#chronic-night-dreamer

[littlerequiem]

we mourned the sea ˚⁎⁺ chapter 3

> Crossposted on AO3

Levi hasn't seen you in a year, and he wonders how you will find him. Changed, perhaps. Lost, definitely. Or: After the war, you and Levi learn to live in this new world.

𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 - Levi Ackerman / Female Reader (Attack on Titan)

𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓 - Rated Explicit (18+). Post-Canon, Post-War, Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Domestic, Fluff, Angst, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Grumpy/Sunshine, Friends to Lovers, Flashbacks, Grief/Mourning, Chronic Pain, Panic Attack, Depression, Ambulatory Wheelchair Use, Irregular eating habits mentioned specifically in this chapter (WC: 5.5k)

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-

You spot him alone in the library. Months have passed and winter has made its presence known.

Levi is staring at the fire. When his eyes lock with yours, you think they lack their usual cutting edge. Instead, he just looks tired.

“You gonna gawk much longer?” he asks. 

“Well…” Your grip on your book tightens; you stay rooted to your spot. “You don’t mind if I intrude?”

“This is a public space, isn’t it?”

It is, but it doesn’t mean you won’t ask.

Levi doesn’t leave when you sit on the sofa opposite him. The two of you stay like this, letting the crackling fire be your guiding light into the night.

.

.

.

It isn’t that Levi always preferred being alone, it’s just that it’s had a way of finding him.

Growing up, Levi remembers seeking affection—craving it, in fact—like a moth seeks a flame. Levi worshiped the ground his mother walked on, loved to listen to her speak, imitated her, anything to hear a “Well done, my Levi”. He imagines it made him a needy brat, that he was probably a burden to his mother.

When she died, he thinks that's when it happened. When he began to close in on himself, when he started to keep his emotions close to his heart.

"My boy, what wonderful craftsmanship!" Mr Jakowski's joyful voice assault's Levi's ears, plugging him out of his wandering thoughts.

Levi looks up at his boss, ignoring the smell of fresh paint.

Mr Jakowski is leaning over Levi’s shoulder, spectacles shining under the dim amber light. A large grin creeps on his rosy face, a contrast to the blue paint smeared on his white shirt. "What are ya making, hm? Is that something—"

"—personal," Levi cuts him off, shifting in his seat to conceal his work.

His boss lets out a loud bark. He pulls back from Levi. “Hah, mysterious as always, our Levi!”

Levi has been working at Mare Lumber Co. for a little more than a year now. His boss, Adam Jakowski, originally an Eldian from Liberio, is the sole carpenter in town. Levi likes working here. Most days, Levi tends to the till, manages the inventory, and assists Mr Jakowski with customer orders. It's routine work, really, but it feels good to be working with his hands, with his mind. 

“And how are you doing?” Mr Jakowski asks, propping his back against the edge of the counter, a habit of his whenever he chats idly with Levi. 

“I'm fine.”

"Are ya sure? You seem a little distracted, dear boy."

Mr Jakowski got in the habit of calling Levi ‘dear boy’ shortly after he took the job. At first, Levi told him off—sure, Mr Jakowski was older than Levi, but Levi was nearing his forties at this point. Levi was not a boy—never had been, perhaps.

And yet, he soon noticed something strange: every time he corrected the man, Mr Jakowski would correct himself, a distant glaze in his stare… only to make the same mistake the next day.

One day, his wife took Levi aside.

“You musn’t be cross with him, Levi,” Mrs Jakowski had said with a gentle voice. “My Adam and I… we lost our son ten years ago. Marleyans butchered him. And ‘dear boy’… that was Adam’s nickname for our son. Sometimes, I think… I think in his heart, my husband never quite got over it.”

After that, Levi never corrected Mr Jakowski again.

“Levi, are you listening to me?" Mr Jakowski laughs. "You’ve got that glaze in your eyes of a dreamer, the way my daughter be sometimes. Never seen it on ya before.”

Levi scowls. “I think you need to clean your glasses, old man.”

“Is it that missy staying at your house that’s got you looking so—”

“No.”

“Sure about that?”

At that, Levi stays silent. Of course, he’s sure. He'll be damned if he lets trifling innuendos get under his skin.

And yet, Mr Jakowski's eyes glint knowingly all the same, as if catching wind of something Levi isn't aware of. It almost makes Levi want to speak up (though, to say what?), but before he has the opportunity to say a thing, the man leaves him be. Levi listens to his receding footsteps and the tinkering noises soon coming from the workshop area of the store.

Levi reverts his attention onto the wooden figurine in his hands, casting it an altogether unimpressed look.

What he’s making… it’s stupid, isn’t it?

For the last week and a half, Levi has been using his lunch breaks to work on it. Right now, this wooden creation is simply a great blob of nothing. And yet, Levi can’t stop from continuing it. It started with your arrival, this idea, when something spurred deep in him to create and he doesn't know if it will lead to anything.

Perhaps he's wasting his time, perhaps—

The bells on the door chimes. Levi's eyes swerve up.

And he promptly places the figure on his lap, concealed right under the counter.

Because you've just entered the shop, greeting him with a pleasant smile. “Afternoon, Levi!” The door closes, light pooling around you, dewy and delicate. "Are you on your lunch break?"

Levi lifts a brow but gives you a slow nod. 

"Oh, good, I was scared I got your lunch time mixed up..." You lift a basket that was hidden behind your back, showing it off like it was some prized thing. “Ta-da!”

Levi just stares, not understanding what he's supposed to be seeing. 

“I brought lunch.” 

Oh, that's a first. You've never come all the way into town to visit his place of work, let alone have lunch with him. Is this because he accidentally let it slip that he sometimes skips lunch on his work days? You seemed particularly affronted last night; you'd washed the dishes grumbling something beneath your breath... 

“Miss Adler, is that you?” As if on cue, Mr Jakowski appears to Levi's left side, safety glasses still lodged on his head. He lets out a full-belly laugh, scratching the back of his neck. "I thought I recognized your melodic voice. It's good to see ya! I’ve been telling Levi to bring you around for some time now, but he's kept you all for himself."

"Has he, now?" you muse. "That's not very polite of you, is it, Levi?"

Levi keeps his expression blank.  

Mr Jakowski steps around the counter. "Is that lunch I see? You know, Levi rarely eats much in here."

“I know, that’s why I’ve come. I'm on a mission to change that, sir. I've brought lunch and even my secret trump card… cake!”

“You sure know the way to a man's heart, Miss Adler!” You pinch your lips, seemingly flustered, but Mr Jakowski is already shifting his attention to Levi, something almost devious splitting in his boss' expression. Levi's gaze narrows instantly, suspicious of whatever is to come next. “Now, you heard the lady, dear boy. You wouldn't want to reject the hospitality of such a kind woman, would ya?"

Levi considers Mr Jakowski. His offer sounds tempting enough, but Levi's already shirked his duties by working on his project. His lunch time is practically over...

His boss seems to read his mind. "Take an extra hour." Mr Jakowski walks over, squeezing Levi's shoulder—not painfully, but not lacking zest. The man leans closer, the smell of paint weaving into Levi's space once more. "Shop's quiet today, anyway—I'll handle it. And don't forget to hide that little secret of yours. Wouldn't want her to see your gift before it's finished, hm?"

Levi's eyes flicker from Mr Jakowski, then onto you. His shoulders rise... then fall again. He gives in with a sigh. You came all this way, after all, and Levi was never one to waste food.

“Fine,” Levi mutters, eying Mr Jakowski, “I'll be back in an hour, on the dot.”

.

.

.

“What are you reading?” you ask him one night. The two of you are at it again—sitting on different armchairs, reading in front of the fireplace. It's been a routine of yours these last evenings. 

“History books.”

You raise a questioning brow—that wasn't what you expected Levi to be interested in. 

Levi seems to pick up on your question before you even voice it.  “I want to understand why you upsiders do it.” 

Upsiders, the term coined by those living in the Underground for those living above.

You tilt your head. “Why we do what?”

“What you live for.”

.

.

.

Levi feels like he’s about to outright melt.

The park at this time of the day seems to gather heat like a damn magnet. Sitting on a picnic blanket under a large willow tree isn’t enough to stop sweat from coating his neck—summer is in full swing, and even the yellowing grass blades around them seem to feel its effects.

Over the last minutes, you’ve been telling him all about your morning: how you worked in the garden, how you cleaned up around the house.

“… then I went back into town to buy lunch," you explain, one hand outstretched as you caress the grass blades with the tip of your fingers. You seem content, relaxed. "I'm very excited to hear your thoughts on the cake, 'Vi. It’s a specialty from the Southern part of Marley, apparently.”

Levi squints, the eyelid on his bad eye trembling from the glare cast by the sun. Laid out between the two of you is something that’s just short of a small feast. Sandwiches, sliced fruits, fresh lemonade, and a takeaway box that contains what Levi can only guess is this infamous cake you're so excited to make him try. 

Vegetables, cheese, sugar. Levi still isn’t used to having these ingredients in such abundance. Maybe he never will be. 

But he certainly won't let any of it go to waste. 

"Hey, didn't I tell you to take it easy?" Levi mutters, picking up a cheese sandwich. "You didn't need to waste your free time doing all of this.”

"Come on, after my big freakout from last week, it's the least I could do."

"I told you, it was nothing—“

“But it wasn’t to me. I wanted to do this,” you cut in, weighing each word like it held its value in gold. Levi notices you reeling your hands into fists... only to be ushered out of existence as you shrug off the uncertainty. “Besides,” a bright smile brackets over your face, "all of this is keeping me busy. If I don’t do this, well… I've found that I just want to sleep all the time. At least, like this, I’m too occupied with thinking too much. Know what I mean?”

Levi thinks he does. It's why he always enjoyed cleaning so much, to some extent; it kept the edge off of things. He isn’t sure what that says about either you or him.

"I'm glad I could see where you work," you continue. "The shop has a certain aura to it, doesn't it?"

"It's the smell of saw dust and paint. You get used to it."

"I meant there's warmth to the interior." You snort, rolling a particular grass strand between your index, tugging at it without ripping it out. "But I like the smell, too, now that you mention it. I've only dabbled in oil paintings here and there, but it reminds me of that. I imagine adding color to something—anything, really—for a living must be rewarding. You get to style furniture according to someone's wishes, make sure it's dear and personal to them. That's pretty amazing, right?"

Levi almost smiles. Count on you to spin what some might consider mundane work and describe it as something magical. You've always had a knack for doing that, even in times of adversity. 

"And that boss of yours sure seems eccentric," you muse as you lean back, "bet he makes every day feel extra special.”

“Yeah, you could say that.”

Your eyes drift up to the sparse clouds. “Special’s… good. Special’s fun.”

Levi's lips twitch. Yes, he supposes that's true. Many things can be said about Mr Jakowski, but boring is not one of them.

"You and him are similar in that way," he murmurs beneath his breath. 

(You make every single of his day feel special, too.) 

