face him. “This is about the ‘my girl’ comment,” he said, and pinned you with a look that made all the fight leave your body.

“No,” you said, and it wasn’t a lie. You weren’t sure if it was the truth. You sighed. “I just don’t want people to get any ideas.”

He stepped back. “You don’t wanna be seen with me?”

“Don’t put words in my mouth,” you said quickly. “You’re talented, and you’re in leadership, and I’m a year below you. With everything between us and the fliers now, someone’s gonna get the wrong idea.”

His shoulders slumped. “You don’t want someone saying you slept your way to safety.”

You nodded, looking down, because it was suddenly impossible to meet his eye. Your cheeks heated. "I can fend for myself."

“Okay,” he said, taking a step closer. He hooked a finger under your chin and lifted your gaze until you were forced to look at him. You expected sadness, hurt, disappointment even, but all you found was mirth. “Sure. I like a good secret anyways. Makes it more fun.”

You couldn’t have even tried to fight the smile as he pressed his lips to yours. The kiss was delicate at first, gently exploring, sensing what you would give him. But you had learned a long time ago that there wasn’t a lot you wouldn’t do for the boy in front of you.

Your hands found the nape of your neck, twisting into the curls there, and he wrapped an arm around your waist, pulling your body flush against his.

He broke the kiss only for a moment. “Can it still stay a secret, and we stay in bed for the rest of the day?”

“Someone’s gonna notice we’re both missing,” you say, barely more than a whisper against his cheek.

He brushed his nose against yours. “My cousin owns the place. I think we can get away with it.”

You giggled, nodding as he pulled you back. He sat on the edge of the bed, gingerly framing you between his thighs and looked up at you reverently. His lips were glossy from your kiss, eyes half lidded, and you breath caught in your throat at the sight of him gazing up at you. He smiled lazily.

“You’re so pretty,” he said, and you couldn’t help but think the same about him.

｡･:*˚:✧｡

You had to stop finding yourself in these situations.

The same flier that had challenged you was in front of you and spitting mad. You weren’t even sure what it was about this time, but his shouting had drawn a crowd. Your cheek hadn’t even fully healed yet, and now you had another split lip. Courtesy of this asshole.

You couldn’t even remember his name if you tried. Something with an A? Ash, maybe? It didn’t really matter, once he started swinging. He was a first year, and unused to the fighting style of riders, but by Dunne if he wasn’t giving you a run for your money.

You breathed a sigh of relief when you saw Violet and Sawyer come up behind you, thankful for the back up. Sawyer immediately tried to shove him off you, but was quickly gifted a darkening bruise around his eye.

“What the hell is your problem?” That voice belonged to Ridoc, and you weren’t even sure when he had gotten there. More people pushed around you, until you were surrounded by what looked like your entire section.

Including Bodhi.

“I thought you riders lived and died by your stupid Codex!” the flier spat.

“Our stupid codex says also says I can kill you if I feel like it, so maybe watch where you put your hands,” you snapped, and you feel someone brush at your shoulder.

But not before the flier’s fist landed square in your jaw.

Damn, he must have remembered where he hit you the first time, because the pain is blinding for a moment. The edges of your vision darkened, and you stumbled into a strong, familiar chest. An arm wrapped around you, and you’re shoved to the side. You felt the vibrato of his words in his chest, as if the anger was a palpable thing.

“Touch my girl again and you’ll lose the fucking hand—”

“Bodhi!” you snapped, turning to him with blazing eyes, because now he’d really done it.

Fuck, you practically felt the surprise radiating off of half of the people surrounding you—and there were a lot of people gathered for the show.

The anger in your morphed into something else—something new, something more volatile. Now, you were pissed at this flier, and ready to throttle Bodhi. Gods, you just had this fucking conversation. What did he think he was doing saying shit like that—

“Getting out of a fight because you’re warming leadership’s bed is a lot blow, even for a rider,” the flier said, and you saw red.

More shouting erupted. Bodhi nor anyone remaining soul had even a hope of catching you before you threw the next punch at the flier. It made its mark, landing so hard he stumbled back. Blood immediately sprayed from his nose, and you were too pissed off to care. You shoved the hands grabbing you off, ready to lay into the kid again, but a familiar figure pushed through. Rhiannon got in between the three of you, holding a hand up and sending Bodhi one of the nastiest glares you thought you’d ever seen her produce.

“Am I seriously breaking up fights between other cadets and my Section Leader?” Rhiannon hissed, and Bodhi faltered for a moment, looking to her, then to you, then back to the flier. “This is ridiculous. Go find something else to do with your spare time. Asper, you’re a first year. Pick on someone your own size if you want a chance to win the fight.”

“That’s—”

“I’m not finished.” She turned to you and Bodhi, opening her mouth to say something before shaking her head. “You two… I’m just disappointed. A second year and a Section Leader? Get yourselves under control before you embarrass me any further.” She looked back to Asper, who was still seething at you and Bodhi. “Go find something more productive to do with your time before I find something for you. You won’t like my pick, I promise.”

The flier scoffed. “You’re not even my squad leader.”

Another flier in brown leathers with a mop of brunette hair piled on top of her head appeared behind him. She wore a frown and looked utterly annoyed. “No, but I am.” She grabbed his shoulder, spun him around, and shoved him away from your trio, but not before Asper managed to send a parting glare over his shoulder.

Rhiannon shipped to the two of you, eyes blazing. “Seriously?” she asked, and there was no part of you that wanted to respond. “He’s a first year.”

“He started it!” you protested, and immediately shrunk back. Wrong move.

Rhiannon shot Bodhi a glare. “You’re a Section Leader. You should have been the one to finish it.”

She marched away without a second glance, leaving the last part unsaid. That if you were any other second year, in any other situation, it wouldn’t have escalated the way it did.

A snort came from behind you. You turned and shot Ridoc a glare, but it didn’t deter him from opening his mouth.

“Didn’t know you guys were public like that.”

Four pairs of eyes turned on him.

“Was that the wrong thing to say?”

｡･:*˚:✧｡

You were pissed, and everyone around you knew it. Including, no other than the object of your chagrin.

"I just don't understand why you're mad at him," Saywer said for what felt like the millionth time, and you groaned at the history book in front of you.

"I do get it," Ridoc supplied from where he was seated next to Sawyer, the pair of them across from you at the study table you had snagged in the library. You were supposed to be working on assignments. The boys in front of you had, however, taken it upon themselves to lecture you your love life. Ridoc hadn't even opened the book in front of him. "I just think you're over-reacting."

"Bad choice of words," you warn, shooting him a scalding glare. He remained unperturbed.

"Sure," he continued. "But you know what I mean. Things are different now. Aretia isn't Basgiath. The rules are looser—"

"Hold on," Sawyer interjected.

"I mean, just look at Riorson and Vi," Ridoc continued. "Everyone knows they're together. And he's a lieutenant."

"We are not Xaden and Violet," you said, exasperated. "The point is that I didn't want to shout it from the roof tops. Because look what happens when you do!"

"The fliers hate us," Saywer supplied helpfully. "Your relationship status really has nothing to do with that. They would have chosen one thing or another to be picking fights about anyway."

"Besides, with Violet here, you and Durran are the least of their problems," Ridoc finished.

"You're still missing the point," you said, shaking your head.

"Explain it to me like I'm five, then," Ridoc said, attention focused on you. He had his arms crossed over his textbook. This study session was a damn lost cause.

"She's been doing that," Sawyer mumbled. He looked up to you, then behind you, and his eyes went wide. Ridoc glanced behind you as well, and you almost turned to look—you assumed it was Jesinia. Sawyer had been downright smitten lately, but there was the audible smack of Ridoc hitting his friend under the table. He shook his head.

"Ignore him," Ridoc said, attention turned back to you. "Continue."

You sighed, resigning yourself to the torture of having to explain this bullshit out loud. You had to admit, though. Having people to talk about it all with helped, even if it made you feel more and more like an idiot.

"Yeah, there's the fact that anyone who knows about..." You cringed. "…our situation is going to assume I'm sleeping with him for safety. Or power. Or whatever the hell they think. And that's annoying, because it's a mark on my character. But it also degrades what we have. And so we had that conversation, and I set a boundary, and then the second things get hairy, he crosses it. He makes both of us look like an ass. Makes me look like I can't protect myself without him there. If it had gotten out some other way, I couldn't have handled it. I've never been afraid of the gossip mill. But saying we're together and him overstepping and trying to fight my battles or me are two completely different things."

Ridoc nodded sagely. Sawyer just glanced behind you with wide eyes.

"Baby," and, oh, you know that voice.

You spun around, standing quickly as your pulse skyrocketed. Bodhi was behind you, looking for all the world like you had just kicked his puppy. Or maybe he was the kicked puppy. You sucked in a sharp breath, your chest rising and falling rapidly. You whipped back to Ridoc. The bastard had a shit-easting grin on his face.

"You did that on purpose," you accused.

He just shrugged. "Wanted to make this all easier on you."

Sawyer smacked him upside his head.

You turned back to Bodhi, ready to say something, but all you could was shake your head.

"I didn't know," he said, and he took a step towards you. You took one back.

His face crumbled, and it was the sort of things a playwright put in a tragedy. Your chest nearly caved in at the sight of his fallen expression, and something broke inside you. Cracked right in two, and you knew then and there that the only glue capable of putting it together again was him.

"You just assumed," you said softly.

He sucked in a sharp breath, nodding. He was no longer looking at you. "Can we talk? Please?"

You grabbed your book from the table, sending Ridoc one last parting glare. You shook your head as you stepped towards him. "I'll see you tonight."

You made for the exit of the library, and when you rounded the corner, you had assumed he had let you go. That you'd made it all the way out.

"Wait, please."

You slowly spun around to see him there.

"I don't like watching my girl walk away upset," he said, low, quiet, and intimate. Private, just for you.