A gentle breeze picks up the front section of your hair; it makes the smile on your face more noticeable, somehow more in the spotlight. For a moment, a delicate silence settles in, one filled with the sound of tree branches swaying above, its shadows moving across your face. Levi catches himself staring at you—again. Before he knows it, he's watching as you draw your attention on the food options laid on the picnic blanket. Your eyes stop onto a particular plate. 

Without even thinking about it, Levi raises the plate towards you.

You grin, grabbing a slice of spinach pie. "Thanks." As Levi retreats his hand back, placing the plate back on the picnic blanket, he notices you pausing. His eyes meet yours; your eyebrows knit together. "Hey, what's that on your hand?"   

Levi feels the heat of your attention as he glances down at his palm. Ah, that. The bandage. Levi forgot all about it. Earlier, while working on his personal woodwork project, Levi accidentally cut himself. The cut is superficial in nature, and the blood that leaked out of it felt excessive. Like his body was being dramatic for no good damn reason.

Unsurprisingly, your reaction blows out of proportion, too. "Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?" 

"S'fine." Levi now holds his sandwich with both hands, trying to shield his bandaged hand so you don't reach for it (somehow, he thinks you will). He's not sure how to handle your care right now, so he turns away from you, pretending to be interested in seagulls foraging nearby. "I patched it up."

“Still, you should disinfect it when we’re home…”

(Levi still isn’t used to that term of possession. We. Like it's his home, as much as much it's yours. Something shared.)

"I can make an ointment that'll speed up the healing process, perhaps, so you're not encumbered for very long,” you continue. Levi glances back at you. You're holding your chin thoughtfully. “I’ll need to go buy some tea tree oil for that. Maybe I should also stock up on ethanol and other essentials while I’m at it...”

The sight of you all pouty causes Levi to scoff. “Thought you weren’t a doctor no more?”

He takes the last bite of his cheese sandwich. 

“For you, Levi, always.”

Levi chokes. He begins to cough, the half-eaten bread hammering at his chest. 

Your hand is on his back just as soon as his coughing fit starts. "You okay?"

Levi nods with a blank expression, swatting your touch away. He stares at you from the corner of his eyes, disbelief lodged behind his gaze. Shit. Why do you have to say stuff like that? It's like you're trying to make his heart explode or some shit. 

“Cutting yourself at work and almost choking to death.” You whistle lowly. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re losing your touch, Ackerman.”

“I choked because of you, Adler.”

“Because of me?” You blow air with your lips. “Why, what did I do?”

“You—“ Levi feels himself growing hot—too hot. Blast this damn heat. “Forget it.”

You lean back, looking at him curiously. “Is this the fate that awaits me in a few years when I reach your age? Choking and half-finished sentences?”

Levi’s eyes narrow. “Well, aren't you full of jokes today?”

“Thanks. I’m trying real hard, in case you couldn’t tell.” You bite back a full-teeth grin; Levi hates how adorable you look, even when you're teasing him—especially when you're teasing him. “Maybe that’s what I should pursue next, huh? Comedian… that'd be quite the career change.”

Levi shakes his head. “I’ll have to support you financially for the rest of your days.” 

A burst of laughter rolls out of you. It makes Levi feel queasier still.

“Hey," you say once your laughter has dimmed down. Your gaze holds his, bright and true. "What were you working on anyway, that you ended up cutting yourself?”

“Nothing.” Levi doesn’t supply you with more information, the memory of the unfinished figure flashing in his mind. It's trivial, the sort of work he's been doing, especially compared to what Mr Jakowski builds. “Just keeping busy.”

Because Levi’s life is just that now. He has to keep himself busy, to fill it with things so he doesn’t stop moving.

“Hey, Levi?” Levi looks back at you, and you shoot him a lopsided smile. “Do you ever think your past self would believe you’re out here now, carving wood for a living?”

Levi considers your question. He’s not the sort of person to wonder about these questions, but he’s not surprised that you still are. 

The answer is simple. No, his past self wouldn’t believe it. His past self wouldn’t believe most of it.  

He tells you as much, aching to change the subject. “What about you? Picked up a pencil yet?”

“Hm… not yet. Haven’t been feeling it, to be honest." There's something a little sad hanging on your face for the shortest moment, only to be replaced by wide eyes and parted lips. “But, oh, I promise, that doesn't mean I don't like your gift or anything. The supplies you bought—I'll make sure they don't go to waste! I just—”

"Hey, breathe," Levi interrupts, his eyes charged on you. "It's fine if you don't. There's no pressure.”

Your shoulders deflate. You give him a tired smile. “Thanks.”

In the distance, a school bell rings. Children begin to pour out of the building, like a flock of birds leaving the nest, knowing it is there to come back to.

“Anyway,” you say, reaching for the sealed container. “Enough of that. It's time for my favorite part of any meal: sweets. I’m eager to know your thoughts on this lemon tart.”

(The answer? Levi will discover he has a taste for lemon desserts.)

After that day, it becomes a routine of sorts. You show up some days to have lunch with Levi. On the grass under the willow in Mare, you and Levi watch the sea drift from afar, cake laid out between the two of you.

.

.

.

“Oi, what’s this?”

You look up from your notes on your desk. Levi has barged into your office, holding the silver tin you asked to be delivered to him. 

"That's Valerian root,” you answer.

”Valerian root,” he repeats, eying you suspiciously. “Why?”

"Um... think of it as a gift, I guess?"

"Why? We’re not friends."

A grimace flashes on your face—ouch. So, Levi doesn't see you as a friend, even if you're starting to consider him as such, anyway.

"Well., I noticed you seem to have insomniac tendencies, so I...” You clear your throat, swatting a dismissive hand in the air. “If it makes it easier to accept it, think of it as a medical order."

"A medical order." Levi scrunches his nose, pinching his lips together. "And what does Valerian root do, anyway? "

"Valerian root is tea. Or well, not tea. It's an infusion. But you can brew it the same way and it helps... it helps to fall asleep."

.

.

.

When Levi comes home that night after work, the sun is setting low over the sea, a red dot over the horizon. There's a gentle breeze in the air, one that carries with it the smell of salt and sand from the beach just below the valley. 

As soon as Levi is home, he slips into his usual patterns. He takes his shoes off, swapping them for the soft slippers Gabi and Falco once gifted him. He grabs his indoor cane by the entrance, just where he left it. Then, like a rite of passage, he makes his way to the common room, expecting to find you. 

You're not there. Instead, the quaint room that serves as a kitchen, living room, and dining room is empty, a distinct smell of herbs in the air.

Levi recognizes the scent almost immediately; it's the same fragrance that hung around the Survey Corps infirmary on any given day. Frankly speaking, Levi equates the smell with, well, you. It's been years since he smelled it.  

Peppermint, chamomile, tea tree oil... there was always a particular mixture of herbs you favored to treat ailments. Funding within the Survey Corps was sparse, after all, all the more within the medical wing, so to remedy this, you had to get creative: you bought cheap herbs in bulk and created balms with what the Survey Corps could afford. The same herbs Levi now smells in the air.

And Levi suddenly gets a sense of...

Home. 

It's corny, really, that all of a sudden, he feels more at home than the home he's inhabited in the year of living alone. But maybe that's the thing about getting older; there's just smells that remind of the past, things that feel impossible not to acknowledge.

In a way, Levi is grateful that those scents are what he associates with your infirmary, with your hands. Later, when his leg was wounded, and he became accustomed to the stomach-flipping stench of strong antiseptic solutions prevalent in Marleyan hospital tents, the memory of you—of his fucked-up sense of home—remained untainted.

"Oh, fuck!"

A crash assaults Levi's ears. He turns, only to find you half-bent down, picking up a pile of books from the ground. You straighten back up, looking flustered at the sight of him.

"L-Levi,” you huff, “y-you scared the living out of me!"

Levi's brows draw low, shooting you an unimpressed look in return. "Then you should pay better attention." You're holding onto a bunch of books that pertain to gardening. 'Flower symbolism' reads one cover.  "If these were the streets, you'd be a dead woman by now."

His words cause you to roll your eyes at him, although a playful tug of a smile graces your lips not a second later. "This isn't the streets, 'Vi. There's no one out there to hurt me, least of all within the confines of this house."

Levi knows you make a point, but his nature has always been to be suspicious of everything, and that much hasn't changed here. He wishes you'd be a little more careful, at least for his sake.

"Anyway, welcome back... how was the rest of your day?" You dart past him, placing your pile of books on the kitchen table.

Levi notices you've changed since he last saw you; you're now wearing a long skirt that reaches below your knees. Levi has never seen you wear anything like this. He wonders if you got it at the market in Mare, or if this is something you bought on your travels.

"Levi?"

Levi swerves his attention back to you.

Right, your question.

"Same as always." The rest of his day was, in fact, just as Mr Jakowski had predicted. Quiet. "What's all of this, then? You starting a bookclub or something?"

"Not quite. I spent my afternoon at the public library. Have you been?" Levi shakes his head. "Walls, Levi, it's even bigger than the one we had back hom–I mean, back on Paradis." You pick up a random book, flip through it and show him a page that's all about flower propagation. "I'm gonna make sure your garden's perfect."

Levi’s brows scrunch low. Truth be told, he doesn't see the big deal with flowers. Aren’t there more practical things to grow, like vegetables? Flowers seem to take up place and suffer the risk of easy destruction.

But maybe it's simply not for him to understand. 

"Hey Levi, are you listening to me?"

"Yeah.”

"What was I talking about?"

Levi glances at you. There's a spark of defiance flashes in your stare. 

He crosses his arms over his chest, face impassive. "Something something... gardening."

You chuckle, placing the book back on the table. "Actually, I was asking you if I could get your opinion on where to plant what tomorrow. You've got the next two days off, right? Can I spare a moment of your time?"

Levi doesn't work Saturdays and Sundays. The weekend, as Marleyans call it, is for rest.

"Yeah, I'll help." 

"Great!"

With that decision out of the way, Levi leaves you to it. He stops in his bedroom to grab a clean change of clothes and then heads to the bathroom to start his rigorous pre-dinner routine (Levi's found that he will not, cannot, rest before he completes it). 

It all starts with a shower, where Levi rubs at his skin until it is raw and pink, massages his scalp and hair until it's lathered and soapy, the scent of his lemon-scented soap rampant. Once Levi is pleased that every part of him is clean, he rinses himself with hot water, the act oddly meditative as he feels every muscle, every bone in his body come undone, one limb after another.

As soon as he's done and toweled dry, it's shaving time. 

Tonight, as Levi lays out his shaving kit by the sink, he can't help but pause at the sight of his reflection.

Levi stares at himself. 

Over the last three years, time has caught up to him, in more ways than one. His hair has gotten longer, yes, but it's the strands of silver now framing his face that Levi lingers on. Then, there are wrinkles on the sides of his eyes, on his forehead, on his smile lines that are new. He's even accrued a collection of freckles on the ridge of his nose; somehow, he thinks the warmer weather in Marley is responsible for that. 

In some strange ways, with every new year Levi ages, he thinks he looks more and more like Kenny, minus the facial hair. That son-of-a-bitch got his way with him after all, it seems, and despite this, Levi suspects Kenny would still call him a runt if he were here standing next to him right now.

"Still can't grow facial hair, huh, kid?" Kenny would say. "And you're still just as short."  

Yeah, that sounds like Kenny alright. 

"Hey, 'Vi?” A shy knock makes Levi turn his head towards the door. “I forgot to give you the balm I made for your cut. Do you want it now?"

"Gimme a moment," he mumbles. "... I'll be right there."

Levi finishes his routine. He shaves his face and massages his leg. He changes into indoor clothes. 

By the time Levi’s done, he finds you sitting on the sofa, flipping through one of your books while stroking Scout. It seems you've already started the preparations for dinner; there's simmering onion soup that's replaced the previous smell of herbs over the stove.

This time, upon hearing him approach, both you and Scout look up, almost synchronically. It makes Levi's heart a little warm—why does it feel so strange to have an audience waiting for him? 

Before Levi can contemplate on this very question, you've swung to your feet. "Here, sit down; I’ll get the balm."

Levi does as he's told, taking a seat on the free spot—on the other side of the sofa, next to Scout. His peripheral catches you first washing your hands over the kitchen sink, then retrieving something from the ice-box. 

Scout's purr pulls him back to the sofa. The kitten has made her presence known, demanding attention from Levi, and Levi obliges her. He scratches her under her chin like he always does, using his unwounded hand to do so.

Soon, the cat's purr vibrates against his fingertips. 

"She misses you, you know." Levi glances over your shoulders. You're standing on his other side, bending down. "May I?" you ask, looking at his palm laid flat on the arms of the sofa.

Levi nods.

Carefully, you take his hand into your own, flipping it to remove the bandage and analyze the cut. The wound runs across the tender flesh of his palm, ending with his index. It's not a deep cut by any stretch of the imagination, but it is on his five-fingered hand. Just his luck. 

“Did you know that Scout sometimes goes into your bedroom, meowing into the void?" you say in passing, eyes focused on his wound. "It's like she's looking for your ghost or something.”

"That cat needs to get used to me being absent." 

"She's just attached to you. Can you blame her?"

Levi's throat goes thick. No, he supposes he can't blame Scout, not when he's felt that same emptiness himself before, knows how damaging it can be.

"Anyway, I hope she grows used to me being here, too. For now, she still refuses to enter my room when it's just the two of us, but I think we may bridge that gap soon." Your voice turns into a coarse whisper, leaning closer to Levi like Scout might somehow overhear—and understand you. "I may or may not have bribed her with some leftover tuna."

"You mean you’re spoiling her."

"Hey, all's fair in love and war." You lean back. A knowing smile tugs at your lip, delicate like the first bloom of spring. "Besides, there are worse things for a cat to be."

After that, you focus on tending to Levi's wound—disinfecting it, adding balm, wrapping a clean bandage by the careful press of your hands. It brings Levi back to the old days, when he'd watch you either tend to him or his comrades. There was always this intensity, this non-bullshit attitude, that would always wash over you. It made Levi aware just how seriously you took your job, how dedicated you were to your craft. It was one of the first things that made him respect you.

Now, as Levi watches you at it again, there is something else, too. Something that speaks volumes of just how touch-starved he's become. He tries to ignore the warmth that blooms under your touch, tries not to think about how long it’s been since anyone that wasn’t his doctor touched him like this.

He fails.

It might be why, when at last you seem satisfied with your work and rise to your feet, Levi finds himself doing the same. He stands, moving with no objective in sight, the scent of herbs and home and you beckoning him closer. 

As he does, he ends in your personal space, his fingers almost grazing yours. 

He freezes. 

You seem just as surprised to find him in your space. Levi watches as your lips subtly part, the smallest shift in your expression that narrows into your eyes widening. He listens to your breath catch; it makes the tip of his fingers tingle.

"Um... Levi?" 

Levi blinks, panic swelling in his chest, but before he can say a thing, a sudden "mrrrp" vibrates below. What happens next is a blur, but Scout has somehow jumped off the sofa, intertwining herself between you and him, and the sudden feeling of fur on your bare legs must have taken you by surprise.

Because the next moment, you’ve bumped the back of your calves against the edge of the sofa, almost tripping back. 

Luckily, if there's one thing that hasn't changed, it's Levi's instincts. He instantly latches onto your elbow, steadying you, your warmth blooming beneath his grasp. 

“Walls,” your voice vibrates against the shell of his ear, breathless. "... Thanks." 

You straighten, taking a subtle shift back. Levi finally lets go, clears his throat, and moves away. He flexes his hand, trying to rid himself of the tickling sensation he'd just felt. 

"It's nothing." He focuses on Scout, who's skittered away and in between the dining chairs, looking at you and Levi with wide eyes. Levi exhales harshly as he stares at her. "Tch, have a care, you damn cat. We're practically titan-sized to you; don’t creep around like that unless you want to end trampled on."

The rest of the evening is uneventful. Like every other evening since you moved in, you and Levi share a meal, seated at the dining table, facing the window with a viewpoint on the sea. You share tidbits of information you've learned about the village and its inhabitants, while Levi provides scarce comments here and there. You discuss Gabi and Falco’s upcoming visit for the solstice, and everything you plan to do with them.

Everything is just as Levi remembers it being. The setting is different, there are people missing… but there is something soothing that he is here now, with you, with scents that don't feel foreign, with foods that feel familiar. 

One thing does loom over Levi's mind, though.

Levi swears you drew closer when he stood.

.

.

.

One night, you fall asleep in front of the fireplace.

Come morning, Levi's gone, but there's a blanket draped over your body.

.

.

.

That night, Levi can't sleep. That in itself isn't shocking; Levi's always been a chronic insomniac. Still, when the telltale signs of a sleepless night make themselves known and Levi realizes he's in for one of those nights, he doesn't waste time. He gets up and goes to make himself a fresh cup of valerian root tea.

Half-way there, however, something stops him in his tracks.

It's your the door to your bedroom, half-ajar, warm light pooling out.

And Levi sees you.

You're on the floor, crouched over something. Next to you, it seems that your bribing paid off; Scout is by your side, staring at you with keen interest, tilting her head as she looks at your every movement. 

That's when Levi notices what you're doing, what you're twirling around one by one, as if to show the cat.

Your drawing materials, his gift to you. You've taken them out of the desk he built, laying them all on the floor to inspect them.

Pencils, an eraser, a notebook.

Huh.

-

Thanks for reading! This is a slow build into feelings and healing, but I hope the journey will be worth the read. If you have a minute, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments/tags. Take care <3

[roguelov]

Imagine a reader who has chronic nightmares and is afraid of falling asleep meeting and being comforted by Morpheus! <3

Angst? But with fluff? A bit of hurt/comfort??? HELL YESSSSSSSSSSSSS

At first you were accustom to the constant nightmares, although it was irksome and annoying to wake up with your heart pounding up in your throat, but you eventually accepted this was your fate. However, over the last month these nightmares leave you fearful to even sleep now. You held off sleep, drank an ungodly amount of caffeine, tried meditation and even some over the counter medication but none of it worked. Once you closed your eyes, you were tormented only to wake up minutes later and doomed to repeat the process.

Your disruptive sleep also gained the attention of the one responsible for such nightmares. Morpheus sensed the minor disruption, along with his nightmares moving onto the next dreamer suddenly. Curious, he turned his gaze to you. He watched as you appeared in a warped version of Fiddler Green with a slew of his nightmares lurking about. He watched as your eyes adjusted to the darkness only for you to instantly cower at the crunch of twigs and dried leaves. You swore under your breath, recognizing the place.

Then the hunt began.

A nightmare - a mix of predatory beasts and mythology - charged. Your breath hitched and your legs immediately knew what they must do: run. You ran and ran. But, the running was futile. The nightmare leapt high into the air, landing on your back. You screamed, you pleaded, you cried, then you disappeared.

You had woken up.

From then on, Morpheus was intrigued by you. He watched you a few more times, and each time a small ache in his chest grew. Nightmares were essential. They forced mortals to face their fears, to overcome them, yet this? This was not it. You were being tormented, instead of aiding he was hindering you.

So, when you fell asleep, Morpheus was ready.

This time instead of seeing the gnarly trees with its spindle like branches mimicking claws, you saw an endless field of an assortment of flowers.

“Is this to your liking?”

You whipped around. Your heart leapt up into your throat, ready for the nightmare to begin. It was no nightmare, nor monster. It was a man. He slowly approached you. “No nightmares will plague you tonight,” he said softly, like reassurance from a lover.

“How - how do you know that?” You asked, stepping back from him. “Who are you? Where am I and -“

“I am merely a friend at this moment,” he continued. “Please, allow me to right this wrong.”

He extended out a hand. You eyed it unsure of any of it.

“You will be under my care, let me offer you a sweeter night.”

What do I have to lose?

You stepped forward and slowly put your hand in his. His eyes softened. You cleared your throat, “What … what did you want to show me?”

“So much, my dreamer.”

For the first time in so long, you slept so soundly. You woke up with a long happy sigh, and with the feeling of your stranger’s hand in yours. Later that night, you were eager to fall back asleep. A voice warned you of a possible nightmare, but when you opened your eyes seeing the grand field you knew nothing would harm you again. And when your eyes meet your stranger’s dazzling blue, you felt so at peace. As if welcomed back home.

He extended his hand out again, “Where to now, my dreamer?”

[azureandcrimson]

Sleeping Issues.

Okay. I have a lot of headcanons, but I think this is one that would be canon or could be. Wukong and Macaque get nightmares, a lot, Wukong less then Macaque (Because I made a super horrible traumatizing past for Macaques family before he met Wukong :3) In the past if one of them got a nightmare they would get up and walk to wherever the other was sleeping without a word and just cuddle up with each other (Platonic or Romantic) But after Macaques death/murder and revival, both of their nightmares picked up, and also he had more issues with sleep as he worked with LBD and The Mayor, he barley ate, he barley slept, (I HC that Wukong is chubby and Macaque is skinny <3) but anyways, he barley took care of himself because he was so focused on other things, and if he did get sleep he would wake up from a nightmare about an hour or two later. So, that leads to this headcanon I have for Macaque. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Macaque has Insomnia Nightmares/Nightmares Disorder While nightmares are associated with certain mental health conditions, such as PTSD. Nightmare disorder is a pattern of repeated frightening and vivid dreams that cause significant distress or impaired functioning. It is one type of parasomnias, which are behavioral sleep abnormalities. Nightmare disorder causes frequent, extended nightmares that commonly depict serious threats to the dreamer’s life, safety, and well-being. They wake from them feeling alert and deeply distressed. Typically, they can vividly recall the content of the nightmare. Mild: Less than one nightmare per week on average. ~ Moderate: One or more nightmares per week, but less than nightly. ~ Severe: Nightmares every night. It can also vary in duration: Acute nightmare disorder lasts one month or less. ~ Subacute nightmare disorder lasts at least one month but less than six months. ~ Chronic nightmare disorder lasts for six months or longer. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ After he get's these nightmares he can't fall back asleep because his thoughts are swirling, so usually he just stares up at the sky/ceiling/ whatever he's under, thinking, laying there for hours until he has to get up.