You sucked in a shaky breath. You held out a hand to the library door, as if you could motion at all of your thoughts and feelings and emotions like they were tangible things. "You heard what I said, I guess."

Bodhi nodded, and this time, when he stepped towards you, you didn't step away. "I'm sorry. Gods, I am so, so—"

"Can we talk about this later?" you asked, voice thick.

Bodhi's brow had a deep burrow, and it was clear he wanted to object, but he didn't. He instead shut his mouth, and nodded.

"I'll see you tonight," you said.

And like a fool, you walked away from him.

｡･:*˚:✧｡

There’s not much time for relaxing anymore. No more weekends, no more free time, and certainly no more parties. Leaning to fight venin is hard work.

But every once in a while, someone makes it happen. Leave it to a bunch of bored, pent-up twenty-somethings to find a stash and have a party. The alcohol wasn’t good, by any means, but it was making your head foggy, and you had nothing to do until, like, noon the next day. You were practically free.

It was the best you had felt in a long while. Everything was a little hazy around the edges, and you had trouble staying perfectly still now. There was a makeshift bar at the dais of the room where everyone took meals, and you had ventured up to get yourself a drink. And one for… Shit. You were not supposed to return empty handed. You just weren’t sure how many not empty handed you should be returning with.

When you stumble, there are strong hands on your hips, steadying you. Strong hands that settled much too low to be casual, but you are much too far gone to have reprimanded him. Or, noticed, or cared that much.

“Careful,” Bodhi said, and it was low in your ear, a little more sensual than it should have been.

But then he stood a respectable distance away from you. And through your alcohol-induced haze, he looked so good. You knew, distantly, that you were still pretty annoyed with him. But his leathers were casually undone at the top, just enough to be a tease. His hair was mussed, black curls that fell in a way that should be messy but instead just drove you insane. Like, this should be against the codex. Just looking at him made you want to leave. Made you want to be back in his room, showing your appreciation, giving him your own apology with your mouth.

“I think Violet’s drunk,” Bodhi said, and his gaze was somewhere beyond you.

You frowned. “We’re all drunk.”

Bodhi cocked his head. “I think she’s a little more drunk.”

You nodded sagely. Fair enough.

“I’m gonna go make sure she’s okay,” he said. “Or, at least, makes it to Xaden okay.”

You nodded again, and he departed with a smile that made you giggle like a damn school girl. He was so aware of the effect he had on you. He just chose not to care.

Or maybe, he was finally respecting the line in the sand you had drawn.

“All alone in a room full of people who could kill you? Where's your body guard?” a voice asked.

You turn, and it’s Asper. The fuck ass flier that beat you up, like, twice now. What the hell—

“What do you want?” You tried for venom, but it came out a bit more slurred than you would have liked. Too round about the edges, too loose.

“I know we settled our differences,” Asper said, and he held up a hand. “That’s not what I’m here for.”

“Then what do you want?” you repeated, and it was a little whiny this time. Fuck. Great.

“You know you’re gorgeous, right?” It was the last thing you had expected to have come out of his stupid mouth.

No way this fucker was hitting on you.

“What?” you snapped. Wisely.

“You’re smart. Clearly good in combat,” Asper said. Like that was an answer. “And you’re beautiful.” He leaned in, like the two of you were sharing a secret. “You could do so much better than the dragon feed around here.”

You were picked by a dragon through.

“He’s flirting,” said a voice. Your dragon. Thank you. As if that wasn’t painfully obvious enough. You go to say that down the bond, but you can’t find the right channel. Shocair grumbled. “I heard it.”

“Whatever you’re trying to do,” you said, “I’m not interested.”

“I think you are,” Asper said. He stepped closer. He put his hand on yours.

“My boy’s gonna get real angry if you keep fucking trying your luck,” you snapped.

“Your boy?” he asked, and he was laughing. The asshole was laughing.

You yanked your hand back, and reveled at the look on his face. Anything to wipe that smug grin off his face. “Yeah. My boy.”

Asper rolled his eyes, and for a moment, you had a vision of punching him. Of clocking him square in the jaw, sending blood flying. Your words were a lot steadier than you felt. As soon as you stood up, the world spun. But then there was a hand at your waist, and everything straightened out. Gods, you knew him by touch alone, knew him even through the haze of alcohol. You could be deprived of every sense you have, and still know his presence by memory. He was ingrained in you.

“You heard her,” Bodhi said, low and dangerous and angry and—fuck, really really hot. “She’s not interested. And she shouldn’t need to threaten you with senior leadership to get you to fuck off, Asper.”

The flier scoffed. “I don’t think she’s talking about her section leader.”

Bodhi stepped around you, and shoved him. Hard. “It doesn’t matter if I’m a section leader or her fucking husband. When a woman says no, she means it.”

Asper held his hands up in surrender, turning a deep shade of red and finally walking away. But not before throwing glare back to Bodhi.

When he turned around to you, finally, your cheeks were hot, your breathing choppy. You stared at him, unsure of what to say. Fuck, you hadn’t realized he would over hear you. Hadn’t realized what kind of effect his words would have on you.

Possessive Bodhi was one thing. When he would leave bruises all over your chest and neck, knowing when you stripped your leathers for sparring, they would be visible. When he keeps his hand in the small of your back for a little too long in formation. When he cleans your wounds and punches fliers and calls you his girl.

But protective Bodhi? You were fighting to stay upright.

He knew you knew how to fight your own fights. You were a decent fighter and could fly circles around rider and flier alike. If someone had an issue, or someone started something, you were good on the follow through. That first fight, or the second when he interfered weren’t about anything other than making it known to everyone else that you were together.

When the end factor was nothing less than a name in front of yours, of his girl tacked onto everything, you were chagrined. When the end factor was keeping you safe, was making sure you had arms to fall into at night? All bets were off.

“Are you okay?” Bodhi asked, a deep furrow finding home between his brow.

You couldn’t catch your breath. Gods above, the way he was looking at you—

“I didn’t know you were there,” you answered.

"I didn't mean to overstep," he said quickly, averting his gaze.

"You didn't," you replied, and suddenly, your eyes were watering. You swallowed around the knot in your throat. "I'm being an asshole."

His head snapped up, and you weren't sure if it was your words or the emotion in your voice that brought the panicked look to the set of his brow, the line of his lips. "No, baby, no—"

"I got overwhelmed," you barrel on. "I got scared, and worried, and I I feel like I'm punishing you for it."

Bodhi shook his head frantically, carefully stepping towards you like you were a scared animal he was trying to approach. "You set a boundary," he said. "I could never fault you for that."

You tried to nod, but instead the tears started to slip out. God, this had to be the alcohol. You were not a crier.

Gingerly, Bodhi's hands were on the sides of your face, thumbs brushing away the escaped tears. "Is this okay?" he whispered.

"All of it is okay," you said meekly. "I was holding onto an idolized version of what I wanted in my head. But people know now, and the world isn't ending."

He laughed, pulling you into him. Your head rested on his chest, right at the perfect angle for him to tuck you under his chin. You wrapped your arms around his waist, and it felt like coming home.

"I never meant to push your boundaries, and I'm so sorry I ever did," he said into your hair. "I know exactly what you're capable of. I don't want you to ever think I'm going to willfully underestimate you."

"I know," you whisper into the fabric of his shirt, and the it occurred to you just how many people were around you. You had just made about a big fuss about the levels of PDA you were willing to accept. And now, here you were. You pulled back. "Can we go back to your room?"

He nodded firmly, eyes raking down your body. "Yes," he said. But he didn't move. "How much have you had to drink?"

You considered for a moment, tilting your head. "Not too much to have not been able to coherently have this conversation, but enough to want to ask you for a kiss right now."

He smirked. Damn infuriating smirk. Gods above, he was beautiful. "A kiss? What, just to tide you over?

"Yeah," you replied, not even bothering to hide how desperate you well and truly were. Your entire body had started to hum.

He leaned in, his head tilted to fit against you. He stopped, his lips a breath away from yours. "In front of all these people?"

"Everyone knows by now. Gossip mill in this place is honestly rather impressive," you said. "Besides, if anyone says anything, I'll just send you after them." You pouted. "I don't even like sparring. I'm no good at it."

He'd leaned in even closer, practically speaking into your mouth. "I can teach you."

"Every time you try to teach me to spar better, I end up pinned underneath you and we end up rushing back to your room. You have absolutely no pure intentions when it comes to sparring. Will you kiss me now?"

He didn't say anything else. Just pressed a smile against your lips. It sent sparks down your spine, and you couldn't help the way you sucked in a breath. It was entirely involuntary, the way your body bowed into him, like you're magnetized in your very core to his.

The kiss was gentle at first, just the press of his lips against yours, but then you opened your mouth, pushing back into him, and his tongue ran along your bottom lip. Your knees nearly gave out.

"Your room," you said, and it was a plea down to its very roots.

Bodhi practically dragged you out of the hall. The trip back to the residential wing was a blur. He kept stopping to kiss you, to run his hands along your waist, up the nape of your neck just to watch you shiver. Finally, and with great effort, the pair of you made it up the corridor and to his room.

He shoved open the door, and snaked an arm around your waist, pressing you into the wall next to it, just inside his room. His lips trailed up your neck, and you nearly whimpered at the contact.

When he pulled away to look at you, his eyes were heavy and lidded, low and dark. So full of adoration and yearning that your chest felt weird. Like it was rearranging so that if you wanted to slot Bodhi's beating heart in next to your own, you could.

"Your boy, huh?" he asked, voice husky.

You smiled, carding your fingers through his hair. "My boy."

Bodhi kicked the door shut behind him, and ascended on you.

[crisalidaseason]

Imogen: I admit, Violet. I tolerate and respect you.

Sloane: same, I don't hate you anymore.

Violet: well, that's nice of you, thank you!

*Catriona challenges Violet*

Imogen and Sloane to Violet: bestie, beat her fucking ass!!!!