[owl-with-a-pen]

My brain constantly ping pongs between thinking Nia is a chronic insomniac or still just narcolepsy levels of falling asleep anywhere and everywhere all the time. Maybe she’s also ping ponging between the two depending on how she’s doing with her powers at the moment. Sometimes she’s falling asleep at game night, at work, at the dinner table. Sometimes she goes three days on two non-consecutive hours of sleep. Every so often the universe throws her a bone and it’s normal for a while. And Brainy is either waking her up in stupid places in the middle of the day or pulling sleep hacks out of his sleeves at 2am, forever engaged in the game of trying to help his girlfriend get the correct amount of sleep.

Oh, oh, I actually shared some of my thoughts about this exact topic after the Dreamer/Flash crossover gave us some more delicious lore. You can read that here !

But, yes, I like to imagine Nia's sleeping pattern fluctuates, too. The Flash crossover gave us some more insight into Nia's abilities and confirmed that what was holding her back was the fact that she was fighting too hard to control her dreaming ability, which goes against the natural unpredictability of the visions themselves.

So, if Nia's in a good headspace, I think that's when she might find herself falling into the more narcoleptic characteristic of falling asleep in random places, although she no longer views it as the same stressor/inconvenience as before. She just had to learn to embrace that it's a natural part of her power and that she has to let her visions in when they come knocking, no matter where or when that might be.

The difficulty of leading a double life means that Nia often falls into the unhealthy habit of caffeine binging to keep herself from falling behind at Catco. So, if Brainy starts seeing coffee cups stacking up, he knows to check in with her.

Since talking about this the last time, I started thinking of possible tech that Brainy might design to help Nia keep track of her dreams. In real life, there are headbands or wristbands that can track sleep patterns, brainwaves, etc, and so I like to think that maybe Brainy adds an extra layer to Nia's bracelets, something that taps into her dream energy to notify her if she might be about to fall into the dream state. That way, she's got a bit of warning to prep for a vision, especially if she's somewhere public where randomly passing out might not be ideal. It also means she's less likely to turn to coffee to keep her awake and allows her to better embrace her powers to their fullest extent. Win-win 😉

[traincat]

get to know me

Tagged by @ladymercury-10! tag whoever you want to get to know better!

Three ships: IkeSoren has taken over my entire life. FlashKaine, because I have @pariah-arts' What Died Didn’t Stay Dead on my mind, and Spideytorch in perpetuity. I have something I'm working on for them that I'm going to drop in the tag at some point the exact same way a cat drops a dead rat on their sleeping owner.

First Ship: probably Ash/Misty from Pokemon lol. that's the first thing I can like, consciously remember shipping in a "I want these characters to Hold Hands" way.

Last song: Casual by Chappell Roan.

Last Film: Little Richard: I Am Everything. I think the last fiction movie I watched was Miss Granny, which made me WEEP and miss my own grandma.

Currently Reading: stuff for work lmfao. I read a lot of manuscripts for my job which kind of cuts into enjoyment reading.

Currently watching: True Detective: Night Country! I've been loving it so so much. I also watch a lot of documentaries (I like to have the TV on while I work or write), and I need to finish Love Between Fairy and Devil.

Currently consuming: aren't we all consuming all the time something something capitalism. I don't really know what this means. I just ate white fish salad on a cracker with kimchi. and now I have coffee.

Currently craving: I really want a fried oyster.

Tagging @pariahsdream, @loisfreakinglane, @ladypfenix, @chronic-dreamer, @unclepetunio and anyone who wants to do this. Consider yourself tagged!

[makeadealwithdean]

WIP TITLE GAME

rules: make a new post with the names of all the files in your wip folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! and then tag as many people as you have wips.

thank you for the tag @kallisto-k!! i've been so excited to do this, just had to find time cause i have way too many wips/fic ideas

Supernatural WIPs:

#1 let me

#2 'tis the damn season (series)

#3 bleeding in love (series)

#4 dear, though the night has gone (series)

#5 "jar!"

#6 a castle made of sand

#7 bff (best friend fallout)

#8 destiel goes to hot topic

#9 english girls

#10 illicit affairs

#11 is everything a bob seger song to you?

#12 it cut deep to know you, right to the bone

#13 just because we're blood don't mean we relate

#14 love you real, love you raw

#15 birthday spanking

#16 my heart belongs to daddy

#17 red wings

#18 soulless sam chasing you through the woods

#19 spanish homework help

#20 christmas fic

#21 why are you here?

Stranger Things WIPs:

#22 that's how my love goes

#23 strawberries and cigarettes

#24 massage fic au

#25 breaking him

#26 dial drunk

#27 black & white

#28 billy goes to the byers house

#29 (pretty boy) don't get cut on my edges

#30 a night in

#31 back seat

#32 deal gone right

#33 guitar player

#34 let me fix your crown

#35 this love is ours

The Vampire Diaries WIPs:

#36 love sucks (spn crossover)

#37 poker face

#38 they say i did something bad, why's it feel so good?

#39 what am i seeing? (spn crossover)

#40 ian somerhalder is actually a vampire?

#41 feel so close to you right now

#42 dreams

#43 never knew i could feel this much

#44 drunk in love

Criminal Minds WIPs:

#45 mgg jazz club fic

#46 dance floor mishap

bold = actually partially written fics, the others are more bullet pointed ideas

right so, that was a lot, but if you want to ask me about any of them in hopes i'll actually sit down and finish them, PLEASE DO. i'll link my ask box here. i need all the motivation i can possibly get <3

anywho, tagging @hintsofhoney @jensengirl83 @wayward-dreamer @dragonflylady77 @hellcheercaine and whoever else wants to join! sorry if you've already done it, and i've tagged you, i really need to get back into being chronically online lmao

[hannahhook7744]

Jane Darling headcanons revamped;

Her full name is actually Jane Marian Stuart-Darling of Darling Coast.

She is the oldest grandchild of her family at 32 years old by the time the events of the pocketwatch transpire.

She has two younger brothers—William (24) and Daniel (17).

She has Danny has 7 first cousins (Jeremiah, Wilma, Diana, Moria, Jonathan, Wallace, and Dalton) and 2 second cousins (Millie and Warpaint).

Jane is the only one old enough to actually remember their great aunt, Millicent, unfortunately enough.

She is also a big nerd—loving books, dnd, role playing, cosplaying, and is a chronic day dreamer. She also loved school when she was in it.

Jane is a very strong swimmer and loves going swimming with her husband, Alex (who just so happens to be Melody's ex).

She is bestfriends with Jim Hawkins and got into a lot of shenanigans with him as a kid. After she mellowed out because of her Neverland adventure, that is.

She owns a lot of maps and still has Nanny ||.

She is a night owl and practically lives on energy drinks and coffee.

This is because she doesn't want to have to deal with her horrid nightmares of her time in Neverland.

Jane also loves treasure hunting and climbing things.

She learned how to use a rapier better after Neverland so she could better protect herself, her brothers, and her cousins.

She likes traveling and has a vial of pixie dust Peter gifted her the last time she was in Neverland.

She met Jim in the Naval academy when they were kids and she has since became an instructor at Neverland Academy.

Jane is very close to her parents and loves them dearly.

She drives a purple car, which is her favorite color.

She also loves fishing even if she won't admit it.

[padawansuggest]

Okay so my gf and my dad are lucid dreamers who don’t actually know HOW to lucid dream (trust me there are signs you can look it up they both have the capability to lucid dream but neither want to or have tried yet idk man it’s really weird cause they both love naps so much but haaaaaaate dreams) and because of this they both describe their dreams the same way. They 1: hate them and 2: it’s confusing and annoying at best so they just can’t stand the actual dreams.

Anyways. I completely lack the ability to lucid dream. But. I fucking LOVE my dreams that aren’t nightmares, because an unfortunate issue for me is chronic nightmares but otherwise I actually love my dreams and get frequent dreams that would amazing books/movies or fics. Like I have had probably two super good ones in the last month or so. One of them full on had a mixture of a H*gw^rts type school but mix in elements from Breakbills (The Magicians, specifically the part in that it’s a secondary school, not a primary school) and I genuinely think it would make a good novel and sequel and I love the idea still considering it, while the last one I had was like 6 hours ago and it gave me a super good idea for a fic that involves kiddo CodyWan with Mandalorian Empire and a bunch of other epic shit lmao i straight up had to write it out after I woke up and even now it’s still a super solid fic idea and it’s got Lesbians~

Anyways. So what I’m saying is that lucid dreamers don’t have the ability to suspend reality for the plot, because they KNOW it’s a dream and so it’s all just fast and confusing until they actually learn how to lucid dream (mad neither of them are learning that bitch do you KNOW what I would give to have a secondary life in my own head???? Wasted. Rude.) and they even describe it as just annoying flashes sometimes.

So. Lucid dreaming is actually very specific and not the same as normal dreaming in which you suspend reality and go with the flow, and it’s got a lot of major markers that aren’t the same as regular dreaming.

I can overall make decisions in my own dreams. I don’t always have the best options for them, but I can make them. I can choose to look for a book in a store, or I can choose to go into that flower shop. I found that since I learned to make simple decisions in my dreams, while it doesn’t exactly help me realize it’s a dream, it overall can push the dream in one direction or another. Last night I chose to look for a customer instead of just filling an order for them when I realized they had ordered the grossest combo known to man and I was like ‘Imma ask for a second opinion’ and suddenly I was no longer filling orders, but a lost princess who very Futurama style got cryogenically frozen and so did her old gf and now they’re in the future and can finally be together without being sentenced to death from homophobia. It was wild.

Either way. So you know those dreams where your teeth start falling out or crumbling (mine crumble and block my mouth if my mouth is dry irl and I’m all ‘shame my mouth is going to be blocked by teeth for the rest of forever’) and you’re like ‘wow, this sucks’ and let it turn into a nightmare or get weird?

Yeah. So. That. Still. Doesn’t help me realize it’s a dream. At no point in the dream do I have the capability of realizing it’s a dream. That’s not a possibility for me. But. I do… have a way of waking myself up. But I’m not like ‘I gotta wake up’ because it doesn’t occur to me that it’s a dream. I sorta just. Shut down. I’m all ‘yeah it’s time to die’. And. I. Die. I just like kill myself in the dream and wake up with a headache from grinding my teeth.

So. Just a thought. If you don’t have the capability of realizing you’re in a dream and changing things??? Just die. It apparently works.

[yumeka]

MAGIC & ABILITIES

Monday's magics can be classified into two categories: passive && active. her passive magics are the magics she uses subconsciously, without really having to put much thought and effort into casting (mainly the magics she uses for communication), while her active magics are something she has to actively be thinking about and casting to use, and are the magics they would classify themselves as a mage in.

PASSIVE MAGICS:

SCRIPT MAGIC: Monday's primary way of communication is by using an altered form of script magic. unlike with most script magics, where the script will perform whatever is written out, monday's scripts basically have no effect and only appear to put her thoughts into words. a good example would be if they said 'boom', instead of the script exploding like it normally would, the word just appears before vanishing with no effect. most people would find it weird to alter a magic to be effectively useless, but monday has had one too many conversations end with destruction for them not to look into altering the property of the magic.

ILLUSION MAGIC: this magic works in compliment to their script magic solely to make their scripts more visible to whoever they are talking to. this typically will manifest in the form of little speech bubbles floating by their head or whatever is the object of focus. in instances where words aren't effective, the illusions will form question marks or exclamation around their head, kinda like how they can be drawn in anime or manga. in scenarios where they need to draw attention to themselves (either good or bad) the illusions will typically look like fireworks going off to draw attention to her.

ACTIVE MAGICS:

DREAM MAGIC: A magic originating in Alvarez, dream magic allows the caster to harness an individuals dreams and pull objects, spells and on extreme occasions, people from the dream into the waking world. it often gets mistaken for a type of requip magic due to items & objects being the easiest things to pull out of dreams. this magic does come with some heavy caveats, namely being that the user cannot pull items from their own dreams, and the individual they are harnessing their dreams from has to actively be asleep. the moment the person wakes up, all items pulled from the dream vanishes, like they never existed in the first place.

DREAM WALKER: An advanced subcategory of dream magic, dream walker allows the user to enter and manipulate peoples dreams. while using this skill the caster does vanish from the waking world and is only present within the target's dream. if the dreamer is lucid dreaming, they will have equal or more control of the dream than the caster, but in most scenarios, the caster is in full control of the situation and can add or remove things to the dream. if the dreamer is awoken at any point, the caster is removed from the dream instantly, and it's a rather violent process leaving the caster dazed and in worse case scenarios injured. Monday only ever uses this magic with consent of the dreamer and uses it as a type of therapy to help people with chronic nightmares, going into them and manipulating them into something more pleasant to help the person sleep through the night

SLEEP MAGIC: Because their magic is heavily reliant on an individual being asleep to work, Monday knows the most basic forms of sleep magics. she never will put anyone to sleep involuntarily unless they are deemed as a threat, and in most situations don't disclose this as a magic they have in case they do need to incapacitate someone momentarily

[daxieoclock]

OCs

Dia - full name: Seprigrininat-un-Diadelixaphage. Greymoral homunculus with an empathy disorder, raised as an assassin by her father, whom she killed for abusing her sister. She and her siblings are in hiding from the crime empire who owns their father’s debts, and Dia is trying to find both her purpose and her brother, who was captured by said crime empire. She was a pirate for a year, wears a skull bandana and uses a scythe and weather magic.

(art by my friend’s friend Park who does not have tumblr)

Farris - a gaunt woman who sold her soul to an undead fae in order to escape abuse, and is now hunting that fae to kill her so she can die freely on her own terms. Dia’s rival and eventual lover. She lashes out as a defense mechanism. Manipulates her own body into a weapon with the magic of the undead.

Max Enoch - a teenage Jewish trans girl with a golem made of folded paper, a crush on her best friend Jenny, and severely repressed trauma. Tries really hard to be an aloof cool girl at the cost of her vulnerability.

(art by @lilyhoshikawa​ )

Primrose - goes by Prim. The poltergeist of the girl haunting this narrative. She’s insanely powerful and insanely vindictive, an apparent human living in a mirror world of twisted deities, whom she both culls and protects. Daughter of the Dreamer - the invisible “Idmon.”

Puck - a little boy with antlers, a scar over one eye and whimsical theater kid energy. He is just a little guy. Prim’s baby brother, son of the Dreamer - the invisible “Titania.”

(art by @cattownartist​ )

Lucy “Twitch” Blum - newly out trans girl still dealing with a whole lot of trauma. Almost killed the party when her self-loathing took monstrous form, but she got better. Accompanied by her Persona, Venus. In a very lovey-dovey relationship with resident butch Lena.

Arcade Cassidy - bartender and butch eyecandy by night, nerdy terminal insomniac by day. Horribly cursed, and dealing with it the best they can - by being buried in medical debt, mostly. Probably going to eat a g-d some day.

Mezzanine “Mezz” Penglihaten - mixed Indonesian and Japanese, she’s chronically ill chemistry major and part time magical girl, by the name “Transience.” The providor of her powers takes the specter form and name of “Izanami.” While Mezz is firm and softspoken, Transience is cocky and brash and loud. Full profile here.

Keth Sayar - up and coming punk rock star, shredding her way through the undercity of Zaun...or so she likes to say. Despite her insistence on her stage name - Caustic Shock - she’s as of yet an inexperienced band geek running around with a haunted electric guitar, getting into trouble. And she’s 15. But it’s not a phase, mom!

[nimdreams]

My Archetype

I am a dreamer archetrope. I identify this way because of my strong connection to dreams and because of my daydreaming tendencies. An archetrope is often something you inspire to be, and I inspire to let dreams affect my daily life, to be with my head in the clouds, drifting away to beautiful places. I wish to be the dreamer; full of imagination, the creative, the fantastical, the fantasizer. It is also something innate.

I am also strongly connected to dreams, it is part of my star and fox spirit identities. As a star I was made from the Dream and for fox spirit, dreams is where I am truly fully myself. I have multiple vivid and often lucid dreams every night and have access there to all my magical abilities.

I believe this identity has greatly helped me in life. When I was severely chronically ill, I still had a life in my mind. I had distraction and wonder. It has helped me through tough times. I love living my life as a dreamer.

I think this archetrope has also heavily influenced my alterhumanity in general. If I wasn't a dreamer, I might not have had my fox spirit dreams and my rich inner world as a star. I don't have many goals in life, I just want to remain deep in fantasy.

This identity connects me to the child in me. When I was young I had such a vivid imagination. I channel that still. It is something I tried to push away, tried to live in the "real" world, but opening myself up to being a dreamer is so much more wonderful. I allow myself to be me.

I am literally and figuratively a dreamer.

[ejs-eggs]

Dynasty [chapter 1]

107 AC

The year of Maenyra Targaryens birth was one of great strength. House Targaryen was under the new rule of King Viserys i Targaryen, a young and peaceful man who extended the vitality of their house that his predecessor had brought before him. Her birth to his brother, Prince Rhaelar Targaryen was celebrated by all except Rhaelar himself. Maenyra, despite her health and vigor, would never be a boy and thus never an heir to Rhaelar. He had seen the plight of his eldest brothers want for a son, and was not keen to share the same fate. He begged his wife, the Lady Vhaehra Targaryen for another chance at a son. Despite her reluctance, she was quick to succumb to a second pregnancy. This one being more taxing on her body than the last. She suffered faintness and pain, becoming all too familiar with the confines of her apartments. Maenyra was brought up by a wet nurse at this time, as many royal babes were. However, she saw less and less of her mother as Vhaehras pregnancy progressed. It was of little consequence to the baby, who only desired loving hands and a breast of milk, all of which were readily available. Only a few short months after her birth, the egg placed within Maenyras cradle by her cousin, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, hatched a large dragon of black and red scales. Resembling the black dread himself, she was dubbed “Modor” by Rhaenyra, who was fascinated by the little creature and her baby cousin.

Vhaehra, for all her frailty, miraculously gave birth to two healthy and screaming boys less than a year after Maenyras birth. Rhaelar was thrilled, and the arrival of the twin boys delighted the court. Baelon and Daelar Targaryen, with the former being the eldest of the two, were also given dragons eggs. Theirs however, would never hatch. Rhaelars sons would never take to the skies on the backs of their own dragons, much to his own displeasure.

Their mother, after the birth, was too weak to even hold the boys. Her heart had never recovered from the strain of her difficult pregnancy, and she fell into chronic illness despite the efforts of the keeps maesters. She would never give birth to another, would never gather the strength to hold her own children, would never be a mother to them. Luckily, Rhaelars' desire for sons had ceased, and he immediately took to fatherhood with the two boys.

Maenyra did not receive her fathers affections in the same way. She was loved and cared for, but never more than was necessary. As she grew, she found comfort in her distant family. Her royal cousin would allow Maenyra to accompany her, as if in a way they shared each other's loneliness in the loss of their mothers. Rhaenyras influence sparked a wildness in Maenyras heart, and influenced her in a way that would shape the young girl's future. By her 18th year, she was well traveled, spending much of her time on dragonback, much to her father’s chagrin. The peace she was privileged enough to enjoy would not last forever, as she would soon come to find.

This was the year her dreams began, the year her haunting commenced.

—————

The first two chapters are short ones, but I promise itll pick up with my next few ones ‼️

[brookston]

Holidays 10.1

Holidays

Antiope Asteroid Day

Arbor Day (Northern Mariana Islands)

Armed Forces Day (South Korea)

Bad Bunny Day (California)

Bonn Phchum Ben (Ancestors’ Day; Cambodia)

Captains Regent Day (San Mario)

CD Player Day

Children’s Day (El Salvador, Guatemala, Sri Lanka)

Chronic Urticaria Awareness Day

Cut Out Dissection Day

Day of Prosecutors (Azerbaijan)

Day of Teachers and Inspectors (Uzbekistan)

Day of the Defenders of the Ukraine (Ukraine)

DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) Day

Escape Room Day

Feast of Penha (Brazil)

Fire Pup Day

Fiscal Year begins (US)

Foundation Day of the People's Republic of China

Green Day

Ground Forces Day (Russia)

Guoqing Jie (China, Hong Kong, Macau)

International Day of Older Persons (UN)

International Gaucher Day

International Music Day

International Raccoon Appreciation Day

International Raise It Up Day

International Willy Wonka Day

Investiture of the Captains Regent (San Marino)

Journalist Day (Peru)

Kung Fu Day

Las Vegas Shooting Remembrance Day

Less Than Perfect Day

Lincolnshire Day (UK)

Little Golden Books Day

Magic Circles Day

Model T Day

Monkey God Festival (Hong Kong)

Moving Day (NYC)

National Architect Day (Mexico)

National Black Dog Day

National Book It! Day

National Day of the People's Republic of China

National Green City Day

National Hair Day

National Lace Day

National Latino Physician Day

National Massage Day (UK)

National Roller Skating Day

National Seniors Day (Canada)

National VHS Day

National Walk Your Dog Day

Older Persons Day (Kazakhstan; Tajikistan)

O’qituvchi va Murabbiylar Kuni (Day of Teachers and Instructors; Uzbekistan)

Pancasila Sanctity Day (Indonesia)

Popcorn and Tears Movie Appreciation Night

Postcard Day

Prosecutor’s Day (Azerbaijan)