[mendessi]

things i say when you sleep | chapter eight

multi chapter bodhi durran x fem!oc

word count: 5.2K

chapter summary: bodhi durran on ania alistair

tags: slow burn, friends to enemies to lovers, canon typical violence, mentions of death, she falls first he falls harder, majority canon compliant, some canon deviance, eventual smut, angst with a happy ending, additional tags to be added

AO3 masterlist

six | seven | eight | nine | ten

b o d h i

Ani had always been an exceptional girl.

She'd been a part of my life since I can remember. When I think back to my earliest memories, she's always there.

Once Ani learned to walk, the Alistairs would join our family at Riorson House for weekly dinners. Despite being the youngest, she learned to read before any of us. Every adult I knew always talked about what a bright child she'd grow up to be—a Healer, maybe, just like her mother. 

She and I could always relate, being the youngest of the group. Sometimes we were left out of the plans that Xaden, Garrick, and her brother, Beckett made. Eventually, as we got older, we started to be included too. More often than not, Ania would choose to exclude herself to stay in the library.

But she was always there. Her presence was always there. She was just as much a piece of our family as we were to theirs. The times she did decide to join us, she'd shut her book cooly, but the way her eyes lit up was undeniable.

Sparring with her was always entertaining. Once she turned ten, we started letting her into the gym with us. We thought having a girl on the mat was amusing, but we learned quickly that her adaptability was unmatched. Observing us, she picked things up and engraved them into her brain. She never won, but she always put up a challenge.

With us being the youngest, our mothers always dreamed of the idea that we'd grow up one day and get married. In turn, Xaden, Beckett, and Garrick would tease us. "Lovebirds", they called us. I never minded the jokes, but I'd put a stop to the conversation when I saw Ani's cheeks flush.

Once the rebellion began, the talk became more serious. While Xaden had been betrothed to Catriona, the backup should something happen, I was betrothed to Ania. Under any means necessary, we had to preserve the Throne in Aretia. She never understood the severity past that point. It was still a harmless joke amongst our families to her. How could she understand when she was left in the dark?

We had always planned to tell her, we just never had the chance to. It was hard when her mother was so against it. It was too late when we finally wanted to let her in. Beckett died and we barely had time to blink before the executions. 

The last time I saw Ania, she was thrashing in a man's arms as he pulled her away from us. The new relic shimmered against her skin as she hit his chest. Xaden and I fought for her. We at one point had all managed to grab onto each other but, were ripped apart, and shipped off to new foster homes. 

Years went by and I could nothing but hope that she was being treated right in her new home and grieve what had been taken from us. We were just kids. 

My first year in the quadrant practically flew by. Xaden and I were different and for some deluded reason, we had expected her to remain the same after six years. We were wrong to think that she'd be happy to see us. 

Xaden found me after Parapet and his jaw flexed as he pulled me into a quiet corner where we could talk.

"Is she here?" I asked him. 

"She hates us," He said as he ran a hand over his face. "Wants nothing to do with us."

"What do you mean?" I pressed further. 

"She blames us for Beckett," He replied. "I helped her cross but-"

"She told you this?" I looked around the courtyard to see if I could see her. 

"No, I just know," He sighed, "She's not the same. Just keep your distance til we can figure out how to handle this."

Gods, did she make it hard on us. 

We were fools to think that she could be the same after everything that happened in Aretia. 

Keep my distance. That's all I had to do.  

I didn't question it when Xaden told me she had changed. We all had. The ramifications of the war were not light on any of the Marked ones. The things we went through as kids, molded us as people. 

The Ani that I saw step onto the mat during Assessment Day was not one I was ready for. She'd grown. She was always a beautiful girl, we'd heard it our whole lives, but I was seeing it now.

Our first mistake was sending Quinn in. 

She left the mat with a broken nose, even though she, by technicality, won. Since Ania had yielded. This hard exterior was fascinating. I never imagined Ania to be what other cadets would call "ruthless." I had a hard time grasping the person she had become. 

I didn't heed Xaden's warnings to stay away. How could I when that night, I found her sitting under a tree watching the stars? I instantly was reminded of a time when we were kids. The stars were beautiful from the top of Riorson House. 

Things had seemed to be going well, I was making progress, actually getting through to her. Until I brought up Xaden. 

"She hates us but at least she doesn't seem to be getting closer to anyone else in the quadrant," I said to Xaden as I sat in his room one night. 

"I don't want her to be isolated. Unfortunately, you can't make it here without some sort of teamwork." He replied and I knew he was right. 

Ania was isolating herself. Excluding herself like I'd seen her do on several accounts growing up together. 

We took what felt like a million wrong approaches toward her. We had to tread lightly, and carefully, to avoid pissing her off. We noticed early on that she had developed a very serious anger problem. We'd all been there, all shed it, but her's had stuck. That became the top priority. We could use her anger and do our best to avoid it backfiring. Once she let us in, we needed to focus on her control. 

Her anger would get her killed. 

Only after calling her to the mat did we start to slowly make progress. And it wasn't because of me. If anything, I'd set our progress back to the start. I'd call it tough love, but I'm not sure it deserved that name after I knocked her out. 

"Let me talk to her," Liam had said to us. 

Xaden had told him about Ania during their time being fostered together. Liam had been excited to meet her. He, like us, had been expecting someone different. 

Xaden pondered on the thought, slightly angry with me for taking it too far, and then nodded. 

Liam Mairi had been the first of us to get through to her. 

When Xaden decided that she had trusted Liam enough, he sent me back in. 

With Threshing approaching he was beyond stressed.

"I'm stretched thin," He kept saying.

At this point, it was a matter of if she lived or not would we finally be able to make things right.

"Ani?" I asked. He had been observing in the valley and was supposed to keep an eye on her.

"I lost her," He replied, running a hand through his hair.

'What do you mean 'you lost her'? I raised my voice. 

"Sorrengail was in trouble," He said and he had to put his hands on my shoulders to keep from running into the damn valley myself.

"And what about Ania?" I screamed. 

I forced myself to walk away from him for my own sake. Xaden was not a fight I could win.

I found her squadmates and asked if they had seen her. My stomach sank when Violet returned, and she still hadn't. 

Xaden's jaw ticked and I know he was worried. We had broken Beckett's promise. If he had just kept eyes on her-

"Ani!" The second I found her in the medical tent, my heart sank. I practically ran toward her. 

I cupped her cheeks into my hands my eyes scanning her over to assess her injuries. She looked like she just went through hell and back. Maybe even shook Malek's hand while she was at it.

Her face was covered in blood, hers or someone else's, I'm not sure. Her hand had a gaping hole through the center and I can only imagine it's from a dagger. 

I tilted her head to the side, clenching my jaw when I saw the fresh bruising in the shape of handprints. 

I'm the one who has to control my anger now. The second she tells me who's responsible, I'll fucking kill them. 

"I'll relay to Sgayel that she's okay," Cuir says and I mentally thank him.

Xaden appears within minutes, but I'm still pissed at him. As he surveyed her, I could see regret swimming in his eyes. 

She killed two men. My Ani killed two men. Innocent, bookworm Ania Alistair. A murderer. Justifiably.

But she survived in the process. Ruthless, she lived up to her name. If she looked like this, I'd hate to see the other two. 

With a glare in Xaden's direction, I helped her to the healers after the celebrations begin. She didn't even flinch when her Red Swordtail burned a relic into her skin. 

She's strong. In shock maybe, but strong.

"She made it, she bonded," Xaden said to me when I returned to the flight field. I had members of my own squad that I haven't checked on yet, being too preoccupied with Ania. "Is she okay?"

"She killed two men today, Xaden," I replied with my arms crossed over my chest.

"That's a part of life, Bodhi," He was stern with his tone, "We can't coddle her. Especially when she doesn't let us. Beckett wouldn't want that. We want her to live past the quadrant, yes?"

"Of course," I said. 

"Then we can't hold her hand through it. She's not a kid anymore. We can do our best to protect her and trust me, we will. But we can only do so much." Xaden said.

As much as we want to believe that she's someone we can shield from the hardships of the world, we just can't. "When do we tell her about what's really going on?"

 "We'll take it day by day," He replied with a curt nod.

The next morning when I went to check on her I was not expecting Ridoc Gamlyn of all people to open the door. Shirtless.

His eyes flared wide like he knew he was not where he's supposed to be, "Oh shit."

I ran my tongue against my teeth when Ani appeared behind him standing in nothing but her tunic. I accidentally let my eyes glance her over, noting the angry dagger wound in her thigh.

All I did was look at him, but that seemed to scare him enough for him to scramble out of her room without even putting his shirt or shoes on. 

That was a situation I could've handled better. She didn't need me to be overbearing in that moment and I was, but I couldn't help it. I told myself the anger came from concern over her not letting her injuries heal. I had no right to tell her who she could and couldn't bring into her bed. Or that she can't bring anyone into her bed at all. 

Garrick and I met in Xaden's room that night to talk about the next drop-off. We never made it through a meeting without bringing her up. How could we not? We'd all been there the day Beckett died. Xaden held him in his arms while we surrounded him. We all made a promise. 

"I see her in the gym a lot," Garrick said, "Pretty much every night. If not with Gamlyn then with Liam. She's pretty intense." 

"She still avoiding you?" I asked.

"Yeah, but because I give her the space to. She'll come to me when she's ready." Garrick replied, tapping his fingers mindlessly against the table. "She's got a good head on her shoulders. I think we should consider letting her in."

"I agree. But we can't just pull her aside and lay everything on the table. She's a logical person. Extremely intelligent. We have to plant the idea inside her head, let her figure it out." Xaden explained and then turned to me after a beat, "You should be the one to start. She's starting to trust you."

"I can do it," I nodded.

"Anything else?" Xaden asked. 

"I found Ridoc in her room this morning," I said, trying to ignore Garrick and my cousin's shared glance.