Stone Fishing Ceremony (French Polynesia)

Tampere Day (Finland)

Teacher’s Day (Uzbekistan)

Ukrainian Cossacks Day (Ukraine)

Umbrella Academy Day

US-ROK Alliance Day (US and Korea)

Vat Day (French Republic)

We Are the Music Makers, and We Are the Dreamers of Dreams Day

White Rabbit Day

Willy Wonka Day

World Ballet Day

World Bluegrass Day

World Bluetits Day

World Handmade Day

World Paralysis Awareness Day

World Postcard Day

World Series Day

Wold Vexillology Day

Yosemite National Park Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Coffee Day (Japan)

Croqueta Day (Miami, Florida)

German Brewer's New Year's Day

Greek Coffee Day (Greece)

Homemade Cookies Day

International Coffee Day

International Sake Day

Japanese Tea Day (Japan)

Manifest Drunkenness Day (France)

National Marinara Sauce Day

National Pumpkin Spice Day

Pudding Season begins

Vegan Baking Day

World Cocoa & Chocolate Day

World Sake Day

World Vegetarian Day

Independence & Related Days

Chuuk Constitution Day (Micronesia)

Cyprus (from UK, 1960)

Investiture of the Captains Regents (San Marino) [also 4.1]

Nigeria (from UK, 1960)

Palau (from UN Trust Territory status, 1994)

Tuvalu (from UK, 1978)

Unification Day (Cameroon)

1st Tuesday in October

Customer Experience Day [1st Tuesday]

IEEE Day [1st Tuesday]

National Advising Day [1st Tuesday]

National Fruit at Work Day [1st Tuesday]

National Night Out (Alternative) [1st Tuesday]

News Engagement Day [1st Tuesday]

Taco Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Takeout Tuesday [1st Tuesday of Each Month]

Target Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Tater Tot Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

To-Do List Tuesday [1st Tuesday of Each Month]

Tranquil Tuesday [1st Tuesday of Each Month]

Trivia Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Two For Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Weekly Holidays beginning October 1 (1st Week of October)

Active Aging Week (thru 10.7)

Getting the World to Beat a Path to Your Door Week (thru 10.7)

National Vegetarian Awareness Week (thru 10.7]

National Walk Your Dog Week (thru 10.7) [1st Week]

Trichotillomania Skin Picking & Related BFRB Awareness Week (thru 10.7)

Universal Children’s Week (thru 10.7)

World Dairy Expo (thru 10.4)

Festivals Beginning October 1, 2024

Algeria International Festival of Comics [FIBDA] (Algiers, Algeria) [thru 10.5]

Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival (Bluffton, South Carolina) [thru 10.20]

Melbourne Fringe Festival (Melbourne, Australia) [thru 10.20]

Orangeburg County Fair (Orangeburg, South Carolina) [thru 10.6]

World Dairy Expo (Madison, Wisconsin) [thru 10.4]

Feast Days

Abai (Syriac Orthodox Church)

Agnolotti Appreciation Day (Pastafarian)

Antonio Roybal (Artology)

Bavo of Ghent (Christian; Saint)

Camilla D'Errico (Artology)

The Canterbury Martyrs of 1588 (Christian; Martyrs)

Descension of the Lawyers Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Edward James (Christian; Blessed)

Faith Baldwin (Writerism)

Festival of Fides (Pagan)

Festival of Juno Sororia (Ancient Rome)

Festival of the Rosary (Christian; Saint)

Fides Publica (Old Roman Goddess of Faithfulness)

Fidharieus of Ireland (Christian; Saint)

Flattering Finals (Shamanism)

The Frith (a.k.a. Augury; Celtic Book of Days)

Giulia Lama (Artology)

Kalends of October (Ancient Rome)

Katsushika Hokusai (Artology)

Louis Untermeyer (Writerism)

Melorus (a.k.a. Melar or Mylor; Christian; Martyr)

Ms. Barrett (Muppetism)

Nicetius (Roman Catholic Church)

Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem (Artology)

Older Persons Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Oschophoria (Autumn Dionysus Festival, Greek God of Intoxication)

Pergolese (Positivist; Saint)

Plat (Christian; Saint)

Remigius of Rheims (a.k.a. Remi; Christian; Saint)

Romanos the Melodist (Christian; Saint)

Thérèse of Lisieux (Christian; Saint)

Protection/Patronage of the Theotokos (Eastern Catholic Churches)

Wasnulf (a.k.a. Wasnon; Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Binary Day [110] (4 of 9)

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Premieres

Abbey Road, by The Beatles (US Album; 1969)

Alice Cooper #1 (Marvel Comic Book; 1979)

And So Tibet (Modern Madcaps Cartoon; 1964)

The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, by Gertrude Stein (Autobiography; 1932)

Belabor They Neighbor (Hector Heathcote Cartoon; 1970)

The Big Country (Film; 1958)

The Big Dipper, Parts 1 & 2 (Underdog Cartoon, S3, Eps. 5 & 6; 1966)

The Big Fix (Film; 1978)

The Big Knockover, by Dashiell Hammett (Short Story; 1927)

Blue Plate Symphony (Heckle & Jeckle Cartoon; 1954)

Bugs in Love (Silly Symphony Disney Cartoon; 1932)

A Canticle for Leibowitz, by Walter M. Miller Jr. (Novel; 1959)

A Close Shave, featuring Farmer Al Falfa (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1937)

Clown Jewels, featuring Sidney (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1961)

Cool Runnings (Film; 1993)

Deep Sea Doodle (Heckle & Jeckle Cartoon; 1960)

The Devil’s Dictionary, by Ambrose Bierce (Book; 1906)

Dexter (TV Series; 2006)

Dr. Rhinestone’s Theory, featuring James Hound (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1967)

Expert Explorer (Hector Heathcote Cartoon; 1963)

Ferdydurke, by Witold Gombrowicz (Novel; 1937)

The Fighting Prince of Donegal (Film; 1966)

First Flight Up (Hector Heathcote Cartoon; 1962)

The Fleet’s Out, featuring Sidney (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1962)

Fountains of Wayne, by Fountains of Wayne (Album; 1996)

Freakonomics (Documentary Film; 2010)

The Friendly Ghost (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1954)

The Fright Before Christmas or A Visit from Saint Nicholouse (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S5, Ep. 217; 1963)

The Frog (Mighty Mouse Cartoon; 1969)

Galaxia (Modern Madcaps Cartoon; 1960)

Gaston’s Easel Life (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1958)

Ghosted (TV Series; 2017)

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest, by Stieg Larsson (Novel; 2009) [Millennium Trilogy #3]

The Gold Dust Bandit (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1964)

Good Mousekeeping (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1952)

Green Onions, by Booker T. & The M.G.’s (Album; 1962)

Happy, Texas (Film; 1999)

The Hard Boiled Egg (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1948)

Hashimoto-San (Hashimoto Cartoon; 1959)

The Headless Horseman (Ub Iwerks ComiColor Cartoon; 1934)

The Helpful Genie (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1951)

Hippolyte et Aricie, by Jean-Philippe Rameau (Opera; 1733)

The Horse's Mouth, by Joyce Cary (Novel; 1944)

How to Keep Cool (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1953)

Hund for Pound (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1963)

How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie (Self Help Book; 1936)

The Hunt for Red October, by Tom Clancy (Novel; 1985)

If Cats Could Sing (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1950)

Jackass (TV Series; 2000)

Journey to the End of the Night, by Louis-Ferdinand Céline (Novel; 1932)

Knight-Mare Hare (WB MM Cartoon; 1955)

Kubla Khan, Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Poem; 1797)

The Last Hero, by Terry Pratchet (Novel; 2001) [Discworld #27]

Love That Pup (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1949)

Madame Bovary (Novel; 1856)

Mad #1 (Magazine; 1952)

The Man in the High Castle, by Philip K. Dick (Novel; 1962)

Metamorphosis, by Franz Kafka (Novella; 1915)

Mickey’s Choo-Choo (Disney Cartoon; 1929)

Midnight Love, by Marvin Gaye (Album; 1982)

The Monks Present, by The Monks (Album; 1969)

Mouse and Garden (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1950)

Mutiny on the Bounty, by Charles Bernard Nordhoff (Novel; 1932)

The Mysterious Affair at Styles, by Agatha Christie (Mystery Novel; 1920) [1]

The Mysterious Stranger (Mighty Mouse Cartoon; 1948)

A New World Record, by Electric Light Orchestra (Album; 1976)

Nice Doggy (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1952)

Night of the Living Dead (Film; 1968)

No Space Like Home (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1971)

Now We Are Six, by A.A. Milne (Poetry; 1927) [Winnie the Pooh #4]

Panicky Pancakes (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1928)

Pastry Panic (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1951)

Penny Pals (Modern Madcaps Cartoon; 1962)

Perils of Pearl Pureheart (Mighty Mouse Cartoon; 1949)

The Pigs’ Feat (Modern Madcaps Cartoon; 1963)

The Planet Mouseola (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1960)

The Poky Little Puppy, by Janette Sebring Lowrey (Children’s Book; 1942)

The Pony Express (Flip the Frog MGM Cartoon; 1932)

Rabbit Hill, by Robert Lawson (Children’s Book; 1944)

Redwall, by Brian Jacques (Novel; 1986)

The Redwood Sap (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1951)

The Reformed Wolf (Mighty Mouse Cartoon; 1954)

The Reluctant Pup (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1953)

Ringworld, by Larry Niven (Novel; 1970)

The Rock Hound (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1968)

Screaming Life, by Soundgarden (EP; 1987)

Selling England By the Pound, by Genesis (Album; 1973)

She, by H. Rider Haggard (Novel; 1886)

The Social Network (Film; 2010)

Soups On or Rocky Goes to Pot (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S5, Ep. 218; 1963)

Sour Gripes (Modern Madcaps Cartoon; 1963)

Spooky-Yaki (Hashimoto Cartoon; 1963)

Stranger Than Paradise (Film; 1984)

Surfin’ Safari, by The Beach Boys (Album; 1962)

The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter (Children’s Book; 1902)

Tally-Hokum (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1965)

The Tartar Steppe, by Dino Buzzati (Novel; 1940)

Teaser and the Firecat, by Cat Stevens (Album; 1971)

Tell Me a Bedtime Story (Modern Madcaps Cartoon; 1963)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Film; 1974)

Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser (Film; 1989)

The Third Musketeer (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1965)

The Three Little Kittens, by Marie Simchow Stern (Children’s Book; 1942)

This Is Your Life (Radio Series; 1952)

A Tiger’s Tail (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1964)

Tin Pan Alley (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1960)

The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson (Late Night TV Talk Show; 1962)

A Truckload of Trouble (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1949)

Turtle Scoop (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1961)

Valley Forge Hero (Hector Heathcote Cartoon; 1963)

Vincent (Disney Cartoon; 1982)

Walt Disney World (Theme Park; 1971)

The Waste Land, by T.S. Eliot (Poem; 1922)

Watch the Butterfly (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1966)

We Think the World is Round (Hanna-Barbera Animated TV Special)

When God Was a Woman Merlin Stone (History Book; 1976)

Wide Sargasso Sea, by Jean Rhys (Novel; 1966)

The Winning Ticket (MGM Cartoon; 1938)

The Wiz (Film; 1978)

The Young Lions, by Irwin Shaw (Novel; 1948)

Yule Laff (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1962)

007 in New York, by Ian Fleming (James Bond Short Story; 1962)

Today’s Name Days

Theresia (Austria)

Remigije, Tereza, Terezija (Croatia)

Igor (Czech Republic)

Remigius (Denmark)

Ragnar, Rain, Rainer, Raino, Rauno, Reinhard (Estonia)

Raine, Rainer, Raino, Rauno (Finland)

Ariel, Mélodie, Muriel, Thérèse (France)

Andrea, Remigius, Theresia, Werner (Germany)

Ananias, Romanos, Thiresia (Greece)

Malvin (Hungary)

Teresa (Italy)

Lara, Lāsma, Zanda (Latvia)

Benigna, Mantas, Mintė, Remigijus (Lithuania)

Rebekka, Remi (Norway)

Benigna, Cieszysław, Dan, Danisz, Danuta, Igor, Jan, Remigiusz (Poland)

Ariadna, Irina, Sofya (Russia)

Arnold (Slovakia)

Teresa, Teresita (Spain)

Ragna, Ragnar (Sweden)

Carter, Remington, Remy, Rhea, Rhiannon (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 275 of 2024; 91 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 2 of Week 40 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Gort (Ivy) [Day 3 of 28]

Chinese: Month 8 (Guy-You), Day 29 (Wu-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 28 Elul 5784

Islamic: 27 Rabi I 1446

J Cal: 5 Orange; Fryday [5 of 30]

Julian: 18 September 2024

Moon: 1%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 23 Shakespeare (10th Month) [Sacchini / Grétry]

Runic Half Month: Gyfu (Gift) [Day 10 of 15]

Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 10 of 90)

Week: Last Week of September/1st Week of October

Zodiac: Libra (Day 9 of 30)

Calendar Changes

October (Gregorian Calendar) [Month 10 of 12]

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 10.1

Holidays

Antiope Asteroid Day

Arbor Day (Northern Mariana Islands)

Armed Forces Day (South Korea)

Bad Bunny Day (California)

Bonn Phchum Ben (Ancestors’ Day; Cambodia)

Captains Regent Day (San Mario)

CD Player Day

Children’s Day (El Salvador, Guatemala, Sri Lanka)

Chronic Urticaria Awareness Day

Cut Out Dissection Day

Day of Prosecutors (Azerbaijan)

Day of Teachers and Inspectors (Uzbekistan)

Day of the Defenders of the Ukraine (Ukraine)

DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) Day

Escape Room Day

Feast of Penha (Brazil)

Fire Pup Day

Fiscal Year begins (US)

Foundation Day of the People's Republic of China

Green Day

Ground Forces Day (Russia)

Guoqing Jie (China, Hong Kong, Macau)

International Day of Older Persons (UN)

International Gaucher Day

International Music Day

International Raccoon Appreciation Day

International Raise It Up Day

International Willy Wonka Day

Investiture of the Captains Regent (San Marino)

Journalist Day (Peru)

Kung Fu Day

Las Vegas Shooting Remembrance Day

Less Than Perfect Day

Lincolnshire Day (UK)

Little Golden Books Day

Magic Circles Day

Model T Day

Monkey God Festival (Hong Kong)

Moving Day (NYC)

National Architect Day (Mexico)

National Black Dog Day

National Book It! Day

National Day of the People's Republic of China

National Green City Day

National Hair Day

National Lace Day

National Latino Physician Day

National Massage Day (UK)

National Roller Skating Day

National Seniors Day (Canada)

National VHS Day

National Walk Your Dog Day

Older Persons Day (Kazakhstan; Tajikistan)

O’qituvchi va Murabbiylar Kuni (Day of Teachers and Instructors; Uzbekistan)

Pancasila Sanctity Day (Indonesia)

Popcorn and Tears Movie Appreciation Night

Postcard Day

Prosecutor’s Day (Azerbaijan)

Stone Fishing Ceremony (French Polynesia)

Tampere Day (Finland)

Teacher’s Day (Uzbekistan)

Ukrainian Cossacks Day (Ukraine)

Umbrella Academy Day

US-ROK Alliance Day (US and Korea)

Vat Day (French Republic)

We Are the Music Makers, and We Are the Dreamers of Dreams Day

White Rabbit Day

Willy Wonka Day

World Ballet Day

World Bluegrass Day

World Bluetits Day

World Handmade Day

World Paralysis Awareness Day

World Postcard Day

World Series Day

Wold Vexillology Day

Yosemite National Park Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Coffee Day (Japan)

Croqueta Day (Miami, Florida)

German Brewer's New Year's Day

Greek Coffee Day (Greece)

Homemade Cookies Day

International Coffee Day

International Sake Day

Japanese Tea Day (Japan)

Manifest Drunkenness Day (France)

National Marinara Sauce Day

National Pumpkin Spice Day

Pudding Season begins

Vegan Baking Day

World Cocoa & Chocolate Day

World Sake Day

World Vegetarian Day

Independence & Related Days

Chuuk Constitution Day (Micronesia)

Cyprus (from UK, 1960)

Investiture of the Captains Regents (San Marino) [also 4.1]

Nigeria (from UK, 1960)

Palau (from UN Trust Territory status, 1994)

Tuvalu (from UK, 1978)

Unification Day (Cameroon)

1st Tuesday in October

Customer Experience Day [1st Tuesday]

IEEE Day [1st Tuesday]

National Advising Day [1st Tuesday]

National Fruit at Work Day [1st Tuesday]

National Night Out (Alternative) [1st Tuesday]

News Engagement Day [1st Tuesday]

Taco Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Takeout Tuesday [1st Tuesday of Each Month]

Target Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Tater Tot Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

To-Do List Tuesday [1st Tuesday of Each Month]

Tranquil Tuesday [1st Tuesday of Each Month]

Trivia Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Two For Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Weekly Holidays beginning October 1 (1st Week of October)

Active Aging Week (thru 10.7)

Getting the World to Beat a Path to Your Door Week (thru 10.7)

National Vegetarian Awareness Week (thru 10.7]

National Walk Your Dog Week (thru 10.7) [1st Week]

Trichotillomania Skin Picking & Related BFRB Awareness Week (thru 10.7)

Universal Children’s Week (thru 10.7)

World Dairy Expo (thru 10.4)

Festivals Beginning October 1, 2024

Algeria International Festival of Comics [FIBDA] (Algiers, Algeria) [thru 10.5]

Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival (Bluffton, South Carolina) [thru 10.20]

Melbourne Fringe Festival (Melbourne, Australia) [thru 10.20]

Orangeburg County Fair (Orangeburg, South Carolina) [thru 10.6]

World Dairy Expo (Madison, Wisconsin) [thru 10.4]

Feast Days

Abai (Syriac Orthodox Church)

Agnolotti Appreciation Day (Pastafarian)

Antonio Roybal (Artology)

Bavo of Ghent (Christian; Saint)

Camilla D'Errico (Artology)

The Canterbury Martyrs of 1588 (Christian; Martyrs)

Descension of the Lawyers Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Edward James (Christian; Blessed)

Faith Baldwin (Writerism)

Festival of Fides (Pagan)

Festival of Juno Sororia (Ancient Rome)

Festival of the Rosary (Christian; Saint)

Fides Publica (Old Roman Goddess of Faithfulness)

Fidharieus of Ireland (Christian; Saint)

Flattering Finals (Shamanism)

The Frith (a.k.a. Augury; Celtic Book of Days)

Giulia Lama (Artology)

Kalends of October (Ancient Rome)

Katsushika Hokusai (Artology)

Louis Untermeyer (Writerism)

Melorus (a.k.a. Melar or Mylor; Christian; Martyr)

Ms. Barrett (Muppetism)

Nicetius (Roman Catholic Church)

Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem (Artology)

Older Persons Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Oschophoria (Autumn Dionysus Festival, Greek God of Intoxication)

Pergolese (Positivist; Saint)

Plat (Christian; Saint)

Remigius of Rheims (a.k.a. Remi; Christian; Saint)

Romanos the Melodist (Christian; Saint)

Thérèse of Lisieux (Christian; Saint)

Protection/Patronage of the Theotokos (Eastern Catholic Churches)

Wasnulf (a.k.a. Wasnon; Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Binary Day [110] (4 of 9)

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Premieres

Abbey Road, by The Beatles (US Album; 1969)

Alice Cooper #1 (Marvel Comic Book; 1979)

And So Tibet (Modern Madcaps Cartoon; 1964)

The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, by Gertrude Stein (Autobiography; 1932)

Belabor They Neighbor (Hector Heathcote Cartoon; 1970)

The Big Country (Film; 1958)

The Big Dipper, Parts 1 & 2 (Underdog Cartoon, S3, Eps. 5 & 6; 1966)

The Big Fix (Film; 1978)

The Big Knockover, by Dashiell Hammett (Short Story; 1927)

Blue Plate Symphony (Heckle & Jeckle Cartoon; 1954)

Bugs in Love (Silly Symphony Disney Cartoon; 1932)

A Canticle for Leibowitz, by Walter M. Miller Jr. (Novel; 1959)

A Close Shave, featuring Farmer Al Falfa (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1937)

Clown Jewels, featuring Sidney (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1961)

Cool Runnings (Film; 1993)

Deep Sea Doodle (Heckle & Jeckle Cartoon; 1960)

The Devil’s Dictionary, by Ambrose Bierce (Book; 1906)

Dexter (TV Series; 2006)

Dr. Rhinestone’s Theory, featuring James Hound (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1967)

Expert Explorer (Hector Heathcote Cartoon; 1963)

Ferdydurke, by Witold Gombrowicz (Novel; 1937)

The Fighting Prince of Donegal (Film; 1966)

First Flight Up (Hector Heathcote Cartoon; 1962)

The Fleet’s Out, featuring Sidney (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1962)

Fountains of Wayne, by Fountains of Wayne (Album; 1996)

Freakonomics (Documentary Film; 2010)

The Friendly Ghost (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1954)

The Fright Before Christmas or A Visit from Saint Nicholouse (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S5, Ep. 217; 1963)

The Frog (Mighty Mouse Cartoon; 1969)

Galaxia (Modern Madcaps Cartoon; 1960)

Gaston’s Easel Life (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1958)

Ghosted (TV Series; 2017)

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest, by Stieg Larsson (Novel; 2009) [Millennium Trilogy #3]

The Gold Dust Bandit (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1964)

Good Mousekeeping (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1952)

Green Onions, by Booker T. & The M.G.’s (Album; 1962)

Happy, Texas (Film; 1999)

The Hard Boiled Egg (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1948)

Hashimoto-San (Hashimoto Cartoon; 1959)