"Does that bother you?" Garrick asked as he crossed his arms. 

"I think that she should be focused on other things, that's all." I defended. I should've kept that to myself.

"As long as she's not sleeping with a psycho like Barlowe, then I hardly think it's our business," Xaden smirked. "Cadet Gamlyn cares for her. In a strictly platonic way."

My cheeks heated up and I hated the way that Garrick and Xaden burst into laughter.

"Some things never change," Garrick laughed as he stood up and pushed his chair in.

Hardly any progress was made from our end. I began to accept the fact that she genuinely wanted nothing to do with us. When we started sparring, she took the notes I gave her and didn't say much to me otherwise. Watching her from a distance as she grew closer and closer to her squadmates was bittersweet. She was meant to be coming on runs with Xaden, Garrick, and me by now. Our dynamic was supposed to have returned to how it had been in Aretia. She made it so hard, but we were not letting up.

Even though I had a way of saying the wrong thing at the wrong times. 

"You don't necessarily make it easy to care about you," I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth that night.

Progress reset once more. 

Xaden took matters into his own hands after that. He finally sat her down and talked to her about the promises he'd made to Beckett regarding her. He was convinced now that moving forward should be easier. We were so close to fully earning her trust.

I was the first one to test that theory.

We finally were able to meet in the gym to spar and I was grateful that I had caught her before she left. 

I let her put me down once, but in her second match, she earned her victory fair and square. 

On round three, I attempt to do what I was sent down here by Xaden to do. 

"Do you remember those stories that Xaden's dad used to tell us?" I asked, as casually as I could. Plant the idea. Let her figure it out.

"About the venin?" She ducks under my arm as I throw a punch. "They were why I was scared of the dark forever. You really wanna bring that up right now?"

She had always been scared of the dark as a kid. There's a distant memory of a night we had a sleepover at Riorson House. Garrick was staying with us for the summer and Beckett and Ani had come over as well. We spent the night playing hide and seek in the dark and trying to scare each other with the tales of the dark wielders. When Beckett and I woke up the next morning, Ani was sleeping at the foot of our bed because she had gotten scared in the guest room by herself. 

I never expected her to manifest moments later. 

There's only one other time in my life I've felt fear like that. The day that our parents were captured and we knew that we had lost the war. 

The scream she let out rattled my bones as I held her. Every mage light in the gym shattered. The second I felt her skin rising in temperature, I lifted her into my arms and carried her to the bathing chambers. I put the water on as cold as the lever would allow, but by the time we got there, I could hardly touch her without wanting to pull away.

"If her power is backlashing, she could kill you in the process," Cuir said through our bond.

"I don't care." I slammed my shields shut to block him out. I just needed to focus on her.

I pulled her tunic over her head to try and cool her off, but she was shivering and her teeth chattered uncontrollably. I couldn't understand how her skin was so hot, yet she seemed to be freezing. Was she going to wield fire? Ice? I couldn't tell.

My hands shook as I cupped her cheeks and forced her to look at me, "You have to ground, Ani. Please. Please ground." 

I'm begging her to ground, I'm telling myself she'll be okay, I'm begging Malek to not take her from me. 

"T-t-the library. R-R-Riorson Ho-use," She said after I asked where she grounds. 

I brushed the wet hair from her face, searching her eyes to do my best to counter whatever the fuck she was manifesting. 

"I'm trying. You're going to be okay, I'm right here." I fought back the tears, trying to catch the glint that would tell me how to counter what was happening. 

We both were drenched, fully clothed as the cold shower sprayed over us. I flinched when the mage lights in the bathroom shattered just like they had in the gym. 

I tucked her body to my chest in case any glass were to fly at us and I realized then how heavy I was breathing.

I'd never felt so hopeless. She was either going to live through this, or she was going to die and take me out with her.

You're okay, you're okay, you're okay.

The whispers were continuously falling off my lips when I finally heard her say my name. When I opened my eyes, the entire bathing chamber was pitch black. But her hands were glowing. 

Magnificent. 

My forehead fell against hers at the sheer relief of hearing her voice. She pulled my face a few inches from hers and I wished I could see her face. I wanted to see her eyes just for the extra confirmation that she'd be alright. 

Light returned to her fingertips, nearly taking my breath away. My hand finds the base of her neck, brushing the soft skin there. Soft, golden light illuminated her face and within an instant, she was the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on.

She gently tugged my face toward her but I held back. I reached for the lever instead, afraid that she'd do something she would regret, and turned the water off. 

After I left Ania in her room, I immediately went to Xaden's, hoping he was still awake. 

"What's going on?" He asked once I stepped inside. "You're dripping water all over my floor."

"She manifested," I said, turning to face him. "And she- Gods, she was so close to fucking backlashing."

"What did she manifest?" Xaden asked me. 

"She can bend light," I said to him. "I had to carry her from the gym to the bathing chamber, she would've combusted if-"

I sat in one of his chairs, covering my face with my hands. The overwhelming feeling of relief settled within me and tears threatened to spill. I don't remember the last time I cried.

"I was so scared," I admitted in a whisper. "I couldn't counter it. I couldn't help her. She was in so much pain and-" 

"You did everything you could," Xaden reassured me with a hand on my shoulder, "She's okay because you were there. Thank you." 

Time was not something gifted to us after she manifested. Between her squad's trip to Montserrat and prep for War Games, I didn't get much time to train with her. I'd wanted to check in so many times, ask how she was, and see how her signet was developing. But there's just no time. 

I replay our time in the shower when she tugged my face toward hers. It was so subtle that I didn't even want to suggest that she was going to do something like kiss me. Would I have let her if she tried? 

After the first battle of War Games, I find her and Ridoc on the flight field. I can't help but be amused at how Ridoc still does his best to avoid me after I found him in Ania's room. 

I'm sitting on the edge of her bed and she's explaining something she did with her signet and I just want to listen to her talk about it endlessly. Flight leathers look good on her and I find myself fighting the urge to stare. Her hair is wind-blown from flight and she's got lines from her goggles, but she's stunning regardless. 

"How have you been otherwise? We haven't seen each other much," I asked, forcing myself to be coy. There was a line that I was threatening to cross and I needed to stop before I could start. What would the others think?

"Fine," She answered as she crossed her room. She's annoyed that I'm avoiding the conversation she really wants to have. But I can't go there with her. She turned her back to me while she undressed and I forced myself to look away, my knuckles turning white from how hard I gripped the edge of the bed. 

My gaze returned to her when she turned back around and I couldn't help but look her over. The way the fabric cut off in the middle of her thigh, the sounds her bare feet made across the stone as she walked to me. Her hair rested in waves from the loose braid she'd had it in. I nearly felt sick to my stomach at how divine she looked.

"Ani," I whispered when she stepped between my knees. Fucking hell. 

"Yes?" She asked softly. She had to know the effect she was having on me. 

"Don't do this to me," I practically begged her. Thin. Ice.

"Do what?" Her skin felt like silk under my fingertips as I trailed them up the sides of her thighs, stopping short of the hemline of her sleeping gown.

"Tell me to stop," She whispered. I'd rather die.

She settled herself deeper between my thighs, looking down at me. 

I want her.

"Ani," I warned. Moreso, for myself but I wished she'd heed it too.

My fingers dug into her thighs as I fought every illogical thought I was having. I couldn't do this. She shouldn't either. She'd regret it in the morning. 

But I've never wanted someone more in my life than I do right now. 

"I can feel it," She whispered. Feel what?

My thumb brushed her bottom lip and my lips parted. Soft, plush. I needed them against mine. Just once. I cupped her jaw gently pulling her face toward mine.

The position in which we were in, me sitting on the edge of her bed while she stood between my legs. As she looked down at me and I up at her, things couldn't be more clear. She had me in the palm of her hand. 

"You're gonna be the death of me," I said under my breath. Just this once. 

I couldn't hesitate any longer. I pulled her face towards mine, pressing my lips to hers in a soft kiss. She wanted more and I did too, but I couldn't help but hold back. 

She tangled her fingers in my hair and she deepened the kiss for the both of us, urging me further back on the bed. She pushed me back onto the mattress, tugging my bottom lip between her teeth and in that moment, she could've done anything. I would've let her. 

She was on top of me and I wanted her so fucking bad that I'd give up everything good in my life to just spend the rest of my life in this bed. 

My hand was around her throat, pulling her lips against mine in a heated exchange. It felt like I'd been deprived of air and she was the first breath of it. Her hips grinded into mine and I groaned into her mouth, my fingers pressing into the sensitive skin at her neck. 

I want more. I want this. I want her. 

But I'm holding back and I don't know why. 

Too many thoughts were clouding my mind. What would Xaden say, what would Beckett think, she'll gonna regret this in the morning. 

"Just kiss me, what are you so fucking scared of?" My eyes flared when she pulled away and I had to second guess if I said any of that out loud. "What? Bodhi, please. You want this. I know you do."

She leaned to kiss me, but I stopped her, "Ani, what are you feeling right now?"

"I want you. But you won't let me. You're holding back." She said.

I pulled her face back toward mine, my lips brushing hers but then I stopped myself again. She whimpered and the sound made my heart throb. I looked up at her, something primal in me taking over. We would not be leaving this bed tonight.

I flipped us over so that I was pressed between her thighs, kissing her hungrily. The anxiety and uncertainty of it all still lingered, but I couldn't find it in me to care. Not when my tongue was against hers and she's whining into my mouth while my hands run up and down her sides underneath her sleeping gown. 

I'm right where I need to be. 

The thought is shoved into my mind and the anxiety dissipates almost immediately as I pull her chest flush with mine. As the anxiety faded, logical thinking returned and I forced myself to pull away. 

She groaned in frustration when I let my forehead rest against hers. 

This could ruin everything. I could lose her if we get involved like this. I can't lose her. Not when I've worked so hard to get her back into my life. 