The Headless Horseman (Ub Iwerks ComiColor Cartoon; 1934)

The Helpful Genie (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1951)

Hippolyte et Aricie, by Jean-Philippe Rameau (Opera; 1733)

The Horse's Mouth, by Joyce Cary (Novel; 1944)

How to Keep Cool (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1953)

Hund for Pound (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1963)

How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie (Self Help Book; 1936)

The Hunt for Red October, by Tom Clancy (Novel; 1985)

If Cats Could Sing (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1950)

Jackass (TV Series; 2000)

Journey to the End of the Night, by Louis-Ferdinand Céline (Novel; 1932)

Knight-Mare Hare (WB MM Cartoon; 1955)

Kubla Khan, Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Poem; 1797)

The Last Hero, by Terry Pratchet (Novel; 2001) [Discworld #27]

Love That Pup (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1949)

Madame Bovary (Novel; 1856)

Mad #1 (Magazine; 1952)

The Man in the High Castle, by Philip K. Dick (Novel; 1962)

Metamorphosis, by Franz Kafka (Novella; 1915)

Mickey’s Choo-Choo (Disney Cartoon; 1929)

Midnight Love, by Marvin Gaye (Album; 1982)

The Monks Present, by The Monks (Album; 1969)

Mouse and Garden (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1950)

Mutiny on the Bounty, by Charles Bernard Nordhoff (Novel; 1932)

The Mysterious Affair at Styles, by Agatha Christie (Mystery Novel; 1920) [1]

The Mysterious Stranger (Mighty Mouse Cartoon; 1948)

A New World Record, by Electric Light Orchestra (Album; 1976)

Nice Doggy (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1952)

Night of the Living Dead (Film; 1968)

No Space Like Home (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1971)

Now We Are Six, by A.A. Milne (Poetry; 1927) [Winnie the Pooh #4]

Panicky Pancakes (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1928)

Pastry Panic (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1951)

Penny Pals (Modern Madcaps Cartoon; 1962)

Perils of Pearl Pureheart (Mighty Mouse Cartoon; 1949)

The Pigs’ Feat (Modern Madcaps Cartoon; 1963)

The Planet Mouseola (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1960)

The Poky Little Puppy, by Janette Sebring Lowrey (Children’s Book; 1942)

The Pony Express (Flip the Frog MGM Cartoon; 1932)

Rabbit Hill, by Robert Lawson (Children’s Book; 1944)

Redwall, by Brian Jacques (Novel; 1986)

The Redwood Sap (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1951)

The Reformed Wolf (Mighty Mouse Cartoon; 1954)

The Reluctant Pup (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1953)

Ringworld, by Larry Niven (Novel; 1970)

The Rock Hound (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1968)

Screaming Life, by Soundgarden (EP; 1987)

Selling England By the Pound, by Genesis (Album; 1973)

She, by H. Rider Haggard (Novel; 1886)

The Social Network (Film; 2010)

Soups On or Rocky Goes to Pot (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S5, Ep. 218; 1963)

Sour Gripes (Modern Madcaps Cartoon; 1963)

Spooky-Yaki (Hashimoto Cartoon; 1963)

Stranger Than Paradise (Film; 1984)

Surfin’ Safari, by The Beach Boys (Album; 1962)

The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter (Children’s Book; 1902)

Tally-Hokum (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1965)

The Tartar Steppe, by Dino Buzzati (Novel; 1940)

Teaser and the Firecat, by Cat Stevens (Album; 1971)

Tell Me a Bedtime Story (Modern Madcaps Cartoon; 1963)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Film; 1974)

Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser (Film; 1989)

The Third Musketeer (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1965)

The Three Little Kittens, by Marie Simchow Stern (Children’s Book; 1942)

This Is Your Life (Radio Series; 1952)

A Tiger’s Tail (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1964)

Tin Pan Alley (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1960)

The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson (Late Night TV Talk Show; 1962)

A Truckload of Trouble (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1949)

Turtle Scoop (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1961)

Valley Forge Hero (Hector Heathcote Cartoon; 1963)

Vincent (Disney Cartoon; 1982)

Walt Disney World (Theme Park; 1971)

The Waste Land, by T.S. Eliot (Poem; 1922)

Watch the Butterfly (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1966)

We Think the World is Round (Hanna-Barbera Animated TV Special)

When God Was a Woman Merlin Stone (History Book; 1976)

Wide Sargasso Sea, by Jean Rhys (Novel; 1966)

The Winning Ticket (MGM Cartoon; 1938)

The Wiz (Film; 1978)

The Young Lions, by Irwin Shaw (Novel; 1948)

Yule Laff (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1962)

007 in New York, by Ian Fleming (James Bond Short Story; 1962)

Today’s Name Days

Theresia (Austria)

Remigije, Tereza, Terezija (Croatia)

Igor (Czech Republic)

Remigius (Denmark)

Ragnar, Rain, Rainer, Raino, Rauno, Reinhard (Estonia)

Raine, Rainer, Raino, Rauno (Finland)

Ariel, Mélodie, Muriel, Thérèse (France)

Andrea, Remigius, Theresia, Werner (Germany)

Ananias, Romanos, Thiresia (Greece)

Malvin (Hungary)

Teresa (Italy)

Lara, Lāsma, Zanda (Latvia)

Benigna, Mantas, Mintė, Remigijus (Lithuania)

Rebekka, Remi (Norway)

Benigna, Cieszysław, Dan, Danisz, Danuta, Igor, Jan, Remigiusz (Poland)

Ariadna, Irina, Sofya (Russia)

Arnold (Slovakia)

Teresa, Teresita (Spain)

Ragna, Ragnar (Sweden)

Carter, Remington, Remy, Rhea, Rhiannon (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 275 of 2024; 91 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 2 of Week 40 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Gort (Ivy) [Day 3 of 28]

Chinese: Month 8 (Guy-You), Day 29 (Wu-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 28 Elul 5784

Islamic: 27 Rabi I 1446

J Cal: 5 Orange; Fryday [5 of 30]

Julian: 18 September 2024

Moon: 1%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 23 Shakespeare (10th Month) [Sacchini / Grétry]

Runic Half Month: Gyfu (Gift) [Day 10 of 15]

Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 10 of 90)

Week: Last Week of September/1st Week of October

Zodiac: Libra (Day 9 of 30)

Calendar Changes

October (Gregorian Calendar) [Month 10 of 12]

[vincelgr]

Introduction to Blogging

Hey there, fellow internet explorers! I'm Vince Lloyd Rondares, and I'm not sure how to describe myself. I'm a bit of a paradox, a walking contradiction, a human kaleidoscope of thoughts and experiences. Some might call me a dreamer, others might call me a cynic. I'm a bit of both, really. But one thing's for sure: I'm a storyteller, and this blog is my digital cauldron, where I brew up stories from the raw ingredients of my thoughts, experiences, and dreams.

I'm a student just like you, navigating the wild and wonderful world of academia, late-night study sessions, and the ever-present quest for caffeine. But I'm also a writer, a storyteller, and a chronic overthinker who finds solace in the power of words.

I've always been a writer, even if I didn't always call myself one. I wrote in my journals, scribbled on napkins, and left notes on mirrors. Words were my way of making sense of the world, of expressing my emotions, and of escaping into worlds of my own creation. But it wasn't until recently that I realized the power of sharing my stories with others.

I stumbled upon the world of blogging like a lost traveler discovering a hidden oasis. It was a place where I could connect with others who shared my passion for words, where I could explore different genres and styles, and where I could experiment with my voice. And so, here I am, a self-proclaimed "accidental alchemist," ready to share my creations with you.

What kind of stories do I have to tell? Well, they're a bit like my personality: a mix of the mundane and the magical, the humorous and the profound. I write about my everyday experiences, my observations of the world, my struggles and triumphs, and my dreams and aspirations. I also write about the things that fascinate me: art, music, literature, philosophy, and the mysteries of the universe.

But I also write about the things that are close to my heart: the challenges and joys of student life, the pressure of exams, the thrill of new discoveries, and the constant search for meaning in a world that often feels overwhelming.

My goal is to create a space where we can all come together, share our stories, and explore the beauty and wonder of the written word. I want to inspire you to write, to read, to dream, and to connect with the world around you. I want to remind you that even in the darkest of times, there's always a flicker of hope, a spark of creativity, and a story waiting to be told.

So, if you're looking for a place to escape the noise of the world, to find inspiration, or simply to connect with someone who loves words as much as you do, then welcome! This is your space, too. Let's embark on this journey together, one word at a time, and see what magic we can create.

I'm excited to be a part of this community, to learn from you, to share with you, and to grow with you. Let's make some magic together!

[practically-an-x-man]

2, 4, 6?

Thank you!!

A writer's ask meme has appeared!

2. What is a recurrent theme or fascination in your work?

Definitely the idea of a hero's journey permanently changing or affecting the hero, often in physical ways. Many of my characters end their stories with some kind of physical disability brought on by the traumas of their journeys - Ophelia's bad knee, Katherine's hand tremors, Robin's lingering TBI effects (e.g migraines, flashbacks and night terrors, occasional balance issues), Indigo's pacemaker, etc.. - and the closing of their story is often about learning to navigate these new challenges (and being supported by their loved ones as they do).

It's a combination of two things, I think. One, I feel like the hero's journey is worthless if it doesn't have a lasting impact on the hero, so my heroes usually have both mental and physical development by the time they've completed their journey. And two... I have genetic mutations and chronic joint problems myself, and they've been progressively getting worse over time. The idea of a character learning to cope with new disabilities, and more importantly being supported and loved unconditionally as they do, is something incredibly personal to me, and I can't help but work it into many of my stories.

4. What inspires you?

Oh, so many things. I don't even know that I have one specific inspiration for what I write, it's just this ongoing combination of themes I see in movies, books I read, songs I like, conversations with friends, or even just walking around or riding in the car and thinking about how I'd describe what I see. I don't think I've ever really run out of inspiration for things to write, at least not entirely. In fact, I have way more ideas than I'll ever be able to write, since I'm constantly getting inspiration but don't have the time to get all those ideas down on the page.

6. Favorite POV and tense to write in?

I always write in past tense - I tried to write in present tense for my first X-Men fic, but it just didn't flow and I ended up going back and changing the tenses after only half a chapter of that. Haven't gone back.

But when it comes to POV... I don't know that I have a favorite. I usually write in third person limited because it's the easiest one to get into and is generally the most palatable to readers, but perspectives like anything else are just a tool for the writer to use as needed. Rae's and Madison's perspectives are usually written in first person, because their inner thoughts and experiences are a big part of their story and the personal, intimate feel of first person POV worked better for that. Prometheus' stories are told in second-person, because they're meant to reflect the dreamers (i.e. the readers) and second-person POV conveys more of that reflection and empathy. And while third person is my "default" like I said above, it's also good for more complicated or detailed stories, since there's a bit more wiggle room for establishment and description as compared to first or second person.