"You're not going to lose me. Stop thinking that," She said breathlessly.  

I pulled away to look at her, my eyes scanning her face. The second it clicked, I wished it didn't. I wished this information hadn't been set on me. 

"What, Bodhi?" Her voice is soft and her lips are slightly red and swollen.

"You're a fucking empath."

The disbelief is fresh on my tongue as she slowly crawls off of me. I'm amazed she has a second signet, but terrified of what it'll do to her.

She hesitates and looks down at her hands before she slowly crawls off of me. 

"You say it like it's a bad thing," She has hurt in her eyes. 

"It's a death sentence, Ania," I whisper. "You can't tell anyone." 

"I didn't know that I was until just now," She defends herself, wrapping her arms around her body. "You can't even be sure that I am."

I stand up from her bed and she grabs my hand and when I turn around her, her knees are pressed into the mattress and she has tears in her eyes.

"Where are you going?" Her voice cracks. 

"I can't be around you right now," I say. I'm trying to be gentle, but the words refuse to come out in the tone I intend.

"Wait, please." She holds my hand in both of hers and my heart nearly shatters at her frantic words, "I- I didn't mean to. I'm sorry, Bodhi. Please, I won't do it again."

"I have to go," I pull myself from her grip and leave her sitting on her bed. I try to ignore the soft sob that leaves her lips right before the door shuts.

Halfway to Xaden's, I have to lean against the wall to regain my composure. 

"You did not handle that accordingly," Cuir says.

"Yes, I'm fucking aware," I huff, punching the wall so hard that my knuckles split. 

She wanted me because I wanted her. She was acting on my desire, not her own. 

"Have you thought that maybe her desire was simmering before tonight?" My dragon says down our bond. 

I can't think about that right now. 

Xaden opens his door the second I knock, but he looks like he's heading somewhere. 

"What happened? Where's Ania?" He asks immediately. 

"She's..." How do I explain this? "Something happened Xaden, but I-"

"She manifested again," Xaden says, and my brows furrow.

"You knew this would happen?" I ask. 

"What did she manifest? Walk me through it," He leans against the door. 

My heart pounds. Her second signet is a death sentence. I know for a fact that Xaden would never let anything happen to her because of it, but I speak it out loud that just makes it more real. 

"I'm not sure if I'm right. I could be overthinking," I backtrack. 

"Bodhi, get it the fuck together, I have somewhere I need to be," My cousin says. It's tough love. 

"They'll kill her if she can't keep it hidden," I say quietly. 

"She's an inntinnsic," Xaden whispers. 

"She's a type of inntinnsic, I've only heard of them by word of mouth. I wasn't even sure they were real, but I'm positive she's one." I explain. "An empath."

"I need the step by step," Xaden says. 

Well here goes.

"We were," I hesitate, "Kissing-"

"Naturally," Xaden smirks. He deserves to be punched for it but I'll let it slide.

"She picked up on my fear, on my anxiety, my doubts. The lust most of all. The idea of losing her, she picked up on it." I tell him.

"She can read emotions." Xaden nods slowly. "Eventually manipulate them with practice, I'm sure. Like Cat." 

I take a deep breath and sit on the edge of his bed, running my hands through my hair. "She didn't just read them, she absorbed them."

"I'll help her get it under control. She'll learn to sort what's hers and what isn't. It's an easy signet to hide," He says. "Do you find it intriguing that both of her signets manifested in your presence?"

"Why would I?' I ask. 

He shrugs and then stands at his full height, "What happened after that?"

"I told her what she was and then left." Not my proudest moment.

"You what." Xaden's jaw clenches and for a split moment, I fear for my life. 

"I couldn't be around her anymore. She was absorbing all of my emotions, I was trying to help her," I argue.

"And how exactly did you 'tell her what she was'?" Xaden balls his fists. 

"I said, 'You're a fucking empath.'" I repeat my words.

"I'm gonna pretend you didn't just say that." He opens the door and nods his head. 

"You asked how I said it," I defend myself as I walk toward the door. 

"I told her that when it manifested, to find me or you. Because I trusted that you would handle the situation with care. You just left her there alone to deal with the aftermath." Xaden pulls the door open and gestures me out. Right, he's heading somewhere. If I had one guess, I'd say its to Violet's room. "I'll try to talk to her tomorrow."

Amari, if you're up there, please help. 

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[auraisereigh]

"Heavy is the past"

chapter seventeen

Brennan Sorrengail x Riorson reader Blurb: After the meeting ends Star gets a piece of information that troubles her. wc: 5.5 ☆ SPOILERS FOR THE EMPYREAN SERIES. Uses pronouns: she/her. i use Star as a nickname as y/n sounds weird, and i'm awful with names.

Masterlist ☆ Dragon guide ☆ Star's story ☆ Empyrean guide ☆ Support me

"So you wish to ensure an alliance? May i ask, an alliance for what exactly?" Viscount Tecarus asks once we are all seated. I'm in the middle, in between Felix and Brennan. Tecarus sits at the end of the table, his supervisors sit opposite of us.

"You and my father had a strong alliance. I had hoped we could continue said alliance. I am planning on continuing what my father started." I explain smoothly. I had practiced this part over and over again for the last few days. I had to ensure he would stay and be an ally to Aretia. Doing this meeting was a risk, if Tecarus didn't support what we stood for he could sell the information to the highest bidder but something in me told me he would not. He was my father's first ally, he wouldn't give up on the cause now, would he?

He looks at me, seemingly deep in thought. "You wish to continue the work of your father." He states. "Although admirable, it might not be the best idea or the best moment." He drawls.

"Allow me to clarify." Felix speaks up. "We wish to help innocent civilians. To warn and protect them against the threat we both know to be true. We do not, unlike Fen, want to attack Navarre. We wish to stay hidden for the moment, to work right under their noses." Felix explains and Tecarus moves his gaze between me and Felix. I keep my composure, not wanting to show weakness, the doubt that lingers.

"And what exactly do you want from us?" Tecarus asks, his tone curious as if he's already planning on staying by our side. "Our forge is up and running again, at a slow pace, sure but running. I'm aware that your drifts patrol along the border and we wish to support those drifts with weapons once we're fully running. In exchange, we expect full loyalty and support. See it as a collaboration, we help you, you help us." I explain smoothly, it's almost the exact same deal as Tecarus had with my father. The small difference, were willing to exchange weapons.

Tecarus nods his head slowly. "Interesting proposal." His gaze shifts to the other side of the room where Drake leans against the wall.

"What kind of weapons?" He speaks up.

"Daggers mainly." I reply. "Perhaps arrows over time but then you should train your soldiers first how to shoot." The smile that makes it up my face is in full challenge. When it comes to fliers they usually depend on daggers, sword or runes but never arrows, no matter how handy it actually is.

Drake nods at Tecarus. "Well, it seems like you've impressed me yet again miss Riorson. It's a deal. One thing though, as this is a renewed alliance, what about my niece Catriona and your brother Xaden?" I bit the inside of my cheek, I hadn't thought about it nor did I want to. He knows how much I loathe the wretched cat, if anything he was present when I almost shoved an knife down her throat.

"For the moment we leave Xaden be but we will alert him to your curiousty so he can contact you personally." Felix responds easily.

Tecarus gives Felix a curious look but keeps his mouth shut. "Very well then. Anything else?" All three of us stay silent for a moment. "No." I respond at last.

"Let's call this an end then." He declares as we all rise. His supervisors leave first. "Miss Riorson, may I borrow you for a minute?" I give Felix and Brennan a sign that they can leave. I can feel Brennan's gaze lingering on me but he turns at last, leaving me alone with Tecarus and Drake.

"Your letters felt desperate." He states as he walks over to the balcony. "They were." I quietly respond simply, staying by the table.

"Were you afraid I'd cut the alliance?" His voice comes out authoritive, like he is higher than me. It's almost hilarious how that is not true. "For a moment there was no alliance, my father was executed." I argue, the headache that has been coming and going for a while returns.

"I was aware he had two heirs who with no doubt would inherit his legacy and continue what he started." He says as he walks back to the table and pours some wine out, offering it to me. I shake my head

"Not completely." I respond. "I've learned from his mistakes."

"Of course, otherwise you would have been executed alongside your father. News spread that General Melgren has been looking for you." He hands me a scroll. The Navarrian seal already broken.

"Word spread even to me," He drawls "he put a bounty on your head, the great betrayers daughter. To be found and delivered to Calldyr to be executed. Reason being, traitor." He reads the scroll out of his head, as if he's read it a million times.

I undo the scroll and read it myself. The headache intensifies and I let my head hang. "Can I borrow this?" I ask quiet. "Sure, by all means. It's your name on it." I don't respond as I roll the scroll up and walk out of the room.

☆

By the time I reach my room the headache is a unbearable, my hand is clutched around the scroll as I throw my door open and shut.

"Are you okay? You look troubled." Brennan's voice makes it way up in my head and it soothes some of the pain.

I look up at him as he rises from a chair a walks over to me. I meet him halfway, scroll long forgotten on a table, as I wrap my arms around his torso, hoping his warmth will sooth my head. He instantly wraps his arms around me and holds me tight, his head leaning on top of mine. My arms tighten.

He whispers soothing words against my head as he continues to hold me. "Do you want me to get you something? He inquers gently as he keeps me close. I shake my head against his chest.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" He offers but doesn't push when I shake my head again. If I were to tell him that general Melgren is after me I would have to explain why and right now, right here, that's something I can't do.

He slowly pulls away to see my face but my grip doesn't falter as I avoid eye contact. "How about this, we get you out of this dress, get you into your travel clothes and get going, alright?" He tilts my chin so I look at him and i nod softly.

He doesn't say anything as he grabs my travel clothes and lays them out for me. By the time I get back from switching my clothes, our bags are packed and he waits patiently by the door.

"Ready?" He asks as he holds my bag out. I take it and nod. He opens the door and Felix is already waiting for us.

"I've already notified Tecarus that we are leaving." Felix States simply. "Okay." I say reply.

Felix starts walking, finding his way easily to where our dragons wait.

Once we arrive I look at Brennan who fastens his pack on his dragon. Once finished he makes his way over to me.

"Still flying with Felix?" He asks with a knowing smile. He knows I will but he still asks. "I'm not flying with your orange. Those are unpredictable." I say amused. I should be dead before I mount an orange.

He holds his hands up in surrender with a smile and I smile back. My eyes land on his palm, where a small scar seems to be in the middle of his palm. I frown and grab a hold of his hand, pulling it to me. I inspect the scar but he suddenly pulls away. "It's nothing, really. Just sometimes stupid I did in my room. It'll heal." He assures but before I can respond he turns around and leaves.

That was not just a scar. It was a rune.

☆

tag list for star chapters

Taglist: @honethatty12 @smashee0789 @awkardnerd @randomperson1234sblog@bangtanxberm@hyperactive-bookworm-0@littowl@thebreadisthetruevillian@bwormie @freakishfandomfiend @pookalicious-hq

[rovbookshelf]

Production notes for Lady Oscar 1979

from movie pamphlet

March 29, 1978

Announcement of the film adaptation of "The Rose of Versailles"

Following the author's long-held wish to have an all-foreign cast, the film was adapted on a scale never seen before in Japanese cinema. On the left is Jacques Demy, famous for "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg." The production cost was a huge 1 billion yen. The production also involved companies from outside the film industry, such as Shishudo and Nippon Television. A new production method known as the Hollywood method was introduced. The director of this was producer Yamamoto Mataichiro, who was only 30 years old. People in the film industry were excited about the film.

April 15th 1978

Yamamoto leaves Japan. He was in high spirits, but the role of Oscar had not yet been decided. Producer Yamamoto and others flew to America to organize the production, including organizing the music, cinematography, and other staff.

June 26 

The role of Oscar was decided.

Nearly 400 people auditioned in Hollywood, London, and Paris. The image of Oscar was so strong that it was difficult to find the right candidate. Famous actresses such as Dominique Sanda and Jane Birkin were also considered, but no one was selected.

At that time, a friend of the director (who had previously worked as assistant director to Jacques Demy and was also the first to cast the currently popular Isabelle Ajani) introduced him to a promising newcomer. That was Catriona MacColl. Meeting Catriona, who reminded him of Oscar, was the beginning of good fortune for this production.

June 28th

Almost at the same time as the role of Oscar was decided, permission to film at the Palace of Versailles was granted. For a film that requires luxury, it was a dream come true to be able to use the palace, which is also known as the quintessence of the Louis Dynasty. A film crew had entered the palace once 30 years ago, but had damaged the furnishings, and Versailles had refused to allow filming there since. It is no wonder that French filmmakers called it a great achievement and were envious of it. On June 26th, the palace was targeted by extremists, causing concern among those involved that the permission would be revoked, but with the cooperation of the French government, who understood that filming in the palace was necessary for this work, the official permission was granted without any problems.

July 24th

The long-awaited start of filming!!

It's hard to believe how bad the weather had been until early July. The sky in Paris on this day was clear and sunny. All the staff were happy, saying it was all thanks to the Teru Teru Bouzu dolls made by producer Yamamoto. It rained very little during filming. It is normal for schedules to drag on due to bad weather, but in this respect "The Rose of Versailles" was lucky. Ironically, the scene that day was the scene where young Oscar and Andre practice sword fighting in the garden of the Jarjayes family, and it was snowing. The castle of Jossigny, located in the eastern suburbs of Paris, was chosen as Oscar's birthplace. The magnificent challenge of the Japanese film industry has finally begun.

August 7th

18th century Paris re-created in Senlis, located 60km from the North Sea coast of Paris. It is famous for still having the old streets of France. However, even though it is old, there are still traffic poles and TV antennas, and it was a struggle to remove them. After recreating the 18th century, scenes such as the attack on the Bastille were filmed using nearly 800 extras.

August 24th

On location at the Palace of Versailles. A dream come true!!!

It was the first time in 30 years anyone had filmed there. The entire staff was tense. The film crew was required to follow three rules: no eating, no drinking tea, and no smoking. But perhaps this was a sign of the real power of the place. The staff was fascinated by the grandeur of the palace, and was very happy with some of the strict regulations.

September 18-19

Oscar appears in a dress.

The highlight of the story, the ball scene, was filmed in the palace's largest building, "The Treasure of Hercules." This is the scene where Oscar wears a once-in-a-lifetime dress and dances with her beloved Fersen. 

Oscar looks gorgeous, a contrast to her usual military uniform. When the minuet composed by Michel Legrand started to play in the room, it was filled with a royal atmosphere. All the cast and staff had the illusion of having traveled to the 18th century in a time machine.

October 2nd

Finally, filming has wrapped up. After finishing pre-production on September 21st, the film crew returned to Senlis to shoot some scenes that were left unshot, and finally completed all filming on October 2nd.

[reginaldqueribundus]

thanks for tagging me @lizawithazed !

I am supposed to list 9 books I want to read this year and as always with me, the challenge is to limit myself to 9 (I read 74 books last year, it's a sickness).

Wicked by Gregory Maguire (on which the musical is based), I hear it's absolutely wild

The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence – book 3 of the Library trilogy. I read The Book That Wouldn't Burn and The Book That Broke the World last year and they blew me away, absolutely STOKED for the finale

Absolution by Jeff VanderMeer, the absolute madlad dropped a prequel to the Southern Reach trilogy a full 10 years later

and

The Dressmaker and The Dressmaker's Secret by Rosalie Ham. Watched the movie adaptation of the former starring Kate Winslet, absolutely marvellous, possibly one of my top 10 films. excited to see how the book stacks up and check out the sequel

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears – haven't gotten around to it yet but excited to hear her story in her owns words

Wanted: Toddler's Personal Assistant by Stephanie Kiser. it's about her experiences nannying for the 1% – important intel for the class war

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

The Coldest Case by Tessa Wegert – I feel like the Shana Merchant books have really gone downhill after #4 but still excited to read the newest one

I never know who to tag in these so whoever sees this can do it!

[dearaliya]

Iron Flame: Was it prophecy or predictable?

Dear Aliya,

Immediately into spoiler territory, but may I first begin with a screenshot from my Iron Wing prelude followed by one of our during reading conversations?

Turns out that nap was SIGNIFICANTLY LESS PERMANENT than I'd initially thought. Shall we discuss?

So Jack is back! Or he never left? As much as I enjoyed the book I must admit, either I've gotten worse at reading and understanding or some of the passages in this book are just not well written. My rough understanding is that Jack's power was shields, he got buried but actually didn't and channelled venin style to save himself. This was all tightly followed by going crazy because that's what comes with ultimate power. He was nice enough when he came back, to a point where I thought he deadass might be added to the roster of men hovering around Violet, but then he just up and disappears for most of the book.

I mean, welcome back for all 36 pages you were actually a part of, a bulk of that being the finale, I guess??

I won't mince words. Why is he back? Was there no other option to destroying the wardstone? I mean he is the catalyst for the bond numbing serum so that's handy, but I have trouble believing that he was such a stellar student that three non-stop months were dedicated to his recovery when other students are typically just left to die. Perhaps they were also just using him as an experiment to see if venin-ness could be cured, but in failing they still just released him back into everyday life and hoped nothing bad would happen. Because he's always been a shimmering pillar of good behaviour and not someone who murders his classmates to prove that he can.

Speaking of! The fliers were a wonderful breath of fresh air because they voiced the very same opinions I held since the beginning of book one. Why is Basgiath so willing to kill off their cadets in the name of strength?

When told that challenges occur between cadets and can result in death, they're all understandably mortified that the war college allows this. Not to mention that in comparison to threshing, where yet again the cadets are highly expected to die, the flier cadets either make the cut or fail and have to pick a different faction to train in. They cannot understand why death is just expected when they're fighting a war and need all the numbers they can get and frankly, I couldn't agree more. But while I did enjoy the addition of the fliers as characters and them calling the dragon riders on their shit, there was one character I have to simply sigh at.

Catriona.

Of course, it wouldn't be a romance book without a love rival. There was enough going on between Xaden and Violet that she really wasn't needed to stir the pot. I enjoy her character towards the end, but when she's written as nothing more than a plot device to make Violet and Xaden fight I really couldn't be less interested. Aside from the betrothal to unify nations and Catriona being more attached to the power behind Xaden's name than him (which was a lovely bit of politics I wanted to see MORE OF) none of this is necessary.

Now, about Xaden and Violet.

I just... I need them both to open their eyes to the situation they find themselves in. Violet is mad that Xaden is keeping secrets, in a WAR where if even one gets out it could mean DEATH. Xaden's argument is that if she asks, he'll tell her which sounds like a fair trade in theory but consider, if you will, this same thought I held all the way back in school.

Teacher: If there's anything you don't know, ask! Me, tender age of nine: If I don't know what I don't know, hOw Do I aSK?

And that's the problem, or at least part of it. Violet doesn't want to ask some of the hard questions, fine. It's a contradiction of her character since she constantly needs knowledge and facts no matter the cost but fine. But even not asking the questions she does know to ask, how is she supposed to ask about things she doesn't know exist? And this is where I start to feel my patience thin with Xaden. He's chastising her for getting angry that she doesn't know anything because she's not asking but she didn't know about Catriona, Tecarus, his second signet and so on and so forth.

Is this the communication you promised? IS IT?

600 pages of the SAME ARGUMENT!??

And if they're not arguing, they're banging. I know the audience we're targeting, but with the amount of smut there was in absolutely inopportune moments just felt forced. We are two pages off a battle that might kill everyone they know and love, which might be a harrowing thought to process if the characters could get OFF one another long enough.

Now, although I just ragged on this book for 1... 2... 797 words, I will not have people believe I didn't enjoy it. So there are a few things here and there I have gripes with, I'm a picky kinda gal! The good outweighs the bad, mooooooostly.

I do think that this book was likely pushed out a bit too rapidly so the hype wouldn't be lost from the first book. Had there been time to go in and clean up this book, it would have really benefitted. Clunky dialogue, words that don't seem to fit the context, plot threads that go nowhere and random little thoughts with no conclusion are all scattered throughout this book. Just a whisper of tweaking could have ironed most of this out.

Curse capitalism.

But, unless I missed something in the marketing, this book isn't meant to be some otherwordly prodigy of a book, it's a romantasy with a high focus on the romance appealing to its designated audience after going nuclear on booktok. It knows what it is, Yarros knows what is it, and what it is is FUN.

Some of the lines from the characters, modern though they are, are fun and cheeky and youthful. The dragons, yet again, carry this book on their backs because all of their interactions are so enjoyable. There are little twists and turns that do catch you off guard, refreshing from the gentle handholding of the first book.

If people read it and like it, fantastic! If they read it and don't, understandable! But I do think everyone, especially those who want to get back into reading again as a hobby, give this series a crack because they're very easy to step into and get lost in.

Nothing more comes to mind, so I appreciate you listening to my thoughts. I’ll see you next time, stay well!

Hannah xx

[divorcelawyerdublin]

How to Find a Family Law Solicitor in Dublin, Ireland

The Importance of Expert Solicitors in Navigating Divorce

Divorce marks a profoundly challenging period in one’s life, fraught with emotional and legal complexities. Amidst this tumultuous time, the expertise of The Family Practice, a distinguished family law solicitors firm in Dublin, becomes indispensable. The right legal guidance is paramount, influencing the resolution of critical issues such as asset division, child custody, and spousal support. This guide explores the essential qualities that set The Family Practice apart, ensuring that clients navigate their divorce with the best possible support.

Expertise and Specialization in Family Law

At the core of The Family Practice’s excellence is its profound expertise and specialization in family law. The firm, led by partners Catriona O'Rourke and Jeremy Ring, brings over three decades of combined experience in the legal intricacies of divorce. Their specialization ensures a deep understanding of the process, enabling them to advocate effectively for their clients’ rights and interests.

Proven Track Record and Client Satisfaction

The Family Practice stands out for its consistent track record of success and client satisfaction. Their approach to handling divorce cases—balancing vigorous advocacy with protective measures—has earned them acclaim. Prospective clients are encouraged to consider the firm’s history of positive outcomes and the testimonials of those who have experienced their dedicated representation firsthand.

Communication and Client Compatibility

Central to The Family Practice’s ethos is the importance of clear communication and client compatibility. From the outset, the firm ensures that clients are matched with solicitors who not only understand their unique circumstances but also communicate in an open, responsive manner. This fosters a relationship of trust and ensures that clients are fully informed throughout their divorce proceedings.

Consideration of Individual Needs

The Family Practice understands that each client’s needs and preferences are unique. They are committed to providing a comfortable environment where clients feel supported in discussing sensitive matters, ensuring that individual needs are met with empathy and professionalism.

Transparent Cost Structure

Aware of the financial strain divorce can impose, The Family Practice offers a clear and upfront explanation of their fee structure. They emphasize the importance of transparency and affordability, offering detailed advice on the financial aspects of legal representation to avoid any unexpected costs.

Leveraging Testimonials and Recommendations

The Family Practice values the power of testimonials and recommendations, which serve as a testament to their commitment and expertise. Potential clients are encouraged to seek out feedback from those who have experienced the firm’s support firsthand, providing insights into the quality of representation and client care.

Conclusion: Making an Informed Choice for a Supported Divorce Journey

Choosing the right family law solicitors in Dublin, such as The Family Practice, is crucial for navigating the complexities of divorce with confidence. Their unmatched expertise in family law, combined with a commitment to client satisfaction, effective communication, mediation prowess, individualized care, transparent pricing, and strong recommendations, positions them as a leading choice for those seeking compassionate and competent legal representation in Dublin.

In conclusion, by selecting a firm like The Family Practice, clients can rest assured that their divorce proceedings are in capable hands. Their approach not only aims to secure the best possible outcomes but also to make the journey through this challenging time as smooth and supported as possible. With their guidance, clients can embark on the next chapter of their lives with confidence and peace of mind.

[renzonav]

Blog#4: Reflections and Revelations: Navigating the Entrepreneurial Odyssey – The Final Chapter

The Startup Sheriffs - Renzon A. Villacillo

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." - Winston S. Churchill

Over the past five months, my journey in entrepreneurship has been a profound learning experience, unveiling insights that extend beyond textbooks and theoretical knowledge. One of the most striking realizations has been the importance of adaptability. The business landscape is dynamic and really not my forte, and being able to pivot and adjust strategies quickly in response to feedbacks or unforeseen challenges is crucial. Embracing change and viewing it as an opportunity for growth has become our mantra for navigating the unpredictable terrain of entrepreneurship.

Equally significant has been the value of building a robust network. Connecting with fellow entrepreneurs, mentors, and industry professionals has provided me with invaluable perspectives, guidance, and support. The collaborative spirit within the entrepreneurial community fosters an environment where ideas flourish, partnerships develop, and shared experiences become reservoirs of wisdom. Establishing and nurturing these relationships has not only enhanced my knowledge but has also opened doors to unforeseen opportunities and collaborations.

Lastly, resilience has emerged as a cornerstone of entrepreneurial success. Facing setbacks and encountering obstacles is inevitable, but the ability to persevere, learn from failures, and maintain focus on long-term goals is what sets successful entrepreneurs apart. The journey has taught me that setbacks are not synonymous with failure but are stepping stones toward refinement and improvement. Embracing challenges with a resilient mindset has empowered me to confront adversity head-on, turning obstacles into opportunities for growth and innovation.

As I end this blog, I want to say thank you to our instructor, Ms. Tecson, for her expertise in this field and for guiding us all throughout this entrepreneurial journey. To my co-members, thank you for being understanding and enthusiastic all the time, for without these values we would not be able to finish this journey triumphantly. And to you who is reading this, thank you for being a part of this journey, from the beginning, trying to give a solution to the transportation problem, to being rejected, to coming up with a new and brightful idea that will not only help people but also the environment, and to finally pitching the "Musaquito Banish Wax" to the panels with pride and honor. Indeed, I have learned a lot of things.

I quote from Catriona Gray's saying that, "Know that your dreams are valid, and on your path, you are never denied but only redirected.". Turn your visions into reality and never be ashamed about it, for you never know what and where it brings you.

[noprivatemeanings]

Books I've read in 2023

'Crying in H Mart' by Michelle Zauner

'The Tea Dragon Society' by K. O'Neill

'A Certain Hunger' by Chelsea G. Summers

'How to Break Up with Your Phone' by Catherine Price

'The Metamorphosis' by Franz Kafka

'Animals Eat Each Other' by Elle Nash

'Coming Out Autistic' edited by Steven Fraser

'The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches' by Sangu Mandanna

'We Swim to the Shark' by Georgie Codd

'Passing' by Nella Larsen

'The Service' by Frankie Miren

'What I Want to Talk About: How Autistic Special Interests Shape a Life' by Pete Wharmby

'The Inland Sea' by Madeleine Watts

'Mating in Captivity: Reconciling the Erotic and the Domestic' by Esther Perel

'Let Them Eat Chaos' by Kae Tempest

'Introducing Existentialism' by Richard Appiganesi

'The Silence Project' by Carole Hailey

'Cursed Bunny' by Bora Chung

'Sunshine' by Melissa Lee-Houghton

'The Delicacy' by James Albon

'Are Prisons Obselete?' by Angela Y. Davis

'The Beginning of the World in the Middle of the Night' by Jen Campbell

'Square Eyes' by Luke Jones and Anna Mills

'Chess Queens: The True Story of a Chess Champion and the Greatest Female Players of All Time' by Jennifer Shahade

'Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis' by Wendy Cope

'The Housekeeper and the Professor' by Yōko Ogawa

'The Artificial Silk Girl' by Irmgard Keun

'Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language' by Gretchen McCulloch

'Esc & Ctrl' by Steve Hollyman

'The Doors of Perception' by Aldous Huxley

'Sedating Elaine' by Dawn Winter

'Different, Not Less: A Neurodivergent's Guide to Embracing Your True Self and Finding Your Happily Ever After' by Chloé Hayden

'The Appendix' by Liam Konemann

'Food Isn't Medicine: Challenge Nutrib*llocks & Escape the Diet Trap' by Dr Joshua Wolrich

'Didn't Nobody Give a Shit What Happened to Carlotta' by James Hannaham

'Lies We Sing to the Sea' by Sarah Underwood

'Julia and the Shark' by Kiran Millwood Hargrave with Tom de Freston

'Who Will Run the Frog Hospital?' by Lorrie Moore

'Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century' edited by Alice Wong

'This Is How You Lose the Time War' by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

'Small Bodies of Water' by Nina Mingya Powles

'The Cassandra Complex' by Holly Smale

'French Exit' by Patrick deWitt

'Sundial' by Catriona Ward

'Don't Hold My Head Down: In Search of Some Brilliant Fucking' by Lucy-Anne Holmes

'Girl, Woman, Other' by Bernardine Evaristo

'The Love Factor' (So Little Time #8) by Rosalind Noonan

'Paris: The Memoir' by Paris Hilton

'All Systems Red' (The Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells

'Intimations' by Zadie Smith

'Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism' by Amanda Montell

'Motherthing' by Ainslie Hogarth

[movieswetrust]

meu ano em cultura

top 10 melhores livros

gente ansiosa, fredrik backman

como tigres na neve, juhea kim

precisamos falar sobre o kevin, lionel shriver

a guerra da papoula, r.f. kuang

a visita cruel do tempo, jennifer egan

canção de ninar, leïla slimani

o desaparecimento de stephanie maller, joël dicker

a descoberta das bruxas, deborah harkness

a última casa da rua needless, catriona ward

o papel de parede amarelo, charlotte perkins gilman

top 15 melhores filmes vistos no ano (10% do que vi esse ano)

Poor Things (2023) 5☆ + ❤

Challengers (2024) 5☆ + ❤

Dune: Part Two (2024) 5☆ + ❤

Lars and the Real Girl (2007) 5☆ + ❤

All of Us Strangers (2023) 5☆ + ❤

May December 4,5☆

Turning Red (2022) 4,5☆

Ghostlight (2024) 4,5☆

Primer (2004) 4☆ + ❤

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) 4☆ + ❤

Civil War (2024) 4☆ + ❤

Memory (2023) 4☆ + ❤

The Iron Claw (2023) 4☆

Love Lies Bleeding (2024) 4☆

Priscilla (2023) 4☆

top 10 melhores filmes de horror vistos esse ano

Alien: Romulus (2024) 5☆ + ❤

The First Omen (2024) 4☆ + ❤

The Substance (2024) 4☆ + ❤

Smile 2 (2024) 4☆ + ❤

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010) 4☆ + ❤

MaXXXine (2024) 4☆ + ❤

Exhuma (2024) 4☆

The Invitation (2015) 4☆

Hell House LLC (2015) 4☆

Eden Lake (2008) 4☆

top 10 piores filmes vistos esse ano

Mindcage (2022) 1☆

Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate (2024) 1☆

The Reef: Stalked (2022) 1☆

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023) 2☆

Blink Twice (2024) 2☆

Sleeping Dogs (2024) 2☆

Polaroid (2019) 2☆

Lady in the Lake (1946) 2☆

Masters of the Universe (1987) 2☆

Nothing But the Best (1964) 2☆

[janedyson4thyear]

Millner, Jacqueline, and Catriona Moore. Contemporary Art and Feminism.

Conclusion pg 238

The seemingly simple question—how can feminism translate into a socialmovement today?—is a wake-up call for feminists working in the academy and theartworld to keep reaching beyond these contexts to re-develop a grass roots politicsof alliance. An interesting recent turn is feminist artists extending their practice intothe formal sphere of political institutions, seeking and securing seats in local legis-latures by campaigning on their expertiseasartists, highlighting how artists haveparticular insights into community issues and the capacity for creative solutions.

feminist art as an activistpolitics of alliance, with three main strategic emphases, namely, decolonisation; re-imagining the art/life divide, and problematising‘equality’politics.

Ethnicity won’t join a white feminist agenda. It will transform it. It willbecome the central agenda of feminism, as rightly it should, because we arethe majority...the groundwork laid by white feminists of the 1970s, that bodyof knowledge, will be a resource, but we will have to redefine it according to238Conclusion

the experience of women of colour...I can’t relate to the universality of allwomen. We make these bridges tentatively, we don’t make assumptions, webuild a relationship slowly...It’s a long struggle, a long time buildingbridges

https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.massey.ac.nz/stable/1358556

In reconsidering the historical disjunct between the studio and the street,

feminism dovetails with, and draws upon, centuries of de-colonial cultural resis-

tance by linking the artworld to other social spaces through a porous art practice

Artists registered excessive (including failed or under-performing) gendered sub-jectivities and sexual proclivities that complicated the representational demand to bemiddle class, white, straight and good looking. White feminists also learnt from FirstNations’perspectives that proposed a decolonising non-essentialism as a starting pointfor resistant acts of sovereignty, rather than investigating the politics of media/high artrepresentation as a (postmodern) end in itself. Feminist artists broadened their sightsbeyond the circularity of representational politics, towards a politics of acts rather thanof identities.

Across these diverse spaces, we noted how

feminist pedagogy has always been provisional, just as concepts of feminist aes-

thetics have never settled

Renewed attention to the materiality of feminist arts and crafting from the 1990salso helped to sideline the linguistic models that underpinned psychoanalytic ana-lyses of gender and sexual identities. Material practices could directly link to gen-erative and generous acts of non-essentialised common cause and care.

We argued that feminism contributes new artistic perspectives on art and envir-onment by confronting the lingering and gendered view within Western thoughtof nature as feminine and/or racially other.

These challenges have further transformedthe anthropocentric terms whereby Western landscape traditions read the land toexpress self-realisation through divine or proprietorial connection, to help build aneducative, ecological ethics.We noted how feminist participatory actions often have a community base devel-oped through listening to other voices and opening up overlooked spaces of cultural agency

The idea that personal life has political implications (and vice versa) lies at the heartof feminism and of this book. Consciousness raising methods derived fromWomen’s Liberation, such as supportive group reflection on the political implica-tions of women’s personal experience, found their way into feminist aesthetics asan interrogative tool and a means to assert, diffuse and multiply agency. It’s time toacknowledge how feminism introduced this expandedfield of the everyday, thedomestic and the collective into the artworld

it has now become an aestheticnorm in global exhibitions of contemporary art, with artists creating‘diurnal’pro-jects responding to local problems, working with local art co-ops, unexpected sites,

walks and mapping to engage memory and place

This book has tried to under-stand the varied ways that‘the personal is political’has shifted both the way we doart and the way we do politics. This slogan is still relevant today, in promptingintersectional reflection on how experiences of gender are also articulated by race,class, sexuality, disability, religion and geography

the traditional political creed of‘human solidarity’.

[chesterguiam]

The first half of 2023 is almost done. A lot of challenges, struggles, and victories are now part of an unforgettable learning experience.

I want to share with you 6 strategies that can help us finish strong for the next second half of the year. Here we go:

1. Positive Outlook: We should naturally have an optimistic mindset, which allows us to focus on the bright side of life and find joy in everyday experiences.

Everything has a different side like a coin. May positive and negative talaga. Always focus on the positives. Sabi nga ni Catriona Gray our Miss World Philippines — we need to see situations with a silver lining.

2. Gratitude: Expressing gratitude for the good things in your life because it can contribute to a sense of happiness. When you appreciate and acknowledge the positive aspects of your life, it can enhance your overall well-being.

Yung coffee break ko sa office na black coffee, super kinaka thankful ko yun haha! Yung spotify app ko na any genre of music ay ma pplay ko base on my mood na aappreciate ko yun. We don’t need to have BIG purchases or incredible achievements to express gratitude kasi even makatulog ka lang sa gabi is a big thing na. Many people had a hard time sleeping at night and it can give a negative impact sa health ng isang individual. So stay grateful.

3. Healthy Relationships: Strong connections and positive relationships with family, friends, and loved ones can contribute to your happiness. Having a support system and feeling loved and supported can bring joy and contentment.

Yes, the world is indeed getting smaller because of the internet. Different social media apps. Pero nothing beats yung small cirle naten. The one who truly cares and understands kung ano o sino ka as a person.

Our families and friends are the true gems. Lalo na if you have a good relationship with them. I strongly believe na we are always wearing a mask and it depends on who we are with. Sure ako pag naging talkative and makulit ka. Yan ang geniune cirle mo. Have a blast.

4. Purpose and Meaning: When you have a sense of purpose or meaning in your life, it can bring a deep sense of fulfillment and happiness. Engaging in activities and pursuing goals that align with your values and passions can contribute to your overall well-being.

This is very important. It’s very subjective din dahil naka depende sa cultural and beliefs ang purpose ng tao. Iba iba din tayo ng upbringing and experiences. Kadalasan ng mga youth eto ang pinag dadaanan. They are looking and finding themselves.

Always stay curios, try as many things as possible. You may also experience some mistakes in life wag lang sobra dahil it may greatly impact you sa future just enough lang para may matutunan ka.

Hinahanap ba to? I don’t know but if it’s your calling. You will not find it but it will FIND you. Just do it.

5. Positive Self-Care Habits: Taking care of yourself physically, emotionally, and mentally can contribute to your happiness. Engaging in regular exercise, practicing self-care activities, and managing stress can boost your mood and overall sense of well-being.

If you like what you are seeing in the mirror, tataas confidence mo. If you want to improve physically it takes time and disciple din. You should also learn and have discernment hindi lahat ng pieces of advice na mapupulot mo sa internet nowadays may be right and fit for you. Always seek advice sa mga experts.

Kaya if you want to be fit and healthy haha! This is Chester G. I am also an experienced fitness coach. Don’t hesitate to message me. Excited hearing from you.

6. Mindfulness and Living in the Present: Being present and mindful can help you fully enjoy and appreciate each moment. By focusing on the present rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future, you can cultivate a greater sense of happiness.

By thinking the past medyo di ka makaka move on kasi baka lies na yung voice na ma accept mo. Na baka yung little demon voice will say wala ka na pag asa mag bago. Kino konsensya ka ng mga pagkakamali mo. NO. Always look and have that faith for greater things. It’s good to have goals. To have a wonderful future that we’ve set. Pero no one can predict the future. No one.

Kaya focus ka sa present. Galingan mo sa present go all in. This is a gift and magugulat ka nalang na di mo na namamalayan. Nag eenjoy ka sa ginagawa mo. Until yung future na ini aim mo. Na reached mo na pala unknowingly.

I loved the quote from Kung Fu Panda that says “Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery, but Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.” — Oogway.

We may feel down at times. Normal yan. Life has a vicious cycle. We have to accept that fact. Like the seasons of nature, there are also Personal Seasons in life: The season of winter — sadness, heartbreak, loneliness, and sickness. Season of spring — hope, new beginnings, opportunities. Season of summer — signs of growth, need for protection, an abundance of distractions.

Kaya tuloy ka lang kaibigan, tatagan mo loob mo. Dipa tapos ang laban. Let’s finish well and Hope for the best. Talk to you soon.